After first glancing at the article of this movie in the book "Cult Movies 2" some 25 years ago, I finally watched Basket Case today having bought the VHS from a used video store about a month ago. It concerns conjoined twins Duane (Keven Van Hentenryck) and Belial (which is a mixture of a puppet and stop-motion animation) and their revenge against the doctors that tore them apart. There's also a romance between Duane and one of the doctors' receptionist, Sharon (Terri Susan Smith). Written and directed by Frank Henenlotter, Basket Case is obviously low-budget and amateurish with cheesy moments to spare especially whenever Belial attacks someone. But it can also provide some genuine scares and shocks especially when Belial encounters Sharon. So on that note, Basket Case comes highly recommended. P.S. One of the players, a Dorothy Strongin who played Josephine here, died in my current hometown of Baton Rouge, LA, on May 25, 2006.
197 Reviews
Cheesy, silly, gory 80's B movie horror, WHY NOT
noahbetancourt11 January 2020
Basket Case was a horro movie that was intentionally funny. And because of how cheesy it is, it's even sillier now. The plot is quite simple and the acting is mediocre, but remember, it's a B movie. But the kills are funny and have just the right amount of gore. The ending was both weird and predictable. Not the best movie and not required viewing for horror fans, but a fun 90 minutes.
Quite ridiculous
nickenchuggets4 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I went into this movie knowing very well that it was going to be stupid, but after seeing it, I now know that it's stupid in an entertaining way. The movie is kind of like watching a train crash in slow motion, where it's so terrible and macabre but at the same time you can't look away. It would make more sense why I think it's ridiculous if I talk about the plot. The movie is about a person named Duane who arrives in NYC. He's from upstate, and has never seen the city before. He carries around a locked basket with him most of the time, and the gimmick of the movie is that everybody wants to know what's inside it. This doesn't get revealed until much later, so the movie does build suspense pretty well. Duane also meets a receptionist at the doctor who he takes a liking to, and stays in a rundown hotel in the city to give himself a place to stay. Surprisingly, the hotel manager is probably one of the best characters, even though the movie doesn't give him a name. He has a stereotypical italian new york accent, and is impatient when his tenants are out of their rooms past a certain time. It's an overall decent movie, until about 50 minutes in when you see the monster. As it turns out, the basket contains Duane's hideously malformed brother Belial who doesn't even resemble a human being. Later in the movie when Belial climbs out of the basket when Duane is out with the receptionist, it makes a big scene in the hotel and screams, which obviously draws everybody's attention. It kills one of the characters, but even after investigators arrive, nobody is able to tell who did it. Duane is questioned, but eventually let go. It turns out Belial is murderous because as a child, Duane was forcefully separated from him by some surgeons, and now he's trying to get revenge on them. Duane himself doesn't hate the doctors, and he tries to convince his brother to calm down. Towards the end of the movie, Belial kills the receptionist that Duane was dating, which enrages him so much he tries to kill him, but the both of them are knocked out of the hotel window instead. The movie is obviously absurd and pretty bad, but at least it's funny. It manages to combine comedy and horror reasonably well. Also, when Duane's brother is out of his basket and moving around, it's all stop motion, which looks cool. Still, how this movie managed to get two sequels is beyond my understanding.
Possibly the ultimate grindhouse exploitation movie
squeezebox13 October 2003
BASKET CASE is, for what it is, superb.
That's not to say it is technically proficient or boasts particularly good performances from its actors. But it's intelligent, creepy and viciously horrific.
A young man, Duane, enters a seedy Times Square motel carrying a large wicker basket. Inside the basket, as we soon discover, is his monstrously deformed Siamese twin brother, Belial. Belial looks like a twisted lump of fat and gristle, with two clawed arms and an eerily human-like face. He was, not so long ago, attached to his brother's side, until his father and some crooked surgeons decided to seperate the brothers against their will. Now the pair is in Manhattan, to do away with the doctors who performed the operation.
The very premise is as bizarre and sordid as one can imagine. And the movie doesn't disappoint. Everything is washed out with red and blue neon, every location is dirty and grungy, every character is twisted or crazed. The movie jerks the viewer's emotions around brutally, going from silly to grim to nightmarish to funny to horrifying to tragic. It may take the movie a little while to sink in. If you allow it to, it will leave you speechless.
BASKET CASE is a classic of exploitation cinema. It's as gruesome as any splatter movie and sleazy as any grindhouse porno, but it's far better written and crafted than most of its type. It's a nightmare not unlike David Lynch's ERASERHEAD, but with a more EC-comics feel. If a mixture of sleaze, extreme gore, expressionism and poetic justice are your cup of tea, don't pass up BASKET CASE!
That's not to say it is technically proficient or boasts particularly good performances from its actors. But it's intelligent, creepy and viciously horrific.
A young man, Duane, enters a seedy Times Square motel carrying a large wicker basket. Inside the basket, as we soon discover, is his monstrously deformed Siamese twin brother, Belial. Belial looks like a twisted lump of fat and gristle, with two clawed arms and an eerily human-like face. He was, not so long ago, attached to his brother's side, until his father and some crooked surgeons decided to seperate the brothers against their will. Now the pair is in Manhattan, to do away with the doctors who performed the operation.
The very premise is as bizarre and sordid as one can imagine. And the movie doesn't disappoint. Everything is washed out with red and blue neon, every location is dirty and grungy, every character is twisted or crazed. The movie jerks the viewer's emotions around brutally, going from silly to grim to nightmarish to funny to horrifying to tragic. It may take the movie a little while to sink in. If you allow it to, it will leave you speechless.
BASKET CASE is a classic of exploitation cinema. It's as gruesome as any splatter movie and sleazy as any grindhouse porno, but it's far better written and crafted than most of its type. It's a nightmare not unlike David Lynch's ERASERHEAD, but with a more EC-comics feel. If a mixture of sleaze, extreme gore, expressionism and poetic justice are your cup of tea, don't pass up BASKET CASE!
It's amazing what you can do with no budget but lots of inspiration...
Coventry29 September 2003
Warning: Spoilers
The following review will most certainly contain SPOILERS !!!
Now here's a guy who deserves a decent comeback...Director Frank Hennenlotter ! It's very remarkable what this guy pulled of with almost no budget. He's the living proof that you only need a dose of healthy creativity and a good basic idea to make an important movie. And Basket Case is an important one. It grew out to become one of the most controversial cult movies and it's still fun to watch. The acting is terrible. Even the main character ( I don't know him but his name sounds like he has Dutch roots ) is a very bad actor but they're all trying very hard. The creature effects are amazingly cheap and cheesy but at the same time entertaining and they make you wish Hennenlotter had more money. He spent most of his budget to fake blood so therefore the killing scenes are nasty, gore and even a bit disgusting. Just how a true cult-horror fan likes them, in other words.
But like I said before, it is the story that fascinates you the most. About a boy who takes a basket case with him everywhere he goes. It contains his horrible deformed twin brother. They were Siamese Twins but "it" ( which is called Belial ) only exists of a head, claws and some other flesh. They were separated when they were young and Belial now wants to avenge that. All persons who were involved in the operation have to die. At the same time, Belial is very jealous whenever his brother makes contact with girls and he develops his own "sexual feelings"
Director Frank Hennenlotter made two sequels to this one ( which I haven't seen unfortunately ) and two other very good titles. Brain Damage and Frankenhooker. Basket Case is without a doubt the best one and at the same time an important film for the genre. The idea of a Siamese Twin is just brilliant in my opinion. I would love to see what this director is capable of when he can use a bigger budget. The creativity he used here sure was promising but he seemed to have stopped filmmaking since the early 90's. Highly recommended if you ain't easily disgusted. A must see for fans of cult and milestones as well !
Now here's a guy who deserves a decent comeback...Director Frank Hennenlotter ! It's very remarkable what this guy pulled of with almost no budget. He's the living proof that you only need a dose of healthy creativity and a good basic idea to make an important movie. And Basket Case is an important one. It grew out to become one of the most controversial cult movies and it's still fun to watch. The acting is terrible. Even the main character ( I don't know him but his name sounds like he has Dutch roots ) is a very bad actor but they're all trying very hard. The creature effects are amazingly cheap and cheesy but at the same time entertaining and they make you wish Hennenlotter had more money. He spent most of his budget to fake blood so therefore the killing scenes are nasty, gore and even a bit disgusting. Just how a true cult-horror fan likes them, in other words.
But like I said before, it is the story that fascinates you the most. About a boy who takes a basket case with him everywhere he goes. It contains his horrible deformed twin brother. They were Siamese Twins but "it" ( which is called Belial ) only exists of a head, claws and some other flesh. They were separated when they were young and Belial now wants to avenge that. All persons who were involved in the operation have to die. At the same time, Belial is very jealous whenever his brother makes contact with girls and he develops his own "sexual feelings"
Director Frank Hennenlotter made two sequels to this one ( which I haven't seen unfortunately ) and two other very good titles. Brain Damage and Frankenhooker. Basket Case is without a doubt the best one and at the same time an important film for the genre. The idea of a Siamese Twin is just brilliant in my opinion. I would love to see what this director is capable of when he can use a bigger budget. The creativity he used here sure was promising but he seemed to have stopped filmmaking since the early 90's. Highly recommended if you ain't easily disgusted. A must see for fans of cult and milestones as well !
This movie is a Basket Case! It's crazy stupid, but funny!
ironhorse_iv13 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Directed by Frank Henenlotter, nothing says, low budget, then a puppet monstrous attacking people in a silly matter. The movie produce two sequels by him, 1990's Basket Case 2 and 1991's Basket Case 3: The Progeny. The movie is about Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck) who is carrying a basket around NYC with a cannibalism monster in it. At birth, the creature was attached to Duane's side. At an early age, they were surgically separated against their will and his brother, Belial, the creature was left for dead. Now, Belial seeks revenge on the doctors with the help of his brother. It's no secret that Belial is in Duane's basket as it was given away by theatrical posters, DVD cover art and more. I would love to see more suspense before the revealed. The action scene is some of the cheesy special effects, I have ever witness. Belial comes alive, through the use of a puppet in some scenes and stop motion clay animation in others. When Belial's hand is seen attacking his victims, it is really a glove worn by the director. The hands never does match up with the full size puppet. To avoid showing Belial's obnoxiously unrealistic, the camera oftentimes follows his point of view close to the ground and with jerky movements that is hard to watch. You can't take him as seriously threat with scenes of him stealing women's underwear, chows down on hamburgers, and leaves one of the doctors with a face full of scalpels. You just can't. I also don't understand the logic of the supernatural powers, Belial has. In the film, they make him seem limited by movement, that his brother Duane has to carry him around, but in other scenes, he can walk blocks upon blocks of street alone with no legs, and kill somebody twice his size. Not only that, he can climb walls, pick up beds and tossed them, and somehow jump off building without getting hurt. Yes, but somehow that last power disappears toward the end. Where in the hells did these powers come from? Because in the flashbacks, he seems pretty helpless without his brother. Also, Belial and Duane having a psychic bond that they can read each other's mind or something like that, but it's badly use. Somehow, Duane can understand, Belial quiet questioning, and complaining voice. Couldn't they use a voice-over to make it look like Belial is speaking with his mind, rather than mute talking? The blood, and gore is just over the top, and the actor's reacting to the pain is hilarious bad. I have to say, the scene of Belial raping a nude woman is pretty controversial. It got some complain by the crew during production, that they almost left the project. It was kinda a big deal since, most of crew were made out of four people that made the film. The credits that appear on the end of the film of the large crew were fake. I have to say to them, what type of film did they think they were making? If a person, in this case a woman, gets brutally murdered on screen, that's just your basic gore-fest. But if a woman gets brutally murdered while in attire, a pose or situation that is meant to arouse the male audience, or resembles some kind of sexual violence, that's just down-right bad taste. Come on! Was that scene in bad taste? Yes, but its tame compare to other early 1980's horror films. Was the male nudity streaking scene help the story? Not really. Well, clearly this is a metaphor for his repressed sexuality. That is why they killed their mother, why they were separated at the edge of puberty, why they passed by all of those sex shops without going in, and why the receptionist was always off-putting. There is also that Shakespeare's Tempest reading scene, in which the boys' aunt reads them a speech by Caliban, a deformed, animalistic creature that once attempted to rape the protagonist's daughter and was enslaved as a result. And those prostitutes at the end also represent something, but the symbolism is pretty lost here. The nudity wasn't needed. I have to say, all the acting is this film is awful. The worst has to be, its two leads. First off, Kevin Van Hentenryck acts and talks like a dumbass. While, Terri Susan Smith as Duane's love interest Sharon, who comes across as rude, and mean-spirited. That attitude really shows when Duane tell her, he haven't got time to go site seeing yet. She react in anger like New York City is beautiful in the late 70's and early 1980's. I'm sorry, but it's not, with its hookers, grindhouses, triple-X theaters, etc., compared to what it is now. I'll take NYC now. It seems out of character. I just don't see how both could end up liking each other. The love interest arch seem rushed. I found Robert Vogel as the Hotel Broslin Manager as my favorite character in the film. The reason why is because of his New Yorker accent and attitude, added with the fact that he looks like Super Mario makes me laugh. Joe Clarke as Brian 'Mickey' O'Donovan has some silly one-liners. Something Weird Video did a really great job with the DVD. I was a little disappointed that the movie was only available in full screen format, but the amount of extras included was truly amazing. I really enjoyed the piece where the director goes back and tries to locate certain locations from the movie. It was funny when they got locked out. Overall: it's one of those it's so bad, it's good, type of a movie. It's good for a few laughs, but as a scary horror movie, it's mediocre at best. This movie will forever have that cult movie following, due to its B-list horror schlock.
Doctor Doctor, Give Me The News - I Got A Basket Case Of Killing You.
P3n-E-W1s325 October 2022
Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Basket Case; here's the breakdown of my ratings:
Story: 1.25 Direction: 1.25 Pace: 1.00 Acting: 1.25 Enjoyment: 1.00
TOTAL: 5.75 out of 10.00.
I have watched Basket Case four times to date, and I'm still unsure about it. It's one of those films that should be right in my ballpark. But for some unknown reason, I still find myself irresolute.
The story writer and director Frank Henenlotter presents the audience is a sound idea. A boy and his once-conjoined twin seek revenge against those who literally tore them apart. After splitting their father in half with a circular saw, their doting mother looked after the kids: She never wanted the pair separated. After she passes away, the deadly duo set about pursuing their revenge and head towards the city, where they take up residence at one of the city's seedier hotels. Henenlotter creates his microcosm well and populates it with sturdy characters. But it's here that it falls apart for me. One reason is the comedic element. It feels forced and a tad feeble. Take the doctors who carried out the operation. One is now a general practitioner in a clinic that appears worse than the brother's hotel, and the female doc who did the cutting is a vet. These reveals should tickle your funny bone. However, mine remained untitillated. And then you have the whole size issue with Duane's bro, which I'll get to later. I still wish Henenlotter had stuck to making a horror movie because he excels at this more than comedy.
Even Henenlotter's cinematographic eye is well-honed. There's very little wrong in his direction. He has a good sense of composition and utilises light, shade, and colour splendidly, empowering the movie with an air of creepiness. Sadly, due to the low budget, the downfall of the picture is the deformed brother. Most of the time, it's acceptable. The too-soft rubber hands lose definition when they are used to grip anything. But, we horror fans can let that slide, especially if it happens when the scene is gripping. What I couldn't let slip was the stop-frame animation. One sequence of a mediocre Harryhausen making the head with arms go on a rampage in the hotel room would've been okay. But there are two more such scenes. And they did nothing but annoy. The worst of which is the glowing eyes. You can clearly see the head's different from the previous model they'd been using. The reason is to allow the FX guys to stick two bulbs behind its eyes. When the lights flick on, it's dreadful. Even though the shot only lasts a couple of seconds, you'll remember it for the wrong reasons. And this is an absolute shame because, like Henenlotter, the FX Crew deliver some brilliant gore for the lack of cash. The face scratches look realistic, as does the body torn in half, and the head full of scalpels - though the performer's timing could've been faster in that scene. Back to the comedy, Henenlotter also attempts to throw in some sight gags, the most memorable being the toilet. After the handy head wrecks their room, the neighbours and manager rush in to see. Luckily, he heard them and hid - in the crapper. When brother Duane returns, he looks everywhere. Unable to find him, he collapses to the floor, weary and worried, at which point a hand comes up from the toilet bowl. Everybody laughs. And if you think about it, if he had a tan, he'd look like the emoticon poo brought to life. Unfortunately, in the following clip, you see him sitting on the rim of the toilet, and you realise he could never fit in; it's too shallow and small. Laughs stop. It's these little things that mess the film up for me.
The cast is well above average in their portrayals. They come across strongly and help make their characters credible. Whatsmore, nobody outshines the other. I love this in movies. Every actor and actress is as skilled as the others. It makes for greater immersion into the film for the viewer.
I would happily recommend Basket Case to every horror fan out there. It's worthy of one watch. Hopefully, you'll enjoy it more than I do: Maybe this style of humour is your bag. I will probably watch the flick for a fifth time because, though they filmed on a budget, it remains one of the better shot low-cost flicks I've had the pleasure to watch - and I do like the cinematography and story.
Get Out Of The Toilet - NOW! After you wipe yourself dry, you can read my IMDb lists - Absolute Horror and Just For Laughs to see where I ranked Basket Case.
Take Care & Stay Well.
Story: 1.25 Direction: 1.25 Pace: 1.00 Acting: 1.25 Enjoyment: 1.00
TOTAL: 5.75 out of 10.00.
I have watched Basket Case four times to date, and I'm still unsure about it. It's one of those films that should be right in my ballpark. But for some unknown reason, I still find myself irresolute.
The story writer and director Frank Henenlotter presents the audience is a sound idea. A boy and his once-conjoined twin seek revenge against those who literally tore them apart. After splitting their father in half with a circular saw, their doting mother looked after the kids: She never wanted the pair separated. After she passes away, the deadly duo set about pursuing their revenge and head towards the city, where they take up residence at one of the city's seedier hotels. Henenlotter creates his microcosm well and populates it with sturdy characters. But it's here that it falls apart for me. One reason is the comedic element. It feels forced and a tad feeble. Take the doctors who carried out the operation. One is now a general practitioner in a clinic that appears worse than the brother's hotel, and the female doc who did the cutting is a vet. These reveals should tickle your funny bone. However, mine remained untitillated. And then you have the whole size issue with Duane's bro, which I'll get to later. I still wish Henenlotter had stuck to making a horror movie because he excels at this more than comedy.
Even Henenlotter's cinematographic eye is well-honed. There's very little wrong in his direction. He has a good sense of composition and utilises light, shade, and colour splendidly, empowering the movie with an air of creepiness. Sadly, due to the low budget, the downfall of the picture is the deformed brother. Most of the time, it's acceptable. The too-soft rubber hands lose definition when they are used to grip anything. But, we horror fans can let that slide, especially if it happens when the scene is gripping. What I couldn't let slip was the stop-frame animation. One sequence of a mediocre Harryhausen making the head with arms go on a rampage in the hotel room would've been okay. But there are two more such scenes. And they did nothing but annoy. The worst of which is the glowing eyes. You can clearly see the head's different from the previous model they'd been using. The reason is to allow the FX guys to stick two bulbs behind its eyes. When the lights flick on, it's dreadful. Even though the shot only lasts a couple of seconds, you'll remember it for the wrong reasons. And this is an absolute shame because, like Henenlotter, the FX Crew deliver some brilliant gore for the lack of cash. The face scratches look realistic, as does the body torn in half, and the head full of scalpels - though the performer's timing could've been faster in that scene. Back to the comedy, Henenlotter also attempts to throw in some sight gags, the most memorable being the toilet. After the handy head wrecks their room, the neighbours and manager rush in to see. Luckily, he heard them and hid - in the crapper. When brother Duane returns, he looks everywhere. Unable to find him, he collapses to the floor, weary and worried, at which point a hand comes up from the toilet bowl. Everybody laughs. And if you think about it, if he had a tan, he'd look like the emoticon poo brought to life. Unfortunately, in the following clip, you see him sitting on the rim of the toilet, and you realise he could never fit in; it's too shallow and small. Laughs stop. It's these little things that mess the film up for me.
The cast is well above average in their portrayals. They come across strongly and help make their characters credible. Whatsmore, nobody outshines the other. I love this in movies. Every actor and actress is as skilled as the others. It makes for greater immersion into the film for the viewer.
I would happily recommend Basket Case to every horror fan out there. It's worthy of one watch. Hopefully, you'll enjoy it more than I do: Maybe this style of humour is your bag. I will probably watch the flick for a fifth time because, though they filmed on a budget, it remains one of the better shot low-cost flicks I've had the pleasure to watch - and I do like the cinematography and story.
Get Out Of The Toilet - NOW! After you wipe yourself dry, you can read my IMDb lists - Absolute Horror and Just For Laughs to see where I ranked Basket Case.
Take Care & Stay Well.
Caliban
Prismark1025 July 2015
We are back to the grimy New York of the early 1980s. Times Square is sleazy with sex shops, low rent hotels and seedy cinemas. Somewhere running around in the city is The Exterminator, Ms 45 and Charles Bronson with a death wish.
Duane Bradley arrives in New York with plenty of cash and a locked basket. He checks into a cheap hotel and inside the basket is his deformed and horrid Siamese twin brother, Belial separated forcefully by some doctors under their father's order when they were young. Both brothers have a telepathic link and Duane knows that Belial is also insanely jealous which he discovers when he strikes up a friendship with a nurse.
Belial resents being cut off from his normal looking brother and seeks revenge against the doctors responsible by killing them horribly. He even split his own father in two.
Basket Case is regarded as a low budget camp classic horror. It has laughably bad effects with cheap stop motion and the acting is atrocious. I would like to call it wooden but I have no desire to insult forests.
The director adds gore to keep the horror fans happy and also there is plenty of screaming which eventually gets to be irritating. In fact once you realise there is a death coming, you gather that the screaming is just padding to extend the length of the movie.
I liked the comical hotel manager trying to keep order in his dive but having endured this film you kind of wonder why it is held in such a high regard. It fails as a horror film because its not scary.
Duane Bradley arrives in New York with plenty of cash and a locked basket. He checks into a cheap hotel and inside the basket is his deformed and horrid Siamese twin brother, Belial separated forcefully by some doctors under their father's order when they were young. Both brothers have a telepathic link and Duane knows that Belial is also insanely jealous which he discovers when he strikes up a friendship with a nurse.
Belial resents being cut off from his normal looking brother and seeks revenge against the doctors responsible by killing them horribly. He even split his own father in two.
Basket Case is regarded as a low budget camp classic horror. It has laughably bad effects with cheap stop motion and the acting is atrocious. I would like to call it wooden but I have no desire to insult forests.
The director adds gore to keep the horror fans happy and also there is plenty of screaming which eventually gets to be irritating. In fact once you realise there is a death coming, you gather that the screaming is just padding to extend the length of the movie.
I liked the comical hotel manager trying to keep order in his dive but having endured this film you kind of wonder why it is held in such a high regard. It fails as a horror film because its not scary.
Superior 80's rubbish
The_Void22 March 2005
Frank Hennenlotter's "Basket Case" highlights the problem with horror films of today. Back in the eighties, films would be made with an idea and no budget, and the result would nearly always see the release of an inventive and interesting horror film. Basket Case is no exception to this, as despite hokey effects, a rather silly story and some very suspect acting; Basket Case is a trash classic all the way, and it's a film that's guaranteed to delight fans of horror. The story capitalises on the fact that many people (including yours truly) find the subject of deformity uncomfortable, and the subject of living with it even more so. The plot follows a strange young man that carries a basket around with him. Inside the basket lies his hideously deformed Siamese twin, and the deformity wants it's revenge!
This leads the two brothers to seek out the doctors that separated them and brutally butcher them, and delivering us with a great camp horror movie! The central creature - namely, the deformed brother, is a masterpiece of creature design. The thing itself looks ridiculous, but in spite of this it actually manages to be quite frightening, and once you've gotten over the initial giggles: it takes on a life of it's own, and even manages to become quite believable. The film is sufficiently gory, which will no doubt be good news for everyone that wants to see it. Frank Hennenlotter is one of those directors that obviously has talent and flair for making films, but also hasn't been given a real chance to realise it. It's a massive shame that the endless amounts of remakes continue to get released on huge budgets, while someone that could make a great movie is blessed only with chicken feed to make them with. Just wait until the part where the brothers' story is told that's inventiveness for you! One thing I do love about the director is the way he casts his lead; the one here is certainly odd enough, in a naive loser sort of a way. On the whole; fans of intricate, deep cinema should stay well clear - while everyone else is preparing themselves for a damn good time!
This leads the two brothers to seek out the doctors that separated them and brutally butcher them, and delivering us with a great camp horror movie! The central creature - namely, the deformed brother, is a masterpiece of creature design. The thing itself looks ridiculous, but in spite of this it actually manages to be quite frightening, and once you've gotten over the initial giggles: it takes on a life of it's own, and even manages to become quite believable. The film is sufficiently gory, which will no doubt be good news for everyone that wants to see it. Frank Hennenlotter is one of those directors that obviously has talent and flair for making films, but also hasn't been given a real chance to realise it. It's a massive shame that the endless amounts of remakes continue to get released on huge budgets, while someone that could make a great movie is blessed only with chicken feed to make them with. Just wait until the part where the brothers' story is told that's inventiveness for you! One thing I do love about the director is the way he casts his lead; the one here is certainly odd enough, in a naive loser sort of a way. On the whole; fans of intricate, deep cinema should stay well clear - while everyone else is preparing themselves for a damn good time!
Not bad for a very low budget body horror!
the_dimbster19 July 2022
This is very low budget but they do a pretty good job getting around that. The main character acts pretty well, and you do get to like him and the other characters. Of course, this movie being a cult classic makes it easier to look past the threadbare aesthetics and effects. Definitely worth a watch if you are a horror aficionado. Watching this also makes other modern body horror movies better to watch, like Malignant!
Brutal... and not in a good way
CptFastbreak18 October 2012
A lot of people give glowing reviews for this movies, in what I can only assume is an elaborate troll conspiracy to get people to watch it. Don't fall for this. This might be quite literally the worst movie I've ever seen, and believe me, the competition is fierce. I expected to see a good campy fun movie like Re-Animator, but it's really not. It's bad, not so bad it's good, not even so bad it's horrible, it's Star Wars Holiday Special bad.
The story, if you haven't read the summary, is that Duane Bradley and his Siamese twin were separated by evil doctors against their will, and have now come to New York to take revenge. And that's pretty much it. Sure there is a pointless romantic subplot, but apart from that, there is really no conflict or twists of any kind. It pretty much plays out exactly as you would expect.
It really fails in every respect imaginable. The plot is bad, the dialog is worse, and the acting is just painful to watch. You shouldn't think it possible to fail in acting a simple thing such as screaming or running across a lawn, but these people show you different. The deformed brother doll is just hideously tacky, and he moves with stop motion animations that I have seen better done in silent movies. There is a bit of nudity at one point towards the end of the movie that is kind of okay, but most likely you'll be long dead from aneurysms by then. There isn't even a lot of gore in the death scenes, just the camera panning away for a gory discretion shot and a lot of screaming before, during, and after.
How Frank Hennenlotter got to make not only this movie, but others as well, and two sequels to this no less, is completely beyond me. He should have spent the money he bamboozled out of his producers for crack and hookers and the world would have been better off for it. In fact, I now regard this as the definite proof there is no god, because if there was, how could he let this film happen?
The story, if you haven't read the summary, is that Duane Bradley and his Siamese twin were separated by evil doctors against their will, and have now come to New York to take revenge. And that's pretty much it. Sure there is a pointless romantic subplot, but apart from that, there is really no conflict or twists of any kind. It pretty much plays out exactly as you would expect.
It really fails in every respect imaginable. The plot is bad, the dialog is worse, and the acting is just painful to watch. You shouldn't think it possible to fail in acting a simple thing such as screaming or running across a lawn, but these people show you different. The deformed brother doll is just hideously tacky, and he moves with stop motion animations that I have seen better done in silent movies. There is a bit of nudity at one point towards the end of the movie that is kind of okay, but most likely you'll be long dead from aneurysms by then. There isn't even a lot of gore in the death scenes, just the camera panning away for a gory discretion shot and a lot of screaming before, during, and after.
How Frank Hennenlotter got to make not only this movie, but others as well, and two sequels to this no less, is completely beyond me. He should have spent the money he bamboozled out of his producers for crack and hookers and the world would have been better off for it. In fact, I now regard this as the definite proof there is no god, because if there was, how could he let this film happen?
What's in the basket?
Captain_Couth27 November 2003
Basket Case (1982) happens to be one of the greatest shoe string budget horror films ever made. A true cult classic and a tragic tale of brotherly love and jealousy. The sleazy surroundings and characters that the movie was shot in and around adds to it's charm. Duane and Belial are a pair of brothers you don't want to cross paths with. This film was such a success that it spawned two sequels and a funny cameo in another. Highly recommended.
A
A
Demented horror/comedy
latherzap5 March 2000
Some of the best bad acting I've ever seen. I knew I was in for a treat near the beginning when a victim's electricity and telephone cords are snipped ("Oh god,no- No!"). But aside from some of the laughable acting, there actually is a creepy atmosphere to the movie. Plot consists of siamese twins (or am I supposed to call them "conjoined"?) who were separated against their will, and aren't too happy about it. Check it out.
Select Audience
refinedsugar19 November 2023
In my trip down b-movie lane, I thought it was time I gave director Frank Henenlotter's first film 'Basket Case' its due. This flick has gained a bit of a following over the years and I'm a little confused as to why. I found the subject matter off-putting & distasteful and I'm no prude. It's also very low budget. To each their own I guess.
Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) had his conjoined brother Belial forcibly removed from him in a surgery demanded by their parents. The two brothers share a physic bond and are trying to live off the grid as they take revenge on the doctors responsible. Duane gets the opportunity for a semblance of a normal life and romance, but his deformed brother (kept in a basket hence the title) won't make it that easy.
This is a grindhouse film the type that certainly doesn't get made anymore. Another glance at a NYC from a time long ago. The problem is the story isn't super interesting and the effects that go to making Belial are cheap, crude rather than scary. My favorite part was a repeating bit where the manager of the rattrap motel they're living in constantly investigate noises, the room. It probably wasn't supposed to be humorous.
'Basket Case' proved popular enough to warrant two sequels. This film / series has its fans, but I can't be one of them. There just isn't anything for me to bite into here and I'm obviously not keen on this genre. If you have a fondness for shock horror elements this might be worth a look as it's certainly not mainstream in the least.
Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) had his conjoined brother Belial forcibly removed from him in a surgery demanded by their parents. The two brothers share a physic bond and are trying to live off the grid as they take revenge on the doctors responsible. Duane gets the opportunity for a semblance of a normal life and romance, but his deformed brother (kept in a basket hence the title) won't make it that easy.
This is a grindhouse film the type that certainly doesn't get made anymore. Another glance at a NYC from a time long ago. The problem is the story isn't super interesting and the effects that go to making Belial are cheap, crude rather than scary. My favorite part was a repeating bit where the manager of the rattrap motel they're living in constantly investigate noises, the room. It probably wasn't supposed to be humorous.
'Basket Case' proved popular enough to warrant two sequels. This film / series has its fans, but I can't be one of them. There just isn't anything for me to bite into here and I'm obviously not keen on this genre. If you have a fondness for shock horror elements this might be worth a look as it's certainly not mainstream in the least.
Essential 1980s horror. Cheap, nasty and LOTS of fun!
Infofreak22 September 2003
One interesting side effect of the DVD revolution is that I've been watching lots of movies I haven't seen for YEARS, and some aren't as great as I remember them to be, and others are better. 'Basket Case' was one of THE great late 70s/early 80s low (and I mean looooow!) budget horror movies, linked in my mind with such genre classics as 'Phantasm' and 'Evil Dead'. Watching it now I don't think it's QUITE as great as those two, but it's still enjoyable to watch, and along with 'Re-Animator', 'Motel Hell' and 'Dead And Buried' it's one of the essential horror movies of the 1980s. Look, it isn't perfect, the animation sequences in particular are pretty poor, but considering the lack of funds, it's creepy, bizarre and doesn't take itself very seriously, and Kevin VanHentenryck (Duane) actually gives a very good performance. Writer/director Frank Henelotter went on to make the even better 'Brain Damage' and 'Frankenhooker' (as well as two sequels which I haven't seen) but sadly hasn't made a movie in the last ten years. Henelotter mixes horror and comedy as good as, if not better than, vintage Sam Raimi and Stuart Gordon in my opinion. Why isn't he making movies?! Why doesn't SOMEONE give him a million dollars and freedom to make anything he wants?? I really, really hope he makes a comeback soon. Until then check out 'Basket Case', it's cheap, nasty and LOTS of fun!
really cheesy
atinder10 June 2012
This whole movie was really cheesy from first second, with really bad acting at the start, and that acting can be a bit over the top.
I love the plot of this movie, thought it was really entertaining, from start to finish, and never gets boring.
As some good bloody gory moments in, also really dark funny moments. as well.
I really liked, how they showed the back story, that was really good and you Can see, how close they really were. how upsetting, when they were getting cut a part!
The acting was really cheesy in this movi,e so it worked really well with the rest..
I think, Basket 2 was a bit more fun then this, I still really like this movie
I love the plot of this movie, thought it was really entertaining, from start to finish, and never gets boring.
As some good bloody gory moments in, also really dark funny moments. as well.
I really liked, how they showed the back story, that was really good and you Can see, how close they really were. how upsetting, when they were getting cut a part!
The acting was really cheesy in this movi,e so it worked really well with the rest..
I think, Basket 2 was a bit more fun then this, I still really like this movie
Enjoyable 80's schlock exploitation.
Fella_shibby3 July 2017
Saw this on a rented VHS in the mid 80s. Revisited it recently on a DVD. This movie hasn't aged well. Basket Case is an ultra low budget 80s horror film. It is also a unique movie with a new premise. The effects r shoddy but gore hounds will definitely enjoy this. The movie's set up reminds us of Taxi driver. The sleazy building with societies scum n the shady night life of New York city. Its about a man who wants to exact revenge on the doctors who separated him from his deformed conjoined twin against their will. The deformed legless small freak is twisted, sick n very very angry. The final rape scene is hilarious.
Lots of fun
jfgibson739 January 2021
Watching this in 2020, I really soaked in the scenes of early 80s New York. The setting was the real star of this movie, but there was a lot more to like as well. It's a crazy story that totally goes for it and I enjoyed it all the way through.
Different and memorable.
paulclaassen15 October 2021
So, what's in the basket? I enjoyed the initial mystery, which keeps the viewer glued to the screen. Especially since Duane (Kevin van Hentenryck) was always carrying it around...and talking into it! We soon learnt it certainly wasn't a cute little kitten, with something far more sinister going on.
The 80's saw the release of many comedy horrors. Some were really bad, others were very good. Some were neither good or bad, but certainly memorable. 'Basket Case' is such a movie. The make-up and visuals certainly is something to behold! Who will ever forget that horribly deformed creature of a brother, Belial.
For most parts the acting wasn't bad. The props and make-up steals the show and is the film's draw card. The humor is pure satire, making it funny and not slapstick. (Too many 80's horror comedies ended up being slapstick.)
Despite Belial being such a grotesque creature, we sympathize with Duane as his back story is told through back flashes. It goes to show true love knows no boundaries. This is a very unusual film very well executed. It actually was better than expected.
Would I watch it again? Maybe.
The 80's saw the release of many comedy horrors. Some were really bad, others were very good. Some were neither good or bad, but certainly memorable. 'Basket Case' is such a movie. The make-up and visuals certainly is something to behold! Who will ever forget that horribly deformed creature of a brother, Belial.
For most parts the acting wasn't bad. The props and make-up steals the show and is the film's draw card. The humor is pure satire, making it funny and not slapstick. (Too many 80's horror comedies ended up being slapstick.)
Despite Belial being such a grotesque creature, we sympathize with Duane as his back story is told through back flashes. It goes to show true love knows no boundaries. This is a very unusual film very well executed. It actually was better than expected.
Would I watch it again? Maybe.
So sleazy you'll want to take a shower afterwards!
Casey-5226 August 1999
I first saw this horribly grainy movie back when I was around 12 years old. It was such a traumatizing experience, I thought I would wet my pants in the Dr. Needleman death scene! Then I discovered the Something Weird digitally remastered version this year and I absolutely love it now! I now realize it was meant to be funny in many places; it gets more campy with every viewing (that's not bad) and the over-the-top gore effects help it hold that position. Like the title of this review says, you seriously might think of steering clear of New York City after watching this movie. The only two movies I can think of that make New York look like a filthy, dirty abyss would be the ones mentioned in the other reviews, TAXI DRIVER and HARDCORE. To rebutt a fellow reviewer's point: Casey the prostitute is not hairy, but is on the chunky side! This movie is highly recommended as campy viewing at best. If anyone actually watches this movie while taking it seriously (it obviously doesn't want to be), of course they won't like it! But this is required for fans of cult movies, horror movies, and any of those who love the offbeat. Me included!
More fun in the 1980s but still OK
preppy-33 October 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Midnight horror movie classic. It's about two brothers--Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) and Belial (a monster) who is his Siamese twin brother. They were separated and Belial was left out to die. However he lived and the two brothers (Duane carries Belial around in a wicker basket) go out to take revenge on the doctors who separated them.
I originally caught this as a midnight movie back in 1982. I remember liking it. Seeing now I still sort of like it...but it's definitely a sign of its time. It was made on next to no budget (it shows) and is full of terrible acting. There were plenty of gory horror movies like this in the 80s ("Evil Dead", "Re-Animator") and they were fun back then. They were all unrated and college audiences flocked to them. We basically laughed at them and got a kick out of the over the top gore and silly stories. Nowadays they don't quite work. The over the top gore looks terrible, the stories real dumb and the acting gets annoying. I enjoyed this mostly because I remember what a charge I got out of it back then. This movie also has a disgusting operating sequence and a totally pointless rape which is absolutely revolting. The attack sequences are still fun though. No real gore but TONS of blood goes squirting around all over the place. It's more funny than scary. Also there's a male frontal nude sequence with Van Hentenryck which is unusual for any horror film. So--I liked but from a nostalgic standpoint.
I originally caught this as a midnight movie back in 1982. I remember liking it. Seeing now I still sort of like it...but it's definitely a sign of its time. It was made on next to no budget (it shows) and is full of terrible acting. There were plenty of gory horror movies like this in the 80s ("Evil Dead", "Re-Animator") and they were fun back then. They were all unrated and college audiences flocked to them. We basically laughed at them and got a kick out of the over the top gore and silly stories. Nowadays they don't quite work. The over the top gore looks terrible, the stories real dumb and the acting gets annoying. I enjoyed this mostly because I remember what a charge I got out of it back then. This movie also has a disgusting operating sequence and a totally pointless rape which is absolutely revolting. The attack sequences are still fun though. No real gore but TONS of blood goes squirting around all over the place. It's more funny than scary. Also there's a male frontal nude sequence with Van Hentenryck which is unusual for any horror film. So--I liked but from a nostalgic standpoint.
Don't Bother
BloodTheTelepathicDog5 January 2009
This film has a cult following, much like Stuart Gordon's Re-Animator or Sam Raimi's Evil Dead, but isn't close to entertaining as the two cult classics. I am a huge fan of cult films - I even enjoy such obscure cult flicks like Head of the Family and Don't Look in the Basement, so I was anticipating an enjoyable ride with Basket Case, but it didn't deliver. Everything about this film is bargain--basement, from the acting to the effects. The stop-motion effects are TERRIBLE. I realize this isn't Harryhausen, but low-budget filmmaker Brett Piper uses stop-motion quite well.
The film tells the tale of conjoined twins - one little more than a head growing out of his fully developed brother's right side. His father hires a trio of quack doctors to remove the head, named Belial, from the body of the anatomically correct Duane. The doctors throw away Belial after removing him from Duane's side, but Duane picks his brother out of the trash bin and they go on a revenge murder spree, killing the doctors who separated them.
STORY: $$$ (This isn't the problem. The story is interesting but everything else is muddled. This dialogue is bad and the effects are terrible. In more capable hands, this could have been the cult classic that some people proclaim it to actually be).
VIOLENCE: $$$$ (There is plenty of blood in this film. The best scene is when Belial gets busy with a set of scalpels and plants them in the female doctor's face. If gore is your thing, then this won't upset, but if you like well written dialogue, then don't bother).
ACTING: $ (Terrible, from top to bottom. There isn't a soul in this film with a shred of talent. The lead, Kevin Van Whatever, is in desperate need of acting lessons as is his love interest, Terri Smith, in her only film credit mind you. The doctors were poor actors and the people inhabiting the motel seemed plucked from off the streets).
NUDITY: $$$$ (Plenty of it - men and women
The film tells the tale of conjoined twins - one little more than a head growing out of his fully developed brother's right side. His father hires a trio of quack doctors to remove the head, named Belial, from the body of the anatomically correct Duane. The doctors throw away Belial after removing him from Duane's side, but Duane picks his brother out of the trash bin and they go on a revenge murder spree, killing the doctors who separated them.
STORY: $$$ (This isn't the problem. The story is interesting but everything else is muddled. This dialogue is bad and the effects are terrible. In more capable hands, this could have been the cult classic that some people proclaim it to actually be).
VIOLENCE: $$$$ (There is plenty of blood in this film. The best scene is when Belial gets busy with a set of scalpels and plants them in the female doctor's face. If gore is your thing, then this won't upset, but if you like well written dialogue, then don't bother).
ACTING: $ (Terrible, from top to bottom. There isn't a soul in this film with a shred of talent. The lead, Kevin Van Whatever, is in desperate need of acting lessons as is his love interest, Terri Smith, in her only film credit mind you. The doctors were poor actors and the people inhabiting the motel seemed plucked from off the streets).
NUDITY: $$$$ (Plenty of it - men and women
People shouldn't say hurtful things
iago-628 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is a classic. That's all there is to it. You need to watch it. You need to go watch it now. If you don't know what it's about, protect your innocence, get a bunch of friends and a bottle of the poison of your choice, and gather round the old boob tube. You won't be sorry.
SPOILERS... Okay, if you've already seen the movie, or already know what it's about, we can talk about it. If you don't know what it's about, I warned you, and you're only hurting yourself. But you'll live.
The movie concerns the case of Duane and Belial, Siamese twins who were separated at what looks like the age of 14 or something. Belial looks like a head with a small monstrous hand, and a larger arm. They put the picture of him on the DVD box, which annoyed me, because if you're seeing this for the first time it's great not to know what he looks like. When they were separating them, one of the doctors said of Belial that "I'm not sure it's even human," and you can tell from his reaction that he is just so, so hurt. You know, people shouldn't say hurtful things. As the doctors find out, when the infuriated head/hand thing hunts them down and brutally murders them one by one.
One of the best things of the movie is the Hotel Broslin and its residents. This is the cheap Times Square hotel that Duane takes up in while he tries to locate the doctors who operated on him (in his own home, don't you know). The hotel features a number of wild characters who don't seem that far off from who you'd find living in a seedy Times Square hotel circa 1982. First there's Josephine, who meets Duane in the hallway and starts yakking his ear off with this bizarre story, then SUDDENLY turns and walks away. Then this Patti LaBelle-looking clone invites herself into his room to look around and make passes. She later has a notable quote with "I've got some heavy boozing to do." There's also the owner of the hotel and some of its other residents, and let's not forget the drug dealer who lists off every possible drug known to man as Duane walks along ignoring him, until he finally gives up and says "what is wrong with you, man?" What I love about the first third of this movie is that nearly every character introduces themselves with an extended soliloquy. These folks had to learn some lines for this!
And then there's Duane! This movie is CLEARLY on the cusp of the 80s, as Duane's hair is this sort of Rick Springfield thing, just really huge and lumpy. He has a long scene where he is required to whip out the acting chops (whether he does or not, I won't reveal) in supposedly having a psychic conversation with his head/arm former twin. I also love the scene where Duane has bought a TV for Belial to watch while Duane goes out on his date. In his haste to get rid of his brother and leave, Duane turns it on to a channel showing nothing but static and just takes off.
Oh, did I mention the head thing is psychic?
And let us not forget the splendorof Sharon the receptionist. Sharon is a desperate New York woman in the Miss Piggy mold, with this obvious wig and slightly clunky body, and she is a HOOT and 9/10s of another hoot throughout! The way she just throws herself at Duane is amazing, as is the sudden affection she develops for him, talking about how she feels so much for him after they met once in passing in a doctor's office! And then there's the scene in which he tosses a blanket over her head and THROWS her out of his hotel room, and she's pounding on the door, wanting to talk it all out and work on their relationship, as she's hearing insane animalistic shrieks emanating from the room where she thought her boyfriend was alone! You know, you just shouldn't give up on love. Some things take time to work out. How do you keep the music playing? She also has a notable delivery of "Take me, Duane" as he's about to make love to her. And let me tell you, one look at Duane, ain't nobody asking him to take them, unless it's to take them a six pack back from the corner bodega.
There is SOME kind of sexual subtext going on here, but I'm not sure it holds together well enough to really examine. If I had to guess, I would say that Belial represents Duane's penis(isn't it always the penis?), and the whole thing is about masturbation. I guess this because he shares a bond with it, but others are telling him it's disgusting and eventually separate him from it. Then he starts to develop a relationship with a woman, wherein he might have actual sex, and Belial freaks out. This would also make a funny pun out of the title. There is a shot at the end that is unmistakably Belial-as-penis, but overall the story just doesn't hold together well enough to come out with a consistent argument. Ah well.
Regardless, this movie is in the top ten total hoots of all time.
Hey, there are lot of other reviews of bad and cheesy movies on my website, Cinema de Merde, which you can find through the URL in my email address.
SPOILERS... Okay, if you've already seen the movie, or already know what it's about, we can talk about it. If you don't know what it's about, I warned you, and you're only hurting yourself. But you'll live.
The movie concerns the case of Duane and Belial, Siamese twins who were separated at what looks like the age of 14 or something. Belial looks like a head with a small monstrous hand, and a larger arm. They put the picture of him on the DVD box, which annoyed me, because if you're seeing this for the first time it's great not to know what he looks like. When they were separating them, one of the doctors said of Belial that "I'm not sure it's even human," and you can tell from his reaction that he is just so, so hurt. You know, people shouldn't say hurtful things. As the doctors find out, when the infuriated head/hand thing hunts them down and brutally murders them one by one.
One of the best things of the movie is the Hotel Broslin and its residents. This is the cheap Times Square hotel that Duane takes up in while he tries to locate the doctors who operated on him (in his own home, don't you know). The hotel features a number of wild characters who don't seem that far off from who you'd find living in a seedy Times Square hotel circa 1982. First there's Josephine, who meets Duane in the hallway and starts yakking his ear off with this bizarre story, then SUDDENLY turns and walks away. Then this Patti LaBelle-looking clone invites herself into his room to look around and make passes. She later has a notable quote with "I've got some heavy boozing to do." There's also the owner of the hotel and some of its other residents, and let's not forget the drug dealer who lists off every possible drug known to man as Duane walks along ignoring him, until he finally gives up and says "what is wrong with you, man?" What I love about the first third of this movie is that nearly every character introduces themselves with an extended soliloquy. These folks had to learn some lines for this!
And then there's Duane! This movie is CLEARLY on the cusp of the 80s, as Duane's hair is this sort of Rick Springfield thing, just really huge and lumpy. He has a long scene where he is required to whip out the acting chops (whether he does or not, I won't reveal) in supposedly having a psychic conversation with his head/arm former twin. I also love the scene where Duane has bought a TV for Belial to watch while Duane goes out on his date. In his haste to get rid of his brother and leave, Duane turns it on to a channel showing nothing but static and just takes off.
Oh, did I mention the head thing is psychic?
And let us not forget the splendorof Sharon the receptionist. Sharon is a desperate New York woman in the Miss Piggy mold, with this obvious wig and slightly clunky body, and she is a HOOT and 9/10s of another hoot throughout! The way she just throws herself at Duane is amazing, as is the sudden affection she develops for him, talking about how she feels so much for him after they met once in passing in a doctor's office! And then there's the scene in which he tosses a blanket over her head and THROWS her out of his hotel room, and she's pounding on the door, wanting to talk it all out and work on their relationship, as she's hearing insane animalistic shrieks emanating from the room where she thought her boyfriend was alone! You know, you just shouldn't give up on love. Some things take time to work out. How do you keep the music playing? She also has a notable delivery of "Take me, Duane" as he's about to make love to her. And let me tell you, one look at Duane, ain't nobody asking him to take them, unless it's to take them a six pack back from the corner bodega.
There is SOME kind of sexual subtext going on here, but I'm not sure it holds together well enough to really examine. If I had to guess, I would say that Belial represents Duane's penis(isn't it always the penis?), and the whole thing is about masturbation. I guess this because he shares a bond with it, but others are telling him it's disgusting and eventually separate him from it. Then he starts to develop a relationship with a woman, wherein he might have actual sex, and Belial freaks out. This would also make a funny pun out of the title. There is a shot at the end that is unmistakably Belial-as-penis, but overall the story just doesn't hold together well enough to come out with a consistent argument. Ah well.
Regardless, this movie is in the top ten total hoots of all time.
Hey, there are lot of other reviews of bad and cheesy movies on my website, Cinema de Merde, which you can find through the URL in my email address.
an entertaining mix of black humor and body horror
framptonhollis4 September 2017
First things first, this movie is far from perfect. And I do mean FAR! Some of the acting is pretty weak, the sound mixing is really bad at times, and so on. But, this movie is so entertaining and so enjoyable that I cannot help but adore it! For me, this is the peak of exploitation cinema, a weird, cheap NYC horror flick with a gritty look, self referential humor, tons of ridiculous blood and gore, and a storyline that is potentially disturbing, but too fun to genuinely distress anyone over the age of 12. It's a masterpiece of shock cinema mainly because of its humor and ability to engage the viewer. At first, the characters seemed a little dry to me, but over time I really started to care for them, which is why it kind of made me sad the film had to end on such a tragic note; however, the tragedy is obscured by a dark cloud of black comedy, making me smile along with some of the more depressing scenes.
Indescribably bad
neil-47617 August 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This young man lugs around a hamper which turns out to have his homicidal (separated) conjoined twin in it. Said twin commits multiple murders, very bloodily.
The large number of reviews on IMDb tend to acknowledge that this film is poorly made trash, but then praise it highly for having some originality (fair enough) and a lot of blood.
Neither of these is sufficient, in my view, to make up for a bad script, worse acting by the unknown cast, and a monster which manages to be hilariously unconvincing, appallingly badly constructed (necessarily, given a budget which appears to be not enough to cover the average week's shopping), and arguably incapable of life, let alone multiple homicides, in the anatomical form designed for the film.
A half decent idea and fountains of blood are insufficient to compensate for the sheer amateurishness of the production.
The large number of reviews on IMDb tend to acknowledge that this film is poorly made trash, but then praise it highly for having some originality (fair enough) and a lot of blood.
Neither of these is sufficient, in my view, to make up for a bad script, worse acting by the unknown cast, and a monster which manages to be hilariously unconvincing, appallingly badly constructed (necessarily, given a budget which appears to be not enough to cover the average week's shopping), and arguably incapable of life, let alone multiple homicides, in the anatomical form designed for the film.
A half decent idea and fountains of blood are insufficient to compensate for the sheer amateurishness of the production.
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