Basket Case

Rating:
Summary: There Is MUCH More To This Great Than Meets The Eye
Review: The ultimate paradox in movies, "Basket Case" is a grainy-pictured, clumsily shot film with almost no production values to speak of, that manages to be one of the greatest movies of all time (but admittedly not one that anybody not seriously fond of horror movies is likely to find rewarding). In fact, even though it reportedly only had a budget of $35,000, there is so much genius in here that the roughshod craftsmanship cannot, I believe, be the result of lack of skill but a deliberate taking of the 'rough' look that has given films like the first "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" their 'documentary' type of feel to the extreme, creating something on screen that does not even look like a movie, but like....something else. Not quite a documentary feel even, but kind of a dark vision where the technical flaws don't matter, any more than the wide gaps of logic in a particularly vivid nightmare matter.

Graced with the most instantly disturbing tagline of all time (best when read slowly): "Duane Bradley's brother is very small, very twisted, very mad, and he lives in a basket...until night comes!", that brother is Belial Bradley, the most horrific, one of the most violent and yet one of the most sympathetic monsters the world's storytelling has ever produced. A former Siamese twin to Duane, Belial's been victimized by nature but many more times over by humanity and the fates his life has taken since his violent birth, producing the most driven, most tragic, and most bizarre horror nemesis of all time. And yet he's compelling, empathisable, even...lovable?...like there's a charming Stitch/Gon-like beast buried alive deep under the pain and scars that have driven this creature to strike back at his adversaries in viciously gory fashion. Unfortunately, as is the risk with revenge, the chance is always present that once the oppressed starts retaliating against his enemies, he'll be consumed by his vengeance and destroy the innocent as well.

"Basket Case" is open to interpretation. Everyone I've ever talked to who has also seen the movie has, to varying degrees, perceived both Belial's actions and certain of his motives in different ways than I have. There's one scene in particular, which I can't be specific about because it's near the film's end, where I see it 180 degrees differently than everybody else. Depending on your personal take on the movie, Belial can even be seen as much less of a tragic creature and an avenger gone berserk, than as a paragon of raw evil. There are very small, seemingly random happenings in the movie that seem to me personally to have much greater significance than they might appear to on the surface. There are at least 3 equally plausible explanations to what is really happening in certain incidences. I wish I could be less vague, but to really explain what I suspect would take a pages-long play-by-play, and that would obviously give way too much away. One thing is for certain though - this is a one-of-a-kind horror experience. Not even the sequels (which in my opinion are just as outstanding but in quite different ways) come close to duplicating the vibe of this movie. Nothing ever could, not in a million years.

Rating:
Summary: Cheese classic
Review: "Basket Case" is yet another early '80's schlock classic that serious horror film fans must watch. I fondly remember lounging on the couch at 3:00 AM during summer vacation, washing down a pepperoni pizza with a six-pack of pop while viewing this dreck. Ahhh, those were the days! As I got older and presumably began taking part in the "adult" world, my memories of these classic yuckfests faded. Fortunately, DVD arrived on the scene a few years ago and resurrected many of these old, pleasant memories. If you're not familiar with the wondrous magic of "Basket Case," think "C.H.U.D.," but cheaper. If you don't know what "C.H.U.D." is, I probably can't help you but I'll try. Think New York City in its grimiest incarnation, a city swarming with women of the night, grindhouse theaters, and slum tenements aplenty. It is against this backdrop that "Basket Case" unfolds. The movie is a warm, heartfelt film about twins who decide to go to the big city so they can relive fond memories of the past with the surgeons who separated them. I'm pretty sure I missed the Academy Awards that year, so I can't remember if this film won the best picture Oscar, but it probably should have. Who doesn't like a film about twins?

Directed by low budget hero Frank Henenlotter, "Basket Case" relates the complicated tale of Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck). When we first meet up with Duane, he's acquiring lodgings at one of New York City's finer hotels-alright, it's really some rat hole where the dregs of humanity hang out when they aren't collecting unemployment or waiting for the liquor store to open. Duane wants a room so he can be closer to the three doctors who performed a special operation on him some years before. Despite the fact that the kid's got a huge wad of money and a wicker basket he totes around with him wherever he goes, the room he rents is barely big enough to lie down in. Soon after arriving at the Waldorf Astoria...err, I mean the rat hole, Duane heads out for food. He does this quite a bit, buying a huge package of hotdogs or a bag of hamburgers so he can dump them in the basket. Whatever's in there sure is hungry! Not to worry, though, as Duane is on friendly terms with the thing in the wicker bin.

Before heading out on his little mission, Duane acquaints himself with several of his neighbors and the patrician mannered desk clerk of his motel. He meets Casey (Beverly Bonner), a working gal with a ready smile and an endless stream of boyfriends. Duane also meets the loudmouth working the front desk, an obnoxious New Yawk type who bellows at the top of his lungs about the rules of the building. Forming relationships doesn't deter our hero from his special task, so very soon after arriving he strolls off to meet one of his former doctors. Only then, when Duane meets one of his old enemies face to face, do we truly learn about the contents of the basket. Meet Belial, Duane's worse half. When the doctors separated these Siamese twins, they tried to kill the lump of living flesh attached to our hero. A sympathetic associate of the family kept Belial alive, unfortunately, and now Duane and his bro are on a mission of destruction. His twin is nothing more than a cheesy looking lump of flesh with very sharp teeth, teeth he's willing to sink deeply into the necks of the three physicians who maimed him. There's an extended flashback sequence filling us in on the origins of Belial, and a subplot about a pretty receptionist who takes an interest in Duane, but the real meat of the movie is watching this weird looking puppet thingy rip and tear its way through an assortment of people.

Henenlotter's film is now largely considered a cult classic. The movie did so well that two sequels emerged in the 1990s. I haven't seen the successors, but rewatching the original was a lot of fun. Everything about this movie screams ultra low budget, from the atrocious acting skills of all the principal characters to the cheesy operation room where the medicos remove Belial. Actor Kevin Van Hentenryck couldn't act his way out of a wet paper bag, and his physical appearance is just downright weird. He's got this huge hair that reminds me a lot of an early Daniel Stern without any of the charm that that actor brought to the silver screen. Beverly Bonner isn't much better as the world wise Casey. I got the feeling she's supposed to be this super hot babe, and she really isn't. All of these people move against a backdrop that's so filthy I felt like taking a shower after the credits rolled. At least the gore works well enough, and it ought to considering most of the budget went towards buying buckets of fake blood. Still, "Basket Case" is amusing because it fails on so many levels. The central idea is a good one even if the execution falters.

I watched the Special Edition DVD of "Basket Case" from Image Entertainment. The disc sports a ton of extras, very few of which are worth watching. There's a commentary track with Frank Henenlotter, outtakes, galleries, a video short shot for the DVD release that shows the movie locations as they are today, a clip of Beverly Bonner's cable television show (?), and a few other goodies. The picture and audio transfer looks and sounds good for such a low budget movie. You'll need to add "Basket Case" to your "to see" list soon. I can't wait to see the two sequels on DVD in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Cheese classic
Review: "Basket Case" is yet another early '80's schlock classic that serious horror film fans must watch. I fondly remember lounging on the couch at 3:00 AM during summer vacation, washing down a pepperoni pizza with a six-pack of pop while viewing this dreck. Ahhh, those were the days! As I got older and presumably began taking part in the "adult" world, my memories of these classic yuckfests faded. Fortunately, DVD arrived on the scene a few years ago and resurrected many of these old, pleasant memories. If you're not familiar with the wondrous magic of "Basket Case," think "C.H.U.D.," but cheaper. If you don't know what "C.H.U.D." is, I probably can't help you but I'll try. Think New York City in its grimiest incarnation, a city swarming with women of the night, grindhouse theaters, and slum tenements aplenty. It is against this backdrop that "Basket Case" unfolds. The movie is a warm, heartfelt film about twins who decide to go to the big city so they can relive fond memories of the past with the surgeons who separated them. I'm pretty sure I missed the Academy Awards that year, so I can't remember if this film won the best picture Oscar, but it probably should have. Who doesn't like a film about twins?

Directed by low budget hero Frank Henenlotter, "Basket Case" relates the complicated tale of Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck). When we first meet up with Duane, he's acquiring lodgings at one of New York City's finer hotels-alright, it's really some rat hole where the dregs of humanity hang out when they aren't collecting unemployment or waiting for the liquor store to open. Duane wants a room so he can be closer to the three doctors who performed a special operation on him some years before. Despite the fact that the kid's got a huge wad of money and a wicker basket he totes around with him wherever he goes, the room he rents is barely big enough to lie down in. Soon after arriving at the Waldorf Astoria...err, I mean the rat hole, Duane heads out for food. He does this quite a bit, buying a huge package of hotdogs or a bag of hamburgers so he can dump them in the basket. Whatever's in there sure is hungry! Not to worry, though, as Duane is on friendly terms with the thing in the wicker bin.

Before heading out on his little mission, Duane acquaints himself with several of his neighbors and the patrician mannered desk clerk of his motel. He meets Casey (Beverly Bonner), a working gal with a ready smile and an endless stream of boyfriends. Duane also meets the loudmouth working the front desk, an obnoxious New Yawk type who bellows at the top of his lungs about the rules of the building. Forming relationships doesn't deter our hero from his special task, so very soon after arriving he strolls off to meet one of his former doctors. Only then, when Duane meets one of his old enemies face to face, do we truly learn about the contents of the basket. Meet Belial, Duane's worse half. When the doctors separated these Siamese twins, they tried to kill the lump of living flesh attached to our hero. A sympathetic associate of the family kept Belial alive, unfortunately, and now Duane and his bro are on a mission of destruction. His twin is nothing more than a cheesy looking lump of flesh with very sharp teeth, teeth he's willing to sink deeply into the necks of the three physicians who maimed him. There's an extended flashback sequence filling us in on the origins of Belial, and a subplot about a pretty receptionist who takes an interest in Duane, but the real meat of the movie is watching this weird looking puppet thingy rip and tear its way through an assortment of people.

Henenlotter's film is now largely considered a cult classic. The movie did so well that two sequels emerged in the 1990s. I haven't seen the successors, but rewatching the original was a lot of fun. Everything about this movie screams ultra low budget, from the atrocious acting skills of all the principal characters to the cheesy operation room where the medicos remove Belial. Actor Kevin Van Hentenryck couldn't act his way out of a wet paper bag, and his physical appearance is just downright weird. He's got this huge hair that reminds me a lot of an early Daniel Stern without any of the charm that that actor brought to the silver screen. Beverly Bonner isn't much better as the world wise Casey. I got the feeling she's supposed to be this super hot babe, and she really isn't. All of these people move against a backdrop that's so filthy I felt like taking a shower after the credits rolled. At least the gore works well enough, and it ought to considering most of the budget went towards buying buckets of fake blood. Still, "Basket Case" is amusing because it fails on so many levels. The central idea is a good one even if the execution falters.

I watched the Special Edition DVD of "Basket Case" from Image Entertainment. The disc sports a ton of extras, very few of which are worth watching. There's a commentary track with Frank Henenlotter, outtakes, galleries, a video short shot for the DVD release that shows the movie locations as they are today, a clip of Beverly Bonner's cable television show (?), and a few other goodies. The picture and audio transfer looks and sounds good for such a low budget movie. You'll need to add "Basket Case" to your "to see" list soon. I can't wait to see the two sequels on DVD in the future.

Rating:
Summary: A truly unforgettable horror film
Review: "Basket Case," directed by Frank Henenlotter, is one of my favorite horror films of all time. It tells the story of Duane, an ordinary young man with a bizarre secret: he carries his deformed, undersized former conjoined twin around in a basket (hence the film's title).

"Basket Case" has an appealing low-budget feel to it, and Kevin Van Hentenryck is very likeable as Duane. Belial, the deformed twin, is an oddly sympathetic character. Yes, the film contains some scenes that many will find sick and depraved, but it also contains some truly haunting images. Disturbing, sometimes funny, and curiously moving, "Basket Case" is a truly unique piece of cinematic art.

Rating:
Summary: What's in the basket, kid?
Review: 'The tenant in room 7 is small, twisted, and very mad.' One of my favorite tag lines from a movie. This is a great, low bugdet shlock horror/comedy from the early 80's. It involves two brothers and their plot to get revenge. I hate to give anymore away, but this is a cult classic that has spawned a couple of sequels. I haven't seen them, but I have seen this one, and it's lots of fun. The story is definately interesting with its flashbacks and the actors will never win any Oscars, but they really help to make this movie. And then there's the seedy locations. Basically this type of film making is called "using what you got and making the most of it". And then there's the special effects....not over the top, but effective enough to fit nicely with the story. The stop motion animation was a little cheesy, but then that added to the fun of the movie for me. All in all, I had a great time watching this movie.

Something Weird Video (SWV) did a really great job with this 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. Great stuff, and pretty complete.

So, in closing, if you want to see a low budget, gory, horror/comedy schlockfest that was done really well, get this movie, if you've got the guts. And as an added bonus, get a glimpse of what times square used to look like before it got all cleaned up and 'disneyfied'. Not a lot of footage on this, but a chance to see how seedy and raw it used to be, with it's hookers, grindhouses, triple-X theaters, etc., compared to what it is now.

Rating:
Summary: What's in the basket, kid?
Review: 'The tenant in room 7 is small, twisted, and very mad.' One of my favorite tag lines from a movie.

This is a great, low bugdet shlock horror/comedy from the early 80's. It involves two brothers and their plot to get revenge. I hate to give anymore away, but this is a cult classic that has spawned a couple of sequels. I haven't seen them, but I have seen this one, and it's lots of fun.

The story is definately interesting with it's flashbacks and the actors will never win any Oscars, but they really help to make this movie. And then there's the seedy locations. Basically this type of film making is called "using what you got and making the most of it". And then there's the special effects....not over the top, but effective enough to fit nicely with the story. The stop motion animation was a little cheesy, but then that added to the fun of the movie for me. All in all, I had a great time watching this movie.

Something Weird Video (SWV) did a really great job with this 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. Great stuff, and pretty complete.

So, in closing, if you want to see a low budget, gory, horror/comedy schlockfest that was done really well, get this movie, if you've got the guts. And as an added bonus, get a glimpse of what times square used to look like before it got all cleaned up and 'disneyfied'. Not a lot of footage on this, but a chance to see how seedy and raw it used to be, with it's hookers, grindhouses, triple-X theaters, etc., compared to what it is now.

Rating:
Summary: He's a squid!
Review: An odd yet strangely charming young man, named Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck), checks into the decrepit and seedy Hotel Broslin in New York City carrying little more than a huge wad of cash and a heavy wicker basket. Not long afterward, Duane begins talking to something, rather, SOMEONE inside the basket who snarls and quakes while being fed a sack of hamburgers -- wrappers and all. His snoopy fellow tenants eventually discover the horrifying secret hidden within the basket - Duane's psychotic, horribly mutated Siamese twin brother Belial, who is little more than a head, two mammoth arms and hands, and a scrunched-up, partial spine. Duane and Belial were physically separated from each other ten years ago and are now hell-bent on revenge against the creepy team of doctors (one of whom is a veterinarian) who performed the grisly operation. In short order, Duane and Belial seek out each of the sleazy doctors one by one to exact their revenge, until Belial - who maintains a telepathic link with his brother - learns of Duane's newfound romance with the buxom receptionist of one of their victims (Terri Susan Smith) and is consumed with jealousy... and lust.

Made on a shoestring budget by a previously unknown filmmaker and starring an unknown cast, Basket Case is a classic of the horror genre. The cast plays their parts with both creepy realism and understated camp at the same time, and there are plenty of uncomfortably scary moments. There is also plenty of gore, but its not overdone. The creature effects, while appearing a bit dated by now, are pretty good, being a combination of claymation, simple puppetry, and acting with dead props. Definitely worth seeing.

Rating:
Summary: "All Alone In This Cold, Cruel World!"
Review: Aside from featuring my favorite film line EVER (See above), Basket Case does have a few other redeeming qualities. Well, maybe not redeeming, but entertaining. The film follows a young man named Duane as he arrives in Times Square, wicker basket in tow. He checks into the seedy Hotel Broslin, and promptly sets about his task: Hunting down the Doctors who forcibly seoerated him from his siamese twin Belial years ago. (Yup, that's his Bro in the basket...) The plan hits a snag, though, when Duane meets a girl; He wants to settle down, Belial wants his revenge. There's gore aplenty, as well as some great laughs. The effects are pretty good; Director Frank Henenlotter made the most of his low budget, and the inventiveness of the effects and camera setups set the film a cut above the rest of the blood-drenched-pack.

Unfortunately, the film is presented full-frame. Otherwise, the disc is a real treat for long-time Basket-heads. There's a commentary track with Director Henenlotter and a few cast members, trailers, TV spots, radio spots, outtakes and rare behind-the-scenes footage, a featurette, two radio interviews with Terri Susan Smith, and footage from "Beverly Bonner's Laugh Track"-It's a good thing the word "Laugh" is in the title, otherwise I'd have no clue it's supposed to be funny....

All in all, Basket Case is a must-own for horror fans, and (Aside from the full-screen presentation) Something Weird Video deserves a ton of kudos for delivering a great disc.

Rating:
Summary: Shakespeare in a basket
Review: At first I thought this was nothing more than a cheesy horror flick apparently shot with hand-held 16-mm camera. But as the story unfolded I became progressively more interested. True, in many ways it's ridiculous--the twin brother "monster" appears to be some kind of clay/plastic/who knows model that is animated with pathetic stop-motion that would make Ray Harryhausen shake his head, and there is a lot of unnecessary blood-spraying. There is also an intentionally outrageous and disgusting sex scene involving the separated twin. But for all that, this is in many was a good film that explores the relationships between love, hate, envy, sex and vengeance. The separated twin, who looks like a melted bust with claws and fangs, both loves and hates his brother. He loves him because he is family--the only family he has. And he hates and envies him because being normal, he is capable or a normal sex and love life. Something the twin can never have (he's reduced to stealing women's underwear). At times the deformed twin is almost sympathetic. You can almost understand his hate toward the doctors who separated him. And you can understand his love/hate/envy relationship with his brother. Sad to say, but I think all he really wanted was a woman to love him. Something, obviously, that was never in the cards. This film isn't for everyone's taste, but once you get past the cheesy camp aspect of it, it's really a pretty perceptive film.

Rating:
Summary: picure of basket case- +--(@_@)--+
Review: basket cake sucks. Its about a little chunk of rubber that goes around town with his brother killing doctors.This movie is funny,though. P.S. Im not really 3 yrs. old. P.P.S. What kind of toddlers write internet reviews,anyway?