Sorry, this movie sucks

It is a performances centric movie

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

They say that horror films run in cycles. The first major one involved the classic Universal monsters like Frankenstein, Dracula and the Wolf Man. The second came during the fifties when we had radiated monsters that turned miniscule pests into giant sized terrors. The early sixties provided us with two forms of horror, the drive in low budget films that included the Poe tales from Roger Corman and the imported Hammer horror films more often than not starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Then a lull came along with only THE EXORCIST on hand. All of that changed in the late seventies and early eighties.The invention of the VCR ushered in a new wave of horror films. Once again the budgets were low but the creative levels were high. Video renters couldn't get enough of horror films. Directors who went on to become famous were making many of these movies, cutting their teeth on combinations of editing techniques and gushing goo. It was a time when horror fans were delighted. Then Hollywood became aware of the money to be made. Suddenly it changed from creative output to franchise material. Many were good movies but it became all about how long a series could run.Fortunately fans can still partake in the classics of the time period, those 70s and 80s slashers and creature movies that made you force your parents to allow you to traipse down the horror aisle as the local video store. One such movie has now made its way to blu-ray format in the best offering of the movie ever seen. That movie is Frank Henenlotter's BASKETCASE.The movie tells the story of two brothers, Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) and Belial. Joined together at birth Belial was a malformed creature attached to his brother's side. When years later a medical team separates the pair, Belial survives and communicates with his brother. Together the two run away with plans of revenge against the medical staff who forced them apart.After an initial murder we find the pair walking the streets of New York in the 42nd Street area, notorious for the sleaziness of the times. Porn theaters, hotels with hourly rental rates and greasy food joints abound. Checking into a hotel with Belial in a wicker basket, Duane begins his search for the staff.As their story unfolds Duane meets and falls for a young nurse named Sharon (Terri Susan). With his attentions deviated from their goal Belial is enraged. The malformed monstrosity is not one to take lightly, especially when angered. Whether the pair will carry on with their plans for revenges or if Duane will find some sense of normality isn't revealed until the end of the film. The fact that the film generated 2 sequels answers part of that question. Both of those films are available on blu-ray now as well.To start with the movie provides us with a new monster, something that had disappeared from the film landscape for some time. After years of radiated creatures we now had one born for no apparent reason other than that he simply was. It would be a few more years before the genetically altered creatures arrived and Belial is not one of those. The effects used to create Belial were practical effects, puppets and the like, giving him a more sinister appearance than any computer generated creature has had. That added to the terror aspect of the character, making him frightening, something you'd hope to never encounter. And at the same time there is an amount of sympathy imbued in the character, a monster not by choice but by birth. In this way he becomes the new Frankenstein in a modern world.As I said earlier the movies from this time period had some of the most miniscule budgets ever known to man. Many were shot on the fly, no permits sought out for locations, shot in actual buildings rather than sets and using actors who were lacking on so many levels. But all of that combined to give films like this one a charm all their own. Hentenryck's delivery of lines leaves much to be desired but it also makes his performance as an innocent in a nasty world more believable. The side actors also offer lines in the worst way possible but who cares? This is a creature feature and no one is looking for Shakespeare.Henenlotter has delivered the goods with this film, his first feature length movie. Many directors their first time out try to dazzle us with their techniques, film angles, effects laden shots and more. Henenlotter just wants to tell us a story and frighten us at the same time. That makes for a much more enjoyable film. The seediness of the area the film takes place in is embraced by Henenlotter, a world most of us will never visit but we get a glimpse of here from someone familiar with it. It is a world that suits Duane and Belial Bradley and their story.Arrow Video has done their standard amazing job with this one. To begin with their presenting the film in a digital 4k format making it the cleanest possible version you'll find of the film. In addition to that they've loaded the film with a ton of extras sure to make any fan foam at the mouth. Those include a brand new audio commentary track with Henenlotter and Hentenryck, "Basket Case 3 : An Interview with Duane Bradley" a look back at the character with Henenlotter, "Seeing Double: The Basket Case Twin" a new interview with Florence and Maryellen Schultz the twin nurses from the film, a brand new making of featurette with interviews of producer Edgar Ievins, casting person/actress Ilze Balodis, associate producer/effects artist Ugis Nigals and Belial performer Kika Nigals, "Blood, Basket and Beyong" a new interview with actress Beverly Bonner, "Belial Goes to the Drive-In" a new interview with film critic Joe Bob Briggs, an outtakes featurette, "In Search of the Hotel Broslin" an archive featurette, "Slash of the Knife" a short film made by Henenlotter in 1972, "Belial's Dream" a brand new Basket Case inspired animated short by filmmaker Robert Morgan, behind the scenes of "Belial's Dream", trailers, TV spots, radio spots, an extensive still gallery, a reversible sleeve with original artwork by Sara Deck and for the first pressing only a collector's booklet with new writing on the film by Michael Gingold. Whew! That's an exhaustive amount of extras for a movie that probably costs less than all of these combined!Fans of the film will rejoice at the opportunity to revisit Duane and Belial once more. They'll revel in every blood soaked moment that appears on screen. Those who have never seen the film will discover just how great it truly is, enough so that they might decide to gather the entire set of three films. In any event this edition from Arrow shows once more how dedicated they are at offering the best quality version of the films they carry. A fan couldn't ask for more.

.....right up there with Evil Dead and The Re-Animator, however...With "Basket Case" what you have here is a low-budget horror film that has an utterly fantastic plot, but unfortunately was made with only a passably mediocre level of execution. Also the fact that it was made back in the early 80's on a slim budget, does much in explaining why virtually every frame of it looks painfully dated. However, short-comings aside, the films strongest attribute would undoubtedly have to be it's diabolical devious plot, which is simply wicked as hell to the core. At the same time I can't help but think how great Basket Case (and all the wickedly twisted material that comes along with it) could have been in more capable hands - it could have been taken to the next level. For instance who knows how great this could have been if Sam Raimi had directed it. One wonders... but regardless of that Basket Case certainly has it's moments of brilliance, be sure of that, a few of which are simply enthralling - in a corny, low-budget kind of way of course.The movies plot is one that circles around revenge, but it's really more than that as you'll see throughout it's twisted 90 minute duration, starting off with murder things are quite off-the-wall from the get go. Basket Case offers us many different colorful moods and moments (such as loose-lipped drunkenness, serial killings, telepathic interplay, voyeurism, dream perversions, etc.) and yet unfortunately that also causes the movie to be inconsistent and vary drastically in it's ability to entertainment - which is bound to frustrate some viewers. All this results in a film that's as uneven as it is singularly unusual, in other words: when Basket Case is at it's best, it's thrilling, however when not thrilling it can (and does) get quite boring at times and even downright irritating. **Note the amount of shrill screaming heard throughout the film.** It's a lot even for a horror film. But when looking at the whole picture the good usually prevails over the bad, "the bad" such as Kevin Van Hentenryck's hilariously bad hair. Is that a dead woodchuck on top of his head or what?! Being as specific about it as I can without giving away spoilers, I think most will agree that the movie is at it's best during the revenge killing sequences, where you get to see the basket case itself in it's full and gruesome glory. Which brings us to the effects. The effects that were used to bring the monstrosity to life sure couldn't have cost much and are primitive at best, but at the same time are pretty effective, especially the close-ups of it's face (which are punctuated by a series of funny moans and a few screams). Not to mention the film has a few wonderfully corny stop-motion sequences to enjoy, those are certainly good for a chuckle. But beyond that... well let's just say the effects-budget sputter's out pretty quickly after that. Oh yeah, keep a heads up for the scene when "it" evades detection by hiding in the toilet (when the police are in the room scanning for clues). Wait for that toilet seat to rise, now THAT'S quality schlock AND comedy gold!All in all Basket Case is a lot of fun (some scenes especially), just don't expect it to ever rise above anything other then what it is: a cheap and corny horror film from the early 80's.Lastly, if Basket Case doesn't tantalize you, then perhaps it's two sequels from the early 90's will.

Basket Case is a horror movie directed by Frank Henenlotter in 1982.I know the 80s-90s is a wild time for movie and horror movie in general but of all Basket Case stand out to be the most original horror movie due to the crazy plot and tragic back story of two main characters.At first it might seem like another cheesy horror movie with over the top gore and bad dialogue but when the actual plot kick in it will leave your mouth open till the movie end.The bond between the two main characters is strong and after knowing about their back story i even feel sympathy for them more.The movie of course bloody but if compared to most of horror movie come out during that time it rather tame and weak.I love to give this movie 10 out of 10 if the ending don't make me angry but seem like there two more sequels so let see how it goes

"Basket Case" is a great, low-budget shlock horror/comedy from the early 80's. It involves two brothers and their plot to get revenge. "Basket Case" has an appealing low-budget feel to it, and Kevin Van Hentenryck is very likable 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. Actually, this movie is about the love between two brothers and the jealousy / anger that develops when one of them falls in love. There is a certain warmth beneath all that goo! Along the way, we are treated to many scenes of mutilation and depravity, as only Frank Henenlotter can deliver.This movie does supply emotion, and is very touching at the end. Gus Russo supplies the soundtrack for this movie. When you see the end of "Basket Case", Gus Russo's music blends in beautifully with the scene and makes this scene very sad. Oh, and the setting is worth the watch as well when NYC was gritty and infested with drugs and prostitutes. However, it is an interesting idea. There were moments in this movie that were so funny (that I don't think were meant to be). Some of the characters are over the top. There were some scenes (particularly the really bad stop-animation scenes) that made me wince in their low quality. One thing is for certain though - this is a one-of-a-kind horror experience. I would say that any horror fan should have this in their collection, if you don't already.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.