Horror Extreme Movie Catalog

The first five minutes of Basket Case will determine whether or not the film is for you. You'll either be laughing uncontrollably, or be terribly annoyed. And while neither act is what the director was aiming for, Basket Case's jokiness, bad dialogue, daffy characters, and bizarre violence makes it a cult classic among low-budget horror films. It is one of the rare trashy films that is so poorly constructed it provides above-average entertainment.

Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck) hides a horrifying secret - in a locked wicker basket that he constantly keeps at his side. Checking into a seedy hotel in Times Square, he plots a series of visits to various doctor's offices scattered around the city. As he visits each one, he unlocks the basket to allow a terrifyingly grotesque creature to scurry out, searching for addresses, paperwork, and brutally bloody revenge.

The mystery monstrosity in Duane's basket is no secret at all (given away by theatrical posters, DVD cover art and more) and is the remains of his Siamese twin brother Belial. A twisted lump of scar tissue, cartilage, and deformed flesh, Belial was removed by merciful doctors at the behest of their father, who hoped for a normal life for Duane. Not realizing that Belial could survive the torturous operation, and that Duane abhorred the separation, the duo remained conspiratorially in cohorts, growing up to plot revenge against the doctors involved. Communicating through telepathy and eager for blood, Belial is unleashed upon a city not ready for the horrors of this "Basket Case."

Basket Case is one of the pioneers of exploitation horror, complete with nudity, bloodshed, hilariously absurd dialogue, and silly creature effects. Low budget and not afraid to show it, the film tops its competitors of the day with memorable characters, an eerie story and the outlandish rubbery head of Belial. No character is normal in the film - everyone reeks of abnormalities, from eccentric behaviors and nonsensical dialogue, to extravagantly unpredictable actions.

To avoid showing Belial's obnoxiously unrealistic head studded with stubby, clawed hands, the camera oftentimes follows his point of view - close to the ground and with jerky movements. Flashbacks tell his tale, and plot holes abound. The unintentional laughs are hard to avoid as the screaming monster steals women's underwear, chows down on hamburgers, and leaves one of the doctors with a face full of scalpels. It's gruesome, gory, and way over-the-top; and so bad that it's good. There's time for an unlikely love story, moments for lines such as "you're cute when you slobber," and unabashed, awkward nudity. If unwarranted, uncensored cheesiness is your ticket to entertainment, Basket Case doesn't disappoint. And based on the fact that it inspired two sequels, director Frank Henenlotter's unique horror film is most certainly a cult classic.

- Mike Massie

This is a classic B Rated movie. This movie is pretty funny and weird. If you like old cult classics this one is for you!