Review of Basket Case

Introduction

The 1980s was an interesting decade for horror films. It arguably did not produce the classics that the 1970s did, such as `The Exorcist`, `Dawn of the Dead` or `The Texas Chain Saw Massacre`. The phenomena of Betamax and VHS home video technology opened up horror movies to a wider audience, with a rash of films, some of which would later be termed `Video Nasties`. Aside from the stalker/slasher films that began in the late `70s with `Halloween` and `Black Christmas`, the sub-genre of low budget horror comedies emerged. Sam Raimi blended horror and `Looney Tunes` cartoon-style violence in `Evil Dead II`, Stuart Gordon brought his own interpretation of H. P. Lovecraft`s gothic tale in `Re-Animator` and Frank Henenlotter gave us `Basket Case`.

Duane Bradley (Kevin VanHentenryck) is a shy and socially inept young man who has travelled from the country to New York City carrying with him a wicker basket which contains Belial, his deformed brother. Born as `Siamese` (conjoined) twins, Belial was removed from Duane when he was a child and thrown out into the trash to die. Unhappy about the way he was treated, Belial convinces Duane to help him exact bloody revenge against the medical personnel who separated them and his father, who ordered the operation.

Duane starts an awkward relationship with Sharon, the receptionist to one of the doctors that he and Belial visit. This only infuriates Belial further, as he feels abandoned and jealous, leading to an escalation in his violent and unpredictable behaviour.

Made on a tiny budget and with an inexperienced cast and crew, `Basket Case` has become a cult favourite and was previously released on DVD by Tartan Video in August 2001. This is released by Tartan Video under their new `Tartan Grindhouse` label (no doubt due to the popularity of the word following Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez` well publicised flop), along with `Society` and `Bride of Re-Animator`.

Video

Shown in the OAR of 1.33:1, this is a terrible transfer and it`s abundantly clear that no effort has been put into improving the visuals since the previous release. The picture is dark, blurry, sometimes unclear and generally poor.

Audio

The sound is, for the want of a better word, muddy. Like the visuals, the soundtrack has not been improved and is generally ill-defined.

There are no subtitles.

Features

This has almost exactly the same features as the 2001 release:
Filmographies for Frank Henenlotter, Kevin Van Hentenryk and Beverley Bonner. As Henenlotter only made 5 films, 4 of those with Van Hentenryk (his only films) and Bonner in all 5, these make quick reading! The rest of the extras comprise a trailer, a review by Alan Jones and a Tartan Trailer Reel.

Conclusion

Kevin Van Hentenryck (credited as Kevin VanHentenryck) made his film debut here as the gangly, child-like Duane, a role he would reprise in both sequels and as a cameo in Frank Henenlotter`s `Brain Damage`. Practically revelling in its sleaziness and gore, `Basket Case` never attempts to take itself seriously and provides decent laughs with enough blood and violence to check the `horror` box.

`Basket Case` is a type of film that you either love or don`t get. The laughable puppetry and stop-motion animation that was used to create Belial will either turn viewers away, or endear them to the film. I love these `so bad they`re good` type of films and, judging by the sequels and DVD special editions of `Basket Case`, I`m clearly not alone.

If you like cheap 1980s schlock horror comedies and haven`t seen `Basket Case`, or any of Henenlotter`s films, then I urge you to do so. Tartan have had the UK rights for `Basket Case` for years, so why they chose to re-release a 6-year old DVD (albeit with a different aspect ratio) rather than put time and effort into it and create a Special Edition or 25th Anniversary Edition is beyond me and is a wasted opportunity. The best version out there is the R1 `20th Anniversary Edition`, so perhaps a rental and then an investigation Stateside is the way to go? If you enjoy it, I heartily recommend the sequels as well as `Brain Damage` and `Frankenhooker`.