I wanted to check out something very different and very weird for today’s Eddie’s 31 Days Of Halloween film. There was always one film that I had not seen that I kept meaning to check out for Cheeseball Cinema, but I decided that I would watch for today and that film is 1982’s Basket Case which was written and directed by Frank Henenlotter (Frankenhooker). The film stars Kevin Van Hentenryck (Brain Damage) as Duane Bradley, a kid from upstate New York that is carrying around a little secret inside a basket. You see, Duane and his deformed Siamese twin Belial were separated against their will by a group of Doctors from New York City. Belial was left for dead so that Duane could have his own life, but the two were reunited and now they are in New York seeking revenge against the doctors who did this. The film also stars Terri Susan Smith (Sundays) as Sharon, Beverly Bonner (Basket Case 2) as Casey, Diana Browne as Dr. Kutter, Lloyd Pace as Dr. Needleman, Bill Freeman as Dr. Lifflander, Joe Clarke (McCabe & Mrs. Miller) as O’Donovan, Ruth Neuman as Duane’s Aunt, Sean McCabe (Aliens) as Young Duane, Kerry Ruff (Getting By) as Detective, and Robert Vogel (Waitress!) as Hotel Manager.
I know what you’re thinking, this is the second Horror Comedy in a row that I have done, but I wonder if it was intentional with this film. I wondered if they were trying to make a serious horror film, but there were just too many cheesy moments for it not to be considered a horror comedy. This was actually a fun film to watch that is just a little ridiculous in the sense that Belial proves in one part of the film that he can do and go where he wants to, but yet in most of the film he decides to stay put inside the basket. The film also proves that women or the idea of sex can get in the way of any bond whether it be siblings or best friends as proved in this film. Duane has been gung ho about this mission until he falls in love with the receptionist and Belial certainly ruins that one for him. So in a nutshell, the film is a giant lesson in bro code and don’t you forget it. One of the cheesy moments of the film is the scene when Belial leaves the basket on his own for the first time, you can see how cheesy the claymation special effects are when he moves, but you also have to understand it’s 1982 and how much money did they really have for special effects. Most of the attacks is probably some guy wearing Belial as a suit and attacking the victims. Out of everyone in the film, I thought Kevin Van Hentenryck did a pretty good job as far as acting because there was an innocence (maybe naive?) to him and his character that just shines in this film. If you want to see early 80’s independent horror in it’s glory then give this one a shot, I am glad that I did. I am giving the film an B-/C+ (Somewhere in there) for a final grade.
Moshpits And Movies 