BASKET CASE
US, 1982, 85 minutes, Colour.
Kevin van Hentenryck, Terri Susan Smith.
Directed by Frank Henenlotter.
Basket Case was described by the Monthly Film Bulletin reviewer as "Skid Row Splatter". This is a very apt description. The film was written and directed by Frank Henenlotter, and dedicated to Herschell Gordon Lewis, director of 1960 horror films as Blood Feast and 2000 Maniacs. The film is small budget and is filmed in the small budget hand camera improvised effect style. The performances range from effective to put-ons. This ambition is intentional and makes the film effective in not trying to be any more than it is.
The film is a send up (as well as capitalising on) the gory genres so popular in the late '70s and early '80s. There are multiple murders. However, the small monster in the basket is a Siamese twin (reminiscent of Brian de Palma's Sisters though the M.F.B. reviewer suggests a Robert Bloch story, The Mannikin). The film traces the hero Dwayne in his visit to New York. An ordinary young many, he is the victim of telepathic communication with his separated brother Belial, whom he carries around in a basket. Belial escapes and wreaks havoc, especially on the medical staff responsible for the separation of the brothers. There are some gory flashbacks to show the operation as well as the destruction of the twins' father. This is balanced by their being raised by a very kindly aunt - who treats them like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. The victims, needless to say, are all money grabbing and horrible and deserving of their fate.
The film becomes complicated when Dwayne falls in love with Sharon and Belial is jealous, even to destroying Dwayne.
There are, of course, gory special effects and camera work and editing which play on audience susceptibility to suspense and shock. As an example of low budget tongue in cheek film experimentation, Basket Case is again with the comment of the M.F.B. reviewer, sleazily enjoyable. In its spoof and send up it, of course, raises questions about the violent genres and the effect of such violence on audiences.
