Starring: Alexandra Auder, Jason Evers, Matt Malloy, Kathryn Meisle, Dominic Marcus Directed By: Frank Henenlotter Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen Label: Synapse Films Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: October 30, 2007 Running Time: 90 minutes Theatrical Release Date: 1990
Product Description: Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck, reprising his role from the first film) and his surgically-separated brother Belial return in this frightfully gory follow-up to Frank Henenlotter s original monster movie classic, BASKET CASE. After surviving a fall from a hospital window, the two brothers become a target of the media. Duane s aunt, Granny Ruth (played by world-renowned jazz singer Annie Ross), whisks the duo away to a secluded mansion where other freaks-in-hiding live out their days away from public scrutiny. But when a snooping tabloid reporter finds the location of the mutants, Duane his new family must stand together to keep their freedom a secret... and, in all the chaos, Beliah might actually find... true love! Synapse Films is proud to present BASKET CASE 2 in a beautiful, new high-definition transfer from the original 35mm camera negative.
The Frank Henenlotter Crown Jewel TWO WORDS!!! UNTAPPED GENIUS!!!! Part Lewis, part Argento, part Cronenberg, and part Jackson. It's a wonder that directors like Peter Jackson, & Sam Raimi, who produced similar movies, became HUGE!, while Frank Henenlotter who produced 5, count 'em 5, excellent bizarro horror comedies, faded into cinematic obscurity. The man is untapped genius!!! Someone needs to tell Hollywood to get it together!! Everyone knows how much the other 2 made them. That being said.... This film is without a doubt, Frank Henenlotters crowning achievement. A better example of his work... does not exist. The screen explodes with more grisly monstrosities than you're gonna see anywhere else! ANYWHERE ELSE!!! And they all look freakishly amazing! And amazingly freakish!! A Chernobyl sideshow!! Each one is more unbelievable than the last! If you could believe the last one!! If I were to see this movie as a child, I would have been scared out of my skin tone. I would have been a blubbering, floor-clutching, puddle of a mess. If Zelda from "Pet Semetary" kept my eyes nailed open all night; this movie would've kept me up all night screaming and hugging my knees. There are some many horror-defining visulas at the end of this movie, you're gonna wonder if you're having a psychotic meltdown or a horrific epiphany. If "Freaked" had a big, ugly brother, it would be Basket Case 2. The acting is awful on almost everyones part. Everyone except Annie Ross, who turns the "creepy factor" all the way up through the roof. But everything else if the stuff hilarious nightmares are made of. This is the hidden horror gem you've been mining for. Behold it in all it's horror-comedy glory.
MORAL OF THE STORY: It's 10:PM, Do you know where your hideously deformed, homicidal, siamese twin brother is??
Freak-Y Horror's favorite set of Siamese twins return. They survived the fall and are now on the run from the law. They find refuge with "Granny Ruth" who runs a kind of boarding home for freaks. When a snoopy reporter catches wind of the "Freak Twins" residing with Granny Ruth, it threatens to blow the whistle on Ruth's family. The freaks are then forced into action. The Basket Case concept may have seemed like a one trick pony, but Henenlotter's formula still works. He even manges to expand and introduce new ideas where you wouldn't expect. It winds up being a very interesting film that's just about as good as the first film(or even better according to some) The humor is played up more, and this is a wise decision coz you really can't make a scary or serious film with this kind of plot. Though still a low budget affair, Henenlotter is working with a bigger budget than before. The freak makeup FX aren't terribly realistic looking, but they certainly are elaborate. Sometimes it's even overwhelming. Belial is touched up a bit. In fact, I think he looks considerably bigger than he did in the first movie. The movie goes for a more heartwarming and family type vibe with the freaks. This is where my only complaint with the movie comes. You're supposed to be on their side and hope they never get found out and exploited. This is all fine and dandy, but there are scenes when Belial and the other freaks kill innocent folks who don't deserve it. Even Duane and Granny Ruth seem to have no hangups about slaughtering a bartender just so the freaks could gain access to the bar for a few minutes. I don't mind them slaughtering the schmucks who threaten them, but it's hard for me to work up sympathy for them when at times, they are no more than just cold blooded killers. But that's not too big of a deal. After all this is just a schlocky cult film, right? Anybody who liked Basket Case has probably already discovered this film, and certainly don't need a recommendation. But just let it be said that it's well worth seeing for cult movie fan.
Trash your VHS edition! Out of the small handful of films that Frank Henenlotter has made, BASKET CASE 2 has always been my favorite -- and it was frustrating that all of the others made it to Region 1 DVD years earlier (including the inferior BASKET CASE 3). The original BASKET CASE had a sleazy charm all its own, and though it was never intended to be seen outside of the NYC theater district, it became an unlikely hit. By the time BASKET CASE 2 came along, Henenlotter had made two other films, and it shows. This film features some amazing visuals, a fun, original story, mostly solid acting and many lovable characters -- though it's hard to tear your eyes away from jazz singer Annie Ross, who gives a wickedly charming, over the top performance as Granny Ruth.
Synapse Films outdid themselves with the transfer of the movie. The original NTSC video release was fuzzy (I bought two different copies and they were both fuzzy -- it looked better on HBO), and the colors were a little dull, which is a shame since it's such a colorful film. The colors on this transfer are rich, the details sharp and the audio's crystal. The lengthy "Behind the Wicker" featurette includes new interviews with Henenlotter and other crew members, as well as a lot of rare stills and never before seen behind-the-scenes footage (from both BC2 and FRANKENHOOKER). "The Man in the Moon Mask" featurette, however, feels like it should've been spliced into the "Wicker Basket" one -- Emge seems likable, but his interview doesn't really warrant a featurette of his own.
It's disappointing that star Kevin Van Hentenryck wasn't involved with this DVD (or any of 'em!), and that there's no commentary or trailer. Still, I can't complain, since the film itself looks and sounds so good!
Pretty good belated sequel... Tonally different from the original (glossier, much less gory, and cartoonish rather than creepy) but enjoyable nonetheless. Benefits from being a 'true' sequel - expanding on characters and past events in a new setting instead of just rehashing - a revamped design for Belial and a dogged refusal to be anything less than very, very strange. Looking forward to the re-release of the 3rd, which I haven't yet seen.
Nearly As Good As The First Basket Case 2 is an excellent follow-up to the first, It has some very funny and original moments such as the Belial love scene. The film has a diffrent feel than the first but it turned out very nicely, The story is that Duane and Belial survived the fall at the end of part one and up being picked up by an old woman who takes care of people like them at her home. She takes them there and they become a part of the community of deformed people, A nosy reporter figures them out and they have to deal with her in their own way.
A must own for those that bought the original. And for those that can manage to get ahold of the 3 one.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
