Basket Case

"The tenant in room 7 is very small, very twisted, and very mad."

1982 1h 31m EN

😐

6.2

MID

★6.2TMDB · 486

HorrorComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young man carrying a big basket that contains his extremely deformed, formerly conjoined twin brother seeks vengeance on the doctors who separated them against their will.

“The tenant in room 7 is very small, very twisted, and very mad.”

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Cast

Kevin Van Hentenryck
Duane Bradley
Terri Susan Smith
Sharon
Beverly Bonner
Casey
Robert Vogel
Hotel Manager
Diana Browne
Dr. Judith Kutter
Lloyd Pace
Dr. Harold Needleman
Bill Freeman
Dr. Julius Lifflander
Ruth Neuman
Duane's Aunt

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Frank Henenlotter
Writers: Frank Henenlotter
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

44 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Basket Case Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Frank Henenlotter, shot by Bruce Torbet. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Gus Russo. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Frank Henenlotter shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Kevin Van Hentenryck and Terri Susan Smith and Beverly Bonner carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The tenant in room 7 is very small, very twisted, and very mad.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Frank Henenlotter directs. Bruce Torbet behind the camera. Gus Russo scores. Frank Henenlotter cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $0.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
244 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Part of the "Basket Case Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Frank Henenlotter, shot by Bruce Torbet. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Gus Russo. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Frank Henenlotter shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Kevin Van Hentenryck and Terri Susan Smith and Beverly Bonner carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "The tenant in room 7 is very small, very twisted, and very mad.".
9IMDB entry: tt0083624 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Released under 17 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Bruce Torbet
Original score: Gus Russo
Editing: Frank Henenlotter
Makeup / hair: Ugis Nigals
Runtime: 91 min · 1h 31m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $35,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Basket Case (1982)

Part of

Basket Case Collection

Basket Case is a 1982 American horror comedy film written and directed by Frank Henenlotter. It has two sequels, Basket Case 2 (1990) and Basket Case 3: The Progeny (1991) by the same director. It is notable for its low budget, bizarre humor, and strong violence. The film gained an audience in the 1980s due to the advent of home video and has become a cult film.

Also by

Frank Henenlotter

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2019-09-04
★ 6/10
Gory and amusing horror about separated Siamese twins in New York City, one vengeful A young man from upstate New York, Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck), travels to the seedy side of Manhattan with a mysterious wicker basket, looking for a couple of dubious doctors. “Basket Case” (1982) is a very bloody ‘B’ horror with (mostly) low-key comedy that’s actually funny. The quaint low-budget effects consist of rubber puppetry & gloves with some stop-motion unapproved by Ray Harryhausen. Blonde Terri Susan Smith shines as Duane’s potential girlfriend, Sharon, while Beverly Bonner heartily rises to the challenge as Duane’s friendly next-door neighbor in hotel, Casey. The flick is entertaining so I can see how it’s become a cult favorite, but the focus on the seedy side of Manhattan makes for a somewhat unpalatable experience. Yet it’s interesting going back in time to New York City in 1981. Some people lambaste “Basket Case” for being “amateurish” but, come on, it only cost $35,000, which would translate to about $100,000 today. The film runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot in Manhattan with some stuff done in Glens Falls, New York. GRADE: B-

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