Alright, so here’s the lowdown on Basket Case, Frank Henenlotter’s 1982 cult horror flick. Imagine the weirdest road trip through New York City, but with a heavy dose of gore, some twisted family ties, and a grimy, offbeat sense of humor. That’s Basket Case in a nutshell—it's like a horror movie made on a shoestring budget, but with more heart and guts (literally and figuratively) than you’d expect.
The story follows Duane Bradley, this guy who looks pretty regular, except for the fact that he’s lugging around an old wicker basket with his monstrous twin brother, Belial, inside. Yeah, Belial isn’t your average sibling; he’s basically all rage and teeth, and Duane’s trying to keep him under wraps while they tear through the city. Their bond is strange and dark, and it gives the whole movie this “us-against-the-world” vibe that feels kind of rebellious, like some twisted homage to the Beat Generation’s anti-establishment spirit. It’s like *On the Road*—if Kerouac’s road trip had been through seedy motels and grimy alleys, with a mutated brother instead of a jazz-fueled road buddy.
Henenlotter makes New York look like a raw, chaotic mess, and it totally works. The low-budget, almost documentary-style filming makes you feel like you’re stumbling along with Duane and Belial through these grungy back alleys and neon-lit streets. It’s gritty, uncomfortable, and full of bizarre characters, like New York at its weirdest, and it captures that sense of disorientation and dread that Beat writers were so good at, but with a horror twist. Plus, the practical effects—think gooey, over-the-top body horror—really add to the whole surreal, nightmarish vibe.
The movie digs deep into some heavy themes, too, like mental illness and trauma. Duane’s relationship with Belial is as complicated as it gets; they’re connected in this messed-up way that pulls Duane down into his own madness, kind of like the Beats’ obsession with exploring the darkest parts of their psyche. It’s almost like Whitman’s “Song of Myself,” if Whitman had been a horror fan—it’s all about the fractured self and confronting those parts we usually want to hide.
The Arrow Video release features a remastered high-definition transfer, offering the best visual quality available for Basket Case. As with most Arrow releases, it comes with extensive bonus content. including interviews with the director, behind-the-scenes footage,and commentaries.
4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
4K restoration from the original 16mm negative by MoMA
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original uncompressed PCM mono audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary with writer/director Frank Henenlotter and star Kevin VanHentenryck
Archival audio commentary with Frank Henenlotter, producer Edgar Ievins, actor Beverly Bonner and filmmaker Scooter McRae
Basket Case 3-1/2: An Interview with Duane Bradley -
short film by Frank Henenlotter
Me and the Bradley Boys - interview with actor Kevin VanHentenryck
A Brief Interview with Director Frank Henenlotter - a strange 2017 interview with the director
Seeing Double: The Basket Case Twins - interview with actors Florence and Maryellen Schultz
Blood, Basket and Beyond - interview with actor Beverly Bonner
The Latvian Connection - featurette including interviews with producer Edgar Ievins, casting person/actor Ilze Balodis, associate producer/special effects artist Ugis Nigals and Belial performer Kika Nigals
Belial Goes to the Drive-In - interview with film critic Joe Bob Briggs
Basket Case at MoMA - footage from the 2017 restoration premiere
What's in the Basket? - feature-length documentary covering the three films in the Basket Case series
In Search of the Hotel Broslin - archival location featurette
The Frisson of Fission: Basket Case, Conjoined Twins, and 'Freaks' in Cinema - video essay by Travis Crawford
Slash of the Knife (1976, 30 mins) - short made by Frank Henenlotter featuring many of the same actors from Basket Case, including optional audio commentary with Frank Henenlotter and playwright Mike Bencivenga
Basket Case and Slash of the Knife outtakes
Belial's Dream (2017, 5 mins) - animated short by filmmaker Robert Morgan
Extensive image galleries
Trailers, TV & radio spots
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck
Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck
Collector's booklet featuring writing on the film by Michael Gingold and a Basket Case comic strip by artist Martin Trafford.
So, Basket Case is more than just a freaky monster movie. It’s like a twisted urban nightmare that asks you to look at the monsters lurking in both the city and yourself. Henenlotter created something that feels like a fever dream straight out of the gritty ‘80s, and it’s stuck with fans as a cult classic for a reason. It’s uncomfortable, wild, and unforgettable—the kind of movie that leaves a mark and reminds you that horror isn’t just about scares; it’s about facing the madness around us.
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