The Last Drive-In Part 8: Basket Case (1982) - Review

So I was supposed to be done doing these reviews about six weeks ago.  Better late than never.  Anyway, we move from Blood Feast to another true classic of drive-in, grindhouse schlock that gives you the feel of the sticky seats, syringe needles and unbridled sex acts associated with those institutions.  Frank Hennenlotter's sleazy early 80s New York City masterpiece is one of the few that's usually known outside of most indie horror circles.  Images of Duane Bradley and his disfigured/separated twin brother Belial became big hits on VHS and continued to grow in the onset of the internet.  The location through most of the movie is a flophouse hotel known as the Broslin, a pure creation of mad director Hennenlotter's twisted mind.  The atmosphere is complete with garbage, winos and prostitutes, capturing a place and time that was forgotten and, according to some reports, is on its way back to the Big Apple.  All the while, the demented twins are rampaging through the city on a revenge quest against the hack medical team that performed their separation.

JBB clearly has some real connections to this movie's history, going back to his years at the Dallas Herald.  One of the most interesting stories was that, along with snooty kleptomaniac critic Rex Reed, he was the only person to see Basket Case screen at the Cannes Film festival.  Apparently, JBB also saved the film from half ass censorship imposed by the distributor, who cut the film because they believed many of the scenes were too bizarre to be in a feature film.  As a result, JBB helped to restore the film to it's unrated glory and hosted the premiere at the Rt. 183 Drive-In in Irving, Texas.


Four Stars