Basket Case

Luke says:

Basket Case rulez.

I love director Frank Henenlotter’s whole fucking thing. His whole oeeeeeeuvre. He wrote and directed Brain Damage (1988), Frankenhooker (1990) and all three Basket Case movies. All of which are great and truly weird as fuck. I usually avoid using the word weird because it’s overuse has diminished it’s meaning, but Basket Case is a weeeeird ass movie. It has a 70’s grindhouse feel and is very creative in it’s low budget effects. Henenlotter is using all the tools of the low budget auteur even incorporating stop motion animation. When you see that scene, you’ll realize that he is doing whatever he can to get his script, his vision, onto film.
 
I always love seeing New York City depicted in the 70’s and 80’s. With its porno theaters in Times Square and just general griminess. This movie has a Taxi Driver (1976) quality to it. I can hear Travis Bickle saying  “All the animals come out at night - whores, skunk pussies, buggers, queens, fairies, dopers, junkies, sick, venal...and now Basket Cases”

I have a lot of empathy for our lead characters. I think it adds depth to the story that feels similar to The Elephant Man (1980).

It’s grindy, gross fun and oddly touching.