Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Kevin Van Hentenryck | ... | Duane Bradley (as Kevin VanHentenryck) | |
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Terri Susan Smith | ... | Sharon |
Beverly Bonner | ... | Casey | |
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Robert Vogel | ... | Hotel Manager |
Diana Browne | ... | Dr. Judith Kutter | |
Lloyd Pace | ... | Dr. Harold Needleman | |
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Bill Freeman | ... | Dr. Julius Lifflander |
Joe Clarke | ... | O'Donovan | |
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Ruth Neuman | ... | Duane's Aunt |
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Richard Pierce | ... | Duane's Father |
Sean McCabe | ... | Young Duane | |
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Dorothy Strongin | ... | Josephine |
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Kerry Ruff | ... | Detective |
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Ilze Balodis | ... | Social Worker |
Tom Robinson | ... | Thief in Theater |
Charming country bumpkin Duane Bradley takes a motel room in New York with a basket and a backpack. In a flashback sequence we learn the basket contains his surgically removed Siamese twin - who is not only so physically deformed the doctors hesitated to consider him a human, but is also the vindictive driver behind their trip, with the purpose of killing off all those he blames. But in one of those doctors' offices, Duane gets his first-ever date, with the receptionist, and wants to start a positive life. When the freak twin escapes, the scene is set for a grim finale. Written by KGF Vissers
After first glancing at the article of this movie in the book "Cult Movies 2" some 25 years ago, I finally watched Basket Case today having bought the VHS from a used video store about a month ago. It concerns conjoined twins Duane (Keven Van Hentenryck) and Belial (which is a mixture of a puppet and stop-motion animation) and their revenge against the doctors that tore them apart. There's also a romance between Duane and one of the doctors' receptionist, Sharon (Terri Susan Smith). Written and directed by Frank Henenlotter, Basket Case is obviously low-budget and amateurish with cheesy moments to spare especially whenever Belial attacks someone. But it can also provide some genuine scares and shocks especially when Belial encounters Sharon. So on that note, Basket Case comes highly recommended. P.S. One of the players, a Dorothy Strongin who played Josephine here, died in my current hometown of Baton Rouge, LA, on May 25, 2006.