Basket Case 2 (1990)

Duane and his basket-bound mutant brother are taken in by a secret home for wayward freaks with journalists hot on their tail.

Director:

Frank Henenlotter

Writer:

Frank Henenlotter

Stars:

Kevin Van Hentenryck, Judy Grafe, Annie Ross

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Van Hentenryck	...	Duane
Judy Grafe	...	News Woman
Annie Ross	...	Granny Ruth
Heather Rattray	...	Susan
Chad Brown	...	News Man
Beverly Bonner	...	Casey
Leonard Jackson	...	Police Commissioner
Alexandra Auder	...	Nurse Sherri
Brian Fitzpatrick	...	Cop
Gale Van Cott	...	Desk Clerk
Kuno Sponholz	...	Sick Old Man
Kathryn Meisle	...	Marcie
Dominic Marcus	...	Security Guard
Doug Anderson	...	Snoring Cop
Jason Evers	...	Lou the Editor

Storyline

Frank Henenlotter's BASKET CASE 2 picks up right where the original BASKET CASE leaves off. After surviving the fall from their hotel room window, Duane Bradley and his misshapen, basket-dwelling brother Belial are taken to the city hospital. By now, their attempt at leading a secret life is blown, and the pair have become media darlings across the country. Meanwhile, Duane's long-lost Aunt learns of their situation and, along with her pregnant daughter Susan, helps them escape from the confines of the hospital and the eye of the press. Duane and Belial's aunt, known as Granny Ruth, takes them under her wing at her mansion, which serves as a safe haven for hideously deformed freaks of all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of this dynamic duo don't remain secret for too long, and Duane and Belial team up with Susan, Granny Ruth, and her houseful of mutants to devise a plan to do away with the exploitative reporters once and for all.

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Plot Keywords:

grindhouse film | psychotronic film | psychotronic | cult director | cult film | 

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Taglines:

We were cut apart AND NOW... we're together again!

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

House of Freaks

Filming Locations:

Newark, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shapiro-Glickenhaus Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was bumped from February 1990 release date.

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Goofs

After a scene in the kitchen where Duane is wearing a blue shirt he turns to leave the room and is suddenly wearing a yellowish shirt during the last shot of the scene, which was clearly shot on at a different time on a different day. Not too long after the kitchen scene he is back to wearing the blue shirt.

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Quotes

Granny Ruth: The wolves are once again at our door! Our rights are being invaded by sideshow mentality.

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Connections

Referenced in Bloodworks: The Deformities of Gabe Bartalos (2014)

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Soundtracks

Dai Campi, Dai Prapi
from Mefistofele
by A. Boito
Performed by Charles Rudolph

User Reviews

"We're together again."

Basket Case 2 is...well, it's something else. Joe Bob Briggs said "It's perfect!" and that was enough for me. I don't like it, but, at the same time, I don't hate it. It lacks the grittiness of the original Basket Case. The film is more polished but the sets aren't. They're clearly sets and the movie suffers for it. It lacks the realism that the first film depended on. The acting is better, Ted Sorel (From Beyond) is great. The movie is a just a bit too comedic for my tastes. The freaks are mostly stupid, but Belial still kicks ass though. He gets an upgrade in this film, from stopmotion to animatronics. All in all, the film still has that great stomach-turning quality, and the sex scene you never wanted to see. And it does have a great climax, the ending alone is worth watching the entire movie for. It just can't live up to the original.

Note for genre buffs: Two of the freaks include Ron Fazio (he was the second Toxic Avenger) and David Emge (Dawn of the Dead).