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:

This time he's not alone.

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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

Director Frank Henenlotter stated in an interview that his original idea for this sequel was to have the character Duane Bradley from the original Basket Case (1982) have a small part and have the film focus more on the freak aspect. He also wanted to the call the sequel "House of Freaks." Shapiro-Glickenhaus Entertainment wanted to call the film "Basket Case 2" and insisted Duane Bradley's character have a much larger part. Despite this Henennlotter was given freedom to put the freaks in a very different situation instead of just basically redoing the first film. Because of this Hennenlotter has admitted that he likes this sequel because it is a different film than the original.

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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

Susan: We're all of the same flesh, Duane.

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Connections

Featured in Basket Case 3 (1991)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

Entertaining freakfest

This first sequel to the original "Basket Case" sees the return of Duane (Kevin VanHentenryck, who is in all of the Basket Case movies), and this flick introduces Annie Ross as Granny Ruth, who gives a memorable performance, and returns for "Basket Case 3: The Progeny". This second entry in the series is not as gory as the first at all, but it has better acting, more freaks, and a cheesy attempt at a love story between Duane and Susan (Heather Rattray). The freaks can get annoying at times, and at one scene, I quote my friend who said, "Now it's just a bunch of freaks running around". I recommend this only if you have seen the first "Basket Case", and it's not as entertaining as either BC1 or BC3, but still I'm glad to have it in my collection. Also, it has the sex scene nobody wanted.....Be warned! 7/10

Rated 18s for horror violence and some gore, language, sex?!, and brief mild nudity