Basket Case

Play trailer

Basket Case

R

1982

1h 31m

Horror

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

78%

Tomatometer

27 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) checks into a sleazy hotel with a wicker basket containing his telepathic Siamese twin.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

While Basket Case definitely delivers all the gonzo gore promised by its cracked premise, it's really set apart by its rich vein of genuine pathos.

Read Critics Reviews

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

01/18/2007

B

A thing of modest B-movie beauty.

Go to Full Review

Chance Solem-Pfeifer

Willamette Week

Nov 19

Like most other Henenlotter movies, Basket Case is beloved by horror heads in the know for its scrappy execution, darkly comedic exploitation, and gonzo manifestation of otherwise thought-provoking themes.

Go to Full Review

Sharai Bohannon

A Nightmare On Fierce Street Podcast

12/30/2024

3.5/5

This is possibly Frank Henenlotter at his best. It's easy to see why 'Basket Case' is an important piece of horror cinema history. Bilal crawled so that Gabriel could run backward!

Go to Full Review

Megan Seling

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

10/22/2024

I’m pretty sure that makes it the ultimate high-brow/low-brow horror movie.

Go to Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

10/29/2022

[Henenlotter's] tribute to the grindhouse horror films he loves, a low-budget monster movie with creative twists and DIY special effects created with a mix of puppets, models, and stop-motion animation.

Go to Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

08/31/2020

7/10

One of the pioneers of exploitation horror, complete with nudity, gore, hilariously absurd dialogue, and silly creature effects.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Maksim S

@MaksimusMovies Jan 19

"Basket Case" is grindhouse madness at its finest—cheap, grimy, and completely unforgettable. Its bizarre creature effects and scuzzy New York atmosphere give it a charm no budget could buy. Equal parts freakshow and comedy, it’s the kind of cult horror that survives on sheer weirdness. A proudly twisted 4-star classic.

See more

Scott M

Dec 28

Well made horror film that I put off seeing for years. I wouldn't say I was frightened by it. But it was entertaining. Well directed and written. But the acting could've been better. Very well done for a low budget film.

See more

Julian S.

@akajulianscott Aug 27

A splatter-soaked cult gem and a perfect time capsule of sleazy New York.

See more

Craig W.

@CJWolfe27 Jul 20

B movie very, not a bad watch

See more

Rich C

@Cordu0702 May 26

Nice film! Definitely worth the watch!

See more

Nick O

May 22

Total Barf-O-Rama! The kind of flick that makes you proud to be a weirdo. We love you Frank Henenlotter!

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Frank Henenlotter

Director

Kevin Van Hentenryck

Duane Bradley

Terri Susan Smith

Sharon

Beverly Bonner

Casey

Robert Vogel

Hotel Manager

Diana Browne

Dr. Judith Kutter

Basket Case 2

86%

39%

Basket Case 2

Watchlist

The Toxic Avenger

73%

64%

The Toxic Avenger

Watchlist

An American Werewolf in London

89%

85%

An American Werewolf in London

Watchlist

TRAILER

for An American Werewolf in London

The Lost Boys

75%

85%

The Lost Boys

Watchlist

Motel Hell

63%

55%

Motel Hell

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) checks into a sleazy hotel with a wicker basket containing his telepathic Siamese twin.

Director: Frank Henenlotter
Producer: Edgar Ievins
Screenwriter: Frank Henenlotter
Production Co: Basket Case Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 2, 1982, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 2016
Runtime: 1h 31m

Most Popular at Home Now