Basket Case

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Basket Case

R

1982

1h 31m

Horror

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

26 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

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

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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.

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Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Jan 18, 2007

B

A thing of modest B-movie beauty.

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Chance Solem-Pfeifer

Willamette Week

Nov 19, 2025

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.

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Sharai Bohannon

A Nightmare On Fierce Street Podcast

Dec 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!

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Megan Seling

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Oct 22, 2024

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

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Oct 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.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Aug 31, 2020

7/10

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

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Charles Q

@CharlesMQR Jul 22, 2026

Basket Case es una joya del cine grindhouse: caótica, extravagante y completamente inolvidable. Con un presupuesto mínimo, logra construir una atmósfera sucia y decadente del Nueva York de los años ochenta que resulta tan auténtica como fascinante. Sus efectos especiales artesanales, lejos de ser un defecto, son parte de su encanto. Entre el terror, el humor negro y lo absolutamente absurdo, la película nunca intenta ser otra cosa que una experiencia delirante y única. Es uno de esos clásicos de culto que siguen conquistando espectadores precisamente porque se atreven a ser diferentes. Sin duda, una película que merece cuatro estrellas.

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Maksim S

@MaksimusMovies Jan 19, 2026

"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.

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Scott M

@RT75128960 Dec 28, 2025

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.

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Julian S.

@akajulianscott Aug 27, 2025

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

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Craig W.

@CJWolfe27 Jul 20, 2025

B movie very, not a bad watch

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Rich C

@Cordu0702 May 26, 2025

Nice film! Definitely worth the watch!

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Frank Henenlotter

Director

Kevin Van Hentenryck

Duane Bradley

Terri Susan Smith

Sharon

Beverly Bonner

Casey

Robert Vogel

Hotel Manager

Diana Browne

Dr. Judith Kutter

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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

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