By JAMES BURRELL
Shot in New York City over the course of a year on 16 mm film and with a reported miniscule budget of only $35,000, the 1982 cult classic Basket Case was the brainchild of first-time feature-length filmmaker Frank Henenlotter. The movie tells of a likeable young man, Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck), who unbeknownst to everyone, carries his small, hideously deformed conjoined twin brother Belial around in a wicker basket so they can avenge themselves against the doctors who forcibly separated them as children. After Belial brutally murders a local physician involved in the surgery, the siblings make their way to the Big Apple. Checking into the run-down Hotel Broslin, they come upon a colorful cast of characters including kind-hearted prostitute Casey (Beverly Bonner), and later, a spirited receptionist named Sharon (Terri Susan Smith) – all the while plotting their bloody revenge on the remaining two doctors who operated on them. Along the way, those who encounter Belial – who develops a hankering for Casey and becomes jealous of Duane’s burgeoning romance with Sharon – end up maimed or killed.
The New York-born Henenlotter (who, in addition to being the movie’s writer and director, also assisted in operating the Belial puppet and crafted a wonderful stop motion animated sequence in the film), had previously only made short films, including the 1972 parody Slash of the Knife (about the perceived dangers of being uncircumcised), and has said that he never thought his oddball, low-budget horror-comedy (blown up to 35 mm for theatrical release) would be seen by anyone. Basket Case’s distributor Analysis Film Releasing Corporation initially released a severely cut version of the film which removed most of its gore, but it failed to attract an audience. It wasn’t until after a successful drive-in premiere in Dallas hosted by exploitation film critic Joe Bob Briggs (who had insisted that the uncut print be shown) that Analysis decided to swap out the cut version at cinemas with the uncensored one, and Basket Case would go on to become a huge hit on the midnight movie circuit. The film would even go on to be selected for restoration by the esteemed Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 2017.
Now, 42 years after it hit theatres and drive-ins, Basket Case has received an officially licensed novelization and two games from popular book and game publisher, Stop The Killer. Penned by prolific author Armando Muñoz – who has adapted the early ‘80s horror classics My Bloody Valentine, Silent Night, Deadly Night and Happy Birthday to Me to book form – Basket Case: The Novel is the author’s most gleefully twisted novelization to date.
A comment from popular film critic Rex Reed proclaiming Basket Case as “The sickest movie I’ve ever seen” was used on the film’s original marketing material. Now, after reading Basket Case: The Novel, I’m going to repurpose Reed’s quote here and say – all in good fun, of course – that this is probably one of the sickest books I have ever read. While Frank Henenlotter’s classic slice of grindhouse cinema is undoubtably gory, Muñoz’s novel manages to amp up the movie’s blood, violence and sex by several notches. In addition to the inclusion of several new over-the-top murders, the seediness of late ‘70s/early ‘80s New York and its assortment of sticky-floored peepshows and grimy cinemas populated with sketchy individuals is also explored in much greater detail than the film.
Muñoz has fleshed out several of the characters, and in one or two instances, has seemingly drawn upon the actors’ real lives for inspiration. Sharon, for instance, may work as a medical receptionist during the day, but in the novel, she is also member of a punk band – which partially mirrors the life of actress Terri Susan Smith, who, at the time, was in a punk band as well.
As was the case with many vintage tie-in novels, the books would feature scenes that appeared in the film’s original screenplay but were either not shot or were cut from the final film. The same holds true for Basket Case: The Novel. Due to limitations with the special effects, some scenes which were in the film’s original script had to be abandoned or altered by Henenlotter. One example is a scene (mentioned by star Van Hentenryck in interviews) involving Belial making a nighttime visit to Sharon’s apartment but which was changed to have Duane running naked through the streets instead. Now, Belial’s nighttime trek from the hotel to the young woman’s home is finally depicted here in the novel.
Despite the increased sex, bonkers carnage and off-the-wall goings on, the book still manages to focus on the imperfect, yet very human relationship between the physically and emotionally damaged twins. Despite their love for one another, Duane has become increasingly frustrated by Belial’s dependence on him; while Belial longs for what Duane has: the chance for a romantic relationship. The siblings’ ability to communicate telepathically to one another is effectively handled here by Muñoz, with the reader able to get inside the minds of both brothers. Basket Case fans will know how the story ends but will be surprised at the offbeat new twists and turns the book takes.
In addition to the novelization, Stop The Killer has released two games: one being a tabletop memory game; the other a compact, solitaire-styled card game. For Basket Case: Horror at Hotel Broslin, the game (designed for three to six players) comes with a fold-out gameboard depicting several rooms in the movie’s infamous hotel and includes cardboard tokens of several of the film’s memorable characters including Belial, Duane, Casey and Sharon, a set of 60 cards featuring the movie poster artwork, a rulebook and more. The solitaire game is part of the company’s popular “HexD3x” series, which also includes games for films like Happy Birthday to Me, Silent Night, Deadly Night and Krampus.
SRP for the Basket Case: Horror at Hotel Broslin game is $29.95, while the HexD3x is $14.99. Shipping is extra. The hardcover novel with dustjacket (which retails for $39.95) is unfortunately now sold out, but according to the company, the book will be available next year in both e-book and audiobook formats. Additionally, upcoming editions will be offered in Portuguese and French and will be available for sale in Brazil and France, respectively.
Visit Stop The Killer for forthcoming details and ordering info.
