Basket Case. 1982. USA. Directed by Frank Henenlotter. DCP. 91 min.
Shot in New York with a crew of four and a budget of $35,000, this independently produced horror comedy helped to develop the cult audience for cinematic gore that has since become a mainstream genre. Before the gritty eroticism of the city undoes them, Duane and his deformed twin brother Belial seek bloody revenge on the doctors who forcibly separated them as teenagers. Nurtured by fanzines like Sleazoid Express and Gore Gazette, the film previewed at Club 57 and went on to become an underground hit at the Waverly Theatre. It spawned two sequels, the Something Weird video franchise, and a legion of faithful who gather annually at Cinecon. Restoration premiere.