Basket Case 2 Blu-Ray

                Made back to back with “Frankenhooker,” Frank Henenlotter’s bigger sequel to “Basket Case”, simply but correctly titled “Basket Case 2”, has been given the Blu-Ray treatment. Duane and Belial are back! It appears the brothers survived the infamous scuffle that lead to a seemingly fatal fall and have now become media sensations. When Granny Ruth, a caretaker for “freaks” sees the two on television, she helps them escape and harbors them. The brothers are not alone in their disfigurement and mental agony; they have become part of a group of loving abnormalities including a frogman, a man with several noses, and a slew of people with twisted facial features.  The group’s privacy and safety is invaded by a nosy tabloid reporter and her associates. Soon, the freaks decide to fight back for their way of life and the bodies’ pile up in return.

                Frank Henenlotter has always been a unique voice in American horror; his sleazy, big city affairs leaving you in need of a shower. These affairs also conjure up laughs throughout, making him a rare breed and most certainty a special talent.  This time around, the sleazy scenery takes a backdrop for a quiet and reclusive suburban house which makes the absurdity even more outlandish. The zany characters are still scattered throughout and they bring the charms one would expect. The bright colors pop and the visual gags are abundant, making “Basket Case 2” very appealing to the eyes; the HD transfer helps as well. The sheer amount of special effects on display are mind boggling; “Basket Case 2” brings over a dozen characters to life with makeup appliances and goop, their performances don’t hurt either.  As for the “mostly” normal characters in the film, they are portrayed very well, especially Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck), who has a very unique presence about him; his facial expressions let the audience know at any minute he could explode into a frenzy of insanity and never come back. Another stand out role is the one of Ruth (Annie Ross) who demands screen presence with her warm yet dangerously protective nature. This nature is at its strongest when she bellows out a call to arms among her beloved “children”. One of the best aspects of the film must be the camera work; the shots are fun and the techniques used seemingly only grace independent features that have gusto. An example of this is shown with a tracking shot where several characters in full makeup are running around frantically, the camera follows them through the house as they disappear behind pillars and down hallways only to reappear from another room. This is all done to the delight of the audience. A wild sex scene between Belial and Eve, “an equally disfigured lump of flesh” is included rightfully so. The scene plays out with an array of colors and weird appendages flinging all over the place with the “soothing” sound of Belial as he screams in pleasure. This is the sort of strange tone that Henenlotter is known for, on one hand it is repulsive and darkly comedic and on the other it is rather romantic. The downbeat ending is in line with the first film, yet does seem a little bit harsh for the lighter tone presented in this film. The climax of the film manages to pull some heart strings and invoke emotion as one of the most beloved characters leaves along with Duane’s sanity. “Basket Case 2” is a beautiful, absurd, and grotesquely fun monster mash up that is deserving of your time, with moments of comedy, horror, and drama that all somehow manage to work.

                The features from the Synapse DVD are included on the disc the bigger of the two being a making of documentary done by the special effects artist, Gabe Bartalos.  The making of includes videos and photos from his personal archives. The doc also includes Henenlotter and producer Jimmy Glickenhaus joining in and reminiscing about the film. It’s short with a runtime of 22 minutes but it’s an interesting look into “Basket Case 2” and “Frankenhooker”. Also included on the disc is an interview with David Emge (Dawn of the Dead) who played Half Moon in the film. He openly talks about the experience about playing one of the “freaks” and offers as much information and memories as he has about the role. Although it is not very long, it is insightful. “Basket Case 2” on Blu-Ray is worth picking up for an upgrade or for the first time. Good video, good audio, and, most importantly, a good movie. No complaints on this end as per usual from Synapse.

https://www.amazon.com/Basket-Case-Blu-ray-Kevin-Hentenryck/dp/B01GQZ1LFK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469386050&sr=8-1&keywords=basket+case+2