Customer Reviews

Basket Case 3 [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Frank Henenlotter is definitely one of the weirdest directors of this century. This does not mean that he is empty-headed, however. His films often have something that relates to us in some serious fashion. Frankenhooker appears to be all gags, but it makes a timely feminist statement (much the way Abel Ferrara's Ms.45 does). Brain Damage is goofy at first glance, but it has interesting comments on drug abuse. The Basket Case movies are concerned with brotherhood, family, and what's "normal." Basket Case 3, especially, questions normalcy. So see it for its themes. Or see it to watch all the freaks singing "Personality" on the bus.

Defying description even more than the first two, "Basket Case 3: The Progeny" takes the series further into the outrageous and surreal than ever before. Now pretty much a full-fledged horror comedy but not only one of the rare examples of that form that works very well, but of a whole different nature than most of its peers at a fundamental level. NOT a spoof or light, the horror elements are stronger, more fearsome and more graphic than most 'straight' horror movies, and the elements of harrowing tragedy that dominated the original Basket Case are still in place, but so are elements of sexiness, cute appeal, insane action and over-the-top strange hilarity, including an 'armored Belial' scene that makes "Evil Dead 2" and even "Gremlins 2" seem as intently somber as "The Sixth Sense". There is probably no way all these differnt elements should come together as well as they do, or that it should be able to do it and stay in tune with more 'fully dark' original; it should come off as much of a misfire as "Jason X" but somehow doesn't - it's the only movie to fly on all these radically different tracks at the same time and succeed, and brings the "Basket Case" trilogy to a victorious conclusion.

All three Basket Case films are good, but I think this may be a person favorite. It is not a serious film by any means but it has a lot of humor and a lot of heart. The timing and delivery of some of Kevin Van Hentenryck's lines are brilliant. It is a very stream of consciousness film in which several scenes seem improvised almost. This is not a film for someone who only likes thrillers or really frightening horror films, this if for a horror movie fan who also likes goofy spoofy horror films like Evil Dead 2 and Return of the Living Dead. This is a very typical Frank Hennenlotter film. If you liked Frankenhooker you'll love this. Do not prejudice against this film because a few people didn't like it. It is a very specific type of film for a very specific audience, and just because some people do not see the brilliance of it does not mean the brilliance isn't there. Judge for yourself. You just need to watch it with an open mind. I highly recommend this film.

Henenlotter really misses the mark here after stretching his plot and characters too far over the limit for the average viewer. BASKET CASE 3 is a direct continuation of the second film, picking up with Granny Ruth and the gang heading off to Uncle Hal's house so that Eve can deliver a litter of baby things that she conceived with Belial. When the locals hear of their arrival, they attempt to kidnap Duane, Belial, and the kids to cash in on a huge reward. All of the creepy creatures return from before, bringing with them a few new creations and more strange designs. Most of the horror has been stripped from the series in place of a higher amount of B-movie camp, though a prison break does give Henenlotter the chance to throw in some more outrageously over-the-top gore! Hentenryck provides the only enjoyable performance, but even his antics begin to wear at this point. It just feels like Henenlotter has lost direction at this point, and has begun recycling successful plot points to carry this final entry. Anyone that enjoyed the second film will find plenty to like in BASKET CASE 3, but it is otherwise a mediocre film at best.

-Carl Manes
I Like Horror Movies

It helps to have seen Basket Case and Basket Case 2 before viewing the final entry of the trilogy, but it's definitely not necessary. As with most of these incredibly silly, monstrously cheesy gory 90's B-movies, the plot is of marginal importance. The inventive and bizarre character designs are at their most appealing in this final chapter, the script is at its most ridiculous, and the ideas are crazier and make much less sense. The acting is expectedly pitiful and the plot is pointless at best, but the increasingly more self-aware accidental humor is generous enough to warrant seeing this utter schlock for yourself. It's difficult not to laugh at filmmaking this absurd.

Susan and her alien-like hand-puppet child Bernard are dead (in the second film she is the daughter of long-lost Aunt Ruth) and Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) has been locked up in a straight jacket and padded cell by freak caretaker Granny Ruth (Annie Ross). Despite her literal bus load of deformed underlings, she remains one of the most abnormal of the bunch. Duane plots an escape to reunite with his once-conjoined twin Belial, a disfigured fleshy blob who communicates telepathically. Belial's equally deformed girlfriend Eve is now pregnant (it happens during the opening scene and their coupling is a cinematic horror that must be seen to be believed), causing Ruth to pack up the crew and leave New York for the pleasantly rural Peachtree Valley to meet her husband Uncle Hal Rockwell (Dan Biggers), the doctor who can help with the delivery.

When Belial witnesses the birth of his twelve mutant babies, a dredged-up recurring vision of his original surgical separation from Duane maddens him to the point of murder. Meanwhile, Duane gets himself imprisoned in the local jail where the cops get wind of a comically sizable reward for capturing the "Times Square" killers and journey to the Rockwell's mansion to kill Belial. Once there, the sight of so many freaks turns them hysterical, and they make off with the basket of one dozen growling ghastly babies, leading to an all-out war between the police and the army of miscreations.

The bizarre mutants are the highlight of the film, showcasing a creative knack for oddities and outlandish blood effects. Belial always ends up being little more than a puppet with the occasional animatronic expressions, but Eve and every other monster adorns massive and elaborate prosthetics and makeup reminiscent of grotesquely metamorphosed Star Wars inhabitants. "That's not a pet, goddammit! That's my nephew!" screams Duane, who was thankfully portrayed in all three films by the same actor (an appropriately demented performance).

In the same way that Sam Raimi embraced a comedic approach by the time he reached his third Evil Dead film, returning director Frank Henenlotter seems to have fully accepted taking Belial and his family of grotesqueries with only a grain of seriousness. There's still gruesome makeup effects, violent bloodshed and gratuitous nudity, but all of it is over-the-top and humorous. The character of Opal (Tina Louise Hilbert) adopts some disturbingly erotic fetishes as she toys with Duane in jail, Belial dreams of being fondled by busty naked girls (Playboy's Morrell Twins, in one of their only feature film roles) and Eve's malformed children are tossed around like jelly-filled donuts. At least everything in Basket Case 3 goes beyond the first two in extremes, even if it's all nonsensical; hilarity proceeds every line of dialogue, the plot becomes exponentially weirder by the minute, and no signs of a fourth film are anywhere on the horizon.

- Mike Massie

What can I say about Basket case 3 well it was definently an improvement from the second film in the series but thats not saying much I still perfer the first film. The whole reason to watch this is that Bilial finally gets to show us what he's realy made of in one of the better scenes in the film, when two cops kidnapp his small freakish children and accidently kill his freak like girlfriend he soon gets his revenge on the whole police station in a hilarious and very gory sequence. Frank Henenlotter definently adds alot of humor in his film so I suggest nobody should take this seriously just like Peter Jakson's earlier films like Bad taste.

BASKET CASE 3: THE PROGENY has Duane (Kevin Van Hentenryck) and his murderous brother, Belial back w/ Granny Ruth (Annie Ross) and her mutant menagerie of "unique individuals". This time, the gang takes a road-trip to the home of Little Hal and his doctor dad. You see, Belial's gal, Eve is expecting their spawn at any moment! BS3 is another wacky, sometimes bloody excursion into the world of Frank Henenlotter, complete w/ a horrific birth scene, a police station massacre, and a musical interlude featuring Granny Ruth herself! This finishes the trilogy in style! Also, watch for Belial's hideous death-machine! Highly recommended...

Seen this movie on cable, vhs, and dvd. It got its moments, but could have been better. Basket Case 3 came out in early 90's. That's when Frank Henelotter was on the roll of movie making Basket case 2, and Frankenhooker. Basket Case 3 takes off right after were 2 ended. Dwayne, and Beliel are longer attach by side. Dwayne is being kept away from his brother, fear that Dwayne may hurt Beliel. The freaks had to relocate so Beliel girlfriend could give birth. Then their's problems with the local sheriff. Then Beliel is back to his old self, killing the ones that did him wrong. This is not a bad movie, but it's Frank's weakest. Basket Case 1 & 2 are my favorites. It's good for a one time watcher, but not as good as Frank's other films. Look for Beverly Bonner as cashier at the end of the movie.

Frank Henenlotter's wacky formula still works, and he ends his Basket Case trilogy on a high note. This film has Granny Ruth taking her family of freaks on a road trip to Georgia where Belial's "wife", Eve, can give birth to their children(12 in all!) in the safety of Granny Ruth's brother's home. Granny Ruth also has a reunion with her son, a freak himself, who becomes one of the clan. Duane's along for the ride too, but at this point he's more or less a prisoner and tries to escape from the group for about half the movie. All's not well once the children are born though. The local police become aware of the Bradley twins residing in their town and are looking to cash in on that million dollar reward. They kidnap the newborns in the hope of luring Belial into a trap. Duane, now excited about being an uncle, steps in to help his brother once again. More fun and craziness, everything you'd pretty much expect from a Basket Case movie. It's a fitting end to the series, though I'd personally welcome a fourth. Not much else to say, you know what you're getting into!

i loved this film! it was nice to see the minor characters from the second movie expanded with tighter writing, making them hideious but lovable. belial looks as good as ever and the bus scene was the best!!! all in all, a great film with a fitting conclusion