MovieChat Forums > Basket Case (1982) Discussion > Just a Bad film

Just a Bad film

posted 16 years ago by Escarpe
42 replies | jump to latest

I dislike it when people come on boards like this and talk crap about films that I like, I think to myself "Geez get over it, if you didn't like it then don't watch it again". So it's with some trepidation that I say.
I can't see how this film has such a cult status.
As part of a 24 hour Horror Movie marathon for Halloween my friends and I hired it and I gotta say I was excited about seeing it as I'd heard so much about it but never seen it before.
But it disapointed in almost every way possible.
The acting was...just horrific. The story was ok, original I guess but nothing amazing. The direction was hackneyed and mired in the 70's the effects were nothing to write home about, I know it was done on a shoe string budget but it was only just forgivable. And I'm sorry the sight of an amorphous blob grinding on a non-acting woman was not horrifying so much as sad and slightly funny.
Also every woman in the movie appeared to be a man in a wig.
I assume some people here like the movie, instead of saying I'm a dick or have no taste tell me what you liked about the movie. Maybe that way I'll see why this film enjoys such a great reputation.

"I'm in favor of taking dangerous weapons out of the hands of idiots, lets start with computers."

[–] nervous_breakdance 16 years ago

No Message

[–] Black_Gestapo 16 years ago

It is with no trepidation that I second that motion.

[–] herr_chagall 15 years ago

great user name!
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esse quam videri.

[–] miguedroimdb 16 years ago

ok, so 0-budget-brainy-horror-flicks are not 4 ya...maybe other people like though.

[–] Escarpe 16 years ago

I totally agree that other people like this film, LOVE it even. And I usually like Zero budget brainy horror flicks, as you put it. But I didn't see what was brainy about this film. I wanted to know why you loved it.

"I'm in favor of taking dangerous weapons out of the hands of idiots, lets start with computers."

[–] miguedroimdb 16 years ago

let me give ya an example:

that dream/real sequence right at the end was just brilliant. technically & theorically, speaking.

[–] jamiepikee 16 years ago

I just think it is a wonderful film.

The acting is bad, the special effects are bad I agree but, there is just something about the all around badness that I like. The characters in the hotel are fantastic and I just love the locations and the general seediness of it all.

I always kind of liked it but, after watching it with the directors commentary and listening into how they made it, it went into my top 10 films.

Each person has different opinions.

Peace.

[–] Frostrose 15 years ago

The dream sequence and raped-by-monster part is what killed the movie completely. It was the worst part. I usually love 80s horror movies and their effects (which were fine according to my taste in the movie), but the unnecessary and painfully obvious extended nudity is just STUPID and made for monkeybrained, perverted men (like you most likely, since it appealed to you). It just killed it. Sleaze for no reason killed a potentially good 80s horror movie.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Escarpe 15 years ago

Look absolutely I agree, film is very subjective and I'd hate to live in a world were everyone loved Michael Bay. So on the face of it you are totally correct but I would say that normally I love Zero budget horror films ( I did see this at a 24 hour horror film night). Brain Dead for instance is a film that I absolutely love. But this film .... nope not loving it. Obviously though other people do like it.

"I'm in favor of taking dangerous weapons out of the hands of idiots, lets start with computers."

[–] chud87 16 years ago

Can't see how this film has a cult status? To me "camp" is one of the major defining traits of a cult film. And if you had heard so much about it what did you expect, so deep psychological thriller question mark//.

"THIS ISN'T A HOTEL, IT'S A NUTHOUSE"!
- BASKET CASE

[–] Escarpe 15 years ago

Camp? The defining trait of a cult film? Does this mean that the Carry On films are by your definition the greatest cult films ever made?

"I'm in favor of taking dangerous weapons out of the hands of idiots, lets start with computers."

[–] titusbeertsen 13 years ago

Or at the end, when the main character is hanging by his neck outside the hotel (his siam brother is holding him), a man asks: "Hey, are you OK out there?"
I love these movies :)

"The willow sees the heron's image upside down" from 'Sans Soleil'

[–] Dduw-Bendithia 16 years ago

So the acting is crap? Who cares its a great horror film, with fantastic gore!

How Can I Be A Lesbian? Im A Guy!

[–] toxicmop 15 years ago

It's an awful movie, but that's why I like it. I assume that's why most people like it.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] smerd_70 15 years ago

"The acting was...just horrific."

Who watches these movies for the acting?

"And I'm sorry the sight of an amorphous blob grinding on a non-acting woman was not horrifying so much as sad and slightly funny."

Um...duh? It's Henenlotter, a big fan of HG Lewis, this film was his tribute to Lewis. Like Lewis, Henenlotter's films aren't made to be taken seriously.

And no, I'm not going to give an explanation for why I like a movie you don't. What's the point? It's obviously not your type of movie.

I collect dead pigeons then I press them between the pages of a book.

[–] SayMyNameBitches 15 years ago

Yeah i have to admit that this movie is very lame but the story is rather interesting, if it was made with bigger budget it would have been a pretty decent film, i have nothing against low budget films but for some movies like this one it just doesn't work. I dare to say that this movie needs a remake!

[–] PrimordialDreamer 15 years ago

Are you mad? no way does this need a remake and a big budget with Tom Cruise playing Duane and Dustin Hoffman playing Belial, even though that`d be worth watching it`d still be crap compared to this funny, crazy cult classic. This film is what it is and that`s part of it`s charm, it`s not mainstream it`s deranged.

Watching television is like taking black spray paint to your third eye.

[–] boadil 15 years ago

I'd love to see Dustin Hoffman playing Belial!

[–] hocfocprod 15 years ago

I'd sort of like to see that too.

I liked this more than I expected to. I was expecting a bigger basket and a less grosteque brother. I was pleasantly surprised by the monstrousness of him. Loved the low budget stop motion and the puppetry. The F/X were just genius. Like they sat down and decided, "This is what we can afford to do" and that's what they did. I can totally see why people looking for some good horror distraction would enjoy this movie. And on a plus note, it was cheesey enough not to scare my wife, so she was able to watch it with me...or at least be in the same room while I watched it.

[–] zillis 15 years ago

I think this movie is so poorly produced, yet done so with such heart that it is utterly charming.

It is the perfect low budget horror film - not meant to be taken seriously from any angle. Indeed, it seems to me that Henelotter knew he had his hands full and deliberately edited the film in a way that pokes fun at the very process of low-budget film making.

If you can't appreciate that sort of stuff, I don't know what to else to say.

A remake would be a bad idea in my opinion, because this is BASKETCASE - and BASKETCASE is a low-budget, silly movie with a charm that cannot be duplicated.
So why bother? I'd rather not see a remake.

Re: a remake starring Cruz and Hoffman - it's a hilarious joke, but aren't 98% of remakes a damn waste of time and money?

[–] erjw135 15 years ago

I just bought a used copy because I had not seen it in 25 years. I laughed then and I still laugh at it. Yes a remake would definately ruin the mere idea of this movie. Look what happened to Friday 13th and now Nightmare on Elm Street.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Escarpe 15 years ago

You could be totally right, maybe I just don't dig it and maybe I never will. I don't think I dislike grind-house and usually I like low budget films but this one didn't float my boat. Having read your eulogy for it though this makes me a little sad that I didn't see the film that you saw, you seemed to really like it a lot.

"I'm in favor of taking dangerous weapons out of the hands of idiots, lets start with computers."