Basket Case is a 1982 American horror film written and directed by Frank Henenlotter in his feature directorial debut.

Produced by Edgar Ievins, the film stars Kevin Van Hentenryck as Duane Bradley, a young man who seeks vengeance on the doctors and nurses who performed an unwanted surgery that separated him from his deformed conjoined twin brother Belial, whom Duane hides in a large wicker basket.

In 2017, Basket Case was selected for preservation by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), who oversaw a restoration of the film from its original 16 mm camera negative.

Duane goes back to Needleman's that night and empties the creature, who is revealed to be his twin brother Belial,[a] onto the floor.

"[13] The resulting screenplay, Basket Case, was written by Henenlotter as he walked around Times Square, which he called a "seedy, wonderful atmosphere.

It had a budget of about $35,000,[1] financed by a small production team largely with its own rental money to enable the film to be realized.

[19] Diane Haithman of the Detroit Free Press gave Basket Case a score of seven out of ten, writing that, despite it being "gratuitously bloody", as well as "occasionally much, much sicker" in its themes than other low-budget horror films of the time, "somehow, there's something likable, even touching about it.

"[20] A reviewer for Variety called Basket Case "an ultra-cheap monster film [...] with a tongue-in-cheek approach", commending the performances but criticizing the audio recording, "grainy blowup from 16 mm", and score.

[21] John Stark, writing for the San Francisco Examiner, lamented Basket Case as a "crudely made, low-budget work [that] lacks the outrageousness and campiness that an underground film needs.

The consensus reads: "While Basket Case definitely delivers all the gonzo gore promised by its cracked premise, it's really set apart by its rich vein of genuine pathos.

"[24] In 2001, G. Noel Gross of DVD Talk gave Basket Case a rating of five out of five stars, calling it "an undeniable, unavoidable and unforgettable clasSICK".

The fact that most of the 'actors' had probably never stepped foot in front of a camera prior to this only adds to the movie's squalid charm; their talents may be slim, but their presence is priceless.

"[3] In 2007, Muir called the film "a fine, competent low-budget effort that generates thrills and discomfort not only from its tale of symbiotic (and separated) Siamese twins, but from its authentic sense of place.

[26] In 2011, David Harley of Bloody Disgusting wrote that the film's "warped sense of humor and brazen attitude make it a blast to watch and, ultimately, one of the best horror comedies of the 1980s.

"[27] That same year, Heather Wixson of Dread Central gave the film three-and-a-half out of five stars, referring to it as an "insane masterpiece that lovingly celebrates the sometimes schlocky and sleazy side of cinema".

[28] Patrick Naugle of DVD Verdict wrote, "The movie is just pure shock value" but "a heck of a lot of fun.

"[29] "I'm both humbled and proud to announce that Basket Case is now part of the permanent film collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

[16][35] In November 2017, it was announced that Arrow Video would be releasing Basket Case on Blu-ray and DVD, featuring the 4K restoration of the film overseen by MoMA.

[5][6] The release includes such bonus features as an audio commentary by Henenlotter and Van Hentenryck, interviews with members of the cast, a making-of featurette, and the 1972 Henenlotter-directed short film Slash of the Knife.