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It’s a horror-comedy about Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck), a soft-spoken, mild-mannered young man who takes his little brother Belial to New York City. What’s sick about that? Well, Belial is Duane’s deformed Siamese twin, who lives in a wicker basket, looks like a snaggletoothed hamburger patty, and has a telepathic bond with Duane. The brothers hole up in a dingy hotel (Hotel Broslin!) and track down the three doctors who surgically separated them.

Laughable animation, explicit gore, and a necrophilic sex scene between Belial and a hapless woman push this $35,000 first feature by Frank Henenlotter off limits to all but the most decadent viewers, but if you’re in the right mood, this monster mash is vile fun. “The tenant in Room 7,” drooled the ads, “is very small, very twisted, and very mad.” In a great promotional gimmick, moviegoers were handed surgical masks “to keep the blood off your face.” A censored version played in many cities; all home-video versions are uncut.

Henenlotter also directed 1988's 'Brain Damage,' 1990's 'Frankenhooker,' and two 'Basket Case' sequels. All are, to a greater or lesser extent ('Basket Case 3' was pushing it a bit), worth checking out. Henenlotter hasn't been directing much lately, sticking to unearthing vintage sleaze for Something Weird, though apparently he's working on a new horror film with rapper R.A. the Rugged Man. Um, okay.

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originally posted: 04/03/07 00:42:12
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