- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
- Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4
- Resolution: 1080p/24
- Audio Codec: English LPCM 2.0 Mono (48kHz/24-bit)
- Subtitles: English SDH
- Region: A (Region-Locked)
- Rating: Not Rated
- Discs: 1 (1 x Blu-ray)
- Studio: Image Entertainment
- Blu-ray Release Date: September 27, 2011
- List Price: $17.97
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Purchase Basket Case on Blu-ray at CD Universe
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Overall
[Rating:3/5]
The Film
[Rating:3/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:3.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:2.5/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:2/5]
Click thumbnails for high-resolution 1920X1080p screen captures
(Screen captures are lightly compressed with lossy JPEG thus are meant as a general representation of the content and do not fully reveal the capabilities of the Blu-ray format)
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The Film
[Rating:3/5]
You can always tell Halloween is quickly approaching when the studios begin releasing a boatload of their B-grade horror flicks onto Blu-ray. The film in question here is 1982’s Basket Case from writer/director Frank Henenlotter. An absolutely trashy and low-budget 1980’s throwback to the creature feature, Basket Case tells the story of the seemingly innocent Duane Bradley (Kevin Van Hentenryck) who arrives in New York City’s center of sin, Time Square, with nothing but a wicker basket under his arm, and checks in to a sleazy hotel. What no one knows is that basket contains his surgically removed, deformed, violent, and telepathic siamese twin. The two have come seeking vengeance on the doctors who separated them and then threw the deformed twin away. But when Duane develops a relationship with the doctor’s receptionist and wants to end his quest of violence, its all too late, and his psychopathic twin goes on a rampage of bloody terror in the shocking conclusion of Basket Case that has enough fake blood and prosthetic makeup to leave slasher fans jumping for joy.
Video Quality
[Rating:3.5/5]
What can you say about a low budget film from 1982 shot on 16mm transferred to Blu-ray? At least, in this case, as noted by the director in his introduction on this disc, the 1.33:1 aspect ratio that was originally intended has been restored and has the purposely grainy and bluish look of the blacks. The transfer has been taken from the original camera negative and compared to the very first production print, as a result, this AVC/MPEG-4 1080p/24 looks quite clean, authentic, and film-like, but it is obviously heavily grained and at times rather soft.
Audio Quality
[Rating:2.5/5]
The LPCM 2.0 Mono soundtrack just shows the limitations of the production, really, and nothing to do with this transfer in particular. It’s rather thin and there’s some crackle here and there, but at least dialogue is intelligible.
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:2/5]
Stick to the audio commentary and the intro from the director for the best information on the film. The rest of the supplements here are mere filler.
The supplements:
- Commentary
- Outtakes (1.33:1; 00:06:14)
- 2001 Video Short: In Search of Hotel Broslin (1.33:1; 00:15:30)
- New Intro By Director Frank Henenlotter (1.78:1; 1080i/60; 00:02:26)
- Gallery of Exploitation Art and Behind the Scenes Photos (1.33:1; 480i; 00:04:52)
- Trailers:
- Basket Case
- Basket Case 2
- TV Spot
- Radio Spots
The Definitive Word
Overall:
[Rating:3/5]
A B-grade horror classic that is pure cheese and trash that only ardent horror aficionados could love, Basket Case arrives on Blu-ray looking about as good as it probably ever will just in time for the ghoulish October festivities.
Additional Screen Captures
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[amazon-product align=”right”]B0053TWVS2[/amazon-product]
BestBuy.com
Purchase Basket Case on Blu-ray at CD Universe
Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com
Overall
[Rating:3/5]
The Film
[Rating:3/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:3.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:2.5/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:2/5]
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