Opening a movie with the line "I was born with seven clits" is going to be a pretty bold move no matter what. And this is what Frank Henenlotter's movies are all about. You have to give leeway to their B grade special effects and take in the fact that NO ONE has or ever will make movies like this, aside from maybe Rinse Dream, who hasn't made a movie since 1990's Dr. Caligari. My history with Frank's movies stems all the way back to childhood, much like many movies I will praise. Looking to rent horror movies at dollar video and running to "Basket Case" was not a mistake. These are the kind of movies that were made for viewers like me. The effects were horrid, but the plot made up for it. Duane Bradley and his mutant brother, separated at birth, come back to the big city to take revenge on the people who tore them apart. Following this movie nearly a decade later was a sequel that was full of camp schlock which included Belial, the "freak" brother falling in love. Lo and behold the Basket Case series was extended again two years later when Belial became a father. His other movies are just as good... in Brain Damage a hideous ancient "brain" becomes attached to a host who he has kill for him in order to release the "drug" said host needs. Frankenhooker speaks for itself in the title alone. Imagine the title as a person and you'll know exactly what kind of a movie you are in for. Frank Henenlotter is a genius. Enough said. The problem was that after Basket Case III, he seemed to disappear into thin air. How I made it through my high school years without any new offerings from old Frank, I have no clue. Now I've grown into early adulthood and he's finally back. It's like running into an old friend after not seeing them in what feels like forever.
Bad Biology, which is yet to be released on video in the states, has already hit DVD in the UK. And I finally got to see the movie that I've been waiting for two years and hoping would be as great as my personal hype for it was going to make it. It didn't let me down. Like his other movies it deals with genetic/sexual monstrosities including the girl born with seven clits and the boy with the monster penis. And how they inevitably meet up and what happens after that. Of course, in between that meeting is a whole movie worth of laughs and odd situations, including a "pussy face" photo shoot, two girls discussing penis size and arguing over whether or not John Holmes was freak or a god. There is so much more to be said for this movie but I don't want to spoil the fun. You'll just have to watch it for yourself. R.A. the Rugged Man seemed to come onto the scene in the special features on the Basket Case where he was shown with Mr. Henenlotter going to these places where they filmed it, showing what little places were left from the modest little movie that could back in 1982. "What is this white rapper doing with a legend?" I thought when I first watched it, not knowing that this was going to be the guy that gave the extra push to lead Frank out of his premature retirement. As producer of this film he has committed a miracle, that being getting this movie made.
See Bad Biology when it comes out on DVD here. Buy it so these guys can make another movie. Frank, it's been a long decade and a half in the making and it didn't let me down. I hope the rest of your fans feel the same way. R.A., thanks for making it happen and getting this unheralded genius back in the directors spot. In a rap song R.A. wrote about the process of making the movie one of the last things he says "Do I really wanna make filmmaking my career? Aw fuck it, me and Henenlotter will be back next year." I really hope so.
TRAILER:
No comments:
Post a Comment