BASKET CASE, Frank Henenlotter 1982, US, 91’ Curated by Prano Bailey-Bond, in association with Cigarette Burns Cinema

“…a 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. New York City has never felt more delightfully and dangerously squalid.” - John Kenneth Muir

As companion to her retrospective, Prano Bailey-Bond has plucked a personal favourite from the home video archive, screened on original 35mm for maximum scares. This 1982 low-budget horror was caught up in the UK’s Video Nasty scare seized by police for its similarity to other slashers even though originally passed for cinema release.

After a mysterious upstate New York killing, an innocent looking country boy moves into a sleazy hotel near Times Square clutching a wicker basket that contains Belial, the boy’s homicidal Siamese twin! The pair are seeking bloody revenge on the trio of doctors who separated them at birth.

Following the screening we welcome a panel to discuss the legacy of the Video Nasty era, including Carol Topolski (former BBFC examiner), Mike Hewitt (Arrow Films), author and horror critic Kim Newman and Prano Bailey-Bond herself, hosted by Josh Saco (Cigarette Burns Cinema).