FRANK HENENLOTTER
Frank Henenlotter is a movie director from New York. Known famously for bringing us the cult classic Basket Case (1981) as well as its sequels years later, being a big movie buff himself the references to be found in his work is glorious! The man knows his stuff. Hailing from NYC, he really knew how to shoot old New York and really bring out its grittiness
Claiming that he never made horror movies instead labelling them as pure exploitation although some of his movies can be almost looked at as horror comedy but there’s no doubt of elements of exploitation, he’s a lover of sleazy, low budget flicks of back in the day and it shows in movies such as FrankenHooker and Brain Damage. (go watch them)
Being a indie director his career never took off like it should but still makes top 10 lists, got a shout out from James Gunn and Basket Case is still being talked about today.
He took a break from movie making after the bad reaction from Basket Case 3 claiming it to be rushed and not what he originally set out to make. In 2008 he returned with a funky but interesting sex-ploitation movie called Bad Biology and that’s been his last flick to date.
It’s a shame because he’s really talented in a world where marvel movie directors get paid millions for copy and pasting what has already been done, Frank Hellenlotter always set out to do something original. With only 6 feature films under his name it’s a confusing how a big production studio hasn’t being head hunting him especially in his prime years.
As for his bread and butter that was the Basket Case series he has made some comments on what he envisions for a potential Basket Case 4 even Kevin Van Hendyrck touches on it during a Deluxe Edition Podcast interview and states he would be more than happy to reprise his roll as Duane Bradley also mentioning Belial would be CGI
Whenever Frank Hellenlotter can make his return I will be first in line. Whether it’s another Basket Case movie or more of his creative exploitation movies like Bad Biology. He’s a movie historian, an old school movie goer in the 60s,70s and his movies have that flavour all over it.
The unfortunate part is he only released 6 feature movies but easier for you to sink your teeth in! So check them out.