Frankenhooker (1990)

Eccentric tinkerer Jeffrey is finally able to focus his bio-electric fascination after his girlfriend Elizabeth is taken from him in a freak lawnmower accident. His crackpot scheme to piece her back together is set in the cesspool of New York City slums, a familiar locale for indie director Frank Henenlotter. With the obvious nod going to Frankenstein and the not-so-obvious to The Brain That Wouldn't Die, the film takes the comedic route. The humor is at times crass and the sfx crude but extremely creative, especially in the third act. James Lorinz plays the mumbling yet not altogether amoral introvert Jeffrey, with the title role going to 1988 Penthouse Pet of the Year Patty Mullen whose doe-eyed innocence plays well into her character. The poorly produced ending only slightly hinders this cult classic.

3 salads once named Elizabeth out of 5

Bad Biology (2008)

"I was born with 7 clits..."
And so it begins. He doesn't call, he doesn't write, but 16 years later Frank Henenlotter is back with this cheesy "love" story that is a pervert's dream come true. They could have called it Penis Case. It's got a little something for everyone; mutant vaginas, monster cocks, dumpster babies, killer orgasms... It even has some trademark stopmotion and puppet effects thrown in for good measure, and the most flagrant use of nudity I've seen in a movie in a looong time. (Also, I like the fact that the penis POV is a distorted purple. That's funny to me for some reason.) This is a welcome return to exploitative movie-making and I couldn't be more pleased.

3 vagina-heads out of 5

Basket Case 3: The Progeny (1992)

The freak show continues in part 3, picking off immediately after the events of the last installment. This time, Belial’s mate gives birth to a litter of little monsters…that’s about the impetus here. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to sustain an entire feature and it falls a little flat…even when you've got these insanely mad make-up and practical effects going on all around. By this point, the novelty value of the series has begun to run dry, so it’s just as well that this is the last volume. Even so, it’s still entertaining if you can stomach the first two.

2 mechanical claws out of 5

Frankenhooker (1990)

If you can take one look at that tagline and not crack a smile, you’re a better man than I. After basement scientist Jeffrey Franken’s fiancé is killed in a freak lawn mower accident , he holds onto her head as he gathers body parts from the local prostitution ring. Of course there's more blood and splatter, and creature effects galore. Cheesy as hell, but not as bad as it sounds (maybe worse).

2.5 (literally) exploding crack whores out of 5

Basket Case 2 (1990)

Picks up immediately following the aftermath of part one. This time, the fleshy lump monstrosity has companions. These mutants are a collection of freaks straight out of Nightbreed. Showcases Henenlotter’s penchant for more twisted and disgusting abominations, which has increasingly become a staple of his work. With a little more budget and brainstorming, the design of Belial has evolved into a more articulated and humanistic creation…and he’s a freaky-looking thing.

2.5 hybrid creatures out of 5

Brain Damage (1988)

AKA: Elmer

Brian just can’t catch a break. He’s just met Aylmer, the phallic, charming, talking medulla oblongata who's attached itself to his brainstem and controls him through hallucinogenics while eating out other people’s brains. Henenlotter’s follow-up to Basket Case is a cheeseball classic that serves as a transparent metaphor for drug addiction. I can tell he loves devising these twisted little creatures.

3 spaghetti and brains out of 5

Basket Case (1982)

Duane Bradley has a secret. He carries his deformed, half-aborted Siamese twin (with whom he shares a psychic connection) around with him in a basket as he goes around exacting revenge on the doctors that separated them. Plays like the fucked up cousin to Dead Ringers. Frank Henenlotter’s first feature, as he proves himself a master of schlock and gore following in the footsteps of the great (bad) Herschell Gordon Lewis. There’s no denying this is a shitty movie, but it’s a good shitty movie, if that makes any sense.

3.5 medical monstrosities out of 5