Basket Case

After falling from a hotel window at the end of the first film, Duane Bradley and his deformed, surgically-separated conjoined twin brother Belial are brought to a hospital. Their bizarre and shocking condition quickly becomes a media sensation, drawing widespread attention and making it impossible for them to remain hidden from the public eye. Their story catches the eye of Granny Ruth, who, after seeing the news, devises a daring plan to rescue them from the scrutiny. She takes the brothers into her home, where she and her granddaughter Susan care for an extended family of similarly deformed individuals, each with their own tragic stories.

Among these residents is Eve, a figure remarkably similar to Belial because she is a bodyless torso. Traumatized by her past experiences and the harsh treatment she endured before being rescued, Eve remains mute and retreat into the attic, avoiding most interactions with the outside world. As the years go by, a delicate and complex love develops between Eve and Belial, adding a layer of tenderness amid their brutal circumstances. Meanwhile, Duane’s resentment toward Belial intensifies, largely fueled by his unresolved anger over Sharon’s murder and his desire to escape the difficult life he shares with his brother. Duane longs for a normal existence, free from the burden of their shared deformities and the psychic bond that keeps them linked.

At the same time, a sleazy reporter named Marcie and her shady photographer Arty are determined to track down the Bradley brothers, intent on exposing their twisted reality to the world. Their pursuit leads them to intrude into the family’s life, threatening the fragile peace that Granny Ruth and her residents have created. In a fierce confrontation, Belial mutilates Marcie’s face, transforming her into a new freak, much like themselves, in a twisted act of self-defense and retribution. Arty and a private detective named Phil, who had been assisting Marcie, get caught in the chaos and are killed in the process.

The freaks rally together to avenge the attack and to protect themselves from further exploitation. They break into Marcie’s house using an address they found in Phil’s wallet, leading to a brutal confrontation that culminates in Belial causing grievous damage to Marcie’s face. That night, the residents celebrate their victory in a defiant display of unity. Meanwhile, Eve and Belial deepen their relationship, sharing an intimate moment in the attic, symbolizing a rare connection of love in their tragic world.

In a heartbreaking twist, Duane sees this opportunity to finally be free from Belial’s influence and seeks to run away with Susan, who reveals a shocking secret — she, too, is a freak. Susan has been pregnant for six years, with her unborn child refusing to leave her womb. When she confesses this, horrified, a grotesque lamprey-like creature erupts from her surgically scarred abdomen, a sinister sign of her prolonged and failed pregnancies. Overwhelmed by devastation and despair, Duane’s mental state shatters. In a tragic accident, he pushes Susan out of a window, killing her instantly.

Devastated and broken, Duane then forces Belial to be sewn to his body, resulting in a harrowing fusion of brother and monster. The film concludes with Ruth and the other residents discovering Duane’s mutilated form, horrified and overwhelmed by the twisted culmination of their nightmare. As he utters that everything is now “all right” now that they are “together again,” the scene leaves viewers contemplating the tragic consequences of pain, love, and the desire for normalcy, even in the most grotesque circumstances.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:16