Bad Biology (2009)

Bad Biology (2009)

Written by R.A. The Rugged Man Thornburn and Frank Henenlotter

Directed by Frank Henenlotter

Its been over fifteen years since Basket Case 3 came out and Frank Henenlotter has been missing from the scene for a while. Even though he has founded Something Weird Video, which specializes in re-releasing hidden treasures and whacked movies from the forties, fifties, sixties and seventies, he’s been a director I’ve patiently waited for another movie from.

That wait is over….

Some of my favorite movies are cult films, mostly from the eighties, since I’m a child of the time; I grew up watching Toxic Avenger and Little Monsters, always watching fantasy, feeding my imagination. Invariably when I got older I started back cataloging old movies, going on massive whale hunts to find out of print horror films, usually locating them in video liquidation centers, I found some real gems. Gems I’ve kept even when the format is dead.

Then I was introduced to Basket Case. Luckily I’ve been involved with video stores since I was seven, this odd ball movie came into my life when I was about seventeen. Basket Case is a perfect New York slice of underground cinema; depraved, hilarious and sick. Rex Reed venomously gave the movie infamy when he said it was the ‘sickest movie’ he’d ever seen. This was my first foray into Frank Henenlotter’s bizarre world. I felt most welcome. Basket Case 2 and 3 were a little more of the same, with better budgets, and really grounded by two things, Henenlotter’s obsession with the odd and Kevin Van Hentenryck’s performance as the ‘normal’ twin. Brain Damage was another glint of a diamond that I found on tape, boasting a cover with a guys head erupting ala Brazil. Brain Damage has a strong anti-drug message with some great stop motion animation and generally off the wall surrealism, its one not to miss… however, it is a tad dated. The only other movie of Frank’s is Frankenhooker, a hilarious comedy about a man who accidentally kills his girlfriend and pieces her back together with body parts of hookers. It is awesome.

So why the long intro for Bad Biology, a movie that took its sweet time to get to the viewers and fan base? Exactly that. This is a fan base movie. Charlee Danielson plays Jennifer, a seemingly normal girl who takes photo’s for an underground magazine, who unfortunately (?) was born with seven clitoris’s. This gives her an insatiable desire and also a wee bit of a problem with getting pregnant easily…like within two hours of conception.

Yeah…

Then we’re introduced to Batz (played by Anthony Sneed), a guy who has drug problems…or does he? No He’s just got a drug addicted penis. An amazing back story!

But this is Henenlotter’s universe, so anything goes. Characters emotions over take them and things can just happen. I’m kind of thinking, I don’t want to move to New York if this kind of shit is happening. The actors though, new comers, Sneed and Danielson play with a good amount of conviction, Sneed coming off as a counter part to Rick Herbst in Brain Damage. While Charlee Danielson seems like a new hybrid, over sexual version of Terri Susan Smith’s character in Basket Case.

But what I like is that Henenlotter hasn’t conformed but instead invited us into another one of his weird obsessive comedy horrors. He’s actually made a pretty out there movie, which is comfortably made in the wrong era, definitely would’ve played better in the pinnacle of his career. However, as weird and overtly perverse this film is, there is a over bearing sadness to it. An emotional reluctance, which is periodically interrupted, one scene in particular when Jennifer leaves one of her ‘freak babies’ to die, she looks to the camera and asks the viewer to not judge her, but to understand her. But isn’t that the point, we can’t understand these characters, one who’s constantly over stimulated, that being Jennifer, and Batz who can’t get any stimulation because of his ginormous penis. And as sexual this film is, any pervert welcome, the idea of people connecting is there. When Jennifer see’s the after effect of Batz having sex with a hooker, a very funny scene, she only wants to be in Batz life. Batz on the other hand is oblivious to this, and his penis is more and more becoming in control of him through the massive amounts of drugs he’s feeding it.

I like there is a little heart to such a twisted, uncompromising movie, even with the bevy of flesh that is displayed, you never feel it un-necessary or distracts from what is going on, mostly because your face is screwed up in a twisted smile, going ‘wtf?’ Make sure you stick around for the great ending! The film was produced by hip hop artists Jedi Mind Tricks!

However, general biases aside, this is not a film for every body, and trust me, even though this sounds like I just reviewed a porno, it is not. It is a movie a lot of people will hate, if they see it. But I am well versed in the language of Henenlotter’s universe, and if you’re a fan of Toxic Avenger, Killer Condom or even Bloodsucking Freaks, this is up your alley. Buuuuuuuuuutttt…. If your idea is sunshine and rainbows with kittens and a pot of gold…stay away, your eyes will hurt.

This also features a soundtrack composed by R.a. The Rugged Man, and has cuts by the likes of Havoc, Atmosphere and even includes Charliee Danielson singing and playing guitar.