Frankenhooker (1990)
Broader and more overtly comedic than the other two Frank Henenlotter films I've seen (Basket Case and Brain Damage), this isn't quite as good as either of those films. Partly, this is due to the eleventh-hour introduction of the title character (I seem to be the only one who finds her more grating than amusing); the film also suffers from an anti-drug message left over from Brain Damage that, while structurally important, feels somewhat incongruous. Having said that, the film is still cheeky fun. A high tolerance for severed heads and exploding bodies is required, but those in the mood will find some pleasingly unpretentious laughs, some endearingly awful makeup, a weird last-minute homage to the British omnibus film Asylum and an appropriately fucked-up twist ending. Why Henenlotter stopped directing, I'll never figure out.
Grade: B
Broader and more overtly comedic than the other two Frank Henenlotter films I've seen (Basket Case and Brain Damage), this isn't quite as good as either of those films. Partly, this is due to the eleventh-hour introduction of the title character (I seem to be the only one who finds her more grating than amusing); the film also suffers from an anti-drug message left over from Brain Damage that, while structurally important, feels somewhat incongruous. Having said that, the film is still cheeky fun. A high tolerance for severed heads and exploding bodies is required, but those in the mood will find some pleasingly unpretentious laughs, some endearingly awful makeup, a weird last-minute homage to the British omnibus film Asylum and an appropriately fucked-up twist ending. Why Henenlotter stopped directing, I'll never figure out.
Grade: B
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