Frank Henenlotter

About Frank Henenlotter

Who is it?: Director, Writer, Editor
Birth Day: August 29, 1950
Birth Place:  New York City, New York, United States
Birth Sign: Virgo
Occupation: Screenwriter, film director, film historian

Frank Henenlotter Net Worth

Frank Henenlotter was born on August 29, 1950 in  New York City, New York, United States, is Director, Writer, Editor. Writer/director Frank Henenlotter was born August 29, 1950, in New York City. He gleefully "misspent" his youth watching a large array of blithely cheap'n'cheesy low-budget exploitation flicks in various seedy grindhouse theaters on Mahattan's 42nd St. He began making 8mm films as a teenager. His 16mm black-and-white short Slash of the Knife (1972) actually played at a 42nd St. grindhouse midnight show with John Waters' Pink Flamingos (1972). He briefly worked as a commercial artist and graphic designer prior to embarking on a career as a filmmaker. Henenlotter's pictures are distinguished by their offbeat plots, cheerfully lowbrow humor, excessive gore and pervasively sordid atmosphere. He made a smashing horror film debut with the marvelously gruesome and sleazy monster splatter gem Basket Case (1982), which delivered a surprisingly substantial amount of touching pathos along with the expected over-the-top explicit violence and hilariously scuzzy humor. This terrifically twisted tale of two Siamese twins who exact a harsh revenge on the doctors who surgically separated them was a big midnight movie hit and deservedly achieved true cult classic status. Henenlotter's follow-up fright feature was the equally excellent and inspired Brain Damage (1988), another grotesquely original and imaginative winner that offers a potent and provocative allegory on drug addiction with its supremely sick story of a young man who becomes an initially unwitting host for a cunning, ancient and lethal parasite that feeds on human brains. Frankenhooker (1990) was an uproariously rude'n'raunchy tongue-in-cheek hoot, while both "Basket Case" sequels are very amusing and enjoyable affairs. Outside of writing and directing, Frank has been responsible for reissuing an enormous volume of vintage '60s and '70s horror, softcore and exploitation flicks on VHS and DVD alike for Something Weird Video; he has also served as an extremely funny, lively and entertaining moderator on numerous DVD commentaries for the company.After a regrettably lengthy absence from filmmaking, Henenlotter made a welcome comeback with the typically bizarre Bad Biology (2008).
Frank Henenlotter is a member of Director

💰 Net worth: Under Review

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Biography/Timeline

1960

Henenlotter's films were inspired by the exploitation and sexploitation films he loved, the kind which played on 42nd Street in New York City in the 1960s and 1970s. His films are low-budget and filled with gore and special effects. They are considered by many to be B-movies, but they also turn the conventions of these films upon themselves. Although many of his films are somewhat obscure, his most well-known are Basket Case, Brain Damage and Frankenhooker.

1971

Following Basket Case 3: The Progeny, Henenlotter became deeply involved in the release slate of the specialty video releasing outfit Something Weird Video; he has also been instrumental in rescuing many low-budget sexploitation and exploitation films from being destroyed, including the camp classic The Curious Dr. Humpp (1971). Many of these works have been released under Something Weird's specialty logo "Frank Henenlotter's Sexy Shockers."

2010

During the 16 years following BC 3, a number of Henenlotter feature projects came close to production, including "Sick in the Head," Henenlotter's first script collaboration with R.A. the Rugged Man, at one point scheduled to be produced under the aegis of Fangoria Magazine; but, coincidental with the general economic downturn, financing evaporated. Henenlotter has also noted the conflicts he had with producers over the film, who forced the filmmaker to walk after urging him to reedit his script so it would be "more like Saw." R.A. subsequently was able to find a new deal and very modest financing through his music industry contacts, so Bad Biology was conceived to be shot for an extremely low budget, for extremely limited, unrated theatrical play, and subsequent video release. Though only attendees at film festivals and special film events have had the opportunity to see the film (shot in traditional 35mm at Henenlotter's insistence) projected in a theater, Henenlotter claims the low budget, independent financing and the decision to forgo the ratings process allowed him a level of freedom he has been missing since his earliest films. Bad Biology was scheduled for video release in January 2010 by Media Blasters. Henenlotter appeared as himself in the documentary film Herschell Gordon Lewis – The Godfather of Gore and narrated the film on the 2010 FanTasia. In issue #304 Frank and comic Artist Joshua Emerick started the Basket Case comic strip for Fangoria. The three panel strip runs in each issue.

2013

Henenlotter appeared in the 2013 documentary film Rewind This!, about the impact of VHS on the film industry and home video. He also appeared with the film's Director, Josh Johnson, when it screened at film festivals such as the Telluride Horror Show. In 2014, he directed Chasing Banksy, which was screened with a visit of Henenlotter at New York City Forbidden Planet.