... In 1987 that film arrived - Hellraiser.
Hellraiser was written and directed by Clive Barker - now a cult figure in the realms of fantasy and horror. The film captures many elements, but it primarily introduces us to a world of supernatural power, unleashed by a combination of curiosity ... Read review
When Frank Cotton solves the mystery of a Chinese puzzle box he enters the world of the ... more
Cenobites. A world where these cruel sadists thrive on pain. Later restored to life by the blood of his brother Larry Frank rises to feed on the life force of others. When Larry's wife agrees to provide the sacrifices he needs the spills chills and thrills are just beginning. Written and directed by the brilliant Clive Barker Hellraiser is a film that cannot be ignored.
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Having made his reputation as one of the most prolific and gifted horror writers of his ... more
generation (prompting Stephen King to call him "the future of horror"), Clive Barker made a natural transition to movies with this audacious directorial debut from 1987. Not only did Barker serve up a chilling tale of devilish originality, he also introduced new icons of horror that since have become as popular among genre connoisseurs as Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman. Foremost among these frightful,Hellraiservisions is the sadomasochistic demon affectionately named Pinhead (so named because his pale, bald head is a geometric pincushion and a symbol of eternal pain). Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, agents of evil who appear only when someone successfully "solves" the exotic puzzle box called the Lamont Configuration--a mysterious device that opens the door to Hell. The puzzle's latest victim is Frank (Sean Chapman), who now lives in a gelatinous skeletal state in an upstairs room of the British home just purchased by his newlywed half-brother (Andrew Robinson, best known as the villain fromDirty Harry), who has married one of Frank's former lovers (Claire Higgins). The latter is recruited to supply the cannibalistic Frank with fresh victims, enabling him to reconstitute his own flesh--but will Frank succeed in restoring himself completely? Will Pinhead continue to demonstrate the flesh-ripping pleasures of absolute agony? Your reaction to this description should tell you if you've got the stomach for Barker's film, which has since spawned a number of interesting but inferior sequels. It's definitely not for everyone, but there's no denying that it's become a semiclassic of modern horror.--Jeff Shannon
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Having made his reputation as one of the most prolific and gifted horror writers of his ... more
generation (prompting Stephen King to call him "the future of horror"), Clive Barker made a natural transition to movies with this audacious directorial debut from 1987. Not only did Barker serve up a chilling tale of devilish originality, he also introduced new icons of horror that since have become as popular among genre connoisseurs as Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman. Foremost among these frightful visions is the sadomasochistic demon affectionately named Pinhead (so named because his pale, bald head is a geometric pincushion and a symbol of eternal pain). Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, agents of evil who appear only when someone successfully "solves" the exotic puzzle box called the Lamont Configuration--a mysterious device that opens the door to Hell. The puzzle's latest victim is Frank (Sean Chapman), who now lives in a gelatinous skeletal state in an upstairs room of the British home just purchased by his newlywed half-brother (Andrew Robinson, best known as the villain fromDirty Harry), who has married one of Frank's former lovers (Claire Higgins). The latter is recruited to supply the cannibalistic Frank with fresh victims, enabling him to reconstitute his own flesh--but will Frank succeed in restoring himself completely? Will Pinhead continue to demonstrate the flesh-ripping pleasures of absolute agony? Your reaction to this description should tell you if you've got the stomach forHellraiser, which has since spawned a number of interesting but inferior sequels. It's definitely not for everyone, but there's no denying that it's become a semiclassic of modern horror.--Jeff Shannon
Postage & Packaging:£1.21 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Spanning three generations this horrifying story chronicles the struggle of one family ... more
who unknowingly created the puzzle box that opened the doors of Hell - setting the diabolical Pinhead free to spread evil here on earth! Now the family must fight to slam those doors shut again...but not before Pinhead wages one of his fiercest and most frightening battles ever!
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A shady L.A. detective (Sheffer) finds himself lost in a darkly nightmarish world of evil ... more
when he solves the mysterious puzzle box that releases the diabolical demon Pinhead! As those around him begin to meet tragic fates he sets out to conquer the horrifying Pinhead and escape eternal hell!
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Hellraiser was written and directed by Clive Barker - now a cult figure in the realms of fantasy and horror. The film captures many elements, but it primarily introduces us to a world of supernatural power, unleashed by a combination of curiosity and greed.
Frank Cotton buys a mysterious Chinese puzzle box that turns out to be a secret gateway to a hellish dimension occupied by the Cenobites - four demonic ... ...sequels.
Where Hellraiser works so well is its imaginative fusion of so many ideas. In one element of the plot are the Cenobites - almost mythical creatures, summoned through a bizarre set of rituals. But the film also portrays the brutal entrapment and murders committed by Julia. This is a story of passion and betrayal - and yet it is set within one of the most gory and violent plotlines invented. The performances are universally ... more
It would be something of a lie if I said that I didn't have more than just a passing interest in horror films. In my teenage years, I must have exhausted the local video library store of just about every single remotely horrific film that was going, and my best friend and I would spend many a happy hour in front of the TV, watching people being murdered in countless different ways. It became less and less common, therefore, for a film to crop up that I really enjoyed - something that stood out above the rest. In 1987 that film arrived - Hellraiser.
Hellraiser was written and directed by Clive Barker - now a cult figure in the realms of fantasy and horror. The film captures many elements, but it primarily introduces us to a world of supernatural power, unleashed by a combination of curiosity and greed.
Frank Cotton buys a mysterious Chinese puzzle box that turns out to be a secret gateway to a hellish dimension occupied by the Cenobites - four demonic beings whose sole purpose is to inflict pain and suffering on others. One day, secured in the attic of his house Frank solves the puzzle, unwittingly opening the gate to this dimension - and is physically torn apart by the Cenobites. Years later Frank's brother, Larry, returns to the house with his new bride Julia. An accident in the house results in a flesh wound spilling blood onto the attic floor - which somehow catalyses a process of regeneration for Larry's brother Frank. Comprised of only very basic body tissue, the partly re-animated Frank persuades Julia to help him fully regenerate (it transpires that Julia had an affair with Frank years earlier and is still in love with him). But in order to regenerate, Frank needs blood - which Julia amply provides by luring strangers back to the house, and murdering them. It is Larry's daughter (Kirsty) who discovers the terrible secret in the attic. Her only hope is to unleash the Cenobites - and hope that they finish off Frank, before he finishes off her…..
A bizarre, almost absurd plot for sure - but this is a fantasy film - so why should the plot not be fantastic? From start to finish the film rips along at breakneck speed, as events gradually become more and more desperate - and more and more grisly. The film is graphically violent from the outset - Frank's evisceration at the hands of the Cenobites takes place fewer than five minutes into the film, and viewers of a squeamish nature are strongly advised to avoid this film. Special effects and make-up were excellent (at the time of release) and Julia's affair with her skinless lover Frank is visually very unpleasant.
There are few heroes in this film - Barker pulls no punches in portraying the dark side of human nature, and the film has a suitably sombre direction throughout. "Hellraiser" is so full of unforgettable images, that you could write for hours - but it is perhaps the Cenobites which captured the imagination of so many. Partly organic and partly mechanic, the Cenobites appear to be comprised of tortured souls whose bodies are wounded in a variety of disturbing ways - on one of them a gaping throat wound is held together by surgical instruments, but the most famous of them has to be Pinhead - so named because his skull is peppered with hundreds of nails hammered into the bone in a symmetrical pattern. Pale white skin, black eyes and synthetic voices complete what are arguably the most terrifying horror characters ever devised - indeed they reappear in three sequels.
Where Hellraiser works so well is its imaginative fusion of so many ideas. In one element of the plot are the Cenobites - almost mythical creatures, summoned through a bizarre set of rituals. But the film also portrays the brutal entrapment and murders committed by Julia. This is a story of passion and betrayal - and yet it is set within one of the most gory and violent plotlines invented. The performances are universally solid - Sean Chapman carries the evil role of Frank with great aplomb. Clare Higgins' Julia is deliciously cold and malevolent (the English accent always helps), and Doug Ramsay's portrayal of the Coenobite Pinhead is groundbreaking. For once even Ashley Laurence's screaming teenage daughter seems to work - well, I think I'd probably scream if my uncle walked in with no skin on.
Fans of films like Sleepless in Seattle will find Hellraiser as close to hell as you can possibly get. This film pushed the boundaries of horror films farther than any predecessor. Probably my favourite horror film of all time - highly recommended.
Advantages: Scary, tense, intelligent, Pinhead and Barker's writing and direction. Disadvantages: Ashley Laurence's poor acting.
Hellraiser is an excellent horror film which deserves to be in a genre all on its own. The creation of the sick and twisted Clive Barker, this film is based on his short novel the Hellbound Heart. Released in 1987 the film was made on a shoe string budget and became a springboard for Barker to enter the world of cinema. It lasts a standard ninety minutes, an hour and a half of tense, horrific and dreamlike story telling. The plot surrounds Frank ... ...further in later films Hellbound: Hellraiser II and Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (or perhaps hell on video). Although this film is cheap Barker writes and directs and he really knows what he is doing. The locations chosen are all good and suitably creepy, the effects are cheap but convincing, the use of imagery and sound to unsettle the viewer is excellent (especially the scene where the daughter, Kirsty, is in the hospital). The film builds the ...
setimerenptah 05.07.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hellraiser (DVD)
...hell breaks loose again...
Hellraiser was hugely popular during the 80s, bringing with it a cult popularity, especially as I remember it, amongst those whose age group meant that in theory they should never have seen it. It was enormously popular at my school anyway, copies flying about liberally at one point. Hellraiser however is certainly not for the squeemish. The gore factor here is extremely high, and Barker as a director has an excellent ... ...then they become classics of the genre. Hellraiser is a classic anyway because of the sheer level and even reverance paid to the gore aspect and as such is a movie well worth watching - as long as you have a strong stomach for such things because it isn't pretty. ...
wampyrii 07.05.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Hellraiser (DVD)
The hellraiser collection, are a great set of horror films. I remember the first time I saw the original hellraiser film that I was really scared. Pinhead is one of the best characters to come out of horror films, along with Freddie Kreuger, who scared the living daylights out of me when I was little. If you like horror films and you haven't seen any of the hellraiser set, you really should, cos they're good and scary. Blood and guts galore in all ...
Advantages: The Cenobites Disadvantages: Too much Bllod
This is based on a Clive Barker short story "The Hellbound Heart". The story goes that they had a small budget, and decided they could get a house and make up artist and created the film limited by this. This was Barker's first foray into mainstream horror and still remains his best effort. He was executive producer on the sequel and had nothing to do with the second sequel which was an abberation and should be avoided.
The film contains a lot of ... ...The baddies are a group of beings called the Cenobites who's aim is the pursuit of the ultimate in sensual pleasure (for this read the great pain of others).
The story is of a particulary nasty guy called Frank who acquires a Chinese puzzle box that opens the way to the Cenobites, who promptly despatch Frank in a graphically painful sequence. However Frank discovers that he can recopmpose himself using the blood of others, manages to ingratiate ...
mikeydred 23.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Hellraiser (DVD)
Advantages: Very Scary Disadvantages: Wooden acting, just plain wierd, not clever
...but it appeals to me, Hellraiser doesn't.
First of all I would say the biggest problem is the acting. All the actors are wooden and 'Frank'? Well, have you seen Button Moon? No difference. There's supposed to be real sexual chemistry going on but, damn, I would prefer to sleep with Pinhead. All the reactions of the actors are almost Am-Dram. Large eyes and slight glances, big smiles and silly laughs. Not much dramam there then.
Secondly, the script ... ...into the top room where Frank is regenerating? He's bought a new house and he doesn't go into that fabulous top room with the lovely window, rip of the stained cloth and put his desk up there? Barmy. I probably need to read the book to really understand it. But surely I shouldn't have to?
I don't deny that the film is beautifully gross and scary and I completely messed myself when that wormlike thing came rushing at the daughter in the hospital, ...
Mini_Minx 27.07.2003
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Advantages: Features Doug Bradley, some decent special effects, at least its short, Disadvantages: Widdles on the franchise, terribly directed, atrocious cast and acting, terrible plot, melodramati
Released in 2000, Hellraiser Inferno is the fifth installment of the Hellraiser Series. So far there have been 7 sequels to the first film, with a re-imagining of the original currently in production. The films get progressively worse. Hellraiser V went straight to DVD.
Basically, a morally reprehensible police detective Joseph Thorne, (Craig Scheffer) who cheats on his wife on a regular basis with a string of prostitutes and never visits his retirement home-bound parents, finds himself involved in a mystery case involving a number of bloody ritualistic murders. Stumbling across the Lament Configuartion Puzzle Box, an item which acts as a plot device in all of the Hellraiser films to open a dimensional gateway into a reality of pure chaos, Thorne finds himself facing his own personal demons in the throws of some psychotic episode ...
Advantages: Good fun film Disadvantages: No DVD extras again
a change). I'd reccomend this film to anyone who likes gore. Although there are no DVD extras yet again on this Hellraiser film it is well worth watching.
Of all 8 Hellraiser films, this is still my favorite. As the series progresses they tend to lose the imagination a little and rely too much on the slasher style movie associated with modern day and have the plot as a sideline.
Thanks for reading! ...
Advantages: cheap, atmospheric, terrifying Disadvantages: starting to look a little dated
WE WILL TEAR YOUR SOUL APART!!!!
Generally speaking, the Eighties were not good to the horror film. Films made in this decade were either comedy horror's like evil dead, or films that were designed to make you jump, like nightmare on Elm Street. Most times, films like this were not truly scary. More often than not, it was the orchestral soundtrack that made you jump, rather than a particularly scary plot or effect.
There were, however, occasional exceptions to the rule. If you choose carefully, it is possible to pull the proverbial needle from the Eighties haystack. One such needle, is Clive Barker's directorial debut, Hellraiser. Barker was not well known. Previously he had written three short horror storybooks called the 'Books of blood'. Although highly enjoyable in their own right, they are more notable for the quote ...
The spine chilling tale of a man brought partially back to life by the blood of his brother. He befriends his sister-in-law who agrees to supply the blood he requires to live, but he is still haunted by the evil forces which held him captive in death.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
2 ENTERTAIN VIDEO; DISC DISTRIBUTION LTD.
Release date
18/05/1998
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
VCD 0005
Barcode
5014138036331
Languages
Main Language
English
DVD Description
The spine chilling tale of a man brought partially back to life by the blood of his brother. He befriends his sister-in-law who agrees to supply the blood he requires to live, but he is still haunted by the evil forces which held him captive in death.
Adapted from his own novel. 'Hellbound Heart', HELLRAISER marked the directorial debut of British horror writer Clive Barker. Barker's direction—which comes across like the perfect fusion of the themes and aesthetic sensibilities of Dario Argento and David Cronenberg's best work—is assured, and the film permeates with a unique combination of the perverse and macabre. A modest success at the time of release, HELLRAISER spawned a slew of sequels and would elevate its villain, Pinhead, to the pantheons of classic horror monsters.
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