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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1980s
    Movies - 1980s Movies - H 4 Mins Read

    Hellraiser (1987)

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    “It will tear your soul apart . . . “

    Allegedly once called Sadomasochists From Beyond the Grave and based on the book The Hellbound Heart, Clive Barkers Hellraiser was one of the first of a very small group of intelligent horror films that went beyond the usual amusing slasher flicks of the 80s.

    Hellraiser didn’t rely on the shock, ‘made-you-jump’ scares of the Freddie’s and Jason’s of the 80s, but was a very unsettling look at the nature of desire and pain.

    When Larry Cotton inherits a family home, he finds his brother Frank had been there before him. A minor accident spills some of Larry’s blood in the room from which Frank disappeared – giving him the chance to come back and escape those who took him to hell – the Cenobites.

    Frank may be back, but he’s missing some fairly vital parts of his body – like skin. But Larry’s wife is all too willing to help him get some, and evade the Cenobites who would take him back.

    Stunning special effects by Image Animation and brilliant acting by Doug Bradley as the “Lead Cenobite” (who would later become known as ‘Pinhead’) make this film stand out.

    Yes, there is a huge gore factor, and you can’t help but wince at the scenes that involve hooks and chains, but the Cenobites are amazing creations.

    hellraiser_290

    As Bob Keen of Image Animation said: “There would have been a way to portray a man with pins in his head and a big bloody mess, but you wouldn’t have wanted to look at it – our way you have the geometry of the design drawing you in.”

    Another draw of Hellraiser is the whole mythos of the story. So much is implied, and you get the impression there is a lot more to the Cenobites than the fact they are psychos or out for revenge like so many other horror movie monsters.

    They have their own history and their own laws (which have been further explored in subsequent films and comics) of which there are hundreds.

    To call the Cenobites, you must open the Lament Configuration – A puzzle box. Open it, and they will come for you. Didn’t know what the box was? Tough! Don’t fancy an eternity having bits pulled off you in hell? Shame . . .

    The film isn’t perfect though, as Clive Barker himself will tell you (If you ask him nicely). It does suffer from not being sure where it’s set.

    New World Pictures insisted Barker dub a number of the British cast with American accents (a bone of contention to this day) but the landmarks are most definitely British, and the house was in Dollis Hill, North London.

    The budget of Hellraiser was $1,000,000. It earned about $20,000,000. It was the directing debut of Barker, who made only two short films before.

    A 1988 sequel, Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 picks up right after the end of Hellraiser with Kirsty waking up in a psychiatric hospital under the care of Dr Chanard.

    Hellbound takes the original’s premise and expands on it, realising the disturbing and visionary hell that only Barker could create. Ashley Laurence reprises her role as Kirsty, the only one to defeat the Cenobites.

    While Clive Barker was directly involved with the first two sequels, he found himself sidelined as the series progressed, having signed away the rights when he made the original. Even Doug Bradley was eventually replaced as Pinhead.

    Further sequels followed: Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992), Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996),  Hellraiser: Inferno (2000), Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002), Hellraiser: Deader (2005), Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005), Hellraiser: Revelations (2011) and Hellraiser: Judgment (2018).

    Larry Cotton
    Andrew Robinson
    Julia Cotton

    Clare Higgins
    Kirsty Cotton

    Ashley Laurence
    Frank Cotton

    Sean Chapman
    Frank the Monster

    Oliver Smith
    Steve

    Robert Hines
    Bill

    Kenneth Nelson
    Evelyn

    Gay Baynes
    Lead Cenobite (Pinhead)

    Doug Bradley
    Chatterer Cenobite

    Nicholas Vince
    Butterball Cenobite

    Simon Bamford
    Female Cenobite

    Grace Kirby
    1st Victim

    Anthony Allen
    2nd Victim

    Leon Davis
    3rd Victim

    Michael Cassidy
    Derelict

    Frank Baker
    Dinner Guest

    Niall Buggy
    Moving Man 1

    Dave Atkins
    Moving Man 2

    Oliver Parker
    Complaining Customer

    Pamela Sholto
    Nurse

    Sharon Bower
    Doctor

    Raul Newney

    Director
    Clive Barker

    Video

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