I was about 19 or 20 when I first saw Clive Barker’s (Night Breed and Lord of Illusions) Hellraiser, and I must admit; I didn’t get it. Looking back on it, I think the movie was too intelligent for me to wrap my mind or imagination around. While the movie was loaded with all the sick gory stuff I really wanted to see in a horror movie back then (still do today as well) some of the story I didn’t get. Mostly what the hell were the Cenobites? What was the little puzzle box thing really? I was confused and loaded with questions. And I never watched it again. Until now. So let me tell you, this time was a much different experience for me. I get it all now (OK, maybe not all but mostly all) and can really appreciate Hellraiser for what it really is. So, what is it? Let’s discuss. First, we have Frank, played by Sean Chapman (Made in Britain and Contact), buying that mysterious puzzle box in Morocco. Frank takes the box home and he “solves the puzzle” as it is described. This unleashes the Cenobites who seem to be demons from hell but are described as members of a masochistic religious group.
They claim to come from another dimension where they don’t know the difference between pleasure and pain anymore. Whatever they are, they are crazy cool looking, and I get really creeped out by them. Met Doug Bradley and sat and talked with him for a bit; he’s really surprised that people want to meet him and listen to his stories. That’s the end of the name dropping for now. Of course, Doug Bradley plays Pinhead, the leader of the Cenobites. You’ve seen him? Then you know why he’s called Pinhead. Soon after, Frank’s brother Larry moves into Frank’s house with his wife Julia. It is shown that previously Frank had an affair with Julia. While moving in, Larry cuts his hand and the dripping blood somehow resurrects his brother Frank but in a nasty, slimy, disgusting way. In order for Frank to regenerate further he needs to drain the life essence of victims he gets Julia to bring to him. Larry’s daughter Kirsty (from his first marriage) discovers what is going on and tells Pinhead that Frank has escaped them.
Julia is played by Clare Higgins (Cassandra’s Dream and A Fantastic Fear of Everything), Andrew Robinson (Dirty Harry and Pumpkinhead 2) is Larry, and Ashley Laurence (Mikey and Lurking Fear) is Kirsty who would go on to be in three more films in the series. There are nine more films BTW. If there’s a Mt. Rushmore of modern-day horror icons depending on who you ask, Pinhead might be on there. For the record I have Jason, Michael, Freddy, and Chucky on my version of Mt. Rushmore. Hellraiser is a nice surprise horror film from a time when films like this just didn’t exist. I mean it immediately made you wonder what the hell you were watching. OK, some of the effects were pretty cringe looking at them now but it’s just a sign of the times. C’mon, it’s almost forty years now. I am so happy I finally gave this another shot and probably it was four stars when it came out but today, I will go three and a half drippy Franks out of five. I’m going to try and fit part two in before the countdown ends. Stay tuned!
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