We get to talk about a real classic today, 1987’s Hellraiser! I saw this when I was way, way too young, and Pinhead has always stuck with me as one of the coolest looking characters in horror. The Hellraiser franchise is a very mixed bag, and if we are being brutally honest, most of the straight to DVD movies are not great. However, I do still have a soft spot for a few of them, including the first one here. Although this may sound crazy, my favorite in the series is Hellraiser IV: Bloodlines.
How to Download Hellraiser (1987)
Hellraiser (1987) was released on 10 September 1987. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like xxxx, check out also his other films- film one and film two.
The Movie Review
Hellraiser is brought to us by Clive Barker, and it is based on his book, The Hellbound Heart. Clive Barker himself would direct the movie and have a major part in the development of it. The reason for this was that he was not happy with how his work had been treated in the past, so he wanted a more hands-on approach.
A Gore-Filled but Story-Driven Horror Classic
While there is a lot of blood and gross stuff in Hellraiser and that is part of what I love about it. Actually, in sticking with the blood and guts for a moment, the movie had to have several scenes cut or reshot due to how graphic some of the violence, gore and sex was in the initial cut! Anyway, with that being said, it is the story of Hellraiser which I think is the best thing about it.
Frank’s Dark Journey into Pain and Pleasure
A sleezy man called Frank is looking for the ultimate pleasure, and he comes across a strange puzzle box that will give him pleasures that are beyond his comprehension. Frank takes the puzzle box to his attic, solves it, and unleashes the Cenobites, demons/monsters or, as Pinhead refers to themselves, explorers from another dimension who cannot distinguish between pleasure and pain. They are not here for a party with Frank, they instead tear him apart with chains in a truly awesome scene!
Resurrection and Gore: Frank’s Return
Frank’s brother Larry, his daughter Kirsty, and Larry’s wife, Julia, move into Frank’s house. An accident happens and Frank is brought to life as gross, bloody tissue, but his former lover Julia…. Larry’s wife will help him get bodies so that he can get his flesh back! Frank looks so damn gross and even to this day he looks fantastic. I love how these iconic 80s movies were forced to use practical effects, It is a huge reason why they hold up so well.
The Iconic Look of the Cenobites
The Cenobites look amazing. Doug Bradley (he also plays the antagonist Maynard in Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines) as Pinhead just has so much screen presence, and his design and the others’, too, really are creepy. I used to have a collection of McFarlane Toys figures of these, but my son was terrified of them when he saw them so I had to let them go. Fast forward 16 years and he loves Hellraiser and says that I should never have gotten rid of them!
Kirsty’s Bargain with the Cenobites
Basically, Kirsty ends up with the puzzle box, opens it up, and Pinhead and the Cenobites come to take her, but she makes them a deal. She tells them about how Frank escaped them, and they agree that if they can take Frank with them, they will leave her be. Hellraiser is actually a pretty short movie, and it moves at a very quick pace. You truly do worry for Kirsty, and the first time you see this, you wonder if she is going to be able to get out of this.
Final Thoughts on Hellraiser’s Legacy
I think that Hellraiser is a true horror classic of the 80s. While the holy trio of horror icons for me is Freddy, Jason, and Michael, Pinhead is very, very close to Michael. I think that Hellraiser and Hellraiser II are very good. I have a hard time picking between them, and it is a copout, but I would have to say that I do like them both equally.
