LogFAQs > #979968694

11. Hellraiser (1987 / 180 points)
Directed / Screenplay by: Clive Barker
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Why Its Significant - Hellraiser seemed to be an instant classic, storming cinema with a unique blend of sadomasochistic imagery, philosophical explorations of desire and pain, and the on-screen introduction of the iconic Pinhead character. Clive Barker had already been a prominent horror writer for a few years before adapting his own novella, The Hellbound Heart, into this memorable film. I think easily one of the most interesting influences this film has is bringing BDSM culture to a more mainstream attention, as Barker frequented the scene and was openly gay and fingerprints of that are all over the novella and film. Hellraisers horror influence can be seen in everything from media franchises like Star Trek to individual films like Cube or Dark City. It could even be considered a sort of precursor to the so-called torture porn genre. Hellraiser was followed by a whopping 9 sequels, a reboot, comics, famous metal song by Ozzy Osbourne, Zakk Wylde & Motorhead, references in many forms of media, and tons of canceled projects.

The Rankers
Snake - 6
Jcgamer107 - 7
Fortybelowsummer - 8
Seginustemple - 9
Plasmabeam - 10
Karo - 11
Rockus - 11
Johnbobb - 13
Evilordexdeath - 16
Bitto - 18
Lightning - 18
Mythiot - 26
Inviso - 27

Snake - Hellraiser is a descent into a depraved and darkly beautiful underworld. The story, while deceptively simple, is layered with themes of obsession, forbidden desires, and the inescapable consequences of transgression. Frank Cotton, a man consumed by a relentless hedonism, unleashes a terror beyond comprehension with a mysterious puzzle box. The box itself is a marvel of design, a perverse work of art that hints at the grotesqueries that lie within.

Clare Higgins embodies Julia's simmering discontent. Julia is a woman trapped in a loveless marriage, yearning for a past passion that consumes her. Higgins portrays this frustration with a quiet intensity. Her longing glances and repressed desires hint at a darkness bubbling beneath the surface. When Julia succumbs to temptation and becomes entangled with the forces unleashed by the box, Higgins masterfully navigates the character's descent. She transforms from a yearning wife into a desperate and ruthless individual, driven by an insatiable hunger for pleasure and power.

Ashley Laurence, on the other hand, represents innocence thrust into a horrifying situation. Kirsty is a teenager caught in the crossfire of her parents' troubled marriage and Frank's sadomasochistic obsessions. Laurence portrays Kirsty's initial naivet with a relatable charm. However, when faced with the horrors unleashed by the puzzle box, Laurence delivers a powerful performance of resilience and courage. Kirsty evolves from a terrified victim to a resourceful heroine, determined to fight back against the Cenobites and protect herself and her family.

The dynamic between Higgins and Laurence is a key element of the film's narrative. Julia becomes a twisted maternal figure, manipulating Kirsty while simultaneously yearning for a connection. Laurence holds her own against Higgins' seasoned performance, creating a believable and emotionally charged conflict. Their contrasting portrayals of women caught in the nightmare highlight the film's exploration of desire, consequence, and the fight for survival.

The best part of Hellraiser though lies in its visual aesthetic. Barker, with a background in comics and illustration along with his writing, brings his nightmarish visions to life with stunning practicality. The Cenobites, the demonic engineers of suffering, are unlike any other monsters in horror. Led by the unforgettable Pinhead, with their stitched flesh and piercing intelligence, they are the embodiment of a horrific yet strangely alluring sadomasochistic order. Their world, glimpsed in terrifying flashes, is a labyrinth of industrial machinery and glistening viscera, a place where screams become symphonies and flesh is putty in their cruel hands. Again, like with Tetsuo, industrial horror is M Y A E S T H E T I C and its even better demonstrated and utilized here. The transformations, the eviscerations, they all feel real, uncomfortably real, because they were achieved with a tactile ingenuity that grounds the film's outlandish concepts.

Its still one of the boldest horror debuts of all time to me, endlessly quotable, and filled with fantastically memorable characters and set-pieces. A truly unique marvel of the genre I return to with painful glee every time.

Jcgamer107 - 7/10

Fortybelowsummer - I love Pinhead so much that Ill go ahead and pop Hellraiser into my top 10, even though the entirety of the movie itself isnt the greatest. Its pretty much Julia picking up dudes the whole time and bringing them back to sacrifice to Frank, which is cool, but it does get a little old. Pinhead himself is only in the movie for like 9 minutes, but he still has a huge presence (I know, its an androgynous being but Ill just use he for convenience). Its actually better that he remains somewhat mysterious because in later movies, when he starts appearing and talking more, he loses a bit of his mystique in my opinion. Hes interesting because he isnt built like other horror villains. He's intelligent and articulate but also ethical (I guess?) in that he doesnt just mindlessly kill. For me, as a youngster, when I would peruse the horror section of the video rental store but wasnt allowed to rent them yet, Hellraiser always felt the most forbidden. The leather clad Hell Priest gazing at you holding the ominous lament configuration, then hearing about or catching glimpses of the the sadomasochism, the gruesome vicious violence. It feels like Hellraiser almost has an aura about it even now after seeing all of them (except the new one but Im interested in the female portrayal) and now having finished writing this I feel comfortable with a top 10 placement, hell, I might even bump it up.

Seginustemple - Another childhood favorite, this one I probably saw a little *too* early. The Cenobites have some of the coolest mythology in horror, a party of interdimensional BDSM bodymodders - and though the sequels dig into these characters' backstories more I prefer the unknowability invoked in their brief appearance here. Pinhead isn't even named in this one, he's Lead Cenobite. Where the unknowability doesn't work so well is with the puzzlebox logic, I think the Lament Configuration is kind of a cop-out safeword/MacGuffin that can do whatever the plot needs at any given moment, but the name sure does sound cool. The makeup/sfx work is fantastic, especially for Frank's intial reconstitution scene where he coalesces together. I forgot that there's some cheeky humor to his character, like there's a point where he's still skinless but puts on a dress shirt & tie, and casually smokes a cigarette. And I realllly forgot that he ends up taking his brother's face, completing the whole kinky affair with a layer of incestuous roleplay. Poor Garak. I get his character more now too, he's the inverse of his extremist brother: squeamish, faints at the sight of his own blood, strictly a missionary guy. But Ashley Laurence is the only one I really root for, I love how pissed off she gets at the mind-melting shit that's happening around her. No time for disbelief or despair, she just gets angry and starts barking at demons. The exasperation is relatable.