Hellraiser – Raising Hell?
A Look at Clive Barker’s 1987 Masterpiece
During an interview with Clive Barker, which can be found on the Hellraiser DVD under special features, he reveals his dire dream of creating something new and exciting within horror cinema. At that point in time, it was the same reoccurring characters that haunted the screen and he wanted to give the audience something new to be scared of. He focused on zombies and a fear of the unknown and crossed these two themes with desire – desire for something greater and unreachable. The result was pure and evil – Hellraiser.
Flesh and Fresh Ideas
Barker’s ideas for Hellraiser were unlike anything seen before. Desire for love and passion crossed with death and gore had never been done before in the extremes that Barker takes it to. The main mistress in the film, Julia, is married to Larry. Everything appears to be going alright for the couple – a few ups and down revealed through flashback, until it is revealed to the audience that Julia has had an affair with Larry’s brother – the now deceased Frank.
Frank comes back to life through drops of Larry’s blood unbeknownst to Larry. Julia finds out by finding his dismantled body in the attic of the house, where Frank passed away. Through the efforts of Julia, Frank manages to redevelop his skin, bones and body as a whole by consuming the bodies of men who Julia meets at the bar and brings home to Frank.
Frank’s return affects Larry and his daughter Kirsty, as Larry becomes a victim of Frank’s so Julia and Frank can now live happily ever after. To avoid suspicion from Kirsty, Frank transforms his body into Larry’s – physically looking like Larry, but acting psychologically as Frank. Kirsty finds out and the fight for survival begins.
Hellraising – Not so Much
The posters and images released promoting the movie usually shows a person, faded white, with tons of needles pointing out from his face. This character, known as a Cenobite or Pinhead, does not appear as much in the film as one perhaps would wish. Rather, they serve as conscious beings from beyond the grave that come to haunt people who have asked to experience something more than death – something more than life – the ultimate satisfaction. In other words, these creatures are sadomasochists from beyond the grave.
Although the characters in the film are haunted by Pinhead, he does not act violently or kill anyone. He merely poses a threat, claiming that if one accepts the box of experience – the ultimate satisfaction – then one must fulfill and complete whatever the expectations are. Although they themselves are not the scariest characters in the film, their physical appearances do not disappoint in terms of horrifying the audience.
Pinhead and his followers rarely appear in the film. And this is a shame, since this is the character in which the film is promoted through. Therefore, it is possible that some viewers, who desperately want to see more of Pinhead and his followers and learn about their horrifying actions, will be sorely disappointed. For the film to raise the hell it claims it does, Pinhead should have been a larger part of this horror flick.
- Studio: Cinemarque Entertainment BV
- Rating: R
- Running Time: 94 Minutes
Pinhead
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