5
(religious imagery, Bible verses)
3
(violence, gore, sex, nudity, strong language)
5
(see it if you like 80's horror)
"Hellraiser" is an 80's horror flick that introduces one of the most iconic movie monsters ever. If you were to have a lineup of all the slasher flick villains you'd have Jason's hockey mask, Freddy's claws, and Pinhead's spiny profile. Yet I have a hard time bringing myself to classify "Hellraiser" as a "slasher" because rather than an unstoppable guy jumping out from behind a tree to scare you it works on a more disturbing level.
The Lament Cube is a puzzle box that opens unearthly doors. Men seek it out in search of pleasures the world cannot give, but what awaits on the other side is hellish. Frank is one of these men. He's pushed the limits of what prostitutes and torrid affairs can deliver, now he wants what the Cenobites have to offer which results in him being torn apart in Hell. He had been hiding out in his family home, and now his brother Larry, unaware and perhaps uncaring of his criminal brother's fate, is moving his own family into that same home.
An accidental blood spill allows Frank to find a way back to the world of the living. “Alive”is a relative term, though, because he's little more than bones with a little flesh on them. He needs more blood to become whole again so he convinces his former lover, his brother's wife Julia, to lure victims to him with the promise of sex. He doesn't have long, though, because if Pinhead realizes he has slipped the grips of the Cenobites Frank's torment will be even worse than before. It's an interesting story of a man trying to escape the hellish consequences of his choices and good people having to deal with the evil he brings into their lives.
It's a tale of family with Larry trying to make the best of an ailing marriage with only the devotion of his daughter Kirsty to give him strength. In a sense it's a haunted house story with the innocent family members unaware of the dangers that lurk in the room upstairs. I think that's one of the big reasons it works as a story. We get the horrific scenes of monster Frank getting the blood he needs, but we see far more of the family interacting than we see Pinhead - it's more about the story than a killer taking one victim after another.
Going back to the examples of horror I cited before if you were to pick up a prop from those movies you might get a machete or a glove with knives attached to the fingers. These are items of violence used against you to draw blood. Hellraiser's is the Lament Cube, a box with an intricate, ancient-looking design. I find it more interesting than the others because it calls forth questions that the others don't. What's it for? What does it do? If you were to look at it without seeing the movie there's nothing that tells you what its significance is, and if you don't know it's from a movie at all you might not even associate it with anything horrific right off the bat.
While I speak highly of "Hellraiser" in some respects it's a long way from being on my list of favorite movies. As a horror series I find it more interesting than a lot of others, but there are others I would recommend above it if we're talking about individual movies. What holds it back? Oh, lots of things. To listen to the actors talk they seem to be a committed group who take their craft seriously. They sound like they approached these characters with some thought, but I just don't find a lot of the acting all that impressive. It's sometimes stiff and sometimes over the top. There are moments that it shines, but for the most part I never buy these as real people. They don't make me forget that I'm watching a movie.
The biggest exception where acting is concerned is Doug Bradley who owns the character of Pinhead to the point that seeing another face in the makeup is almost disconcerting. But really, all Pinhead has to do is be regal and scary in a few scenes, he doesn't have to carry the emotion of the story leading up to his big moment.
The Cenobites really don't get all that much screentime, and nobody knew that Pinhead would become the icon of horror that he did so his focus is not that much. This is a low budget movie made in the 80's, and it shows. A lot of the effects don't sell as well as they need to. It's not complete camp since many of the story elements and atmosphere don't lend to that, but still if you're looking for an experience that completely suspends your disbelief then this isn't going to do it.
In one scene a body begins to reform out of nothing. Blood gathers and bones are covered in flesh once again as we watch. This would be smoother if done with today's CGI, but this one scene actually looks pretty impressive. Most of the rest of them are unconvincing (the hall monster just looks like an evil muppet).
If they get nothing else right the look of the Cenobites is fascinating. When we get a close up of Butterball's face it looks a bit too much like a rubber mask, but beyond that the makeup effects on them all look realistic enough to be creepy and disturbing. It looks like there could be a story behind each one though we don't find out about any of them until later movies and then only Pinhead.
Morality
This is a movie that earns its R rating. I'll start with violence and gore. Whatever the realism may or may not be you're going to see some wince-inducing moments of pain. Hooks latch onto people through their skin and then pull them apart in gory explosions, Julia brutally murders men so that Frank can suck them dry, someone is skinned alive and another person wears the skin as a costume. For most of the movie Frank is skinless himself. We see him form out of blood and slowly become more of a whole person as he kills more. It's pretty disgusting. Pretty much all of this is graphically depicted.
The Cenobites themselves are an artistic expression of mutilation. Pinhead gets his name from all the pins driven into his skull. The female Cenobite has her cut throat permanently held open by wires which then attach to her face. The chatterer has his mouth pulled apart so he can clack his teeth together right in your face without his lips getting in the way.
This is a sexual movie as well as a violent one. The story revolves a lot around Larry and Julia having a stale marriage while the vile Frank carries on with his brother's wife and makes perverted advances towards his niece, Kirsty. During the flashbacks we see Julia and Frank as they begin their affair including a couple of sex scenes with male and female nudity. Julia lures men to their doom with the promise of sex. We see her seducing them with a few getting undressed down to their undies, but the scenes never progress to actual sex. We see some pictures of Frank with a prostitute in sexual poses and showing some skin. There's an obscene statue that we see briefly.
The language is pretty strong throughout with plenty of F-bombs and several religious slurs.
Some of the characters smoke, some heavily, and there is at least one scene of people drinking too much.
The DVD extras contain a little additional nudity in the way of paintings of topless women. Otherwise they reflect some of the violence, gore, and strong language found in the movie.
Spirituality
In a sense this is a very spiritual movie. The Cenobites are referred to as demons, and their realm is called Hell. This is not what I picture when I read the Bible but more like what I might think of when reading Dante or other religiously influence but non-scriptural fiction. The Cenobites are not fallen angels but actually were human at some point. The word “cenobite” refers to monks living in a community so these would be dark monks.
Most of the direct religious imagery is fleeting. We see a few religious statues, but they have no bearing on the story. Frank cries out to God to help him at one point, but it comes across as a mentality more akin to a wish that his predicament would end than an actual prayer to a God he believes is listening and may actually step in to do something.
One character recites John 11:35. “Jesus wept.” The inclusion of it seems pointless and even goofy to me. The actor who came up with the idea of using the verse says it is an expression, but I have never heard the verse used as an expression before. So the verse really has no bearing on the story that I can see. You can certainly apply your own interpretations to the matter. I cringe every time I see this scene (it gets used a lot in clips of the movie).
In a more general, interpretive sense we see the destruction that evil brings into the lives of all around it. In many slashers people are put in harm's way because they are sneaking off to do naughty things. In "Hellraiser" it's more about the destruction rippling out from the decisions of Frank and Julia. We don't know exactly why Julia's marriage with Larry is failing. Perhaps it's because of the affair or perhaps the affair is a result of the passion already leaving the marriage, but it's certainly Julia and Frank's reuniting that brings death to the household.
It appears that Frank would have been mostly helpless if Julia had refused to help him. He can't even kill his victims himself, he has to have Julia weaken his prey first. She could have said, “No way, I'm not killing for you.” Instead she gives herself over to his evil. Both of them pay a heavy price for giving themselves to evil, but they also exact a toll on the innocent.
You can make a case that the men that fall victim aren't truly innocent, paying a price for their own indiscretions since they would not have been accessible to Frank if they hadn't been so willing to get a quick thrill out of a strange woman's pants. Larry and Kirsty, on the other hand, are innocents. They are guilty of nothing and yet they too must pay the price of being associated, even if unwittingly, with evil people.
There is a theme of rebirth by blood. It is blood that allows Frank to return to life, but in this case it is not a cleansing. The blood does not wash away sins as the blood of Jesus does in Christianity, but rather it makes a way possible for Frank to continue sinning after death.
It is the determination of the innocent to recognize and defy evil, both Frank's and the Cenobites', that has any strength at all in the face of these supernatural powers. May we all be so determined to defy evil in our personal lives.
Final Thoughts
There are a number of things I like a lot about "Hellraiser" both as a movie and as a series, but it is not at the level that I would consider it a must-see for anyone except horror fans who appreciate classic films. It does have creativity and a decent creepy atmosphere, but it is more grotesque than scary. Check it out if you're looking for a series that offers more than a machete cutting people up, just don't be let down with the lack of realism in some of the effects.
Buying Guide
Getting the whole "Hellraiser" series on DVD / Blu while balancing quality with what I was willing to spend turned out to be a daunting chore. There are so many releases and multi-movie packs put out by so many companies that I spent weeks researching what was available before I ever made a single purchase (not counting the ones I got ridiculously cheap from a going-out-of-business sale which prompted me to fill out what I was missing). There is no full-series box set. Multiple companies have rights to the different movies so you'll have to piece together your own collection with varied levels of quality and bonus features. And that, up-and-coming "Hellraiser" collectors, is why you have me.
You can get this first "Hellraiser" for as little as $5 in places and up to $20+ in others. I'm going to sum up the pros and cons of all the various packages as best as I can discern them.
I'll start off with the Midnight Madness Series for no better reason than its alliterative title. This is one of the cheaper options and is available on DVD and Blu as well as a 2 pack with the sequel in both formats.
Next is an older Anchor Bay DVD which offers widescreen and some meager extras.
There is an Anchor Bay 2 pack with the older DVD and the sequel which appears to be available as a limited edition tin as well. There are a couple of other 2 packs but most don't list enough details to be worth consideration.
I will focus mostly on the newer Anchor Bay releases which has options that include a 20th Anniversary DVD, a Blu counterpart that is very similar, and a Lament Cube box set that includes both of those plus Hellraiser 2 on DVD. This same Blu is available in a 2 pack with Children of the Corn.
I want to mention the Prophecy / Hellraiser Miramax collection because at first glance it appears that this will be the “complete” Hellraiser series. In fact, it's the complete MIRAMAX collection which excludes the first couple of movies. So don't buy it and then find yourself disappointed that it doesn't have this first one.
If you want to know a little more about the various editions I researched then read the next paragraphs. If you just want to know what comes with the Anchor Bay releases jump down to the next section.
Midnight Madness:
The Midnight Madness DVD may be cheap, but it doesn't offer much for your money. The ratio is widescreen, but it's been modified to be narrower. It'll fill more of the screen this way, but I'd rather just have it in the original aspect ratio because I'm weird that way, wanting to preserve the original presentation and all. No audio details are listed, and there appear to be no extras for it at all. There is no mention of any remastering so chances are you're getting a lower quality presentation than some of the other options available as well as a bare-bones DVD.
The Blu version offers 1.85 widescreen at 1080p with 5.1 DTS HD audio. Reviews put the quality of the presentation at average at best. While not bad, it appears to be of lower quality than the Anchor Bay Blu. The only extra is a trailer. At the prices I saw I say you can do better unless you stumble upon a great sale.
Image has released a double-feature of the first 2 movies on both Blu and DVD. They appear to be repackaged versions of the standard releases.
Older Anchor Bay DVD's:
The older Anchor Bay DVD offers a widescreen presentation, 5.1 surround sound, and some extras including a commentary, a behind-the-scenes feature, and an image gallery (these are likely among the features I'll detail below, but I can't confirm that for sure). It says it's digitally remastered so chances are this is a fair presentation for the price. This looks like the same one I've seen in the Wal-Mart $5 bins, but a search on their web site only turns up a pan-and-scan version. That illustrates the difficulty in researching the "Hellraiser" movies, there are so many different versions at different prices at different places that trying to get a handle on all of them isn't easy. If price is your main concern, though, you're not likely to do any better than the $5 bin where there are no shipping charges.
The 2 pack with the sequel that I found is insanely expensive considering there are better options. It's an Anchor Bay DVD, and the cover art looks the same as the older, cheaper one, but the specs say that it's not even widescreen. There is a mention of some extras, but I couldn't find any details (very likely they are the ones I listed with the older Anchor Bay DVD). The only real selling point here is that the second movie is said to be “uncut,” but we'll get into that in the "Hellbound" buying guide.
This is the same set that appears to be available as a limited edition tin as well. This numbered edition (30,000 made) includes a metal box, theatrical posters, a 48 page book with some behind-the-scenes photos, and some other features that are available elsewhere (an image gallery and at least two behind-the-scenes features). Since all the Anchor Bay releases seem to have it, I would guess the commentary is here as well. You're going to spend some extra money on this one. Go for it only if you really want the book and the posters.
Final Recommendation:
If your primary concern is quality and extras you definitely want to pay attention to the releases I'll detail below. The Cube box set offers the benefit of a crazy cool case, the Blu quality, and the few additional extras that the anniversary edition DVD has. If you're a serious "Hellraiser" fan (or just like good movie memorabilia to show off) this is the best way to go if you can still find it at a decent price. Otherwise go with the Blu or the anniversary DVD individually. If you're more concerned with saving your cash go check out the Wal-Mart $5 bin or check out the prices of a couple of those more bare-bones releases. While "Hellraiser" may be a movie only horror film buffs want to own there are a handful of good extras there to justify a purchase.
I put together a very pleasing "Hellraiser" set with the following options:
#1: Lament Cube box set (the quality of Blu + the extras of both Blu and DVD)
#2: Lament Cube box set (sacrificing the Blu quality in favor of more extras)
#3: Paramount widescreen DVD (the best available quality and the only extras available)
#4: Miramax multi-feature Blu (aiming for the best quality)
#5: Miramax multi-feature Blu (aiming for the best quality)
#6: Miramax multi-feature Blu (aiming for the best quality)
#7: Dimension widescreen DVD (the only one with extras and the best DVD quality)
#8: Miramax multi-feature Blu (aiming for the best quality)
#9: standard DVD (because it sucked too much to be worth paying extra for HD)
I decided to go with the Lament Configuration box set. The entire contents of the package are as follows:
A really cool Lament Cube case.
Hellraiser 1 20th Anniversary DVD.
Hellraiser 1 Blu-ray.
Hellraiser 2 20th Anniversary DVD.
A card that has the movie specs and other shelf info listed (this is not attached to the case itself in any way so it's not going to spoil the look).
A clear plastic box that protects the cube while it on the store shelves.
Why include the DVD and the Blu of #1 but not the second one? Because Anchor Bay hasn't produced a Blu for the sequel for some reason. Why include 2 copies of the movie at all? Probably to sell the box set as more than a 2 pack. It works for me because now I can tell you about both the DVD and the Blu for those preferring to get one or the other instead of the cube box. Unfortunately if you want the second one on Blu then this might not be the ideal purchase. More info on that will be in the Hellbound buying guide.
Packaging
The cube case is an exceptionally nice display piece for a DVD case. It has a lot of detail and really doesn't look like a case at all from a distance. When you get close you can start seeing that it's plastic and has cracks where it separates to allow access to the DVD's within. There are handles on the top and bottom that give it away if you look at it from those angles. So it's not a perfect replica; it looks great just the same.
The discs stand vertically in little slots molded into the plastic. They are secure, but you have to pay attention to what you're doing in order to get them in and out. In order to get the middle disc out you'll have to remove one of the other ones first (not a big deal, just put the extra copy of the first movie in that slot). Being stored vertically means if you watch what you're doing the surfaces of the discs do not touch another solid object outside of the DVD player. It's not a convenient design, but you're getting it because it looks good on a shelf not because it's a masterwork of convenient design.
Extras
There are no extras specific to this set although each individual release contained therein includes a lot of interesting stuff.
The Blu is a single disc release.
Video
1.85 widescreen at 1080p:
This is the original ratio rather than the reformatted 1.77 that some of the other releases offer. There's some grain which can get bad in a few short spots. It's still a noticeable improvement over the DVD. Despite its imperfections this is easily the best quality presentation of the film even compared to the other Blu releases.
Audio
5.1 Dolby HD:
It's not as robust sounding as a lot of the newer Blus, but it's perfectly clean and has a good mix.
Packaging
The case is standard plastic.
The interface graphics on this release are fun. The Lament Cube spins on screen while the interface loads which is pretty awesome. The interface features some of Pinhead's chains animated to move around the screen with menu bars that look like stretched skin. It's a pretty good design if you ask me. A lot of Blus give up creativity to focus only on functionality. I like functionality without question, but it's nice to see someone tossing in some imagination without sacrificing functional menus.
An ad plays before the interface.
The packaging says that this version is unrated as opposed to to the R rated version on the DVD. However, the run times are the same so if there's anything added to the Blu it's not much. Both versions of the movie clock in at about 93 minutes.
Extras
Most of these features come from the earlier DVD (with some of those brought forward from still earlier releases). There are a few differences such as the absence of the Easter Egg and DVD-ROM materials.
-Commentary: Clive Barker, Ashley Laurence, screenwriter: There is a lot of reminiscing here with a good sense of humor peeking through. They're honest about people who were being difficult but without whining about it and talk about making fun of the 80's style, a suicide rumor, and re-shooting sex scenes for the MPAA.
-Fact Track: Trivia pops up during the movie. It can be played with the commentary. It covers some of the same material as the commentary. It's one of the new features for the Blu.
-Featurettes (with a play all option, Content warning: some strong language):
-Mr. Cotton I Presume (16:13) An interview with Andrew Robinson: topics include working in “Dirty Harry,” meeting Clive, working with the other actors, playing Larry, and why he didn't do the sequel. He has some interesting thoughts on actors playing villains.
-Actress from Hell (11:58) Ashley Laurence talks about how she got the job, thoughts on the second and third movies, and her paintings with a look at some of her works. She has some very funny moments. Content warning: some of the paintings have bared breasts in them.
-Hellcomposer (18:19) Composer Christopher Young talks about how he got into music, how he got the job, approaching this as a sick romance, Clive's input, and excitement over scoring the sequel.
-Resurrection (24:25) This is a retrospective with Clive Barker, Ashley, Doug, and others. Content warning: gory images and R-rated language. It briefly covers a lot of ground and is very interesting. It covers getting the project off the ground, choosing the part of Pinhead, why he became popular, thoughts on the costuming process by some of the other cenobites (we hear them talk about it and see clips of the film but don't see much of the actual behind-the-scenes costuming), and real body piercing performance artists.
-Under the Skin (12:32) Doug Bradley shares all about his history with Clive, the original “Hellraiser” story, his approach to Pinhead, Clive's direction, working in and with the makeup with very short looks at the makeup process, and things filmed but not used.
-Trailers & TV Spots (with a play all option):
-US R Rated Trailer (1:29) Gory.
-US G Rated Trailer (1:34) Very poor video quality, with sanitized horror.
-International Trailer (3:28) Very poor AV quality, more narration than the others, R-rated.
-TV Spot #1 (0:32) Short.
-TV Spot #2 (0:32) A focus on Clive.
-TV Spot #3 (0:32) Playing up the horror.
-TV Spot #4 (0:32) Very similar to #2.
-Still Galleries (automated slideshows with a play all option):
-Behind the Scenes (3:16) Relatively small, low-quality images presented in a fast slideshow with music and offering a brief look at the cenobite creation and makeup.
-Makeup and SFX Photos (2:24) More small, poor-quality images that are basically just more behind-the-scenes shots.
-Promotional Materials (1:52) Still image promos from various countries.
-Storyboards (3:03) These are too low quality to read. It offers a video comparison with Frank reforming.
-BDLive Link: Internet connection required. There's nothing there – it's all either blank or says “coming soon.”
-My Downloads: Access to the things you can theoretically download but never seem to actually exist.
The 20th Anniversary DVD is very similar to the Blu and is a single disc.
Video
1.85 widescreen:
It is very grainy with some trash in the picture. I don't know how this compares to the quality offered on the cheaper DVD's, but comparing it to the Blu certainly made me appreciate the opportunity to watch it at 1080p.
Audio
5.1 Dolby, 2.0:
It sounds thin but clear. I didn't notice as big a difference between this audio and that of the HD presentation as I did the image quality. The sound here should be satisfactory if not impressive for those not concerned enough to have made the move to lossless audio capabilities.
Packaging
The case is standard plastic.
The interface features some simple animation with music. It's not nearly as interesting as the Blu design with the exception of different Cenobites being featured on different pages as if they are hosting the different portions of the disc.
The DVD is the standard R-rated cut of the movie at 93 minutes. As I mentioned earlier the Blu says it's unrated but is the same run time as this one.
Extras
Many of these are the same as the ones I've already detailed for the Blu. I won't repeat all the details, but I will list all the features and note the differences.
-Commentary: Clive Barker, Ashley Laurence, screenwriter.
-Mr. Cotton I Presume (16:13) The Andrew Robinson interview. Content warning: strong language.
-Actress From Hell (11:58) The Ashley Laurence interview.
-Hellcomposer (18:19) The Christopher Young interview.
-Resurrection (24:25) The retrospective.
-Under the Skin (12:32) The Doug Bradley interview.
-Trailers & TV Spots:
-US R Rated Trailer (1:29)
-US G Rated Trailer (1:34)
-International Trailer (3:28)
-TV Spot #1 (0:32)
-TV Spot #2 (0:32)
-TV Spot #3 (0:32)
-TV Spot #4 (0:32)
-Still Galleries: Automated slideshows
-Behind the Scenes (3:16)
-Makeup and SFX Photos (2:24)
-Promotional Materials (1:52)
-Storyboards (3:03)
Easter Eggs:
-Hellraiser Merch (3:08) This starts with a skit of an old cat lady watching “Hellraiser” followed by a run-through of movie merchandise. It's low budget and kind of crappy but also rather fun. On the Extras menu highlight the Features button and move left to reveal Pinhead's silhouette. I'm not aware of this being included on any other release - not even the Blu which has all of the previous list of features.
DVD-ROM:
(I haven't heard of any other release offering these including the Blu)
-Screenplay: The original Hellraiser script as a PDF.
-Final Screenplay: This one includes notes on amendments to make, also a PDF.