Hellraiser (film series)

He'll tear your soul apart
He'll tear your soul apart
HELLRAISER (18)
D: Clive Barker
New World/Cannon/Film Futures (Christopher Figg)
UK 1987
90 mins
 
Horror
 
W: Clive Barker [based on his novel "The Hellbound Heart"]
DP: Robin Vidgeon
Ed: Richard Marden
Mus: Christopher Young
 
Andrew Robinson (Larry Cotton), Clare Higgins (Julia Cotton), Ashley Laurence (Kirsty Swanson), Sean Chapman (Frank Cotton), Doug Bradley (Pinhead)
 
A woman discovers a puzzle box which opens up a portal into hell, allowing an army of cenobites (guardians of the underworld) to come into the world.
The first and easily best of the Hellraiser films was also one of the best and most iconic films of the 1980's, introducing the sadistically grotesque character Pinhead, the so-called Pope of Hell.
The makeup effects still look decent over three decades later, while the visual style is particularly dark and moody. Many sequels followed, far too many to be perfectly honest.
7/10

Doug Bradley in Hellraiser
Doug Bradley in Hellraiser

Time to play
Time to play
HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II (18)
D: Tony Randel
New World/Premier/Film Futures (Christopher Figg)
UK 1988
93 mins
 
Horror
 
W: Peter Atkins [based on a story by Clive Barker]
DP: Robin Vidgeon
Ed: Richard Marden
Mus: Christopher Young
 
Clive Higgins (Julia Cotton), Ashley Laurence (Kirsty Cotton), Kenneth Cranham (Dr. Channard), Imogen Boorman (Tiffany), Doug Bradley (Pinhead)
 
The first sequel to the Hellraiser movies is a huge mess, with a confusing narrative which serves to introduce a whole new horde of hellish beasties. Some of the makeup effects are inventive, but there's little else to make this movie memorable.
Very much style over substance and a cash-in on the nightmares caused to viewers of the first movie.
5/10

Doug Bradley in Hellbound: Hellraiser II
Doug Bradley in Hellbound: Hellraiser II

What started in hell will end on Earth
What started in hell will end on Earth
HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH (18)
D: Anthony Hickox
Arrow/Nostradamus (Lawrence Mortorff)
US 1992
93 mins
 
Horror
 
W: Peter Atkins & Tony Randel
DP: Gerry Lively
Ed: Christopher Cibelli & James D.R. Hickox
Mus: Randy Miller & Christopher Young
 
Terry Farrell (Joey Summerskill), Doug Bradley (Pinhead), Paula Marshall (Terri), Kevin Bernhardt (J.P. Monroe), Ken Carpenter (Doc Fisher)
 
The franchise is taken Stateside for this third installment to the Hellraiser movies, with the action taking place at a seedy S & M club to allow for the gory makeup effects to be cranked up another notch.
The narrative is no better or worse than the second film and only a handful of the death scenes offer something in the way of originality. Each sequel pales in comparison to the first film and even more followed, all of inferior standards.
4/10

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth