Hellraiser - Review

Hellraiser is a horror classic from 1987, directed by Clive Barker, based on his novella "The Hellbound Heart". Ashley Laurence, Clare Higgins and Andrew Robinson play the three main roles, and Doug Bradley plays the iconic part of "lead cenobite", later known as Pinhead.

STORY

The story in Hellraiser is about a box. That enough for you? No? Okey, let me explain.
Frank Cotton is a man that has experienced it all, all the earthly pleasures come easy to him and he longs for something more. He buys the legendary puzzlebox the Lament Configuration (or Lemarchand's box), which is supposed to open the gateway to another realm, the realm of the cenobites, when solved. According to lore, the cenobites can grant him the most exquisite pleasure . Turns out that the cenobites don't really do what Frank expect them to, but rather take him to experience eternal suffering, their way of having a good time (SM basically). He is literally torn apart in his house, taken to hell.

 The Lament Configuration

Franks brother Larry and his wife Julia move into the abandone house a while after Frank disappears. Long story made shorter, Julia longs for something else, dreaming about the affair she had with Frank some time ago, and Larry accidentally ressurects Frank when he spills blood where Frank was killed. Frank returns as a skinless zombie, using Julia while lusting for Larrys daughter Kirsty. Julia goes out picking up men, and Frank kills them to absorb their energy/blood/life, and regain his tissue, blood and skin.

Frank ressurecting (in the book because of Larrys blood dripping on Franks last spilled seamen)

But as Frank is regaining his human look, Kirsty finds out about him, and the Cenobites come back to earth as she accidentally solves the puzzlebox. As they are about to take her to hell, she makes a deal with them, her life for the life of escaped uncle Frank. The cenobites agree, but double-crossing as they are (in the movie, not the book), the end turns out both gory and suspensefull.

Frank reaping the benefits of having a seductress on his team

There are differences between the book and the movie, but if you enjoy one you'll surely enjoy the other. Clive Barker is the man behind both, and he's great at what he does.

Clive Barker (anno 1987) with Pinhead

The story here is original, it introduces the universe in which the other 7 Hellraiser movies are set, and most of it makes sense (apart from the very very end, with the hobo. You'll get it if you've seen it).

9 out of 10 points for the story!

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 The Cenobites (Left to right; Butterball, Pinhead, "Female Cenobite" and Chatterer)

GORE

 Now, the first thing that must be understood about this movie is this: Not the biggest budget, made in 1987. Now, keeping that in mind... The gore in this is great! Early on, you see Franks skin being pierced by hooks on chains, it's a cheap effect and comes nothing close to the standards of today, but it really works when added to his scream of agony. This is also the cheapest looking effect in the movie, and Frank is overdubbed and easily one of the more average actors. The rest of the cast are really good (though I never really enjoyed Julia, and felt she was nothing like in the novel, but she plays her part well enough), with Kirsty, Larry and Pinhead being the greatest highlights.

There is a lot of gore in this movie too, especially for the time. It's got plenty of scenes with half-regenerated or skinless Frank, and several of his kills (some with fingers going into skin, one with a hammer and so on...)
, hooks and chains are also well used in this movie, and all the time while the cenobites are on screen, you expect something grisly to happen. The effects of the cenobites themselves is also great, one of the best makeup jobs ever.

8 out of 10 points for the gore 

"Jesus wept"

MOVIE

I might be a bit biased, since this is one of my favorie movies, one of my favorie franchises, based on one of my favorite novellas, written and directed by my favorite author. That being said, this is a really great movie in my opinion, it's well made, very well written, well acted and has great effects, direction and cinematography. I'll reccommend this to any horror-lover and gore-hound (that can take and appriciate a film from the 80's), cause this really is great all-over!

9.3 sharp hooks on chains out of 10 for this movie!

Angels to some, demons to others. They will tear your soul apart!