Hellraiser

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For other topics with similar names, see Hellraiser (disambiguation).
Hellraiser
Directed by Clive Barker
Produced by Christopher Figg
Written by Clive Barker
Starring Andrew Robinson
Clare Higgins
Ashley Laurence
Music by Christopher Young
Cinematography Robin Vidgeon
Editing by Richard Marden
Tony Randel
Distributed by New World Pictures
Release date(s) September 11, 1987
Running time 94 min.
Country United Kingdom England
Language English
Budget $1,000,000 (estimated)
Followed by Hellbound: Hellraiser II
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Hellraiser is a 1987 British horror film exploring the themes of sadomasochism, pain as a source of pleasure, and morality under duress and fear. It is based on the critically acclaimed novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film. In the UK, the film was titled Clive Barker's Hellraiser. It is the first film in the Hellraiser series, having spawned seven sequels as of 2006 with a remake announced in 2007. This movie was number 19 on the cable channel Bravo's list of the "100 Scariest Movie Moments".

Contents

[edit] Summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Hellraiser opens with Frank Cotton purchasing an antique puzzle box. Rumored to be the gateway to a realm of unimaginable sensual pleasure, this box also requires the surrender of one's soul. Once Frank solves the puzzle box, he enters another dimension populated by Cenobites, sadistic demons clad in black leather. Hooks fly out of the puzzle box, tearing into Frank's flesh and rending him. Frank is condemned to an eternity in this other dimension, experiencing simultaneous pleasure and torture. Frank's brother Larry moves into Frank's abandoned house with his second wife, Julia, who previously had an affair with Frank. They assume that Frank is off on one of his notorious adventures. Larry's teenaged daughter Kirsty chooses not to live with her step-mother, and moves into her own place.

During Larry and Julia's move into the house, Larry seriously injures his hand. Julia takes Larry to the hospital, as the remains of his blood, which splashed on the attic floor, begin to sink beneath the floorboads. Frank's soul uses this blood as nourishment to regenerate his body. Later, Frank convinces Julia to help restore him to full physical form. Julia succumbs to Frank's entreaties, as they had once had an affair, and agrees to help him. Julia seduces men, luring them up to the empty attic where Frank hides. After having Julia incapacitate them, Frank is able to move in and drain them of their blood. Frank tells Julia about the puzzle box, which he still has, explaining that by reclaiming his body he has broken his deal with the Cenobites. He wants to fully restore himself, then run off with Julia before the Cenobites can track him down.

Kirsty catches Julia bringing a strange man home. Kirsty sneaks into the house to investigate. In the attic, Julia bludgeons the man, allowing Frank to feast on his body. Kirsty approaches the attic, unaware of what's happening within. Suddenly, the bloody man stumbles out of the attic, soon followed by the skinless Frank, who confronts Kirsty. Before Frank can grab her, Kirsty picks up the puzzle box as a weapon. When she realizes it holds value for Frank, she throws it out the window and escapes from the house, picking up the box as she runs down the street. A disoriented Kirsty awakens in the hospital where she tells herself it all was a terrible dream, until the doctors hand her the puzzle box. Kirsty begins to play with the puzzle box and accidentally solves it. The walls of her hospital room open the dimensional door and Kirsty encounters the Cenobites. The lead Cenobite tells Kirsty that she has summoned them, so they must take her to their world of masochism. She begs them to spare her, offering to lead them to Frank in exchange for her freedom. Kirsty escapes the hospital and races to her father's home to warn him about Frank. Larry informs Kirsty that Frank has been taken care of. Julia shows Kirsty a bloody body in the attic. The Cenobites reappear demanding the man responsible for this death. Kirsty believes they want her father and she runs to warn him. However, she soon realizes that Frank has stolen her father's skin.

Frank comes after Kirsty, accidentally stabbing Julia in the process. Frank drains Julia of her blood, further nourishing himself. Then he goes to the attic, where Kirsty is hiding. Kirsty weeps and accuses Frank of murdering her father. Frank is unrepentant, telling Kirsty her father was already dead inside anyway. Suddenly, hundreds of hooks burst from the walls, piercing Frank and holding him prisoner. The Cenobites appear to reclaim his body. Kirsty runs from the attic, and Frank is again torn to shreds. Kirsty runs through the house, eager to escape, but the Cenobites want to take Kirsty as well. Kirsty finds the puzzle box in Julia's hand. She uses the box against the Cenobites, returning them to their dimension. Later, she attempts to burn the box, but it is rescued from the fire by a flying skeletal creature that disappears into the night. In the next scene, the box is shown in the hands of the merchant who originally sold it to Frank, asking a prospective customer, "What's your pleasure?"

[edit] Soundtrack

Clive Barker originally commissioned a soundtrack for Hellraiser from the industrial band Coil. But the music they supplied was rejected, and Christopher Young provided a more traditional orchestral score for the finished movie. Coil's score, which was apparently described by Barker in a complimentary manner as being "bowel churning",[1] has been released in isolation as The Unreleased Themes For Hellraiser and as part of the compilation Unnatural History II (CD) (1995).

Christopher Young went on to contribute the soundtrack to the first sequel, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, for which he won a Saturn Award for Best Music. Subsequent movies in the series used music by different composers.

The Swedish death metal band Entombed recorded a cover version of Young's score (along with sample quotes from the film) and released it on their EP Hollowman.

[edit] DVD releases

In North America, Hellraiser has been released by Anchor Bay three times, all of which are the original 93 minute version of the film (this is the only version to ever be released on DVD). The original DVD release was a "bare-bones" release and is now out of print. It was re-issued in 2000 with a new 5.1 mix mastered in THX. Finally, it was packaged along with Hellbound: Hellraiser II in a Limited Edition tin case which included a 48 page colour booklet and a reproduction theatrical poster for both films. [2] [3]

[edit] Remake

On October 20, 2006, Clive Barker announced via his official website that he would be writing the remake to the original Hellraiser. He will not be directing the remake, but he will join as a producer along with Bob Weinstein. [4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://undergroundmusiclibrary.blogspot.com/2005/11/coil-interview.html
  2. ^ http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=537
  3. ^ http://www.cenobite.com/collect/video.htm
  4. ^ http://www.clivebarker.info/intsrevel15.html

[edit] External links

v • d • e
The Hellraiser series

Films: Hellraiser • Hellbound: Hellraiser II • Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth • Hellraiser: Bloodline • Hellraiser: Inferno • Hellraiser: Hellseeker • Hellraiser: Deader • Hellraiser: Hellworld
Cenobites: Pinhead • Chatterer • Female Cenobite
Related topics: Clive Barker • Doug Bradley • Philip Lemarchand • Lemarchand's box • The Hellbound Heart

v • d • e
The Works of Clive Barker
Novels, novellas, and Short story collections
Stand-alone: The Damnation Game | The Hellbound Heart | Weaveworld | Imajica | Books of Blood | The Thief of Always | Sacrament | Galilee | Coldheart Canyon
Books of the Art: The Great and Secret Show | Everville
The Abarat Quintet: Abarat | Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War | Abarat: Absolute Midnight | Abarat: The Eternal | [untitled fifth book]
Short story collections: Books of Blood | Cabal | In the Flesh | The Inhuman Condition | The Scarlet Gospels
Films
Directed by Clive Barker: Salome | The Forbidden | Hellraiser | Nightbreed | Lord of Illusions | Tortured Souls: Animae Damnatae
Directed by others: Rawhead Rex | Underworld | Candyman | Saint Sinner
Other
Art collections: Clive Barker, Illustrator | Illustrator II: The Art of Clive Barker | Clive Barker Visions of Heaven and Hell
Plays: Incarnations: Three Plays | Forms of Heaven: Three Plays
Video games: Clive Barker's Undying | Demonik | Clive Barker's Jericho
Recurring characters
Cenobites | Pinhead | Harry D'Amour
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