Hellraiser (film series)

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Hellraiser DVD cover

Hellraiser is a series of horror films exploring the themes of sadomasochism and morals under duress. The first film is based on the critically acclaimed novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who also wrote the screenplay and directed the first film. As of 2006, there have been seven sequels.

1 The films
2 Fan films
3 References
4 External links

[edit] The films

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Hellraiser (1987)

Main article: Hellraiser

The basic plot of the film revolves around a puzzle box which, when properly manipulated, summons the Cenobites, who supposedly take the user of the box away into their world of endless sensuality.

[edit] Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)

Main article: Hellbound: Hellraiser II

Directed by Tony Randel. Filmed in Technicolor.

Doctor Channard is sent a new patient, Kirsty Cotton. As she lies in a psychiatric hospital, Kirsty is haunted by the sight of the unspeakable horror that destroyed her family. The only person who believes her story is a young, kind assistant of Doctor Channard, named Kyle MacRae.

[edit] Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)

Main article: Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth

Directed by Anthony Hickox.

After the confrontation in Hellbound: Hellraiser II, the Cenobite Pinhead is trapped, along with the puzzle box, amongst the writhing figures and distorted faces etched into the surface of an intricately carved pillar. The pillar is bought by the rich and spoiled J.P. Monroe (Kevin Bernhardt), owner of a famous club called The Boiler Room. An ambitious young television reporter, Joey Summerskill (Terry Farrell), slowly begins to learn about Pinhead and the mysterious puzzle box. She is introduced to the pain the box can bring when she views a teenage club-goer being ripped apart by the box's chains in a hospital emergency room. She tracks the box and a young woman named Terri (Paula Marshall) to The Boiler Room, from which Terri and her boyfriend had stolen the puzzle box.

Three songs were recorded by Motörhead for the film's soundtrack - "Hellraiser", "Hell on Earth" and "Born To Raise Hell".

[edit] Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)

Main article: Hellraiser: Bloodline

This film tells the story of the original creator of the Lament Configuration, a toymaker named Philip Lemarchand, commissioned by a Duc de L'Isle, a wealthy Aristocrat, master of the dark arts who wished to open a gateway to Hell in order to enslave a demon. It presents the story of the later Lemarchand/Merchant bloodline and their unconscious bond with the Lament Configuration, a plot to create a new design, the Elysium Configuration, able to close the gateway opened by the first box and banish the Cenobites.

[edit] Hellraiser: Inferno (2000)

Main article: Hellraiser: Inferno

Hellraiser: Inferno is more of a psychological thriller take on the Hellraiser series. The plot is about an intelligent cop who lets greed and corruption completely destroy his life and all of the people in it.

[edit] Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002)

Main article: Hellraiser: Hellseeker

Dean Winters plays Trevor, who survives a car accident that apparently kills his wife Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence), when their car plunges off of a bridge into the river below. Trevor manages to escape with his life, but, even though police divers find both car doors open, there is no sign of Kirsty.

One month later, Trevor wakes up in a hospital and realizes that his wife is missing, but because of a head injury, his memory is uncertain and he cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality. Trevor finds himself the prime suspect in a murder case, and has two homicide detectives on his tail. Many strange events befall him, until the Cenobite Pinhead shows him reality. The film brings back Ashley Laurence as Kirsty Cotton, who appeared in first three Hellraiser installments.

[edit] Hellraiser: Deader (2005)

Main article: Hellraiser: Deader

Directed by Rick Bota. It was released in the United States on June 7, 2005.

A female reporter for a London newspaper is sent to Bucharest to investigate an underground suicide cult who can bring back the dead. She is quickly drawn into their dark world and soon can see no way out other than to join them.

[edit] Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005)

Main article: Hellraiser: Hellworld

The movie starts with five friends at a funeral for a friend who died because of his obsession for a game "Hellworld". Two years following that event, the same five friends each complete the Lament Configuration on a website and earn an invitation to the party "Hellworld" at the Leviathan House. Arriving at the house "The Host" of the party (Lance Henriksen) takes the friends on a tour through the many layers of the home and it's history which sets the stage for the introductions of "Pinhead" (Doug Bradley) and the other Cenobites. The remainder of the movie falls on Chelsea (Katheryn Winnick) and Jake (Christopher Jacot) as they struggle to escape "The Host" and the Cenobites.

[edit] Fan films

There is an expanding base of Hellraiser-themed fan films that are either complete or in various stages of production.

No More Souls was written and directed by makeup effects guru Gary J. Tunnicliffe. It was released as a hidden feature on the commercial DVD release of Hellraiser: Deader.^[1]

The Hellraiser Chronicles: A Question of Faith^[2] was the first completed fan film and is a British short film that was completed in 2004. Directed by R.N. Millward (Cherry Orchard), this film was designed to recapture as much of the mood and atmosphere of the original as possible. This film is currently is currently doing the festival rounds, and has received very positive reviews, some of which are available on IMDB. Director Millward is hoping to work with 'Pinhead' actor Doug Bradley on a new UK charity fund-raising horror short.^[3]

Skankobite^[4] is a Hellraiser parody fan film, made by David Lindabury in 2005. The film's runtime is 8 minutes and is available on DVD.^[5]

Hellraiser: Prophecy^[6] is a crossover fan film, combining the themes from Hellraiser and the 1995 Christopher Walken film The Prophecy. This film was completed in March, 2006, and premiered on 24 March 2006 at I-CON XXV^[7]. The total runtime is 22 minutes. Two teaser trailers are available at the official website ^[8]. The film has been reviewed by the Reel Horror Podcast^[9] and The Horror Podcast^[10]. The fan film was released on the Internet via YouTube in two parts^[11]^[12] on October 31, 2006. ^[13].^[14]

Hellraiser: Apocalypse is a web-only parody.^[15]

Hellraiser: Early Grave is a four-minute short depicting a lone military officer's run-in with the forces of Leviathan^[16] . This film is currently in production. A trailer is available online.^[17]

The Hellraiser Chronicles: Life-bringer is a project from the creator of two fan films, Obsession (abandoned) and Game of Chance.^[18] The film is in post-production.