Movie Info:
Writers:Clive Barker
Director: Clive Barker
Cast: Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence, Sean Chapman, Oliver Smith, Robert Hines, Anthony Allen, Leon Davis, Michael Cassidy, Frank Baker, Kenneth Nelson, Gay Baynes
Rating: R
Studio: Anchor Bay Home Entertainment
Release Info:
Theatrical Release: September 18, 1987
DVD Release Date: April 21, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $14.99
I had never seen Hellraiser or any of its sequels prior to watching this film. I had heard of Pinhead and knew a little bit about who Pinhead was, but I didn’t really have any idea about what to expect when I was watching this film. I’m an old school horror buff. I grew up in the 80s when horror was in its prime. Hellraiser has become a cult classic and after finally watching it, I can see why.
The topic of pain as a way to find pleasure has always intrigued me. Add in the 80s style of filming horror, decent writing by British horror master, Clive Barker, and a bad ass bad guy (Pinhead is certainly one of a kind) and you have Hellraiser. I admit it. I’d heard good things about this movie, so I was excited to review it. It’s nice to know I wasn’t disappointed!
Fans of the series (which consists of 7 sequels) say this is the best in the series. There has been talk of a remake, but I am of the firm belief that 80s horror can never be replicated. Sure, the effects are substandard, but that’s a part of the 80s horror charm. Making the effects more realistic doesn’t change that fact that movies like Hellraiser are classic films because of what they had to offer to viewers both in the 80s and today. Hellraiser is a timeless classic for a reason.
Before getting into the plot of Hellraiser, I should talk a little bit about Pinhead. Just thinking about how Pinhead looks makes me cringe. His look is unsettling. All of the big name villains of 80s horror have something in common. Though not conventionally realistic villains, if you use your imagination you can see how truly frightening their purpose is. Jason…Freddy…Michael Myers and yes, Pinhead share this trait. It’s nice to finally have Pinhead in high definition on this Blu-ray. The cleared up picture makes him all the more realistic.
Finally, 80s horror is notorious for its poor acting. Hellraiser is no different. Sure, the evilness is portrayed well in nearly every horror series, but those average characters you expect to have decent acting chops have the ability to be about as lame as it gets. The acting here for most of the main characters is poor. Still, not even lousy, over the top acting can ruin this movie. That’s 80s horror. That’s just the way it is.
The Hellraiser Plot
Hellraiser is based on the book “The Hellbound Heart” by Clive Barker. Barker had a definitive vision for this film. That vision has turned him into one of the legendary directors and writers in the horror genre. He’s especially unique when it comes to British horror.
The movie begins in Morocco. Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) isn’t the nicest guy out there. He’s impulsive and has an angry side. While in Morocco, Frank buys an antique puzzle box from a local dealer. When Frank returns home he solves the puzzle. As a result, he must make the ultimate sacrifice. Demons from another dimension appear and Frank is tethered with chains that are hooked through his flesh. The demons are known as cenobites and they are led by evilness itself, their wicked leader, Pinhead (Doug Bradley – it should be noted he was never named Pinhead until after this movie debuted). After Pinhead arrives, the demons, Frank and Pinhead disappear, returning the room to a state where it looks like nothing happened in it. Pinhead also leaves the puzzle, now unsolved, in the room.
Frank’s mysterious disappearance brings his brother, Larry (Andrew Robinson) and his family to the home. Larry moves in with his new wife (his second) Julia (Clare Higgins), though he has no idea that Julia and Frank had an affair some time ago. Their relationship was sado-masochistic in nature, much different from Julia’s relationship with Larry. Larry also has a daughter, Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence), and since the teenaged Kirsty dislikes Julia, so she finds her own home.
Larry and Julia assume Frank is out living it up. His house is filled with photographs showing him with various women, so it’s pretty clear what kind of lifestyle he led. Larry ends up being the one to bring Frank back, though he doesn’t know it. Larry cuts his hand on a nail, and his blood drips on the floor in the room where Frank was murdered. The blood seeps into the floorboards, and the soul of Frank ingests it, using it to bring himself back to life. Frank (Oliver Smith) must take on a new body, and he requires Julia’s help to get him more blood so he can truly return back to life.
By reviving himself, Frank has broken his deal with the demon cenobites. He wants nothing more than to regenerate and then leave, but before he can do that Kirsty’s snooping around gets everyone in trouble. With Kristy gaining possession of the ancient puzzle box and the ability to summon Pinhead and take on her own debt by solving the puzzle, Kirsty’s life (and the life of her family) is about to get very interesting.
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Directing:
Audio/Visual:
Hellraiser offers an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 to go along with the 1080p AVC encode. As you might have guessed, when it comes to Hellraiser you are not going to find anything that looks better than this does. The level of detail is gorgeous and while the effects here are terrible, everything looks as good as it can look. The colors are good and the effects that are higher class, still give you that gross out effect. This was a low budget film and that remains obvious throughout, but leaving that behind you have the best version of Hellraiser that you will ever see.
Hellraiser utilizes Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound to the best of its ability. It’s not a perfect track but it does sound good. The score is by far the nicest sound that you will here, though the sound effects come through clearly, as well. The dialogue never really presents a problem either. The original source was low budget and in many ways that comes through, but it’s a decent transfer overall. There are not any additional languages available with this Blu-ray, though subtitles are available in English and Spanish.
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Audio:
Bonus Features:
There are a number of special features on this Hellraiser Blu-ray. Fans will be pleased with all there is from fast film facts to a commentary with Clive Barker and Ashley Laurence. As with the rest of this presentation, there isn’t much here that you can complain about. Everything looks good and will be sure to please fans of this series.
Fast Film Facts: This option gives you a chance to watch the film and view facts about the film as they pop up on the screen in random intervals. There are not too many tracks here, but some were definitely worth the wait. That being said, you’re probably gonna be best off viewing this while listening to the commentary.
Commentary: The commentary includes Clive Barker and Ashley Laurence primarily and is moderated by screenwriter Peter Atkins. This commentary is not new. It’s the one that comes from the DVD release of Hellraiser. Still, if you have not heard it you should find it to be worth a listen. It’s a full commentary with no dead space or empty moments. Much of the information is interesting to listen to, filled with production memories and other tidbits about making the film.
Mr. Cotton I Presume: An Interview with Andrew Robinson: At just over 15 minutes long, Robinson gets plenty of time to talk about how he has been typecast in the industry as the proverbial bad guy. He is incredibly open about his experiences. It is almost refreshing, or at least interesting to hear him speak of the frustrations that occurred with working with a first time director.
Actress from Hell: An Interview with Ashley Laurence: This interview clocks in at close to twelve minutes and in many ways is more interesting than the one with Robinson. Laurence speaks openly about her thoughts and disappointment with the Hellraiser sequels. She also speaks about how her place in the second film was disappointing to her in many ways. Of course, she states she was contractually bound, which was likely a main factor for her returning to the second film.
Hellcomposer: An Interview with Composer Christopher Young: Film score fans should enjoy this feature quite a bit. Young discusses various things about himself and the making of this score for Hellraiser. He credits Bernard Hermann for being the inspiration in making him want to become a composer. It is also quite interesting to hear him speak of the vision that Barker had of the film.
Hellraiser: Resurrection: Barker talks about Hellraiser in this 25 minute featurette. Along with Barker you will have a chance to hear the cast chime in on their thoughts about Barker and other elements of the film and sequels. The highlights here are going to be the addition of Doug Bradley and the various behind the scenes crew who haven’t been heard from at this point in the special features. Otherwise, you end up hearing a lot of things that you have heard previously.
Under The Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellraiser: Bradley talks mainly about his experiences in playing Pinhead. He also talks a bit about the audition process and what it took to get this character.
Trailers & TV Spots: This section includes three trailers (the R-rated, G-rated, and International) along with four television spots.
Other special features include four sets of still galleries labeled “Behind the Scenes,” “Make-up & SFX photos,” “Promotional Material,” and “Storyboards”, BD Live content, which was not viewable at the time of this review, and the first and final draft of the screenplay viewable via your computer’s DVD rom drive.
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Bottom Line:
Hellraiser is a cult classic that is nothing like the movies that it is often lumped with in its genre. Clive Barker creates multi-layered stories that appeal to horror fans darkest needs. Those of you that are only familiar with Pinhead by the name need to run out and see this movie. If you know who he is, you already know you want to pick up this Blu-ray. Fans that own a Blu-ray player need to pick this up because it is by far the best version that has ever been available to date.
Overall Rating:
Technorati Tags: Blu Ray, Blu-ray Review, Hellraiser, Anchor Bay Home Entertainment, Horror, Cult Classic
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Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website
Ashtyn Evans is a writer, advocate, free thinker, and all around cynical person. Always quick to find the negative in anything pop culture, she loves being a part of that which she despises. Ashtyn and Dominick own numerous blogs together, as well as a full-time writing business. In her spare time she is a full-time college student studying History and Psychology. She plans to one day give up her freelance career and be a full-time blogger, novelist, and domestic goddess. She can be contacted for writing projects, fan mail, or just to say hi. She really is friendlier than we make her look.
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