Hellraiser (1987) User Reviews

One of the more original horror movies around.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 8/10 · 9 January 2010]

This surely is a very refreshing and original horror movie to watch. It doesn't has the usual formulaic ingredients in it, such as monsters or a murderous psychopathic serial killer on the loose. No screaming teenagers and no dark haunted places. All we have this time is a cube, that opens doors to hell and unleashes the bringers of pain; Pinhead and friends, who want to play with you forever.

But even that story is being somewhat pushed to the background and it focuses more on a family, of which the wife falls madly for the the no good brother of her soon to be husband. The brother however messed with the cube and got stuck in Pinhead's hell of pain. He however managed to escape it but only in a skeleton form. He needs blood to slowly regain his body and asks the wife to kill for him. This is were most of the movie its 'horror' comes from.

The movie doesn't get its horror aspects from its normal usual scare- or gross out moments. It's more a movie that works on its atmosphere and story development. Perhaps it's also due to the restrained budget, that simply forced the film-makers to be creative with the things they had at hand. The movie is no big Hollywood production and as a matter of fact it actually is an UK movie, that still got obviously aimed toward the American market as well though, in terms of its overall style.

And even though the movie was low-budget, the movie certainly did not look that way. Also its effects such as its make-up and the effects used for the more gory parts of the movie are really great looking. The make-up of course helped to make Pinhead an horror icon-figure, though in this movie he isn't even called by the name Pinhead, which was only a name that got developed later for marketing purposes.

The movie also features a great musical score by Christopher Young, that fits the movie really well. It's one of his more memorable works.

A real original horror movie, that has grown into being a classic already.

8/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Alluringly Unique

[Neon_Gold · 8/10 · 17 November 2021]

When I was first watching this movie I was thinking "why is this so popular" but then out of no where I found my self absolutely loving it.

It has such a magnetic quality to it. The story is different from most horror movies. It has lore and a whole world. The acting isn't good but it has such an 80's charm. The whole thing does.

The special effects...they are all practical. It looks so good. It must have took hours to get some of them looks perfect!

I can understand now why this movie has such a large following. It is just unique and has such allure.

What more can be said?

[innocuous · 8/10 · 22 January 2005]

There has been much debate over this movie. As I've said elsewhere, the movies I find to be worthwhile viewing experiences are those that receive reviews at both extreme ends of the spectrum. Movies like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" receive nearly 100% positive reviews and I find them to be sorely lacking in imagination and execution. Movies with uniformly poor reviews are generally very genuinely bad. "Hellraiser", on the other hand, is a phenomenal accomplishment for a low-budget B-movie.

Personally, I do not find this movie to be particularly gory. There are a few strong scenes, but the more unsettling parts of the movie involve no bloodshed at all. This includes Julia's betrayal of her soon-to-be husband.

The trend in horror movies at the time that this was released was towards more "realistic" villains, usually the guy next door who was a little whacked. "Hellraiser" was prepared to introduce evil in a completely different form.

Several reviewers have commented on how they have been confused about what exactly is happening in this movie. I find that puzzling, since the circumstances (and most of the "Hellraiser" mythos) is spelled out quite plainly in this first movie of the series.

In general, the special effects are pretty cheesy, but the Cenobites are depicted very well. The images really stick in your mind. I have a replica of the LeMarchand puzzle box on my desk and I don't believe anyone has ever picked it up and asked me what it is. Everyone recognizes "the box that calls Pinhead."

The Anchor Bay release of this movie belongs in your collection.

**** out of *****

It ain't SUPPOSED to be Macbeth, here folks....

[Skippy-19 · 28 December 1998]

In a decade of cheap, exploitive slashers, we finally get this one. Relief.

Instead of some maniac ripped from Halloween, we get a simple wooden box. Simple, or so Frank thought.

What results is a cinematic masterpiece, a great mix of gore and violence, as well as a great musical score and some nice drama. The acting is fine, but there are imperfections. One common complaint: The characters are not pleasant enough we can latch onto them. Maybe that's because these seem more realistic than the characters we CAN latch onto. Just a thought, don't jump on this.

What really gets me, though, is the people calling it down, saying it's not quality entertainment. Come on guys, if it was SUPPOSED to be Shakespeare, it would not advertise as being able to "tear your soul apart."

The presence of the cenobites was originally intended not to carry the story but to emphasize it. As usual, the sequaes ignored it. Hey, merchandizing.

This is the only one of the series that depends on the story more than the demons. We hardly ever see the infamous Pinhead at all.

all in all, this was a fun movie. No Shakespeare, but it's not supposed to be. Just dramatic, gory, groundbreaking horror, delivered to us excellently by Mr. Barker.

What's your pleasure?...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 21 December 2015]

You can't be a horror fan and not be familiar with Clive Barker's "Hellraiser" movies. And as a horror fan chances are that you will enjoy them - the first few movies at the very least.

The core of the story of the "Hellraiser" franchise revolves around a mysterious artifact - an intricate puzzle box - which is said to be able to grant people what they desire the most. But it comes with a price, a terrible, terrible price. And it is guarded by the vile Cenobites.

The warped mind of Clive Barker really came up with something wonderfully morbid and disturbing when "Hellraiser" was first unleashed upon the world. Especially the Cenobites, they are grotesque but interesting at the same time.

In the first movie Larry and his wife Julia moves into Larry's old family house. The very same house where his brother Frank tried to unlock the puzzle box and was sent to Hell. An accident causes Larry's blood to be spilled on the floor, bringing back Frank from the dead. But in his flayed and fleshless state of being, Frank needs the blood and flesh of the living in order to regenerate his own body. But no one escapes Hell that easily.

For a 1987 movie, I will say that the effects still hold their own today, having withstood the test of time. Especially the rebirth of Frank and his transformation back to fully human. And the Cenobites, lets not forget the Cenobites; they were just amazing.

With this now classic horror movie the World saw the likes of Doug Bradley like never before and he instantly became a horror legend, just as Pinhead became a horror icon.

I grew up with these horror movies along with other horror franchises, and I love them even today and make frequent visits back to them. If you are not familiar with "Hellraiser", shame on you. Then I would strongly recommend that you sit down and watch it, perhaps even do a movie marathon of the series.

Unique and twisted

[Gafke · 10/10 · 14 March 2004]

This is one of the sickest and most depraved horror films of its time, and I love every minute of it. Where other films had only touched on the barest suggestion of the link between sex and death, Hellraiser shoves that fact right in your face.

Frank Cotton (who starts out the film as the main character) is a soulless man who lives only for life's pleasures. He will go to great lengths to satisfy his lusts, and thinks nothing of who he may be stepping on to get there. He is offered a small, strange puzzle box called The Lament Configuration by a strange man in what looks and sounds to be a Mid Eastern market. The box, he is promised, will open the gates to a world of pleasures that no mortal can possibly imagine. Frank takes the box, but he doesn't understand that the pleasures the box offers are to the demons who live within it. The Cenobites, sadomasochistic creatures who live eternally beyond the gates that the box can open and close, take great pleasure in ensnaring new human victims to toy with, imprisoning them forever in a labyrinth of pain and suffering. Frank disappears, and many months later, his brother and sister-in-law come to live in the abandoned home.

The film then switches gears and gives us a new main character: Julia. Julia, the wife of Frank Cottons brother Larry, is a cold woman. Beautiful and immaculate, she is icy and distant and seems to derive no pleasure from anything, least of all her husband and his daughter from a previous marriage, Kirsty. Julia's only private joy are the memories she has of Frank, with whom she once had an affair. Frank seems to be the only man who was never intimidated by Julia, treating her roughly and breaking down her defenses. Little does Julia know that Frank never left the house; he is upstairs, in the attic, having escaped from the Cenobites and now biding his time until he can return to a world of flesh and blood. When Larry accidentally injures himself and bleeds on the floor of the attic, Frank is brought back, feeding on the fluid and slowly regenerating, growing back bones, muscle and skin. Julia soon discovers the terrible secret in the attic. After her initial shock and disgust, she agrees to help Frank, for whom she still lusts, and begins bringing him men she picks up in bars. She bludgeons them to death and Frank feeds on them, each one helping him in his regeneration.

The film then switches points of view once more and Kirsty becomes the main character. Kirsty, who has never liked the pretentious, frigid Julia, becomes suspicious. Her suspicions are soon confirmed when she comes face to face with "Uncle Frank" and barely escapes his bloody clutches, the Lament Configuration in her hand. She accidentally opens it, and when the demons within, led by the now-famous Pinhead, threaten to take her back with them to their dimension, she makes a deal: she will lead them to Frank, and they can have him instead of her. From there on out, it is a countdown; will Kirsty find Frank in time? Can her father be saved from the adulterous couple plotting against him in his own house? Or will it be too late for all of them?

This is another sex-equals-death film, but with a slightly updated feel. Julia is Bad; she cheats on her husband and likes her sex rough. Kirsty is Good, but she is no virgin, living with her boyfriend and eagerly engaging in premarital sex. Larry, a dull-as-paste husband who seems to genuinely love his wife but doesn't quite understand how to treat a woman, falls victim to his own blandness. He never sees what's coming because he possesses no imagination, no foresight; he is just the everyday, mundane man mowed under by his own unspectacular existence. Frank is the ultimate Bad; he is a user. He likes sadism, but not when it is turned on him. The Cenobites are the real reason this film was so successful; expressionless zombies in black leather and fetish wear. Led by the majestic Pinhead, they come into our world equipped with chains and hooks and all manner of painful devices, literally ripping their victims apart without batting an eye. They are what Frank wants to be, but Frank is not strong enough. He collapses beneath the weight of his own ego; he wants to think he is a god, but he is only an insect after all.

This film received an X rating when it was first released, but seems pretty tame now. The gore effects are only a tad dated, but they're still quite shocking. I think the X rating might have been due more to the films unrelenting sadism than anything else. It's sick and remorseless, but that's not to say it's bad. It's innovative. Nothing like it had been seen up to that time, and it still remains an original. It never imitates; it's all fresh and frighteningly new and should be appreciated for that if nothing else. Followed by one pretty good sequel and a handful of really bad ones, this first installment remains the best. Should be seen at least once.

Great back in those days...

[pavlomir · 6/10 · 19 October 2022]

Can't speak of how the people could have reacted on this movie back in the 1987, but I can tell you it didn't age well. It feels like the style of the 70's and 80's. Some romantic cheating wife with soft core p)rn scenes to add to the story. But it feels like that in half of the movie. The underworld isn't that scary, it is just discussing to see the practical effects, which they did a great job on that. If we compare this movie to the other movies from the 80's, it will look and feel inferior.

There are a lot of mistakes, bad camera cuts and acting. Today it would have a ratting of 3/10. Because of the great practical effects 6/10.

Trash to some, a horror masterpiece to all those who know what they're talking about!

[The_Void · 10/10 · 27 October 2005]

I have seen Hellraiser many, many times; but my most recent viewing of the film was different to the rest. It was different because this was the first time that I've seen the film since reading Clive Barker's novel "The Hellbound Heart". The novel both enhanced my enjoyment for the film, and exposed some of its flaws. With the book, Barker really allows the reader to get inside the character's head, which ensures that the horror is more shocking. His descriptions are also a lot more macabre than what is shown in the film, and the way that certain things in the book are missed out/abridged shows some of the wasted opportunities of the story. This isn't really a criticism of the film, but rather of books being turned into movies on the whole. People often say that the book is better than the movie; and in this case it's true! Even so, Hellraiser is an absolute classic horror film, and easily one of the best of the eighties; not to mention all time. The plot simply follows Frank Cotton. Frank is a man in search of unknown pleasures, and in order to achieve that he buys a mysterious music box. This box does give out pleasure; but it's inflicted by a band of demons, known as 'Cenobytes' - and their idea of pleasure differs from Frank's! The story picks up when Frank's brother and his girlfriend, Julia, move into the house where Frank was taken...

The main reason Hellraiser stands out among horror films is because of its themes. Barker weaves shades of love, eroticism and, of course, pain and pleasure into his tale of demons and scarred flesh - and this really makes the film. We can care for the characters and what happens to them because of what Barker puts between them, and it's always evident that this film is head and shoulders above the rest of the schlock-horror sub-genre. The special effects, particularly on the screen time surrounding Frank, are simply stunning and show how real effects beat all this CGI rubbish hands down, while also showing that a low budget can be overcome. The film is never gratuitous with its gore or effects either, and everything in this film is there because it has to be. This is what annoys me about non-horror fans - films like this are dismissed by them because they're "too gory" or "stupid" - but Hellraiser breaks the mould because it's a truly original story and the way that Barker implements a macabre love story amidst a plethora of shocking horror is extremely skilfully handled, and more than challenges many of the so-called 'A-class' films.

A writer directing his own work tends to ensure that it will get proper treatment, and this is mostly true here. Some things have been changed from the book for no apparent reason (mostly with the characters of Larry and Kristy), but the only thing that really annoyed me was the ending. I suppose it's due to the time that it was made, but the ending feels tacked on to me. Barker's ending in the book was perfectly judged - just open enough to hint at more, while closing the story enough so that the reader is satisfied. Here, we have a schlock finale that is entertaining, but pulls away from the closed atmosphere that Barker has spent the film creating. This film differs from most other eighties horror films because of the fact that the actors are a talented bunch. You come to expect bad acting from this sort of film - but Hellraiser has none of it! The entire cast shine, with Clare Higgins making the biggest impression as the evil Julia. This was Clive Barker's directorial debut, and at times, it's clear that this is the case; but Barker makes the best of his locations, and while his camera sometimes feels enclosed; it fuses with the tragic music brilliantly, and all this helps the film to create that fabulous atmosphere so convincingly.

Overall, I have pointed out a couple of flaws here; but I really can't bring myself to give this masterpiece any less than full marks. The originality on display throughout Hellraiser is astounding, as is the atmosphere and the performances pulled out of the actors, along with the fact that this film has entertained me many times and is still as good today as the first time I saw it. All of this ensures that Hellraiser will be an endearing favourite of mine for the rest of my life. If you consider yourself a fan of horror and haven't seen this; shame on you. Make sure you read the book, too!

Suspense in Hell

[tequila101 · 7/10 · 21 November 2011]

This is certainly Clive Barker's Masterpiece. His 1987 film, "Hellraiser" is a really good example of how a late 80's horror film can work.

Nearing the 90's, horror films started to go down hill. In 1991 and 1996, we got two really good thriller horrors, being "SCREAM" and "Silence of the Lambs". This film however, was the last of it's kind to give us some good late 80's slasher craze which was still born and still very fresh with horror freaks.

I won't go into the plot because I believe everyone should have seen Hellraiser by now, if not, well GO SEE IT! All I can say is that the concepts of the box is terrific. A new way to kill a slashing demon is always a terrific and creative concept and it works really well in this one. I also love the soundtrack suite which is haunting beautiful and dramatic in parts. The actors are superb and their characters are believable.

Doug Bradley as Pinhead is the best and he knows how to give us a creepy killer which cannot be stopped. I dunno why in "Revelations" they got a different actor to play him. Doug is Pinhead, end of story.

I also like the way the death scenes and plot are shown. The director takes it a little step at a time while as most directors just go full on with the violence and exploit everything. Clive actually took his time to tell the story and that's what made most of the ending sequences and starting deaths so intense. It all left us to the core suspense.

Also, the 1987 film is the only Hellraiser film I have really liked. I've also seen part 3, 4 and 6. 3 was OK, 4 was dodgy and 6 sucked. The thing about the first film was that it had a dramatic fantasy to it, while being realistic, people were dying for real. The other Hellraiser films I have seen since then haven't really had the same impact but instead really try to rehash and be as shocking, doesn't work at all!?

My verdict on this 87 classic is a 7.5/10.

P.S: I just hope they can get this right in the remake next year.

Such a waste of celluloid

[iknowhwoyouare · 5/10 · 3 February 2023]

I honestly don't get what is so fancy about this movie. It is a weak a bad adaptation of the horror novella of Clive Barker. In 1979 we witnessed the movie Alien. In 1984, the Terminator. So, there is no reason for making a movie in 1987 looking like as if it was filmed with techniques from 1940. Just go and see the endless list of goofs. This movie is full of errors, blunders, and the preps are so plastic, so cheap that it just makes me laugh at it. Sorry, the bad script is just surpassed by the horrible acting. The suspension and horror is not there. There are many disgusting scenes, but those are laughable for me, not scary. The story is very confusing, and the boyfriend of Kirsty is such a weak actor... I mean, he sees the horror in a ramshackle house and not even the slightest looks concerned. OK, sorry, this was a waste of time for me.

"Come to daddy."

[Backlash007 · 10/10 · 2 October 2001]

This truly is groundbreaking horror from the highly imaginative mind of one Clive Barker. Hellraiser is one the best horror films ever made, let alone to come out of the eighties. It proves that slasher flicks don't rule the horror screen. There are other, better movies in the genre. The Cenobites are outstanding. They completely steal the show. Pinhead (played by Doug Bradley, a name that would become synonymous with Hellraiser), Female, Chatterer, and Butterball are awesome in all their gory S&M glory. Someone once said that if you assembled all of the horror icons at a dinner table, Pinhead would be the only one using silverware. After watching this movie again, that seems to be a very true statement. Aside from the Cenobites, Frank is an extraordinary sight to behold. Bob Keen's effects team has outdone themselves. The entire world that Barker has created astounds me. He's really pushing the envelope here. The dark imagery and the concept of the Lament Configuration are incredible. Why aren't more original movies made? Today they all seem to rip off the same concepts. Hellraiser is a completely original eerie experience. It's one of the few films I can think of that was unique and has stayed unique after all these years. There are a lot of opinions about the sequels. Mine is stop after Hellraiser II as II is the end of the truly dark nature that these films have (although III is certainly a guilty pleasure). If you haven't yet, see this highly exceptional horror classic immediately. It is undoubtedly one of my all time favorites.

A classic horror.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 15 November 2023]

Julia is forced to kill for her brother in law Larry, who's dabbled with powerful, but malign forces and been turned into a decayed, monstrous like creature. Larry is trying to regain his physical being in order to escape the creatures, The Cenobites.

Hellraiser is definitely one of those wonderful 1980's video nasties, I'm not a hundred percent sure I'd put it in the same category as Halloween or Nightmare on Elm Street, but I'm not sure if that's because of this film, or some of the atrocious followups.

Special effects that would have been quite advanced for the time, there's lots of blood and gore, and that scene where Frank initially appears is quite something.

At times it's really quite sadistic and nasty, the kind of film that you'd sneak on as a youngster, and have a few sleepless nights over. At times it's menacing, sickening and just downright twisted, yes it may look a little dated in parts, but I think it holds up well.

Great music throughout, it's so dramatic, it perfectly fits the tone of the film. The makeup is terrific, especially The Cenobites.

Clare Higgins steals it for me, I think she's great, definitely something of the femme fatale.

What is so interesting, is just how little Pin Head actually appears, even if people don't know the film.or the story, he's quite well known, he's hardly in it though.

The story holds up pretty well, I'd say it's perfect for an update, but I'm not sure that the followups have offered much.

7/10.

Unless it's delivered with a smile, body horror isn't much my forte

[eminkl · 3/10 · 14 December 2019]

When tongues aren't firmly in cheek a la "The Evil Dead" or "Re-Animator," I couldn't care less about pounds of gore and goop being splattered about with unsightly griminess. Because the viewing of a film that gets its jollies from toying with its characters' bodily functions is already psychologically heavy enough as it is, important is a sense of humor that assures us that its maker is a cinephile with a dark vision and not a disturbed self-proclaimed artiste provided with a decent enough budget by a surprisingly willing studio. Not that I'm primed to call Clive Barker, the mastermind behind the ins-and-outs of the unpleasant "Hellraiser," disturbed per se - that'd be insulting to his quote unquote array of talents. What I'd prefer to call him is a faux horror maestro with a bad habit of believing that horror and gore are synonymous. He presents his images of bodily destruction and moral incineration not with a side dish of dread nor with a sprinkling of tension but with flat detachment. Like the more grotesque works to come out of David Cronenberg's oeuvre, with images of "Videodrome" and "Dead Ringers" coming to mind, we leave "Hellraiser" feeling uncomfortable, dirty. This is an ugly film, devoid of emotion and human decency. Its special effects are magnificent, all convincing gobbledegook that make the right impressions. But aside from the proficiency of the art department, the film makes for a brutal experience, able to inspire depressed winces and blatant misery but not much else. How could it rouse anything else, anyway, if the movie follows an unhappily married woman's (Clare Higgins) sinful quest to complete the reincarnation of her undead lover (Sean Chapman) by killing innocents? There is more to the story, I suppose. That said undead lover got himself killed in the first place by purchasing an exotic puzzle box able to transport him into the underworld (which eventually becomes a major plot device), and that said unhappily married woman is currently married to her deceased boyfriend's brother (Andrew Robinson). But I'd rather not get into the details of "Hellraiser" because it'd do nothing besides force me to relive the torment I experienced during viewing. Unlike the thrill-seeking zeitgeist of most horror movies, the film flops around in a puddle of dejection and carnage, never to do anything besides arouse disgust. "Hellraiser" has ample opportunity to be something more than a dour mood piece - it could have fun with the introduction of its side antagonists, the Cenobites (a legendary bunch led by the instantaneously recognizable Pinhead), and it could use its gore as an exaggerative measure to complement the eccentric nightmarishness of its central conflict. But Barker seems to prefer static suffering to persuasive emotional manipulation, which might be fine for him and for the not-so faint of heart but not so much for anyone who craves pulse pounding fear in their horror movies. Because this is a behemoth of evil targeting the gag reflex more than the mind and the heart, I'm more inclined to recommend staying clear of its callous ways. Its protagonists are thinly sketched, its antagonists one-note in their maleficence. But if flesh ripping and blood spewing and concepts of never-ending trauma is up your alley, "Hellraiser" is more than likely a movie worth seeing. That just doesn't mean I have to like it for everything it somehow manages to do right.

It Took Ten Years Off My Life Watching This

[Big Movie Fan · 20 August 2002]

Hellraiser was a bloody good film but part of me wishes I hadn't seen it because it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I remember renting it out on video along with A Nightmare On Elm Street back in the late 1980's. I thought Freddy Krueggar was bad but those cenobites scared the you know what out of me.

The acting is good throughout the film and praise must go to everyone. The characters were very interesting characters from the humans right up to the cenobites.

There was a lot of gore in this movie and it was quite sick at times-not a film to watch if you're eating.

The storyline of the film is a very intriguing one and very original indeed.

But those cenobites didn't half scare me particularly when that pinhead said, "We will tear your soul apart!" Then again, that is what a good horror is all about-scaring the you know what out of it's audience.

If you're looking for a quality horror movie of the 80's then check this one out. Just don't be surprised if it sends you hair grey.

Loved it then...But sadly it hasn't aged well.

[stp4883 · 6/10 · 6 April 2023]

Clive Barker, big fan of his writing. Was thrilled when this movie came out. The Cenobites were Hell's most insane rock band. 30 something years later I just watched this with my son. And sorry to say there is alot of "cringey" stuff in the movie. The story, the ideas, the theme were all so very original & I'm curious if the 2022 remake/reboot will enhance & update this movie.

But much of the acting & actual story is ooooof, pretty bad. But the Cenobites are still fascinating & kinda save the movie to my 21 year old son who can appreciate the thoughts behind the movie & forgive the all the bad stuff. When you have to say, "Well back then this was really powerful", & keep qualifying your opinion from 35 years ago, that's telling you something. There's alot of good to this movie & there's alot of bad. But it's still worth the watch if you're a newbie.

Back then if IMDB existed I'd probably have given this 8 stars, now I have to back off a bit and give a generous 6. But it was pretty ground breaking back then...Ahh well, time moves on...

Hellraiser is a classic horror movie

[larryct48 · 7/10 · 13 October 2019]

Second time watching Hellraiser but I forgot many details, so it felt like the first time

The story railed me in from the begging when frank unlocks the box revealing pinhead and the cenobots.

The story is very dark and a true nightmare for the family. I was scared several scenes specially when kristy unlocks the box and the other dimension is revealed to her.

The design of the cenobites was well done and I think pinhead is still one of the most terrifying characters in the history of horror.

Some of the acting i felt was a bit forced but nothing that bother me to much.

The special effects were great and holds up after so many years.

This movies make wants me see the sequels and know more about pinheads and his history.

Gothic, Gory, Romantic, Beautiful, Colorful, and Tasteful horror film. A Gem!

[TruPretender · 9/10 · 28 October 2007]

Contrary to what one might conceive in their minds BEFORE watching this classic horror movie, it should be said that Clive Barker has delivered us a real gem of a horror story, packed with intensity, both emotionally, as well as physically. "Hellraiser" is about love, lust, pain, and pleasure. It's been called an "otherworldly tale of pain and torture". It's been referred to as a grim, Gothic romance. Needless to say, it's gore following is much more in numbers than that of the "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy. Truly, this film is everything one see's it to be, from a romance, to a gore show, to a good ol' fashioned scare show. Either way, it's a fine film regardless. I might add, however, that it may come as a surprise upon first viewing. What is surprising, is the way it plays out very dramatic. Our characters are very down to earth, each with their own personal idiosyncrasies and inner demons, not to mention personal strengths. Each of them stands like a look at the different human desires, fears, joys, and sorrows. It plays out like a grim, Shakespeare play. A man and woman, Larry and Julia Cotton, moving into a home where memories dwell upon like haunting spirits. Larry is a charismatic optimistic gentleman, full of love and compassion for his wife, and his daughter, Kirsty. Julia is a human relic of baggage and fallen dreams, because she bears so many dark secrets, one of which is an affair with Frank, her husband's younger brother. Frank is alive, and replenishing himself after a rather nasty encounter with a Pandora's Box. Larry's blood, spilled over a hardwood floor, brings Frank back to life from an excruciating death, in one of the finest special effects sequences in cinematic history. Once Julia and Frank reunite, their love is more dangerous, and powerful than imagined. Together they conspire in the grand tradition of "McBeth" and "Othello", to reign in pleasure once again. Enter Kirsty, Larry's daughter, and Frank's niece. A warm hearted, but determined soul who crosses paths with Julia and Frank before they can finish their diabolical plan. Kirsty eventually encounters the dark secret beheld Frank upon his death, a puzzle box. It brings pain, pleasure, and death. Creatures of darkness; the Cenobites, angels to some, demons to others, come to Kirsty when she accidentally calls upon their ghoulish powers. Once unleashed, they must take someone back, and Kirsty knows now, how Frank is back, and she intends to return him to his deathly justice, and save her family...

The writing is just remarkable. Clive Barker has given us people, humans, planted in their own desires, and determinations, and he tears them apart with fear, pain, death, destruction, and total degradation. The Cotton family are the perfect example of purity, torn to shreds by hate, lust, and anguish, and he takes great glee in showing us all the gory details.

The production is a real high! This is what the best type of films are made of. Real, gory, bloody human remains, connecting to each other in divine sequence, to create a 100% greedy man. The colors are plenty and gorgeous. The look of the blood, and the shine of the lights, and the way the actors are lit... It's just beautiful. The music of the film is brilliant. Composer Christopher Young chills the film, and drenches it with his dramatic variation of the main title, and the rest of the music contains harsh strings, brass horns, music box cues, and rhythmic cues that speed the pace up with action.

Clive Barker is such a great writer and director, and filmmaker altogether. He has given us a great thriller that crosses the line between reality and fiction, in great taste and color, literally. It's no wonder twenty years later, the film stands on it's own, aside from it's sequels, and remains an ultimate horror classic to end them all...well some of them anyway. It's not the only horror film to portray itself intellectually, and it certainly has it's gore effect to an all time high. Still, it's quite a dashing and artful film, and always a treat to watch every time.

Original plot, repulsive violence, one of the most memorable horror villain in a non scary film.

[Fella_shibby · 7/10 · 29 January 2017]

I first saw Hellraiser on a VHS in the late 80s. Revisited it recently on a DVD. Hav seen all the sequels too. But felt like writing the review of this original. The special effects are chillingly good considering the rather low budget n the time it was made. It has breath-taking gore and elaborate costume designs. Mind you, its not particularly scary, there's not exactly a high body count, there is no tension n suspense. The plot is very original though. The acting and Julia's make up was atrocious. No doubt Clive Barkers film is bloody n bizarre. No doubt he introduced the world to one of the most memorable horror villains, Pinhead. The violence is repulsive, as hooks, chains and clamps tear the flesh from bones. Own the dvds of all the sequels. Will start revisiting the Hellraiser marathon soon.

A Most Misunderstood Horror Film

[rockproductions · 10/10 · 18 July 2005]

I love to read what others say about "Hellraiser," but it never fails to amaze me, even in regards to people who love this film, how much many misunderstand it. People write on & on what great horror icons the "Cenobites" are, & yes this is true, they have made a huge impact to cinema horror, but the "Cenobites" are not what this truly intelligent horror film is about...no, not at all!

This is a film about Frank & Julia. Frank will stop at nothing to find the next thrill, even if it means his physical & metaphysical destruction. Julia is the cool aloof wife of Larry, Frank's brother. Julia is seduced by Frank's dark & sadistic sexual aura, though that same aura lay dormant in Julia until Frank awakened it by seducing Julia before her wedding to Larry. "I'll do anything," Julia desperately confesses to Frank to keep his affection. Little does Julia dream that in the future that will be exactly what she has to do to keep Frank, after he unleashes "the Box," & its horror, the Cenobites. In what is truly an Oscar worthy performance, Julia (Claire Higgins) the aloof, but so far non-threatening wife transforms into the murderous, cold, calculating queen bitch, to resurrect & have Frank. To bad we've not seen more of her in other films.

Yes, "Hellraiser" is about treachery in the family, the worse sort, deception & murder. "Hellraiser" is about blind love.(Spoilers) Larry's unswerving devotion to Julia, which makes him the last to know, & seals his doom. "Hellraiser" is about the tragic plight of Kristy trying to save her father. What could be worse than knowing a loved one is going to be murdered & you could not stop it? "Hellraiser" is about real life plausible situations that are better off left alone, the darkest part of the human psyche, to want something so bad you're will to sacrifice anything & anyone to achieve it, maybe even your self. "Hellraiser" aptly uses the theme of don't tempt fate ("the Box"), unless your prepared to be taken by it, as the "Cenobites" so profoundly demonstrates.

So yes, the true monster of this story is ambition & want. The "Cenobites" are just a cataclysmic vehicle (a very disturbing one) to carry Julia & Frank to their just deserts in the end. "Hellraiser" made the "Cenobites" seem like ultimate bogeymen by giving them little screen time & keeping them mysteriously cryptic to the audience, something later films could've benefited from. Thus "Pinhead" & crew were much more menacing & potent in this first, & by far the best, most intelligent film of the series, & in horror cinema.... But again, it was Julia & Frank, & their ambition & want that were the true terrors here. Nothing is more disturbing & horrific than discovering someone(s) you love & trust will eventually murder you.

Chilling!

Very unique, but I can't help but feel somewhat dissapointed

[aidanratesmovies · 6/10 · 13 October 2020]

Very unique, with a truly different point of view and stance on how to tell a horror tale, Hellraiser ultimately falls short due to its often tedious nature, and lack of a significant point. The performances aren't anything special for the most part, although Clare Higgins does try her best. Oliver Smith could also be quite good from time to time, but his character can just seem like an annoyance after a while, after doing nothing but the same thing the whole time. I enjoyed Doug Bradley as Hellraiser, or Lead Cenobite as he is also referred to in this film, as well as the performances and looks of the other monstourly creatures throughout- but none of them earn their fair share of screen time, thus begging the question, what was the point? Besides its tedious nature, the film can also feel a bit dull and emotionless at times. Its special effects are cool for the time, and can be quite thrilling to watch, besides maybe the final few scenes of course, but that was mainly due to a lack of any budget left, which I have to give them credit for. Its central story can be interesting enough, but it isn't enough to carry the film along for its whole runtime, and I just wish we were able to delve deeper into the central themes that made this film so interesting- that being Frank and Julia's relationship, and of course, the puzzle box. In the end, Hellraiser isn't a horrible film, it certainly has its moments, but it could have been a lot more. My Rating: 6.5/10

why does it have such a good rating?

[iketziaq · 1/10 · 4 May 2021]

Is everyone else seeing something i don't? The plot was weak. The costumes and effects are good ig?

Pure horror!

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 10/10 · 29 January 2002]

I first saw this brilliant shocker when I was only ten years old and it scared the hell out of me!I still think that this is a really effective horror filled with gruesome imagery(for example rats nailed to the wall)."Hellraiser" reminds me a bit such Italian horror movies like "The Beyond"(1981)and "The House by the Cemetery"(1981),mainly due to its surreal atmosphere of total dread.Add also plenty of gore and some really gruesome special effects made by Bob Keen("Proteus")and you have a winner!I like "Hellraiser" series in general(especially "Hellbound:Hellraiser 2" which is,in the unrated/uncut version a nasty gorefest!),even Part 5("Hellraiser:Inferno")that almost only get bad reviews.It surely is the lowest budget film of the series so far,but it tells a gripping story of one's personal hell with Pinhead involved."Hellraiser:Bloodline" is the only one I really don't like,although it's quite interesting too,because you can see that post production was a mess(making it a Alan Smithee film in the end).

Classic Hellraiser

[whpratt1 · 7/10 · 29 October 2005]

If you are a film lover of horror, blood, gore and sexy scenes with just bare muscle and blood, this picture has it all from beginning to the very end. The story is something like a Pandora's Box which has a puzzle to solve and if you twist the blocks the wrong way, all Hell breaks loose. Even if you should get injured and have a loss of blood on the floor, you can be certain some one or SOME THING will smell the blood and desire a great deal more than you can handle. There are plenty of wild looking characters from a Pin Head to real nightmare of faces that all look like the devil had something to do with their facials! ENJOY

Wildly overrated "classic."

[jiangliqings · 1/10 · 6 August 2001]

** out of ****

In my time, I've seen hundreds of horror films and I think I have a pretty good firm grasp of what films in the genre are truly great, which is why I have to say that Clive Barker's Hellraiser is among the most overrated. It suffers from too many drawbacks in the story, as well as Barker's own direction, and never quite lives up to its ability to deliver consistent good scares.

The story of Hellraiser is fairly in simple in technical terms. A man, Frank Cotton, purchases a configuration shaped as a box and fiddles around with it, opening a dimension that lies between the depths of pleasure and pain. Years later, Frank's brother, Larry (Andrew Robinson), and his wife Julia (Claire Higgins) move into the same house. Larry gets a deep cut on his hand and the blood spills to the ground, which actually revives Frank (in a rather gruesome sequence). He and Julia shared a past together and he convinces her to bring men back to kill so he can use their blood to bring his flesh back.

When it comes to some shocks and jolting moments of suspense, Hellraiser has some well-done scenes. There are some scares in the film, and the gore effects, which are in a gratuitous abundance, are quite impressive. There are a few moments of startlingly effective imagery and some very suspenseful scenes, but Clive Barker does so many other things wrong I can hardly believe this movie is actually considered a classic by so many people.

This movie is essentially about pleasure and pain, or so I think Barker would try to lead us to believe that's what this is all about. Those ideas are given a ham-fisted presentation in flashback torture scenes. Yeah, I see all the pain, but where's all the enticement of pleasure? In the novella, Frank was tempted with the possibility of sex (but in the most repellant manner). The torture scenes are all Barker really cares to show us when it comes to these ideas, basically featuring some people get ripped apart by chains. I suppose I can't forget the fact that people also talk about it, too. The character Frank goes into these frank and quite dumb brief conversations about how he was bored and simply wanted to experience more and go to the limits, his words not mine. I'm sorry, but this hardly sounds like a decent reason to do anything like this. If he was close to death or something along those lines, I could almost believe it, but I could only scoff when he uttered those lines.

When it comes to horror films, logical lapses can be accepted. It's a lot easier to take such moments in fun-based horror films that are simply meant for escapism, but this movie's pretentiousness is overbearing. Thus, it's a little hard to believe that nobody in the house could smell the rotting, maggot-infested corpses of three men. It's also a little hard to accept the fact that Robinson's character never realizes just how repressed his wife is. Sure, he notices she's got problems, but she's a murderous psycopathic bitch.

Barker gives the movie a dark and grim look, not necessarily a bad choice, but he likes to conjure up a lot of dark themes and taboos for the sake of just trying to make the movie look...well, different, dark, and offbeat. The movie focuses on extramarital affairs, serial killings, and even incest and does all this just by simply tossing these odd moments on-screen without any care or background for it in the first place. These characters' motivations for such odd behavior is never explained and they're simply way too "evil" to be taken as real people.

The cenobites are only sparingly used in the movie, probably a good idea on Barker's behalf. They're a little scary at first, but I felt a little goofy after awhile when I realized I was getting scared by a creature that likes to look straight in the air and speak in a dull monotone. Yeah, I'm talking about Pinhead, the famed horror villain of the series. Played by Doug Bradley, he's a little enigmatic at first but after a few moments, you really don't care what he is. In the film, the cenobites appear to have the ability to transport around as is seen when they suddenly appear at the Cotton residence. (Spoiler) Yet, when they try to take Kirsty with them, they move towards her at a slug's pace and she simply uses the box to transport them back (speaking of which, I'm clearly certain the fat cenobite only fell through the floor). That doesn't sound like the all-powerful demons we were prior shown. Oh, and by the way, this visual lightshow in the finale is pretty embarrassing.

Ashley Laurence is the main character of this film, as well its first sequel. She's a little wooden here at times, but is relatively okay. Andrew Robinson is also not bad as the unwitting husband, but claire Higgins is absolutely horrendous. Trying to act like a repressed woman turned murderous fiend, she just comes off with a terrible impression. As for the rest of this franchise, I've only seen Hellbound, which is worse than this. I sure do sound like I'm bashing Hellraiser, but as I said before, it does have its scares and jolting moments. The only reason I give it as much a harsh criticism as it seems like I am is because of its beloved acclaim from horror fans everywhere, which it really doesn't deserve.

Hellraising Horror

[uds3 · 21 March 2002]

Adapted by Clive Barker from his own story "The Hellbound Heart" this has long been a favorite among horror-film devotees. Clive Barker is an outstanding writer. In terms of literary style light years ahead of Stephen King. His awesomely unhinged imagination is given free rein in this tale of the darker side of the human psyche.

Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) is as immoral and perverted a scumbag as you could hope to find in the English speaking world. Ever alert to the potential for some new thrill (sexual or otherwise) Frank comes by a small carved wooden cube that just happens to be (in the right hands) a gateway to Hell. Not your normal run of the mill pit of hot sulphur fumes presided over by a horned Lucifer wielding his time-honored pitchfork, but a most unpleasant parallel dimension, home of the wickedly inventive Pinhead and his cenobite cohorts. As the series worked its way onwards, Pinhead (Bradley) became a retro cult hero much like Freddy Kreuger and was given increased screen-time!

Frank ends up paying the ultimate price in his search for new pleasures and to his everlasting discomfort, inevitably discovers the real meaning of the film's tag-line "He'll tear your soul apart." This leaves Frank's ex well and truly home-alone and she takes up with his wimpy brother Larry, crawlingly played by Andrew Robinson.

Things might have worked out for Julia (Higgins) and daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) had not Larry cut his hand badly and the blood run beneath the floorboards where Frank's decimated but undead corpse responds dramatically well to the corpuscled cocktail! Frank's gory resurrection is actually one of the film's highlights, aided and abetted as it is by a superb musical score from Christopher Young!

Frank of course is a little miffed over Julia's dalliance with his brother and persuades her to bring him an assembly line of fresh meat to ensure his complexion is brought up to scratch. The demise of the first victim especially is quite shocking horror and on its own would have earned the film its "R" certificate.

Without giving anything else away, it is left to daughter Kirsty to combat both Frank, her socially distasteful step-mother and Pinhead. It is the ultimate learning curve you might say. One hell of a lot goes wrong before it starts getting any better. Frank's second whirl on the block is distinctly gruesome. Kirsty who under normal circumstances would be left a gibbering idiot, survives to take on the sequel and a further appearance by her awesomely repulsive stepmother!

You want horror? you want originality? you like blood on tap? you need HELLRAISER!

For all the above though, Barker's CANDYMAN was still better!