Review of Hellraiser (1987) by Timothy S — 24 Dec 2011

Clive Barker's brand of horror/fantasy doesn't always translate well to the big screen, mostly because film producers can't pull enough money together to do justice to the author's grand imagination. The original "Hellraiser" fares about the best, maybe because it was directed by Barker himself.

In his first-time effort behind the camera, he shows a great eye for detail and a great sense of ghoulish style. The story is a lot more original and ambitious than we're used to from the horror genre, and even though it introduces us to a new horror icon, it's anything but your typical Freddy and Jason slasher. Pinhead doesn't get a lot of screen time in his debut feature, but he is a commanding presence nevertheless. His character would get fleshed out better in the sequels, but here, we learn just enough about the demons to whet our appetites.

But the human elements of this film are just as compelling. I loved watching the evolution of the twisted relationship between Claire Higgins and Sean Chapman, and it really is the gruesome heart of this stylish picture. It will be a pleasant but nasty surprise to anything who thinks this is only about the demonic Cenobites. The film has an eerie and dream-like quality to it that makes it unlike any other horror film you're likely to see this year. There's more imagination in the first half hour of this film than in a dozen "Friday the 13th" pictures.

Like the demons from Hell, the original "Hellraiser" spawned an endless parade of mostly horrible follow-up films. But you can't beat the one that started it all.