Review of Hellraiser (1987) by Lucas M — 21 May 2010

Horror, with a brain. That doesn't happen too often in horror movie-making in this day and age, but all we have to do is travel back in time, to witness once upon a time, when movies delivered believable and truly terrifying villains, likable characters, and a story which is original, scares, and actually makes you think; more than a few times as well.

After watching all of the Hellraiser movies, they all have an appeal to them which differs in a variety of ways. Some have more in common with each other, some less; the first several were theatrical releases as opposed to the latter, and the first half tend to be more all out gore-fests, whereas the latter focus more on mind-games, and come across as intellectual, suspense-thrillers of sorts; nevertheless charming in their own ways.

This movie, which was arguably the best, or one of the best in the series gave us one of the most frightening, disturbing, without-mercy bad boys that have ever graced the screens. Doug Bradley is perfect as Pinhead, the spiked demon from Hell, and seems to flow very naturally in his authoritative position. His screen time in the earlier films including this one is much more abundant, and he steals every scene that he is in. The effective reason why these movies work including the character of Pinhead is because you never once side with them, and always fear them or feel for the characters that have to come across them, because of their sheer-terror (unless of course you are the type that goes into these movies, rooting for them and wanting to see them wreck havoc). The rest of Pinhead's posse, the Cenobites as they're all called, are just as, if not more terrifying than Pinhead, in the sense that they don't seem to possess many negotiable qualities. They will destroy you and enjoy every last second of it, unless he somehow holds them back. This gives Pinhead more of a human quality, which is explored in further movies, but make no mistake about it, there is something in his eyes and presence, that holds the power to Hell, and you will be afraid.

The main star of these movies should actually be the puzzle-box; its presence alone will scare you. In the beginning of the movie, the main character, Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) is seen buying the now infamous puzzle-box, and plays with it, eventually solving it. Somehow all of the box's victims, know how to "solve" it. All it takes is some messing with it, with your thumbs and other fingers. That part I never understood, the ease of it, but I guess there isn't much of a point to that. Anways, the box opens and in its usual typical fury, unleashes the cenobites, chains, and other torture devices to kill Frank, and its usual victims, and of course bring them to Hell, for eternal pain and suffering, which the Cenobites seem to enjoy.

Afterwards, Frank's brother with his wife, Larry and Julia move into the house. Larry has a teenage daughter, Kirsty(Ashley Laurence), who doesn't live at the house. Most of the rest of the flick focuses on the love affair, and sick mind-games between Frank and Julia (Clare Higgins). Larry (Andrew Robinson) stays pretty ignorant of the situation throughout the movie. The bulk of the movie shows us the deranged, psychotic, and nasty ways of torturing others, for the delight of Frank, who is shown to be a very weak skeleton of sorts with minimal muscle/blood and movement, needing to feed on the blood/remains on other human bodies, sometimes perhaps even resorting to lesser life forms, which can only at that time be brought to him by Julia. Eventually he would be strong enough to regain his human-qualities, and pass off as a perfect human being. The plan is for both of them to work together, restore Frank, and leave the house, before possibly the Cenobites return, because he has escaped them initially.

Eventually however all of that becomes un-foiled as the daughter heroine of this movie Kirsty manages to discover the room with her now dead father's body, realizes that Julia/Frank were behind everything, finds the puzzle box, and eventually opens it unleashing the Cenobites and making a deal with them to live, if she got them to the man that escaped their wrath, Frank.

Eventually the entire cast, or what's left of them meet u with Kirsty and the Cenobites, as Pinhead takes Frank back to hell, and accepts the sacrifice. Not before Julia is stabbed and drained of her blood, leaving yet another victim to the list.

Kirsty eventually manages to un-do the box and send the Cenobites back into it. Thing are presumably safe for the time being, or perhaps not? That's why the ending was done in a clever way to possibly hint at a sequel (boy did we get them).

This movie had one of the darkest portrayals of the Cenobites, better acting, and overall, a very dreary atmosphere, which would interest even a hardcore-horror geek. It is a bit dated at this point in time but deserves to be up there with all the other horror classics. It's got its minor flaws here and there, and isn't a totally perfect movie, but close enough. Strangely enough, not much is explored in this first Hellraiser in terms of the origins of the Cenobites, other than mentioning that they're from a Hell of sorts, exploring that realm (covered in the sequel), or other possibilities, like what they would be if they were unleashed on the public (covered in the third sequel).

This movie had so much potential, and it delivered. However, the real treat is the fact that we had plenty of other sequels to explore this original idea to its full extent; and that it did. This movie alone gets 80%, but for the sheer fact that it spawned so many sequels afterwards with Doug Bradley being the trooper that he is (starring in every single one), I'd give the series 100% for effort!

Well done! The characters in these movies actually evoke emotion, you care for them, and if not, you at least get amused and pay attention to their stories; they're not just typical victims there for the body count like in other popular horror films.

I can only hope there are more hellraisers to come. I also have to end this by saying that these movies, just like the horror genre isn't for everyone, so obviously, much of the horrid ratings also come from their own personal problems with the genre. I say give them a chance, but only if you're into that kind of thing.