Review of Hellraiser (1987) by Grant H — 13 Mar 2014

Visceral horror. This is about a family that moves into an old house. The wife (Clare Higgins) runs into her old, deceased lover (Sean Chapman), who has recently escaped from hell and is hiding in said house.

She is willing to do whatever it takes to completely reanimate him. Now I haven't seen any of the nine movies in this series, but have decided to experience this franchise in its entirety (I recently did the same thing with all of the Saw movies).

The only thing I really knew about this is that there is a magical puzzle box, and that this series features the iconic Pinhead. This may sound like a backhanded compliment, but it's kind of great how little Pinhead and the Cenobites are featured (Pinhead and the Cenobites would be a good name for a rock band); they have very little screen time, which helps to keep their allure of mystery, and when they are onscreen, they make the most of their time.

There are some truly disgusting special effects featured in this film, which is really what this movie is all about: unnerving you with the repulsive. When Frank comes back for the first time, it made me feel physically ill right in my stomach, and the practical special effects featured here are very reminiscent of The Thing, one of my very favorite sci-fi horror films.

Clive Barker forces you to focus on haunting pieces of imagery, and while the acting is a bit stiff during the exposition, it really doesn't take away from the effectiveness of the film. This is a great start to the series, and an 80's Horror classic.