Hellraiser (film series)
HELLRAISER (18)
D: Clive Barker
New World/Cannon/Film Futures (Christopher
Figg)
UK 1987
90 mins
Horror
W: Clive Barker [based on his novel "The Hellbound
Heart"]
DP: Robin Vidgeon
Ed: Richard Marden
Mus: Christopher Young
Andrew Robinson (Larry Cotton), Clare Higgins (Julia
Cotton), Ashley Laurence (Kirsty Swanson), Sean Chapman (Frank Cotton), Doug Bradley (Pinhead)
A woman discovers a puzzle box which opens up a portal
into hell, allowing an army of cenobites (guardians of the underworld) to come into the world.
The first and easily best of the Hellraiser films was
also one of the best and most iconic films of the 1980's, introducing the sadistically grotesque character Pinhead, the so-called Pope of Hell.
The makeup effects still look decent over three
decades later, while the visual style is particularly dark and moody. Many sequels followed, far too many to be perfectly honest.
7/10
HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II (18)
D: Tony Randel
New World/Premier/Film Futures (Christopher
Figg)
UK 1988
93 mins
Horror
W: Peter Atkins [based on a story by Clive
Barker]
DP: Robin Vidgeon
Ed: Richard Marden
Mus: Christopher Young
Clive Higgins (Julia Cotton), Ashley Laurence (Kirsty
Cotton), Kenneth Cranham (Dr. Channard), Imogen Boorman (Tiffany), Doug Bradley (Pinhead)
The first sequel to the Hellraiser movies is a huge mess,
with a confusing narrative which serves to introduce a whole new horde of hellish beasties. Some of the makeup effects are inventive, but there's little else to make this movie
memorable.
Very much style over substance and a cash-in on the
nightmares caused to viewers of the first movie.
5/10
HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH (18)
D: Anthony Hickox
Arrow/Nostradamus (Lawrence Mortorff)
US 1992
93 mins
Horror
W: Peter Atkins & Tony Randel
DP: Gerry Lively
Ed: Christopher Cibelli & James D.R.
Hickox
Mus: Randy Miller & Christopher Young
Terry Farrell (Joey Summerskill), Doug Bradley (Pinhead),
Paula Marshall (Terri), Kevin Bernhardt (J.P. Monroe), Ken Carpenter (Doc Fisher)
The franchise is taken Stateside for this third
installment to the Hellraiser movies, with the action taking place at a seedy S & M club to allow for the gory makeup effects to be cranked up another notch.
The narrative is no better or worse than the second film
and only a handful of the death scenes offer something in the way of originality. Each sequel pales in comparison to the first film and even more followed, all of inferior
standards.
4/10
