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Summary: Hooks, Chains, Cenobites, And Thou...
Review: The vast majority of mid to late 80s horror movies are pretty lame. HELLRAISER is one of the rare exceptions. Rather than following the same dull old formula, Clive Barker singlehandedly reinvents the horror film for a frustrated and jaded audience. He uses sheer darkness and evil to enhance a sense of utter doom. Frank is a sado-masochist with a thirst for unlocking the secrets of hell (the ultimate experience of pain and pleasure merged). He attains the Lamont Configuration (a puzzle box which is actually a transdimensional gate), unleashing the cenobites (pinhead and his fellow demons), who torture and tear Frank apart. Some time later, Julia (Clare Higgins) and her family move into Frank's abandoned house. Julia had had an affair with Frank, who is her husband Larry's brother. Frank is resurrected when a drop of blood soaks into the attic floorboards, revitalizing a piece the cenobites missed. As he grows, he needs more blood and flesh to sustain his re-emerging form. Julia grudgingly agrees to help Frank by luring men home with her for sex. Instead, they are hit in the head and attacked by a grotesque, cannibalistic Frank, who takes what he requires, leaving only a shriveled carcass behind. Julia's daugher Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) gets a hold of Frank's puzzle box and inadvertently gates in the cenobites. They are ready to take her with them into hell, until she tells them that she can deliver uncle Frank into their clutches. The rest is a gruesome fearfest! There are moments of real terror in HELLRAISER that make 99% of the rest of the genre look ridiculous by comparison. A uniquely chilling story became a terrifying movie that only Barker could pull off. Highly recommended...
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Summary: HELLRAISER ¿ a stylish and grisly film
Review: "Robinson and Higgins move into a roomy British dwelling, unaware that his half brother--and her former lover--is hiding upstairs in a kind of gelatinous/skeletal state; soon the beast is forcing her to lure stray men back to the house so he can replenish himself with their blood."Just reading cannot describe this movie. Clive Barker, in his directorial debut, is masterful. He is a true artist, and he crafts scenes so horrifying and gruesome in this movie, and it's no wonder that Cenobites, namely Pinhead, have become classic horror icons. Clare Higgins is wonderfully poised in this movie, playing a woman who desires something more than her husband. So much so, that she starts killing for the bloodied, Hell-escaped Frank, just to be with him. Ashley Lawrence, in a powerful, breakthrough performance, plays the stepdaughter to Clare's character. The movie's art keeps it original and fresh. Scenes of men being torn apart by hooks and metal are truly gruesome, and the Cenobites are images of pure fear and horror. Torturing humans for fun is a truly terrifying prospect, and it keeps you shivering all the way through, hoping you will never come in contact with that little, gold box... RECOMMEND? Yes! A true, horror masterpiece.
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Summary: Love it!
Review: Hellraiser is a really cool horror film. Sure the effcts are horrible, but you have to itmit, it had a great plot. Some guy named Frank gets a puzzle box from the devil. When he opens it, he is taken to hell by an evil demon named Pinhead. Frank gets out of hell, and meets his fromer lover, who is trying to make him normal again. Meanwhile, Pinhead and his demons are looking for Frank. This is a real cool movie. The best Clive Baker movie by far.
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Summary: "Ive seen the future of terror,his name is Clive Barker"
Review: This from the most famous best-selling horror writer in the world.With Barker's movie debut, he creates an atmosphere of darkness, violence, and resurrection in Hellraiser. Frank is a ... world traveler who stumbles upon a puzzle box from a foreign country.He has a ceremony during which he figures out the puzzle box.Suddenly, hooks of chains fly from the wall, tearing Frank apart.Then, a year or two later, his half-brother Larry, and his former lover and Larry's new wife, Julia, move into the large house in which Frank dwelled at the time of his death.Julia finds Frank's pictures, bed, and posessions in the attic, and at that time, Larry had cut his hand.He went up to the attic, and the blood immensly spilled.I won't tell what else happens.Watch the movie and find out. WARNING-THIS MOVIE IS RATED "R" FOR- PROFANITY, GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, BRIEF NUDITY, SEXUALITY. This is one of the greatest horror movies known to man, but trust me, its not for a 6 year old
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Summary: A Classic piece of horror.
Review: Clive Barker has written and directed this 1987 Supernatural horror fantasy shocker inspired by one of his short stories, it deals with a family who inheirites a House by unknown to them that it has a Puzzle Box that unleashes a gateway to hell and send these demonic fiends known as "Cenobytes" but only their daughter can save humanity. A original, gore-drentched, chilling and surreal horror film with great make-up effects, fine acting, great special effects and the debut of the infamous needle faced " Pinhead", the DVD here is great with excellent picture and sound with goodies, so if your a horror fan then add this to your collection. Similar movies recommended: House ( 1986), Poltergeist, Roland Emmerich's Making Contact, City of the Living Dead, House by the Cemetery, The Haunting, Ghostbusters, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, The Exorcist, Phantasm, Lucio Fulci's The Beyond, Suspiria, House on Haunted Hill, Th13een Ghosts, Beetlejuice, The Crow, Dark City, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream 1 & 2, and The Gate.
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Summary: Hooked on Pinhead
Review: Hellraiser is an original film made at a time when the genre was seriously bankrupt of new ideas. Hellraiser stands apart from other 80s horror films and it was welcomed when it first appeared in 1987, a point where Jason and Freddy were slashing screens and the horror genre was by the numbers profiteering. Clive Barker got to direct his own story and with a budget of only one million dollars he made a very stylish and inventive horror film. Based on the novella The Hellbound Heart, Hellraiser is about the ends people will go to experience pleasure...and pain. Frank is a drifter who is presumably bored with his travels and his excesses. As the film opens he purchases a mysterious, black laquered box and opens it, unleashing unfathomable pain at the hands of the Cenobites--"angels to some, demons to others"--figures from hell led by 'Pinhead'. Meanwhile, Frank's brother Larry and his wife Julia move into an old family home in England as they try to kick start their icy marriage. Before long, a drop of blood in the floorboards awakens Frank, who escaped the Cenobites and is hiding in a gellatinous, skeletal form. He begs Julia to help him, and she lures men to the house where Frank consumes them in the hopes of growing flesh back on his slimy bones. Meanwhile, Frank's daughter Kirstie (from a previous marriage) arrives and suspects all is not well on Ludovico Street. Eventually she summons the Cenobites, led by Pinhead, and cuts a deal with them so that they reclaim Frank and spare her. This sets up a cruel and bloody climax between hell and earth. Hellraiser has proven very popular over the years. It's a gothic horror tale about desire, lust, betrayal, and consequences. Pinhead immediately became another horror icon alongside Jason, Freddy, and Michael, but he's not a movie slasher and he's not some unstoppable id hunting down teenagers. Indeed, Pinhead and the rest of the Cenobites (the first two films feature the best crop including the Chatterer, Butterball, and an unnamed female Cenobite played by different actresses) are called by those who have sought out the elusive Box and they provide a kind of ultimate judgement on their souls. (Both Inferno and Hellseeker, the fifth and sixth installments of the series, respectively, would play this angle.) Indeed, the Box itself (known as the Lament Configuration) is a recognizable icon as well. Doug Bradley plays Pinhead and has gone on to be the only consistent factor in every Hellraiser film since. It's still hard to believe this was only made for a million dollars in 1987. It's not slicked up, and go figure: the effects and makeup look a lot more expensive than the budget would indicate. These are considered 'old fashioned' makeup effects as well, since today cgi would be cheaper, quicker, and not necessarily better. Christopher Young provides one of the best modern horror scores and that alone seriously raises the stock of this film. He would outdo himself with the score to Hellbound: Hellraiser II. Those who don't like gore be warned: this is a very bloody film. "Jesus wept" indeed. The Cenobites favor ripping people's skin off with hooks and chains, so you know where that's going. (Yes, they'll literally tear your soul and you apart.) However, the gore is not a cheap shock tactic, it's central to the story and is a device Barker uses in his fiction as well. I would highly recommend tracking down the tin box set featuring Hellraiser and Hellbound together along with a gorgeous booklet and chapter index cards. It's out of print but Amazon always has sellers out there. The film looks and sounds great on DVD, and the commentary is very rewarding. Barker reveals a lot about the production, and you get the idea that this was a labor of love. A rare thing when a horror writer of some originality gets control the movie of his own work. Highly recommended for horror films. This film will deliver some legitimate chills.
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Summary: HELLRAISER !!!!!!!!!
Review: Hellraiser is way better than candyman, i loved it.
I was'nt going to watch it at first because i had watched the third one before and dind'nt think much to it.
When i watched it i loved it and now i am wanting to watch the 2nd one but people have told me that it is very boring so i will consider watching it.
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Summary: Very original, holds up well
Review: Produced in 1987, Hellraiser was not only a much welcomed relief to the horror genre, but it was extremely original. I watched it again in 2004, and despite it reeking of the 80's (hairdo's, fashions, some special effects), it still works and is quite clever. Even the effects are very well done considering the year they were done. The storyline is something I have not seen before and that's what makes it so special. A genuinely creepy tale, that will make you look away on more than one occasion. A man takes possession of a special box that can open the doors of hell if not careful! He is not careful and telling anymore would spoil this exciting tale. A must own for horror fans. The DVD sports a nicely cleaned up transfer.
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Summary: What a strange film
Review: I've seen this film a zillion times in my local shop, and finally decided to get it, due my Dad showing an interest in it. I'd never heard of Pinhead before - just knew of his face due to seeing it on the DVD! I actually enjoyed this film, but I doubt I would ever watch it again. It's a one-time only film I thought. I found it extremely dated, but that's only to be expected. It was quite hilarious looking at Julie's (Clare Higgins) outrageous makeup, multi-coloured eyeshadow right up to the eyebrows! Oh, the 80s. What a decade. I didn't really find it that scary - gory more than anything. There was a certain scene (where Kirsty's - Ashley Laurence - character is in hospital, and starts playing with the box) that reminded me of Labyrinth slightly. She was running through a seemingly endless corridor, whereas Jennifer Connolly was running through a maze. Clare Higgins was extremely familiar - she had one of those faces. I've looked at what she's done, but she hasn't done anything I recognise, so I guess she reminds me of someone from Neighbours/Prisoner, or some other Australian show! She had that kinda look about her! For all you film score fanatics out there, Christopher Young (Sweet November) does a brilliant score to this. It's not that intrusive, as any good score should be, and it highlights all the good parts of the movie. So I liked this film - that means someone out there is removing it from their wishlist right about ... now!
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Summary: Pinhead Rocks!!!!
Review: Hellraiser is a great story of murder and carnage. This film introduces Pinhead one of if not the best horror icon of all time. The thing I liked about this movie was that it dealt with your mind. And it also didn't have any of the regular horror cliches. If you are looking for a different type of horror Hellraiser is your best pick.
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