With the Hulu reboot of Hellraiser just days away, it’s the perfect time to revisit the original Clive Barker classic. Arriving in 1987 and launching a long running franchise, Hellraiser stands the test of time in all respects.
Reviews of classic movies will contain spoilers.
Hellraiser
Directed by Clive Barker
Screenplay by Clive Barker
Starring Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence and Doug Bradley
Hellraiser (1987) Review
Based on Clive Barker’s own novella The Hellbound Heart, Hellraiser marked Barker’s feature film directorial debut. It’s also the only installment of the series that he would direct. His visuals and character designs would inform future chapters and Doug Bradley’s Pinhead would become a horror icon.
Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) solves a puzzle box, unleashing Cenobites who rip him apart. His brother, Larry (Andrew Robinson) and his wife Julia (Clare Higgins) move into his home. Larry accidentally bleeds on the attic floor where Frank was vanquished causing Frank to be partially resurrected. Needing more blood to complete his resurrection Frank enlists Julia, with whom he had previously had an affair, to bring him bodies he can drain. Larry’s daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) discovers this and gets more than she bargained for when she opens the puzzle box herself.
Hellraiser introduces us to one of the evilest characters in horror. I’m speaking, of course, about Julia Cotton. Julia is introduced with flashback of cheating on Larry with his brother (on top of her wedding dress). She only gets worse from there. Agreeing to help Frank, Julia brings home a series of men and murders them for him. Although reluctant at first, she eventually crosses the ultimate line and allows Frank to kill her husband so that he can wear his skin to trick the Cenobites, who want him back after his escape. Hellbound: Hellraiser II really let’s Julia get her evil on…but while she struggles with her horrible acts in the original…she does them anyway.
The Cenobites have become the most lasting aspect of Hellraiser. Long after the series had gone off the rails, you’d be checking in to see what kind of designs they’d be sporting this time. The Cenobite leader isn’t given a name in Hellraiser (or in Barker’s novella) but would come to be known as Pinhead. Doug Bradley creates an iconic character in very few lines of dialog. He would go on to play the character six more times.
Bradley’s excellent performance is aided by top notch makeup work. His bald head with nails sticking out all over create a striking and unforgettable image. The makeup and practical effect work in Hellraiser are incredible. This is one of the reasons it has stood the test of time despite being followed by so many inferior sequels. All off the sequels aren’t bad, mind you, but the series loses a lot of steam after a while.
The greatest damage the (bad) sequels do is to make people forget just how original this movie was. Layered original mythology, unique character designs, and a fresh story isn’t something that we were really getting by 1987. Arriving in 1984, A Nightmare on Elm Street was the last icon maker…and by the time Hellraiser hit theaters they were already in development on a fourth one. Something that stands out about all the creativity in the movie is just how simple the actual story is.
Frank and Julia are tremendous villains, and Kirsty provides a capable final girl. That’s kind of the trick of Hellraiser. Although steeped in mythology, makeup effects and otherworldly monsters…Hellraiser is the story of one very messed up family. As future chapters show, having a relatable story at its core is the only way the flashy stuff really works.
The biggest complaint about Hellraiser is the lack of someone to root for during a large portion of the movie. Kirsty does eventually become the protagonist, but for much of the movie she’s not really a part of the action. There are also some non-practical effects that don’t hold up (and probably didn’t look all that good in 1987 either). These are relatively minor complaints in the grand scheme of things.
Scare Value
Hellraiser is a lean movie that doesn’t waste time with gratuitous scenes or unnecessary exposition. Featuring makeup and gore effects that stand the test of time and the introduction of an iconic character, it provides a memorable movie watching experience. The performances are strong enough but are, at times, overwhelmed by the visuals. Clive Barker created a lasting, significant chapter of horror in Hellraiser. In a few days we will see how the Hulu film recreates it.
Check back for a review of Hellraiser (2022) in a few days.
4/5
Streaming now on Shudder and Amazon Prime
