Product Description

In a place between pleasure and pain there is sensual experience beyond limits. And in a world between paradise and purgatory there is a horror that feeds the souls of evil. Studio: Starz/sphe Release Date: 06/25/2002 Starring: Andrew Robinson Ashley Laurence Run time: 93 minutes Rating: R Director: Clive Barker

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9425 in DVD
• Brand: HIGGINS/LAURENCE
• Released on: 2000-09-26
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, THX, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 94 minutes

Amazon.com
Having made his reputation as one of the most prolific and gifted horror writers of his generation (prompting Stephen King to call him "the future of horror"), Clive Barker made a natural transition to movies with this audacious directorial debut from 1987. Not only did Barker serve up a chilling tale of devilish originality, he also introduced new icons of horror that since have become as popular among genre connoisseurs as Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman. Foremost among these frightful visions is the sadomasochistic demon affectionately named Pinhead (so named because his pale, bald head is a geometric pincushion and a symbol of eternal pain). Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, agents of evil who appear only when someone successfully "solves" the exotic puzzle box called the Lamont Configuration--a mysterious device that opens the door to Hell. The puzzle's latest victim is Frank (Sean Chapman), who now lives in a gelatinous skeletal state in an upstairs room of the British home just purchased by his newlywed half-brother (Andrew Robinson, best known as the villain from Dirty Harry), who has married one of Frank's former lovers (Claire Higgins). The latter is recruited to supply the cannibalistic Frank with fresh victims, enabling him to reconstitute his own flesh--but will Frank succeed in restoring himself completely? Will Pinhead continue to demonstrate the flesh-ripping pleasures of absolute agony? Your reaction to this description should tell you if you've got the stomach for Barker's film, which has since spawned a number of interesting but inferior sequels. It's definitely not for everyone, but there's no denying that it's become a semiclassic of modern horror. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Halfway to Hell
Okay. If you're a hardcore horror enthusiast, I know you're already considering clicking that little "not helpful" button down there. That's fine. I'm not writing this for you. This review is for people who kinda like horror, and who have been told by their hardcore horror enthusiast friends, "You have got to watch HELLRAISER. It's a classic."

Movies are classics for a couple of reasons. Either they are timelessly good or they set the standard for the time with innovative directing, writing, or (usually) special effects. But let's be clear: just because something leaves its mark on cinematic history doesn't make it worthy of five stars. After all, the Model T was an historical creation, but compared to cars of today, it sucked.

HELLRAISER set the bar for horror movies of its day (1987) with some truly disturbing imagery and groundbreaking special effects. A guy named Frank purchases a puzzle box that opens the gate to a universe populated by grotesque creatures known as Cenobites (I know; it sounds like the name of astronaut candy). The Cenobites are agents of "indivisible pain and pleasure," which translates into "killing people with chains and hooks." Why someone would create such a box, let alone buy and open it, remains the greatest mystery of the movie, perhaps to be solved by one of its many sequels.

Frank is obliterated by the Cenobites in one of the most confusing openers to a movie I've ever seen. Shortly thereafter, his half-brother Larry (newly remarried to a mannish woman named Julia who also, coincidentally, had an affair with Frank) moves into the house and accidentally bleeds on the floor of the attic. Larry's blood somehow transdimensionally nourishes Frank's tortured soul back into corporeal existence. But not all the way. So he must convince the still-whipped Julia to troll for horny men to bring back to the attic so that their lifeforce might fully rejuvenate Frank's icky-sticky bloody body.

Frank's original return from the Cenobitic universe makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, but it is a well-done and supremely squeamish scene. There are a few other moments that turn the stomach (Frank's final scene foremost among them), but they don't make much sense in the grand scheme of things. In fact, the story line exists as a shadow of the gore, a nuisance to be endured so that Barker might treat you to more scenes of sadomasochistic torture.

The acting in this movie is unaccountably bad, and the Cenobites' powers are murky at best. I learned after watching the film that it had been edited from the theatrical version, which might explain the disjointed plot and the several scenes that appear to have nothing to do with the movie. I'm not sure if there's an uncut version out there anywhere, but this version WILL leave you doing a lot of scalp-scratching.

Classic? Not exactly. I give it props for ambition and for being (in '87) something no one had ever seen before. I respect the place HELLRAISER holds in the pantheon of horror, but respect doesn't always mean admiration. If you're one of those hardcore horror fans, I get where you're coming from, but I also don't believe you need reviews like this to tell you if a movie is any good. However, if you're a passing enthusiast who's wondering if the hype is true, if you're interested in something creative, scary, clever, and cool, be aware that this movie is only really one of those things, and not in any great amount.

Excellent movie, decent dvd release
*NOTE - This review is based off of the DVD and not the movie.

The Film itself needs no review. Its a classic. Done.

The DVD on the other hand, if you already have a copy of the original release of Hellraiser - there is really nothing different than three interviews on the featurettes. There are however two copies of the script on the DVD-Rom, but other than that - there is nothing different than the previous Hellraiser DVD release. They even just threw in the same interviews from the last release!

So great movie, but if you already have a copy of hellraiser - no need to rush out and get this one. You're not missing anything too new.

Hellraiser Movie Review from The Massie Twins
The brilliance behind Clive Barker's Hellraiser doesn't simply lie within his undeniably powerful visuals, but also with his ability to create a singular world of horror, one defined by the terrifying rules of his devilishly unbound imagination. Every facet of this masterpiece screams originality, from blood-soaked nightmares and disturbing surrealism to the imagery of the Cenobites and their twisted realm of pleasure and pain. Few have ever crafted a vision as recognizably frightful and unforgettably chilling as Hellraiser.

When Larry Cotton (Andrew Robinson) and his wife Julia (Clare Higgins) move into a house previously occupied by Larry's thrill-seeking brother Frank (and former lover to Julia), they unwittingly resurrect the zombified remains of the treasure hunter long since trapped in the confines of hell. Needing human blood to fully regain his original form, Frank plays upon Julia's feelings for him and manipulates her into bringing unsuspecting victims back to the house. When Larry's daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) discovers Frank's sinister plan, all hell is literally unleashed upon them in the form of grisly demons intent on subjecting their summoners to indescribable horrors.

Easily the most impressive aspects of the late 80's thriller are its ample gore effects and shocking imagery. Ingenious special effects combined with Bob Keen's skillful makeup work result in several truly unforgettable moments of terror - most notably in Frank's ghastly reincarnation, Kirsty's crimson deathbed nightmare, and the shockingly violent conclusion. In addition to the mesmerizing practical blood and makeup effects, Hellraiser offers us the Cenobites, treacherous demons whose gothic and bondage influenced blend of attire and weaponry showcase Barker's knack for macabre visuals. The now legendary Pinhead is perhaps the most stylistic of them all, standing tall in black leather garb and crowned with a face full of pins. Like Freddy Kreuger and Jason Voorhees before them, the villainous Cenobites have become so popular that they have surpassed their antagonist roots to virtually become the stars, as evidenced in practically all of the sequels. Instead of rooting for the protagonists to defeat the cunning torturers, we anxiously wait to see who they will kill next.

A few cliché lines, some novice acting, and questionable lightning effects really can't detract from one of the most original and terrifying horror films ever created. Many have copied, few have equaled, and as Pinhead would have you believe, no one has ever escaped.

- Joel Massie