Clive Barker set out to show people he had a strange fetish and he wasn't afraid to use it in some stranger fiction. What followed was the Hellbound Heart. The novella became quite popular, but due to Barker's mistrust of Hollywood at the time, he decided he wanted to make the movie himself. So, he collected a budget and got a camera. What followed was a passion project that would never truly be replicated. Hellraiser 2 would come close, but this was quite the little gem that was released September 10, 1987.
Hellraiser follows a family, a father and daughter, plus a very sour and bitter stepmother. Larry, played by Andrew Robinson of Pumpkin Head Blood Wing fame (chortle), is moving into a new house that his brother used to own but disappeared in under mysterious circumstances. As the movie progresses, you'll see why this is pretty normal, as he is seen in different countries looking for different exotic pleasures. This catches the attention of Larry's second wife, Julia played by Clare Higgins.
Julia is a special case, in that he doesn't really care much about Larry, and seems far more interest in his brother, Frank, played by Sean Chapman. Julia is constantly brushing Larry off and showing that she has far stronger feelings for Frank, even going so far as to have a close encounter with him around the time she got married to his brother! Her depravity becomes very apparent when she finds out Frank was captured, tortured by cenobites and now his very bare remains have come back to life in the basement. Thanks to an injury Larry had involving blood, now Frank is back and he needs more blood.
Julia not only gives him blood, but she hits on guys and brings him entire bodies! She even freshly kills them for him! All the while, Kristy, played by Ashley Laurence, is growing suspicious of Julia's odd behavior as of late. It doesn't take long for her to uncover that she's led many men to their deaths and made Frank into just one layer short of having full on skin. Finding out about all of this, she takes the strange box that he seems to want to protect and she runs!
Kristy, having passed out in the street, opens the box and we get one of the best horror movie moments in history. Only Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 was able to match it, but even then, this one is better. The lead cenobite, also known as Pinhead, is played by Doug Bradley, who would go on to play the role in over ten films and he even did it for some commercials. After she agrees to bring them Frank, the movie takes a much darker turn when it's apparent they killed Larry to give Frank his skin.
The deaths in this film are disgusting but also very fantastically done in practical effects. In fact, the make-up artists in this movie deserve every single award they ever won. Even the cheap computer effects are legendary because it's widely known that Clive Barker did them in his home with a friend over a single weekend. That's how much passion and love was put into this film. Even the final scene where the hobo turns into a gargoyle was cheesily but very well done.
This movie captured the hearts of millions and it was a breakout success. Sadly, though, after the first two movies, this franchise takes a gigantic dip. Will I review all of them? Probably. Just remember, don't disrespect Clive Barker and tell him any other Hellraiser is better, or he'll tear your soul apart!
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