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Hellraiser is one of the most misunderstood movies in horror history. Most people look at it as just the premier of another horror icon, when in reality, the film is anything but. The film is so much more than that. It is an examination of sexual taboos and repression. The fact that it the screen debut of the character that would come to be known as Pinhead is secondary to the psychosexual horror that famed author Clive Barker paints on the screen. The film’s willingness to mine the subconscious for sexual horror and stimulation is what makes the film so great.

The film is about an ugly family that moves into a home where the father’s brother had recently perished while playing with an evil puzzle box that is the gateway to hell. The ugly mother of the family starts getting mentally fucked by the spirit of the deceased Uncle Frank. Experiencing true pleasure for the first time, she is roped into his plan to return to life, a process that involves Uncle Frank draining the life from unwitting horny dudes that look like a collection of child molesters. Enter into this scenario Kirsty, the daughter of the family whose concern for her family and suspicion of her stepmother’s odd behavior leads her to have an encounter with the Cenobytes, a group of bondage wearing demons from hell who take pleasure in causing pain and lead by the man that would become known as Pinhead, called the Lead Cenobyte in this film.

Clive Barker’s direction on this film leaves a little to be desired. Barker, quite literally directs the film like a novelist writes a story, intermingling thoughts, emotions, and random things without the benefit of being able to explain anything like you can in a novel. This leads to a disconnect and an overall feeling of discomfort that works sometimes and fails in others as the viewer is left to read the buried subtext of the film’s sexual tension. Barker also fails to spice up the film during the expositional scenes, the one’s where nothing is really going on except for a little bit of dialogue or some imagery. Where Barker truly shines is in the horror aspect of the film, as Hellraiser contains some of the best horror imagery to be found. Barker’s eye for the grotesque is unparalleled as he combines your typical visions of horror with sexual undertones and a general creepy feel. Unfortunately, the majority of the film is composed of brief moments of interaction between characters that lacks the tone and ambience of the horror scenes.

The acting and the casting in the film are actually quite atrocious. The stepmother, played by Clare Higgins is truly unbearable to look at. Part of the horror of the film is imagining her get it on with someone. The father, played by Andrew Robinson, is only a little better than Higgins, but his performance still leaves a little to be desired. Even the daughter is weak, which is why such a pivotal character was phased out by the third film in the franchise, even though she probably should have been done after this one. Ashley Laurence’s performance as Kirstie Cotton is subpar and uninspired. The real star of the movie is Doug Bradley as Pinhead. It’s no wonder that a franchise was built off of this guy’s performance even though he isn’t the focus of the movie. Bradley’s Pinhead in this incarnation is a brooding demon devoid of emotion who tantalizes his victims with the promise of pleasure and pain. Without Pinhead and the other Cenobites this movie would be almost forgettable.

Hellraiser is an awesome example of sex as horror, and while the theme is present throughout the film it is never overt. Just watch as Uncle Frank attempts to steal “the box,” here a metaphor for Kirsty’s Va-J-J, and open it. Watch as Kirsty tries her first clumsy attempts at opening the “box” on her own and rejoice as she realizes she must run her fingers around the “button” to get the desired result… little animated spermies floating up out of the box. Hellraiser really is fun to watch once you know what you’re looking for.

The movie, as an example of typical ‘80s horror, is a little offbeat when compared to the Friday the 13th’s and Nightmare on Elm Streets of the world. While most people remember this as the dawn of Pinhead, the actual reality of the film could be nothing further from the truth. If only the franchise had retained the depth of this film while incorporating the personality of Pinhead in the later films, this franchise wouldn’t be one of the most mocked franchises in the horror genre.

Final Synopsis: For those of you looking for Pinhead’s antics, this is not the film for you as the character is pretty much an afterthought, even though he was never as cool as he was in this movie. If you like interesting visuals, some outstanding special effects, and psychosexual horror, look no further than Hellraiser. This is definitely worth a watch once you can get past the low-budget feel of the flick.

Points Lost: -1 for bad acting, -1 for boring dialogue and exposition, -1 for bland visuals during non-special effects scenes, -1 for feeling rather cheap

Bonus Points: +1 for Bradley’s portrayal of Pinhead

Lesson Learned: Young girls should leave “the box” alone or they will open the gateway to hell… if you know what I mean.

Burning Question: Couldn’t they come up with anything better than the fat cenobite?

Hellraiser
7/10

Tags: 1987, ashley laurence, clive barker, cult classic, demons, doug bradley, horror, horror movie, latest movie reviews, pinhead, recent, supernatural