When I was younger, I was arrogant enough to think I was pretty up-to-date on all things horror. I mean, I watched horror movies, read horror comics, and read Stephen King, what more could there be? Of course, little did I know back then I was just scratching the surface of a lifelong investigation into the things go bump in the night. Along the way I discovered Lovecraft, Poe, and many more, opening my mind to things I never dreamed.
With my interest made known to all those around me, the world of Clive Barker was about to be unveiled to me. While I was on a plane, flying to a holiday destination with my parents, I pulled out a small six book collection a friend had bought for me. It was Clive Barker’s Books of Blood, and my eyes were opened wide to a new voice in horror.
Barker’s Books of Blood was first and foremost a collection of great stories. They also contained the first graphic descriptions of sex and violence that I had ever read. It was shocking, to say the least. I quickly realized these elements were just parts of well-written stories, and important to the plot. When I was finished reading, I knew I had just read the writings of a great author. Thus began my lifelong interest in all things Clive Barker.
Barker began writing and collaborating on plays and became a co-founder of the theatrical troupe The Dog Company in 1978, with friends and actors, including Doug Bradley, later to become Pinhead, and Peter Atkins, who would write the scripts for the first three Hellraiser sequels. Besides his actual writing talent, there were a few more things that helped Barker on his way to stardom. The first was a quote found in the Books of Blood from Stephen King, endorsing him as the new voice of horror. The second was turning his 1986 book Hellbound Heart into the movie Hellraiser.
RELATED: A Journey Through Hell: Powering Through All 10 ‘Hellraiser’ Films
Frustrated with how his previously written films turned out, Barker decided to get behind the camera for Hellraiser. The movie was modestly successful but spawned a franchise, thanks to the new and horrific Cenobites and their leader Pinhead. All of the Cenobites have some horrifying look or trait, but it was Pinhead who commanded our attention from the moment we first saw him. Creations like these are what make horror stories and movies stand out from the rest and Pinhead has become an iconic figure in the world of horror.
Throughout his career, Clive Barker has enjoyed moving from one artistic endeavor to another. Directing, screenplays, and producing were added to his resume, as well as drawing and painting. This back and forth made it possible for Barker to express his ideas in many mediums. His most powerful tool, however, would still lie in his writing books, especially novels, where he could tell a tale, unlike most others.
Barker’s early work was heavy on the horror, as witnessed in The Books of Blood (1984) and The Damnation Game (1985). He would soon move into more of a ‘dark fantasy/horror’ type of writing, exploring different ideas of reality via dreams and memories. There would always be a vein of horror running through his books, no matter where the story took the reader. From fantasy to reality, Barker has been able to tap into some aspect of horror to make his readers cringe with delight and marvel at his ability to delve deep into everything wonderfully dark and twisted.
A perfect example of his ‘dark fantasy/horror’ writings is 1987’s Weaveworld. The magical world of the Fugue lies hidden away to protect itself not only from a destructive force known as The Scourge but from humans as well. A common theme for Barker of other worlds trying to stay away from the evil and corrupt ways of humans, while fighting against its own enemies as well.
In 1990, he directed Nightbreed, taken from his 1988 book Cabal. The movie flopped, both critically and financially, but has since garnered a rather large cult following. With names like David Cronenberg (acting) and Danny Elfman attached, it was unique in both its look and story, and a movie that the studio probably had no idea how to market. With a Director’ Cut now available, filling in all the things that got cut that incensed Barker to no end, the final result is a very interesting movie. In fact, Nightbreed is now in development as a TV series, recently landing director Michael Dougherty (Godzilla: King of the Monsters).
It’s ironic that Pinhead and the Cenobites have become so well known, we sometimes forget the other character Barker brought to life on the big screen. Taken from “The Forbidden,” a story from Books of Blood, the 1992 movie Candyman provided another visual nightmare for the viewer to digest. Covered in bees with a bloody hook for a hand, the Candyman was a different look for a killer in the movies. A legend to most, he lived in the shadows awaiting someone to help feed his mythos. While the movie does have some cliché moments, the character of Candyman was something that again grabbed the fans attention. Sequels followed and a new version of Candyman is set to be released in 2021.
At this point in his career, Barker’s interest in all things art did not interfere with his writing. He wrote The Great and Secret Show (1989), Imajica (1991), The Thief of Always (1992), and Everville (1994) before he got involved with Candyman.
In 1995, he wrote and directed Lord of Illusions. This movie plot was taken from the story “The Last Illusion” from his Books of Blood collection. This movie’s themes touch on demons and magic, but center on cults and their power. There are some obvious comparisons to real-life cult devotee/leader Charles Manson and how he believed he would rise from the dead. The movie had some great moments, including the appearance of Harry D’Amour, an important character in some of Barker’s books.
Over the next ten years, Barker continued his writing and film work. He began to move away from horror in his writing and concentrate more on fantasy. Barker also was more behind the scenes in regards to film, producing more than directing or writing screenplays. In 2007, Barker went back to his horror roots with his short novel Mister B. Gone. The story is told from the point of view of a demon, who is caught and dragged from his home in hell to the land of the living. Also in 2007, Barker wrote the storyline behind the video game Jericho. I have played this game, and it includes many horrific images and a whole lot of blood. It was also surprisingly difficult, with a decent storyline and many gamer options.
RELATED: Clive Barker is Suing to Get ‘Hellraiser’ Back
Clive Barker has continued his involvement in all his favorite artistic endeavors. For example, his book series Abarat contains hundreds of drawings and paintings that he himself did. His work has been less frequent in the last few years due to some serious health issues. However, more written work from Barker is on the way. Five years after the publication of his last novel, The Scarlet Gospels, Barker has a new novel coming out called Deep Hill, along with a collection of both out-of-print and new short stories called Fear Eternal, which will include a novella titled Mercy and the Jackal. Not only that, but there is also a book of 250 poems on the way as well.
An artist with many talents, especially when it comes to wonderfully horrific images, here’s hoping Clive Barker continues to amaze us all with his talent for many more years to come.
RELATED: David Gordon Green to Direct HBO’s ‘Hellraiser’ Series