Clive Barker's Hellraiser (1987)
New World Pictures

“What’s your pleasure, sir?” There are arguably few quotes that can summarize what a movie is about in such a simple way, but this question that starts and ends Clive Barker’s Hellraiser does just that. 

This movie laid the foundation for multi-genre films to mix horror with adult themes, combining gore and depravity with a heavy dose of hedonistic concepts. It gave us one of the most recognizable characters in horror history, with a costume that can only be described as equal parts terrifying and suggestive. 

With nine sequels to date and a reboot slated for release on Hulu later this year, the franchise has managed to fascinate and terrify audiences over the last 35 years. And it all started with a mysterious puzzle box.

Displeased with previous cinematic adaptations of his written work, Clive Barker decided to take matters into his own hands and direct the film version of his 1986 novella The Hellbound Heart himself. There was just one small problem: he had no prior knowledge or experience with filmmaking. 

Undeterred, he secured a deal with New World Pictures and Producer Christopher Figg, who agreed to fund the film for just under $1 million. Production began towards the end of 1986 and lasted ten weeks, with Barker stating that both cast and crew had unending patience and support for his inexperience behind the camera. 

It went on to gain considerable box office success upon its initial release but divided critics and audiences alike. Some praised its high-concept, innovative approach to the horror genre, while others deemed it too depraved and gory to be entertaining. That divisiveness has withstood throughout the decades, with Hellraiser seen by many as a cult classic with a large and unique fan following. 

RELATED: A JOURNEY THROUGH HELL – POWERING THROUGH ALL 10 ‘HELLRAISER’ FILMS

What is it exactly that has both fascinated and frightened audiences for the last 35 years? To further examine that, it’s best to start at the beginning, with that aforementioned line regarding pleasure. When we first met Frank Cotton, he was in Morocco and offered the puzzle box by a market vendor. We soon learn that Frank is a hedonist with an open mind as we transition from that scene to one of him in a room filled with chains and hooks brought forth by solving that puzzle box. 

Poor Frank isn’t seen alive, but for those first few moments of the film, we soon see him resurrected as a hideous-looking skinless corpse by a drop of blood from his brother Larry’s hand. It’s a sordid, complicated situation the family finds themselves in. Larry and his estranged wife Julia are moving into Frank’s former home, unaware of the fact that Frank is now residing in their attic as an undead entity that needs to feed on humans in order to be fully restored. Then, of course, there’s that little revelation about the fact that Julia and Frank had an affair before her wedding to Larry. 

Although it may all sound like a horror-filled alternative episode of The Jerry Springer Show, they’re details that encompass the movie’s many themes. After Julia discovers Frank’s repulsive, inhuman self, one would think she’d be terrified and dismayed. Instead, she readily agrees to help him secure a more human appearance by bringing men home for him to feed on. It borders on both obsession and desperation that she’s willing to go so far for him and further highlights Hellraiser’s most central theme of mixing pain with pleasure.

The Cenobites that the puzzle box spawns are said to be creatures who can not differentiate between pleasure and pain and, therefore, seek out any and all carnal experiences. Led by “The Engineer,” whom we later know in subsequent sequels as “Pinhead,” the Cenobites are the personification of sadomasochism and hedonism. It’s an odd concept to put at the center of a horror flick, but one that helps to set it apart from others of its time.

For many, something is alluring about matters traditionally seen as taboo and forbidden. When mixed with horror, you get Clive Barker’s Hellraiser, a multi-sensory experience that has intrigued and delighted fans for the last 35 years. 

RELATED: THE SHINING: WHY THE 1997 MINISERIES DESERVES MUCH MORE LOVE

There’s also the undeniable fact that many of the characters, both human and not, have questionable morality, creating a gray area of whether you want to actually root for them. The Cenobites, including Pinhead, are entities with moral ambiguity who act on impulse and desire alone. Their pursuit of gratification drives them and, in turn, affects those who summon them. 

Though the sequels have expanded the overall story and universe substantially, the crux of the original film remains the same even four decades later. Encompassing tones of sadism, masochism, obsession, and a heavy dose of gore, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser has proven to be a standout in the history of horror. With a new direction and vision going forward with the upcoming reboot, which slates actress Jamie Clayton as a female version of Pinhead, it’s clear the franchise will be with us for the foreseeable future. 

We’re hardworking geeks who love to geek out, but we can’t do it without you! If you enjoyed this article and want to see more like it, please consider tipping our writers. Also, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.