Hellraiser (1987)

Director:

Clive Barker

Writer:

Clive Barker (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

18 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Still Raising Hell [20th Anniversary Re-Issue]

Plot:

An unfaithful wife encounters the zombie of her dead lover, who's being chased by demons after he escaped from their sado-masochistic Hell.

Plot Keywords:

Cenobites | Demon | Hell | Blood | Creature

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Andrew Robinson	...	Larry
Clare Higgins	...	Julia
Ashley Laurence	...	Kirsty Cotton
Sean Chapman	...	Frank
Oliver Smith	...	Frank the Monster
Robert Hines	...	Steve
Anthony Allen	...	1st Victim
Leon Davis	...	2nd Victim
Michael Cassidy	...	3rd Victim
Frank Baker	...	Derelict
Kenneth Nelson	...	Bill
Gay Baynes	...	Evelyn
Niall Buggy	...	Dinner Guest
Dave Atkins	...	Moving Man 1
Oliver Parker	...	Moving Man 2
Pamela Sholto	...	Complaining Customer
Doug Bradley	...	Pinhead the Lead Cenobite
Nicholas Vince	...	Chattering Cenobite
Simon Bamford	...	'Butterball' Cenobite
Grace Kirby	...	Female Cenobite
Sharon Bower	...	Nurse
Raul Newney	...	Doctor

Directed by
Clive Barker

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Clive Barker		novel "The Hellbound Heart" (uncredited)
Clive Barker		written by

Produced by
Mark Armstrong	....	executive producer
Christopher Figg	....	producer
Selwyn Roberts	....	associate producer
David Saunders	....	executive producer
Christopher Webster	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christopher Young		(music composed by)

Cinematography by
Robin Vidgeon		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Marden
Tony Randel		(uncredited)

Casting by
Sheila Trezise

Production Design by
Michael Buchanan		(as Mike Buchanan)

Art Direction by
Jocelyn James

Costume Design by
Joanna Johnston

Makeup Department
Nigel Booth	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Julian Caldow	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Paul Catling	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Stuart Conran	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Dave Elsey	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Richard Glass	....	standby contact lens optician
Little John	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Bob Keen	....	special makeup effects designer
Dave Keen	....	special makeup effects and creature crew (as David Keen)
William Petty	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Geoffrey Portass	....	special makeup effects workshop supervisor (as Geoff Portass)
Roy Puddefoot	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Jason Reed	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Ian Rolph	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Jim Sandys	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Simon Sayce	....	special makeup effects and creature crew
Aileen Seaton	....	hair stylist
Sally Sutton	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Selwyn Roberts	....	first assistant director
Waldo Roeg	....	second assistant director
Rupert Ryle-Hodges	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Ron Allett	....	property master
Derek Ede	....	stand-by stagehand
Steve Ede	....	chargehand carpenter
Belinda Edwards	....	production buyer
Richard Harris	....	stand-by rigger
Floyd Jones Hughes	....	sketch artist
Colin Lovering	....	stand-by painter
Gerry O'Connor	....	prop stand-by
Steve Payne	....	dressing props
John Potter	....	stand-by carpenter
Paul Purdy	....	stand-by props (as Paul Purdey)
John Rankin	....	construction stand-by
Mark Stevenson	....	art department assistant
Paul Turner	....	stand-by props

Sound Department
Stephen Banks	....	Jobfit trainee
David Beesley	....	assistant sound effects editor
Michael A. Carter	....	dubbing mixer (as Michael Carter)
Joe Gilmore	....	assistant dubbing editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	chief dubbing mixer (as Graham Hartstone)
John Ireland	....	sound effects editor
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	dubbing mixer (as Nicolas Lemessurier)
Tony Message	....	dubbing editor
John Midgley	....	sound mixer
Clive Osborne	....	boom operator (as Clive Osbourne)
Carmella Prudente	....	Jobfit trainee

Special Effects by
Cliff Wallace	....	special makeup effects technician
Dave Chagouri	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Dick Dimbleby	....	optical printer
Don Lee	....	digital compositor
Peter Swinson	....	optical printer
Peter Watson	....	optical supervisor
Nick Xypnitos	....	animator
Clive Barker	....	animator (uncredited)

Stunts
Jim Dowdall	....	stunt arranger
Bill Weston	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Tom Collins	....	still photographer
Gary Donague	....	best boy (as Gary Donoghue)
Tim Field	....	camera operator: rostrum camera
Steve Foster	....	gaffer
Katya Grenfell	....	additional still photographer
Andrew C. Hebden	....	electrician (as Andrew Hebden)
Gary Hutchings	....	camera grip
Clive Mackey	....	clapper loader
Danny Shelmerdine	....	focus puller
Ray Wardley	....	electrician
David Worley	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Ping Mudie	....	assistant to casting director

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Daryl Bristow	....	wardrobe supervisor
Brian Cox	....	wardrobe assistant
Jane Howells	....	wardrobe assistant
Ro Sylvester-Fisher	....	costume assistant: Cenobite costumes (as Rosemary Sylvester Fisher)
Jane Wildgoose	....	costume designer: Cenobite costumes

Editorial Department
Roy Birchley	....	first assistant editor
Tim Grover	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Tom Calderaro	....	synthesizer performer
Tom Calderaro	....	synthesizer programmer
Jeff Vaughn	....	music recordist
Paul Francis Witt	....	conductor
Paul Francis Witt	....	music consultant
Anne Atkins Young	....	music supervisor
Christopher Young	....	orchestrator
Mark Zimoski	....	consultant: percussion (as Mark Zimowski)

Transportation Department
John Collins	....	unit driver
Terry English	....	unit driver
Micky Grover	....	unit driver
Ron Narduzzo	....	unit driver

Other crew
John Charles	....	software manager: Sony DAC
Robert Fabbri	....	floor runner
Alan Harris	....	stand-in
Steve Jones	....	unit publicist
Su Lim	....	assistant to producer
Alex Matcham	....	production auditor
Selby McCreery	....	assistant to producer
Richard Morrison	....	title designer
Patricia Poole	....	production accountant (as Pat Poole)
Kathy Sinclair	....	stand-in
Clare St. John	....	production coordinator
Jane Studd	....	location manager
Alan Sutton	....	fire safety coordinator
Ene Watts	....	script supervisor

Thanks
John Dunne	....	grateful acknowledgment
Marie Fisher	....	grateful acknowledgment
Piers Gibson	....	grateful acknowledgment
John Gregson	....	grateful acknowledgment
Christopher Hobbs	....	grateful acknowledgment
R.J. Kizer	....	grateful acknowledgment
Alan Parker	....	grateful acknowledgment
Tony Randel	....	many special thanks (as Anthony Randel)

Production Companies

• Cinemarque Entertainment BV
• Film Futures
• Rivdel Films

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Highlight Film (1988) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1988) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Astro Distribution (1995) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Atlantic Film (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2011) (Spain) (DVD)
• E1 Entertainment Benelux (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (limited edition cube)
• Finnkino (1998) (Finland) (VHS)
• Future Film (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Highlight Video (1988) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1988) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Lumivision (1996) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)
• Nelonen (2002) (Finland) (TV)
• New World Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Starmaker Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• StudioCanal (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Vestron Video International (1988) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Vestron Video International (1988) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates
• ReelEye Company (special effects contact lenses)

Other Companies

• Arbuthnot Latham Ltd.  banking services
• DDA Public Relations (DDA)  additional publicity
• Five Star Catering  catering
• Image Animation  thanks
• Kaleidoscope Films  thanks
• Optical Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Oxford Scientific Films  film extracts
• Samuelson Film Service  cameras and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

Runtime:

94 min | Sweden:89 min (cut version) | Finland:86 min (cut)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1998) (2002) | West Germany:18 (video rating) (cut) | New Zealand:R16 | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1998) | Portugal:M/18 | Chile:18 | Italy:VM14 | Australia:M (theatrical rating) | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:18A (Alberta) (re-rating) (2000) | Denmark:15 (DVD rating) | France:-12 | Iceland:(Banned) | Iceland:16 (cut) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:15 (original rating) (cut) | South Korea:18 (DVD rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #28562) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

187 Dollis Hill Lane, Dollis Hill, London, England, UK

Company:

Cinemarque Entertainment BV

Trivia:

For the video release, the film had one of the most unusual pieces of bonus material that has ever been offered: a Home Shopping Network show where merchandise from the movie could be purchased. The show was hosted by a giddy old lady claiming to be a hardcore fan of the movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: Throughout most of the film, Larry has a bandage on his right hand. When he talks to Julia through the bathroom door, Larry's bandage is on his left hand.

Quotes:

Kirsty Cotton:It's just a puzzle box!
Lead Cenobite:Oh, no. It is a means to summon us.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jonathan Creek: The Chequered Box (#4.5)" (2004)

Hellraising Horror

Adapted by Clive Barker from his own story "The Hellbound Heart" this has long been a favorite among horror-film devotees. Clive Barker is an outstanding writer. In terms of literary style light years ahead of Stephen King. His awesomely unhinged imagination is given free rein in this tale of the darker side of the human psyche.

Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) is as immoral and perverted a scumbag as you could hope to find in the English speaking world. Ever alert to the potential for some new thrill (sexual or otherwise) Frank comes by a small carved wooden cube that just happens to be (in the right hands) a gateway to Hell. Not your normal run of the mill pit of hot sulphur fumes presided over by a horned Lucifer wielding his time-honored pitchfork, but a most unpleasant parallel dimension, home of the wickedly inventive Pinhead and his cenobite cohorts. As the series worked its way onwards, Pinhead (Bradley) became a retro cult hero much like Freddy Kreuger and was given increased screen-time!

Frank ends up paying the ultimate price in his search for new pleasures and to his everlasting discomfort, inevitably discovers the real meaning of the film's tag-line "He'll tear your soul apart." This leaves Frank's ex well and truly home-alone and she takes up with his wimpy brother Larry, crawlingly played by Andrew Robinson.

Things might have worked out for Julia (Higgins) and daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) had not Larry cut his hand badly and the blood run beneath the floorboards where Frank's decimated but undead corpse responds dramatically well to the corpuscled cocktail! Frank's gory resurrection is actually one of the film's highlights, aided and abetted as it is by a superb musical score from Christopher Young!

Frank of course is a little miffed over Julia's dalliance with his brother and persuades her to bring him an assembly line of fresh meat to ensure his complexion is brought up to scratch. The demise of the first victim especially is quite shocking horror and on its own would have earned the film its "R" certificate.

Without giving anything else away, it is left to daughter Kirsty to combat both Frank, her socially distasteful step-mother and Pinhead. It is the ultimate learning curve you might say. One hell of a lot goes wrong before it starts getting any better. Frank's second whirl on the block is distinctly gruesome. Kirsty who under normal circumstances would be left a gibbering idiot, survives to take on the sequel and a further appearance by her awesomely repulsive stepmother!

You want horror? you want originality? you like blood on tap? you need HELLRAISER!

For all the above though, Barker's CANDYMAN was still better!