Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Directors:

Kevin Yagher
Alan Smithee

Writer (WGA):

Peter Atkins (written by)

Release Date:

8 March 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

This year, the past, the present and the future will all meet at the crossroads of hell.

Plot:

In the 22nd century, a scientist attempts to right the wrong his ancestor created: the puzzle box that opens the gates of Hell and unleashes Pinhead and his Cenobite legions.

Plot Keywords:

Hell | Pinhead | Space | Space Station | Sequel

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Bruce Ramsay	...	Phillip L'Merchant / John Merchant / Dr. Paul Merchant
Valentina Vargas	...	Angelique
Doug Bradley	...	Pinhead
Charlotte Chatton	...	Genevieve L'Merchant
Adam Scott	...	Jacques
Kim Myers	...	Bobbi Merchant
Mickey Cottrell	...	Duc de L'Isle
Louis Turenne	...	Auguste
Courtland Mead	...	Jack Merchant
Louis Mustillo	...	Sharpe
Jody St. Michael	...	The Beast
Paul Perri	...	Edwards
Pat Skipper	...	Carducci
Christine Harnos	...	Rimmer
Wren T. Brown	...	Parker

Also Known As:

Hellraiser IV (USA) (working title)
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline (UK) (wide-release title)
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline Story (USA) (working title)
Hellraiser IV: Bloodlines (USA) (poster title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong horror violence and gore, and for some sexuality and language.

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:R21 | USA:R (certificate #34416) | Netherlands:16 | France:-12 | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) | New Zealand:R18 | Australia:MA | Canada:18A | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Germany:18 (video premiere) | Norway:18 | UK:18 (video premiere) | Iceland:(Banned)

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

Smithee: [Kevin Yagher]disowned the version with cuts made behind his back due to conflicting artistry ideas. Yagher's version contained much more graphic imagery, plot, and explained everything that happened in the film. The producers disagreed and demanded Pinhead should appear sooner despite every version of the script up until then having him appear around the 40-minute mark. When Yagher was unable to satisfy he disowned it and never finished filming some final scenes. Joe Chappelle was brought on to finish the film, filming new scenes from re-writes including the narrative framing device. Some scenes of the original script were thus never shot.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the chain goes through Merchant's throat, in the shot where the blades open up, the wires used to open the blades are visible. Just before the chain is pulled back there is another shot of the blades and the wires are gone.

Quotes:

Pinhead: [to Paul while looking at the Earth] Glorious, is it not? The creatures who walk its surface, always looking to the light, never seeing the untold oceans of darkness beyond. There are more humans alive today than in all of its pitiful history. The Garden of Eden. A garden of flesh.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002) (V)

In Space, Um, No One, Um, Nevermind

In this fourth gripping installment of the Hellraiser series, we are treated to the story of the Lament Configuration (or Lemarchand's Box or whatever you call it). It involves demons, Pinhead, some French people, architecture and outer space. Pretty good deal.

This film is my favorite in the Hellraiser series. By itself, there isn't much going on. I can understand why many think this film is weak. If I just watched it without the entire series, I would be like, "what the heck?" But I think this really ties the first four films together, explaining how everything fits.

I have read reviews that say the film is inconsistent and that it doesn't line up with the other films. I say hogwash. The film makes perfect sense. And it lines up with the others just fine. I guess you could say things like "how did the box get from x to y", but I think it's pretty clear. The French guy had it, then it went into circulation, then the Cottons had it in parts 1 and 2, then the news reporter in part 3, and she buried it in the cement where it was pulled out this time. What's not to understand? I could say the space aspect was cheesy. Leprechaun has been to space, and later Jason Voorhees went to space. Others probably did, too, that I can't think of offhand. But unlike Leprechaun, this made sense... it was actually central to the plot and could not have been done on Earth in any conceivable manner. So the space thing is not so bad.

As I mentioned in my review for "Hellraiser 3", I dislike how writer Peter Atkins introduced new cenobites. This movie has more, including twins and a former demon (which really makes no sense to me). What determines who becomes a cenobite? Pinhead? Maybe this is explained in a later film, but it's not really explained here.

The director disowned this film due to massive re-shoots he had no part in. I, for one, would love to see his version. While I have already said this is my favorite, perhaps the other is something worth checking out. Also ,it would stifle some of those critics who think it was reassembled as a senseless pile of bangers and mash. I disagree with those critics and would love to see them eat their words.

After seeing parts 1 and 2 (and presumably 3), watch this. Don't listen to the nay-sayers. If you want to know how the whole Pinhead, box and whatnot started, this is the film to explain it to you. (You might ask how Pinhead got out before the box was created, but you'd be silly, because he wasn't born yet.) I support this one and you should, too.