Hellboy (2004)

A demon, raised from infancy after being conjured by and rescued from the Nazis, grows up to become a defender against the forces of darkness.

Director:

Guillermo del Toro

Writers:

Guillermo del Toro (screenplay), Guillermo del Toro (screen story),

Stars:

Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Selma Blair

8 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ron Perlman	...	Hellboy
John Hurt	...	Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm
Selma Blair	...	Liz Sherman
Rupert Evans	...	John Myers
Karel Roden	...	Grigori Rasputin
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Tom Manning
Doug Jones	...	Abe Sapien
Brian Steele	...	Sammael
Ladislav Beran	...	Karl Ruprecht Kroenen
Biddy Hodson	...	Ilsa Haupstein (as Bridget Hodson)
Corey Johnson	...	Agent Clay
Kevin Trainor	...	Young "Broom"
Brian Caspe	...	Agent Lime
James Babson	...	Agent Moss
Stephen Fisher	...	Agent Quarry

Storyline

In the final days of World War II, the Nazis attempt to use black magic to aid their dying cause. The Allies raid the camp where the ceremony is taking place, but not before a demon - Hellboy - has already been conjured. Joining the Allied forces, Hellboy eventually grows to adulthood, serving the cause of good rather than evil.

---

Plot Keywords:

nazi | hero | demon | love triangle | assassin | 

---

Taglines:

From the Dark Side to Our Side

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and frightening images

Details

Official Sites:

Columbia Tristar [fr] Hellboy.Com - highlights, news, updates

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

2 April 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Helboj

Filming Locations:

Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic

Box Office

Budget:

$66,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$411,919 (Italy) (8 October 2004)

Gross:

$195,023 (South Africa) (15 October 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Revolution Studios, Lawrence Gordon Productions, Starlite Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min 132 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Hellboy has a poster of "Ghost" on the wall of his lair/room. This is another Dark Horse comic that deals primarily with the supernatural.

---

Goofs

In the picture of the WWII Army unit at the beginning of the movie, there are 2 black soldiers present. However, American Armed Forces units were not integrated until 1948, three years after WWII.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Professor Trevor 'Broom' Bruttenholm: What is it that makes a man a man? Is it his origins, the way things start. Or is it something else, something harder to describe? For me it all began in 1944, classified mission off the coast of Scotland. The Nazis were desperate. Combining science and black magic they intended to upset the balance of the war. I was 28, already a paranormal advisor to President Roosevelt. I could never have suspected that what would transpire that night would not only effect the course of history ...

---

Crazy Credits

During the closing credits there's a brief shot of Dr. Manning still trying to contact someone on his team and getting nothing in response. A shadow of a Sammael passes in the background as the scene fades back to credits.

---

Connections

Referenced in Mad: Garfield of My Dreams/I Hate My Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012)

---

Soundtracks

"We'll Meet Again"
Written by Ross Parker and Hugh Charles
Performed by Vera Lynn
Courtesy of EMI Records
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music

User Reviews

The Hellboy Cottage Industry

If Mike Mignola isn't careful he's going to have a whole cottage industry devoted to his comic strip creation Hellboy. Having just come from Hellboy II: The Golden Army and seeing his credits at this website makes me think about what a gold mine Mignola has found.

I saw the original Hellboy and I was struck by the fact at the time I could enjoy this film as an action/adventure and the tongue in cheek humor that is prevalent throughout. A lot of that is due to the fact that Mignola was apparently given a free hand to bring his comic book creation to life on the big screen. A lot is also due to Ron Perlman and the marvelous character he creates beneath all that demon makeup.

Hellboy is brought to life by the son of Rasputin the Mad Monk in the final days of World War II. Rasputin being the good royalist he is, finds work with the Nazis who are now down to using black magic to pull out a victory. Adolph Hitler was known in fact to delve into the occult.

Anyway their experiments produce an infant demon plucked from the spirit world, but he's rescued by John Hurt who raises him like a son and he grows up to be butt-kicking demon Ron Perlman who's grown to like such earthly pleasures as beer and cigars.

Hurt functions as the Obi Won Kenobe of this piece and when he's killed, there ain't no stopping Perlman.

Hellboy is rollicking good fun, Hellboy II is even better and I'm sure we've got a Hellboy, III in our future.