Hellraiser (1987)

An unfaithful wife encounters the zombie of her dead lover; the demonic cenobites are pursuing him after he escaped their sadomasochistic underworld.

Director:

Clive Barker

Writer:

Clive Barker

Stars:

Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence

2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

When Kirsty's father, Larry, and stepmother, Julia, move into Larry's childhood home, Kirsty and her boyfriend take a room nearby. Unfortunately for all involved, Larry's house is already occupied: before the family's arrival, Larry's disreputable brother, Frank, used a supernatural puzzle box to summon a gang of other-dimensional demon sadists. Now, Frank requires a series of blood sacrifices to escape the clutches of Pinhead and the cenobites.

---

Plot Keywords:

sadomasochism | puzzle box | hook | based on novella | british horror | 

---

Taglines:

It will tear your soul apart.

---

Genres:

Horror | Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 September 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sadomasochists from Beyond the Grave

Filming Locations:

Cricklewood Railway Station, Cricklewood Lane, Cricklewood, Barnet, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,453,232, 20 September 1987

Gross USA:

$14,564,027

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinemarque Entertainment BV, Film Futures, Rivdel Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min 89 min (cut) 86 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During a post-production party when filming had ended, Doug Bradley was dismayed to be ignored by the other members of the crew. He thought that he had gotten on rather well with the cast and crew, and it wasn't until later that he realized that none of the crew had actually seen him without his makeup when playing Pinhead and therefore did not recognize him.

---

Goofs

When Kirsty is at the top of the stairs hiding from Frank, a shadow of the boom mic is visible on the top corner.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Asian Merchant: [the Asian Merchant greets Frank] What's your pleasure, Mr. Cotton?
Frank Cotton: The box.

---

Alternate Versions

The version on the German DVD by StudioCanal, released in 2011, is cut by ca. 2 minutes and has a "Not under 16" rating (the "Not under 18" rating is due to bonus materials).

---

Connections

Referenced in Leviathan: The Story of Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II (2015)

User Reviews

One of the most imaginative horror flicks of the 80's

Clive Barker's debut feature is one of the most original horror films of the 80's. Unlike many genre offerings from that decade this one is not formulaic at all. It's chiefly for this reason that Hellraiser is respected. Barker proved himself to be something of a talent and one who would end up directing very little else unfortunately.

Hellraiser is a story about the occult but like no other film of that sub-genre. Instead of the typical demonic creatures you would see in many other films of this type, this one introduces the Cenobites. These denizens of hell are a good deal more memorable, and have a somewhat S&M styling that gives them added deviancy. They look highly original. Throughout the film there are a series of visually spectacular set-pieces. The look and atmosphere of Hellraiser belies is very modest budget. Barker and his team consistently make the most of their meagre resources and it's never obvious that this is so low-budget.

The celebrated fantasy moments are well off-set by a story of a dysfunctional family. The characters are all well rounded and believable which again is not a typical aspect of an 80's horror movie. The performances are universally strong, including an atypically good guy role for Andrew Robinson who was most famous for playing the psychopath Scorpio in Dirty Harry.

All in all, a quality production. And one of the most iconic horror flicks of the 80's.