While the story, characters and acting leaves much to be desired, Hellraiser's use of prosthetics and special effects are still amazingly impressive to this day. As a new watcher this year, I was astounded by some of the effects work on show here, which really stands the test of time over it's CG counterparts. Not sure I'll watch the others in the series, but as a stand alone entry it's an impressive 90 minutes.
One of the darkest, macabre and gruesome films I´ve ever seen.
The make up and practical effects look really good. Pinhead is a cool demon but there's not enough screen time with him. The story is pretty boring.
Rather brutal, sometimes really gory but with some exceptional ideas and a few cool horror masks (i.e. Pinhead's or Frank's after his first victim). But other things (i.e. Frank's resurrection, the destruction of the Cenobites) are really cheap made and some dialogs are just silly.
Ohh no tears..pleease.. It's a waste of good suffering
One of the worst horror movies i’ve ever seen. I’ll give credit to the gore and prosthetics, was really good for the 80s
Slow but tense. The negatives are that many extreme terrors are underplayed. And how did kirsty end up in what seems a mental institution so fast? The good things are things he effects and horrific nature of things hehe movie.
Hellraiser (1987) 4.8/10 (More Unfavourable than Favourable)
Although I can appreciate why the film appeals to some, for me personally it falls flat. The film's gruesome visual are intriguing, but the forgettable characters, thin plot, and lacklustre performance drag it down. Sexually explicit and brutal, yet ultimately pointless. The parallels drawn between pain and pleasure were intriguing, however they aren't elaborated upon. Perhaps, beneath the blood and guts, there lurked the makings of a smart horror film, but this potential was ultimately unrealized. To make matters worse, the film's poor plot and boring characters aren't even compensated for by sufficient levels of horror. This is your best bet if you want to watch a film with tonnes of gore and little in the way of a plot.
“We have such sights to show you!”
I admire the make-up, the creature designs, and the line “Jesus wept”, which was creepy and evil. The image of the creature living in the antic, with the aid of his partner in crime luring clueless victims to their bloody doom, captures the true horror of Clive Barker’s ‘Books of Blood.
On the other hand, I feel like I’m the only one to say this, but I must admit, I was a bit bored watching this. I’m a bit shocked to say that. I didn’t think much was on the surface, and it didn’t engage me. But still, the impact it had on horror is admirable.
The box, you opened it, we came :smiling_imp::smiling_imp::smiling_imp:
The remake is coming and I knew I finally had to see this, and probably also delve into the franchise. While the first two thirds are a bit slow, the final thirty minutes provide a truly fantastic pay-off. This is an original and very unique film, exploring pleasure and pain, lust and love, in a way that you will not get from other horror films. It's twisted, gruesome, and just a pure discomfort. It really pushes the limits of disgust, featuring some unforgettable nightmare sequences and some of the most insanely imaginative costume and make-up design I've ever seen. There are many experimental artsy shots used in interesting ways. The effects are so artistic and delightfully grotesque, and a lot of it still holds up. The editing and music are both fantastic as well. Can’t wait to see how the director reinvents this in the upcoming remake.
"Hellraiser" is a dark dark tale about opening a door to an alternate dimension with a puzzlebox and some sexual perversion. This movie was a bit unsettling when compared to the "Halloween" "Friday the 13th" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" sequels that dominated 1980's horror. "Hellraiser" is a pretty original idea and even more original in its execution. It's got a grainy look and a dirty grimy feel. The characters are totally unlikeable except for daughter Kirsty who is downright heroic battling evil Frank manipulative Julia and oh yeah...hellish demons from another world.
I thought the puzzlebox device would have added a bit of suspense and dread as it served as the key to unleash the monsters. Instead I found that I was frustrated trying to figure out how the damned thing twisted and turned the way it did. The centerpiece of the horror seemed to be the Pinhead character and his rotating meathook torture wheel. It was certainly a gory machine but it didn't deliver real scares. I found the highlight to be an impressive effect featuring Frank's transformation from evil spirit to skinless skeleton.
I usually like movies that are a little darker a little menacing. Unfortunately "Hellraiser" offers such hopelessness and depravity that I found nothing in it to really recommend.
"We have such sights to show you!"
What a fantastic horror film. I watched this as a kid and was mortified yet curious about things it showed me. I guess it is what got me into horror movies. I rewatch it every once in a while and this time, it was no different: I still love it. Practical effects will always win my heart over, especially when they are gruesome. I only deduct half a star because some acting is cringy, but hey, it was the 80's!
amazing good horror movie ...sure for the year's 80 i love this movie's nice...
For me, personally, there isn't enough Cenobytes. I had always been told they're not really bad guys, in fact they are the slither of moral between good and evil. But this film doesn't paint them that way, not that it bothered me much. I just wanted to have them on screen more as their presence was the most enthralling part of the movie. I am on a journey to watch them all, but based on this one, I'd be dubious of sequels.
Watched at cinema on Halloween.
I think I'm completely alone in thinking the 'cenobites' are easily the worst part about the film. They take away from the more real and singular story about the unfaithful wife and the ex in the room upstairs. I just don't get what they represent - everything else in the movie is tightly wound and fairly allegorical but then they come in and turn it into what feels like some blockbuster metaverse movie (and they are also responsible for creating the endless sequels so I guess in a way they DID turn it into that). I also thought every line that came out of pinhead's mouth was cringe as fuck. Because of this, I didn't really like the ending/final act to be honest but everything up to that point was frankly brilliant. Loved the parallels between sex and violence.
Way more gross than it is scary. The practical effects are obviously great, but this is not a movie for me.
I've watched this at least three times; it never fails to entertain me but as some have already pointed out, much of the film is quite outdated by today's standards. The demons are still VERY creepy and make for some fun watching (for horror fans) but the acting is very subpar. Watch this if (like me) you have an hour-and-a-half to kill and are just bored but don't expect an Oscar-winning performance from anyone (except Pinhead).
Gnarly in the best sense of the word. Just luxuriating in the pain and sensation and vibes on display, with practical effects that still leaves one wincing today. The amount of attention Pinhead gets is funny when if anything the Cenobites are an ensemble piece and share the stage with Frank. Robinson and Oliver both kill the role, but Higgins steals the show, delivering pathos and demanding attention in a role that could've been trite and thankless. The weak link is Kirsty, not for Laurence's stellar performance, but the fact she's just serviceable. She lacks the agency and arc of Nancy, and the dimensionality of Laurie, and so doesn't enter the echelon of top final girls. The film as a whole is lacking this sort of bow to tie on the experience, but when it's an experience so visceral it almost doesn't need one.
The Hellraiser series is one of the more popular horror franchises that for whatever reason I have never really invested the time to watch. I decided it was finally time to give the original film a shot after seeing chunks of the series here and there. It was good but I still don’t feel like I was missing something really special. A bit slow to get going, the Frank plot line didn’t pull me in too well but it got better as we approached the finale. Good villain designs and practical effects. 7/10
3 Thoughts After Re-Watching ‘Hellraiser’:
Seeing this in its entirety so many years later, I’ve come to realize the amount of plot holes this movie has. The story is fairly difficult to grasp and certain aspects make little sense. I would’ve given this a lower score, but it would be a disservice to horror film culture to deny how iconic it is.
The visuals and the score are what make set this film apart. The special effects are grotesquely next-level and still stand the test of time. So gross.
The Cenobites are creepy and cool. But what’s their purpose? They appear to be creepy, yet somewhat helpful. There’s a world of story and mythology here that I feel could be built better. I need to know more.
I really like the ideas here, but I don't like that it's basically just a slasher film.
I love the theme more than I love this movie and I can't really put my finger on why. Everything is decent and nothing is great. Clive Barker's story is top-notch, but he shouldn't have directed it.
Clare Higgins carries this movie on her very broad shoulders and it's a shame she wasn't the main villain for the rest of the series.
Exceptionally creative, this movie is a true masterpiece! A classic in the horror genre.
Shout by greysondnBlockedParent2014-10-15T09:23:51Z
As a horror movie, I can't really give this more than a 4. As a movie in general, given when it came out and the character - Pinhead - and how iconic it is, it can have an 8. Watch it for the history and for a solid film from the late 80s. Don't watch it for horror - it's not that scary.