Hellraiser (1987)

1987
Directed by Clive Barker
Starring Ashley Laurence, Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Sean Robinson and Doug Bradley

Now here's a poster that everyone out there in Lick Ness Monster Land should be more than familiar with.  If the blood-red title didn't give it away, that is.  Hellraiser is a flick that is pretty damn close to being on the "have seen" list of even the most casual fan, but for whatever reason, I've never posted a review of it here on the blog.  I "inducted" the first sequel (which I consider to be ever-so-slightly better) back when I was still doing the "International Horror Registry" thing (and looking back, good God, could I have possibly picked a less appealing name?), but since it's about time to write something positive, this flick is getting the fun-size treatment this week.

Expedited background information that even the most casual horror fans should be more than aware of:  Hellraiser was the directorial debut of one Mr. Clive Barker, one of the two or three best horror writers of the latter-half of the 20th century.  It's hard to explain the style that the dude has; he isn't very big on leaving nasty details up to your imagination, that's for sure.  There's also this prevailing theme of sex and pain that runs throughout his work, and never was this more apparent than it is here - an adaptation of his novella "The Hellbound Heart" that brings a whole lotta blood, death and S&M gear onto the big screen with a vengeance.

PLOT:  While the sequels would much more heavily feature the dude in the theatrical poster, this first film is actually much more about two very decidedly HUMAN villains.  The first character we meet is Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman), a sort of adventurer on the trail of the ultimate in pleasure.  Most of the film takes place after he finds what he's looking for.  His brother Larry (Andrew Robinson) and his new wife Julia (Clare Higgins) have just moved into Frank's old duds.  Apparently the piles of garbage, maggots and gigantic blood stain in the attic aren't enough to dissuade them from moving in, because soon enough, Julia is getting flashbacks to her pre-marital (as in the events happened before her marriage to Larry) affair with Frank. 

As it turns out, Frank's spirit is alive and well in the attic, and after being revived by Larry's blood (yes, really), he is begging Julia to bring him some fresh meat to revive his skin.  But escaping death means escaping the things that did this to him in the first place...and these guys don't like to be conned.  At all.  If you're not intrigued by that plot, go ahead and blame me, because ol' Clive's artful camera and sharp details do a phenomenal job framing this dark story about all kinds of foridden things.  Ladies and gentlemen, my attempt at being poetic.
PLOT RATING: **** out of ****.

CHARACTERS AND ACTORS:  This is a flick with a lot of memorable characters, including an outstanding triumverate of main villains.  You've got Frank, wonderfully played by a very slimy Chapman, as a kind of evil seducer;  you've got Higgis' great turn as Julia, who turns into a full-blown serial killer in her quest to bring back her lover;  and then you've got the Cenobites, with their leader (Doug Bradley) being front and center as the guy that you don't want to mess with.  Bradley doesn't have many lines in this movie, but when he does, he makes them count.  The Cenobites (each of which have a VERY defining look that makes their credited names all the more identifiable) are without a doubt Clive Barker's most famous creation, eternal agents of Hell/Satan/Leviathan/whatever deity you're comfortable with who reside inside a tiny puzzle box called the "Lament Configuration" that serves as their pied piper to anyone who wants to see everything life has to offer the hard way. 

If there is one thing I can bitch about with this movie, it's that the babyfaces are nowhere near as fascinating as the heels.  Larry is a good guy, but Robinson is milquetoast as all hell in this role and does little to get us on his side.  He comes across more as a gigantic oblivious tool than anything else.  Eventually, we're left with Larry's daughter Kirsty as our "final girl" to wrap up the plot, and while she becomes a much better heroine in the second film, she's also pretty drab in this one. 
CHARACTERS AND ACTORS: *** 1/2 out of ****.

COOL FACTOR:  There's a lot of coolness abound in Hellraiser.  All manner of debauchery is present and on display in this flick, from brief snippets of nudity, plenty of really gruesome imagery, awesome makeup effects, and one of the best and most memorable scores that any horror movie has ever had.  Oh, and the Cenobites.  The only reason that I have to dock it slightly is because the scenes focused on the life and times of Kirsty Cotton make me instantly want to push the fast forward button.
COOL FACTOR: *** 1/2 out of ****.

OVERALL:  This movie is considered a classic, and it definitely deserves the distinction.  A genuinely fascinating and tense plot that is easy to get wrapped up in, more than its fair share of classic characters and a couple truly legendary murder set pieces amount to a pretty damn good time on the couch.  Also, if you're in the mood for a movie to have a good time in a small group setting, this movie along with Hellbound: Hellraiser II make a pretty Roman Reigns-esque Superman Punch-Spear combination.

OVERALL RATING: *** 1/2 out of ****.  If by some chance you haven't checked this one out, Joe Bob already has a contract out on your ass, so hop to it bitch.