This truly is groundbreaking horror from the highly imaginative mind of one Clive Barker. Hellraiser is one the best horror films ever made, let alone to come out of the eighties. It proves that slasher flicks don't rule the horror screen. There are other, better movies in the genre. The Cenobites are outstanding. They completely steal the show. Pinhead (played by Doug Bradley, a name that would become synonymous with Hellraiser), Female, Chatterer, and Butterball are awesome in all their gory S&M glory. Someone once said that if you assembled all of the horror icons at a dinner table, Pinhead would be the only one using silverware. After watching this movie again, that seems to be a very true statement. Aside from the Cenobites, Frank is an extraordinary sight to behold. Bob Keen's effects team has outdone themselves. The entire world that Barker has created astounds me. He's really pushing the envelope here. The dark imagery and the concept of the Lament Configuration are incredible. Why aren't more original movies made? Today they all seem to rip off the same concepts. Hellraiser is a completely original eerie experience. It's one of the few films I can think of that was unique and has stayed unique after all these years. There are a lot of opinions about the sequels. Mine is stop after Hellraiser II as II is the end of the truly dark nature that these films have (although III is certainly a guilty pleasure). If you haven't yet, see this highly exceptional horror classic immediately. It is undoubtedly one of my all time favorites.
Review of Hellraiser
