Hellraiser (1987) Review – A Visceral and Transgressive Masterpiece of Flesh

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are heading back to the 80s with Clive Barker’s Hellraiser (1987).

A horror classic that bucked the 80s slasher trend

Hellraiser follows the story of a woman, Julia (Clare Higgins) who finds the reanimated body of her former lover, Frank (Sean Chapman), in the attic of her new home. Frank had an unfortunate encounter with a group of demons but, somehow, managed to escape death. The only problem is that Frank needs fresh victims to rebuild his body. Julia will have to help him but doing so will risk seriously upsetting the demons that put him there in the first place.

“Hellraiser was a very different kind of horror for the late 80s. Clive Barker arrived with a movie about sadomasochistic, otherworldly demons eager to claim souls, and it actually got commissioned.”

Hellraiser was a very different kind of horror movie for the late 80s. There had been a ton of slashers throughout the decade. The rinse and repeat formula seemed to guarantee a profit meaning that directors were unwilling to take risks on movies deemed a bit too out there. In 1987, along came Clive Barker with a movie about sadomasochistic, otherworldly demons eager to claim souls and, somehow, it actually got commissioned.

It goes without saying that Hellraiser is fairly unique against a backdrop of formulaic 80’s slashers. There was nothing else quite like it; even the family dynamic at the centre of the story felt different. Hellraiser‘s focus on Larry and Julia’s failing marriage as well as their sometimes awkward relationship with daughter Kirsty is strange for a horror. In fact, even today, it is a bit of an odd backbone for a tale about demons.

Frank is an utterly awful person. This awfulness rubs off on Julia who is cheating on her husband with Frank. Her lust for Frank turns her into a monster of sorts herself. It’s hard not to feel bad for Larry in his desperation to make his marriage work. This was horror that felt mature and very different.

An interesting cast of hellish demons

Hellraiser had everything you could possibly want from a horror. It is dark and brooding with a sense of grimness and malice that permeates the entire film. There is no humour here and some of the scenes are absolutely brutal. From Julia bringing sacrifices to Frank, right up to every scene featuring the Cenobites. Hellraiser wants to make the viewer uncomfortable and it does this with glee.

The Cenobites are the highlight of the film, however, and they are a menacing group. They feature a range of designs all seemingly focused on specific sins and they are fiendish to behold. They are purely intent on causing pain and act as a horror representation of sadomasochistic desire. The Cenobites are rule bound, however, and there is an element of fairness to what they do. This makes them, in some ways, something of an antihero. Kirsty is the films’ real protagonist and you genuinely fear for her when she interacts with them.

“The lead Cenobite, or Pinhead as he is more commonly known, became absolutely iconic. He is, most definitely, a character that propelled Hellraiser into the public psyche.”

The lead Cenobite, or Pinhead as he is more commonly known, played by Doug Bradley is the voice of the Cenobites. As any horror fan will know, he became absolutely iconic and is almost instantly recognisable. He is, most definitely, a character that propelled Hellraiser into the public psyche. The other Cenobites are no less scary, however. Chattering Cenobite, in particular, is incredibly freaky. They are all a fantastic example of practical effects and makeup that you don’t see nearly as much anymore.

Decent acting and ultra quotable

Acting in Hellraiser is generally great. Andrew Robinson, one of the only American actors in the cast, is likeable and sympathetic as Larry. It’s not at all hard to feel sorry for him as Julia becomes more and more distant. Clare Higgins is fantastic as Julia. She does a great job of portraying a woman under the spell of an awful man.

Ashley Laurence is, perhaps, the only cheerful character in the movie so she makes for a breath of fresh air. She is so easy to like and definitely one of horror’s greatest heroines. She plays a massive part in the progression of the story and her scenes with the Cenobites are very well acted.

Special mention has to go to Oliver Smith who performed as Frank the Monster. He must have spent an ungodly amount of time in makeup and he comes across as horribly demented.

Obviously the show stealer is Doug Bradley as Pinhead. Pinhead is the thing most people remember from Hellraiser and he is truly menacing. Fantastic line delivery coupled with, what must have been, a gruelling makeup routine combine to create a timeless horror icon. All of the Cenobites are suitably terrifying and well performed.

Hellraiser has produced some amazing, iconic, quotes to go along with Pinhead. “We’ll Tear Your Soul Apart” is something, I am sure, many have heard way before ever watching Hellraiser. Frank’s cry of “Jesus Wept” was an inspired suggestion by Larry’s actor Andrew Robinson. Every scene featuring the Cenobites is utterly quotable and that’s something that helps Hellraiser stay so memorable.

Some not so good parts

Hellraiser is something of a divisive movie. Some high profile reviewers hated it upon its release back in 1987. This is understandable. It is a grim movie with a distinct feeling of hopelessness. It’s almost as if there is a desire to entertain the viewer without actually entertaining the viewer. It could also be described as somewhat messy due to it’s two distinct sets of bad guys. Frank and Julia in one corner and the Cenobites in the other.

“Hellraiser is a truly great, disturbing horror movie from one of the genre’s greatest minds. The sadistic nature of the Cenobites keeps you on edge for the entire movie.”

It is worth pointing out as well, the camera work is, at times, pretty shoddy. It also features some weird dubbing. Originally made in the UK, the film features dubbing to Americanise some of the characters due to the setting being changed from England to America. This is noticeable and awkward.

There are scenes toward the end of the movie where the filmmakers ran out of money and had to animate special effects themselves. Apparently Clive Barker and “some Greek guy” did it together while drinking heavily over the span of a weekend. It sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday but these parts look absolutely terrible. They heavily take away from the amazing practical effects and look worse and worse as time goes on.

The story of Hellraiser is, also, very self contained and doesn’t roam far beyond the initial location. This is a family drama with some murder and kinky demons spliced in. It doesn’t try to be anything else and this may bore a few viewers. It is a fantastic movie, however, despite these flaws and well worth a watch for horror fans.

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Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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