Hellraiser (1987)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Clive Barker

Writers:

Clive Barker (novel)
Clive Barker (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Still Raising Hell [20th Anniversary Re-Issue]

Plot:

An unfaithful wife encounters the zombie of her dead lover, who's being chased by demons after he escaped from their sado-masochistic Hell.

Plot Keywords:

Cenobites | Demon | Hell | Blood | Creature

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Andrew Robinson	...	Larry
Clare Higgins	...	Julia
Ashley Laurence	...	Kirsty
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

Also Known As:

Clive Barker's Hellraiser (UK) (complete title)
Sadomasochists from Beyond the Grave (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

94 min | Sweden:89 min (cut version) | Finland:86 min (cut)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | West Germany:18 (video rating) (cut) | New Zealand:R16 | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Australia:M (theatrical rating) | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:18A (Alberta) (re-rating) (2000) | Denmark:15 (DVD rating) | France:-12 | Iceland:(Banned) | Iceland:16 (cut) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:15 (original rating) (cut) | South Korea:18 (DVD rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #28562) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

187 Dollis Hill Lane, Dollis Hill, London, England, UK

Company:

Cinemarque Entertainment BV

Trivia:

In his DVD commentary, Clive Barker explained that filming the movie in an actual house forced him to be creative in his cinematography. There was often only room for a single camera and this explains why many of the shots are from only one angle. In particular, vertical movement was often the only movement available to the camera operators, which explains many of the overhead and zoom shots. Only one room in the house, the attic, was shot on a soundstage, but only the FX shots used this attic set.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When the Engineer chases Kirsty, the trolley and crew pushing it are visible.

Quotes:

Frank Cotton: I thought I'd gone to the limits. I hadn't. The Cenobites gave me an experience beyond limits... pain and pleasure, indivisible.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (2003) (TV)

Classic Horror Movie, Pinhead Point

This is obviously the best Hellraiser. Nothing can beat the 1st scene when Pinhead and the Cenobites come in to view. It is simply some of the most powerful present day horror. The creativity of the hellbound world gives this movie a 9. With the low budget, it still maintains the vision of Clive Barker, the author who penned this original story. I believe that this movie and subject is at the apex of creativity instead of the boring slashers that have dominated horror movies in the 80's and 90's. Now, it seems we are getting the "I know what you did two summer's ago" and "weird horror flicks like "Grudge" and the films that it cloned.Pinhead point--He should actually be called 9-inch nail-head because that is what is pounded into his head not little pins.