Hellraiser
One of the things that distinguishes Clive Barker’s “Hellraiser” from not only other takes on the world, but horror movies in general, is how the Cenobites are not villains, in the strictest sense. They are still unsettling horror monsters, to be sure, but in the grand scheme of Barker’s adaptation of his novella, The Hellbound Heart, Frank and Julia are more evil than the Cenobites are. In this way, “Hellraiser” is nominally more interesting than just about every slasher from the 1970s and ’80s. It still shows Barker as a novice as a filmmaker, but oh what sights he has to show us.
In 2020, I read The Hellbound Heart as part of a deep dive into how Barker adapted his own work for the screen, which can be read at the Patreon, and like any good adaptation, the changes are the most interesting parts. The key one, in this case, was having Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) be Larry’s (Andrew Robinson) daughter rather than a friend with an unrequited crush. It helps ground her interest in what’s going on at the house Larry and his wife, Julia (Clare Higgins), move into beyond just being protective of Larry as a romantic prospect, and it also gives the dynamic between her and Julia- the evil stepmother- a fairy tale perspective that brings more perversity to Barker’s tale; the Brothers Grimm by way of the devil himself.
Frank (Sean Chapman) is Larry’s debauched brother, and before their wedding, he had an affair with Julia. Frank has been off the radar for a while, though; in his search around the world for sinful pleasures, he came into possession of a puzzle box. He goes to the childhood home he and Larry lived in- the same one Larry and Julia are moving into now- to explore its pleasure; but what the Cenobites offer is darker that anything even Frank has experienced before. Now, as blood is spilled in the room he summoned the Cenobites in, he is finding a way out, back into our reality. Even if partial form, he has a seductive pull on Julia. She needs his touch, and is willing to do anything to get it back.
The score by Christopher Young is one of my favorites in all of horror cinema. For a story that takes place primarily in one house, there is an epic sound from the way Young uses the orchestra that gives us a sense of scope that is exhilarating. There’s also a perverse romantic sweep to it, as well; given that the film is ultimately a dark story of love and lust between Julia and Frank, that makes sense, but it also throws us off, as well. Most horror stories that have a couple at the center, it is tragic in a way where we want to see them together; in this case, we want to see the Cenobites have their way with Frank and Julia. Kirsty is the tragic figure in this film; what she does, it’s out of love for her father, who is a victim of Frank and Julia’s scheming. This is where the switch to her being the daughter also makes sense- we know how Larry feels about her; that she gets sucked into this dark narrative is a tragedy that will continue in “Hellbound.” At the end, she is another final girl of horror, and in a way, she might be one of the most empathetic ones we’ve ever gotten.
As a director, Barker’s filmmaking skills are pretty raw in this, but the images he shows us are haunting and unforgettable. Yes, some of the makeup effects are dated- especially when the Cenobites tear their victims apart- but the brutality remains intense, and the makeup on the Cenobites themselves remains iconic. And he and cinematographer Robin Vidgeon know how to pull in the world of the Cenobites through lighting and staging on a budget. “Hellraiser” might be one of the most impressive debuts in horror cinema because of how it maximizes its small budget, and gives us an experience we’ll never forget.
