After spending some time watching films that fit into the theme of Halloween but are not horror films, I felt it was time to jump back into pure horror fare. In fact, I was so scarred by my viewing of Hocus Pocus (1993) and Hocus Pocus 2 (2022) that I wanted to watch something that would purge those films from my memory. Not necessarily in terms of quality, but more so in terms of tone. And one film kept springing to my mind, which was Hellraiser (1987). It is a film that I have seen once years and years ago (I was probably far too young to be watching it) and my memory of it wasn’t particularly positive. However, its place as an iconic horror film is not lost on me and it felt only fair to give it another go now that I am older with renewed sensibilities. When Julia (Clare Higgins) finds the resurrected body of her former lover, Frank (Sean Chapman), she agrees to provide him with victims so he can regain his body in full. However, they must do this quickly as he is being pursued by the demons who killed him in the first place, the cenobites.
Writing the synopsis of this film was quite difficult, mostly because there is quite a lot going on without all that much happening. In terms of things that actually happen within the story, I have described them above. But there are a lot of underlying relationships between the characters that add to the ongoing narrative but trying to tie it all up in a neat and concise bow is quite difficult. Add into that the cenobites as a concept and it becomes even more difficult. And I think that is why I may have not appreciated it as a teenager because there isn’t a clear and obvious narrative arc that the story is trying to tell. It is far more interested in themes and visuals, and that is something that I am much more appreciative of these days. In terms of the story the film does have, it is a great concept, and the characters are fleshed out enough that you get all the dynamics and personalities, so you feel for them as the film goes on. This is helped by a group of actors all putting in some great performances. There are a couple of times when it gets a little melodramatic, but we’re also talking about a film involving sadistic demons, so I think it works just fine.
As I mentioned, the film is far more interested in the visuals than the narrative, and the concept of the film allows for some brilliant imagery. The lighting throughout the film is exceptional in its simplicity, but it does a lot in terms of the film’s visual storytelling. The same can be said about the overall cinematography, which is great throughout, with some stand-out moments. But what makes this film as iconic as it is is its grotesque imagery. The cenobites are the standout iconography of the film, with the leader, Pinhead, being the one that has become a cultural icon. And you can understand why this is the case because the design of the cenobites is wonderful. They are almost the embodiment of the film's beautiful but grotesque visual style, and this is down to their wonderful design. But there is some truly grotesque imagery in this film also. Of course, you have the moments where people's skin is pulled from their bodies by metal hooks which is another iconic bit of imagery of the film, but the standout moment is where Frank is resurrected and his body starts to reform. As you can imagine, it makes for pretty disgusting imagery, but the way it is shot and the practical effects throughout are wonderful and still hold up to this day. It is reminiscent of the practical effects in The Thing (1982). It is this scene and one other that are the standouts for me, with the other being a dream sequence. The scene is beautifully shot but is also brilliantly unsettling, which captures the film’s overall feeling brilliantly.
It may not be a film for everyone and is definitely not a film for the faint of heart, but as a horror fan, I can’t not recommend it. Visually and conceptual it is a wonderful piece of horror cinema as it is clear why it sits in the annals of classics of the genre. What it definitely isn’t though is a gateway film into the horror genre, so if you are not a horror fan you shouldn’t be starting here. But if you are and you have passed over this one, give it a go. Even if it doesn’t end up being your cup of tea there is enough here worth viewing.
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