Who you callin’ Pinhead? – Patrick Star
In 1986, Clive Baker published a novella titled, “The Hellbound Heart.” A third volume of his anthology book series, “Night Visions,” the story centers on low life thug, Frank Cotton who opens a puzzle box causing him to teleport to another dimension where BDSM-esque demonic inhabitants torture him. When a drop of blood is spilt belonging to his brother, Frank returns to the real world, but as a walking corpse. Frank persuades his old flame, Julia to lure men into the attic in order to regain full flesh and prevent the demons from reclaiming him. One Year Later, Clive adapted the novella himself as a movie known as, “Hellraiser.”
Released in 1987, (same year The Evil Dead Part II came out) it received divisive reactions from critics and became a commercial hit at the box office. Overtime, Hellraiser gained a cult following cementing Pinhead as a horror icon. Hellraiser spawned a franchise consisting of sequels, comic books, merchandise, collectibles and a 2022 reimagining on Hulu.
Speaking of Pinhead, a video game titled, “Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival” is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch. The game’s a direct sequel to the first two Hellraiser movies. I thought about sharing my opinion on the original before I play the game someday. Anyway, it’s Halloween Month. I intend to watch and review horror films throughout October. Hellraiser is getting a TV adaptation on HBO. As of late 2026, no release date confirmed.
Today’s review contains no SPOILERS.
Light & Dark Aspects
Light: Doug Bradley did a splendid job for his performance as Pinhead.
Clive Baker himself mostly did a good job directing. He also wrote the script.
Scare Factor has some legit scary moments.
Death Scenes are not for the faint of heart. It’s best not to eat anything. You’re gonna be sick.
Christopher Young (Rounders, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister) orchestrated the soundtrack.
Practical Effects were heavily involved. Most notably, a resurrection scene.
Prosthetic Makeup transform Doug and the others into their demonic characters.
Pacing wasn’t a slow burn. I was hooked since the beginning.
Opening Scene officially establishes what you’re about to see, indicates it’s not for kids. In the words of Adult Swim Action announcer, “Put the kids to bed and get ready to get down.”
Last Scene sets up “Hellbound: Hellraiser II.”
Fun Facts
- Pinhead’s name isn’t mentioned. He’s credited as Lead Cenobite. He was later referred as Pinhead in later installments. Clive hated the fact people called him that.
- Jennifer Tilly auditioned for the role of Kirsty. She eventually played Tiffany in “Bride of Chucky.”
Dark: Although Pinhead appeared on posters, he really didn’t appear that much in the actual movie. Kinda like getting duped into believing many people are convinced he’s gonna give us some scares. Frank’s the center of attention instead of Pinhead.
Besides Pinhead, there’s little to no Cenobites until it gets into the third act. I know Pinhead and his crew appeared in the first few minutes, but they have limited screen time.
Acting’s hokey at times. You can tell most of the actors didn’t perform additional takes.
The Final Verdict: B-
Despite nitpicks, Hellrasier’s a solid horror movie. It has good moments including the effects that aged well, Doug Bradley’s performance, gory imagery etc. if you’re new to the Hellraiser series, check out the OG version. Which horror films should I watch and review next? Please leave a comment. Again, someday I’ll review Hellraiser: Revival. I got a lot of stuff going on like current films and TV shows. So, bear with me folks.
