- Messages
- 14,897
- Reaction score
- 2,422
- Trophy Points
- 228
I got the Arrow Hellraiser blu-ray boxset (the first 3) for Christmas. I'd maybe seen the first a long time ago...?
Hellraiser (1987)
The decision to switch the film's setting from London? to New York? in post-production was not a good choice. The bad dubbing of the supporting cast is unintentionally hilarious, the almost total absence of exterior establishing footage (that would've been too blatantly English I guess?) makes the film feel small. Even then, there is no disguising that the house where 95% of the movie occurs is a characteristically English suburban design (very like my Gran's old house ). I found it quite distracting but also fascinating. All that aside, the Cenobite costume designs are totally iconic and brilliantly and darkly imaginative, as are the stomach-churning and realistic makeup jobs.
Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
The 'Bride of Frankenstein' of this series, with Dr. Channard instead of Dr. Pretorius and Clare Higgins character resurrected in similar bandages. The plot stretches credibility and logic, taking place exactly where the last film finished but then almost instantly going in a slightly different direction. Setting half of the film in an M.C. Esher style hell-scape was ambitious but unwise when they'd only got a limited budget that stretched to a couple of corridors and one matte-painting. The development of the Pinhead character was excellent, even eliciting some sympathy and warmth. Probably a slight improvement on the first.
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)
This looks a lot more high gloss and less confined than the first two films but it's a much more conventional Horror film. Some of the disturbing edginess is lost, even though the gore is dialed up a notch. The characters are initially engaging but never really go anywhere after Pinhead is resurrected. All the Pinhead backstory material was great as was Doug Bradley's performance as his alter-ego Captain Elliott Spencer. The least of the three in my opinion.
Hellraiser (1987)
The decision to switch the film's setting from London? to New York? in post-production was not a good choice. The bad dubbing of the supporting cast is unintentionally hilarious, the almost total absence of exterior establishing footage (that would've been too blatantly English I guess?) makes the film feel small. Even then, there is no disguising that the house where 95% of the movie occurs is a characteristically English suburban design (very like my Gran's old house ). I found it quite distracting but also fascinating. All that aside, the Cenobite costume designs are totally iconic and brilliantly and darkly imaginative, as are the stomach-churning and realistic makeup jobs.
Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
The 'Bride of Frankenstein' of this series, with Dr. Channard instead of Dr. Pretorius and Clare Higgins character resurrected in similar bandages. The plot stretches credibility and logic, taking place exactly where the last film finished but then almost instantly going in a slightly different direction. Setting half of the film in an M.C. Esher style hell-scape was ambitious but unwise when they'd only got a limited budget that stretched to a couple of corridors and one matte-painting. The development of the Pinhead character was excellent, even eliciting some sympathy and warmth. Probably a slight improvement on the first.
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)
This looks a lot more high gloss and less confined than the first two films but it's a much more conventional Horror film. Some of the disturbing edginess is lost, even though the gore is dialed up a notch. The characters are initially engaging but never really go anywhere after Pinhead is resurrected. All the Pinhead backstory material was great as was Doug Bradley's performance as his alter-ego Captain Elliott Spencer. The least of the three in my opinion.