Hellraiser is 1987 British Supernatural-Horror Film, written and directed by Clive Barker. It is based off his novel, The Hellbound Heart. Barker used more Make Up and camera effects, feeling that CGI was too conformitive, and that he wanted this film to be real. The film stars Ashley Laurence, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes and Colin Farrell, with Doug Bradley, Kate Beckinsale, Ken Kirzinger and Doug Jones as the iconic Cenobites from Hell.
The film was followed by three sequels, beggining with Hellraiser II: Hellbound, Hellraiser III: Hell Children and Hellraiser: Born on Hell An spinoff with various other horror characters including Freddy Krueger, Candyman and Jason Voorhees was released in 2011 entitled Freddy VS Jason: WAR.
Plot[]
The Film begins in Munich, Germany, where hedonist Frank Cotton (Colin Farrell) purchases a mysterious, Golden, puzzle-box from a strange, and dirty vagrant, before he tosses money in the Vagrant's face, and then takes the box, leaving quickly. The scene then cuts to the Attic of Frank's Deceased Grandmother's Home. The room is heavily lit by candles, and a disturbing altar is set up in the corner, of the room, adorned with a jug of urine, red and white candles, ritualistic knives, and chocolates. Frank then solves the box, mistakenly believing it to summon beautiful, heavenly women, but instead summons the Cenobites, each heavily scarified. Frank is then ensnared by chained hooks and dragged into the pitch black corner that formerly held the Altar.
Three years later, Frank's hard-working brother Rory (Ralph Fiennes), and Rory's second wife, Julia (Helena Bonham carter), take up residence in the home, only to discover rotting wood, various bugs, old food, and the scattered remains of Frank's Altar Offerings. Julia also notices a scorched spot in the same corner where Frank was abducted, but pays it no attention. The unhappy couple begin their moving in.
On the Day of the Move, Rory's Artsy daughter, Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) visits her father. Rory requests that Kirsty move in, but Kirsty rejects the idea, stating that she couldn't dream of living under the same roof as Julia. She goes upstairs and gets psint on her shirt, and when she goes to clean it off, encounters Julia, who acts icily towards Kirsty. Julia steps inside the Attic and reminisces about an affair she'd had with Frank before marrying Rory, and it is revealed that she is still in love with him, only using Rory as financial support. Meanwhile, as Rory attempts to move a table upstairs, he cuts his hand on a nail, and then goes to find Julia, dripping four drops of blood onto the same scorched spot where Frank was taken.
Kirsty is notified by Julia, and the three leave to go to the Hospital for Rory's injury. Inside the Attic, the blood on the floor begins to bubble, and fizzle, expanding into a puddle, where Frank, now only a mass of bones and tissue, is barely reformed, drags himself from the sizzling blood puddle, and leaving the floor in a decaying state.
That same night, after the three return from the Hospital, they share a house-warming party, where Kirsty is allowed to drink wine. Julia excuses herself, and goes to the Attic, where she encounters Frank, who informs her that if he isn't regenerated in time, his body will rot, and then his soul will be damned forever. She agrees to gather more blood for Frank. Kirsty, having gone to the Bathroom, hears Julia's voice, but dismisses it as her imagination.
The next day, Julia leaves to begin seducing men from her work, luring them to the House, and up into the Attic, where she can murder them with a dagger, and then throw the bodies to Frank. After many successful kills, Julia separates herself from Rory, and he requests that Kirsty spend time with her. Kirsty reluctantly agrees, and upon driving to the Cotton Home, she witnesses Julia sending another man up into the Attic. She follows through the back door as Julia hides in the Bathroom. Kirsty goes inside the Attic, where she sees Frank feeding, and is assaulted by Frank. Kirsty takes the same puzzle box, screaming "YOU WANT THIS? THEN FUCKING HAVE IT!!!" Before tossing the puzzle box out of a window, and escaping.
Kirsty then grabs the box, and drives off, before pulling over, and sprinting. She then passes out on the sidewalk, and wakes up in a hospital bed. After being left alone by a Doctor, she accidentally opens a shadowy corridor into Hell, and is chased by a creature made from the limbs, eyes, and mouths of humans that have been melted together. Upon escaping from the Shadowy Corridor, she returns to the Hospital Bed, but finds she is in a twisted, and murderous operating room, encountering the Cenobites who attempt to take her back to Hell with them, and to transform her into a new member of their Legion. Kirsty then makes a deadly bargain: Her soul in exchange for Frank's. The Selfish Cenobite (Doug Bradley) releases her, and she returns to the Cotton House.
After arriving, Kirsty is comforted by Julia and Rory, claiming to have killed Frank. Kirsty realizes that Frank is actually sporting Rory's Flesh, and she attempts to escape, but Julia restrains her as Frank pulls out his dagger, intent on murdering Kirsty. Kirsty manages to break free, and Julia is, in-turn, stabbed. Frank is not remorseful, and then pursues Kirsty upstairs, where she is subsequently rescued by the Cenobites. Frank is then hacked and torn to bits by the Cenobites. As the Supernatural Force inside begins to cause the House to deteriorate, Kirsty begins to escape, but realizes that the Cenobites have gone back on their deal. Kirsty is forced to pry the puzzle box from Julia's Skull, and then begins to reverse ths box back to its original state. After defeating the Cenobites, she leaves the puzzle box in the Fire, and watches the House burn.
In the Epilogue, Kirsty is being interviewed by police, and they question Kirsty's mental stability. She does not hear this, and asks if they found the Puzzle Box. The Detective replies that there was no Puzzle Box found, and Kirsty appears to be relieved, but upon looking in the Two-Way Mirror, sees the Cenobites, who reach out for her behind her back, and she mouths "Oh my Gawd...", her eyes wide in terror.
Cast[]
- Ashley Laurence as Kirsty Cotton
- Helena Bonham Carter as Julia Cotton
- Ralph Fiennes as Rory Cotton
- Doug Bradley as Pinhead/ Pride Cenobite/ Lead Cenobite
- Kate Beckinsale as Lust Cenobite
- Ken Kirzinger as Gluttony Cenobite
- Doug Jones as Greed Cenobite
- Colin Farrell as Frank Cotton/ Frank the Monster