The Hellraiser Franchise

[DeadAlive]

I recently dug out my old VHS of "Hellraiser" and was curious. The first hammer killing seemed less graphic than I remember seeing it at the cinema, but that may just be my twisted mind at work. Does anyone know if the UK VHS release was cut at all? If so, is the UK DVD release uncut?

I'd be curious to know what other people thought of the sequels also. (I'll reserve my comments on them for now.) Which are considered any good and why. I gave up on the series after "Hellraiser:Inferno", but I think that was more because I can't remember them having a UK DVD release than anything else.

[Angel]

Originally Posted by DeadAlive

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Yellow"]I recently dug out my old VHS of "Hellraiser" and was curious. The first hammer killing seemed less graphic than I remember seeing it at the cinema, but that may just be my twisted mind at work. Does anyone know if the UK VHS release was cut at all? If so, is the UK DVD release uncut?

Yes the scene was cut by 4 seconds for its 1988 video release, the cuts were waived in 1998. The scene is always intact on C4.

Hellraiser 2 is also uncut now as well. I preferred the sequel myself.

[Someone Weird]

The cut was to the bloke pleading for his life, if I remember correctly, before being finished off. I don't like any of these films.

[vincenzo]

The sequel was originally the heavily edited R-rated print, which was then cut further by the BBFC for video. The Anchor Bay releases are the unrated/uncut version.

I liked the original but preferred the sequel too. The rest were awful.

[gax]

Hellraiser sequels are ok.Part 2 is ok but very cheesy part 3 blows(workprint is better),the release cut of part 4 is bad but the workprint is good,part 5-Inferno meh not good not bad, 6 and 7 are not rlly hellraiser films but are good,part 6 Hellseaker is more like Jacobs Ladder a man with memory loss trying to find who killed his wife (Kristy Cotton),i also like 7-Deader,a reporter investigating a cult,then theirs part 8 Hellworld this ranks as one of the worst films i have ever seen its so unbelievably bad(and i like uwe films and like house of the dead!),Lance Henriksen must have rlly needed the cash.I can see why they haven't released them over here but they look good in your dvd collection

[KPWNINJA]

I have Hellraiser on VHS and it includes "The Art of Clive Barker" which I have never seen appear on any of the DVD releases. It's great too!

[Peter Neal]

Originally Posted by KPWNINJA

I have Hellraiser on VHS and it includes "The Art of Clive Barker" which I have never seen appear on any of the DVD releases. It's great too!

Yeah! I have that one too and am glad I held on to it, given the doc's absence in the otherwise excellent ABUK box set.


As for a quick run down of the "Hellraiser" films:

-The first one is a modern classic in the best sense of the word, great performances, great direction , great score....only Kirsty's boyfriend gets a bit irritating towards the end...but who's perfect!
--"Hellbound" is my fave too, but it should be best watched back-to-back with the first film for full pleasure.
-"Hell on Earth" is the early 90's (as in "Nightmare on Elm Street") idea of a "Hellraiser" for the US teen market, yet director Anthony Hickox still manages to pull off an entertaining, slick, fast and gory ride...you shouldn't expect the heights of either the first or the second flick though....
-"Bloodline" is my least favourite entry in the whole series: No wonder Kevin Yagher jumped the ship considering in which direction "Dimension" went with this one. Watchable, but one hell of a missed opportunity!
-"Inferno": "Hellraiser" as a cop thriller? Well, at least Pinhead works better in his supporting role than as the "Freddy clone of the previous two films.
-"Hellseeker": As DTDVD B-fare, it works well enough to pass as a poor man's "Jacob's Ladder".
- "Deader": This one has some atmospheric scenes and an overall more interesting plot going for it, though I hear some already complaining about too little screentime for Pinhead etc....I liked it.
-"Hellworld": This is the slasher movie amongst the "Hellraiser" flicks and viewed as such- particularly compared to the somewhat similarly themed "Halloween: Resurrection"- it doesn't fare too bad. Despite that I've always had a soft spot for a movie featuring a babe in tight leatherpants getting chased through the woods....

[Rik]

I too like them all, Hellworld being my least favourite. Even Revelations is pretty good, just a shame Doug Bradley didn't reprise his role because Pinhead just isn't the same without him

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Rik

I too like them all, Hellworld being my least favourite. Even Revelations is pretty good, just a shame Doug Bradley didn't reprise his role because Pinhead just isn't the same without him

Its the Hellraiser style imagery that i loved about Frankenstein's Army and Necromentia.

With a little tinkering both could have been Hellraiser films. In fact in the case of Necromentia a change of title would have done it.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Its the Hellraiser style imagery that i loved about Frankenstein's Army and Necromentia.

With a little tinkering both could have been Hellraiser films. In fact in the case of Necromentia a change of title would have done it.

Yeah, Necromentia definitely had a Hellraiser feel to it