Hellraiser (1987)
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A mystical puzzle box summons extra-dimensional beings who cannot distinguish between pain and pleasure.
The story
In Morocco, a hedonist named Frank Cotton acquires a mystical puzzle box rumored to open a gateway to a realm of otherworldly pleasure. After solving the puzzle in his attic, Frank is attacked by supernatural beings. Later, his brother Larry moves into the same house, unaware of the danger. When Larry's blood is spilled near Frank's remains, it triggers a resurrection. His wife, Julia, becomes obsessed with Frank and begins a gruesome cycle of using the attic to sustain his life. The conflict escalates when Larry's daughter, Kirsty, discovers the truth and becomes caught in the crossfire of the supernatural forces unleashed by the box.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After Frank Cotton is mutilated by Cenobites for solving a mystical puzzle box, his body remains in his attic. His brother Larry moves in, and his blood triggers Frank's resurrection. Julia, Frank's former lover, helps him 'recharge' by bringing men to the attic to be drained of their life. Kirsty, Larry's daughter, discovers the truth and is captured by the Cenobites after opening the box. The Cenobites, who are explorers from another dimension who cannot distinguish between pain and pleasure, seek to reclaim Frank. Kirsty eventually faces Frank, who has stolen Larry's identity. In a final confrontation, the Cenobites arrive to claim Frank after he confesses to a murder. Kirsty manages to banish them by reversing the box's mechanism. The house collapses, and Kirsty and her boyfriend escape, while the box is eventually retrieved by a mysterious figure.
- First release year
- 1987
- Runtime (minutes)
- 93
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Clive Barker
- Writers
- Clive Barker · writer
- Cast and characters
- Andrew Robinson; Clare Higgins; Ashley Laurence; Doug Bradley · leader of the Cenobites
- Genres
- supernatural horror; horror
- Themes
- sadomasochism; pain and pleasure; resurrection
- Tone and mood
- serious; disturbing; menacing
- Premise and plot tags
- supernatural; body horror; cult; dimension-hopping
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Hellbound Heart
- Franchise connections
- Hellraiser
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- Initially divided, the film is now considered a classic of the horror genre and a defining film of the 1980s.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 72% · scale: percentage · review count: 57; Metacritic · score: 56 · scale: 100 · review count: 17
- Production trivia
- The film was originally titled Sadomasochists from Beyond the Grave.; The character Pinhead was played by Doug Bradley in the first seven sequels.; The production was extended from seven weeks to ten weeks by New World.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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