Chad

Trevor

Somehow, I've never seen a Hellraiser film before. So Fist of Doom, thanks for the excuse to finally delve into some Barker. About to watch the first two films. I'll come back later to either thank you some more or curse you.

Dick Laurent

First, Chad, I LOVE that poster art. Second, you've never seen a Hellraiser film, Trevor? Wow. I hope you enjoyed this one. Of course you will see that you really don't need to watch the first before hand, as 10% of the second is a recap.

I think it's actually good that this is not a Barker film. He tends to get a little too personalized in his characterizations, and I think this film needed to have some distance for the viewer's sake. So my hats off to Barker for only taking an exec producer position.

And some people are confused with the Cenobites turning human and dying. I never had a problem with that, as they would just reset to their torture state when the box was closed/reset itself. Don't forget, it's supposed to be an eternity of hell. You don't die in hell. Also, if you read the novella the first film is based on, you'll learn that the bells that toll are very important to the foreboding while tinkering with the box. Great film, by the way.

Fist of Doom

This is one of my favorite horror films.

For a low budget horror film the makeup and effects are terrific. The skinless bodies seem real - the scene where Tiffany rips the skin off Julia is especially effective (ewww!). The world of Leviathon is really cool, and of course the Cenobites are wonderfully creepy.

I like the idea of transporting to different dimensions using puzzles, and the scene where the Cenobites return to their human selves was a nice unexpected twist. An interesting story all around. The score is excellent, as well. I just love everything about this film.

Plus, it has one of horrordom's all-time great quotes: "Your suffering will be legendary...even in Hell!"

rbrown498

Pretty useless sequel to Hellraiser is more of the same, but not nearly as much fun. So off we go, back to the land of the Cenobites, for more flesh-ripping and blood-letting. Even with all the blood and gore, pretty much a snooze-fest. MY suffering through this tripe was legendary.

It seems that I've been the dissenting opinion for two days straight.

cproaps

Has always been my favorite Hellraiser movie. It expanded the hell universe of the puzzles and showed just how many of the boxes there may actually be in the world. The make up effects were well beyond the first film, and considering Hellbound was made just one year after Hellraiser, that's saying a lot. It's been a while since I've watched any Barker, and a LOT longer since I've read any. I think I'll dig out my old tape of Rawhead Rex next!

SterlingBen

Been awhile sine I have seen Hellraiser 1, luckily this one shows all the best parts. Although if I were watching them in sequence it is something I would have hated.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

Is there a version that has the cenobites running around the hospital? I could have sworn I've seen it somewhere and not just pictures of the female cenobite dressed up in surgical garb.

Trevor

Yeah, not sure how I've held off in watching them all of these years. This will sound silly, but I think it's largely because "demon" movies can really scare the crap out of me. Obviously I love to be scared, horror being my favorite genre, but I don't like demons. Didn't watch The Exorcist until a couple years ago. Anyway.....

I watched the first two Hellraiser films back to back yesterday, and liked them more than I thought I would. Extremely creepy. Not anything I'll rush out to buy the complete series of, or something I'll go out of my way to rewatch, but I'm glad I finally saw some Hellraiser.

Two things really bothered me though. While the gore effects were quite good, the digital effects were awful. All the lightning type stuff was just horrible. Maybe all such effects in films back then were just as bad, but I don't recall them being that way. Really took me out of the film.

And this was the first film, but the ending was laughably bad. The cennobites coming at her one by one and her fumbling the cube just right as they are about to get her? Hokey. The 2nd film ended similarly I guess, but was a little better done.

Undeadcow

On first viewing when I was much younger I thought this movie was too far out but this time I liked it much better. I still think the plot could have been more thought out because the asylum setting is cheesy and the girl who can solve puzzles a bit forced. Otherwise it works as a fantasy film with horror elements. The return of Julia is brilliant and the vengence of the cenobites carry over nicely from the first film. The bit about cenobites getting emotional to defend Kirsty then turning human is cold and the psychiatrist pails in comparison as a menace. ...but until you've seen the next one, Hellraiser: Bloodlines, you haven't seen anything yet.

I like the Hellraiser series better and maybe my brain is fried on horror this month but I wonder how much of Hellbound: Hellraiser II was influenced by Nightmare on Elm Street III: Dream Warriors which was filmed just a year earlier. Similarities include both in asylum, both with fantasy elements, deaf patients play key roles in both, bodies in body bags [from NoES 1], Kirsty burning Frank after rejecting his sexual advances (Freddy being a burned child molester).

This is an interesting tidbit from imdb.com - "The horn sound that is continually made by Leviathan is Morse code for 'God.'"