Hellraiser 1, 2 and 3 Collectors Edition Pack [DVD]

 

 

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Hellraiser is a horror classic, introducing the films' concept, and mainly the Villain, Pinhead. The series is dark, gory, and sometimes, very good. The acting is what you can expect form 80s horror films, but gladly, what you also expect (and get) is loads of gory, scary bits.

The picture quality is not that great however, neither is the sound. It appears that they have been very lazy on the transfer, as it is quite grany and shaky.

The extras also are not that great, as all we are offered are some interviews ( only a few minutes worth) and trailers.

BUT, the fact that these three films are available in one package [...] is great, and if your prepared to put up with the picture and sound, it is a great package.

Let me begin by saying that this is a decent pack, and well worth having in your collection.

However, I don't reccomend that you watch the films in chronological order. Watch them like this: 3,1 and 2 - or else by the time you have watched the amiguous beauty and horror of the first film degenerate into the hackneyed American slasher fodder of the 3rd it's long stopped being frightening, and become a mail studded cliche. In fact, there are moments in number 3 (Joey crying out to her dead father, the line from the camera-headed cenobite: "are you ready for your close-up" etc.) that make you cringe.

Pinhead gets centre stage in the final installment, which is a double edged sword in my opinion. Doug Bradley is talented and nasty enough to pull it off, but you can't help but feeling that the de-mystification of Pinhead as made him much less scary than the previous installments, where it was merely the threat of his appearance that caused your stomach to churn.

The first 2 are classics however - and feel like 2 halves of the same story. Claire Higgins is just on the good side of proper B-movie-ish, as is Ashley Lawrence. The effects are dated, and yet charming for anyone a little disappointed with the sterility of modern CGI.

And there are some truly horrible moments: the distusting re-birth of frank in film 1, or Doctor Channard being transformed into a cenobite by some barely disguised phallus shaped objects: ". . . and to think he hesitated . . ."

So watch number 3 first, laugh or cringe, and then afterwards remind yourself how great the first 2 films were.

There arent too many "clasic" horror films that still seem to have the power to scare after almost 25 years passage but I would have to argue that Hellraiser is one of them. Stylish isnt a word often associated with the eighties (well, not as mach as mullets and feather cuts), but despite one or two rather dated wardrobe department crimes, this film still oozes just as much style as it does blood - and can still gleefully scare the living daylights out of those who havn't seen it before or don't know what to expect. Franks reanimation is still as terrifying and spellbinding to watch now as it was on its release.
Hellraiser 2 continues the story but takes the setting to the Hellish lair of the cenobites. Again, as with the first film, I remember the feeling of real dread I felt the first time I saw this, it still is visually nightmarish. Certainly the plot is looser and the storyline notably less clear than the first film - but it does gaing the gloriously straight playing Kenneth Cranham as the deranged psychiatrist. So it has flaws but even if its for the Escher-like images of Hell in the Cenobites Labyrinth, this has to be seen by all serious horror buffs and be warned - its still not for the faint hearted!
But then something seems to go amiss in Hellraiser three. Style and imagination all seem to take a back seat as the setting changes from being 'sort of' British to blatantly American. The actors (with the exception of Doug Bradley of course), all appear to be "TV movie" status and the imagery which was so powerful in the first two movies begins to feel tired, a bit ridiculous and basically the scare factor dissappears almost entirely. The film does have its fine moments - the scene in the hospital near the beginning of the film hints at the feeling of helpless horror and dread which underpinned the first two, but Pinhead suffers from too much exposure and too much 'witty' dialogue, completely at odds with the understatedrama of his original lines - at times he almost comes across as some sort of perforated Freddy Kreuger. Barker is an immense talent - it would have been intriguing to see what the three films would have been like had he stuck to the franchise and bestowed his imagination and influence into the third as much as he so obviously did in the first two. However as the third film closes with the obligatory "rock" song (Motorhead doing the honours - and to be fair, its a great track)I couldn't help but imagine Clives own fear and dread of what was to come in HR4!
This three pack contains interviews with the cast and directors, including Clive Barker which are illuminating if a bit short, and also includes a behind the scenes feature which although devoid of commentary, shows how a lot of the special effects looked without the aid of specialist lenses and effects - many of them endearingly ludicrous in the cold light of video!
All said though, even with the flawed HR3 - this is essential viewing for all fans of the darker side of cinema.

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5.0 out of 5 stars does what it says on the tin!
the 'Hellraiser' films are classics, true 80's horror. if its predictable plot lines, characters you couldn't give two hoots about and oodles of unnecessary gore then these are... Read more

Published 11 months ago by crafty chrissie

5.0 out of 5 stars The Godfather of HORROR!
The first installment of the trilogy has to be one of the greatest films. An amazing an unique story into Clive Barkers morbid imagination. Read more

Published on 16 July 2004 by S. Gale

5.0 out of 5 stars HELLRAISER (1,2 and 3)THE BEST HORROR MOVIE EVER MADE
HELLRAISER IS A FILM THAT DID NOT SCARE ME MUCH BUT IT HADE SOME OF THE BEST SPECIAL EFECTS I HAD EVER SEEN. Read more

Published on 26 Nov 2003 by D. T. Staples

4.0 out of 5 stars Real Horror - Realistic Gore
The Hellraiser trilogy got better as it went along. The first was a remarkable story and as more money was spent on the latter two films, they have even more dramatic special... Read more

Published on 21 Sep 2003 by Terry A. Sibley

5.0 out of 5 stars A must see for any horror fan!!!
Clive Bakers Hellraiser trilogy is just horror at it's best. The cenobites, angels of hell are summoned when a young girl solves a mysterious puzzle box. Read more

Published on 18 April 2003 by Christopher Cooper

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