Face-Off: Hellraiser vs. Hellbound: Hellraiser II

Dragged to Hell by strange beings called the Cenobites after solving a mysterious puzzle box, Frank Cotton is able to escape their clutches when blood is spilled on the spot of his “death”… Problem is, he comes back with no skin. He needs his lover Julia (who is also his brother’s wife) to murder people for him so he can consume their blood and power his regeneration, all the while fearing that the Cenobites are going to catch up with him.

There’s a reason why Kirsty Cotton is a popular heroine. She’s strong-willed, independent, smart, has a warranted distrust in Julia, and doesn’t turn away when she thinks something’s wrong. Faced with the terrifying Cenobites after solving the puzzle box herself, she has the presence of mind to make a deal with them so she can try to end her uncle and stepmother’s murder spree.

Skin or no skin, Frank Cotton is one of the most despicable characters I’ve ever seen in a film. Devoid of any morals, he doesn’t truly care about anyone but himself, he lives only for his own gain and pleasures. Icy and cruel, Julia Cotton certainly lives up to the Wicked Stepmother stereotype. She is so into Frank that she’s willing to do anything and kill anyone for him. Exactly why she fell for him is beyond me, the guy radiates an aura of sleaze and filth.

The Cenobites, including franchise poster boy Pinhead, are used exceptionally sparingly in the first film, appearing for less than ten minutes total, but they are so fascinating in concept and design that they still manage to steal the show when they step up in the third act. They are frightening figures that threaten to tear your soul apart, but also have a sense of fairness and class to them. Especially Pinhead, who seems like the most reasonable “monster” you could hope not to encounter.

The England-for-America filming location was never quite convincing to me. Even with the low number of accents present (some of them are poorly masked), this always felt like a very British film to me. Which isn’t necessarily a failing; the fact that it’s presented as the U.S. when it doesn’t feel like it is just adds to the “off” atmosphere of the entire film. HELLRAISER was an incredible accomplishment for writer/director Clive Barker, who managed to capture an intense feeling of dread in nearly every moment. It’s like a nightmare on film, without going too far into dream logic. It’s a deeply uncomfortable movie to sit through, the fact that it’s so effectively unnerving is a reason why I rarely feel like enduring it.