LEVIATHAN: THE STORY OF HELLRAISER & HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER 2 Is Underway!

 
I remember a huge turning point for me, when I went from being scared stiff to absolutely entranced by horror movies, was when I began to have this unexplainable feeling and desire to learn everything I could about the horror movies that I was beginning to love, as opposed to despise. I spent hours watching the special features and documentaries on films like The Omen and The Exorcist, and I can safely say that this is something that has never really changed with me. I still spend hours watching YouTube videos of behind the scenes footage, make up tests, camera tests, anything I can feast my eyes on. 

I was very excited to hear about this, K. John McDonagh has begun production on what will be the most in depth and prolific Hellraiser documentary ever released. Entitled Leviathan: The Story of Hellraiser & Hellbound: Hellraiser 2, the documentary will take you behind the scenes of the two greatest films of the franchise (as well as two of the greatest films in horror history) by bringing back key members of the cast and crew for interviews and stories. Simon Bamford, Barbie Wilde, Nicholas Vince, Oliver Parker, Christopher Figg, Geoff Portass, Roy Pudefoot, Cliff Wallace, Mark Coulier, John Midgley, and many more are set to make appearances. 

“Leviathan: The Story of Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II is a feature length documentary uncovering the history, making of and unknown details of the making of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II films.

With interviews and testimonies from those most closely involved, we hope to bring a comprehensive insight to these classic cult films.

Following the story of the films from their inception through production to release and the their subsequent lives and growing fan base, we aim to show fans and those less familiar with the films both the technical skills, the creative idea, the symbolism and the legacy of these movies.

Delving deep into the director’s vision and ambitions for the project we’ll be exploring where he came from, where his career had taken him and the inspiration for the story and world he created. We’ll be telling the story of his journey of making them and how close they came to his vision at the time and how he feels about them over 25 years later.”

I'm surprised to see that Doug Bradley's has not been attached yet, but I feel that it's pretty safe to say that we will see the man himself sharing plenty of stories from behind the pins. I can't wait to see how this comes along, and you too can keep up with the news at the film's website and Facebook page. 

More HELLRAISER News Trickles Down From Clive Barker's Camp

Bloody Disgusting reported today that, in a completely unsurprising turn of events, the remake of Hellraiser currently being penned by original creator, Clive Barker, will in fact be rated R. Now, just take a second and picture a Hellraiser with a rating of PG-13. Makes ya feel funny, doesn't it? Well thank God that ain't gonna happen, but with all of the other doubts surrounding this one that is one that never crossed my mind.

Barker elaborated on his Facebook page, where all of this news is emanating from: “As questions are asked I’ll do my best to answer them, though as you all know making movies is a volatile art, and things seldom remain fixed. One question regarding the rating has been asked. I asked it too, and Dimension confirmed that they are purely interested in an R-rated picture."

In another interesting bit of news, when asked why he isn't embarking on an original artistic endeavor, he had this to say: “Somebody else asked why I’m not writing something original. The answer is that I am. After Hellraiser I intend to write and direct a completely new horror movie, which will mingle graphic horror and erotic content, to create an unrated film which will push the envelope of extreme content further than ever…”

Now that I am very interested in seeing. 

But folks, let's keep something in mind. BD posted an editorial about this last week and I think it needs to be said across all mediums that are reporting news of the potential Hellraiser remake. This is not official. Nothing is set in stone. That being said, this is merely news of an idea that has been pitched, and Pinhead is not officially out of development hell yet. In the past week since this news has been announced I have been approached my hoardes of friends, and co-workers (all people who know my love for his film, and have love for it themselves) asking my thoughts on the matter, and I've told them the same thing. While it's very exciting that Dimension bit on the pitch, that doesn't mean anything. Think about the countless other films (especially horror) that were going to happen and then just fell by the wayside. 

Doug Bradley himself took to Facebook to share his thoughts on the matter as well: 

"Hi everyone! Just arrived in Orlando for Spooky Empire, to be greeted by the news via Clive Barker’s Facebook that he is writing a new Hellraiser script and intends that I should play Pinhead again. This is intriguing news, about which I know absolutely nothing. No one has contacted or spoken to me about returning. So until you hear from me to the contrary, assume that all rumors about me returning as Pinhead are only rumors.

Peace & Pain.
-Doug”

This, of course, doesn't mean you should keep your fingers crossed. I want to see Pinhead up on the bigscreen just as much as the next guy, but we can't get too ahead of ourselves. That will only lead us towards disappointment and pain (but maybe that's what Pinhead wants anyway). 

- Rg Lovecraft

Holy HELLRAISER, Clive Barker Is BACK And He's Bringing Doug Bradley With Him!

So this weeks kicks off with amazing news, and ends with amazing news (let's forget the terrible nougat of meat in the middle). Good god almighty, I couldn't be more excited to announce this on here. 

There's something called in the horror industry, lovingly referred to as development hell, in which hopeful films-to-be never see their way out of. Unfortunately, after the last four Hellraiser films, and especially Revelations, Pinhead has been dwelling in that very place for years.  Meanwhile fans have been clamoring for Doug Bradley to don the pins and terrify us once again in a true-to-the-original re-imagining of the hellish world we all visited since 1987. 

Well my friends, by beautiful, beautiful, friends, according to Clive Barker's Facebook he HIMSELF is embarking on the quest to unleash Pinhead from development hell and he's making sure that Doug Bradley is the one (and the only one) who will be feasting on our suffering.

He wrote an open letter to his fans, which you can read below, which discusses how this has come to be but I'm warning you, you may want to have a tissue on hand because it's just so damn beautiful: 

“HOT FROM HELL! My friends,I have some news which may be of interest to you. A few weeks ago I had a very productive meeting with Bob Weinstein of Dimension Pictures, in the course of which I pitched a remake of the first ‘Hellraiser’ film. The idea of my coming back to the original film and telling the story with a fresh intensity-honoring the structure and the designs from the first incarnation but hopefully creating an even darker and richer film-was attractive to Dimension.

Today I have officially been invited to write the script based upon that pitch.

What can I tell you about it?

Well, it will not be a film awash with CGI. I remain as passionate about the power of practical make-up effects as I was when I wrote and directed the first ‘Hellraiser’. Of course the best make-up in the world loses force if not inhabited by a first-rate actor. I told the Dimension team that in my opinion there could never be a Pinhead without Doug Bradley, and much to my delight Bob Weinstein agreed. So once the papers are signed, I will open a Lemarchand Configuration, dip my quill in its contents and start writing.

I promise that there will be nowhere on the Internet where the news of my progress will be more reliable than here, because the only author of these reports will be Your Infernal Corespondent, me. My very best wishes to you all, my friends.

Clive.”

Give me a minute while I collect myself. The Horror Gods have been good to us this week. Army of Darkness 2 AND Hellraiser? What's next, Scream 5? Good things do come, and my god, are they coming in droves this week. 

We will see Pinhead again, in all of his BDSM glory! 

Cheers my friends, as always, keep it spooky,

Rg Lovecraft

Series Review - Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)

 

Oh, you suffer beautifully.

Hellraiser: Bloodline, the fourth chapter in the Hellraiser saga, reveals the story of Lament Configuration and Philip L’Merchant, the man who designed it. It’s an interesting film, spanning from the 1700’s to 2127 AD, where the film begins. While it delves heavily on the history of the box and how it came to be, we still see Pinhead with a new team of Cenobites who are hell bent on destroying L’Merchant’s ancestor before he can destroy them first. 

In this review series we left off with Hell on Earth, and you know that my thoughts were less than satisfactory. I was much happier with this film than I was with its predecessor, read on past the break to get the synopsis and to read my thoughts! 

 

“This is my body, this is my blood. Happy are they who come to my supper.”

Continuing with Hellraiser, we move onto the third part in the franchise: Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth. This is the first film to break away from the canon of the first two. While we hear of Kirsty Cotton, and see a tidbit of video footage of her, it breaks away with a whole set with new characters, new Cenobites, but of course, Doug Bradley returns as Pinhead.

I love Hellraiser, andI love Pinhead, but does that mean that I love every film in the franchise? Read on to find out.

“It is not hands that summon us. It is desire.”

In the sequel to Clive Barker’s 1987 directorial debut Hellraiser, we see the events that follow the devastation of Kirsty Cotton’s life. Since I started this series, I figured I would finish and review each chapter as I watch. As with most any horror franchise, the first chapter is normally the strongest. While Hellbound: Hellraiser II was by no means a bad film and I actually think it stood up pretty well with the first, it too fell privy to this pattern.

Head inside to take a more in depth look at my thoughts on the film.

“No tears, please. It’s a waste of good suffering…”

Now, I’ve been working on the Stephen King series post, I promise I have, but the more I work on it the more I realize I have to add on and it’s become quite the exercise in repetition. I’ll make good headway, edit, then add a bunch more, edit that, change things, edit that. Aaaand you get the idea. I will be getting it to you, I’m hoping this weekend, and once I have the first one done all others will come along quite easily.

But last night, I decided to take a break from Pet Sematary and put on something I haven’t watched in years. And I mean, yeeeears. One thing that I love about doing this blog is it affords me the opportunity to watch films I haven’t seen in years, some that I may not have even liked, and revisit old memories, old thoughts and ultimately share them all with you on here. As you all saw last night, my choice for the evening was Clive Barker’s Hellraiser. 

Tonight’s movie, the debut from mastermind director Clive Barker, Hellraiser. Watch it with me on Netflix.