Sleepwalkers (1992) #463

 

"Sleepwalkers" is an often overlooked and forgotten horror film from the early 1990's, directed by Mick Garris and a written by Stephen King. This was in fact the first time Mr. King wrote an original script for a full length film that wasn't adapted from one of his of his own stories. The story revolves around the last two survivors of a vampiric species of shape shifters that can only survive on the blood of virgins. The movie itself has it's strengths and weaknesses but is still a pretty fair movie for the time.

Alice Krige ("Gretel & Hansel") and Brian Krause star as Mary Brady and her son Charles, two shape shifters that feed on the psychic essence of human female virgins. Their powers include strength and the ability to turn themselves as well as their car invisible. They can change the appearance of the car as well. They differ from standard vampires in most aspects; the sun doesn't hurt them being the first and foremost. The odd thing about these two, and perhaps one the more problematic aspects of this film is their incestral relationship between mother and son. This is how the two are able to pass the psychic energy that Charles consumes from his victims. It's awkward and unsettling to say the least. 

The Brady's intended victim is Tanya Robertson, played by Madchen Amick, who was best known at the time for her work on "Twin Peaks". She is a delight to watch and is one of the bright spots in the film, coming across as a genuine teenager (although she wasn't anymore). Her emotions as a girl with a new crush to being the final girl come across sincerely. 

My favorite, as well as many others I bet, thing about this movie is how it is packed with cameos of several masters of horror that include Stephen King, Clive Barker, Tobe Hooper, John Landis, and Joe Dante. I'm pretty sure this was how Mick Garris was able to forge the foundations for his series Masters of Horror, which would showcase work from three of the four artists. Mark Hamill and Ron Perlman as have small roles as well, both in law enforcement. 

Besides the cameos, I love the shape shifters unique weakness which is a mortal fear of cats. It seems that cats are their natural enemies and gather in large numbers wherever the Brady's live. When they get close enough, the cats would pounce and attack Charles and Mary. I love when cats are used in movies and are more than just a jump scare....which they are really good at. 

Haeckel's Tale (2006)

"Haeckel's Tale" aired during the first season of "The Masters of Horror" series in 2006. It was adapted from a short story originally written by Clive Barker and was supposed to be directed by George A Romero who was replaced due to a schedule conflict. The actual director, John McNaughton, is best known for directing "Henry: A Portrait of a Serial Killer". This episode feels rather meh when compared to the other installments. There is really nothing great or horrible about it and it feels more like a place marker for the series more than anything else.

Ernst Haeckel is a young medical student who is fascinated by the theories of Dr. Frankenstein. When he tries to copy the procedure he fails miserably and ends up taking the advice of a grave robber to pay a visit to Dr. Montesquino, a necromancer. Haeckel visits the Doctor but leaves convinced that he is nothing but a charlatan. On his way home he, takes refuge form a storm with an elderly man and his young wife, Elise. She keeps looking out the window in the middle of the night and when loud yelling is heard off in the distance, she leaves the house in a hurry. Haeckel follows her to a nearby grave yard and finds that she is having sex with her first, and now dead, husband. The elderly man had paid Dr. Montesquino to bring the first husband back to life so Elise can be sexually satisfied. Disgusted, Haeckel demands that Dr. Montesquino stops his "magic" but it's too late. Haeckel fatally shoots him before passing out from a hit to the head. When he awakes in the morning, he finds Elise and her baby back at the house, but to his horror, he finds out that the baby has also been resurrected, and the zombie baby kills him.

Deer Woman (2005)

"Deer Woman" aired during the first season of "The Masters of Horror" series. This episode was directed by John Landis, the famed director of "An American Werewolf in London", and is perhaps the funnest one to watch; the episode is not out right funny but is very whimsical in parts and is very reminiscent of his famous movie, there is in fact a part when a large wolf running amok in London is brought up during this production.

Detective Faraday is in charge of investigating animal attacks and other related incidents after accidentally killing his partner. One day he's sent out on a call to investigate a body that's found in the back of a semi-truck bed. Between his guesses and that of the coroner they determine that that the victim was killed by hoofs from a deer or some similar animal but they can't explain how it got into the truck. Two more bodies show up around town and has Detective Faraday making some wild assumptions about who the killer is. He eventually hears a tale about the Deer Woman, an Native American story about a creature that has the top half of a woman and the bottom portion of a deer who seduces members of a tribe and kills them one by one. Since this is the only lead that Detective Faraday has, he follows it until he discovers the truth.

Favorite Quote - "Why does everything have to have a “why” with you people? You know, it’s a woman with deer legs; motive really isn’t an issue here."

Valerie on the Stairs (2006)

“Valerie on the Stairs” was adapted from a short story by Clive Barker and aired on “Masters of Horror” during its second season. The story was adapted and directed by the series creator Mick Garris and stars Christopher Llyod and Tony Todd. It’s a fairly effective production that was fun to watch.

Rob is a struggling author who is finally given a break in life when he becomes eligible to move into an apartment house where unpublished writers are allowed to stay rent free. He moves in, meets some of the odd tenants, and focuses on his writing. During the first night there, he encounters a naked woman crying on the staircase but she disappears into the walls. Rob sees her again the next day and this time the ghost interacts with him briefly before she’s scared away by her unseen tormentor. When Rob asks the other residents who Valerie is, they all play dumb. He can see through their charade and begins searching for the truth, but since this is a horror story, that’s not always a good idea…

Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh (1995)

It’s another sequel, it’s another guilty pleasure, and it’s from the 90’s; “Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh”. While most people hate this movie, I really enjoyed it. It doesn’t try to repeat the same story as from the original but it manages to stay honest to it and expand on the history of the Candyman and explore a different motive for his killings. And the film takes place in New Orleans, so that alone gives it extra points and character! It occurred to me today that the Candyman, of all of the famed killers/slashers/insane franchise characters, to come across as a bully. He tends to kill the victims that haven’t called for him in front of his “emotional victim” that he uses to frame his murders around, all in order to fulfill whatever ends he wishes to achieve in that movie. Tony Todd is less commanding in this film than in his earlier appearances but he still has an ominous presence and one of the best voices a horror movie villain could wish for.

Annie Tarrant and her family become deeply involved with the mystery of the Candyman after her father is killed in the same fashion as other Candyman victims. The local authorities believe her brother Ethan is the killer but when more murders occur while he’s in jail, their sights are narrowed on to Annie. Annie makes the mistake of summoning the Candyman while looking into a mirror and saying his name five times, and now that she has his attention at last, he’s going to do everything he can to make her learn the truth about her dark family secret.

Hellraiser 4: Bloodlines (1996)

“Hellraiser 4: Bloodlines” is my personal least favorite of the series of Hellraiser movies. The largest sin, pardon the pun, this film makes is allowing Pinhead to talk too much. And the things he says! Now that he is a full on Cenobite again and not a raging freed demon, he needs to be contained and silent, speaking only the most delicious quotable lines possible. Instead we get to see him plotting with Angelique and telling her how Hell has changed since she’s been gone. I don’t have any ill feelings towards Doug Bradley at all but this is a character that should been seen, briefly, and speak even less.

The second horrible sin this movie makes is introducing the Hell princess Angelique. This character is not a Cenobite but is a demon that was summoned using the Lament Configuration and who brings life to the sacrificed girl who died in the ritual. This is the first time that the Lament Configuration is used, showing the viewing how it gained its unholy power to open the gates to Hell, aka the Labyrinth. So Angelique is bound to the summoner’s apprentice Jacques, who lives with her for a few centuries until she decides that she has to go to America, and when Jacques says no, she kills him because the rule is to never “stand in Hell’s way”. Convenient; meh. At least it’s clear why she can walk around and exist in this realm. What I really HATE is when she has a homeless guy solve the Lament Configuration and summons Pinhead, Pinhead doesn’t return back to Hell afterwards. What??? Why not??? This movie breaks and ignores the mythos that has been carefully crafted since 1987. Boo!

The main theme of this film is exploring the creation of the Lament Configuration and creator and two of his descendants and their attempt to destroy Pinhead once and for all. First of all, Cenobites are minions of Hell and server Leviathan. They do not exist simply because the Lament Configuration was created. And again we see Cenobites created in this realm and not by Leviathan who serve Pinhead directly. Second, it takes desire to open the box which should mean that a remote controlled robot should not have the ability to open the Configuration. Third and final, before the film was made I had read a fantastic comic that describe the creation of the Configuration and Philip L’Merchant; this character might have had a different first name but he was an evil S.O.B and nothing like the whiney little punk in the movie. The saddest part of all is that this was written by Peter Atkins who wrote “Hellraiser 2 and 3” and had Clive Barker as an executive producer. Clive had the chance to save this franchise and slap Peter upside the head but I guess he was too busy with “Lord of Illusions” to look at the script before filming began. 

Hellraiser 2: Hellbound (1988)

“Hellraiser 2: Hellbound” is the strongest film in the franchise after the original, and in some ways it’s even stronger. This movie takes all of the elements from the first film and adds to it, showing us that the Cenobites were once humans who had dared to open the box, and for one reason or another, were chosen to become “higher beings” and enteral minions of Leviathan, the Lord of the Labyrinth. We get to see the inside of the Labyrinth as well, how different rooms are dedicated to an individual’s personal hell.

“Hellraiser 2: Hellbound” brings back The Four Cenobites that we met in “Hellraiser”; Butterball, Chatterer, Deepthroat, and Pinhead. Their dialogue is sparser and full of delicious quotes. And as I already hinted at, we get to see a brief glimpse of what they looked like when they were still alive. The main human characters from the first film also return. Kirsty and Julia are again the film’s main protagonist and antagonist while Uncle Frank makes his appearance as they walk through the halls of the Labyrinth. In this film, it is Julia’s turn to be summoned by blood and her readjustment to the normal world.

We are also introduced to Dr. Phillip Channard, a physiatrist who is obsessed with the secrets of the puzzle box. It is he who brings Julia back from Hell and in turn is guided into the depths of the Labyrinth. Dr. Channard proves to be a vicious antagonist as well as he goes on a bloody rampage killing his patients as well as going toe to toe with The Four Cenobites. One of the best moments of the film is when we get to see Dr. Channard’s office and the various fake Lament Configurations that he has collected over the years. It is also in his files that we see paper records of Pinhead’s human form.

The film begins right after Kirsty escapes from the house and the Cenobites (the skeleton dragon at the end of the original is ignored). Kirsty wakes up in a mental hospital and is kept there after she tells the authorities her story about the Cenobites and the murders that Julia performed for Frank. No one believes her but Dr. Channard’s assistant Kyle is sympathetic to her story. He snoops around the doctor’s office and watches in horror as an insane patient is given a knife in which he begins to cut himself with. The patient is sitting on the bed that Julia was killed on and as his blood soaks into the mattress, a skinless Julia’s climbs out of it and kills the man. She sees Channard and asks him for help, which he does. Kyle runs back to Kirsty and tells her what he saw; she demands to be released from the hospital and taken to Julia. Kyle breaks her out and together they go to Channard’s house.

Channard in the meantime has dressed Julia in medical bandages and has begun supplying Julia with the victims she needs to be whole again. Kyle meets Julia and falls victim to her life-sucking ability. Kirsty arrives to late but before she can do anything, Channard shows up with a young girl, Tiffany.  who solves puzzles. Channard gives Tiffany the real Lament Configuration, which she solves and opens the gateway to the Labyrinth. The Cenobites come and realize that Tiffany did not summon them with her own will and proceed to look for those responsible, but Channard, Julia, and Kirsty have already snuck into Hell. The remainder of the film showcases the images of Hell, the showdown between Julia and Kirsty, the transformation of Dr. Channard and his blood thirsty rampage that brings him face to face with Pinhead and the other Cenobites.

Author's Note - The Hellraiser Series

Clive Barker had no idea what he was starting when he directed “Hellraiser. It was his directing debut, and using an adaption of his novella “The Hellbound Heart”, Clive introduced us to the Cenobites, four demon-like explorers of sensation and sensuality, the likes that horror fans had never seen before. At the time these four beings didn’t even have names but that wasn’t going to be the case for long because as soon as critics and fans saw the movie, the four were quickly and lovingly named.

Butterball

Chatterer

Deepthroat or Female Cenobite

And Pinhead

And with “Hellraiser”, a mythos began. What started off as a movie about a love triangle and a girl dealing with the monsters that are brought about from the love affair grew into a series of movies that explored the beginnings, the desires, and the consequences of dealing with the supernatural Cenobites. Some movies added to the mythos while others strayed. One thing is certain, Pinhead reigns supreme in these films and proves time and time again that he is one of the best horror figures of all time.

And whatever you do, don’t open the box.

Hellraiser (1987)

Why did the 80's give us the majority of the horror movie icons that we have today? Was it really that messed up of a time period and I just didn’t notice? Was it a display of fiction reflecting reality because of the famous serial killers around the U.S.? I hope not, but you have to admit that plenty of movie villains came out that decade!

We already had Michael Myers and Leatherface from the late 70’s and they were soon joined by Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, and a psychopathic doll named Chucky. And lest we forget the Cenobite originally known as Priest, quickly renamed by the press and marketing teams as Pinhead. Pinhead was an instant fan favorite, the assumed leader of a band of summoned demons and the standard bearer for Clive Barker's professional directorial debut in the movie "Hellraiser". It what really makes the Cenobites unique in “Hellraiser” is that they are not the real villains in the film but are merely the consequence of opening a fancy puzzle box…

Frank wants to experience the ultimate pleasures and when he opens the mysterious puzzle box, that’s exactly what he finds. If you think being pulled apart of large hooks on chains is your idea of ultimate pleasure. A few months later, Frank’s brother Larry and his wife Julia move into the house where Frank performed his final acts. Larry accidentally cuts himself while helping the moving crew and the blood that falls onto the floor is just enough to summon Frank back from Hell. Julia, who was having an affair with Frank, discovers him and finds that he is just bone and muscle, and agrees to help him find new flesh.  Kirsty, Larry’s daughter, thinks something is suspicious when she noticed that Julia is bringing strange men to the house during the middle of the day. She goes in to see what’s going on but is attacked by Frank. Kristy is able to obtain the puzzle box, and while recuperating at a hospital, she accidentally summons the Cenobites. Right before they are to claim her as their prize, she tells them that Frank had escaped from Hell and that she could take them to him. And thus a deal with the demons is made…

“Hellraiser” was adapted from Barker’s novella “The Hell Bound Heart”. It’s pretty faithful to the original story with only a few minor details being changed. The only real change I remember off hand is that in the story, Kirsty was Larry’s best friend. I see why she was changed to be his daughter for the film but it wasn’t all that important.

Favorite moment – When the Cenobites first appear. They walk in cool and calm, each taking its place in the room and in order. The when Pinhead first speaks, it sends chills down your spine…at least the first time you see the movie.

Lord of Illusions (1995)

“Lord of Illusions” is perhaps one of the most stylish, beautiful horror movies I’ve ever seen. If I could have listed my top ten favorites instead of only seven, this would have been there. It’s dark, elegant, engaging, and totally Barker. This is the fourth and final film that Barker directed and it’s his finest moment as a film maker in my opinion. The mood and pacing is perfect, the cast is made up of strong known actors, the plot is eerie and feels true to Barker’s style, and the special effects are just right. Part film noir and part horror, "Lord of Illusions" is the perfect movie to watch over and over again.

There is a devoted cult who is following the “Puritan” named Nix out in the desert (a natural place for a cult of course!). Nix has a student named Swann, the only one from the cult who can perform real magic like himself. Unfortunately Swann doesn’t have dreams of godhood like Nix and betrays him with three other former followers when they learn that Nix is going to sacrifice a young girl. They save the girl and kill Nix, binding his soul within his body and burying him deep in the ground. Nix’s assistant Butterfield is able to get away but plans for the future…

13 years later private detective Harry D’Amour, who has a habit of working on cases that involve the occult, stumbles across the murder of one of Swann’s conspirators at the hands of Butterfield and a bald man. After seeing a new article about the murder and a picture of D’Amour, Swann’s wife hires him to find out if the Puritan and his cult were behind the murder and if her husband, now a famous illusionist is in trouble. D’Amour takes the job and learns the difference between illusions and real magic.

As I mentioned, the cast of "Lord of Illusions" is quite impressive. Scott Bakula stars as Harry D'Amour, Kevin J. O'Connoras Swann, and Famke Janssen as Dorothea. Besides being strong actors, each one was perfect for their role in this film. 

Favorite moment – I love how Nix is bound; heavy black pieces of forged iron with screws that turn by themselves when blood is applied. It’s medieval and gnarly. 

Rawhead Rex (1986)

Raw head Rex is precisely what you would expect a monster on the loose movie to be like from the mid 80's. Cheesy make-up and gore, inconsistent acting, and a monster that looks more mangy than scary. So what I'm saying is that it was over the top, stupid and fun! Perfect for a late night viewing when you’re in the mood for something not too serious.

This is an adaption of a Clive Barker story of the same name; one of the few that I have yet to read. It's a gruesome tale about a demon that runs rampant across the Irish countryside after being freed by a farmer trying to pull up an old tree trunk in his field. Rawhead Rex cannot be stopped by normal means, and only an ancient weapon hidden in a church can vanquish him. Only Howard Hallenbeck, who is in Ireland with his family to study religious artifacts, can vanquish Rawhead Rex.

Shocking moment - When Rawhead Rex kills Howard's son. This still stands out as the part I remember the most (I rented this movie on VHS if that gives you an idea how long ago I saw it!) because I knew it might happen and when it does, I was shocked and in disbelief. No chance to try to save him, as you would expect in most movies, and the actors really seemed devastated.

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

Shortly before I began this horror review project, I learned that a few of Clive Barker’s short stories had been turned into movies in recent years. I was only aware of the final installments of the “Hellraiser” series so I was of course quite excited. “The Midnight Meat Train” is such an example, a film from 2008 that was adapted from the story of the same title. I had not read that story so I had no idea what to expect while watching this tonight. I can now say that this is a wonderful discovery and a great horror movie all around; plenty of gore and cheesy special effects that don’t distract too much, awesome casting (Bradley Cooper and Vinnie Jones), Clive Barker as a producer, and a Japanese director who has a Godzilla credit on his resume!

Leon is a photographer trying to make his way into the art scene. His girlfriend Maya pulls some strings and sets him up for an interview with a prestigious gallery owner. At the interview, he’s asked what it is that he that he’s trying to show in his photos; he explains that his art is to capture the essence of the city. Leon is told to come back once he has something that “really” shows the nature of the city. That night, Leon goes out and takes pictures of a gang harassing a model as she’s waiting for a subway. They leave once Leon points out the security camera that he’s standing next to and stays until the model gets on her train… to only never be seen again. It turns out that there is a killer who rides the subway late at night, and once the train is nearly empty, he goes about killing the riders with a large metal mallet hammer.

Leon makes the connection that the model’s disappearance and the killer (Leon saw a ring the killer’s hand) and follows him to a meat packing factory. Leon begins stalking the killer, known as Mahogany, and one day takes a few pictures of him at the plant. Mahogany notices and the two play a game of cat and mouse among a store room full of hanging sides of beef, as Mahogany gives chase with a meat hook in his hand. Leon gets away and is later able to get on the subway without having Mahogany notice. As the train is going along its course, which at this time of night it leaves its actual standard route, Leon watches as Mahogany ruthlessly kills two passengers and begins to remove their teeth and eyes, shave their hair, and neatly pack up their clothing in plastic bags. The meaning behind it all is unique and an excellent example of early Clive Barker.

Favorite moment – The fight scene between Leon and Mahogany on the subway.

Second favorite moment – The guest appearance of Ted Raimi. It’s short and to the point. 

Dread (2009)

Quaid is a mentally disturbed young man. As a small child, he witnessed his parents being killed by an intruder with an axe who had come to their front door asking for help with his broken down car. His suffers from flash backs, hallucinations, and vivid dreams of this event. Quaid meets Stephen, another college, who has he own dreadful experience; when he was 15, his brother went out driving and was killed in a crash, leaving Stephen to wonder if he had driven would his brother still be alive. From this, Quaid proposes that they begin a study on the causes of dread for their final thesis. Stephen agrees and enlists the help of Cheryl, a film student who worked with Stephen on previous projects.

Quaid finds the first round of interviews as useless so Cheryl takes a sit in front if the camera to share her story of how her dad, who worked at a meat packing factory and come home late every night stinking of blood, would come and molest her while her mother slept in the next room. Because of this she can’t eat meet or stand the sight of it. Quaid loves it and says that’s what they need more of, real traumatic events. So the next person that they interview is a man named Joshua who tells them how he was hit by a car as a child and lost his hearing for a while. Now, whenever he hears a ringing in his head he fears that he’s going deaf again. Joshua delivers the best line of the movie, the one that sums up the entire film. “It brings back a feeling of dread. And I suppose that is the worst part of it all. You live with the notion that the thing that causes you the most terror, could come back at any time.” Stephen then films an interview with a girl named Abby, who has black birthmarks over half of her body. She has a crush on Stephen and undresses in front of the camera while it’s still recording. Stephen doesn’t feel the same and leaves, asking Quaid to pick up the interview…which he does.

While dealing with his inner demons, Quaid believes that people have to address their fears. After a huge fight with Cheryl over how he treated an interviewee who lied about her experiences, Quaid destroys all of their equipment. Cheryl and Stephen leave only to find out later that Quaid had saved the film on an external hard drive and turned in their report. Quaid then tells Stephen and Cheryl that it’s time to take their fear study to the next level. First he plays the video of Abby on a looping feed at the college right before spring break; Abby doesn’t take this very well. Quaid then invites Joshua to his house only to tie him up and shoot a handgun next to each ear, bursting both eardrums; he also doesn’t respond very well to this. So what does Quaid have planned for Stephen and Cheryl?!

Favorite moment – Nothing really stood out in this film. It was overall interesting and worth watching but I like the concept more than the presentation. 

Nightbreed (1990)

"Nightbreed" is the second professional movie that Clive Barker directed and also his most awkward. Heavy handed studio executives telling Barker to add more here and there, effectively altering the film into something that he was not expecting. Watching the movie, you get the feeling that there are bits and pieces missing but honestly, the short story doesn't answer those questions either. This was also when Barker came out as being gay and the movie is his metaphor for that.

"Nightbreed" is about a man named Boon, who keeps having vivid dreams about a city full of monsters. He has been going to a psychiatrist for help for a few years. Dr. Decker reveals that Boon has been behind a rash of violent murders around town. He gives Boon some lithium and tells him to turn himself in. Before Boon can do so he is hit by a truck and taken to a hospital. While there, Boon meets a patient who tells him about the city of Midian before slicing his face to shreds.

Boon drives out to Midian and comes across two of the Breed, monsters that live in Midian and hide from humanity. One of them becomes enraged and bites Boon, even though it is against the law for the Breed to spill blood. Dr. Decker sets Boon up to the police, who end up gunning him down outside the gates of the city. Boon awakens in a morgue, now a member of the Nightbreed due to the bite he suffered. He returns to Midian and becomes its guardian. The movie ends with a climatic fight between Dr. Decker, the local oppressive police force, a closeted priest, the Nightbreed, Boon and his girlfriend Lori.

One of the problems I have with the movie is how is it possible that everyone is able to find Midian so easily? Boon is told where it is by Narcisse, but how did he know? How was able to find it by just stopping by a seedy trucker stop bar? Isn’t a hidden city of monsters supposed to be…hidden?

It's worth noting that Dr. Decker is played famed director David Cronenberg, Dirk Lylesberg is played by Doug Bradley, and the score was written by Danny Elfman!

Favorite moment – Any scene where Dr. Decker is dressed as his murderous alter ego.

Candyman (1992) (edited)

“Candyman” is a 1992 horror film based off of Clive Barker’s short story “The Forbidden”. Like the novella “The Hellbound Heart”, certain changes were made to the story and characters so the narrative could be transferred into a full length feature film. “Candyman” has two sequels and a reboot/spiritual sequel is coming out June 2020.

Many people consider “Candyman” as a classic horror movie and it’s easy to understand why. Besides having a very memorable villain, performed perfectly by Tony Todd, the narrative of the film is taunt is chilling. There is very little violence on screen; “Candyman” is not about senseless killing. Instead, it is a smart movie that builds tension and unease throughout. When the violence is seen, or at least alluded to, it’s effectively shocking. I recently watched the film for the first time in many years and it’s more satisfying than ever.

The Candyman is nothing more than a conglomeration of different urban legends, or so grad student Helen believes. While doing research for her thesis, Helen begins hearing tales of a local legend which has several of the common themes that the most notorious legends have. These include spirits in mirrors, deranged killers, and babysitters in trouble. The one thing that everyone who is telling her about the Candyman is the same; say his name five times and he’ll appear.  As Helen continues her research, her sense of reality and legend blurs as Candyman begins to convince her that he is indeed real

Favorite moment – Whenever Candyman talks! Just how Doug Bradley is the only person worthy of playing Pinhead, Tony Todd is the only man I will ever accept at Candyman. Their voices are perfect for their respective roles and bring so much to the movies.

Author's Note - Clive Barker

Clive Barker is one of the horror industry’s most recognizable names in the world today. First and foremost, Barker is a prolific writer, having completed several collections of short stories and dozens of novels. He is also passionate about painting and his drawings, sketching out and visually creating the worlds and characters that he is writing about. But Barker is perhaps best known for directing two movies that introduced the world to his creations Pinhead and the Candyman, two devilish beings that come directly from his writing. Even though he has been involved in over a dozen major movies, he has only directed three of them;”Hellraiser”, “Candyman”, and “The Lord of Illusions”.

I am truly delighted to be reviewing the work of one of my favorite horror director/writers of all time, Clive Barker. I began to read his work when I was 16 and found that I could not get enough of it. Over the years I’ve the majority of his work and even had the privilege to meet him at a book signing for his book “Sacrament”. One of the aspects about his work that I really enjoy is how he melds horror and fantasy together and how he isn’t afraid to deal with the metaphysical and intangible. His work goes beyond “Hellraiser” or “Candyman”, so I understand how some people who love those films are at times put off by his other less than outright horrific stories. Barker is a man with range and vision, an explorer who is untethered to everyday limits and boundaries.

I follow Clive on Facebook and he had the most insightful quotes. I love that he is so open and commutative with his fan base. Here are a few recent examples.

“Before I did Hellraiser, I went to my local library to find a book on film directing, and they had two but they were both checked out and I thought, "Oh, I'm so fucked, I don't even have a book!"

“Our lives are full of miraculous little things that happen. It's difficult to remember the miraculous moment when you first realize that you're in love, or the miraculous moment when you hear a piece of music for the first time, which moves you in an extraordinary way.”

“I want to be remembered as an imaginer, someone who used his imagination as a way to journey beyond the limits of self, beyond the limits of flesh and blood, beyond the limits of even perhaps life itself, in order to discover some sense of order in what appears to be a disordered universe. I'm using my imagination to find meaning, both for myself and, I hope, for you.”