Hellraiser: Inferno (2002)

Where the first four "Hellraiser" movies where in chronological order, the fifth film in the franchise is the first of the stand-alone productions. The viewer will need to have some seen at least the first film in order to truly enjoy this movie, in my opinion, but it is the first attempt to get back to the feeling and nature of the original movie. This is not hero versus Pinhead but rather a story about an individual's dark journey into sin and the "priest" that meets him at the end.  Pinhead is meant to issue pain and pleasure in the name of his master Leviathan and that is exactly what he does.

This, and the next few films, upset lesser horror fans because Pinhead doesn't appear until the very end. They want him to go around killing people from opening to closing credits. But Pinhead is not a slasher killer like Jason or Freddy. He is merely the result of the main characters actions and I prefer him this way.

I really enjoyed the Cenobites in this film; they are kept simple and haunting. Along with Pinhead there are two almost faceless women who try to seduce the main character as well as a new Chatterer who seems to be only a set of shoulders and a head!

Finally, the movie stars Craig Shaffer who played Boone in Clive Barkers “Nightbreed”. I think this was a great casting choice because he fit the role well and did a great job as well as being a familiar name to fans of Clive Barker and bringing those fans back to the tarnished “Hellraiser” brand.

Simply stated, this film is about Detective Joseph Thorne, a corrupt cop who steals evidence, frames his partner, cheats on his wife with prostitutes, and doesn’t visit his parents in the old folks home (how ghastly!). He is on the case of trying to solve a grisly murder involving a former high school classmate who met his end after solving the Lament Configuration. The more Detective Thorne learns, the more people around him begin to die and slowly frames him as the only suspect for these foul deeds.

Favorite moment - My favorite moment, although very brief, was when Detective Thorne reached out to his daughter and her arm breaks off. It was something that I was not expecting and brought a heavy sense of gravitas to the scene.

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.