Hellraiser

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1:27

Hellraiser

R

1987

1h 33m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Sexual deviant Frank (Sean Chapman) inadvertently opens a portal to hell when he tinkers with a box he bought while abroad. The act unleashes gruesome beings called Cenobites, who tear Frank's body apart. When Frank's brother (Andrew Robinson) and his wife, Julia (Clare Higgins), move into Frank's old house, they accidentally bring what is left of Frank back to life. Frank then convinces Julia, his one-time lover, to lure men back to the house so he can use their blood to reconstruct himself.

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Critics Consensus

Elevated by writer-director Clive Barker's fiendishly unique vision, Hellraiser offers a disquieting - and sadistically smart - alternative to mindless gore.

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

10/14/2019

B+

The reason the movie works as well as it does is because of its human characters.

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William Thomas

Empire Magazine

11/13/2017

4/5

Horror is at its best when it's relentless. Clive Barker knows this, and his debut feature as director is so gleefully vicious, so relentlessly grim that it's going to be very hard for fans of the genre not to like it.

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Bob McCabe

Empire Magazine

11/13/2017

4/5

With Hellraiser, Clive Barker created one of the most genuinely disturbing movies of the last 20 years.

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David Elliott

Copley News Service

Dec 14

If you like strong terror and visceral weirdness, you've found your movie.

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Bryce Hanson

Horror Movie Talk

Sep 18

9/10

This film is Clive Barker’s best film, and it is a unique mix of family dysfunction, sex, sadism, and gore. At times it feels like a 50’s melodrama, other times like a nightmare, and sometimes like torture porn.

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Sep 11

4/5

Earns the legacy it has built for setting the standard of blending the grotesque with the erotic, all while being weirder than an audience could have anticipated.

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Lauren S

@MONKS85 Jan 27

Loved this movie since the 80s! Top notch gory horror with rad practical effects, and depraved and imaginative storyline. Acting is also top notch. If you don't like slimy grotesque gore or sadism then maybe this isn't for you.

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Sam M

@Hourglass Jan 5

Hellraiser (1987) Is a good horror movie, it's not one of my favourites, but it's definitely a good movie, the cenobites look really good, the characters are decent, and it's definitely enjoyable, my only issue is that it feels slow at times, but besides that, it's a good movie

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Lisa M

@Lisa66kayd Jan 5

I really liked the characters in this but I won't be watching more. Pin head I find to gory and I really didn't like the storyline not for me but I can see why it's a hit

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Richard L

@KaneLives Jan 1

I imagine Cenobites would be the only ones deriving any amount of pleasure from the original Hellraiser, as aside from the excellent effects and fun premise, there's nothing about the painfully slow plot and equally painful performances that would please any regular viewer.

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Xane B.

@xabobinchuck Nov 30

A little slow but a classic movie and pinhead is a great villian.

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Maksim S

@MaksimusMovies Nov 28

Hellraiser is a relentless masterclass in terror, from its first shocking moment to its unforgettable, nightmarish conclusion. Clive Barker’s directorial debut doesn’t just tell a horror story—it drags the viewer into a world where pain, pleasure, and fear are inseparably entwined, crafting an atmosphere of unyielding dread that lingers long after the credits roll. The film’s horror is both psychological and visceral. Its extreme gore is executed with brutal creativity, satisfying even the most hardcore horror aficionados, while the darkly imaginative Cenobites remain some of the most iconic and terrifying creatures ever conceived. Every sequence pulses with tension, from the quiet, creeping suspense to the full-blown nightmare scenarios that define the film’s unforgettable set pieces. Hellraiser is uncompromising, shocking, and utterly unforgettable—a perfect storm of atmosphere, gore, and pure, unrelenting terror. For fans of true horror, it is simply essential.

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Clive Barker

Director

Andrew Robinson

Larry Cotton

Clare Higgins

Julia Cotton

Ashley Laurence

Kirsty Cotton

Sean Chapman

Frank Cotton

Oliver Smith

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Hellraiser: Trailer 1

1:27

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Synopsis

Sexual deviant Frank (Sean Chapman) inadvertently opens a portal to hell when he tinkers with a box he bought while abroad. The act unleashes gruesome beings called Cenobites, who tear Frank's body apart. When Frank's brother (Andrew Robinson) and his wife, Julia (Clare Higgins), move into Frank's old house, they accidentally bring what is left of Frank back to life. Frank then convinces Julia, his one-time lover, to lure men back to the house so he can use their blood to reconstruct himself.

Director: Clive Barker
Producer: Christopher Figg
Screenwriter: Clive Barker
Distributor: New World Pictures, Anchor Bay Entertainment, Image Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Rivdel Films
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 18, 1987, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Feb 5, 2025
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 25, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $13.3M
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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