Hellraiser: 20th Anniversary Edition
by Clive Barker
List Price:
Our Price: $19.99
You Save: $4.98 (20%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $8.94 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Andrew Robinson, Ashley Laurence, Clare Higgins, Oliver Smith, Sean ChapmanDirector: Clive Barker
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 93 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-10-23
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
Movie Reviews of Hellraiser: 20th Anniversary Edition
Movie Review: Hellraiser Movie Review from The Massie Twins
Summary: 5 Stars
The brilliance behind Clive Barker's Hellraiser doesn't simply lie within his undeniably powerful visuals, but also with his ability to create a singular world of horror, one defined by the terrifying rules of his devilishly unbound imagination. Every facet of this masterpiece screams originality, from blood-soaked nightmares and disturbing surrealism to the imagery of the Cenobites and their twisted realm of pleasure and pain. Few have ever crafted a vision as recognizably frightful and unforgettably chilling as Hellraiser.
When Larry Cotton (Andrew Robinson) and his wife Julia (Clare Higgins) move into a house previously occupied by Larry's thrill-seeking brother Frank (and former lover to Julia), they unwittingly resurrect the zombified remains of the treasure hunter long since trapped in the confines of hell. Needing human blood to fully regain his original form, Frank plays upon Julia's feelings for him and manipulates her into bringing unsuspecting victims back to the house. When Larry's daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) discovers Frank's sinister plan, all hell is literally unleashed upon them in the form of grisly demons intent on subjecting their summoners to indescribable horrors.
Easily the most impressive aspects of the late 80's thriller are its ample gore effects and shocking imagery. Ingenious special effects combined with Bob Keen's skillful makeup work result in several truly unforgettable moments of terror - most notably in Frank's ghastly reincarnation, Kirsty's crimson deathbed nightmare, and the shockingly violent conclusion. In addition to the mesmerizing practical blood and makeup effects, Hellraiser offers us the Cenobites, treacherous demons whose gothic and bondage influenced blend of attire and weaponry showcase Barker's knack for macabre visuals. The now legendary Pinhead is perhaps the most stylistic of them all, standing tall in black leather garb and crowned with a face full of pins. Like Freddy Kreuger and Jason Voorhees before them, the villainous Cenobites have become so popular that they have surpassed their antagonist roots to virtually become the stars, as evidenced in practically all of the sequels. Instead of rooting for the protagonists to defeat the cunning torturers, we anxiously wait to see who they will kill next.
A few clich? lines, some novice acting, and questionable lightning effects really can't detract from one of the most original and terrifying horror films ever created. Many have copied, few have equaled, and as Pinhead would have you believe, no one has ever escaped.
- Joel Massie
Summary of Hellraiser: 20th Anniversary Edition
Having made his reputation as one of the most prolific and gifted horror writers of his generation (prompting Stephen King to call him "the future of horror"), Clive Barker made a natural transition to movies with this audacious directorial debut from 1987. Not only did Barker serve up a chilling tale of devilish originality, he also introduced new icons of horror that since have become as popular among genre connoisseurs as Frankenstein's monster and the Wolfman. Foremost among these frightful visions is the sadomasochistic demon affectionately named Pinhead (so named because his pale, bald head is a geometric pincushion and a symbol of eternal pain). Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, agents of evil who appear only when someone successfully "solves" the exotic puzzle box called the Lamont Configuration--a mysterious device that opens the door to Hell. The puzzle's latest victim is Frank (Sean Chapman), who now lives in a gelatinous skeletal state in an upstairs room of the British home just purchased by his newlywed half-brother (Andrew Robinson, best known as the villain from Dirty Harry), who has married one of Frank's former lovers (Claire Higgins). The latter is recruited to supply the cannibalistic Frank with fresh victims, enabling him to reconstitute his own flesh--but will Frank succeed in restoring himself completely? Will Pinhead continue to demonstrate the flesh-ripping pleasures of absolute agony? Your reaction to this description should tell you if you've got the stomach for Barker's film, which has since spawned a number of interesting but inferior sequels. It's definitely not for everyone, but there's no denying that it's become a semiclassic of modern horror. --Jeff ShannonHorror DVD Video
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Movies most talked about in The Anchor Bay Collection
The Evil Dead/ Evil Dead 2 - Book Of The Dead CollectionRelease date: 2005-11-22; DVD
Best price: $46.21
Price in other shops:
The Hills Have Eyes (2-Disc Edition)Release date: 2003-09-23; DVD
Best price: $7.58
Price in other shops:
Hellraiser: 20th Anniversary EditionRelease date: 2007-10-23; DVD
Best price: $12.91
Price in other shops:
Dario Argento Box SetSTARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT; Release date: 2008-05-27; DVD
Best price: $22.76
Price in other shops:
PhantasmSTARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT; Release date: 2007-04-10; DVD
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
Re-AnimatorSTARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT; Release date: 2007-03-20; DVD
Best price: $12.03
Price in other shops:
Similar DVD Movies
The Nightmare on Elm Street CollectionENGLUND,ROBERT; Release date: 1999-09-21; DVD
Best price: $22.94
Price in other shops:
HalloweenSTARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT; Release date: 2007-08-14; DVD
Best price: $7.44
Price in other shops:
PhantasmSTARZ HOME ENTERTAINMENT; Release date: 2007-04-10; DVD
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
Hellraiser - HellworldRelease date: 2005-09-06; DVD
Best price: $10.48
Price in other shops:
Hellraiser - DeaderRelease date: 2005-06-07; DVD
Best price: $17.91
Price in other shops:
Hellraiser - InfernoRelease date: 2000-10-10; DVD
Best price: $6.05
Price in other shops:
Hellraiser VI - HellseekerRelease date: 2002-10-22; DVD
Best price: $3.86
Price in other shops:
Hellraiser - BloodlineRelease date: 2000-10-10; DVD
Best price: $4.25
Price in other shops:
Hellraiser III - Hell on EarthPARAMOUNT PICTURES; Release date: 2006-08-08; DVD
Best price: $12.99
Price in other shops:
Hellbound: Hellraiser 2Release date: 2001-07-24; DVD
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops: