Clive Barker is one of the most original and imaginative voices to burst onto the Horror scene. In the simplest terms, he sees a world where pleasure and pain can be one and the same, just like how a good Horror film can bring such high levels of fear and dread that you’re left feeling complete joy in the experience. Some of the acting is sub-par and the lighting and effects are low-budget, but Barker knows how to use blood and other fluids like an artist spreading paint around. He also keeps the focus tightly on this story while building so much lore in the margins it’s not surprising how many attempts have been made to tell more about the puzzle box and Cenobites. The sequels are either dumbed down, nonsensical or simply ignore what’s here hoping to make easy money off the Hellraiser name. Many Horror sequels never come close to the original, but no series stays as far away as this one.
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