Fourths Of July: HELLRAISER: BLOODLINE (1996)
For as long as I can remember, HELLRAISER has been my favorite horror franchise. As one of my first experiences watching horror, it likely jumpstarted my lifelong love of the genre. Details are fuzzy, but I think I was around eight years old spending the night at my godmother’s house when she let me watch either the first or second one. I was rushed to bed immediately after it finished, she told me I wouldn’t have nightmares if I didn’t have time to think about it. She was wrong, I couldn’t fall asleep right away. I had plenty of time to think about it before I fell asleep and yet had no nightmares. I don’t remember it scaring me at all. Hollywood could never compare to the horrors that my own mind came up with as a kid—in my worst nightmare my own mother stabbed me in the back.
Maybe it’s his joyful sadism or the leather outfit but I’d eventually become one of those strange girls that crushed on Pinhead. I’m a loyal but honest fan. I can admit that quality of the films significantly dropped over the years, but I’ve still watched and enjoyed each new movie. That includes the fourth installment BLOODLINE, which is where things started going downhill for the franchise. Released in 1996, HELLRAISER: BLOODLINE took the franchise to space, a short-lived ‘90s trend.
It sounds a bit ridiculous but it’s an interesting story. A future descendant of Phillip LeMarchand, the toymaker who built the original puzzle box, intends to rectify his ancestors’ actions, and end the curse on his bloodline. He designed a space station using his ancestors design for a device that would permanently seal the gateway to hell. Through flashbacks we learn about his family’s history with the box. In some ways it’s like getting a prequel, sequel, and final chapter all in one film.
The original screen play was praised by Paul Kane, author of The Hellraiser Films and Their Legacy. Unfortunately, we did not get the film that was envisioned by its creators—executive producer Clive Barker and screenwriter Peter Atkins.
The film was scaled back, removing specific scenes and special effects, when Miramax would not provide the budget needed. There were additional money saving rewrites reducing the number of characters or simplifying roles. Studio executives were unhappy with the initial cut of the film and demanded changes requiring more rewrites and added scenes. The final version of the film included the new scenes and many cuts, reducing it from 110 minutes to 85. Director Kevin Yagher requested his name be removed, using the pseudonym Alan Smithee instead (a common practice when films are heavily altered from the director’s vision).
Unsurprisingly, it mostly received negative reviews with one stating it didn’t have a likable protagonist.
But who listens to the critics? First of all, I’ve never watched any of the HELLRAISER movies for a likable protagonist. I watch to see people get tortured and dragged to hell. In most, cases everybody gets what they deserve, with the unfortunate innocent casualty on occasion. Besides, we’ve got Pinhead (Doug Bradley)—I like him.
He doesn’t have many scenes but every moment he’s on screen is a pure pleasure. I also enjoyed the addition of Angelique (Valentina Vargas), the demon summoned by the aristocrat who commissioned the box to be made. It would have been nice to see her contentious relationship with Pinhead explored further. I also absolutely loved her cenobite incarnation toward the end, frightening yet still sexy. The imaginative variety of cenobites and their transformations have always been one of my favorite elements of the franchise. The security guard brothers twisting together to create the conjoined twin cenobite was disturbing and satisfying.
I can admit to being biased but I liked BLOODLINE. It’s obviously not the best but it’s not even close to the worst. It’s entertaining and gives audiences what they expect from HELLRAISER, cenobites, seduction, and sadism. It’s disappointing to know that we could have gotten a much better film. But I think it’s a worthy addition to the franchise and probably should have ended it.
On that note I’ll leave you with a related creepy story: Just after agreeing to write this, I started looking for my copy to watch. I thought it’d be a good idea to refresh my memory, plus any excuse to check it out is a good one. Unfortunately, it’s packed away and hard to reach. Not long after my conversation with my boyfriend about it, he found an almost brand-new looking copy in a box on the curb for trash pickup. I can only conclude the horror gods blessed me with this gift or it’s a sign I’m cursed.
Either way I’ll take it.
