Hellraiser is a horror movie franchise based on the novel “The Hellbound Heart” by Clive Barker. The first film of the franchise was released in 1987 and the last in 2018. However, Hulu will exclusively be releasing a new Hellraiser film on October 7th!
With the anticipated release of the new Hellraiser film, I decided to binge watch every Hellraiser film. Yes, all ten of them.
Starting off, this was an easy task as I am a fan of the first few movies. When I first watched the original Hellraiser years ago, I had to rewatch it again just to fully understand what was going. The movie can be quite confusing but can reel you in. Despite not knowing what was going on at that time, I was still “hooked” by the movie. Watching someone solve the Lament Configuration and then seeing Pinhead and his grotesque Cenobites suddenly appear was frightening.
The Lament Configuration
During my binge watch, I was fully entertained throughout the first four movies even though I have watched them multiple times before. For me, after the fourth film is where I felt a drop off. That started with Hellraiser: Inferno, the fifth installment of the Hellraiser franchise. Inferno was not originally written to be a sequel to the franchise. It felt more like low-budget psychological thrillers that I have seen many times.
I continued watching Hellraiser movies 6-10 and also felt the quality of those films were a huge drop off from 1-4. Each of those films have their moments though, gore being their best quality. Doug Bradley as Pinhead makes each film that he is in, worthy of garnering some bonus points. His performance as Pinhead throughout the franchise is fantastic! Bradley would star as Pinhead in Hellraiser I-VIII.
All of the Hellraiser movies have one thing in common, sadomasochism. Pinhead and his Cenobites get off on delivering physical and psychological pain to their victims. If you’re into BDSM, this franchise is right up your alley.
While I am not a fan of some of the latest films in the franchise, I can’t help but be excited for the release of the newest film. The Hellraiser franchise along with its iconic character Pinhead, is a must watch for every horror fan. I would suggest everyone reading this to binge watch the entire franchise before watching Hellraiser (2022).
There is not much known about the 2022 version, even the official trailer doesn’t give much. For me, that makes me more excited to see what it’s about.
Check out the trailer for Hellraiser (2022) below:
Glorious is a 2022 horror film directed by Rebekah McKendry. The film stars Ryan Kwanten, J.K. Simmons & Sylvia Grace Crim.
Not long after getting into this movie, I could sense the low-budget vibes. You continue to see that throughout, but it certainly does not ruin the film. In fact, I feel like the director did a great job despite the low-budget.
Glorious is pretty absurd and quite comical. The whole premise involves a man stuck in a rest stop bathroom, talking to an ancient God through a Glory Hole. I feel like I may have enjoyed it a lot more if I smoked weed beforehand.
It has enough mystery throughout to keep you watching and then wondering what the hell is happening? In the end, there is a pretty cool twist that I did not see coming that helped to bump up my score of the film. Overall, I was entertained throughout the movie but would not give this a second watch.
HFH Score: 5.8 View Date: 8/28/2022 Where I watched “Glorious?” Shudder
What Josiah Saw has received positive reviews, garnering a 6.1 rating on IMDB and a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes. I was a little less fond of the film.
This movie has a slow burning feel to it that can either keep you engaged or make you totally lose interest. I was in the middle of that spectrum. At times I would lose focus and have to get myself back on track. Other times I was curious as how the plot would continue to develop.
The film has a dark and dreary vibe throughout which fits perfectly to the plot. The acting in What Josiah Saw made the movie more enjoyable for me as the top stars turned in top-notch performances. Nevertheless, by the time I finished watching the film I came away unsatisfied.
There were a few creepy moments but overall, the horror factor was lacking. My general consensus after watching was that it made me feel dirty and depressed.
Hard Ride To Hell is a 2010, straight to video horror/action movie. The movie was directed by Penelope Buitenhuis and written by Matthew Chernov, David Rosiak, and the forementioned Penelope Buitenhuis.
The film stars Katharine Isabelle, Miguel Ferrer, Brent Stait, Laura Mennell, Brendan Penny, Brandon Jay McLaren & Sebastian Gacki.
I picked this movie up years ago on DVD. The description on the back of the case intrigued me enough to make the purchase. After taking it home and watching it I was surprisingly pleased.
I saw it laying around the house recently so I decided I would give it a second viewing. Sometimes when I watch a movie that I enjoyed for a second time, I end up not enjoying it nearly as much as the first time. I wasn’t sure what to expect this time around.
After watching again today, I realized that I enjoyed just as much as the first time. The plot is pretty cool and the characters overall turned in solid performances. The movie may fall more in the lines of an action film but also has a horror element which makes it my cup of tea. It’s nothing fancy but it entertained me, that’s all I ask for.
HFH Score: 6.5
View Date: 8/1/2022
Where I Watched “Hard Ride To Hell”: DVD/You can find this movie for free on three different apps: Fawesome.tv, FilmRise or Local Now
Afflicted is a 2013 Canadian mock documentary/found footage film. The movie is directed and written by Derek Lee & Clif Prowse who also both star in the film.
This movie was recommended to me by a member of the horror community. I’m typically not a fan of found footage style films but the cinematography of this film was much more pleasant than most. The beginning has a documentary vibe to it which made it feel like I was watching an actual documentary. The film then transitioned into more of found footage style.
When someone recommends a movie to me, I tend to have higher expectations which may not be fair in my review. Despite that I did enjoy this movie as it had a few twists and turns I did not see coming. I respected the wishes of the member who recommended the film to me when they instructed me not to look up information on the film before watching. That ended up being a good move and is also a reason why I purposefully don’t get too specific with my movie reviews. If you are interested in this film and haven’t yet watched it, I would also suggest not doing too much research into it beforehand.
HFH Score: 5.7
View Date: 7/17/2022
Where I Watched “Afflicted”: Showtime 7 Day Free Trial
Game of Death is a 2017 French horror film, directed by Sebastien Landry & Laurence Morais-Legace. The film stars Sam Earle, Victoria Diamond, Emelia Hellman & Catherine Saindon.
This movie actually ended up being much more entertaining than I expected. While I feel like the film missed some opportunities, I enjoyed it overall due to some great cinematic work. Some scenes are elevated with a poetic vibe that gave the film its own unique charm.
The Devil Below is a 2021 horror film directed by Brad Parker. The film stars Alicia Sanz, Adam Canto, Zach Avery & Will Patton.
This movie started out pretty well and seemed like it had potential. Unfortunately, the rest of the film greatly disappointed me. Halfway through I was regretting my decision to watch. Despite that, I continued on and ended up being even more let down.
The Black Phone is a 2021 horror film directed by Scott Derrickson and produced by Blumhouse. The film stars Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw and Ethan Hawke. The movie is based off a 2004 short film by Joe Hill.
I watched this in the theater and my initial thoughts were “This is Absolutely Amazing.” I had high hopes for this film and usually when that happens I tend to be let down. Not in this case. This film kept my attention and continued to exceed expectations throughout.
Before the movie started, the previews showcased upcoming films. Many of which looked to have lots of potential. After watching The Black Phone I am not sure if any of them come close to topping this one. A great way to end a long week!
The Autopsy of Jane Doe is a 2016 horror film directed by André Øvredal. Emile Hirsch & Brian Cox star in the film.
This movie really creeped me out! I’m generally desensitized to horror films but a few scenes in this one sent chills down my body. The Autopsy of Jane Doe is filled with suspense and morbid creepiness. The acting was superb as the two stars, Cox & Hirsch give brilliant performances as father and son characters.
This movie left me feeling dreadful and uneasy. Therefor I highly recommend.
HFH Score: 7.0
View Date: 6/20/2022
Where I watched “The Autopsy of Jane Doe”: IFC with a 7 Day Free Trial
8 Days to Hell is a low budget horror anthology film with a serial killer theme. The film is directed by Shane Woodson who also stars in the film. 8 Days To Hell also stars Eric Roberts & Tori London.
Overall, it is what you would expect from a low budget horror movie. I personally love horror anthology so I rarely turn one down even if it appears to be low budget. Some of the stories are well done but overall I struggled to get into this film.
