Hellbound: Hellraiser II - 20th Anniversary Edition

It was only after this sequel to 1987's Hellraiser out in that the filmmakers knew for sure that Pinhead (Doug Bradley) was their poster boy. As director Tony Randel says on the DVD commentary, they were sort of grooming the Julia (Claire Higgins) character to be the villain of the series but everybody just fell head over heels for the Cenobite with a mean headache.

Actually, this isn't news; that commentary (featuring Randel, star Ashley Lawrence, and screenwriter Peter Atkins) was done for the 13th anniversary of Hellbound… But don't fret. There are a bunch of other featurettes and fun new stuff that make the 20th Anniversary Edition worth adding to the library.

While it's best to have seen Hellraiser before Hellbound, it's not essential: like a "Last week on…" television series review, the movie starts off with scenes encapsulating what happened to Kirsty (Lawrence) and how she wound up in a mental hospital. (Let's just say there were some serious daddy issues!) But even though the terrorized teen is under lock and key, she can't hide from Hell's handmaiden. Julia is back… with a vengeance, of course.

I haven't seen Hellbound since the 80s, but I always remembered certain iconic images and trippy scenes. The skinless Julia (portrayed by Deborah Joel) repairing herself only to be completely degloved again; the "malice in wonderland" dreamscape sequence (which Randel says he doesn't like); and of course of big face-off (literally) between Pinhead and the Dr. Chennard Cenobite (Kenneth Cranham).

All of these big set pieces still hold up, as does the acting and the score. The practical effects are a mixed bag. The painted glass mattes are beautiful. But alas, the story itself is pretty tame now and the tension and suspense (if ever there was any) has evaporated. It's definitely more a curio than a classic, but for fans of Barker and the strange, singular world he created by melding horror, science fiction and fetish, Hellbound is a keeper.

The commentary, though not new, is certainly serviceable enough. Atkins is especially witty, and almost acts as a moderator while adding his considerably valuable two-cents-worth. Much as I enjoyed learning more about what I was seeing, it was even more fun to hear about what didn't make it into the movie. Atkins' recall, going back even to a first draft of the script which Randel never read, is impressive.

There are also a few vintage featurettes, and each DVD includes a folded mini-poster reproduction from the original release one-sheet.

One of the best featurettes is entitled "The Soul Patrol", and it's comprised of interviews with Pinhead's henchmen (and lady), Simon Bamford, Nicholas Vince and Barbie Wilde. I don't think I've ever seen them out of makeup, and while I have heard a million stories from actors about how hard it is to function underneath such facades, I've got to say: these guys put a new spin on it. Bamford (Butterball Cenobite) tells an especially amusing account of weeping in self-pity on the set one day, and concludes his tale of woe with an anecdote about Barker's old fashioned cure for the Butterball-blues.

Bonus features:

• Audio commentary with director Tony Randel, screenwriter Peter Atkins and actor Ashley Laurence
• The Soul Patrol: NEW interviews with Cenobite actors
• Outside the Box: NEW interview with director Tony Randel
• The Doctor is In: NEW interview with Kenneth Cranham
• Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellbound: Hellraiser II
• Lost in the Labyrinth featurette
• On-set vintage interview with Clive Barker
• On-set vintage interviews with cast and crew
• Theatrical Trailers and TV Spots
• Poster and stills gallery

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