Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment: A Fantastic Collection of the Original Four Classics (Limited Edition Blu-ray Set)

The Films:

It's hard to believe that the "Hellraiser" franchise has been running for nearly four decades at this point, with a whopping eleven films under its belt. When we were first introduced to the puzzle box ("The Lament Configuration"), Pinhead, and his Cenobite buddies, it didn't really seem like the kind of material that had a lot of longevity, at least not for this many additional sequels. Granted, there's a reason most people don't talk about 5-10, the dreadful direct-to-video entries, but the recent 2022 reboot showed quite a lot of promise in terms of taking the franchise back in the right direction.

However, the ones fans tend to discuss most & remember the best are the original four theatrically-released entries that, for the most part, gave horror fans the shocking, atmospheric, and gruesome experience they wanted in its exploration of pain-wielding demons & the people trying to stop them. To celebrate this quartet of horror classics, Arrow Films has put together a new limited edition box set appropriately titled "Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment," which features new 4K restorations of all four films & a ton of new and old special features to go along with them, so let's dig right in and see what sights they have to show us.

Starting off with the original classic "Hellraiser," the film begins with Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman) buying a mysterious puzzle box that ends up unleashing sinister forces, leading to him being torn apart by chains. Later on, Frank's brother Larry (Andrew Robinson) and his wife Julia (Clare Higgins) move into the house where Frank had been staying. We learn that Julia had been having a secret affair with Frank in this house, which also happens to be where he met his unknown demise.

After Larry accidentally scrapes his hand against a nail while moving a mattress, he goes to Julia for help, dripping blood onto the floor where Frank had solved the puzzle box. This miraculously starts to heal Frank, who reforms into a bloody, skeletal mess, and reveals himself to Julia, convincing her to help him finish the job by bringing him victims. Everything seems to be going according to plan, that is, until Larry's daughter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) happens to stop by at her father's request and notices something rather suspicious.

Clive Barker's "Hellraiser" (based on his own novella "The Hellbound Heart") is one of those classic horror films that I come back to every couple of years without fail. It's certainly a gruesome experience if you're not used to a certain amount of gore & body horror, but this has always been such a strange & fascinating story, one told with some remarkable special effects. In particular, the scene in which Frank rejuvenates into his first form is stunning to watch, as are the subsequent scenes in which we watch him become more and more whole, shown marvelously through the film's brilliant makeup.

Additionally, this is the film that introduced us to the horrific Cenobites, summoned by the puzzle box and led by the infamous Pinhead (Doug Bradley), though for now he's just known as the "Lead Cenobite." These creatures of pain & pleasure, which also include the Female, Chatterer, and Butterball Cenobites, are another incredible example of the film's spectacular makeup design, and are yet more elements of the film that will undoubtedly stick with you long afterward.

Certainly, if for nothing else, the film is well-remembered for its striking designs and other nightmare-inducing visuals, and for giving us characters that would start an entire franchise. There's a reason this classic is ranked so highly among horror hounds. For those who are able to stomach it, it's got just about everything you could want in a film of the genre, which is exactly what makes it worth coming back to over and over again.

Moving on to "Hellbound: Hellraiser II," after a brief glimpse of how Pinhead (Doug Bradley) became a Cenobite, we pick up with Kirsty (Ashley Laurence), who is in a psychiatric hospital after the events of the first film. She tries to explain what happened to Doctor Channard (Kenneth Cranham) and his young protege Kyle MacRae (William Hope), but they're having a hard time believing her story. After pleading with them to destroy the mattress on which Julia died, we learn that Channard is actually obsessed with the puzzle box, and has the mattress delivered to his home, where he uses it to resurrect her.

Like she did for Frank in the first film, she convinces him to bring victims to her to help complete her healing. Meanwhile, Kirsty has a vision of a figure she believes to be her father, who is asking for her help from hell. Coincidentally, Channard and Julia enlist the help of a mute patient named Tiffany (Imogen Boorman), who happens to be great with puzzles, to solve the box and open a door to that very place. Naturally, this also summons the Cenobites, but Channard and Julia slip past them into the dark realm, eventually followed by Kirsty and Tiffany. And so, Kirsty sets out on a desperate mission to save her father, while Channard begins exploring a domain he's fascinated by, with Julia as his guide.

I've had a rather odd relationship with this first "Hellraiser" sequel over the decades. The first time I watched it all those years ago, I recall just not caring for it very much. However, I kept coming back to it over the years, and my appreciation has grown somewhat over the course of several more viewings. I typically pair it with the first film as I see it being the other part of Kirsty's story (true, she comes back briefly in the third film and again much later in the franchise, but those appearances are quickly forgotten), and besides, there were still things to like about it.

That said, let's be clear, it's not nearly on the same level as the first film. It's actually quite fair to say that "Hellbound" goes in some rather questionable directions. Channard's random relationship with Julia, him willingly going into & exploring hell, and what ultimately happens to him does make a lot of it seem rather silly. Still, I like the idea of Kirsty attempting to rescue her father and exploring this bizarre domain in the process, which provides the opportunity for a lot more of those fascinating visuals that worked so well in the first film. It feels like more interesting events could've occurred in that exploration, but perhaps that was just constraints of the budget that limited them to what they could do. Overall, it's a strange little combination of some parts that work and some that don't, making for a mixed sequel that has strangely been worth rewatching over the years.

"Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth" begins with club owner/art collector J.P. Monroe (Kevin Bernhardt) buying a piece that viewers will recognize as the pillar that emerged from Julia's mattress at the end of the previous film. Meanwhile, reporter Joey Summerskill (Terry Farrell) witnesses a bizarre incident at a hospital in which a man connected to several chains dies in terrible fashion. Joey attempts to interview the witness who reported it, Terri (Paula Marshall), but she doesn't want to talk about it, that is until she ends up needing a place to stay.

Back at the club, J.P is shocked to see his new art piece come alive and absorb a young woman, after which the head of Pinhead (Doug Bradley) awakens and attempts to strike a deal for power with J.P in exchange for victims to bring himself back to life. More pieces of the mystery begin to unravel as Terri gives Joey a familiar puzzle box, explaining that it's where the chains came from. Their investigation eventually leads them to the Channard Institute, and a dire warning from a past possessor of the box. Will they be able to put it all together in time to stop Pinhead's devilish plan?

This next sequel is where thinks start getting pretty wonky. I had mentioned that "Hellbound" went in some rather questionable directions, but "Hell on Earth" seems to be almost entirely about going in questionable directions. For starters, most of the film is strangely uneventful as it tries to set up the plot and the mystery of what's going on with the box & the chained patient. The first two films didn't have much trouble with getting the story moving, whereas here it's a bit more sluggish to do so. Having Pinhead stuck in a pillar for most of the film certainly doesn't do it any favors either.

That said, when it comes to its third act, there are really two ways of looking at it. As it spirals off into some of its more ridiculous developments (Joey running through the streets where everything is exploding around her, being chased by Pinhead's makeshift squad of Cenobites, etc.), you can either roll your eyes and dismiss it as ridiculous, or you can have a good laugh at how silly it gets. I'm not sure how scary a Cenobite with a camera in their head, one killing people with CDs, or another breathing fire were intended to be by screenwriter Peter Atkins, but the unintended laughs could easily be seen as a good thing (Pinhead even has a quick line about them being "shadows of my former troops").

When it comes right to it, the storyline is just rather weak when compared with the first two films. I like the idea of their being a mystery surrounding it that needs to be solved, but it needed to be done in a less plodding fashion to keep in engaging. It was also good to see Pinhead have a lot more screentime & dialogue, though some of the things he does early on loop right back into those ridiculous developments mentioned earlier. Also, credit must go to Terry Farrell, who made this shortly before landing her starring role in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," for giving a decent performance in a film that's a bit messy. Ultimately, this ends up being another sequel where there are a number of pluses and minuses, but this time, there's just not a whole lot here that's particularly crying out for a rewatch.

Now we come to the last film in the set, "Hellraiser: Bloodline," which begins aboard a space station in 2127, where Dr. Paul Merchant (Bruce Ramsay) is attempting to set a trap for Pinhead (Doug Bradley) and his minions. However, after he summons them, he is stopped from completing his mission by a group of armed soldiers to whom he ends up explaining what's going on. His story first takes us back to the 18th century where his ancestor, Phillip LeMarchand (Bruce Ramsay), created the puzzle box as a commission for aristocrat Duc de L'Isle (Mickey Cottrell), who uses it to summon a demon known as Angelique (Valentina Vargas).

His tale then jumps to "present day," where another ancestor, John Merchant (Bruce Ramsay), is an architect that has built a building based on the box. Angelique goes to investigate, tricks a security guard into summoning Pinhead, and forms an alliance to stop John from completing a device that would permanently close all gateways to hell. Will they be successful, and what will ultimately become of Dr. Merchant's plans in the future?

"Hellraiser: Bloodline" has a troubled, but fascinating history. Despite there being problems during the production, the film's original director, Kevin Yagher, brought the film in on time & on budget, turning in his 110-minute cut to the studio. Unfortunately they were unhappy with it and demanded changes, but Yagher declined, so director Joe Chappelle was brought in to finish. New scenes were written & shot, and the story was altered & rearranged into the final 85-minute Theatrical Cut. However, Yagher felt this version was so different from his original that he chose to remove his name from it, and instead took the classic moniker "Alan Smithee" (a name used when a director doesn't want credit).

So how does the final product stack up? Honestly, it's one of the better entries. It's a remarkably ambitious story, attempting to tell a generational tale all within the confines of a horror film. It's part period piece, part modern-day horror, and part sci-fi actioner. One can't help but feel that the structure of Peter Atkins' original screenplay would've likely worked a little better given that the early introduction of the future segment of the story pretty much ruins the outcome of the modern-day segment, but I can also see the studio's viewpoint in wanting to tie it all together using the future segment as a wrap-around mechanic (Plus they wanted to introduce Pinhead earlier, and that ended up being an easy way to accomplish that).

It's unfortunate that Yagher's original cut remains lost as it would be incredible to see what that looked like, but this set does come with a fascinating 82-minute workprint version of the film that has quite a few differences. It's still from after Yagher left the project, but it features the original structure, as well as the original "sad" ending, making it an intriguing comparison to the final product. Still, as far as the Theatrical Cut goes, it's certainly a step up from what we got with "Hell on Earth." The story is more engaging, taking you on a neat little trip through time, and even goes into space (sometimes this doesn't work well for horror franchises that don't start there, but it works here well enough). It's very ambitious indeed, and it's one that's worth coming back to, ultimately wrapping up this incredible set on a high note.

Video/Audio:

"Hellraiser: Quarter of Torment" presents all four films in 1.85:1, 1080p High Definition transfers of outstanding quality. Each film has been given a new 4K restoration from the original camera negative that looks absolutely stunning, with the image appearing beautifully clear & sharp throughout. Likewise, the original lossless stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks are marvelous, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in excellent quality. Overall, Arrow Films has done a wonderful job cleaning up these little horror classics for the new set.

Special Features:

Disc 1 - Hellraiser (1987)

Commentary with critics Stephen Jones & Kim Newman (2023)

Commentary with writer/director Clive Barker & actress Ashley Lawrence (2000)

Commentary with writer/director Clive Barker (1996)

Power of Imagination (58 Minutes)

Unboxing Hellraiser (22 Minutes)

The Pursuit of Possibilities (41 Minutes)

Flesh in a Trap (18 Minutes)

Behind the Scenes (35 Minutes)

Being Frank: Sean Chapman on Hellraiser (26 Minutes)

Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellraiser (13 Minutes)

Soundtrack Hell: The Story of the Abandoned Coil Score (18 Minutes)

Hellraiser: Resurrection (24 Minutes)

Disc 2 - Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)

Audio Commentary with critics Stephen Jones & Kim Newman (2023)

Audio Commentary with director Tony Randel, writer Peter Atkins, and actress Ashley Laurence (2000)

Audio Commentary with director Tony Randel and writer Peter Atkins (1996)

Hell Was What They Wanted! (85 Minutes)

That Rat-Slice Sound (12 Minutes)

Behind the Scenes (10 Minutes)

Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellbound: Hellraiser II (11 Minutes)

Being Frank: Sean Chapman on Hellbound (12 Minutes)

Hellbound: Hellraiser II - Lost in the Labyrinth (17 Minutes)

Deleted Surgeon Scene (5 Minutes)

Disc 3 - Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992): Unrated Cut (96 Mins.) & Theatrical Cut (93 Mins.)

Commentary with critics Stephen Jones & Kim Newman (2023)

Commentary with writer Peter Atkins (2015)

Commentary with director Anthony Hickox and actor Doug Bradley (2004)

Behind the Scenes (36 Minutes)

Time with Terri (15 Minutes)

Raising Hell on Earth (14 Minutes)

Under the Skin (14 Minutes)

Disc 4 - Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)

Commentary with critics Stephen Jones & Kim Newman and screenwriter Peter Atkins (2023)

The Beauty of Suffering (28 Minutes)

Workprint Version (82 Minutes)

Alternate Footage (6 Minutes)

Hellraiser Evolutions (48 Minutes)

The Nooks of Blood and Beyond (19 Minutes)

To say that this set comes with a pretty good selection of extras would be quite the absurd understatement. Not only do each of the four films come with at least one commentary track (most have three) featuring directors, writers, actors, and/or film critics, but you also get an incredible amount of new appreciations and archival featurettes that explore the making of the films through a multitude of interviews and behind the scenes footage. It's a shame that the edited portions of "Leviathan," a fantastic feature-length documentary about the first two films, aren't included here as they were on the original Arrow releases, but there are still tons of fantastic bonus materials (9+ hours of featurettes alone) to pour through that any fan of the franchise will thoroughly enjoy.

Conclusion:

Arrow Films' new "Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment" limited edition box set is a fantastic collection of the first four films in the series, presented beautifully in new 4K restorations, and packed with enough special features to keep any fan engrossed for several hours. Each film has its own incredible attributes like the original's intriguing story & incredible special effects, the fascinating exploration of hell in "Hellbound," and the ambitious generational tale of "Bloodline." Even the slightly weaker "Hell on Earth" has its over-the-top moments of amusement. Put it all together, and you have a remarkable set that any "Hellraiser" fan would be very happy with.

Score: 4/5

Available on Limited Edition Blu-ray from Arrow Films starting tomorrow.

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