Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth
Encyclopedia
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth is a 1992 American horror film
and third installment in the Hellraiser series
, directed by Anthony Hickox
and starring Terry Farrell
, Doug Bradley
, Paula Marshall
and Kevin Bernhardt
. It was the first Hellraiser film to be made outside the United Kingdom
.
has resulted in the Cenobite
named Pinhead
being split into two distinct entities: His former self, World War I
British Army
Captain Eliot Spencer, and a manifestation of Spencer's id
, which takes on the form of Pinhead. While Spencer ends up in limbo
, Pinhead is trapped, along with the puzzle box
, amongst the writhing figures and distorted faces etched into the surface of an intricately carved pillar - the Pillar of Souls.
The pillar is bought by the rich and spoiled J.P. Monroe (Kevin Bernhardt
), owner of a popular nightclub called The Boiler Room. An ambitious young television reporter, Joey Summerskill (Terry Farrell
), slowly begins to learn about Pinhead and the mysterious puzzle box. She is introduced to the pain the box can bring when she views a teenage club-goer being ripped apart by the box's chains in a hospital emergency room. She tracks the box and a young woman named Terri (Paula Marshall
) to The Boiler Room, from which Terri had stolen the puzzle box.
Through video tape interviews with one of Pinhead's former victims, Kirsty Cotton, recovered from the Channard Institute, Joey and Terri learn about the demonic Cenobites and the power of the Lament Configuration, the only means of sending Pinhead back to Hell. Pinhead remains dormant until one night several hooked chains shoot out of the pillar and rip into one of the club goers, Brittany Virtue (Sharon Percival), Monroe had recently slept with. After killing her, Pinhead consumes her and her face appears on the pillar. Pinhead convinces Monroe to bring him club members so he can feed on their blood and be freed from the pillar.
Meanwhile, Joey is contacted by the spirit of Elliot Spencer, who tells her that this "Pinhead" is a separate entity than the one encountered by Kirsty: Without Spencer's humanity to act as a balancing influence, this Pinhead is completely evil and has no sense of order. Rather than abide by the laws of the Cenobite realm, he will indiscriminately wreak havoc on Earth for his own pleasure unless he can be stopped. In order to defeat him, Joey must reunite Spencer's spirit with Pinhead, fusing them back into one entity.
. Much of the budget was used for the building of JP's club The Boiler Room. Much of the extras were members of the crew or friends. Atkins himself starred as a bartender and his incarnation as the pyrotechnic Cenobite. The church in which Pinhead enters and mimics Jesus Christ pose caused the crew two problems. One was that no church would give the crew permission to film on location and Anthony Hickox claimed, due to Pinhead's subsequent lines in the script, it would be a direct admonition by Pinhead that the notion of God exists, a first in a Hellraiser movie. A matte painting instead was used to create the illusion of a church, with only the walkway between seats and the altar existing as realtime props. Director Hickox also talked about the difficulties they faced filming Pinhead in sunlight for the first time in a short sequence, feeling the makeup was designed to better reflect in a dark atmosphere rather than lush sunlight. The movie featured a heavy metal-rock soundtrack and Barker directed the Motörhead video for "Hellraiser", featuring Lemmy and Pinhead playing a game of cards and varied clips on the movie.
.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
and third installment in the Hellraiser series
Hellraiser (film series)
Hellraiser is a British horror franchise that consists of nine films, a series of comic books, and merchandise based on the series. The franchise is based on the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who would go on to write and direct the adaptation of his story, titled Hellraiser...
, directed by Anthony Hickox
Anthony Hickox
Anthony Hickox is an English film director, actor, film producer and screenwriter.His works include Waxwork and its sequel, Waxwork II: Lost in Time, Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, "Prince Valiant", "Children of the Corn", "Warlock: Armageddon", "Payback",...
and starring Terry Farrell
Terry Farrell (actress)
Theresa Lee "Terry" Farrell is an American actress and former fashion model. She is perhaps best known for her performances in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Becker.-Early life:...
, Doug Bradley
Doug Bradley
Douglas William "Doug" Bradley is an English actor best known for his roles in the Hellraiser film series.- Early life :Bradley was born in Liverpool, England...
, Paula Marshall
Paula Marshall
Paula Marshall is an American actress.-Career:In 1992, Marshall had a three-episode guest role on The Wonder Years and later guest-starred on shows such as Seinfeld, Nash Bridges, Grapevine and Diagnosis: Murder. In 1994, she got her first sitcom role on Wild Oats...
and Kevin Bernhardt
Kevin Bernhardt
Kevin Bernhardt is an American film writer, film actor, television actor, and producer. Bernhardt is presently best known as a screenwriter, with over 20 screenplays produced since the mid-nineties. His dozen lead actor/film roles before that included J.P...
. It was the first Hellraiser film to be made outside the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Plot
The revelation of his own former humanity in Hellraiser IIHellbound: Hellraiser II
Hellbound: Hellraiser II is a 1988 horror film directed by Tony Randel. It draws heavily upon, and was made by much of the same cast and crew as its precursor, Hellraiser.-Summary:...
has resulted in the Cenobite
Cenobite (Hellraiser)
The Cenobites are extradimensional beings who appear in the works of Clive Barker, including the novella The Hellbound Heart and the nine Hellraiser films...
named Pinhead
Pinhead (Hellraiser)
Pinhead is a fictional character from the Hellraiser series. Created by Clive Barker and portrayed by Doug Bradley, Pinhead is a prominent figure in the series, mostly featured as the main antagonist....
being split into two distinct entities: His former self, World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Captain Eliot Spencer, and a manifestation of Spencer's id
ID
ID, I.D. or id may refer to:* The id, ego, and super-ego comprise the psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche- Abbreviations :...
, which takes on the form of Pinhead. While Spencer ends up in limbo
Limbo
In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other...
, Pinhead is trapped, along with the puzzle box
Lemarchand's box
Lemarchand's box is a fictional lock puzzle or puzzle box appearing in horror stories by Clive Barker, or in works based on his original stories. The best known of these boxes is the Lament Configuration, which features prominently throughout the Hellraiser movie series. This was designed and made...
, amongst the writhing figures and distorted faces etched into the surface of an intricately carved pillar - the Pillar of Souls.
The pillar is bought by the rich and spoiled J.P. Monroe (Kevin Bernhardt
Kevin Bernhardt
Kevin Bernhardt is an American film writer, film actor, television actor, and producer. Bernhardt is presently best known as a screenwriter, with over 20 screenplays produced since the mid-nineties. His dozen lead actor/film roles before that included J.P...
), owner of a popular nightclub called The Boiler Room. An ambitious young television reporter, Joey Summerskill (Terry Farrell
Terry Farrell (actress)
Theresa Lee "Terry" Farrell is an American actress and former fashion model. She is perhaps best known for her performances in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Becker.-Early life:...
), slowly begins to learn about Pinhead and the mysterious puzzle box. She is introduced to the pain the box can bring when she views a teenage club-goer being ripped apart by the box's chains in a hospital emergency room. She tracks the box and a young woman named Terri (Paula Marshall
Paula Marshall
Paula Marshall is an American actress.-Career:In 1992, Marshall had a three-episode guest role on The Wonder Years and later guest-starred on shows such as Seinfeld, Nash Bridges, Grapevine and Diagnosis: Murder. In 1994, she got her first sitcom role on Wild Oats...
) to The Boiler Room, from which Terri had stolen the puzzle box.
Through video tape interviews with one of Pinhead's former victims, Kirsty Cotton, recovered from the Channard Institute, Joey and Terri learn about the demonic Cenobites and the power of the Lament Configuration, the only means of sending Pinhead back to Hell. Pinhead remains dormant until one night several hooked chains shoot out of the pillar and rip into one of the club goers, Brittany Virtue (Sharon Percival), Monroe had recently slept with. After killing her, Pinhead consumes her and her face appears on the pillar. Pinhead convinces Monroe to bring him club members so he can feed on their blood and be freed from the pillar.
Meanwhile, Joey is contacted by the spirit of Elliot Spencer, who tells her that this "Pinhead" is a separate entity than the one encountered by Kirsty: Without Spencer's humanity to act as a balancing influence, this Pinhead is completely evil and has no sense of order. Rather than abide by the laws of the Cenobite realm, he will indiscriminately wreak havoc on Earth for his own pleasure unless he can be stopped. In order to defeat him, Joey must reunite Spencer's spirit with Pinhead, fusing them back into one entity.
Cast
- Doug BradleyDoug BradleyDouglas William "Doug" Bradley is an English actor best known for his roles in the Hellraiser film series.- Early life :Bradley was born in Liverpool, England...
as Pinhead / Captain Elliott SpencerPinhead (Hellraiser)Pinhead is a fictional character from the Hellraiser series. Created by Clive Barker and portrayed by Doug Bradley, Pinhead is a prominent figure in the series, mostly featured as the main antagonist.... - Terry FarrellTerry Farrell (actress)Theresa Lee "Terry" Farrell is an American actress and former fashion model. She is perhaps best known for her performances in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Becker.-Early life:...
as Joanne 'Joey' Summerskill - Paula MarshallPaula MarshallPaula Marshall is an American actress.-Career:In 1992, Marshall had a three-episode guest role on The Wonder Years and later guest-starred on shows such as Seinfeld, Nash Bridges, Grapevine and Diagnosis: Murder. In 1994, she got her first sitcom role on Wild Oats...
as Terri / Dreamer / Skinless Sandy - Kevin BernhardtKevin BernhardtKevin Bernhardt is an American film writer, film actor, television actor, and producer. Bernhardt is presently best known as a screenwriter, with over 20 screenplays produced since the mid-nineties. His dozen lead actor/film roles before that included J.P...
as J.P. Monroe / Pistonhead - Anthony HickoxAnthony HickoxAnthony Hickox is an English film director, actor, film producer and screenwriter.His works include Waxwork and its sequel, Waxwork II: Lost in Time, Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, "Prince Valiant", "Children of the Corn", "Warlock: Armageddon", "Payback",...
as Soldier 2 - Lawrence Mortorff as Bum
- Ken Carpenter as Daniel 'Doc' Fisher / Camerahead
- Peter Atkins as Rick "The Bar Man" / Barbie
- Brent BolthouseBrent BolthouseBrent Bolthouse is an American entrepreneur, event producer, DJ, and photographer. He has appeared on MTV's The Hills.- DJ Work:...
as CD "The DJ" / CD - Clayton HillClayton HillClayton Hill was an American actor who appeared in many films, but was best known for his role as the "sweater zombie" in the 1978 horror film Dawn of the Dead by director George A. Romero....
as The Priest - Aimée LeighAimée LeighAimée Emily Leigh is a Canadian-born film actress. Leigh is best known for portraying Shauna in Five Aces , Sandy in Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth . She also provided the screams for Skinless Sandy in Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth .-Background:Leigh was born in Montreal, Quebec, but raised in...
as Sandy / "Skinless" Sandy (screams) - Peter G. Boynton as Joey's Father
- Phillip Hyland as Brad
- George Lee as Bob
- Ron Norris as Douglas the Bouncer
- Ashley LaurenceAshley LaurenceAshley Laurence is an American film and television actress. She is noted for her appearances in horror films, particularly the Hellraiser series.-Career:...
as Kirsty CottonKirsty CottonFor the EastEnders character, see Dotty CottonKirsty Cotton is a fictional character from the Hellraiser series of films. Created by writer Clive Barker, the character first appears in the 1987 film Hellraiser and is based upon the character of the same name from the novel The Hellbound Heart...
(video cameo) - Armored SaintArmored Saint-Early career:Armored Saint was formed in 1982 by brothers Phil Sandoval and Gonzo Sandoval , and guitarist David Prichard, while attending South Pasadena High School. Next to join were singer John Bush also a South Pasadena High School Alumni and bassist Joey Vera...
as Band at bar
Production
This became the first Hellraiser movie produced and directed in the US. Originally, Clive had proposed the plot to involve the Lament Configuration having its roots with the Egyptian Pyramids or Pinhead to be trapped in a relic in a church. Pete Atkins adapted the latter idea as Clive took a backseat role as executive producer. Peter Atkins was originally meant to direct the film but when Miramax bought the series, they felt he didn't have enough experience, instead hiring Anthony HickoxAnthony Hickox
Anthony Hickox is an English film director, actor, film producer and screenwriter.His works include Waxwork and its sequel, Waxwork II: Lost in Time, Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, "Prince Valiant", "Children of the Corn", "Warlock: Armageddon", "Payback",...
. Much of the budget was used for the building of JP's club The Boiler Room. Much of the extras were members of the crew or friends. Atkins himself starred as a bartender and his incarnation as the pyrotechnic Cenobite. The church in which Pinhead enters and mimics Jesus Christ pose caused the crew two problems. One was that no church would give the crew permission to film on location and Anthony Hickox claimed, due to Pinhead's subsequent lines in the script, it would be a direct admonition by Pinhead that the notion of God exists, a first in a Hellraiser movie. A matte painting instead was used to create the illusion of a church, with only the walkway between seats and the altar existing as realtime props. Director Hickox also talked about the difficulties they faced filming Pinhead in sunlight for the first time in a short sequence, feeling the makeup was designed to better reflect in a dark atmosphere rather than lush sunlight. The movie featured a heavy metal-rock soundtrack and Barker directed the Motörhead video for "Hellraiser", featuring Lemmy and Pinhead playing a game of cards and varied clips on the movie.
Soundtrack
- Motörhead – "HellraiserHellraiser (song)Hellraiser is a song written by Ozzy Osbourne, his guitarist Zakk Wylde, and Lemmy Kilmister, the frontman of heavy metal band Motörhead. The song was written for Osbourne's No More Tears album, in 1991, and despite being one of the most well known Ozzy Osbourne songs, Ozzy never released it as a...
" - Ten Inch Men – "Go with Me"
- Material IssueMaterial IssueMaterial Issue was a 1980-1990s power pop trio from Chicago. The band's trademark was pop songs with themes of love and heartbreak, where a number of song titles using girls' first names.-History:...
– "What Girls Want" - Electric Love HogsElectric Love HogsElectric Love Hogs were a short-lived American funk metal band formed in San Diego, California in 1991. The band's lineup consisted of John Feldmann , Dave Kushner , Donni Campion , Kelly LeMieux and Bobby Hewitt...
– "I Feel Like Steve" - TriumphTriumph (band)Triumph is a Canadian hard rock power trio that was popular in the late 1970s through the 1980s. Eight of the band's albums were certified gold or higher, and Triumph was nominated for multiple Juno Awards, including Group of the Year Award in 1979, 1985, 1986 and 1987.Like their fellow Canadians...
– "Troublemaker" - KMFDMKMFDMKMFDM is an industrial band led by German multi-instrumentalist Sascha Konietzko, who founded the group in 1984 as a performance art project...
– "Ooh La La" - Tin MachineTin MachineTin Machine was a hard rock band formed in 1988, famous for being fronted by singer David Bowie. The group recorded two studio albums before dissolving in 1992, when Bowie returned to his solo career...
– "Baby Universal" - Armored SaintArmored Saint-Early career:Armored Saint was formed in 1982 by brothers Phil Sandoval and Gonzo Sandoval , and guitarist David Prichard, while attending South Pasadena High School. Next to join were singer John Bush also a South Pasadena High School Alumni and bassist Joey Vera...
– "Hanging Judge" - Soup Dragons – "Divine Thing"
- House of LordsHouse of Lords (band)House of Lords is a hard rock/AOR band from Los Angeles, California.-History:House of Lords was formed in 1987 by former Angel member and keyboardist Gregg Giuffria from his solo project Giuffria...
– "Down, Down, Down" - Motörhead – "Hell on Earth"
- Chainsaw KittensChainsaw KittensThe Chainsaw Kittens were a part of the American alternative rock scene, drawing from pop, glam rock, punk, new wave and British Invasion music. Their lyrics tackled such varied topics as religion, the Stonewall Riots, Federico Fellini, Oklahoma, Erik Menendez, and Oscar Wilde.Based in Norman,...
– "Waltzing with a Jaguar"
Reception
The movie grossed $12,525,537 in the United States and Canada. The film received mixed reviews. Most of the criticism was directed towards the design of the Cenobites, many fans remarking they appeared like "knock-off Borg extras". The movie currently has a 22% Rotten status on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.