I actually found the cenobites keeping their promise to Christy give them more depth. Regardless of them being evil they are still bound by some rules maybe even have some form of honour. I think they added that as an extra plottwist which works better in a movie. Either way I should watch part 1 and 2 again if I can find the courage 😅
I preferred that too. I also liked their conversation style. The lead cenobite in the film is a classic manipulated deep voice. In the book it sits on the hospital bed and bemoans the depressingly futile nature of hospital surgery as patchwork. It is also almost apologetic when it figures out that Kirsty opened the box in ignorance. It's just the rules of the dimensional schism the box opened. They have to take someone back. The are ethical monsters. They have commandments.
It was confirmed the studio forced them to go after kirsty at the end to make it more like a typical slasher. The publishers weren't interested in the intricacies of the cenobites, so as far as 'canon' is, they don't go after kirsty at all
The description of what it feels like to open the LeMarchand's box reminds me a DMT or Salvia Divinorum trip....it's similar to detoxing from opiates too...the increase in sensory input to the point of pain and the smells. One of the newer Evil Dead films showed a young woman experiencing these symptoms due to withdrawal. Yes, the paperback I had in highschool has a single female cenobite that is Frank's introduction to their world...he becomes pinhead in the movie but, in the book he's a former prisoner of the Pain-Angels. I've always considered them nonChristian angels...or demons. They aren't evil per se....they come from a dimension where classical definitions of good and evil simply don't apply. They are Theologians of the Gash which means they study the concept of causing pain and injury as a religion.
I found it really interesting that is the book, Frank only said 'come to daddy' once, to Kristy. In the movie it was his catchphrase. This led me to suspect that she was actually Frank's illegitimate daughter. Also, because you didn't mention it, Frank and Julia's first rendezvous was a little less than consensual, if I'm remembering it correctly, but Julia convinced herself that it actually was after the fact.
I loved this novella so much. Short and easy to read - gets directly to the story with nothing to fill or flip through with boredom. Every page was delicious and before I knew it we were through. A favorite for the rest of my life, for sure.
Hey, I stumbled on this video going down a youtube rabbit hole and I just want to say thanks 😊 I've always been interested in reading extreme horror but needed that extra push - I'm going to try The Playground. Thanks again 🖤
One thing i disliked about the film was that a little bit of Larry's blood regenerated Frank so much, but four or five murdered men didn't completely heal him, requiring him to take Larry's skin. I haven't read the original novella but want to. Heresy it may be, but I prefer the plot in the reboot better than original film, but i loved the skeletal dragon at the of the original.
Love the in-depth, I saw that you had the Alien book on the shelf if you enjoy that Universe. I highly recommend the cold forge. But alas Enjoy your videos hope you have a great day!
Hello, Andra! Thanks a lot for your interesting analysis of the book and movie! I rarely watched videos in English earlier. But for the last few days I watched a few videos. And yours were one of them=) Videos like this help people from all over the world to practice foreign languages through themes of their interests!
I think I heard talk of Suntup Press making an edition of this book at some point (maybe this year?). You should look at their past editions to see if you might like it if they do put it out. Paul does fantastic work.
I think another reason Kirsty is Larry’s daughter in the movie is that most of Kirsty’s (one-sided) relationship with Rory in the book is almost entirely internalized and would thus be difficult to portray in a visual medium.
Quick cultural footnote you might not be aware of: There is a double meaning in the UK regarding the word "Gash" it might have been around in the 80's but i'm not certain. And Clive being English this may have not been lost on him. First meaning is obviously 'a long, deep cut or wound.' but here it is also used as slang for something else. "a womans gash" You get the idea. Grossly fitting for them wouldn't you say?
Pinhead is described as having the voice of an excited girl, so lighter and breathy, but no mention of it being a feminine voice. So really has no gender assigned, could have been female, or male at one time. And Cenebites do come from Hell, its a place sort of blocked off from the rest if I remember right, for demons to follow a higher demon, thus the Gashes were priests of. And I prefer the book Cenebites, they aren't evil. They even ask Frank if he really wants this before taking him. So, even opening the box doesn't kill you. You can quit before they take you. They even give him warning that his mind can't comprehend the pleasures they have in store. And I like that not bad, but also not good...they are minions of Hell after all. 😆
The second you refused to call him "Pinhead" outright I was like "oh yeah, THIS is a Hellraiser fan!" 😄 What they did to Frank when they arrived in the novella has to be one of the most terrifying things i've ever heard. And it had nothing to do with inflicting pain. One of those things that you can never truly portray of film. Only your imagination can take you to such a horrible place.
You look strangely familiar, in the sense that we could be distantly related, not in the sense that I've seen you before. Hellraiser is one of my favorites
Speaking of books and movies, you should totally watch Angel Heart, one of my all time favourite horror films, directed by Alan Parker and starring Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro, amazing film, it's based on the book Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg which is an amazing read aswell.
If I remember correctly, the book was written after the movie. There's a (really bad, please don't read) sequel, called Scarlet Gosples, written many, many years later, long after Clive Barker stopped writing good books and started writing bad books. Anyway, in this second book, more a bland noir novel than horror, Pinhead is officially called Pinhead. Not because that's its real name, but that's the name it's is known as. The 90s comics books also played with this idea of an androgynous or female Pinhead.
Great video, I've not yet read hellraiser but i like this kind of content since many great books were adapted into movies, but my problem is if I've seen the film first then i have no desire to read the book unless both are pretty different from each other. That being said how different is the silence of the lambs Or Gone Girl from the films?
