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| Every Hellraiser |
Most if not all Hellraiser movies have the same plot devices. Namely, that a puzzle box known as the "Lament Configuration" is opened, thereby opening a doorway to another dimension. From that dimension, a group of "Cenobites" appear to torture and end the life of the person who opened the box. That scenario is true in the first movie, and may or may not be altered slightly (or even ignored or downplayed) as the movies proceed. For instance, in Hellraiser 2, a young girl who opens the box is spared, for the head of the Cenobites (known as "Pinhead") recognizes that the girl has been manipulated into opening the box. The Hellraiser movies are based on a novella called The Hellbound Heart by author Clive Barker.
The Lament Configuration¹ is also called LeMarchand's box, after its creator, Philip LeMarchand². The source material for Hellraiser, the novella The Hellbound Heart³ (1986), indicates that LeMarchand was a maker of mechanical singing birds⁴. The Cenobites themselves refer to the box as Lemarchand’s Configuration⁵. It is later referred to as Lemarchand’s box.
“It’s called the Lemarchand Configuration,” it [Cenobite] said, pointing at the box⁶.
"The sound was coming from somewhere much more distant, through the very door (as yet invisible) that Lemarchand’s miraculous box had been constructed to open⁷."
In The Hellbound Heart, the Cenobites are referred to by more than one name. They are called theologians of the Order of the Gash⁸. They are also called, in passing, "hierophants⁹."
The Cenobites are described as grossly transformed (maimed) individuals:
"Why then was he so distressed to set eyes upon them? Was it the scars that covered every inch of their bodies, the flesh cosmetically punctured and sliced and infibulated, then dusted down with ash? Was it the smell of vanilla they brought with them, the sweetness of which did little to disguise the stench beneath? Or was it that as the light grew, and he scanned them more closely, he saw nothing of joy, or even humanity, in their maimed faces: only desperation, and an appetite that made his bowels ache to be voided¹⁰."
The leader of the Cenobites, in the movies, is an individual called "Pinhead." He is the head of the Cenobites, but only in the movies. In the novella, the leader is called the Engineer¹¹. Pinhead appears, but is not named. The Pinhead Cenobite is described as gender neutral, perhaps a bit feminine. In the first Hellraiser movie, the character is called the "Lead Cenobite."
“Do you understand?” the figure beside the first speaker demanded. Its voice, unlike that of its companion, was light and breathy—the voice of an excited girl. Every inch of its head had been tattooed with an intricate grid, and at every intersection of horizontal and vertical axes a jeweled pin driven through to the bone. Its tongue was similarly decorated. “Do you even know who we are?” it asked.¹²
“The box is a means to break the surface of the real,” it said. “A kind of invocation by which we Cenobites can be notified -.”¹³
Lead Cenobite ("Pinhead"): The box, you opened it, we came.¹⁴
Kirsty Cotton: [Kirsty screams] It's just a puzzle box!
Lead Cenobite: Oh no, it is a means to summon us
Lead Cenobite: We have such sights to show you!¹⁵
Kirsty Cotton: [Kirsty, in tears] Who are you?¹⁶
Lead Cenobite: Explorers, in the further regions of experience. Demons to some, angels to others.
There have been 10 Hellraiser movies released and a reboot entitled, simply, Hellraiser (2022), which makes 11. Clive Barker was involved with the first movie as both director and screenwriter. He seems not to have been involved in every one of the subsequent movies, but they are all based on his work. Edit: He is credited as a producer in at least one other film, and he was often a consultant.
- Hellraiser (1987)
- Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
- Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)
- Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)
- Hellraiser: Inferno (2000)
- Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002)
- Hellraiser: Deader (2005)
- Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005)
- Hellraiser: Revelations (2011)
- Hellraiser: Judgment (2018)
- Hellraiser (2022).
The first four movies are usually recognized as the superior films, and you are advised to watch them first. The later movies should be considered standalone movies. The 2022 Hellraiser is a reboot and is highly recommended.
Following is a list of descriptions of links to the Hellraiser movies. I base my entries on information supplied by the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), with an occasional reference to Wikipedia.
🧩 Hellraiser - 1987
"A woman discovers the newly resurrected, partially formed, body of her brother-in-law and lover. She starts killing for him to revitalize his body and escape the demonic beings that are pursuing him after he escaped their underworld." Source: IMDb.
The first Hellraiser movie is the best, in my opinion, followed by the 2022 reboot. Some have said that the movie hasn't aged well, but it's still an unnerving film. I don't watch movies with gore nowadays, and this one was bloody. The movie marks the debut of actor Ashley Laurence.
Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes.
Hellraiser on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★★★★★★★★ (8/10).
🧩 Hellbound: Hellraiser II - 1988
"Kirsty is brought to an institution after the horrible events of Hellraiser (1987), where the occult-obsessive head doctor resurrects Julia and unleashes the Cenobites and their demonic underworld." Source: IMDb.
Hellbound is a solid entry into the franchise. Julia, Frank, and Kirsty return, and an obsessed psychiatrist sets out to open the mysterious and dangerous Lament Configuration.
Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes.
Hellbound: Hellraiser II - 1988 on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★★★★★★★ (7/10).
🧩 Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth - 1992
"An investigative reporter must send the newly unbound Pinhead and his legions back to Hell." Source: IMDb.
Yet another recommended entry into the history of Hellraiser films. The movie stars Doug Bradley, Kevin Bernhardt, and Terry Farrell. The latter is well known for playing the character of Jadzia Dax in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. In this film, Pinhead creates some new Cenobites.
Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes.
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth - 1992 on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★★★★★★★ (7/10).
🧩 Hellraiser: Bloodline IV - 1996
"In the 22nd century, a scientist attempts to right the wrong his ancestor created: the puzzle box that opens the gates of Hell and unleashes Pinhead and his Cenobite legions." Source: IMDb.
I think this is the last excellent part of the Hellraiser family, at least before the 2022 reboot came along. It deals with the origin of the Lament Configuration, the struggles of the family that made it, and a massive new reverse puzzle box built in space.
Runtime: 1 hour 25 minutes.
Hellraiser: Bloodline IV - 1996 on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★★★★★★ (6/10).
🧩 Hellraiser: Inferno 2000
"A shady police detective becomes embroiled in a strange world of murder, sadism and madness after being assigned a murder investigation against a madman known only as "The Engineer." Source: IMDb.
In The Hellbound Heart, the Engineer is the leader of the Cenobites. In this movie, not so much. This movie falls into the genre of psychological horror. It has a completely different "feel" from the previous movies and, thus, is a standalone movie. From this point forward, in my opinion, the movies get progressively worse. On the other hand, others really like the film. I don't.
Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes.
Hellraiser: Inferno 2000 on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★★★★★ (5/10).
🧩 Hellraiser: Hellseeker - 2002
"After a car crash, a shady stockbroker suffers from amnesia. This leaves him in a hazy limbo of sex and murder. But, as in a predestined journey, he takes the bait and follows the marked-out clues all the way to Pinhead." Source: IMDb.
Clive Barker is credited as a writer. Ashley Laurence also makes an appearance. Sadly, even these two heavyweights cannot save this film.
Runtime: 1 hour 29 minutes.
Hellraiser: Hellseeker - 2002 on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★★★★ (4/10).
🧩 Hellraiser: Deader - 2005
"A journalist uncovers an underground group who can bring back the dead and slowly becomes drawn into their world." Source: IMDb.
The first movie that I consider to be an absolutely avoidable dud.
Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes.
Hellraiser: Deader - 2005 on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★★ (2/10).
🧩 Hellraiser: Hellworld 2005
"Gamers playing a MMORPG based on the "Hellraiser" films find their lives endangered after being invited to a rave, the host of which intends to show them the truth behind the Cenobite mythos." Source: IMDb.
Another dud entry in the Hellraiser universe. Even Doug Bradley and Lance Henriksen can't save this exercise in boredom. Henry Cavill (Superman) is also in this film.
Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes.
Hellraiser: Hellworld on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★ (1/10).
🧩 Hellraiser: Revelations - 2011
"Two college friends unwittingly release Pinhead and his minions." Source: IMDb.
Revelations was the first Hellraiser not to feature Doug Bradley. He evidently didn't have good feelings about the script, declined the role, and was subsequently recast. Stephan Smith Collins plays the role of Pinhead, while Fred Tatasciore provides Pinhead's voice. I remember watching this mess of a movie. I also remember disliking it. If you don't watch it, you won't have missed a single thing.
Runtime: 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hellraiser: Revelations on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★ (1/10).
🧩 Hellraiser: Judgment - 2018
"Detectives Sean and David Carter are on the case to find a gruesome serial killer terrorizing the city. Joining forces with Detective Christine Egerton, they dig deeper into a spiraling maze of horror that may not be of this world." Source: IMDb.
It's slightly better than some of the latter movies. I still found it to be nearly unwatchable.
Runtime: 1 hour 21 minutes.
Hellraiser: Judgment - 2018 on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★★ (2/10).
🧩 Hellraiser - 2022
"A young woman struggling with addiction comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites.' Source: IMDb.
I was pleasantly surprised by the 2022 Hellraiser reboot. It's the first film to feature a female Pinhead. There are also some weird/gross new Cenobites. A new version of the Chatterer Cenobite appears as well. It's an interesting story that will hold your attention.
Runtime: 2 hours 1 minute.
Hellraiser - 2022 on IMDb.
Lonestar's Rating: ★★ ★★★★★★(8/10).
Image Source: AI via https://deepai.org/
Footnotes
¹ "Lament Configuration," Hellraiser Wiki, accessed December 4, 2025, https://hellraiser.fandom.com/wiki/Lament_Configuration.
² Ibid.
³ Clive Barker, "The Hellbound Heart," The Reader's Library, accessed October 26, 2025, https://readerslibrary.org.
⁴ Ibid., 22.
⁵ Ibid., 23.
⁶ Ibid., 49.
⁷ Ibid., 3.
⁸ Ibid., 5.
⁹ Ibid., 4.
¹⁰ Ibid., 4.
¹¹ "The Engineer," Hellraiser Wiki, accessed December 4, 2025, https://cenobite.fandom.com/wiki/The_Engineer.
¹² Barker, op. cit., p. 4.
¹³ Barker, op. cit., p. 49.
¹⁴ "The Internet Movie Database," Quotes, accessed December 4, 2025, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093177/quotes/?ref_=tt_dyk_qu.
¹⁵ Ibid.
¹⁶ Ibid.
