31 Days of Draughts and Darkness: Volume III
Hellraiser (1987)
Though perhaps not so well known as other 80's slashers,
Pinhead nonetheless stands among the horror icons of the era. Mention the Hellraiser series, and the spiky
gentleman is usually the first image people remember. Unlike the silent-type
slashers, Pinhead has more of a personality, almost stately in his
terrorizing. It's easy to lump Pinhead alongside Jason and Michael Meyers, but
there's more to Hellraiser than that.
Pinhead is an
otherworldly being, neither demon or monster, but certainly monstrous in
practice. Along with his posse of cenobites, each bearing signature (and
sickening) modifications to their anatomy, he grants access to his warped
world upon opening a mystical puzzle box. His "gift" to those who unlock
the gizmo is essentially a free membership card in their exclusive club.
Most
don't enjoy it.
But here's the funny thing: Hellraiser, at least prior to becoming the multi-film franchise we
know of today, wasn't really about Pinhead and the Cenobites. Hell, Pinhead
didn't even get credited with that name in the credits. He was only "Lead
Cenobite". Though horrific, imposing creatures, the Cenobites are really
more of a dark force of nature in the first Hellraiser.
The film's true villain is a man vile enough to have escaped their clutches.
The Plot:
We open on a bizarre market, where
two men discuss a deal. A strange wooden puzzle box rests on the table before
them. Next to it, a fat stack of cash. The peddler of the device claims it can
unlock all manner of pleasure and sensory experience, and his customer Frank is
more than willing to fork over some serious dough. Frank greedily snatches up
the puzzle box once the exchange is made, while the peddler only smiles to
himself.
That night, Frank opens the puzzle
box. When next we see him, various pieces of his body are decorating the floor.
And walls. And ceiling.
Cut to an undisclosed period of
time later. Frank hasn't been seen in ages, and the family house has passed
into custody of his brother, Larry. The house seems like a welcome reprieve
from stressful city life, and Larry welcomes the chance to move in with new
wife, Julia. Daughter Kirsty has grown up and moved out, and Larry's first wife
has passed away, so this seems like the start of a new life. Unfortunately for
poor old Larry, his new life has more than a few connections to the old.
Julia, unbeknownst to Larry, was a
former lover of Frank's, even cheating on Larry during their own wedding day.
She still harbors an unhinged love for Frank.
One moving accident later, and
Larry's bleeding all over the attic floor. While Julia tends the wound, both
fail to notice the floorboards actively sucking up the spilled plasma. Some
remnant of Frank has remained attached to the house, and Larry's blood is enough
to begin a grim resurrection.
Sickeningly, Frank begins to rematerialize, one
body part at a time. He's somehow managed to escape the curse of the puzzle
box, but its inhabitants will be looking for him. And if they find him, they
will not be happy he's escaped. Luckily for Larry, literally skin and bones,
Julia is happy to supply victims for him to harvest.
The Flavor:
For those less familiar with this franchise, take the films Saw and Fifty Shades of Grey, combine them into a blender, and you'll have an
idea what to expect.
If my brief plot introduction wasn't enough to clue you in,
we're in for a bloody ride. Hellraiser's
flavor of horror is about taking sensory feelings to their boundaries, mixing
pleasure and pain into one nasty experience. Those thrill-seekers who mess with
the puzzle box, in the search for the ultimate mind-body experience, get to
meet Pinhead and crew. The Cenobites aren't out to punish folks that stumble
upon them, only share their 'unique' take on sensory-overload. Hooks are routinely
involved.
This blend of body horror and lust isn't for the faint of
heart. Hellraiser raises some
interesting points about how far people will go when driven by pure passion. It
also must hold a degree in human anatomy, for the makeup effects go a long way
to illustrate the various layers of the body. And in extreme detail. Those
impressed by practical effects will be astonished at the effort put into Hellraiser's creations, most
specifically Frank, whose body we get to see rebuild itself muscle by muscle.
Though gruesome, these effects hold up remarkably well.
The cadre of Cenobites do not feature prominently, more cast
as mysterious figures than central antagonists, but their designs are no less
imposing. Each is a distinct picture of suffering, unsettling to look at but
certainly memorable. It's no wonder why these characters would go on to become
the series mainstay villains.
Best Paired With:
Though dark and nasty, Hellraiser
has lots of imagination behind it. Oh sure, it's a twisted sort of creativity
that'll disturb anyone even remotely squeamish, but the lore behind these
characters is fascinating. If you're in the mood for a Halloween film with a
bit more macabre bite, this is a great choice.
Brew: I began this feature by noting that, while
Pinhead is often considered a slasher-villain, he's really in more of a unique
category of monster. To reflect that, I've chosen a beer that appears like any
other pumpkin ale, but is meant to tell a different story altogether.
Name:
Pumpkin Batch
Brewery:
Sam Adams
Where
Brewed: Boston, MA
ABV:
5.6%
Style:
Pumpkin Saison
Color: Pumpkin Batch
isn't quite the pure-orange hue most pumpkin ales give off. Rather, it's deep,
deep golden color that just borders on crossing over into orange.
Aroma: The first sniff should clue you into Pumpkin Batch's
departure from typical pumpkin ales. Yes, there are notes of cinnamon and pumpkin, but
there's a distinctly spicy character on the nose as well. You'll also notice an
almost floral-sweetness. We're getting into saison territory, usually only
explored in the Spring and Summer.
Taste: Each taste opens up with the pumpkin and cinnamon
notes you first recognized from the taste, but it's not long before an entirely
different array of flavors arrive. Pumpkin Batch has a distinct sweetness to
it, partially tangy. There's an almost peppery
zing to the flavor, as if many of the spices were less meant to emphasize sweet
flavor and more provide a earthy note on the tongue.
These flavors intensify as the hops kick in towards the end
of each sip. The hops have only a mild bitterness, but are intensely floral and
spicy in character. The latter half of each taste is actually more dominated by
these flavors than it is the earlier pumpkin and cinnamon notes.
Aftertaste: For a brief period after each taste, some of the
tangy sweetness remains on the tongue, blending together with the floral and
spicy hop profile. The sweetness soon fades, leaving primarily hops on the
tongue. Note that these hops aren't bitter, but rather earthy in their flavor.
Those adverse to bitterness in their beers need not fear these hops.
Body: Though the flavor notes are strong, the beer's body is
quite light and refreshing. While I recommend sipping slowly to take in
each flavor, Pumpkin Batch goes down smoothly enough to make for a quick
succession of pints.
Pair: Much of the time, I think of pairing saison-style ales
with citrus-based dishes. Something about the earthy/floral and the zing of
citrus evokes summertime and the outdoors. But this is a distinctly Fall
saison, and as such, should be paired with something more in season. Consider
pairing up Pumpkin Batch with mildly sweet fruits like pear and apple, either
raw or perhaps in a crumble. Just be sure not to oversweeten these fruits or the
more delicate flavors of the brew will be lost.
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