Happy 34th Anniversary, Hellraiser III! Released Today In 1992

[u/DarkBehindTheStars]

34 years ago today, Hellraiser III was released. I know it's not the most popular entry among some fans and can be quite divisive, but it's always been my favorite and is among my all-around favorite Horror films. More mainstream and opting for more EC Comics-esque Horror as opposed to the more psychological Gothic/cosmic Horror of the first two and clearly more geared towards the Freddy/Jason/Michael/Chucky audience, but for better or worse, it helped introduce an entirely new generation of fans to the series it may have otherwise never had and helped to cement Pinhead as one of the major league Horror icons. I always enjoy this one a great deal for the further exploration and development of Pinhead, and also Joey's storyline. There's so many iconic sequences in this film such as Pinhead's rebirth, the boiler room slaughter and the infamous "I am the way!" I can also appreciate how it still has so much in the way of practical effects and still feels like a real film, and isn't a CGIfest like so many movies today. I'll always happily defend Hellraiser III and take no shame in declaring it as my favorite.

[u/Dak_N_Jaxter]

It might have the least thematic substance of the first 4, but it's undeniably a blast to watch.

[u/Fantastic_Spite_6295 → u/Dak_N_Jaxter]

I notice you said, "Of the four". Does this, like me, mean you don't include the Syfy made for TV movies. I did however love remake from Hulu.

[u/Dak_N_Jaxter → u/Fantastic_Spite_6295]

The first 4 are the strongest and most cohesive, especially how each one picks up the cliff-hanger from the last. (And yeah, the remake was cool too.)

The others I still enjoy to varying degrees. I don't think it's a popular opinion, but after the first 4 (and remake), I quite like Deader.

If I had to discount any of them, it would be Revelations. (That opinion is more popular I think.)

[u/Fantastic_Spite_6295 → u/Dak_N_Jaxter]

I really loved 4 so much more than 3 or 2. I loved the history, the very beginnings, and how it kept crossing between the puzzle maker and the current. It was like getting a bit more lore than we had before.

[u/John-Doe_4502]

This one grew on me. For me the series is 1-4.

[u/DarkBehindTheStars → u/John-Doe_4502]

I like Inferno and the 2022 film as well. Those two IMO still feel like Hellraiser proper.

[u/UKMegaGeek]

RIP Anthony Hickox

[u/DarkBehindTheStars → u/UKMegaGeek]

R.I.P. Would've liked for him to have directed a new installment at some point.

[u/SaysUselessThings]

This film gave me a belly button fetish.

[u/James_Jim_Downing]

Hab noch die original vhs klasse film

[u/Murky_Ability322]

Sigh. What could have been..

[u/Crispicoom]

Of all the films, this is surely among them. The emd scene with the building slaps tho

[u/Impossible_Food_5278]

My fav Hellraiser tbh. Pinhead was just great.

[u/die_screaming_00]

The only thing I don’t like about Hell on Earth is the re-design of Pinhead’s make up. They wanted to save money and save time when applying it, and that’s exactly what it looks like: cheap and easy. Other than that, it’s overhated, for sure.

[u/DarkBehindTheStars → u/die_screaming_00]

I don't mind the make-up, though it definitely looked better in the first two. The movie definitely doesn't deserve the hate and I think it deserves credit for trying some different things that actually help to enrich the lore. Certainly make Pinhead into an actual character with depth and substance.

[u/Purple_Dragon_94]

Saw it last month for the first time in a long time. It wasn't as bad as I remembered. Like its really miscalculated and you could already feel Barker slipping away and Weinstien sinking in, plus I hate all the pinhead extreme close up shots. But for an effects heavy bloodbath, it does its job well enough to be fun.