Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Directors:

Kevin Yagher
Alan Smithee

Writer (WGA):

Peter Atkins (written by)

Release Date:

8 March 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

This year, the past, the present and the future will all meet at the crossroads of hell.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Hell | Pinhead | Space | Space Station | Sequel

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Bruce Ramsay	...	Phillip L'Merchant / John Merchant / Dr. Paul Merchant
Valentina Vargas	...	Angelique
Doug Bradley	...	Pinhead
Charlotte Chatton	...	Genevieve L'Merchant
Adam Scott	...	Jacques
Kim Myers	...	Bobbi Merchant
Mickey Cottrell	...	Duc de L'Isle
Louis Turenne	...	Auguste
Courtland Mead	...	Jack Merchant
Louis Mustillo	...	Sharpe
Jody St. Michael	...	The Beast
Paul Perri	...	Edwards
Pat Skipper	...	Carducci
Christine Harnos	...	Rimmer
Wren T. Brown	...	Parker (as Wren Brown)

Also Known As:

Hellraiser IV: Bloodline (UK) (wide-release title) (USA) (poster title)
Hellraiser IV (USA) (working title)
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline Story (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong horror violence and gore, and for some sexuality and language.

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:R21 | USA:R (certificate #34416) | Netherlands:16 | France:-12 | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (2005) | New Zealand:R18 | Australia:MA | Canada:18A | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1997) | Germany:18 (video premiere) | Norway:18 | UK:18 (video premiere) | Iceland:(Banned)

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

Though promotional photos of Aristocratic Cenobites wearing white powdered wigs were released in various sci-fi magazines to promote this film, the Cenobites were cut from the finished film, along with Demon Clowns and an entire ballroom fancy dress party as the studio wanted to get to Pinhead's story sooner.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): "Air conditioning" is misspelled as "air conditionioning" on the floor plans reviewed by the twin security guards around halfway through the movie.

Quotes:

Bobbi Merchant: [to Pinhead] You go play with your dog, you bastard!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hellraiser: Deader - Winter's Lament (2009)

Just What I wanted to see

For Hellraiser fan, like me, this is the movie I wanted to see, where did the box come from, how did it first exists and it goes right into the future for the end for pinhead. The pacing of the movie is good. Most movies the Cenobites, sadly are in the sidelines, here, it displays prominently as it travels to the future. The most interesting is the box, the toymaker, the bloodline, and pinhead. If you have to watch Hellraiser, this movie is way too underrated, and as the years goes by the IMDb scoring system gets pretty screwed up to be useless. From now on, I am going to individually read just the Hellraiser fan reviews. For the must have Hellraiser fan like me, the best in the series goes exactly I, II, III, and IV. Thereafter, V, VI, VII, and VIII basically went down the toilet, especially under the direction of Rick Bota for three series in a row. It seems the producers (pinhead) are out to destroy or at least put the fans through hell, after opening (watching) the mythical box. In my opinion, it is Rick Bota who is the real Pinhead, that let us suffer! I think they are out to remove pinhead completely from the series as he is getting less and less airtime.