HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH (1992)

Ohh shit...Pinhead's back! And tis time he done brought an early 90's fake Goth chick with him! As you remember at the end of Part 2, Pinhead was defeated by the Channard cenobite and trapped in the Pillar of Souls statue. Fast-forward to 1992 and a dance club owner buys the piece to decorate his living quarters located above the club. Blood gets splashed on the statue and Boom! Pinhead busts out!  Then he goes downstairs to get his freak on and spill some blood on the dance floor.  After the dance floor massacre a news reporter along with her female Goth sidekick are on the case. And what they find is...Hell on Earth.

I like HELLRAISER III. The story could have been better, but it's a fun trip back down early 90's horror memory lane. Gigantic cell phone, a CD cenobite, 90's rock club with go-go dancers, chicks with the sides of their head shaved short, flannel, weak special effects, acceptable screen time for Pinhead, some Pinhead backstory, blasphemy, blood, minor gore, funny 90's fashions. Modern audiences might not care for it, but true HELLRAISER fans will enjoy it.

If you need me I'll be in my room watching the uncut blu-ray.

Part 1 - Hellraiser (1987)
Part 2 - Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
Part 4 - Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)
Part 5 - Hellraiser: Inferno (2000)
Part 6 - Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002)
Part 7 - Hellraiser: Deader (2005)
Part 8 - Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005)
Part 9 - Hellraiser: Revelations (2011)
Part 10 - Hellraiser: Judgement (2018)
Remake - Hellraiser (2022)

HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II (1988)

"Your suffering will be legendary. Even in Hell."

The sequel to any successful horror movie is very important. It can either make or break a hopeful franchise. FRIDAY THE 13Th went badass, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE went over the top but still fun, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD went legendary, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET went gay (not that there's anything wrong with that), CRITTERS went Critterball, SCREAM went poopy, THE EXORCIST went mindfuck and HELLRAISER went to Hell.

Starting off where the original left off, we find Kirsty in a mental institution. A mental institution ran by a psychopath who's obsessed with the Cenobite puzzle box!!! Satan Christ, this chick can't catch a break! Stuff happens and next thing you know Kirsty, another girl from the hospital, the crazy doctor and Julia (from the first film) are all in Hell hanging out with Pinhead and pals. And let me tell you, Hell is one wacky place. It kinda feels like a Freddy Krueger dreamworld.

I don't know what the budget was (considering Part 1 only brought in $14m I can't imagine it wasn't too much), but whatever it was this story is ambitious and the film looks good visually.  The hospital is creepy and Hell is pretty fucked up. A lot of people probably think the "Doctor" cenobite looked cheesy, but I thought he was kinda cool the way he flew around grimacing and talking shit while shooting eyeball-razor-snakes out of his hands. What a weirdo.

Not the greatest hellraiser that ever did hellraise, but it's an entertaining watch and it answers the question as to where that sample on Aborted's "Meticulous Invagination" came from. Recommended, even though I wish Pinhead had more screen time.

Part 1 - Hellraiser (1987)
Part 3 - Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)
Part 4 - Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)
Part 5 - Hellraiser: Inferno (2000)
Part 6 - Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002)
Part 7 - Hellraiser: Deader (2005)
Part 8 - Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005)
Part 9 - Hellraiser: Revelations (2011)
Part 10 - Hellraiser: Judgement (2018)
Remake - Hellraiser (2022)