Hellraiser‘s 2022 reboot came with a new interpretation of Pinhead, this time portrayed by Jamie Clayton, and some new Cenobites with an entirely different wardrobe for the troupe of extradimensional beings. However, there’s a lot more thought that went into these changes than you might have assumed, especially when it comes to ditching the all-black leather wardrobe of the Cenobites from the original franchise.
Director David Bruckner explained that while he wanted to retain the underlying aesthetic of a priest’s robe of Doug Bradley’s black leather ensemble in the 1987 original film, he decided a terrifying update utilizing the character’s own skin was in order. As Bruckner explained to Salon, “That iconography remains, but it’s all born of flesh. It is their own flesh. In essence, they are their own leather.”
While there was a myriad of reasons that went into the body-modification-inspired update for his film, one of the more hilarious points Bruckner made was that the BDSM-inspired leather outfits of the original film simply don’t carry the same counter-cultural connotation it once had.
“I imagine that in 1987, to see these images for the first time, is obviously quite transgressive. And you know, [Hellraiser creator Clive] Barker was able to wheel this stuff out and scare the hell out of suburbanites. But 35 years later, it’s all a bit more above-board […] I was joking, my mom reads Fifty Shades. I think at this point in time, it’s hard to get something as shocking from it.”
While contemplating what a contemporary equivalent to the original film’s transgressive aesthetic would be, Bruckner began thinking about pushing the idea of body modification to an exaggerated and horrifying extent.
“And along that path, we stumbled on this idea that they would be so modified, that you could start to think of their own flesh as tailored, like clothing, that you would have the kind of glitz and glamour of a runway model, but it would be born out of this sensational pursuit that each of them enjoy in their own way.”
Not every remake holds the distinction of being able to justify its own existence, which is perhaps especially true for horror films. However, 2022’s Hellraiser has proven to be a rare exception, if the movie’s critical consensus is any indication. Bruckner’s take on the franchise has been certified Fresh on the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, and ranks second only to the original film in the overall list. That’s especially impressive for a franchise whose 10 other entries are all deemed Rotten, with three of the movies holding a dishonorable zero percent on the website.
Check out Hellraiser on Hulu now.