Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)

   

Directed by: Anthony Hickox

Written by: Peter Atkins

Story by: Peter Atkins & Tony Randell

Starring:

Terry Farrell .... Joey Summerskill
Paula Marshall .... Terri
Kevin Bernhardt .... J.P. Munroe
Peter Boynton .... Joey's Father
Doug Bradley .... Pinhead / Captain Elliott Spencer
Ken Carpenter .... Daniel Doc Fisher / Camerahead Cenobite

Release Dates: Theatrical: September 11, 1992; Fantasporto Film Festival: February, 1993

* Images courtesy at www.outnow.ch

 

 

 

Rating:

 

A sleazy nightclub owner named J.P. Monroe (Kevin Bernhardt) buys a 6ft sculpture entitled "The Pillar of Souls" with the face of Pinhead (Doug Bradley) on it , demonically frozen in time and space.
While JP is admiring the sculpture at his nightclub he is bitten by a rat and then his blood drips on the sculpture causing Pinhead to awaken and takes control over JP as he plans to roam the Earth for destruction creating new Cenobites from some of the people he killed.

Meanwhile, a woman named Joey Summerskill (Terry Farrell) continues to have nightmares of his father (Peter Boynton) being killed at war as he seems to be trying to get a message to her about the puzzle box she encountered with an estranged woman named Terri (Paula Marshall) while Joey tries to discover what it's all about after experiencing a horrible incident of a patient at a hospital with Terri

 

An interesting beginning involving J.P. Munroe lighting his cigarette as this had a James Dean sort of appeal by how this was all done as well as later on a discussion with someone else at the lounge and they spot a tall display that we all remember from the previous films as well as later on seeing special effects with the Pinhead character glowing.
Also in another scene that really grabs your attention is when we spot the lead character Joey Summerskill spots an injured patient going into a surgery room as things looked perfectly intense by what we spot here which is a nice hint that Pinhead and his Cenobites were responsible for this. Should please horror fans who likes graphic moments.
Good scene's with Joey wandering through a dance club that involves a hard rock band playing and she is trying to find someone else which looked entertaining within the atmosphere that we spot here.
There's nice still discussions between Joey and Terri in which we spot the frightened moments on this troubled kid as well as showing her the box as this seems to be well shot and grabbing your attention.
Good dream sequences that involves Joey walking through a vietnam war as well as spotting Elliott Spencer on his battles before he became Pinhead which seems to draw into his life a little bit. This was well done.
A good sleazy and twisted discussion with J.P. towards a regular club chick talking her into going to his room as well as nice close up lustful shots on the two of them which had an artsy feel to everything. Plus a great strong moment when he demands her to leave after the one night stand as it gives you a sinking feeling on what a scumbag he is. A nice carefully shot moment with her bawling him out and going behind the display as it gives you a sinking feeling that something deadly will happen to her in which this was done to make you know that it will definetely happen and boy does it look shocking and graphic. Good special effects here.
Perfect intense phone converation between J.P. and Terri in which this makes you cringe a bit when he insists on her to come over to his place.
The story unravels when we spot Joey carefully looking at a video involving Julia Cotton in the asylum explaining the box and what it does as well as the screen getting fuzzy and then Elliot trying to talk to Joey on what to do as it leaves a good paranormal feel to it all.
A perfect conversation between Joey and Elliot walking through the battlefield as well as them near a room with chains and discussing on how he became Pinhead which is carefully out together explaining his history alot more than in the previous sequel with great dark and foggy settings the odd times when all of this unravels.
Superb intense actions when Pinhead enters the club and starts to unleash his deadly chains and hooks towards the customers there as well as good lighting on Pinhead himself doing all of this as it was powerfully done.
Perfect moments when Joey tries to run away from Pinhead out of the bar and onto the streets in which there's a great shot on some water with electricity approaching her making you cringe and hoping she will get away from it without getting electrocuted. Also great action moments with the people now as cenobites surrounding her and trying to get her. This looked highly entertaining to watch.
Perfect dynamic moments when Joey tries tro warn a preacher at a catherdral that demons are coming as there's mild humor into this when he responds as well as perfect action going on when they try to struggle against Pinhead approaching this cathedral. Great explosives, fire and things like that adding perfect touches to this scene.
Perfect effects when Joey is back in time after the battlefields to give what we may think is the right person to give the box to and then the effects changes his life form to be Pinhead with him speaking aggressively and wickedly towards her in broad daylight as this was a nice change spotting this moment and it seems to draw you in by what they are talking about.
Perfect battling moments on Elliott facing his future self as Pinhead as well as their destructive attitudes towards one another as this looked amusing.
Bottom line: A film taken in a totally different direction than in the first two with using only Pinhead as the reprising character and a whole new story too. It's very interesting watching this happen in mostly a small city of Pinhead creating destruction there. The film offers lots of action but it's nowhere as dark as the first two.

The acting is again maginificent as Terry Farrell (Joey Summerskill) seemed to have a good sharp behavior in her role as the investigator on stuff. Shows off a good decent and level headed type of attitude as well as doing a good job with her speaking. Plus shows off some good aggressions when needed to as well as having great adrenaline and energy struggling away from the terror which also shines off well into her performance.
Paula Marshall (Teri) does wonderful with her disturbed reactions towards the events that happened at the hospital. She seemed to come across as someone whom is convincingly sketchy and someone who isn't that bright. Also does well with her timid speaking. Plus does a nice job reacting uncomfortably and feeling pressured when talking to someone else on the phone. Plus reacts well with her screaming or intense reactions when the terrors strike her.
I enjoyed Kevin Bernhardt (J.P. Munroe) as a sleazy bar owner who seems like those real owners at a sleazy joint in a rough town. He seemed to know on how to portray a James Dean type of role with his blocking and motives too. Plus was perfect by being arrogant, intimidating and evil. Plus had a strong force of nature with his obnoxious and cocky attitude. Had the perfect looks and macho style for all of this too. I thought he was the best in the whole cast.
Doug Bradley (Pinhead / Captain Elliott Spencer) seems very different this time with his role as at times he seems almost human as well as offering his perfect wicked and threatening behavior. Certainly does well acting powerful here and there. Also offers a perfect versatality into his role when he shows another character when he was human offering a great mellow behavior and coming across as trustworthy. He was the second best out of the whole cast.
Another supporting actor Ken Carpenter (Daniel Doc Fisher / Camerahead Cenobite) as he performs nicely as someone who is serious and means business on events that are happening and does well with his speaking and showing off a good calm attitude. He also offers some comedic lines with hias role once he is turned into a cenobite and it works very well.

Hooks are impaled on numerous victims
A patients face is blown off.
Flesh is torn off a broad
There are tons of slaughterings at a bar as CDs are impaled in a bouncer's head, eyes are stabbed, decapitations etc.
A hole is shot in the head of a long haired city local.

Randy Miller is the composer this time around and from start to finish he is terrific with it having the real sounds for a city lifestyle horror film or an action one like you see in Batman for that matter with a strong orchestra background. Also there's loud trombone music as well as the odd female singing and chanting with heavy drum roles sounding incredibly strong. Also we hear some good clarinet playing too along with whooshing sounds as well as other types of noises which were powerful sounding.

We have a bitchin balls to the wall soundtrack by many metal and hard rock bands like:

Ten Inch Men - "Go With Me"
Material Issue - "What Girls Want"
Electric Love Hogs - "I Feel Like Steve"
Triumph - "Troublemaker"
KMFDM - "Ooh La La"
Tin Machine - "Baby Universal"
The Soup Dragons - "Divine Thing"
House of Lords - "Down, Down Down"
Chainsaw Kittens - "Waltzing with a Jaguar"

Of course we have the hair metal band Motorhead with their stompin track "Hellraiser" as Lemmy wrote the song for Ozzy Osbourne's "No More Tears" album during the closing credits (What better way to end a movie) as we hear some great grungy dark vocalising having a great horror sound to it all.

Joey: Oh, Doc. No.
Camerahead Cenobite: Have you seen what he did to me, you little bitch? Have you seen?

Camerahead Cenobite: Ready for your close up Joey?

Terri Cenobite: [after being transformed into a Cenobite] I can dream now, Joey. Oh, you wouldn't believe what I can dream of now.

J.P. Cenobite: Relax, baby. This is better than sex.

Camerahead Cenobite: [After a squad car and the police explode]: That's a wrap

The Priest: Demons aren't real. Theyre parables, metaphors.
Joey: [as the doors open and Pinhead enters] Then what the fuck is that?

Joey: [stabbing Pinhead] Go to hell.