Editorials
Underrated Sequels – ‘Hellraiser: Bloodline’
In Hell… everyone can hear you scream.
It’s often said that outer space is where horror franchises go to die, and the film that’s typically cited as evidence of that statement is of course Jason X. But the Friday the 13th franchise wasn’t the only one to take a rocket ship to the stars (I’m looking at you, Critters and Leprechaun), and it certainly wasn’t the first.
Each of the big horror franchises have an installment that was originally intended to be the final one, and like Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare before it, third sequel Hellraiser: Bloodline was to be Pinhead’s final appearance on the big screen; though that actually turned out to be the case, five more direct-to-video sequels ended up coming in its wake – with another on the way soon.
I suppose one could argue that Hellraiser: Bloodline killed the whole franchise, as it was indeed the last time a Hellraiser film was given a theatrical release, but it actually pulled in more box office dollars than any of the previous films – including Clive Barker’s 1987 original. Speaking of Barker, it was the final film in the series that he had any direct involvement in, as he executive produced only the first three sequels.
And yes, Bloodline was the one that took Pinhead to space.
Released in 1996, and co-directed by makeup effects artist Kevin Yagher and Joe Chappelle – Yagher was replaced by Chappelle before production was completed, and both filmmakers ultimately declined to have their names attached to the finished product – Hellraiser: Bloodline served the dual role of being a prequel and a sequel, telling a centuries-spanning story that documents the puzzle box’s beginning and end.
Playing out like a Hellraiser anthology film, Bloodline‘s first story is set in 18th century France, where we meet box creator Philip LeMarchand. A master toymaker, LeMarchand is hired by an evil magician to build the iconic box, having no idea what it’s going to be used for. As it turns out, the madman is looking to open a portal to Hell, and he does just that – giving rise to the very first Cenobite, a female named Angelique.
We eventually jump forward to 1996, which was present day at the time of the film’s release. Angelique travels to New York in an effort to locate John Merchant, an engineer with family ties to LeMarchand. Driven by supernatural forces, Merchant is compelled to build a skyscraper that is literally a massive puzzle box, and Angelique – along with Pinhead – intends to use it as a much bigger portal between Hell and the real world.
The final story, which is essentially the wraparound segment, is set on a space station in the year 2127. There we meet Paul Merchant, another distant relative of LeMarchand’s who is continuing his family’s work. Merchant willingly summons Pinhead and his Cenobites aboard the ship, which happens to be modeled after the puzzle box, and he plans on blowing the whole thing up once they arrive – ending his family’s nightmare once and for all.
Whereas other franchises went to space as a result of creative bankruptcy, Hellraiser‘s trip to the final frontier feels like a genuine stroke of inspiration. In fact, it’s probably the best use of the gimmicky setting in horror franchise history. Granted, that’s not saying all that much, but there’s a purpose to Bloodline‘s use of the franchise-killing gimmick, allowing for an epic story that spans hundreds upon hundreds of years and aims to close the gates of Hell forever.
Revisiting Hellraiser: Bloodline recently, I was struck by how much genuine ambition is on display in the film, which is unexpected of a production that was so plagued by behind the scenes troubles. Somehow, despite the studio’s insistence on changing large portions of the script and the aforementioned director swap, the franchise’s fourth installment is surprisingly coherent, as well as impressively massive in scope. Go figure, eh?
The fun of Bloodline is that it’s both the first and last film in the Hellraiser chronology, and indeed it tells both the beginning and ending of the story Clive Barker unleashed on the big screen in 1987. Not only do we find out how the puzzle box was created, as well as by whom and for what initial purpose, but we also get a front row seat for its destruction, providing the rarest of franchise rares: a sense of closure to the story we had been watching unfold for several years.
As mentioned earlier, other sequels did follow in the wake of this one, but by jumping so far into the future for the outer space-set finale, Dimension Films was able to make a franchise sequel that actually feels like the end of the franchise. Not only is the puzzle box destroyed but so too is Pinhead, and there’s something to be said for the definitive nature of Bloodline. In many ways, it’s kind of the last Hellraiser sequel that really matters.
Ambition and a respectable amount of imagination are also on display in Hellraiser: Bloodline‘s standout makeup effects, particularly when it comes to the birth of a siamese Cenobite that Pinhead creates by literally twisting two twin brothers together. The film also introduces the awesome Chatterer Beast, a hellish pet hound made of human flesh. He doesn’t get nearly enough screen-time, but he’s pretty damn cool to look at whenever he shows up.
It’s easy to write off Hellraiser: Bloodline as “the one set in space,” as many have over the years, but the reality is that only 1/3 of the film takes place in the future. The underrated sequel brings an incredible amount of mythology to the table, and though I’d be lying if I said it all worked, it’s the ambition that makes this one somewhat of an undiscovered gem. Given the low budget and messy production, it’s no minor miracle that it works as well as it does.
Hellraiser: Bloodline tries way harder than most sequels. For that, we should respect it.
No conversation about cartoons based on live-action movies is ever complete without mentioning The Real Ghostbusters.
This animated continuation is, warts and all, a notable example of turning a hit movie into a hit series. And although the new target demographic skewed a little younger, even kids-at-heart could partake in the further adventures of Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore and Egon Spengler.
For a good part of its run, the show required fans to wait at least a week for more Ghostbustin’. That’s torture for a kiddo. Luckily, though, the entire series, or at least most of it, is now available for streaming.
So, as you revisit The Real Ghostbusters on Tubi—for now it’s just the first five seasons there—use this guide to help prioritize some must-see episodes.
The Boogieman Cometh
“The Boogieman Cometh” (Season 1)
Season One’s “The Boogieman Cometh” is a classic episode featuring one of the show’s more iconic villains. It’s hard to forget the unique character design used for the Boogieman (whose creepy voice was provided by Ray and Slimer’s actor, Frank Welker). In this story, Egon is reunited with that bump-in-the-night entity who haunted his own childhood, all while trying to keep him away from his latest targets: the brother and sister claiming to have the Boogieman in their closet. Although the Ghostbusters do save the day here, the Boogieman eventually returns (“The Bogeyman Is Back“). That same episode also features the love-’em-or-hate-’em Junior Ghostbusters.
Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream
“Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” (Season 1)
You could say the namesake of “Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” had good intentions for putting mankind to sleep for the next few centuries—he wanted to end war and keep everyone dreaming. Sounds nice until you remember that whole free will business. But when it seems like the Ghostbusters have lost to their latest foe, the last one standing, Winston, gains a sudden ally. Janine’s dream of becoming a Ghostbuster is manifested, and she helps put this rogue spirit to bed.
When Halloween Was Forever
“When Halloween Was Forever” (Season 1)
Before the show’s execs capitalized on Slimer’s popularity by making him the focus of later episodes, early stories like “When Halloween Was Forever” better utilized that gooey ghost. Here, the spirit of Halloween itself, Samhain, hopes to make the holiday a permanent thing by stopping time. And who does the embodiment of All Hallows’ Eve use in his nefarious plot? Slimer, of course. Thankfully, the lil’ green bud knows where he really belongs, and Samhain is banished (at least until Season 3’s “Halloween II 1/2“).
Night Game
“Night Game” (Season 2)
Because Season Two was rather long, in comparison to other seasons, it accumulated quite a few solid episodes. One of the most beloved, though, is that ultimate good-versus-evil story, “Night Game“. Winston gets to shine here as he participates in a battle that was 500 years in the making. Except this time, the fighting is done on the baseball field. The other-dimensional settings in The Real Ghostbusters are always great, but the one here is particularly memorable.
Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin
“Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” (Season 2)
Not all ghosts and whatnot were bad in The Real Ghostbusters. As “Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” showed, some were actually benevolent. Sadly, it took a lot of convincing, and one very heroic act, for Peter and the others to see past this goblin’s grotesque appearance. The heroes find more than one shapeshifter at a sideshow carnival in the Poconos; a sinister Class-4er called the Metamorph does a swell job of menacing the Ghostbusters before they finally realize Drool’s not their culprit. The good guys indeed win here, but that victory is a bittersweet one.
The Collect Call of Cathulhu
“The Collect Call of Cathulhu” (Season 2)
While “The Collect Call of Cathulhu” does misspell “Cthulhu” in the title (probably to avoid legal issues), it is clearly the Old One in this Lovecraft-inspired episode. The story kicks off with the Necronomicon being stolen by the deity’s modern-day cult, who then raise their ancient god at Coney Island. From there, the Ghostbusters’ typical methods don’t work on the big guy, so they seek advice from an old issue of Weird Tales (or “Wierd Tales”, as it’s spelled on screen). That build-up to the finale comes with a decent amount of dread before the Ghostbusters, as well as a scholar named Alice, face off with one of the show’s most powerful entities.
Knock, Knock
“Knock, Knock” (Season 2)
A number of Real Ghostbusters episodes could be reworked into big-screen features, but perhaps “Knock, Knock” is the most hopeful. It helps that this story feels in step with the first two movies. Here, some ignorant construction workers accidentally uncover and open an ancient door in the subway. What’s behind said door is none other than those unspeakable evils that only the Ghostbusters can quell. A good deal of the imagery here is prime for adaptation.
The Grundel
“The Grundel” (Season 3)
One of the darker episodes, which was written by the prominent J. Michael Straczynski, is “The Grundel“. Here, a boy is being influenced by the titular entity, a type of ghost who ultimately turns his targets into new Grundels. The episode does have something of an after-school special quality to it, but that doesn’t take away from the eerier moments. For more Grundel lore, be sure to check out the episode “Grundelesque” from the sequel series, Extreme Ghostbusters.
Standing Room Only
“Standing Room Only” (Season 4)
It’s no secret that The Real Ghostbusters experienced multiple changes after the second season. Out of all of them, though, retooling the show so that Slimer would get more of the spotlight is maybe the most egregious. Thankfully, Season Four (the first to be called Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters) didn’t completely obey that new directive; episodes like “Standing Room Only” felt more like the old days. The focus here was on the well-being of the city and its people, rather than on the series’ green mascot (or the Junior Ghostbusters). In the episode, Peter’s new ghost attractor isn’t to blame for the ensuing chaos; the ghost-eating Mee-Krah is what’s really imperiling everyone. And the Ghostbusters must dish out everything they have to avoid a doomsday situation.
The Halloween Door
“The Halloween Door” (Season 5)
While many fans will skip the later seasons in their rewatches, episodes like “The Halloween Door” are still worth checking out. This colorful helping of Halloween pandemonium premiered on primetime, so the animation is better than usual. And save for a random musical moment, it’s an enjoyable event. Here, a group of anti-Halloweeners tries to cancel the holiday, but they only end up making things worse by unleashing a baddie named Boogaloo.
The first five seasons of The Real Ghostbusters are available on Tubi, starting on July 15.
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