TFTC Presents Horror Films

Having watched the first three Hellraiser films last month as part of my Halloween viewing, there's aspects and parts of Hellraiser III that have an EC-like style. The movie doesn't have the usual just desserts twist so many EC stories have (unless you count Pinhead's defeat as such), but the energy, style and the way some of the camera angles are somewhat EC-like and the movie as a whole has a bit of a feel like it almost was a TFTC Presents movie. It's the only Hellraiser film that has that distinctive live-action Horror comic book aesthetic to it.

I didn't even think about that but you're right. Frank and Julia in the first two Hellraiser films seem like they could be your typical EC antagonists, and in the end they both pay badly for their misdeeds. And come Hellraiser III, Pinhead gets his.

With the tone, aesthetic and visuals of Hellraiser III it's a shame the director of that film (Anthony Hickox) never directed a TFTC episode back then as it would've been right up his alley. I recall his directing style is actually like that overall, not just in Hellraiser III but his other Horror films as well (Waxwork 1 and 2, Warlock: The Armageddon and Full Eclipse). You watch those movies and you feel like you're watching a live-action EC Horror comic or a TFTC Presents film. I got to wonder if he and Clive Barker were influenced by EC's Horror comics. Hellraiser III even has some dark humor intertwined with the Horror and gory proceedings, just like EC Horror comics did.

I really need to see Hellraiser: Bloodline again, it's been so long since I last did. I'm still behind on the series, I've seen up to and including Hellseeker.

Definitely sad he never directed a TFTC episode. Hickox would've even been a good fit for a TFTC Presents film. I wouldn't be surprised if if may have been an EC Comics fan or even a fan of the TFTC show, and perhaps he was channeling some of it in his Horror films. Though I got to wonder if maybe he got offers to direct an episode but perhaps declined due to other projects he had at the time? Would certainly be interesting if that was the case.

Frank and Julia in a lot of ways are arguably worse than Pinhead himself, though Pinhead certainly isn't a nice guy by any stretch, especially in Hellraiser III where we see just what a complete monster he truly is. Between his massacre in the nightclub, his defilement of the church and when he nearly has Joey killed, he's as evil as they come. In a way Hellraiser III still has that just desserts aspect considering Pinhead got what was coming to him. The more I think about it, the more I think Hellraiser III and Demon Knight would make an excellent pairing as they're both quite similar in some ways in the asthetics and tone.

This makes me wonder what Crypty's opening and ending monologues for the first three Hellraisers movies would be like.

That seems to be the consensus on the series. The first three are still excellent movies and nothing will take away from that. Hellraiser III is probably my all-around favorite one to watch for sheer entertainment and feels like it would've been a good place to end the series on a high note. But alas, it wasn't to be.

Both Hickox and Craven would've been awesome for TFTC episodes or even the films. Real missed opportunity they never did, between that and also episodes for Masters Of Horror.

It'd be awesome to see the next Hellraiser film have a storyline like that, and I'd like to see them bring back Joey as well and involve her, somehow. I'm sure Pinhead's evil side would be lustful for revenge against her since she pretty much thwarted his plans for world domination in the third film and he's surely not pleased with that. I'm sure there's ways they could intertwine this with Frank and Julia crossing paths. It seems the Hellraiser series sadly pretty much lost continuity and that feeling of unity after the third film and this would be a good way to get the train back on the rails. A proper fourth chapter, in many ways. I'd love to see Kirsty and Joey back for the next film to take on Pinhead, Frank and Julia, and bet tons of other fans would feel similarly.

If I was good with puns I'd attempt to write Crypty's possible monologues for the first three movies but am so bad with puns. It'd be hilarious to imagine what they'd be like, and also seeing Crypty and Pinhead interacting. That'd be priceless and Crypty would probably enjoy being tortured by Pinhead since he's such a little masochist.

It's a shame they didn't go that route for Hellraiser IV. All the moreso since I recall in an interview that Terry Farrell (Joey in Hellraiser III) actually expressed interest and eagerness to return for another one. Guess the producers or studio had different ideas. I get the impression the series lost continuity after the third film and it seems there wasn't even an attempt to try to keep the stories linked anymore, which is a shame. It'd be cool to get such a story done as a comic, at least.

Pinhead making a cameo in one of the Crypt Keeper segments on the show would've been awesome. As you said, Crypty would enjoy being tormented by Pinhead and Pinhead would see he's going nowhere with Crypty since he feels no pain and actually enjoys pain.

On a cool note this reminds me how Hellraiser IV was actually initially directed by Kevin Yagher (who designed Crypty and directed many of the Crypty segments on TFTC), before he used the Alan Smithee credit when he was displeased with how much the movie differed from what he originally shot. Really a shame, but it's cool that Kevin has both Crypty and Pinhead under his belt.

I liked Joey as well and was always disappointed she never came back for another sequel. Perhaps had the same director returned we would've gotten a more direct contination from the third film, but it seems there were definitely different ideas with what they ultimately went with. It's been a long time since I watched the fourth movie. It seems that was the beginning of the series becoming more episodic and there was no attempt at keeping the story linked, anymore. No explanation was ever even given as to how and why Pinhead suddenly returns after his defear in the third. Perhaps the original cut before the studio meddling had better continuity but it seems so far that has yet to surface. A shame. The first three movies formed a solid trilogy and deserved a proper continuation, but the third also works as a finale.

A dialogue exchange between Pinhead and Crypty would be for the ages. I can only imagine what it'd be like. Pinhead with how deathly serious and stern he is and Crypty with his puns and macabre humor. There'd be nothing Pinhead could do since Crypty's already dead and would enjoy being tortured

Alan Smithee is used by any director when they want their name removed from a project they don't want their real name on for whatever reason. In Yagher's case, he felt the studio cut of Hellraiser IV strayed too far from his vision and what he originally shot. It's a shame, and I hope someday we get to see his cut of the film. He deserves for his version of the movie to see the light of day. If we could finally get the Halloween 6 Producer's Cut all this time later, no reason we can't get this. I wouldn't be surprised if the experience sadly also soured Kevin on wanting to direct more. I always enjoyed his two TFTC episodes, Lower Berth and Strung Along. He has talent behind the camera as well.

Joey deserved to return along with Kirsty. No idea if that was ever planned but it would've surely been preferable to the route the series ended up going after Hellraiser III. Plans change when it comes to new sequels and this would certainly be no different, but I got to wonder if it was ever planned for Hellraiser IV to initially be more of a direct follow-up to the first three and pick up with the same characters and story threads before it went in the direction it ultimately did.

I think for Pinhead putting up with Crypty and his antics would be like a torture session for himself Pinhead would probably beg to be sent back to his dimension by the end of it all and being with Crypty for him would be like his own personal Hell

I wonder if Kevin was ever asked if he wanted to do a Director's Cut? Would be good if he had the chance to, someday. Funny enough the director who did the reshoots that were used in the finished film was the same as the one for Halloween 6.

On the subject of films that would've fit the TFTC Presents Horror banner, if you consider Jurassic Park at least partially Horror, in some ways it's a bit EC-like and feels like it could've been both a Horror story and part of EC's Sci-Fi comics. Mankind tampering with genetic engineering and cloning dinosaurs, only for that to horribly backfire. I feel the second film, The Lost World, actually has some EC-like attributes in the sense the human villains get their just desserts and quite horribly.