Skip to content
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline is the only one of this quartet which I’ve not seen before, and it’s Hellraiser in Space!
It’s very telling that for his only feature-length movie as director, Kevin Yagher was clearly so unimpressed with the final product, that he had his name replaced with the (in)famous nom de plume, Alan Smithee.
Of course, he completely fails, since deep into the closing credits, it states: “Chatterer Beast and Additional Make-Up Effects Created by Kevin Yagher”.
Set on Space Station Minos, in 2127, the CGI looks circa 1984 for The Last Starfighter, which is one of my all-time favourite films, and the original director – Nick Castle – liked my comment on Arrow Video’s post about the US version. It might not be known to everyone, but up until 2021’s Halloween Kills, he played Michael Myers in ‘The Shape’ form. I’m not sure why he didn’t get to play the role for the 2022 finale, Halloween Ends, but he did get a credited cameo as ‘Flasher’.
However, for Pinhead and co, this movie was shot in 1996, post-Jurassic Park, so this movie’s crew should be able to do better.
Over a century from now, mankind has the technology to open the Box, but the scriptwriters couldn’t think of decent character names for everyone, since one woman on the space station has the character name Rimmer, which just makes me think of Red Dwarf.
But hold the front page, as we go back two centuries (at the time of this film’s release), to 1796, where we see the Box created for the first time, by Philip Le Merchant (Bruce Ramsay, playing several roles in this, given that “the toymaker’s bloodline has survived”). Alas for a local peasant girl (Valentina Vargas, below), she’s strapped to a table, in front of worms masquerading as food, then almost strangled to death… before the job is finished. Ugh… then skinned, then brought back to life… as you do.
Basically, whether in 1796, 1996 or 2127, you can’t trust anyone – especially if they’ve been murdered and brought back to life.
In 1996, Angelique (Vargas) has such sights to show to a random businessman who is enamoured by this lady… unfortunately, very painful sights… but such that it allows Pinhead to finally turn up, 35 minutes into the proceedings. Apparently, this was the studio cut, and in the original version, it took even longer!
Hence, I guess with No.4 in the series, this is where the rot starts to set in, and at one point, it is rather rum that Pinhead picks on a child.
Some random observations:
- 1. Given that the 1996 Toymaker and family live in such a huge house, why is so little of it decorated?
- 2. There’s an anamtronic dog Chatterer, which is quite fun to watch… which of course leads to the usual disclaimer in the credits, “No animals were harmed in the making of this film”(!)
- 3. Despite Angelique’s derring do in 1996 – and ultimate payback, I do rather feel sorry for her, given that none of it was her fault as she was murdered back in 1796.
- 4. There’s also some cool lines, such as one character exclaims, “For Christ’s sake!”, and Pinhead replies: “Do I look like someone who cares what God thinks?!”
- 5. Plus later, when he remarks, “I have the distinct sense of deja vu” – Touche!
- 6. However, when the Dad shouts, “Get your hands off of him!”, that’s one too many words. You don’t need the ‘of’.
Overall, Hellraiser IV: Bloodline is not terrible, but it’s not brilliant. At least it’s often gory.
The extras on this fourth disc are as follows:
- The Beauty Of Suffering (27:48): A documentary about that Monday mornibng feeling you get when it’s time for work again… Nah, as the billing states, this goes into detail about how goth, BdsM and fetish cultures connect with the Hellraiser mythos. Ooh, la la!
Also, writer and contributor Dave Edmund is “pro-Dom”. Well, everyone should be! I don’t want anyone to be anti-me!
- Workprint Version (82:11): Previously unseen, and a separate option (5:51) for some alternate footage, but without music or special effects, and which looks a bit like it’s from an old VHS… which, for 1996, it might be.
For the workprint, it states that it has temporary music & sound FX, and confirms that Kevin Yahger left the production, although that this version still lists him as director, and that there once was a director’s cut, but which “remains lost”.
Also, this version “has a different plot structure and some alternate material”. Ah, this part DOES confirm all this is from a VHS tape, but was the best source available. Still, I’d rather have that than nothing.
- Hellraiser Evolutions (48:15): An archival documentary from 2015, looking at the franchise as a whole, with commentators including Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator) and directors of episodes in the franchise, Scott Derrickson and Rick Bota, along with the lovely Kari Wuhrer (Hellraiser: Deader).
- Books of Blood and Beyond (19:25): Barker’s ‘Books of Blood’ series were written prior to the Hellraiser movies, and this is a look at them and other of his literary works, courtesy of horror author David Gatward, which is presented in HD.
- Theatrical Trailer (1:14): In 1.85:1.
- Image gallery: with 12 pictures.
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline credits
Director: Kevin Yagher
Producer: Nancy Rae Stone
Screenplay: Peter Atkins
Music: Daniel Licht
Cast:
Phillip / John / Paul: Bruce Ramsay
Angelique: Valentina Vargas
Pinhead: Doug Bradley
Genevieve: Charlotte Chatton
Jacques: Adam Scott
Bobbi: Kim Myers
Duc de L’Isle: Mickey Cottrell
Auguste: Louis Turenne
Jack: Courtland Mead
Rimmer: Christine Harnos
Sharpe: Louis Mustillo
The Beast: Jody St Michael
All four films are in 1.85:1 widescreen and in 4K 2160p high-definition. The first film does still have a regular, very hazy picture, which is unfortunate, but then sometimes there’s only so much you can do with the original elements, yet that film is only 36 years old. Compare that to the stunning print on the recent Blu-ray release of The Fireman’s Ball, filmed in 1967, so 20 years earlier than Hellraiser.
However, the other three have zero issues (if you discount the unrated version segments on No.3). Then again, the cleaner the print gets, the less menacing Pinhead seems! By the third film, he seems an almost comical character at times. Any time the print may look a bit soft, that is down to the original filming process. I also saw no issues with the fourth movie.
For the record, I’m watching on Optoma P2 Ultra Short Throw projector with a PS5.
All four films com with a DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, and it’s nice to have split-surround effects of the jangling of chains all around the room, for example.
The main menus all features clips from the respective films mixed in with a segment of the main theme tune. There are subtitles in English, and 12 chapters each. As always, I wish we got more.
Hellraiser: Quartet Of Torment Limited Edition is out now on 4K Blu-ray Boxset and Blu-ray.
|
HELLRAISER HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH HELLRAISER IV: BLOODLINE H1 PICTURE QUALITY H2 PICTURE QUALITY H3 PICTURE QUALITY H1 SOUND QUALITY H2 SOUND QUALITY H3 SOUND QUALITY H4 SOUND QUALITY EXTRAS |
10 10 8 5 7 10 10 10 10 8 8 INCALCULABLE! |
| OVERALL | BUY IT!!! |
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 94 / 100 / 100 / 85 minutes
Year: 1987 / 1988 / 1992 / 1997
Distributor: Arrow Films
Released: October 23rd 2023
Chapters: 12 each
Cat.no: FCD2447
Picture: 2160p High Definition
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, DTS 5.1, Dolby Surround
Languages: English
Subtitles: English
Widescreen: 1.85:1
Disc Format: 4*BD50
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.