You opened the link, I came. Now you must come with me and taste the pleasure of these Hellraiser tattoos. “I have such sights to show you…”
Written and directed by Clive Barker, the 1987 British-American film Hellraiser was based on his novella The Hellbound Heart. In the 36 years since the film’s release, there have been a further ten Hellraiser movies added to the franchise.
The Hellraiser films are not for the faint-hearted; I watched my fair share of horror movies and absolutely love the genre, but the Hellraiser series is one of only a few that make me squirm. The gore and the incredibly graphic special effects makeup, along with the editing and cinematography almost make you feel as though you’re in the movie, experiencing the pain alongside the characters.
Barker signed away all his rights to the story and characters, and has had no connection to the franchise since Hellraiser: Bloodline (the fourth installment) in 1996.
2000’s Hellraiser: Inferno (aka Hellraiser V: Inferno) was the first in the franchise to go straight-to-DVD. 2005 saw two Hellraiser sequels released within three months, which was due to Hellraiser: Deader having only a few preview screenings, and subsequently rushed to be released before the next installment in the series.
Despite the decline in quality and the convoluted story lines in more recent Hellraiser movies, it remains a popular choice in horror tattoo circles.
Pinhead kewpies are so far removed from the terror he inflicts in the films, but they are a clever way to express your love for this franchise without having such an obviously gory tattoo on your body. Another surprising thing is that Pinhead isn’t the only character featured in tattoo form – Frank, Chatterer and the Female Cenobite all make an appearance in this list.
These people have been through sweet, sweet suffering to get their Hellraiser tattoos and it will tear their soul apart if you were to steal their designs. Get your own unique tattoo and avoid a visit from the real Pinhead…
Which character from Hellraiser would you get tattooed?
The Tattooed Archivist 