Message #40809

[Hellraiser]

Hellbound: Hellraiser II is a 1988 film directed by Tony Randel. It is the second film in the Hellraiser series of films.


Kirsty Cotton has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital, still haunted by visions of the horror that destroyed her family. As Doctor Channard (Kenneth Cranham), and his assistant, Kyle MacRae (William Hope) interview her, she tells her account of what happened to her family. She pleads with them to destroy the bloody mattress her murderous stepmother, Julia Cotton (Clare Higgins) died on. MacRae is the only one who seems to believe her. However, it is revealed that the obsessive Dr. Channard has been searching for the Lament Configuration, the doorway to the world of the Cenobites, for years. After hearing Kirsty's story, Channard has the mattress brought to his home, and has one of his deranged patients lie on it, and cut himself with a straight razor. The resulting blood-letting frees Julia from the Cenobite dimension, though Julia's physical form is inexplicably whole, lacking only skin. Channard, seduced by Julia's charms, has surreptitiously brought more mentally-ill patients to his home for her to "feed" on. MacRae, who had snuck inside Dr. Channard's house to investigate Kirsty's claims, witnesses this gruesome scene, and returns to the mental hospital to tell Kirsty. The two decide to return to Dr. Channard's house, so Kirsty can attempt to save her father. They also decide to bring a young patient, Tiffany (Imogen Boorman) whom Kirsty has befriended. Tiffany, who hasn't spoken for years, has demonstrated an amazing aptitude for puzzles.Once in the house, Kyle goes upstairs to investigate. Julia seduces him and takes him inside the basement. Julia seduces and attacks him, feeding on his blood to replenish her own flesh.

Using Tiffany as a proxy, Channard and Julia unlock the Lament Configuration puzzle box and enter the world of Pinhead and the Cenobites, a realm dominated by their god Leviathan which manifests itself as a great steel diamond floating in the sky. However, the mere act of opening the Lament Configuration is not the reason to be targeted by the Cenobites, as Pinhead stops the others from harming Tiffany, claiming that it was not angst that summoned them here. In the process he transforms the box into a diamond shape much like that of his god Leviathan - the Leviathan Configuration.

Elsewhere, Kirsty is confronted by the Cenobites, who are still eager to "experience her flesh". She leaves them, roaming the labyrinth of corridors, and eventually finds Frank, who has been trapped in a room with writhing female shapes, but unable to sate his lust. He turns his malicious attentions on Kirsty, but she manages to escape by igniting a nearby picture of him, which causes him to ignite as well very much in a reversed "Dorian Gray" effect. As his skin sears off, Julia suddenly appears with Tiffany by her side. Frank, eager for some carnal pleasures (or simply to escape from his hell) commands Julia to come to him. Julia, having not forgotten his betrayal in the first movie, seemingly gives him a kiss but then rips out his heart from his back, her revenge for his murder of her in the first film. As she gloats over his corpse, a horror-struck Kirsty flees with Tiffany.

Kirsty and Tiffany continue on, only to re-encounter Pinhead and his minions, who are now intent on "experiencing her". She reveals a picture she had found in Dr. Channard's house, an old photo of the man Pinhead used to be, dressed as a British soldier. Doctor Channard reappears, having been transformed into a Cenobite by Leviathian after being betrayed by Julia herself. Pinhead and the others attack him, but he easily shatters their chained hooks, and kills them one by one. Upon dying, their human forms are restored. Doctor Channard leaves the Cenobite domain, and goes on a murderous rampage through the mental hospital, gleefully killing patients and staff whom have opened the other boxes Channard had distributed. Tiffany recovers the puzzle box, and begins manipulating it, attempting to close the gateway. Channard is lured back and attacks her, but pauses when he sees what he believes is Julia (actually Kirsty wearing the deceased Julia's skin). Tiffany is given the opportunity to reconfigure the Lament Configuration puzzle back into a box shape. Leviathan transforms into a box shape as well, destroying Doctor Channard, and wreaking havoc throughout the area, and allowing the two girls to return home just as the gate between the two worlds closes.