Did you know Dimension films were in the market for a Hellraiser remake?

No neither did I.

But despite that little slip up, it appears that Dimenion Films are in the market for a new Director…

Rotten Tomatoes reports –

“Bloody-Disgusting reports that Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury — previously announced as the directors of Dimension’s planned Hellraiser remake, “are officially OFF the project,” and the studio is looking for someone new to helm to film.

The B-D report doesn’t get into the reasons why Bustillo and Maury left Hellraiser, but given that they originally signed on to direct their own script, which was passed over in favor of a new treatment from Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan (Saw IV, Saw V, Feast), their departure doesn’t exactly come as a surprise.”

Despite the director issue, and my usual aversion to re-makes, I think a new twist on such a classic horror is just what the doctor ordered.

Lets face it, for the last ten years the horror genre has become completely typecast into ‘real life’ horrific situations. It’ll be great to see a nasty demon of some description ripping it up again.

Hellraiser (1987) was the first horror film I ever saw. I was the ripe old age of 9† – and I completely soiled myself (metaphorically)!

The level of gore and perversion were completely new to me, and set an unrealistically high bar for all other horror movies in my eyes. (It was at least ten years before I found anything that matched up to it).

Even now, the level of suspense – and the quality of the effects for their age – speak for them selves.

The film tells the story of an unfaithful wife and her undead lover. ‘Uncle Frank’ as he was known, was sent to hell after he solved the sinister ‘lament puzzle box’ and it riped him to pieces. Now he’s back (after growing out of the floorboards – entrail by entrail), and he needs victims to once again become whole!

Cue the bloody murder of the victims. All selectively chosen by ‘the unfaithful wife’, Julia, as well as the appearance of Pinhead and his ‘Cenobites’; demons from hell who have come back for Frank.

The film was based on a story by Clive Barker (Candyman) and revolutionised the horror genre in my opinion, pushing the boundaries and paving the way for movies such as Saw and The Hostel.

While the original Hellraiser series was destroyed by straight to DVD trash (numbers 3 through 6) this is DEFINATELY one worth watching (preferably on a stormy night in the dark).

While it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, the effect is undeniable – fear and repulsion by the bucket load! If you need any further convincing, then check out the original movie trailer below.

If this remake goes ahead – which I hope to god it does – I do hope they stay loyal to the source material, instead of filling it with lots of big-breasted teens just for the sake of the box office.

View the original trailer:

†-Film Certification is there for a reason folks! – Original Sharp does NOT condone the viewing of adult material by minors!