Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Raising Hell(raiser): NO MORE SOULS to JUDGMENT

Almost since its inception in 2013, the principal focus of Old Sins Cast Long Shadows has been nineteenth-century supernatural horror in English literature. It will continue to remain so for the foreseeable future. Lately, however, I find myself wanting to explore works and topics, in various media, only tangentially related to this blog's focus. In addition perhaps, though rarely, I would like to discuss horror-related subjects not even closely related to this focus.

This blog post will continue the exploration of the phenomena of horror in various media with the discussion of a fan film that would, in time, bode well for a feature-length production.

To celebrate the release of the tenth outing in the Hellraiser film franchise, this blog post will concern itself with one of the earliest, if not the earliest, Hellraiser movie-based fan films, the 2004 Hellraiser-fan film No More Souls: One Last Slice of Sensation. In my opinion, it replicates the essence of diabolic melancholy on a practically non-existent budget.

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In the end, it was just two sins that proved deadly for the world.

Greed and Lust.

And, when the losing superpower saw the end was nigh, they chose to cut off the nose of humanity to spite the face of mankind.

The apocalyptic finale was instant.

The newsrooms never even knew that the orders were given; or that the release codes were initiated; or that the buttons were pushed.

The bright light and the searing heat were the first and last confirmation of the end.

No time to question faith.

No time to question meaning.

Judgment was immediate and final. And almost instantly Heaven and Hell became the home for four billion human souls.

So, what becomes of the harvester with no more souls to harvest? What becomes of the hunters with nothing left to hunt?

The first millennium passed quickly as the plethora of victims passed through our doors. For as each was assigned an eternity of torment in the stygian bowels below, the corridors of Leviathan grew quiet.

The years have passed silently, taking with them my will and my hunger. For what is there to wait for? Another sixty-five million years until I can know the eternal delight of an experience where hurt and ecstasy become one.

Too much time to wait for such a fleeting sensation.

But I am not alone. My legion grow hungry. And they, they will not be sated by words or philosophy. And soon, soon I fear they will turn upon their master.

The strength to wait and the strength to fight are no longer within. Desire has abandoned me.

For in the destruction of their world, mankind destroyed mine.

Time only remains now for one last slice of sensation.

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.

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The sweet s-suffering...

originally written by Gary J. Tunnicliffe.

transcribed from the you-tube video

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For many years, I have been a fan of the Hellraiser movie franchise. By this, I do not mean to imply that I am a fan of Clive Barker's writing. Actually, quite the contrary. I thought the novella, Hellbound Heart, first published in late 1986, was good. However in my opinion, The Scarlet Gospels, published in 2015 and Barker's final word on the Hell Priest (a.k.a. Pinhead), was a massive let down.

As it turns out, I am more of a fan of Doug Bradley's presentation of Pinhead, than of Barker's writings revolving around Pinhead. After the disappointing Hellraiser: Revelations (2011), the ninth in the movie franchise and the first without Doug Bradley, it was with excitement and trepidation that I heard about the tenth movie, Hellraiser: Judgment, completed in mid-2016 and finally released on 13 February 2018.[i] I felt this way because of who the director / writer / actor (not as Pinhead) in this film was—Gary J. Tunnicliffe.

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Written, directed, and starred in, as Pinhead, by Gary J. Tunnicliffe, No More Souls: One Last Slice of Sensation was filmed with a budget that barely qualified as shoestring–approximately $2,500.00 over a single weekend. It clocks in at 6 minutes, 7 seconds. Although of that, only a little more than 4 minutes is the actual fan film. The remainder of the time is for the end-credits. The text at the top of this post—a soliloquy by the Hell Priest (a.k.a. Pinhead)—constitutes the entirety of the dialogue in No More Souls.

Gary J. Tunnicliffe is a "British special make-up effects designer, writer, and director. He designed and created make-up effects in all the Hellraiser films since Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, wrote Hellraiser: Revelations, and wrote and directed Hellraiser: Judgment."[ii] In Judgment, he also had a significant acting role as well.

In February 2003, Tunnicliffe, following his work on Deader and Hellworld, "decided to make his own short film that would allow him opportunity to flex his own Hellraiser muscles and so it was that the project No More Souls came about."[iii] He found himself filling the roles of writer, director, director of photography, production designer, as well as filling the principal acting role as Pinhead.

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Set in the far future with humanity long extinct, Hell has become dull. Pinhead, consumed by profound melancholy, realizes no more souls means no more distraction; no more diversion from an infinity in Hell. Too impatient to see what the long future will bring, Pinhead chooses to take action to end his tedious existence.

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As the dialogue of No More Souls highlights, I believe Tunnicliffe's writing captures the essence of Pinhead superbly. I am also happy to say that this opinion is not just mine alone. "Rick Bota the director of Hellraiser: Hellseeker, Deader and Hellworld was kind enough to say it really invoked the tone of the first Hellraiser."[iv] In a podcast interview, Tunnicliffe, in relaying the same incident, stated Rick Bota told him: "I think you captured Hellraiser more than I ever did . . . I think you just get it. You just like that world."[v]

In expressing the Hell of an eternity of crushing boredom; Tunnicliffe turns Pinhead into a sympathetic and tragic figure. In addition, his No More Souls anticipates a major plot element found in Barker's The Scarlet Gospels by ten years. On a side note, and for full disclosures sake, I feel I should mention that while it is true Mr. Tunnicliffe penned the script for the . . . unfortunate . . . Hellraiser: Revelations (9th in the franchise), his involvement in its production, beyond writing, was minimal.

Also, as he was the make-up effects artist on the majority of the Hellraiser productions, Tunnicliffe certainly was aware of that aspect of the franchise and most adept in its execution. For instance, it has been stated that Tunnicliffe applied Doug Bradley's Pinhead make-up over one hundred times.[vi]

Despite the fact that Doug Bradley will not be donning the Pinhead gear in Hellraiser: Judgment, it is these two factors—(1) Tunnicliffe's proven ability to write and direct Hellraiser projects that capture that Hellraiser-feeling and, (2) his experience in the make-up effects in the Hellraiser-verse—that reassure me this latest outing (Hellraiser: Judgment) will be respectful of the franchise and the fan-base.

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The first time I saw No More Souls on YouTube was a couple of years ago and I was amazed! I honestly believed that this was how Hellraiser should be done! Indeed, one of the many positive reviews of the brand new Hellraiser: Judgment likened it to a fan film.

It’s been compared to being a fan-film, but if anything, that’s a badge of honor at this point. Who knows the roots of the franchise better than fans?[vii]

I could not agree more.[viii]

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And, now that I have said my piece on No More Souls, I can watch Hellraiser: Judgment in peace.

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.

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LATER—I just finished watching Hellraiser: Judgment.

Wow!

...to be continued...


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References

Print Resources

Digital Resources

Online Resources

Antipax, Janos. "No More Souls --- Easter Egg for Deader DVD." Doug Bradley. Tapatalk.com. 09 June 2005. Web. 19 February 2018.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/dougbradley/no-more-souls-easter-egg-for-deader-dvd-t503.html

Brehmer, Nat. "Ten Horror Fan Films That Did Justice to the Films They Were Inspired By." Wicked Horror. WickedHorror.com. 30 March 2016. Web. 24 February 2018.

http://wickedhorror.com/horror-reviews/ten-horror-fan-films-that-outdo-the-professionals/

Davison, Jacob. "Review: ‘Hellraiser: Judgement’ Verdict, a Step Up in the Franchise." iHorror.com. iHorror.com. 13 February 2018. Web.17 February 2018. http://www.ihorror.com/review-hellraiser-judgement/

Green, Adam & Lynch, Joe, hosts. "Gary J. Tunnicliffe." The Movie Crypt, episode 232. GeekNation. 2017. http://geeknation.com/podcasts/the-movie-crypt-ep-232-gary-j-tunnicliffe/

JigsawX. " Review #17: No More Souls: One Last Slice of Sensation (2004) - Fan film." Beyond the Darkened Door - Horror Reviews. 28 July 2014. Web 04 February 2018. http://beyondthedarkeneddoor.blogspot.com/2014/07/review-17-no-more-souls-one-last-slice.html

"No More Souls: One Last Slice of Sensation (2004)." The Internet Movie Database. IMDb.com, Inc, n.d. Web. 14 February 2018.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436636/.

"No More Souls: One Last Slice of Sensation (2004)." The Movie Stills Database. MovieStillsDB.com. Web. 17 February 2018. https://www.moviestillsdb.com/movies/no-more-souls-one-last-slice-of-sensation-i436636#6MBu9K

Ridenour, Rob. "My Personal Feelings on Hellraiser: Judgment – Part One." The Clive Barker Podcast. The Clive Barker Podcast. 20 March 2016. Web. 22 February 2018.

http://www.clivebarkercast.com/2016/03/20/my-personal-feelings-on-hellraiser-judgment-part-one/

ViciousYellowJacket. "Hellraiser Fan Film - No More Souls." Online Video Clip. YouTube. YouTube. 18 September 2006. Web. 07 February 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlWGQaFxWKI

ViciousYellowJacket. "Hellraiser Fan Film: The Making of - 'No More Souls.'" Online Video Clip. YouTube. YouTube. 17 September 2006. Web. 11 February 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aAKE33F69Y

ViciousYellowJacket. "Project Angel - Redesigning an Icon (Full Version - Behind the Scenes) Pinhead Reborn." Online Video Clip. YouTube. YouTube. 12 February 2009. Web. 20 February 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zlk_niVq1Yw

Wikipedia contributors. "Gary J. Tunnicliffe." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 05 February 2018. Web. 15 February 2018.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gary_J._Tunnicliffe&oldid=824049886



[i] This, despite the fact that in this latest outing, Doug Bradley again will not be "Pinhead" (with the to-be-expected melodrama).

[ii] "Gary J. Tunnicliffe." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 15 February 2018.

[iii] Antipax, Janos. "No More Souls --- Easter Egg for Deader DVD." Doug Bradley. Tapatalk.com. 09 June 2005. Web. 19 February 2018.

[iv] Antipax, Janos. "No More Souls --- Easter Egg for Deader DVD." Doug Bradley. Tapatalk.com. 09 June 2005. Web. 19 February 2018.

[v] Green, Adam & Lynch, Joe, hosts. "Gary J. Tunnicliffe." The Movie Crypt, episode 232. GeekNation. 2017. At approximately the 98:50 mark.

[vi] ViciousYellowJacket. "Project Angel - Redesigning an Icon (Full Version - Behind the Scenes) Pinhead Reborn." YouTube. 12 February 2009. Web. 20 February 2018.

[vii] Davison, Jacob. "Review: 'Hellraiser: Judgment' Verdict, a Step Up in the Franchise." iHorror.com. iHorror.com. 13 February 2018. Web. 17 February 2018.

[viii] Sometimes fans understand the franchise far better than any suit in an office. For example, the controversy and subsequent legal battle between fan film Axanar and the studio's official Star Trek Discovery.

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