I believe our passion for horror is almost unmatched maybe Star Wars or Star Trek fans might rival us but that's about it. We are all passionate not just for the haunting scores, the gore, the monsters, the beast, the blood or the boobs. But to each of us there maybe a handful of movies that really resonate with us, that have a special place for us for various and different reason. Maybe those movies might not be the best or even necessarily our favorites, but they may have a deep meaning that only we can understand. For me two horror movies from 1988 stand out; Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Hellbound: Hellraiser 2.
To give everyone some context. My parents got a divorce in 1983 when I was 9. How these two got married in the first place is beyond me. Mu mom, a very liberal minded Unitarian and my father, a strict right wing conservative Catholic, who more than likely slept all through the Sixties, missing the peace and love movement, anti-war protest, civil rights and women's rights matches. Not to mention Sex, drugs and rock n roll. Yeah, no wonder I'm so fucked up. Anyhow by some hook or crook, my sperm donor managed to get custody of my younger brother and me . My mother had decided to move to California while we stayed with my father in Indiana. So we would be allowed to visit our mom in California every summer. Now I tell you this not for sympathy but to provide proper context. My dad wasn't very likely to let me watch very many horror movies. As my mom once told me , when they both went to see Halloween in the theaters in 1978, my dad walked out of the movie after the first ten minutes of the movie. I wonder what horrified him the most? Was it 6 year old Michael Myers killing his sister, Judith or was it the sight of Judith's bear breasts on the movie sceeen if only for a few seconds. So the only time I could really see horror movies outside of ther black and white films of the 30', 40's and 50's was when I visted my mother.
Anyhow, I digress. It is the summer of 1988, my mom took us to the local video rental store( Of course most of you remember those)/ As I was walking the aisle , I spotted a movie that caught my attention, Hellraiser. I had heard about the movie which came out in 1987 and I was so in awe of the VHS cover, seeing this demon with pins all over his face. I had to see this at once and my mom who did like horror was happy to oblige. Needles to say Hellraiser wasn't what I expected it to be. It wasn't just your normal slasher , it was a very deep and mature supernatural, psychological and body horror film that wasn't afraid to push the envelope. Even at the age of 14 , I was able to understand most of it. Maybe I didn't klnow what S&M was but I was able to figure out that Julia was killing these guys so she could fuck Frank. Sex the greatest motivation in the history of the world. And of course you had Pinhead played by Doug Bradley and the Cenobites , one bad ass, leather clad group of demons. And Kirsty, played by the talented Ashley Laurence, to this day my favorite final girl, beautiful, determined and smart.
Fast forward to October of that same year , and being released Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers. I was already a huge fan of the series. I had watched the first two movies on a small black and white television in my bedroom on Halloween night, 1987. If memory serves, I believe WGN from Chicago was playing both movies, edited for television of course. However, I was so enthralled.by Michael Myers , a simple yet mysterious killer with no emotion , just a shape of a human, pure evil. A symbol of the world we live in. Not only was Michael returning for the 4th film as we was excluded from part 3, other than a brief cameo, but Donald Pleasance would also return as Dr. Loomis, the Van Helsing to Michael's Dracula or the Ahab to Moby Dick. Jamie Lee Curtis would not return to play Lori Strode but we were introduced to a new iconic actress, 10-year-old, Danielle Harris, who would play Jamie Lloyd the niece of Michael Myers.. Little did anyone know at the time would become a fixture in horror for decades to come. But how would I see it, I'm only 14,and no way my dad would take me. So one Saturday afternoon in October, I was at a mall in Fort Wayne , Indiana, there iy was playing at the theater inside the mall. I said to myself 'fuck it'. Lets see if they ask for my ID and guess they didn't and straight to the theater I walked.
I loved the movie from the Halloween atmospheric opening credits to the what the fuck ending. It gave me everything I wanted from a Halloween movie and to this day my third favorite of the series.
But before the movie even started there were the previews one of which was Hellbound: Hellraiser 2. I was like holy shit their making another one. I simply can't wait for the VHS release. I need to see this movie in the theaters. For all you kids reading this. Going to the theater for any movie was an event . We didn't hav estreaming services or video on demand like we do now. But could I tempt fate again. Something told me I would be carded for sure to see the second installment of this depraved horror flic. So on December 23 of that year I came up with a plan. I would go to that same mall, that same theater and buy a tcicket to some PG rated Christmas movie. To be honest , I don't even remeber the movie but it didn't matter after checking my watch for about the twentieth time , I slowly made my way from one theater to the theater that was playing Hellraiser 2 and damn it didn;t disappoints. Maybe the best horror sequel ever made., right up there with Bride of Frankenstein and ironically, Halloween 2.
The point of this was these were the first two R-rated movies that I saw in the theater. So right there they both hold a special meaning to me. Also, for those who survived divorce, you know what I'm talking about. Especially if you are living with a parent, you would not rather be living with. You feel isolated, you feel like a freek. You have to remember at this time there weren't many other kids I knew whose parents were dicorced. Throwing myself into the horror genre was my way of dealing with real life horrors and maybe my way of rebelling against my father's phony bologna Catholicism.
It's no accident that the first story I wrote was a crossover fan fiction story combining Hellraiser and Halloween. Pinhead and Michale on one side, Kirsty and Jamie on the other.I guess you could say it was a thank you letter to both series and way of paying them tribute.
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