Hellbound: Hellraiser II

Film critic Roger Ebert (who is resembling a Cenobite more and more each day (sorry Rog)) summed up the plot of Hellbound: Hellraiser II perfectly by saying, “This movie has no plot in a conventional sense; it is simply a series of ugly and bloody episodes strung together one after another like a demo tape by a perverted special-effects man.” Ebert continues by claiming Hellraiser II, “is like some kind of avant-garde film strip in which there is no beginning, no middle, no end, but simply a series of gruesome images that can be watched in any order.” That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but Ebert’s critique does bring up two integral aspects of the film: its plot is almost non-existent and the violent special effects are very interesting, potentially enjoyable. While Hellbound does continue the story from the first film, including and elaborating on most of Hellraiser’s characters, its trajectory is, for the most part, asinine. The characters motivations are understandable, considering the events in Hellraiser, but these aren’t sufficiently explored, leaving Hellbound: Hellraiser II a mediocre story with mesmerizing visuals. Unfortunately, striking visuals without any coherency aren’t enough.

This American Life

Normally I don’t post links to outside programs on this blog but after hearing this episode of This American Life while running errands this afternoon I feel I must make concessions from time to time. This episode, entitled DIY, is about a two decade long quest to free a man wrongfully convicted of murder. It’s a touching story and a minute example of how justice can be…well…just on occasion. It also points out the latent racism deeply ingrained into the American consciousness but that’s a discussion for another time. Follow the link below and listen to one of the best examples of American public radio, which is under attack for a variety of reasons as of late.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/282/DIY

Also, expect posts in the next few days about the following films: Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Young Guns, and The Adjustment Bureau. I just finished the final draft of my thesis (I defend it on Thursday, April 7th in case you’d like to witness that process. It’s open to the public and please respond to this post for further details) and only have a few requirements remaining before graduation. Expect my thesis to appear on this blog in the next few weeks in tiny installments; it’s long and dense – not exactly the kind of writing I wish to unleash on this blog’s tiny audience at one time.

Thank you.