7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Traumatized by the horrific events of HELLRAISER, Kirsty is committed to an institution for treatment. But the facility's chief psychiatrist, Dr. Philip Channard, is secretly obsessed with the afterlife, and he manages to resurrect Julia and unleash Pinhead and the Cenobites once again.
Starring: Ashley Laurence, Clare Higgins (I), Kenneth Cranham, Doug Bradley, Imogen BoormanHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 28% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
4K Ultra HD
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 0.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of Arrow's Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment 4K set.
Perhaps out of deference to Clive Barker's home country, Arrow released its massive Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment sets in both 1080 and
4K
UHD formats almost exactly a year ago as this review is being written. Both formats were covered by me at the time of their UK release, and these
Region A sets basically duplicate what was in the previous Region B sets, so I am repeating information and providing links as appropriate.
The problem with those pesky portals to other dimensions is that there's evidently no way to keep them permanently closed, which may be why
Arrow
is revisiting the Hellraiser franchise just a few years after it brought out the rather extravagantly packaged Hellraiser: The Scarlet Box. The good news is, while Arrow can almost
always be counted for rather luxe packaging one way or the other, they've seen fit to offer fans new 4K restorations of the first four films (note that
the aforementioned Scarlet Box only offered the original triptych), as well as at least some new supplements augmenting previously
produced bonus features. Maybe sometimes it's a good thing when a multidimensional portal won't stay closed.
Note: Screenshots are sourced from Arrow's standalone 1080 release, which I frankly feel gives an overall better representation of the
palette
in particular, than had I sourced screenshots directly from the 4K UHD disc, which by necessity would have been downscaled to 1080 and SDR. This
set
does not include 1080 discs, and so the 2K video score above has been intentionally left blank.
Hellbound: Hellraiser II is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Arrow Video with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow
provides the
same hardback book for both its 4K UHD and 1080 releases, and it contains the following information on this latest restoration:
Hellbound: Hellraiser II is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with stereo 2.0 and 5.1 sound. The original 35mm negative was scanned and restored in 4K resolution at Silver Salt Restoration, London. Sections of a 35mm interpositive were also sourced for sections removed from the negative. The film was graded in SDR, HDR10 and Dolby Vision by Silver Salt Restoration, London.This may be another case of "glass half full/glass half empty" for 4K UHD aficionados. As with Arrow's new 1080 version, this 4K UHD iteration boasts a somewhat darker look than Arrow's old 1080 version, something that adds to the perception of suffusion and may help to moderate some of the more ungainly grain resolution. On the flip side, the increased resolution of this format tends to exacerbate that same chunky grain, making it even more noticeable at times than it was even on Arrow's old 1080 release. It's rather interesting in a way to see the grain field ebb and flow, as it seems to be largely detached from any lighting choices. A lot of the hospital/asylum material can be very heavily grainy, and yet there are other moments where grain tightens considerably. Similarly, some interior shots have a very tightly resolved grain field, and there are others, notably some scenes with Julia in the second act where grain is pretty yellow and chunky looking. All of this said, as with the first film, and the 1080 release of this film, there are manifest variances in densities, clarity and grain structure, and this film's third act "special effects-o-rama" approach in particular may not be particularly "helped" by the increased resolution of this format. In a lot of the more brightly lit scenes, things pop extremely well and fine detail is outstanding. As with the first film, HDR and/or Dolby Vision offer some interesting new highlights (even the New World masthead has some nuanced changes segueing from orange to red in this version), and shadow detail is at least marginally improved. In some ways, this offers perhaps surprisingly some of the more noticeable differences when compared to Arrow's older 1080 release. The entire transfer this time is just a tad darker which may add to the perception of better suffusion, and again maybe a little surprisingly without any attendant loss of shadow detail. The somewhat darker aspect tends to minimize some of the slightly dirty, gritty looking grain that could occasionally accrue against brighter backgrounds in the older 1080 release. Detail levels are excellent throughout the presentation, though fine detail can certainly ebb during some of the composite effects or some of the more phantasmagorical moments that are on the "misty" side. The palette looks great throughout, though as with the first film, there are some abrupt variances in densities, clarity and grain structure, not necessarily dependent upon lighting conditions or opticals.
While this release supplants the older 1080 version's LPCM 2.0 track with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 option, in addition to the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track offered, both struck me as interchangeable with the tracks on Arrow's older 1080 release. The surround track nicely opens up the sound field in terms of both score (Christopher Young retreads some of his work on the first film while offering new cues) and effects. The long "fantasy" sequence that takes up the bulk of the film's second half has some nice effects which are placed smartly in discrete channels. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly and there are no issues with damage. Optional English subtitles are available.
Note: I've tried my best to identify supplements new to this edition with an asterisk (*), but with so much to go through and the added
challenge of Arrow having authored or titled things differently for this release, I may have missed something.
- Commentary with critics Stephen Jones and Kim Newman (2023)*
- Commentary with director Tony Randel, writer Peter Atkins and actress Ashley Laurence (2000)
- Commentary with director Tony Randel and writer Peter Atkins (1996)
- Clive Barker on set interview (HD; 3:20)
- Cast and Crew on set interviews (HD; 4:47)
- Behind the Scenes Footage (HD; 1:53)
- Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellbound (HD; 10:53)
- Being Frank: Sean Chapman on Hellbound (HD; 11:35)
- Lost in the Labyrinth (HD; 17:03)
- Deleted Surgeon Scene (HD; 4:49)
- Theatrical Trailer 1 (HD; 1:54)
- Theatrical Trailer 2* (HD; 1:21)
- Theatrical Trailer 3* (HD; 1:34)
- Red Band Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:33)
- TV Spot 1 (HD; 00:33)
- TV Spot 2 (HD; 00:33)
- TV Spot 3* (HD; 00:33)
- Storyboards (HD)
- Alternate Ending Storyboards (HD)
- Stills & Promo Material (HD)
- Draft Screenplay* (HD)
This is the rare sophomore effort in a franchise that manages to retain a lot of the original's force and creativity, even if large swaths of Hellbound: Hellraiser II are patently crazy. The gruesome special effects of this second entry in the franchise have made it a favorite of horror fans, and while I'll offer the same caveat as I did with regard to the first film that some fans may actually prefer Arrow's new 1080 version to this one, this release sports generally solid technical merits and outstanding supplements. Highly recommended.
1988
1988
Remastered
1988
4K Restoration
1988
(Still not reliable for this title)
1992
1987
Hellraiser IV
1996
Unrated Collector's Edition
2007
Hellraiser VI
2002
2017
Collector's Edition
1992
1977
Hellraiser 8
2005
2011
30th Anniversary Edition | Includes "Terror in the Aisles"
1981
Collector's Edition
1988
1988
1986
Collector's Edition
1982
Collector's Edition
1989
1987
Hellraiser VII
2005
Collector's Edition
1990
2016