Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 16, 2024

Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of Arrow's Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment 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.

Those interested can find several reviews of the various Hellraiser films on the site, but for purposes of this particular review I'll point those interested to my own Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth Blu-ray review of The Scarlet Box version, since that provides the chance to compare screenshots and see how supplements stack up between the releases.

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p 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:

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth 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.

In terms of improvements to overall color timing, this third Hellraiser film may offer some of the clearest examples. Some of the scenes in Arrow's older 1080 version, notably some of the "dream" (nightmare?) war sequences could be a bit jaundiced looking, but have a much more natural appearance here, albeit within the context of a slightly surreal plot. Some may remember the momentary furor (aren't all home media related furors momentary?) that erupted over Arrow's 1.85:1 framing of their older 1080 release (see my original review for details), and while that aspect ratio has obviously been replicated here, it looks to me like some further adjusting has been done, and so some of the previous "problem spots" have been dealt with. Detail levels are typically excellent throughout this presentation, and perhaps due to its slightly newer vintage, or perhaps because not so many interpositive "splices" had to be achieved, I found the overall baseline of densities, clarity and grain structure to be generally if not totally more consistent, or at least less variant than with the first two films, though there are certainly more than noticeable spikes in grain throughout the presentation. There are also a few fine detail ebbs in some of the composited special effects, and some slight deficits in shadow detail in some of the blue tinged horror scenes with Pinhead. On the whole, though, both Arrow's 1080 and 4K UHD versions of this film show some noticeable improvements in overall detail levels, and color timing and suffusion are also arguably better as well.

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Arrow's older 1080 release sported only an LPCM 2.0 track, and as with the other previously released outings, Arrow has replaced that this time with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, but also included a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 option. The surround mix nicely opens up any number of effects, and some of the "jumbled" quality I mentioned in the crowded club scenes on the older 1080 version have some noticeable new spaciousness now. Scoring wafts through the side and rear channels, and some of the "alternate dimension" material also offers some good discrete channelization of individual effects, notably in some of the battle scenes. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

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.

• Unrated Version (HD; 1:36:21) comes with this information:

  The unrated version of Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth presented on this disc contains standard definition 1.33:1 ratio inserts from the best available source.

• Commentaries

  Commentary with critics Stephen Jones and Kim Newman (2023)*

  Commentary with Peter Atkins (2015)

  Commentary with Anthony Hickox and Doug Bradley (2004)

• Behind the Scenes

  Electronic Press Kit* (HD; 12:15) offers more extended EPK footage recently discovered by publicist Stephen Jones. This has timecode captions and was obviously sourced from an older tape.

  
  

  FX Dailies (HD; 23:49)

• Archival Special Features

  Time With Terri (HD; 14:53) is the previously released interview with Paula Marshall.

  
  

  Raising Hell on Earth: Anthony Hickox Interview (HD; 13:59)

  
  

  Under the Skin: Doug Bradley on Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (HD; 13:46)

• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:52)


• Image Gallery (HD)

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth is a pretty major step down from the first two Hellraiser films, but it has occasional moments of decent angst, even if its attempts to give Pinhead more than mere pins to think about ultimately don't pay many dividends. Arrow looks like it addressed some of the concerns of its first 1080 release with regard to the framing, and they've added a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track as well. Supplements are outstanding.