Bestselling horror novelist Clive Barkers 1987 film Hellraiser has become an undisputed horror classic spawning a movie franchise that to date includes eight films. Exploring not only the cinematic interpretations of the Hellraiser mythos but also its intrusion into other artistic and cultural forms this volume begins by identifying the unconventional sources of Barkers inspiration and following Barker from his preHellraiser cinematic experience through the filming of the horror classic. It examines various themes such as the undermining of the traditional family unit and the malleability of the flesh found throughout the film series and the ways in which the representation of these themes changes from film to film. The religious aspects of the films are also discussed. Characters central to the franchiseand the mythosare examined in detail.