Hellraiser (1987)

Adapted from his own novella, Clive Barker's directorial efforts on Hellraiser are often lambasted for their amateurish touch and brusque storytelling (and few critics were harsher about it than Barker himself). Still, Hellraiser struck a chord with audiences for its bold ambition, its uncompromising commitment to the grotesque, and its unapologetic exploration of sadomasochism. This film led to nine direct sequels, an upcoming reboot, and a barrage of merchandise and brand extensions. The film's principle monster, nicknamed Pinhead by the crew, also become an unlikely October kitsch mascot in the same vein of Dracula, Freddy Krueger, and The Crypt Keeper; Ryan finds is extremely odd that this cosmic leather pervert can be frequently seen on paper plates at children's Halloween parties. Ryan is joined by Rachel for a dialogue about this movie, which is something of an outlier when contrasted against Halloween (1978), Friday The 13th (1980), A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984) and other horror franchises that began in this period. Talking points include Edmund Burke's theories about sublimity, Friedrich Nietzsche's interpretation of Apollo and Dionysus, Camille Paglia's reinterpretation of Apollo and Dionysus, and why Rachel has a crush on Pinhead.