If Doug Bradley wont return as Pinhead then I wont even bother to watch this. I mean I love all the original
horrorfilms from the Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street or Hellraiser (although I admit that in Hellraiser 5-8
I only watch the Pinhead-scenes lol) but I really like almost all of the remakes so far as well.
I like it that they make the remakes modern and tell the basic story of the originals in new ways
that deviate from the originals. In my opinion the more the style of a remake differs from the original,
the better. cause if I want to see the same movie again, I watch my DVDs. Its just important that they keep the
basic story,character and elements of the original but I actually really like it if it goes in directions
you have never seen in the original.
As a big fan of superhero comic books this is very familiar to me. In the comics often you have
the same story sometimes re-told in a complete new way, basically rebooting the story and creating
a whole new continuity. Like the Ultimate-series of Marvel or DCs Elseworlds comics. You just gotta
accept the fact that its the same story and character but a NEW way. Like an alternative version.
And so basically you have two versions of the same story then. the original version and the re-told,
alternative versions. And you dont compare which one is better cause the alternative version is
not created to replace the original.
And thats how I see the remakes as well. They dont exist to replace the originals so its so damn
stupid how SO MANY people feel that the remakes offend "their" sacred originals. They dont. They
dont change one thing about the greatness of the originals, they simply create a new, alternative
version of the story and create a new continuity. And because in my eyes they are a different, alternative
version of the story I want them to differ in style and details of the story from the originals.
I would be furious if the remakes would just try to copy the originals cause that would not only be
a doomed attempt (the originals are unique and always will be) but a downright insult to the originals.
But thankfully most remakes didnt do that. Remakes like Dawn of the Dead, Last House on the Left,
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th or Halloween were very different from their originals in
style and details but at the same time kept the basic elements,characters and the basic story from
the originals. While many,many,many people bash the remakes like hell for doing this, I praise them
for that and instead I would bash them if they would only try to copy and therefore replace the
originals (which would be a huge failure anyway).
Thats why I enjoyed most of the remakes highly. Because I do not compare them to the originals.
Because I embrace the idea that they are alternative versions of these stories that are supposed
to be different from the originals.
But there are lines even the remakes shouldnt cross. One is of course that they just have to keep
the trademark characters and elements, another that the basic story needs to remain the same and that
you definitely still recognize the originals in them.
And then when it comes to certain franchises like Hellraiser where one actor has defined the role
of the killer/monster SO much like Doug Bradley has with Pinhead you just CANT replace him with
another actor. I mean it was really very close to crossing the line with Freddy in the Nightmare remake.
But it still is possible to not ruin the movie with it. But in the case of Pinhead if you replace
Doug Bradley you end up with a movie that looses all the credibility of a Hellraiser movie. It will
inevitably -no matter how brilliant the movie itself may be- look like a cheap copy of Pinhead and
could never come across as the "real" Pinhead. Dougs presence,aura,voice is just TOO unique as Pinhead.
No matter how amazing the movie would be, replacing Doug as Pinhead would cross the line and make it
only watchable for those who have never seen a Hellraiser movie before in their life.
So if they keep Doug I will gladly give this remake its chance, but if they replace him the franchise
has ended for me with Hellworld.
With regards,
Jason2009