Anatomy Of A Scene - Hellraiser
(part two)


A scene often changes radically between first conception in the writer's mind and its final publication or public airing. This is perhaps especially so in the melting pot of collaborative effort on a movie and the sequence we've chosen below charts the progress from page to screen of a classic scene from Hellraiser, from novella to draft script to shooting script to the editing suite...

The scene recounts the one and only sexual consumation between Julia and her husband-to-be's brother, Frank, before the wedding. Julia recalls the encounter as she stands alone in the room in which, unknown to her, Frank subsequently encountered the Cenobites. The scene concludes with the shedding of her husband's blood which serves as a conduit to allow Frank's return.


Script To Screen


Shooting began in September 1986, following a reasonably linear path through the script. The original sexual encounter between Julia and Frank was, however, re-shot later at the insistence of the studio and the censors.

Images and dialogue from the theatrical version are presented below, alongside the July 1986 second draft/shooting script.

The importance of collaboration in movies is in strong evidence, with the screenplay being realised in a powerful series of images by the intensity of the performances of Clare Higgins as Julia, Sean Chapman as Frank and Andrew Robinson as Larry, by the special effects of Image Animation as the nail digs deep into Larry's hand and the deep red blood falls onto and is sucked underneath the floorboards, through Robin Vidgeon's lighting, in Richard Marden's pacing and scene placement in the editing suite and Christopher Young's sublime orchestral score.



Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
40 INT. TORTURE ROOM DAY

We have an odd, hovering point of view of JULIA, as she steps inside the room. Something about the atmosphere distresses her.
There is a scratching sound. She looks down. A wood-louse, recalling Frank's foresaken bed, crawls along the edge of the skirting board. She crosses to the window, and tears away a little spy-hole in the aged newspaper.
From downstairs, the voices of the bed-movers.

1ST MAN : Have you got it?
2ND MAN : I've got it. I told you -
LARRY : Wait! Wait!
The light through the window falls on her eye. The screen becomes a white-out, from which emerges:




Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Frank: What should we drink to? Wedded bliss?
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Julia: I'm very happy.
Frank: I'm sure you are. Are you going to let me kiss the bride?
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Julia: What about Larry?
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Frank: Forget him.
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
41 INT. JULIA'S FLASHBACK DAY

A bedroom, with afternoon sunlight pouring between the slats of bamboo blinds. Outside we can hear children playing summer games. Inside, a fly buzzes.
JULIA, the younger self, is holding her wedding dress in front of her, displaying it.

JULIA : Well?
FRANK (O.S.) : I don't want to see the dress.
JULIA : But you said -
FRANK : I don't want to see the dress.
JULIA lets the dress drop a few inches in front of her. She stares at FRANK.
FRANK : You know what I want.
Still she doesn't let the 'defence' that the dress offers - a reminder of her imminent marriage - fall. She stares though, and there's an invitation in her eyes.
FRANK : I want you.
Now we
CUT TO
FRANK. He is not so bedraggled as in the first scene, but the heat of the day has brought a sheen of sweat to his face. Standing half in shadow he looks almost dangerous.
Now JULIA lets the dress drop, putting it on the bed behind her.

FRANK : That's better
FRANK steps towards her.
JULIA : What about Larry -
FRANK : Forget him.
FRANK takes hold of her. She doesn't resist him, though there is barely disguised fear on her face. He puts his hand inside her blouse.




Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence 42 INT. TORTURE ROOM DAY

In extreme CLOSE UP, JULIA blinks into the light through the window, as LARRY's voice from downstairs calls her from her reverie.
LARRY : Slowly, will you? Slowly!
Again, a white-CUT, from which emerges:





Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
43 INT. JULIA'S FLASHBACK DAY

The two are naked on the bed, both sweating now. Beneath them, the wedding dress, crushed under their weight.
Their love-making is not straight-forward: there is an element of erotic perversity in the way FRANK licks at her face, almost like an animal, his hold on her too tight to be loving. The sequence escalates into a series of strange details from their locked bodies. Nails digging into palms; sweat rivulets running down their torsoes. And once in a while we see their faces. JULIA watching FRANK, mesmerized and amused by his intensity; FRANK almost pained by his desire to push the experience TO THE LIMIT. Their passion is rendered stranger still by the way the light through the window falls on their bodies, making striped creatures of them.
At last, as their urgency increases, we move up until we're looking directly down on the bed. From here it is JULIA's face we can see, and the ecstasy of the moment has seized her. Her arms are flung up over her head; her eyes are closed as she murmurs:

JULIA : Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.
The scene whites out.




Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence 44 INT. TORTURE ROOM DAY

JULIA is still staring into the light. She sobs, very quietly.
JULIA (a whisper) : Oh Frank ...




Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Larry: Take the weight from me - my foot's caught. You got it?
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Removal Man 1: Got it.
Larry: Now, just push it to me as I pull.
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Frank: It's never enough.
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Larry: (in pain) Julia.
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Julia: Please. I'll do anything you want. Anything.
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
45 INT. HALLWAY DAY

Downstairs, LARRY and the men have moved the bed across the hall to the bottom of the stairs.
All three are weary now, and getting careless.
As they start up the stairs we see trouble ahead for LARRY, whose hand is moving closer and closer to a nail proturbing from the woodwork of the bannister.

LARRY (to Movers) : Will you take the weight while I take a step up?
He backs towards the stairs - and the nail.
Damn it, will you take the -
The side of his hand is impaled by the nail. He cries out. The weight of the bed, which he cannot relinquish, drives the nail deeper, and gouges a long cut from the ball of his thumb to his wrist. Blood pours out.
LARRY : Christ!
1ST MAN : What's the problem?
LARRY : My fucking hand!
He drops his edge of the bed, and disengages his hand from the nail upon which he's injured himself. He lifts his hand, from which blood is pouring.
LARRY : You fucking ass-holes.
1ST MAN : Who are you calling a fucking ass-hole? It's this bastard bed that's your fucking problem!
LARRY isn't listening. He's looking at the wound in his hand. He hates the sight of his own blood. Any moment, he may faint.
LARRY : ... Oh Christ ...
But not in front of these bastards. He turns and starts up the stairs, groggier by the moment.
LARRY : ... oh ... Christ ...




46 INT. TORTURE ROOM DAY

JULIA is standing in the middle of the room. A single dart of light, through the hole she tore in the newspaper, strikes her face. Softly on the soundtrack, the scrabbling noise of the woodlice.

47 INT. HALLWAY DAY

The bed has been put down. 1ST MAN and 2ND MAN are putting on their coats. KIRSTY comes through from the kitchen.
KIRSTY : What's happening?
2ND MAN : We're leaving.
KIRSTY : Where's my father?
1ST MAN : He's fucked off.
2ND MAN (mock chiding) : Eh ... language.
1ST MAN : Sorry. He's gone upstairs. So we're fucking off too.
2ND MAN takes a sheet of paper from his jacket.
2ND MAN : Will you sign for the bed?
KIRSTY : Sure.




Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Larry: Here.
Julia: Is it deep?
Larry: I don't know, I haven't looked. You know me and blood. I'm going to faint.
Julia: You're not going to faint.
Larry: Shit.
Julia: Let me see.
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Julia: It's going to need stitches.
Larry: I'm going to throw up.
Julia: You're not going to throw up. Just take it easy, just take it easy, it's going to be alright. Let's get you to the hospital.
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
48 INT. STAIRS DAY

LARRY, his hand running with blood, climbs the last flight of stairs.
LARRY (weakly) : ... Julia ...

49 INT. TORTURE ROOM DAY

JULIA hears him, and turns from her silent communing with the room. She crosses towards the door. Too late. It opens. LARRY steps inside, blood pouring from his right hand, which he attempts to staunch with his left hand.
JULIA : What have you done?
LARRY : I cut myself.
Blood has started to drip, unnoticed by either of them, onto the bare boards. Heavy splashes.
LARRY looks sick; his face clammy with sweat. She stares at him without a trace of feeling for him on her face.

JULIA : Is it deep?
LARRY : I don't know, I haven't looked. You know me and blood.
JULIA : You're not going to faint.
LARRY (he leans against the wall) : Shit.
JULIA : Let me see.
She goes to him. He looks away as she unglues one hand from the other, and looks at the wound. Blood comes faster, hitting the floor between them.
JULIA : It's probably going to need stitches.
LARRY : I'm going to throw up.
JULIA : No, you're not.
The blood keeps hitting the floor. Slap; slap; slap.
We'll get you out into the fresh air.
He is again clamping his hand over the wound, as JULIA helps him to the door. They leave the Torture Room. We hear their voices receding down the passageway, as we again assume that hovering view point. The floor, is heavily spattered with blood.
JULIA : Take it slowly.
LARRY : So damn stupid.
JULIA : You're done worse.
LARRY : I'll be scarred for life.
JULIA : No you won't.




Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Larry: I'm so stupid.
Kirsty: What happened?
Julia: It's just an accident, he's alright. Look, will you drive? He needs stitches.
Kirsty: Sure.
Julia: The keys are in the kitchen.
Larry: So stupid.
Julia: No you're not.
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
Hellraiser flashback/nail sequence
50 INT. HALLWAY DAY

KIRSTY is half way up the stairs, as JULIA and LARRY head down.
KIRSTY : What happened?
JULIA : Just an accident. He's all right. Will you drive? He needs stitches.
KIRSTY : Sure.
JULIA : The keys are in the kitchen.
KIRSTY heads back to the kitchen. JULIA helps LARRY towards the front door.
The CAMERA swings away from them, upstairs, and begins to track ...
LAP-DISSOLVE TO:
INT. UPPER LANDING DAY
... we continue to track, towards the Torture Room.
Downstairs, the front door slams.
LAP-DISSOLVE TO:
INT. TORTURE ROOM DAY
From outside, the sound of a car door slamming. An engine starts. The car drives away.
We move towards the blood on the floor. As we watch, it begins to disappear, as if being absorbed by the room. We pan up to the wall. The plaster is not quite smooth; indeed, it now begins to grow restless, and cracks. Something begins to move in the wall...






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