Although the Hellraiser series is one of the most popular horror series ever, the origin of this success story is rather intriguing. Clive Barker, who wrote and directed the original Hellraiser film, had no intention of taking on the role of director. He was irritated by the film adaptations of “Rawhead Rex” and “Underworld,” though, and felt the need to step in and lead the way.
Although his horror novella “The Hellbound Heart” had all the makings of a low budget film, no one was willing to invest a lot of money in a debuting novice director. The rest is history, as they say! Since then, the Hellraiser universe has given rise to numerous films and comic books, and we have seen some iconic characters.
Speaking of the unique characters from the Hellraiser universe, the Cenobites will obviously top the list. From the likes of Pinhead to Angelique, we have seen a bunch of these demented creatures, and The Engineer just happens to be an addition to the strange, creepy creatures.
This character was Clive Barker’s brainchild, and the grotesque, inhuman monster was seen in the first Hellraiser movie. It was a pinnacle of monster design and even with lacking special effects, the Engineer was unforgettable. Unfortunately, the character was never seen again in the later movies. In this video, we go deep fishing for the origin stories behind this creature, and explore its powers and story arc.
Who is the Engineer?
It is a common misconception that the Engineer is a Cenobite. He is simply one of the many twisted, demented creatures of Hell, and he was created thousands of years ago to serve within the Labyrinth. He was an inhuman monster, and looked like a combination of various creatures. The Hellraiser universe has multiple Engineers, and this horrifying entity just goes on to show that there are some things worse than the Cenobites in hell.
According to Clive Barker’s version of “Hellraiser”, the Engineer made torture devices for the Cenobites, and this is how he gets the name. He is basically a demon who roams around the corridors of Hell, and “The Hellbound Heart” shows him as the leader of the Cenobites.
His appearance is simply hideous, and he seems to be made from a material, which is a cross between human skin and scales. He has blazing eyes and there are several rows of teeth in his mouth. There is a scorpion-like tiny tail, and this twisted form seems to have developed over the years. The Engineer seems to hang upside down using the back feet, and his limbs end in hand-like appendages.
It is believed that the Engineer was once a human and was probably the first one to accidentally open the gates of Hell. After spending ages in Hell under the command of Leviathan, he changed into a hideous monster. He has been described in “The Hellbound Heart” as the unseen leader of Pinhead’s ‘Order of the Gash’. The Engineer appears as flashes of blinding light, and can use living and dead people as conduits of his will. In short, this character has way too many twisted features that deserve to be explored further in upcoming Hellraiser projects.
The Engineer’s Role in the Film
In the first Hellraiser movie, the Engineer was seen after Kirsty first opened the Lament Configuration. The door to the Labyrinth was opened, and she walked inside after hearing the cries of a baby. She was soon greeted by the menacing Engineer, who then chased her through the Labyrinth.
He probably wanted to kill her or maybe would have used her for some ridiculous torture. However, she managed to outrun him, and after she solved the puzzle box again the Labyrinth was closed. Later, she led the Cenobites to Frank and after they ripped him apart, she solved the puzzle box four times to send the four Cenobites including Pinhead, back to hell.
The Engineer emerges once again, and this time he fights Kirsty and her boyfriend over possession of the Lament Configuration. But she solved the box once again, and the Engineer was seen forced into Hell in a burst of flames. The Engineer also featured in “Hellraiser II”, but the final cut deleted the scenes.
An evil entity called the Engineer was also seen in “Hellraiser: Inferno”. This Engineer taunts the corrupt detective, and kills his friends and loved ones. He left a child’s finger at crime scenes. Later, Pinhead revealed to the detective that he was in hell after solving the Lament Configuration, and the Engineer was nothing but the embodiment of his carnal desires.
Upcoming Hellraiser Movie
The new Hellraiser movie which is all set to release on the Hulu platform seems to be drastically different from the previous ones. For starters, we will witness a female Pinhead for the first time, as Jamie Clayton is playing the role. Clive Barker is also involved with the project, and this movie directed by David Bruckner, claims to pay homage to the first Hellraiser film.
The creators claim to bring back the R-rated violence that the original novella was all about, but it does not look like the Engineer is a part of the narrative. It would be rather unfortunate if such a mystifying manifestation of pure evil is not utilized by the franchise ever again!