Essay: CLive Barker, Hrllraiser, and The Scarlett Ghosp0les
By William Pattison
For Horror Bob’s Blog…
Gore and scares, people! I know it’s been a while, and yes
this isn’t a novie review. This is an essay on a subject I’m interested in
talking about and about a time when this genre was a lot more friendly and was
open to everyone. It was a time when artistsWere more interested in looking at
what we share rather than differences. We would converse with fellow artists
with Interest rather than looking for fault. It was s different time that I
miss. I’ve lost way too much since then. I look at our genre with a lot of
sadness and disappointment. I wait for a return for all fandom.
.
1.
ThiRty years ago, during the short period of The
Web Mssters. You know when websites were liked by the huge Webmasters webbring system…before
they went bankrupt and died a quick and horrible death. At that time I was a
known and respected webmaster of Webring. I ran, Voorhees Web, the home of the Camp
Crystal Lake Books. As part of Voorhees Web Was connections to horror
celebrities websites, including Adrian King, Betsy Palmer, Elvira, and of
course Clive Barker. We all had an
unwritten agreement that we would help get
each other hits on our sites. It was a more nobeler time, before the dark times
and the horror socials. We all supported each other without all the petty
politics and agendas, us and them philiosophy,
and it was fun and we were all family then. It was the inspiration for The Wolf
Pack.
Clive’s webmaster webRing was run by his bff and lover
Barnabus. He did the majority Of Clive’s promotion from there. It was there
after I watched Hellraiser Bloodline, I was one of the few people who actually
enjoyed it, and still do. Clive opened up to me about Hellraiser, The Gash, the
body politic, The Great and Secret Show, and The Scarlett Ghospells. He told me
about having a minor stroke and how after the trauma his body awakened and
every nerve in his body woke up and he felt everything at once. I realized he
was telling me his original I apiration
for The Hellbound Heart, aka, Hellraiser .
Now, thirty years later I truly understand Hellraiser, the
Gash, aNd, amazingly The Scarlett Ghospells . Hellraiser is about how pain and
life are bound. Life is pain And pain gives meaning to life.byou can’t live
without pain. Pain and sacrifice is the way to power and knowledge.
The reason why is because last night over a week after heart
surgery my body awoke on me. Every nerve in my body went off at once. I truly felt
my body and my surroundings. I connected to all the hurting peóple around me. I
felt the blood flowing through me, my
organs, even the remains of my lunch for the last two days stuck in my teeth. I
wanted to scream and laugh at the same time. I truly felt alive. Then I
remembered Frank in Hellbound Heart and it all became clear. I truly understand
Clive Barker and his work. Now I understand the mistakes people made after Hellraiser
4. You need to experience what Clive and I and a few others I know have. You
need to understand that life is a giant joke without a punchline. Life is about
life, nothing more. Simple. Easy. We are
players on a stage. That’s all.
The Gash represented the ones who know it represented the
people In The British social scene that were big into the growing Sand M/Punk
scene who were experimenting in pleasure and pain in that restrictive society.
But Hellraiser is more than than just kink fantasy, but I don’t suggest you
give your self a heart attack and have open heart surgery to find out the truth.
Keep on Creepin’ , Horror Bob’s Blog…
