Pinhead

AKA: Xipe Totec Human Persona: Captain Elliott Spenser
Creator: Leviathan
Place Taken: India sometime after WWI.
Hair: None, head has grid with pins driven through intersection. Eyes: Black, no white

Current Location: The "Lament Configuration" is a puzzle box that when solved calls forth the Cenobites from Hell. The box is said to offer the user "an experience beyond the limits; pain and pleasure, indivisible". But the price for such experience is reported to be your soul. It is also said that the box can be used to send the Cenobites back to Hell. As to which plain, dimension or time Xipe Totec currently walks is unknown.

PINS AND NEEDLES

Now everyone knows about those little office toys don't they. The small square block of blunted nails that you push your face into or your hand which pushes the outline shape through to the other side? Well imagine pushing your face against it and then having it exploding right of front of you. That would pretty much get you the desired effect and image of the twisted and pained Pinhead.

Obviously the most striking thing about Pinhead for someone who is lucky enough to meet him for the first time would be the rows and rows of pins implanted into his head. I mean there could of only been a decent enough nickname for that. Pinhead is of course Clive Barker's most famous character to date and has become another one of those unmistakeable iconic images in horror (Japan's number one pin-up in the late 80's). Along with the likes of Freddy Krueger and his glove and Jason Vorhees and his hockey mask.

Pin-Cushion-Head and his amazing debut feature 'Hellraiser' was an absolute phenomenal movie. So different, so sick, so twisted and written and directed by fellow Brit Clive Barker (the lord of sick horror). And the more sequels that came along the way the more and more dull the stories got. Not one of them ever really coming close to the impact of the initial movie, but that's not really a critisism as I don't always expect so much from franchise sequels anymore.

If I could become a Cenobite, even for a day, I think it would be pretty cool to have my bottom lip stretched and stapled to my forehead. My eyes could be peeled to the sides of my head giving me a worthy 360 degree view. And I've always fancied some of those wrist blades that X-Mens' Wolverine possesses. I'd like the pins in my head too but I wouldn't want to steal Pinhead's thunder, I mean can you imagine showing up at parties in the same dress-up. Nightmare. Plus imagine how many flanels and towels you get through just trying to wash your face and hair in the mornings. Although on the flip-side you aren't likely to get punched in the head or slapped round the face again anytime soon.

The look, I think, is what gives Pinhead his most menancing qualities. I bet he's a good old lad really underneath it all. I mean after all he's a decent British/Hellish demon and I'm sure he bares some wonderful qualities, such as generosity (giving mortals pleasure and pain), a wonderful sense of humour (you've heard him laugh aint' ya!), intelligence and I can even detect a little irony (demons to some, angels to others).

Well whatever you think of our man Pinhead he remains an astonishing figure in the world of horror movies. A tortured soul beyond comparison in my book. Maybe a spin-off TV series should be developed - A Hellraiser sitcom, or maybe Pinhead could try his hand at a little gameshow hosting - The Weakest Mortal, or Who Wants to Be A Cenobite? Worth a thought or two.

Psycho Analysis by Steven Davies © 2003