(ORDO NEWS) — Pleasure is what most people define the quality of life, what every person strives for. But what will happen to a person if the passion for pleasure becomes the main criterion of life? Clive Barker has creatures who know exactly the answer to this question.
Cenobites are creatures from a parallel world that first appeared in the book Hellraiser. They are old enough to have legends around them. For some nations, they are angels, bringing boundless pleasure to anyone who believes in them. For others, they are demons who love to torment their victims.
Both of these opinions are similar in one thing: “Pleasure through pain.” The motto of the Cenobites and their “religious” belief. Moreover, this belief is justified, since each of the Infernal masochists used to be a person. So the most famous Cenobite, Pinhead, was an officer during the First World War. At the end of hostilities, Elliot Spencer a.k.a. Pinhead began to look for a way to forget the horrors of war. As a result, in his hands was the box of LeMarchand, which opened the way to the world of “pain and pleasure.” After a few years, Elliot began to take pleasure in everyday torture, which led to his reincarnation as Pinhead.
The transformation is inevitable, but Leviathan decides whether a person becomes a new Cenobite. A demon who rules over a labyrinth in which each person has his own personal nightmare. It is this Demon that gives pleasure through pain to its followers.
The original, godless origin of the Cenobites
In Barker’s novella A Heart Bound by Hell and the original ’87 Hellraiser inspired by it, the Cenobites are just as controversial, although they claim to have a higher success rate of satisfied customers.
“Explorers of the deep realms of experience,” explains Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Lawrence), a code-breaking girl, priest of the Order of the Rift and Pontiff of Leviathan, better known as Pinhead on the Lament Configuration in Hellraiser, and receives a massive dose of lifelong trauma for his troubles. . “Demons for some, angels for others.”
But among themselves, the Cenobites are very dedicated role-playing fetishists with a portal to the best damned sex club in the worlds known and unknown. Some might call it hell, others might find heaven in a place like Cellblock 28, the high-powered sadomasochism club on Little West 12th Street that formed the film’s eternal afterlife party.
“Hell” itself, as it was never called by the Cenobites in the original film, is the ultimate hellfire club: a dimension with a vast labyrinth of depraved pleasures and a terrifying dance floor, with MC Escher-inspired decor and a DJ that scratches the grooves in soul. To get around the velvet ropes, Cenobites usually have uniquely identifying body piercings or mutilations. All devotees are in the spirit of 80s punk bdsm fashion and wear black leather religious robes or butcher’s aprons carved from disappearing meat.
In the earliest writings, the Cenobites are not evil; they are immoral. They harbor neither good nor evil towards their victims and are as indifferent as a natural disaster. Tears are a waste of time. The Cenobites deify supernatural hedonism. Higher pleasure comes from expanding the pain in others until they overcome sensory overload, or from torture that defies physics. As the franchise has grown, the Cenobites have fallen into a more traditionally evil philosophy.
The low-budget indie series Hellraiser is known for being a horror film with sadomasochistic demons. The plot tells of Frank Cotton, who tests his body with dangerous drugs and flirts with death with risky sex. He buys a mysterious talisman, promising that it will satisfy his insatiable lust. The box “always belonged to him,” he is told when buying from the buyers’ bazaar, be careful.
Unraveling geometric gravitational impossibilities, Frank summons the Order of Cuts, and things get weird. “I thought I had reached the limit. I didn’t do it,” he says later, as his bones are stripped of flesh. “The Cenobites gave me an incredible experience. Pain and pleasure are indivisible.”
The exchange is like selling the soul in its contractual binding foresight. In the novel, Frank confirms his wishes to the Cenobites, agreeing to give up control in order to gain enlightenment, and with the full understanding that once you submit to the Order of the Slash, it cannot be undone. After Frank reaches overload, his brother Larry and Larry’s wife Julia, who had an affair with Frank, take over the running of the house.
Cenobites are beings from other dimensions who enter Earth‘s reality through a rift in time and space that can be reached using ancient artifacts such as a puzzle box. There is no specific reference that notes that they correspond to the Judeo-Christian religions, and Eastern symbolism is mixed. Cenobitic mythology combines many sources, but is fiction. The original three “male” Cenobites (at least on screen) are Pinhead, Chatterbox, and Butterball; Deep Throat is the only original “female” Cenobite. But the designations came after the fact. Cenobites are neutral on the pages, and their gender is indeterminate.
Rebellious Cenobites
Demons, inhabitants of hell, priests, “theologians of the Order of Wounds or Cuts”, “Surgeons from the Other Side”, demonic angels, seekers of the limits of sensations – all this is about the Cenobites. Monstrous creatures, characters from the novel by Clive Barker, and the Hellraiser film series adapted from his book.
“Pain and pleasure are inextricably linked with each other”
How cenobites come to our world
Sinobites can penetrate our world only through a portal, a kind of space-time gap between the worlds – “schism”. This portal can only be opened with a special tool, such as Lemarchand’s Puzzle Box.
The first such box was created back in the eighteenth century, by the toy craftsman Philippe Lemarchand, who ordered such a work and provided a drawing – a man named Duc de Lisle, an aristocrat who practices dark magic and occult rites. De Lisle, in his palace, held a cult at the call of the devil, the box, thus, acquired magical properties and became the key to the underworld.
Since then, the box began to wander and sow evil around the world, overgrown with myths and tales that the person who solves the puzzle will give unearthly bliss and pleasure that he has never experienced. Instead, they come to the victim of their fantasies, the Cenobites who have risen from hell, beings who have long lost their human feelings, who see the true meaning of pleasures only in pain and suffering. After that, they brutally torture and subject to nightmarish torture the one who solved the puzzle, and take his soul along with them back to hell.
How to become a cenobite
As for the appearance and way of life of the Cenobites, they did not always have this. Each of them in the past was an ordinary person, an adventurer, a fool who, for one reason or another, having opened Lemarchand’s box, doomed himself to eternal torment inside another dimension.
This dimension is presented as a huge dark labyrinth, which is ruled by some all-powerful demonic entity called Leviathan. A person who has fallen into his abode, only after going through the labyrinth of pain and suffering, letting darkness and horror into his heart, completely losing humanity and all the memories associated with a past life, can earn the right to become a cenobite. After that, using his unlimited possibilities, Leviathan inhales a part of his essence into those who deserve it, making him his priest. Who, like him, revels in suffering and supplies him with new sinful souls.
How to summon cenobites?
This will require a certain artifact known as Lemarchand’s box. Outwardly, this item resembles a puzzle box, which can also transform into a double-edged crystal. A box in the shape of a cube mystically opens a passage to a parallel dimension inhabited by gloomy cenobites. In the first film, Hellraiser, it is shown that with the help of Lemarchand’s box, you can not only summon demons, but also bring them back “to their homeland.”
It is clear that the puzzle box is more of a symbol than a physical object. In other words, in order to let demons into your soul, a person must himself wish for forbidden pleasures. By the way, unlike such infernal creatures as the clown Pennywise, the cenobites have their own “code of honor”. They only come to those who called them. And they don’t take away people who didn’t know what they were doing (who were slipped the box by deceit).
Chief Cenobite Pinhead
Hellraiser Pinhead, also known as the Dark Prince of Pain, Chain and Hook Caster, Angel of Suffering, Black Priest, Lord of the Cursed Souls of Leviathan and the immortal leader of the Cenobites. The most famous and revered cenobite – Pinhead, appears in all parts of the film series, as well as more often than others, in the form of references, is found in films, music, literature, comics, etc.
The rebellious pinhead, before the transformation was the captain of the British troops, during the First World War – Elliot Spencer. During his service, he saw a lot of horror and atrocities that destroyed his taste for life and faith in people. He began to lead a dissolute life to drown out his pain. In search of new sensations, I stumbled upon one of Lemarchand’s caskets, discovering the forbidden world of suffering and pleasure.
What do cenobites look like
1. Pinhead, Pinhead (English Pinhead).
Although nails are driven into the head
The head of the order, once a British captain named Elliot Spencer. During the First World War, he took part in the battles and was completely disillusioned with humanity. Nailhead found solace in forbidden pleasures, he became the chief cenobite.
2. Nutcracker or Chatterer.
Just from the dentist
He is called the “Child of Suffering” because in human form he was born crippled and blind. He used Lemarchand’s casket to get rid of pain and anguish, but in fact he achieved the opposite effect. The Nutcracker became Pinhead’s favorite executioner, one of his distinguishing features being constantly chattering teeth.
3. Female Cenobite.
The former nun, Sister Nicoletta, could not limit herself to religion alone, she always wanted something more. Finally, she met a stranger who presented her with a gift of Lemarchand’s box. Having solved the puzzle, she got the opportunity to join the ranks of the Cenobites.
4. Fat Man, Butterball
During his lifetime, this man’s name was Laszlo, he was a “classic” depraved sinner, prone to various vices. His own depravity led him to the Cenobites, but even there he is forced to lead a semi-slavish existence. His eye sockets are sewn up, but even feeling endless torment, Laszlo gets pleasure.
5. Wall Walker, engineer.
Not a cenobite, but also a demon
The formless creature that lives in the labyrinths of Hell is not formally a cenobite. It has a tail with a spike at the end, which vaguely resembles a scorpion.
6. Dr. Philip Chenard (Eng. Channard Cenobite).
Let’s get started?
Former psychiatrist, at one time engaged in dark occult research. He became the most powerful cenobite due to the fact that he acquired a connection with Leviathan himself. He is connected to the Lord of Hell by an infinitely long tentacle that attaches to the doctor’s head.
Pinhead’s appearance and abilities
Hairless, pale in color, with symmetrical transverse and longitudinal slits, at the intersections of which pins are deeply driven in, also has large black pupils. Dressed in a black latex suit, where on the chest there is a collage of pieces of flesh, and wounds, in places of this carved flesh, and a sharp hook pierces the navel.
The main weapon and means of torture of the Prince of Pain are long chains, with attached hooks at the end, which he controls with the help of telekinesis, he also has psychic abilities.
The main weapon and means of torture of the Prince of Pain are long chains, with attached hooks at the end, which he controls with the help of telekinesis, he also has psychic abilities.
Pinhead’s Retinue
In the first two films, led by Pinhead, three more rebellious cenobites always appear, his best assistants, and loyal associates, Pinhead called his subsequent assistants “tame” and “only a pathetic parody of his former assistants”
Cenobite Nutcracker
The Nutcracker, Gnawing, Chatting Teeth, or Chatterbox is Leviathan’s favorite, as well as Pinhead’s right hand. A terrible executioner, was born blind, weak and crippled, he wanted to get rid of torment with the help of Lemarchand’s casket, but he found only indulgence of pain. A child of suffering, his face is completely disfigured by burns, on which there are no eyes, nose or ears, but only a mouth, and his lips are pulled to the sides by hooks, so his grin with continuously snapping jaws is clearly visible. Through the cuts in his clothes, the rough scars of the sutured wounds are visible.
Cenobite Woman
Cenobite Woman – Was a church minister, Sister Nicoletta, an obedient girl, with secret lust and depraved thoughts growing inside. The stranger, who was favorably sheltered by the church, felt this in her and presented Lemarchand’s box, after falling into the labyrinth, and having gone through all the torment and torture, she was able to become one of the main cenobites. The distinguishing feature is the slit, like a victim of vivisection, the neck and a metal structure that goes right through her cheeks, and with hooks that keep the wound on the neck permanently open. Also, the head is devoid of hair, pale blue skin color, the bridge of the nose is pierced through with a nail. Her main weapon is a small sharp knife resembling a saw with a hook-shaped tip.
Cenobite Fat Man
Fatty, Fatty, Butterball is a fat, sweaty monster whose eyes are hidden by dark glasses. In life, he was a loser named Lazlo. He suffered from excess weight because of his gluttony, he also had a craving for other sinful deeds and perverted pleasures. It is not surprising that such a lifestyle led him to open the box, which promised exactly what he always wanted, but when he opened it, he received only pain and a semi-slavish service as a cenobite, having resigned himself, he learned to enjoy it. Distinctive features are his fat sweaty body, mutilated beyond recognition grimace, dark glasses that hide sewn eye sockets. A deep incision in the abdomen, from which blood constantly oozes, and the hooks wrapping around its sides are hooked in such a way that the skin on the wound does not close.
Dr. Philip Channard
Separately, it should be noted one of the powerful servants of the lord of the labyrinth – Doctor Channard, a psychopath who voluntarily wanted to serve the Leviathan.
During his lifetime, he was known as Dr. Philip Channard, a famous neurologist, co-founder of the Channard Institute for Mentally Unbalanced People. Ever since childhood, I have noticed an unhealthy thirst for blood when dismembering animals. Working with mentally ill people, he used his position for his obsession with hell and uncovering the secrets of the Cenobites, putting various kinds of experiments on his patients, trying to open the portal. Getting into hell and going through the labyrinth, straight to the creator Leviathan, who decides that Chennard is worthy and remakes him into a cenobite, connecting him with himself, through an infinitely long tentacle holding the doctor by the head. Like all cenobites, he is dressed in a black leather suit, wires are wrapped around his head, cutting into his face. As an instrument of torture, he uses crawling snake-like tentacles from his palms,
At the end of the second film, there was a skirmish between Chennard and Pinhead, along with his assistants, after the latter remembered their human origin and came to the defense of Kirsty (the main character of the film). Thus going against the will of the lord Leviathan. Chennard overpowered them with ease, killing all four of them. The Pinhead was later resurrected as the “Pillar of Souls”, a sculpture that was subsequently put on display in the gallery of ancient art.
Christianization of Hellraiser
In the sequel, Julia serves as the source of this dimension’s power: Leviathan, “god of flesh, hunger, and desire.” She is not an angel. Members of the Order of the Rift tear apart new souls.
In Hellraiser 2, we learn that the Cenobites are former mortals. The Hell Priest was originally an ordinary human who discovered the Lament Configuration, passed the cenobite tests, and died shortly after World War I. Barker consulted for Epic Comics from 1989 to 1992, continuing the Hellraiser arc that fueled the mythology, and changed the philosophy.
In Hellraiser 3: Hell on Earth (1992), Pinhead was split into two halves, with his evil half bent on world domination and torturing humanity for the sake of sadistic sensations. Hellraiser: Blood Ties (1996) marked the first open connection to Western notions of evil. Demon Angelica is a succubus, princess of hell and daughter of Leviathan. Subsequent films slowly (and boringly) turned Leviathan’s Labyrinth into the fiery lake of Hell from the Book of Revolutions.
But then in Scarlet Gospels (2015), Barker also draws on Judeo-Christian mythology, favoring the New Testament as a backbone in this belated literary sequel to Hellheart. It is here that Barker officially refers to the Pinhead character as the “Hell Priest”. Barker deduces that the nails adorning the Priest were gold but have darkened.
At this point in the game, Pinhead kills practitioners of true magic in an effort to consume all sources on Earth. The Hell Priest humiliates and kills all the mages except for one, Felixon, and turns him into a slave.
Hired by the representative of one of the executed magicians, the hero of Barker’s occult detective series Harry D’Amour is sent to hell through a portal conveniently located in Manhattan. He and his special band of heroes learn that Lucifer has gone missing and a new demon civilization has taken over while he has been gone. It turns out that the devil’s throne room is his tomb. Lucifer committed suicide after God’s exile, and the Hellraiser record lives up to its title. The priest (Pinhead) claims power, blood is shed, Lucifer rises. But the cenobites fight hellions, so they can’t be demons. All the same, everything goes to hell, and Satan escapes to New York.
The cenobites are slipping into the realm of demons and angels and seem to be spreading at an alarming rate. Hellraiser maintains its own mythology, and Barker’s creatures still fulfill a darker need than just the mindless desires of a vengeful god’s servants.
It was a departure from the original concept of the Cenobites, which the 2022 film blatantly ignores. For this is the first Hellraiser movie in decades to go back to its origins, where the Cenobites offer you heaven and hell, depending on your point of view. It’s all the same poison.
- Hellraiser Movies Ranked Worst to Best
- Why is the new pinhead woman
- Ranking horror movie sequels that sent their monsters into space
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.