Hellraiser is an absolute all-timer. We all know that. It’s nasty, sexy, dangerous, and chock-full of genuine lore that merits an annual rewatch at the very least. I recently had mine for October, the best way to augur in the Halloween season, and yeah, it still rips. They all do, honestly, and I’m even one of the three people who don’t mind Revelations all that much. It’s glorious, too, that we’re living in an age of the Hellraiser revival. We got a pretty solid 2022 reboot and a survival horror video game poised to release sometime next year. Yes, finally—a horror IP game that isn’t asynchronous multiplayer!

So, while diving back into Clive Barker’s classic, I uncovered a strange piece of lore that I’ve become absolutely obsessed with. So, I want you to think back to a time when movies had genuine home video releases. Today, it’s either a boutique label or bust, bust being the barest bones possible release. Prey on DVD? Fine, I guess, but come on. Older releases were packed with premium bonus features, and sure enough, an ancient Hellraiser home video release came packaged with one of the strangest features of all time. So, go stream Hellraiser for free now, and then read on to hear about a pretty gnarly special feature.

Per Tubi: A couple’s new home awakens a bloody secret, drawing Pinhead and the Cenobites as an unfaithful wife risks everything to resurrect her dead lover.

Hellraiser rocks. You know what else rocks? Home shopping. No chance those two ever come together. Right? Wrong. On the first Hellraiser VHS and Betamax tapes, a very special bonus feature was included. Back in 1987, you could watch a Hellraiser-themed home shopping show and actually purchase branded merchandise from the movie. You could get mugs, shirts, hats, and even a duffel bag, which I’m desperate to track down. Viewers were prompted to either mail their order in or call the listed number.

And it’s not a gag. It was a real thing. Just pop in your Betamax and visit the bowels of Hell for some of the coolest Hellraiser merchandise you’ve ever seen. How cool? I wish more modern releases would come packaged with some sick special features just like that. Until then, I guess I’ve gotta track a Betamax player down. Let’s go.

What do you think? Any plans to revisit Hellraiser this Halloween? What other special features have been forgotten over time? Share your deep cuts with me over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.

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