Only One Horror Icon Beat Jason's Kill Count - But It Didn't Last
When thinking of Pinhead from Hellraiser (1987), slasher might be the first thing that comes to mind, even though his character makes little sense in fitting with the horror subgenre. Pinhead is a methodical torturer who rarely gets his hands dirty, but one film changed all of that.
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992) elevated Pinhead to a whole new level, and it came from a desire to one-up another iconic slasher, Jason Voorhees. Not only did he succeed back in the '90s, but he also held the title of highest kill count until Jason came back with a vengeance and moved the needle even higher.
'Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth' Took Things to the Next Level For the Franchise
In In Search of Darkness 1990-1994: A Journey Into Iconic '90s Horror (2024), Pinhead actor Doug Bradley told a story in which he and Kane Hodder had a friendly feud where Hodder claimed that Pinhead wasn't a real slasher. Compared to Jason Voorhees, Hodder was right. However, Bradley wanted to make sure there wasn't a single doubt that Pinhead was a slasher too.
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth was Bradley's answer and followed a club owner who buys the Pillar of Souls Pinhead was trapped in. As he absorbs the energy of humans, Pinhead regains enough power to come out of the Pillar as a fully evil embodiment of himself. This also leads to a massacre in the owner's club, The Boiler Room.
During the scene, Pinhead uses his abilities to massacre dozens of club patrons in violent ways, while also creating new Cenobites in the process. While we don't see the full massacre, blood pools out from under the doors. While Pinhead isn't as active a killer as Jason, he still racked up a wicked body count that made him the only slasher at the time with such a massacre. This also solidified Pinhead's legacy and Hellraiser as something more than a supernatural horror franchise.
'Jason X' Ensured No Slasher Would Ever Beat Jason Voorhees in Kills Ever Again
To be fair, Pinhead's rise and claiming of the slasher kill count trophy came during a low point in the Friday the 13th franchise. Jason hadn't had a true moment in the genre since Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989), and, at that point, his methods were somewhat played out. With Chucky and Freddy Krueger now taking center stage, it wasn't about the shock of the kill so much as how supernatural they could get.
As Pinhead balanced both ideas to deliver some great kills in Hellraiser III, Jason Voorhees was waiting. When Jason X (2001) hit theaters, it marked the end of the character's legacy that started back in the early '80s. But Jason made sure to go out with a bang, being cryogenically frozen and thawed out in the distant future. Now we see Jason killing people in a new century, after he's taken to space and given futuristic upgrades.
But what makes this movie so important is that by killing one pilot meant to dock with a nearby space station, he made the ship crash into its destination and effectively kill hundreds to thousands of denizens. With a massive explosion, Jason blew the slasher kill count out of the water and claimed his trophy, with little chance of it being topped anytime soon.
Friendly Competition Makes Slasher Movies Better
Horror franchises, and slasher movies specifically, feel like a mixed universe. While some films and comics suggest they're connected in some way, that's not the case. It's the community that helped these characters endure, and because the actors behind these names can communicate and compare notes.
Bradley and Hodder's discussion led to Hellraiser getting more attention than ever in the '90s and an outrageous slasher massacre that defined the villain. In turn, Jason reentered the spotlight just long enough to reclaim his throne and show just how outrageous slasher movies can get. The lesson is that what makes these franchises feel so incredible is also why we have so many movies in general.
It's all about collaboration and friendly competition. The fans, the cast, and the crew wonder which characters are stronger, which is why we have a movie like Freddy vs. Jason (2003). In turn, we see a horror subgenre grow and evolve thanks to the community. Slasher movies don't need as much praise as they get, but without competition, what started with basic killers likely never would've reached the heights of Leatherface, Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and, of course, Pinhead.
