10 Best Anti-Valentine's Day Movies

Given how iconic Doug Bradley's Pinhead became, it's often forgotten that the real central narrative thrust of Clive Barker's 1987 horror classic is the forbidden desire of middle-aged wife Julia (Clare Higgins) for her brother-in-law Frank, a bad boy hedonist whose search for pleasure leads him into the hands of the demonic Cenobites, who leave him less than half the man he was, literally.

Higgins gives a wonderful performance, by turns sympathetic and contemptible, as the unfulfilled second wife of Andrew Robinson's Larry. Longing for the thrill she felt with Frank some years earlier, Julia cannot resist the opportunity to enjoy it again - even if it means she has to kill a succession of men to feed to Frank, in order for him to return to his full human form.

The real stinger of it all is, while Julia thinks - or, at least, deludes herself - that she's betraying her husband and committing murder because real love exists between her and Frank, the reality is that Frank does not reciprocate her feelings, and is simply manipulating her to get what he wants.

Not the most optimistic look at the things we do for love; but then, we shouldn't go anticipating anything too upbeat from a movie centred on a bunch of otherworldly sadomasochists who tear their victims limb from limb with hooks and chains.