12 Horror Sequels You Should Die Before You See

When the producers saw the rushes of Hellraiser: Bloodline, they were aghast at an over-elaborate narrative that took place in 18th Century France, modern day New York and a on a 22nd Century spaceship. You can almost hear their objections: what kid is gonna watch a period horror film? One where the Cenobites wear fancy dress? How come Pinhead is off-screen so long? Fuhgeddaboutit!

So the period scenes were mostly junked, and when debuting director Kevin Yeager found himself unable to solve the structural problems their removal caused, he bid the Weinsteins farewell and took the billing ‘Alan Smithee.’ A more appropriate pseudonym might’ve been the one used by Harlan Ellison whenever producers screwed up his vision – ‘Cordwainer Bird’, as in ‘for the birds’.

Though certain sequences display an intent greater than to appeal to the lowest common denominator, Bloodline is a moron movie through and through, a demographic-chasing ‘product’ full of Idiot Victims, lame zingers, pointless screaming and… no, that’s it. Unless you’re making a movie as wilfully stupid as Leprechaun 4: In Space, it’s probably better if you don’t send your monster into orbit at all, lest he become a Talking Villain who’s ultimately outsmarted by a hologram.