20 Huge Horror Movie Hits NOBODY Expected

On paper, Hellraiser really didn't seem like the sort of horror movie that'd get the masses packed into multiplexes. 

This was a low-budget $1 million horror based on a very niche novella - Clive Barker's The Hellbound Heart - released the year prior, with no major stars attached and Barker working as first-time director. But above all else, Hellraiser was a body horror film with an emphasis on extreme gore, while revolving around extradimensional entities with a penchant for sadomasochism.

None of this screamed "mainstream hit", and yet, Hellraiser went on to gross $30 million globally - a testament to the film's overpowering originality in an era known for me-too slasher flicks.

It was also distinguished by its striking visuals and Doug Bradley's superbly menacing performance as Pinhead, and while its success spawned a franchise now consisting of 11 films, not one of them has matched the original's critical or commercial appeal.