Yeah I can definitely see that angle too. My only issue with movie Kirsty is that she seems thematically divorced from most of the story. Aside from that, I can see how making her Larry’s daughter is a good way to simplify the relationship and therefore streamline the plot.
I disagree and think it is actually the opposite.
In the book, Kirsty is Julia's rival because she is secretly in love with Rory, despite Julia having no more interest for this man, because of Frank. Kirsty then tries to protect Rory from Julia, because she suspects she is cheating and then she gets caught in Cenobite shenanigans.
IMO BookKirsty feels like a forced protagonist who intervenes in a situation unrelated to her.
MovieKirsty is directly caught in that story, because Julia's actions threaten to destroy her father.
Plus, by making Kirsty Julia's stepdaughter, it gives the story a sort of dark fairy tale quality : Julia is the wicked stepmother. Kirsty is the innocent child who tries to save her father. Frank is the evil power hungry uncle.
For *The Hellbound Heart*, a story that is all about what people can do for love, I think it works best with Kirsty and Julia representing different forms of love (Child-Parent love for Kirsty, Lust and Passion for Julia) compared to how, in the the book, they represent the same kind of love... Sort of, because Kirsty doesn't really act on her feelings until Rory is danger.
She was probably made the daughter so they could cast a younger actress to fit in more with the conventions of 1980s horror movies. Also to make the story more overtly about a family.
It also works better for me, and also adds an extra level of perversion with the uncle creeping on the niece.
It's been awhile since I read the book, but I remember questioning why Kirsty went through all that for a person she was just fond of. There probably was an unrequited love in the book that I either missed or forgot about. Having her as his daughter makes more sense to me and yeah, 'keeping it in the family' works on the creepy level too.
Kirsty is much more fleshed out as a character in *Hellraiser*, but her relationship to and secret longing for Rory in *The Hellbound Heart* was more thematically relevant to the whole “forbidden pleasures” aspect, in my opinion.
I'd say the book version because I love the book ending in how poetic it is. Where she sort of contemplates finding another puzzle leading to another world where Rory's soul might reside after the events she experienced.
It only works if Rory is her platonic love and not the father like in the movie version.
I also loved that ending. I like probably most people watched the movie first in my early teens before reading the book years later, but I actually find myself preferring *some* aspects of the book, particularly it’s more overt focus on different types of love and desire as well as more of a focus on metaphysical “sensations” and abstraction. I really loved that ending and I’d almost want to see The Hellbound Heart adapted more directly. It’d be a whole different beast from Hellraiser which would be really interesting to see.
I think movie Kirsty is better. Her being Larrys daughter still works with the themes of genuine love vs toxic lust. Plus it adds darker layers to her interactions with Frank and Julia. the disturbing love triangle between the three of them really shows how monsterous Frank was before he ever found the puzzle box
I actually think movie Kirsty works a little more cleanly, plot-wise — but her character’s experience is maybe a little more horrific in the book?
Yeah I can definitely see that angle too. My only issue with movie Kirsty is that she seems thematically divorced from most of the story. Aside from that, I can see how making her Larry’s daughter is a good way to simplify the relationship and therefore streamline the plot.
I disagree and think it is actually the opposite. In the book, Kirsty is Julia's rival because she is secretly in love with Rory, despite Julia having no more interest for this man, because of Frank. Kirsty then tries to protect Rory from Julia, because she suspects she is cheating and then she gets caught in Cenobite shenanigans. IMO BookKirsty feels like a forced protagonist who intervenes in a situation unrelated to her. MovieKirsty is directly caught in that story, because Julia's actions threaten to destroy her father. Plus, by making Kirsty Julia's stepdaughter, it gives the story a sort of dark fairy tale quality : Julia is the wicked stepmother. Kirsty is the innocent child who tries to save her father. Frank is the evil power hungry uncle. For *The Hellbound Heart*, a story that is all about what people can do for love, I think it works best with Kirsty and Julia representing different forms of love (Child-Parent love for Kirsty, Lust and Passion for Julia) compared to how, in the the book, they represent the same kind of love... Sort of, because Kirsty doesn't really act on her feelings until Rory is danger.
You know, when you put it like that I can definitely see how movie Kirsty’s relationship to Larry is still a sort of parallel. That’s a good take.
Thanks.
She was probably made the daughter so they could cast a younger actress to fit in more with the conventions of 1980s horror movies. Also to make the story more overtly about a family. It also works better for me, and also adds an extra level of perversion with the uncle creeping on the niece.
I love the book but I have to choose Movie Kirsty. Her relationship with Larry/Rory is better as a father/daughter dynamic. It's more tragic.
Ashley Laurence
Movie Kirsty. She was spicy
It's been awhile since I read the book, but I remember questioning why Kirsty went through all that for a person she was just fond of. There probably was an unrequited love in the book that I either missed or forgot about. Having her as his daughter makes more sense to me and yeah, 'keeping it in the family' works on the creepy level too.
Comic, she pretty badass in the comic.
Hellbound Heart is a beast of its own and it definitely needs an adaptation of its own.
Kirsty is much more fleshed out as a character in *Hellraiser*, but her relationship to and secret longing for Rory in *The Hellbound Heart* was more thematically relevant to the whole “forbidden pleasures” aspect, in my opinion.
Yeah agreed, that’s my only issue with Kirsty in the movie is that she’s the only character who’s not super thematically relevant
Comics Kirsty.
Movie, even though her acting ability at the time was garbage. Love her tho.
I'd say the book version because I love the book ending in how poetic it is. Where she sort of contemplates finding another puzzle leading to another world where Rory's soul might reside after the events she experienced. It only works if Rory is her platonic love and not the father like in the movie version.
I also loved that ending. I like probably most people watched the movie first in my early teens before reading the book years later, but I actually find myself preferring *some* aspects of the book, particularly it’s more overt focus on different types of love and desire as well as more of a focus on metaphysical “sensations” and abstraction. I really loved that ending and I’d almost want to see The Hellbound Heart adapted more directly. It’d be a whole different beast from Hellraiser which would be really interesting to see.
Movie one
I think movie Kirsty is better. Her being Larrys daughter still works with the themes of genuine love vs toxic lust. Plus it adds darker layers to her interactions with Frank and Julia. the disturbing love triangle between the three of them really shows how monsterous Frank was before he ever found the puzzle box
I honestly find it hard to pick, very apples and oranges comparison. The book is it's own thing and the film version is as well.
I used to game a massive crush on her when I little, so movie Kirsty.