Pinface and Beyond: Six Times Cenobites Appeared in Non-‘Hellraiser’ Media

I’ve always found it amazing that Clive Barker’s The Hellbound Heart spawned such a successful franchise. On paper, it seems like a psychosexual story about demonic BDSM would only connect with a niche audience, but the continued popularity of Hellraiser media proves otherwise.

That’s why it’s no surprise that Pinhead and the rest of the Order of the Gash eventually found a life of their own outside of Barker’s original work – and I’m not just talking about the franchise’s extended universe of comic-books, anthology novels and toys. Over the years, the Cenobites have made a series of non-canon appearances in a slew of other media, with some of them even popping up in works outside of the horror genre! With that in mind, we’ve decided to compile a list highlighting six Cenobite cameos from non-Hellraiser media.

For the purposes of this list, we’ll be defining “Cenobite” as any demonic character modeled after Barker’s mutilated Hell Priests. That being said, don’t forget to comment below with your own favorite Cenobite cameos if you think we missed a particularly memorable one.

With that out of the way, onto the list…

6. Toaster-Face – Venture Bros (2003)

From The Thing with Two Heads to The Craft, the seasonal special A Very Venture Halloween features direct references to all kinds of different horror media. However, one of the most memorable moments in this supernatural-themed episode occurs when we see a skinless Outrider partaking in extreme BDSM by reenacting a moment from Hellraiser alongside his ex-wife Tatyana.

Being flayed alive while hanging from chains is gruesome enough, but the scene also introduces us to the fearsome Toaster-Face, a self-explanatory Cenobite obsessed with so-called “Pleasure Toast.” While his appearance is incredibly brief, Toaster-Face has since become a favorite amongst fans due to the non-sequitur nature of this hyper-specific gag.

5. Ghastly – Ghost Master (2003)

Ghost Master may not be remembered as a hidden gem of the sixth console generation, but this mid-budget 2003 title at least gets points for going all-in on its bizarre premise. Putting players in the shoes of a literal “Ghost Master” in charge of managing hauntings, this real-time strategy/puzzle game lets you take control of spirits as you attempt to scare unsuspecting mortals.

Of course, the most memorable of these spirits has to be the Hellraiser-inspired “Ghastly,” a leather-clad demon clearly modeled after one of the most underrated Cenobites, the lovable Butterball. The developers actually liked this freakish homage so much that they originally intended for Ghastly to be the game’s main mascot, though the Hellraiser connection ultimately led to them choosing the more generic-looking “Boo” instead.

4. Pinface – The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (2001)

It’s no surprise that a show about a Grim Reaper reluctantly joining a couple of kids on their supernatural adventures would feature plenty of horror movie references, but the season seven episode The Show that Dare Not Speak Its Name takes things to the next level by dedicating its entire runtime to an kid-friendly satire of Hellraiser.

When an extremely bored Billy solves a cursed Rubix-like puzzle cube after being left home alone by Grim, the villainous “Pinface” (thus-named because of the bowling pins that adorn his head) emerges from the Netherworld alongside his demonic entourage in order to set up a house party from hell.

As if that wasn’t enough of a treat for genre fans, Pinface also happened to be voiced by John Kassir, who you may recognize as the iconic voice actor behind the original Crypt Keeper!

3. The Vathek – The Extreme Ghostbusters (1997)

While not as popular as its more movie-accurate counterpart, The Extreme Ghostbusters still had plenty of talent going on behind the scenes, with one particularly entertaining episode being the first season’s Deadline. In this spooky mystery, the GB team investigates a group of creatures inspired by the work of a horror writer named J.N. Kline (a play on Goosebumps’ R.L. Stine).

While these creatures are the result of supernatural experiments rather than demonic puzzle boxes, the monstrous Vathek are clearly meant to be Cenobite analogues, with their mutilated flesh and strange clothing making for some surprisingly freaky imagery for a cartoon supposedly aimed at children.

And here’s a fun fact: the name Vathek is derived from William Beckford’s seminal gothic novel that also happened to be one of H.P. Lovecraft’s biggest influences!

2. Fornicus– The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

It would be strange if the Cenobites didn’t make an appearance in Drew Goddard’s cult classic love letter to the horror genre. And while I won’t get into details in order to avoid spoiling this terrific horror-comedy to folks who have not yet had the pleasure of experiencing it for the first time, suffice to say that one particular sequence of The Cabin in the Woods introduces us to a familiar mutilated face.

Dressed in ragged leather clothing and gripping an ominous puzzle box (while also sporting circular saws on his scarred head), the Hell-Priest Fornicus is an obvious reference to Barker’s BDSM-inspired monsters as well as one of the coolest designs in a movie that’s already overflowing with memorable antagonists. It’s just a shame that his demonic companions barely made it into the film.

1. The Demons – Rick & Morty (2013)

From Cronenberg-inspired alternate dimensions to humorous Freddy Krueger knock-offs, Rick & Morty is no stranger to incorporating horror elements into the show’s interdimensional shenanigans. In fact, the season five episode Amortycan Grickfitti features one of the most elaborate Cenobite appearances on this list by having Rick use Jerry’s grating personality to entertain a group of pain-loving demons – a decision that ultimately leads to a hilarious rescue mission in hell.

The episode may offer a rather simplistic view on Clive Barker’s creations – as the canonical Cenobites are able to enjoy both extreme pain and pleasure – but it’s still remarkable that a mainstream comedy show would spend so much time setting up an extended homage to one of the most gruesome horror franchises of all time.

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