Author Bio: Clive Barker
What comes to mind when you hear the name “Clive Barker”? For me the first thing that pops into my mind is “pinhead” but this amazing writer, director, and artist is so much more than his most famous villain both in books and film. “Clive Barker” could possibly be one of the most underrated talents of our generation but that is only my opinion. With his impact on modern horror/fantasy in art, film, and literature he is perhaps this generation’s “H.P. Lovecraft” without having to wait for it posthumously. His influence on the rising talent is prevalent and his works have inspired me a million times over. Let me introduce you to this out of the box artist and maybe, in the end, you will feel the same way I do…
“Clive Barker’s” early life would be the catalyst and inspiration for his future works…
“Clive Barker” was born in England in October of 1952 to a very middle-class family. Much like every middle-class family the Barker’s found ways to make ends meet and one of those ways was by renting out rooms in their home. This would expose young Clive to the world of theater as many of the renters were theater workers and this would start “Clive Barker’s” journey into the arts. But perhaps the most impactful event in “Clive Barker’s” young life was his attendance at the tragic death of a skydiver. He was present and witnessed the gruesome death. You can see the impact in his works through his fascination with the morbid things in life. As Clive grew he would find a love for writers such as “Edgar Allan Poe” and many others in the horror genre. He eventually would take all those influences with him to the University of Liverpool where he studied Philosophy and English. After college Clive would continue his love affair with theater and the group that he worked with continued to do plays until the early 1980s.
After the theater troop went their own ways “Clive Barker” would begin to introduce his artistry to the world…
“Clive Barker” published his first body of work in 1984 with the short story collection “Books of Blood vol. 1–3”. With this compilation, “Clive Barker” launched himself into the world of horror/fantasy writing world with a bang. His books often find themselves riding in that dark fantasy rollercoaster. His use of vivid description, visceral horror and erotic tinged violence are his trademarks. He uses his nightmares and dreams to create his worlds this is a different method than that used by a lot of his peers who often use life to drive their imagination. Much like “Lovecraft”, “Clive Barker” creates a world of fantasy that is unlike anything else offered in literature today and his brilliance shines not only in short stories and novels, but comic books, graphic novels, and screenplays.
Many of “Clive Barker’s” stories find their ways to the silver screen…
Though I love literature my first love is film and truthfully my first introduction into the fantastically morbid mind of “Clive Barker” was with the iconic horror film “Hellraiser”. After being subjected to this film (I know subjected seems like a bad word but there is no other word that can best describe my first experience watching this film…and by the way I loved it.). Backward as I often am I then rushed to read his written pieces and found a sincere love for his diabolical mind as it is almost like I found a kindred soul. His imaginative use of torment and detailed descriptions of terror makes his writing perfect for transitioning to the world of Hollywood. Though “Hellraiser”, based o is novel “Hellbound Heart” was not his first film it is definitely the one that launched his career into the atmosphere. With the success of this film, he decided to follow this path and soon found himself, throughout the ’80s up until today, focusing on his film career.
If you have never read or seen any of “Clive Barker’s” works here’s why I think you’re missing out…
If you haven’t guessed I am a pretty big “Clive Barker” fan and think more people should give him the credit he is due but that is only my opinion. His writing style is unique and imaginatively descriptive and though I am much more about his films I can not suggest you check out some of his actual written works. If you love the detail and the world of “dark fantasy” then “Clive Barker’s” fabulously gore-laden worlds could be the morbid jaunt through torture torment and evil you are looking for.
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