The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker was first published in November 1986 in the third volume of his Night Visions anthology. It was re-released as a stand-alone title after the success of the movie, along with an audiobook recorded by Barker himself.

In Morocco, Frank Cotton buys a puzzle box from a dealer. In a bare attic, when Frank solves the puzzle, hooked chains emerge and tear him apart.

Frank's brother Larry cuts his hand carrying a mattress up the stairs, and lets his blood drip on the attic floor. The blood resurrects Frank as a skinless corpse.

Josef Mengele, also known as the Angel of Death, was a German Schutzstaffel (SS) officer and physician in the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. He performed deadly experiments on prisoners and was a member of the team of doctors who selected victims to be killed in the gas chambers.

The Cenobites are extra dimensional beings who can reach Earth's reality only through a schism in time and space, which is opened and closed using certain unearthly artifacts. The most common form for these artifacts is that of an inconspicuous-looking puzzle box called the Lament Configuration.

Julia, Frank's sister-in-law, agrees to bring people back for him to drain so that he can be fully restored, and they can run away together.

It's amazing what a little murder can do to soften your perspective! With a wry smile Julia says, "I've seen worse..."

Upon capturing Kirsty, Pinhead identifies himself as neither explicitly angelic or demonic, stating that he and his fellow entourage are "Explorers in the further regions of experience. Demons to some. Angels to others."

Sean Chapman played Frank with skin. Oliver Smith played him with no skin. And Andrew Robinson played him in his brother's skin.

During a post-production party after filming had ended, Doug Bradley was surprised to find the crew members ignoring him. He thought he'd gotten on rather well with the cast and crew, and it wasn't until later that he realized none of the crew recognized him because they'd never seen him without his Pinhead makeup.