Open to Question - Clive Barker

[@colinpartington1562]

I admire Clive for doing this interview. It’s not far from burning the witch for having an imagination. It’s sad how people just want life to be just nice and comfortable. Thanks Clive Barker for standing out amongst the crowd and letting people like me know that we aren’t alone.

[@cimmerian5194]

Bunch of castrated idiots who live in a fantasy world, I'm surprised he was able to handle himself so well. According to the audience, no artistic freedom is allowed at all if only 1 or 2 people think that the work of art in question will perhaps make some loonie go off after consuming it xD.

[@corinelliott3596]

He's so polite and patient. His purpose is to educate more than to defend.

[@MirrorSurfer]

Hit the nail on the head.

[@quisquilianism]

"Why use metaphor, why not write to the crux of the problem?" I bet that guy had a lot of fun in literature classes.

[@RJMc819]

"WHAT'S THIS FUCKIN' POETRY SHIT?!? CAN'T UNDERSTAND A FUCKIN' WORD!!!"

[@zero15388]

@@RJMc819 😅😅

[@purplebasquiat]

LOL

[@1amjapan]

My eyes rolled so hard at that point I had to take parecetamol.

[@alejandrovillalba3143]

@@1amjapan You know, when they say "there are no stupid questions", this guy's enquiry proves them wrong

[@CulainRuledByVenus]

At 21 seconds in, I love his look of delight upon hearing his work being called the result of a diseased mind.

[@SpringerA1984]

RIGHT?!! 🤣 The glee and humor.

[@wishingwell5954]

I met him in 2001 and he made the same reaction when I told him Hellraiser warped my mind as a kid.

[@caseywilliams4459]

Audience: "We have such idiocy to show you."

[@CassiniProjekt]

That made me laugh out loud for real, thanks

[@666ZX]

10/10 comment.

[@citycrusher9308]

No, the ''audience'' you are talking about is the female half, and they aren't being idiots - they are bullying Barker - because they can (and did)

[@alexcat6480]

It is just the women there, and they are bullying.

[@GAMLAPATTE]

HAHAHAHA =DDDDDDD Funnies comment I've read in a long time!

[@Daxel101]

Fair play to Clive Barker, grilled on the spot & handled himself really well. Couldnt imagine many famous or popular ppl of this generation doing the same tbh.

[@talismanic71]

Daxel101 I was thinking the same.

[@jameslee9614]

@Ryan Jones Exactly!

[@wrath_of_thrawn2163]

@Ryan Jones when they enter their forever box

[@shannonm.townsend1232]

@Ryan Jones thank you, its the strangest phenomenon i kno

[@purpledeflector904]

Audiences are different today as well. I don’t know that today’s film viewers are as concerned about violent content as this lot were

[@GroveStream]

This should be a lesson to all outsider artists and filmmakers who are scared to show and talk about their work, fearing it will be misunderstood. Clive Barker took a seemingly stupid question and gave an intelligent and incredibly insightful answer.

[@Miicrowahvei]

Clive Barker seems really intelligent and professional. Very interesting guy.

[@marusej]

God :)))

[@StephanieLærkeAndersen]

My partner met him a few years ago and he signed her book The Thief of Always. She said he was a lovely man. Very polite and sociable.

[@reginaldforthright805]

He’s actually really boring compared to his fiction. Just an average guy.

[@heartonfire583]

He also takes it in the ass

[@scottsantana2248]

Clive, in his youth here, is so unabashedly smart and in command here. He never once is given pause, he was on fire here.

[@LamelKendrick]

he's like mid-late 30s

[@armisticeplum8292]

I love how he has such a nice teacher's attitude, he's comprehensive, answers every question and explains with cool and even humor. Such a great author.

[@SingingSteveD]

I wonder how many of these young people became Clive Barker fans? This is Clive at his very best... quick-fire questions from students in 1987 and he never once patronises or is upset by the questions. I think these questions are very valid and needed answering. I'll bet he won a lot of hearts and minds that day. #kudos.

[@shannonm.townsend1232]

I hope he won some hearts or gained some fans that day, b/c most of those questions were extremely stupid. And also very redundant..and moralistic and reductive. Credit must be given to the author for his Herculean paitience, he gave an honest + genuine + thoughtful answer to nearly every question, despite being talked over at the end iof every answer by the host

[@R4t10nal]

Gen Z here. Super Clive Barker fan

[@stephenkissane4268]

I think they had their thumb too far up their bum to become fans

[@NocturneSoul]

Such a brilliant man, one of the most interesting minds of our time. I could spend hours listening to him.

[@robmuir4460]

You could subtitle this Clive Barker vs The Moronic Inferno.

[@Bowlofhype]

+Rob Muir poor clive

[@neightneight1280]

There are a few sincere queries there.. and fair number more loaded ones, steering a religious-programmed bias toward pseudo-moral condescension. Love that he spanks every one with reason. Genuine erudite folks, though! Try watching this- and then just five mins of Jersey Shore, TOWIE, etc

[@JarodRebuck]

Clive’s exhaustive answering to these fucktards serves as a foreboding antecedent to his throat polyps which he endured later in life.

Jarod RR That’s both horrible and hilarious.

[@daltoncox3421]

0:20, the joy in his face from hearing that his stories r so deeply unsettling that he must be insane. Clive Bakrer is and will always be legendary.

[@thiscorrosion900]

Most of the later "Splatter" horror writers far outdid Mr. Barker in being over the top 24/7, and much of their work er, doesn't even touch Barker's level of sophistication. Most of this hysteria was just that, hysteria and hype. Most of Barker's work isn't even graphic or gory, maybe some of it is. It really amazes me how 'dainty" most of the public is in relation to horror or weird fiction or films, but they refuse to believe that the Holocaust happened, or Cambodia, atrocities in the real world that no piece of horror fiction could ever hope to touch, as Barker alludes to in this very interview. People don't want to seem to face that the Earth isn't a very nice place, there is no God, there's no supernatural bullshit, and that the human potential for evil is very vast indeed. That's part of what Barker is getting at here, but that horror and weird fiction at their highest level, tries to deal with these things through art and enertainment so that we all don't become serial killers or whatever. If you get desensitized after watching one of his films, or even a masterpiece like Schindler's List or The Pianist (about real world horrors of course), well, it's probably more about YOUR OWN issues than the piece itself or the influence upon you, thereof.

[@adambazso9207]

​@@thiscorrosion900Exactly. And if somebody does something violent because he/she watched a movie, it's his/her inner demons which caused this and not the work of fiction.

[@chaosmos24]

Barker is really quick on his feet, and I appreciate how gentle he was when he pushed back on the audience. Great questions as well. This level of discourse would be rare on a program about movies today.

[@natew5593]

They ask him the same question 20 different ways, so props to Barker for being able to keep defending his stance in new ways throughout

[@andrewtm85]

I love Clive Barker's ideas for horror. They were different for the time period. I remember when I first saw "Night Breed", totally blew my mind. Not to mention "Hellraiser" which just speaks for itself.

[@stormcorrosion176]

andrewtm85 truly my friend

[@rayswoop4947]

Yes

[@tailong9548]

Agree. C. Barker was the cosmic horror mastermind of his time. I always wanted more of the conversation Atreyu and Gmork share in 'The Neverending Story'. I feel Hellraiser came closest to that vibe. Hellraiser 2 but only the first half (LOL). I wish studio execs appreciated guys like Barker more.

What makes me really like this video is how well Clive handled the questioning. He came across as *very* intelligent, self-aware, humble, earnest, and confident. He explained everything very clearly and without impatience, arrogance, or malice. I’ve seen him talk with peers and he addressed these ignorant people with the same level of respect. The whole time, he looked genuinely curious and interested in what they had to say. He never faltered once. I’ve not seen too many people handle themselves this way, and it’s most impressive. I find him fascinating. I’d love to sit and talk with him someday.

[@circlebird8765]

The way that he answers these young people makes me think that he would have been a terrific teacher

[@ramseycampbell4003]

To be honest, many of those questions are the kind of thing we're often asked.

[@Bowlofhype]

+Ramsey Campbell Hopefully today people see and accept and understand things a bit differently.

[@hahnkf8111]

They’re good questions, really pure

[@Silent_bob_strikes_back]

Ramsey Campbell... revalations of glaa’ki, never thought I’d find you here dude!!!!

[@Silent_bob_strikes_back]

I find these questions quite naive, some people will never see the beauty in grotesque, to cross the limits of being a “virtuous thinker” or a “holy mind” would make you a hedonist to like horror, to stay in a comfortable little safe bubble where only your god can judge you. No that’s just not reality.

[@jamesc.7147]

Hope you are well sir

[@tonycairns6728]

Thanks for this. I saw it on TV when 1st broadcast. He's miles ahead of his questioners, and his early horror stories are still brilliant.

[@talismanic71]

Clive is a breath of fresh air. I love his responses in here. I was watching some of the leviathan hellraiser documentary and everyone that encountered him thought he was absolutely brilliant, very funny, and cool person to be around. I admire him he is a true creative genius!

[@hardliner7964]

I've seen politicians who weren't as good on their feet as Clive was in this interview defending his works. Clearly no one in this audience was a horror fan.

[@pearljam619]

How times have changed. People who disagree but talking and listening to each other not shouting and calling each other makes and throwing accusations. Clive holds himself so well here. Looks very different nowadays but still articulates himself with intelligence and humility. My favourite horror author.

[@generalsavage4103]

Hahaha could you imagine Ben Shapiro interviewing Wes Craven

[@generalsavage4103]

Yeah he looks very different nowadays this was 50 f****** years ago you oh my God he looks like a puppy

[@ketchupkatsup9805]

He handled the audience's stupidity with intelligence, prose and grace. Barker is a legend.

[@applejax1017]

Everything is have read or seen by Clive Barker has been cathartic for me in a way, and as someone with PTSD (processing disorder) catharsis is to be cherished!

[@mark-esper]

This is a video for the ages. I love how Clive deconstructs and defends his position with equal clarity and humour. Such a sharp, sharp mind.

[@robertoxmaynard]

Clive is a fucking superstar here. Handling it like a pro in the face of such silly questions is ace.

[@TalentSpotter83]

They're not silly just because you find them disagreeable. They provoked an interesting discussion and are perfectly valid. He never once disapraged the audience or their questions.

[@thegreatsiberianitch]

​@@TalentSpotter83When they've been asked for the 3rd time it's a bit silly

[@martinowings3597]

Reading Imajica now and realizing what a genius this man is. Fascinating interviews and a fascinating book!

[@roaringscot]

Nicely handled by Barker. The spirit of Scottish Calvinism was strong with these ones...

[@evenflow5491]

That little smile he has at the start, Clive Barker is adorable

[@themoroseghost]

He's got such a great voice.

[@tedlicious]

Had.

[@markstanton63]

themoroseghost He looks quite like a young Paul McCartney ..... Both from the same neck of the woods.

[@frankie2936]

@@markstanton63 Yea that's what I was thinking! They might be distant cousins. 😂

[@colindurrant7122]

Clive Barker responded to every question respectfully and honestly. I admire that in him, especially since a lot of time was wasted in members of the audience essentially asking the same question over and over again but in a different way. It does amuse me though how someone can comment on his works ( the woman who had never seen Hellraiser ) without having the decency and respect for Clive to actually experience some of his art.

[@skyrocketautomotive]

So eloquent, what a guy! Especially in the face of so many people who simply didn't get it. Thanks for uploading this, I'm fairly new to Clive Barker (One of the few horror authors I missed out on from this period when I was younger) and he really does seem like a fascinating guy!

[@cks7372]

He did wonderful job on not making these people look as stupid as some of their questions really are!

[@raymond942]

He comes across as hugely intelligent in this.... and what a genius imagination to have done the stuff he has ...

[@stephenvelez9710]

These people don't deserve the thorough depth he is providing them. Clive is delivering a masterclass in staying above the fray. Thank you, Fango, for linking this today.

[@plungecomics]

Interesting to watch this and hear questions from kids who hadn't seen the movie but had already made up their mind about what someone should or shouldn't do in fiction writing or fiction cinema. I've watched and read Barker books and films since I was 16yrs old and it has helped with my own creativity for the past 30yrs. Nightbreed/Cabal is one of my all time faves.

[@coreyshelp6463]

your questioning will be legendary Even in hell.....

[@javiergonzalez1393]

Corey Shelp lmao!

[@VV-ib9bb]

hahaha, love it lol

[@captainbeastazoid7084]

Wonderful presence. A well-spoken, clear, thinker.

[@clinthutchcroft2342]

I was born the year this was recorded, and Mr. Barker did a very good job openly answering these questions. His comments about "culture heroes" is very insightful.

[@LucasFerreira-ep3pl]

I loved this video so much!!!!!

[@megaky00]

The lunatics are in the audience; Clive's the smart, safe one.

[@nickross7922]

I'd love Clive Barker 2020 to revisit this programme and hear his musings on the attitude of this audience and where we are now

[@KolyaNickD]

An extraordinarily colourful intellect - we are so lucky he has shared such an imagination with us.

[@ledjarde]

Thanks for uploading this, never seen it before. He's such an eloquent, clear speaker, even when faced with some very repeatative questioing.

[@bakedrigatoni1344]

I love the way his face lights up after "to produce storylines that some say can only be produced by a diseased mind"

[@penitentialarts]

Keep in mind that the audience was primarily young people who had been inundated with a lot of public speculation (and some propaganda) about "video nasties" for several years before appearing in this video. Mary Whitehouse - a conservative Christian - had formed the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association, which put a lot of pressure on the government and media to censor horror movies. This was in the same decade that saw the "Satanic Panic" stuff in the U.S. Without access to the Internet, it was a lot harder to do your own research on such things. Not everyone in Great Britain at the time agreed with all of that, but the audience in this interview were made up of people who were young enough to still be fairly naive about things. The "video nasty" stuff was being pushed by all the authority figures of the time, from government and media to the church and parents. Though a lot of their questions seem ridiculous or harassing by modern standards, chances are they were being sincere, echoing the fears of their time.

[@reginaldforthright805]

They actually sound just like modern sjws. This is because most people of every era are sheep.

[@astrothsknot]

as well as likely being a hand picked, deliberately biased audience for what ever reasons of the producers.

[@doctorsocrates4413]

My favourite contemporary author...hope he is wel!.

[@briantaulbee5744]

A young woman at the 18:00 mark asks whether things like blood, sex, gore, and violence are necessary for horror, and Mr. Barker answers that they are not, that there was a strand in the late 19th century and continuing into the 20th that didn't require those elements, but he's not good at that kind of horror. First, applause to Mr. Barker for his self-deprecation (and his general wit and humor throughout the whole interview). Second, to get a sense of what he's referring to, I'd recommend the works of Robert Aickman. He wrote stories that were unbelievably uncanny and terrifying, all without any whiff of the old sex or ultraviolence. Well, mostly...unlike Lovecraft, Aickman's protagonists occasionally get laid.

[@dark_natas_666]

Mr. Barker is unapologetic and straightforward. Literary hero.

[@levelofsnipes7378]

I’m aware of Clive Barker as a horror writer but never knew what he looked like. This is the complete opposite of what I was expecting

[@cicolasnage5684]

He’s not a horror writer, he has written horror and written it very well but he has written childrens books, fantasy, science fiction, romance, magical realism, poetry as well as fantastical books of paintings. The man is much more than a genre.

[@GabrielBarbaro]

Wow, he was so patient.

[@J_Ramir3z]

I think Clive Barker handled all the questions with grace and respect and shared his opinions very well 👌🏼

[@rickjoslin9648]

The damnation game. My all time fav book. Brilliant man!!

[@courtenez001]

definitely my favourite novel by him

[@fstgeorge]

The man is a legend. I don’t understand why each of the students questions are usually so harassing or trying to elicit a certain response, and then he responds in a incredible way every time.

[@ennbee2051]

He'll tear your questions APART!! And he did.

[@queenmotherbug]

Clive Barker dealt with those biased, not always rational, questions from teenagers very calmly and eloquently. It's weird to me-- I got to meet him at a book signing when I was about the same age as the kids in this video (in the late '90s), and I'd been a huge fan of his strange, dark writing for several years. The teens in the audience seem very immature, parroting back more conservative, anti-horror rhetoric that make them sound sadly ignorant. I doubt any of them actually saw Hellraiser or read any of Clive's books! I wonder if any of the audience members would appreciate his work if they'd given it a chance.

[@rayswoop4947]

Man you nailed it

[@thegreatsiberianitch]

It looks like their youth groups or concerned parents groups coached them, lol...

[@truthseeker3503]

Clive is a class act

[@liamxmail]

That face during the intro that he made tho absolutely phenomenal... gwerp

[@copolar]

This people are so vanilla it hurts, i wish i could see their reaction watching saw or the midnight meat train.

[@taykitrleevitt4314]

They lived in a time, where taboos were treated like taboos - not allowed to question anything; they are a product of a failed education system and an upbringing of subservient domesticity. Barker was given the freedom to explore his imagination and it's clear to see who came out better, when looking at intellectual development.

[@TheHqppy]

Theses kids may seem vanilla, but i kinda wish to go back in time and be one of them just to see what it was to be so innocent. I spend my youth watching horror movies since a kid and i can't really say it was good for me...

[@copolar]

@@TheHqppy I spent my youth watching horror movies too, and its a big part of who I am today, I wouldn't want it any other way tbh, im sorry your experience wasnt positive tho.

[@henryclamore4791]

The difference is that saw is a terrible movie, the definition of what Clive lambasts as "cheap thrills" whereas Hellraiser is grotesque but high art, and Clive is clearly has ten times the IQ than anybody peddling that porncorn pulp does.

[@Filterite5]

Hahaha I know right 😂

[@filipeparaguassu7583]

Homão lindo demais! Com certeza um dos meus autores favoritos, e uma grande inspiração!

[@ldlanobubblegumsoda7936]

Are those robots in the audience?

[@RJMc819]

Yes. I believe so.

[@stormtrooper1823]

Gamer After Midnight Of course not. Robots are smarter.

[@pauldonvito8270]

no, just British.

[@allansmith6715]

This is 30 years ago. People would actually talk and question things and their value without the fear of being called morons pricks or prudes. It was a different time.

Paul Donvito They’re not British. Check the accents again.

[@cyborghobo7847]

Wow that opening music is just amazing.

[@groovynut222]

I feel so sorry for those kids - they've been brought up by Thatcher and Mary Whitehouse

[@wrath_of_thrawn2163]

@pete best pure emotional outrage, you sound like some of the idiots in that crowd

[@Mi11imani]

He is brilliant - as always :) A genius!

[@quixotiq]

so impressive, even decades later

[@herinethoroughly1287]

He literally answers the “cheap thrills” so well and so often, it’s frustrating they’re not listening to listen but to respond

[@alexgrinder8389]

Such a smart guy. Real talent.

[@spandexraygun5325]

30.33 point was the most interesting question asked of Barker throughout this whole interview.

[@TerpeneProfile1]

Love Clive Barker and his unique imagination.

[@spencerjbbran]

You can tell, a great many of these people went in just loathing his material, not because they had actually even seen or read any of it, but because that's what their parents said and that's what their parents believed. It's quite apparent that only a percentage of these people had actually even bothered to watch or read any of his work. I will say, however, that the red haired lad in the front row, who asked if Clive wrote for entertainment or for people to confront their fears, had a great question. Then the one named Peter, who asked if Clive felt that he should have been born in another time where people did believe in it all, had a good question as well. That exchange between Peter and Clive was adorable! Peter seemed to really enjoy it. I think he admired Clive a great deal, so it was adorable to see the two chuckling together. I'd also like to say that Clive would be disappointed to know, that I was watching Horror films on VHS since the age of two, and the Hellraiser series in particular on VHS since the age of six or seven. They were just so great!

[@betwixttheunknown5359]

Damn, he's very good looking. That voice is absolutely exquisite.

[@accordingtohonda4308]

Clive is far too intelligent for these kids and I think for most people in general. Great Video, thanks!

[@shannonm.townsend1232]

Those teens were insufferable. CB was so patient with them, god bless him.

[@pub666pub]

I love listening to this Clive!

[@Samiod131]

Such repartee, with such sensitivity and patience... brilliance!

[@l.n.9392]

Thanks for posting this. A great quality encode.

[@ZombieBiohazard]

“If it’s just a metaphor why was it banned in Canada?” “Have you seen the movie?” “No” “Ok” 💀

[@johngledhill6209]

The girl who stated that Clive Barker 'shared the same macabre tastes as Myra Hindley and Ian Brady' because he said he likes watching autopsies was downright offensive! This was before the internet, but if it were now, I could point her towards Bizarre ER on KZbin.

[@anthonylenagh3514]

Clive Barker is one hell of a smart man. I remember seing Hellraiser for the first time and loving it, but it was nothing compared to reading the Hellbound heart a few years later. The questions he gets here really reflect a time when violence in media (not least in horror) was a big thing. Clive defended his point of view in a great way and stayed polite. Few people would have :)

[@CrodolookslikeFrody]

Clive is such a patient and calm dude

[@filmusikchannel7596]

Barker an Idol!

[@steverutledge495]

Clive's face at 0:20 is a classic! - he was a very handsome fella!

[@evanlusmann2689]

Clive is so intelligent. I love some of his work

[@halfbreed1426]

Handled masterfully.

[@Tchernobog]

love these behind the scenes clips

[@number4230]

The audience were either given questions to read out or they are just prudes.

[@edmund184]

it was amazing how conservative the young people were on this show.

[@jeremyjames1659]

I guarantee they were given the questions by the producers.

[@Jay-mu4xl]

Wow, Clive really shows how much of a pro he is sitting there and taking these shallow questions and people scrutinising not only his livelihood but his art

[@doggaroo6435]

They keep trying to trap and corner him with the questions and he just comes back at them with cool calm logic. I think towards the end some of them were actually getting quite angry that they hadn’t managed to get to him and time was running out. Clive Barker is such a legend!

[@contactkeithstack]

11:10 LOL that escalated quickly.

[@joaquinparra1540]

Clive Barker = Genius

[@nickmoran1]

I feel like reading Clive Barker just to escape to violence and horror available through phones.

[@kyleyork6811]

Weaveworld is one of my favorite novels, my personalized signed copy is one of my cherished possessions. He was such a nice gentleman, talked 30 minutes about art and Doctor Who.

[@Marco-fb6wd]

A very intelligent Man. I really enjoyed reading his Books of blood.

[@willa5551]

fantastic! clive had great answers to all their questions

[@watchALLthethings]

After about 25 minutes, I'd have lost my shit and left. Great patience this guy has.

[@thiscorrosion900]

I met Barker in 1990 or so when Nightbreed came out and he was doing a promo. tour for the film and other things. He's definitely not someone that seems like he'd ever lose his shit easily, that much I can tell you, even from that brief encounter. His "aura" was of a very high-energy, positive, upbeat, gallant, witty and funny guy. I can't even imagine him losing his shit, he's too intelligent to do so, especially with a crowd of yobbos like this. They're all outmatched and they know it.

[@guitarsz]

He’s so smart and eloquent.

[@SKULLDUSTPRESS]

Did they release a toxic gas among this audience that ate away their brains?

[@gv105468]

The way he speaks is just as excellent as the way he writes this being the reason he is my favorite author. He is a better writer then Stephen king, yes I said it.

[@Dopeymanthing]

You said it cos its true.kings writing i literally read as a young child barkers was too hard for me back then. I tried barker as an adult and he is phenomenal, very o intelligent writing and not afraod to touch on some dark matters. Just finished rawhead rex damn it was good.

[@irishcountryman4866]

Have you ever read Richard Laymon?

[@sidjohnson9413]

"Why use metaphor, why not write to the crux of the problem?" he says to a gay writer in the 80s