This was an attempt to account for one particular on-screen movement, the rotation of alternating prisms along the vertical axis seen in the first three films. Just right click and open the image in another tab to access the full-size graphic.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Hellraiser Cube Internal Gearing
One of the things I enjoyed about the Hellraiser Mythos is that the puzzle cube is an impossible object. For it's clockwork mechanism to actually work the way it's depicted on screen the gearing has to exist in an n-dimensional space. The internal mechanism must have parts that slide in and out of 3-dimensional space to account for all the gymnastics it performs on screen. Sure, you can excuse that behavior with "It's magic!", but that seems to fly in the face of LeMarchand's engineering expertise.
This was an attempt to account for one particular on-screen movement, the rotation of alternating prisms along the vertical axis seen in the first three films. Just right click and open the image in another tab to access the full-size graphic.
This was an attempt to account for one particular on-screen movement, the rotation of alternating prisms along the vertical axis seen in the first three films. Just right click and open the image in another tab to access the full-size graphic.
I stumbled across this site a few weeks ago and it inspired me to start making my own obscure and strange things in relation to all things Lovecraft.
ReplyDeleteWe're here, we just lurk a lot I feel.
@ Tevourious
ReplyDeleteYou don't know how happy I am to hear that. Ultimately, the site is all about making stuff.
If we take the idea of a clockwork to be the transfer of force and energy from expanding springs or gravity powered weights to a power train of gears and wheels to a specific orientation and place within the mechanism and done so in a reduction or enhancing manner to move two axels with pointers in a specific way in space and a measurable, specific time, then why not so in a multidimensional way, beyond our own mechanical 3D time pieces?
ReplyDeleteAnalogue time pieces “measure” time by the motion of hands on a face that has specific marks so the LeMarchand Hellraiser box does the same, measuring/spanning space and time via discrete mechanisms in other time streams and/or other dimensions. Analogously, this viewable portion of the box in our dimension is simply the winding stem function of a watch, being able to move the hands of the clock around to a different setting.
Other functions and mechanisms cannot as of yet be understood, but continuing the mechanical analogue 3D clock scenario, we know that terrestrial clocks such as grand complications, rang chimes, played music, calculated days, phases of the moon and other fabulous functions well before the present electronic age – centuries before. Given this complexity who knows exactly what hidden mechanisms the LeMarchand may operate via other dimensions might never be known, at least until a sequel is produced!
This explains why a small box seems to be so significant and has such power – it is only the tip of a huge mechanism. As for how LeMarchand knew how to make this item, produce the esoteric materials needed and how it was assembled, clearly he had help/manipulation. Of course this is only my humble explanation, I’m sure that that there might be more satisfactory bits of ballyhoo and backstory to explain the prop. I'm hoping to get tenure finally at the Miskatonic University.
I'm looking to build and assemble my own Kunstkammer, displaying a range of relics, artworks and curios (all with a decidedly metaphysical flavour), and as such your blog has been a wonderful inspiration. Please keep posting! :)
ReplyDeleteHello!!
ReplyDeleteI'm Kahishini-Sama, on deviantart, and I want to know if I can use your drawing for my RP group?
I credit you with a link of your website, of course.
Thanks you!
@ Kahashini-Sama
ReplyDeleteThat's what it's here for. I'd love to hear how it went over.