Losing Herself in the Part
Encyclopædia 0.1

Characters

Baur, Janice

"The greatest film actress of our day", Janice Baur had already won at least one Oscar. She was shocked when Steven Sigourney invited her to the press screening of his new film as she felt horror was just "genre crap". Afterwards she felt attracted to Sigourney and agreed to read the script to his new film. The next day she told him the script was brilliant but she couldn't play it because she didn't "have the slightest handle on the character" and couldn't understand her obsessions. Sigourney convinced her to take the Lament Configuration as an "acting exercise" and to form the Shape of Pain. She spent days trying, not leaving her apartment, cutting her hands and oftenen dreaming of Hell. In one dream Sigourney tortured her whilst dressed in robes, when she awoke she had made the Shape of Pain. Janice told Sigourney she now understood the role and would play the part before solving the Lament Configuration. She went to Hell and was greeted by the Cenobites who tortured her whilst Sigourney filmed it for his new movie. Months later she was released to do the promotional tour, she wore a Lament necklace and was under Hell's influence.

Butterball

Cenobite summoned by the Lament Configuration. When Janice cut herself on the Lament Configuration for the first time she dreamt of meeting Butterball. He claimed to be a fan and asked for an autograph. She also dreamt of meeting him along with the other Cenobites. When she solved the Lament Configuration she was greeted by Butterball and the other Cenobites in Hell. He tortured her to help motivate her performance.

Canby, Vincent

biography

Critic who wrote a "think piece" on Sigourney's films in the Sunday Times.

Chatterer

Cenobite summoned by the Lament Configuration. Janice dreamt of him whilst forming the Shape of Pain. When she solved the Lament Configuration she was greeted by Chatterer and the other Cenobites in Hell. He tortured her to help motivate her performance.

Critics

They gave "glowing reviews" to Steven Sigourney's films and said they "transcended [their] genre trappings". The critics cheered after "M... Mania's" press screening. Sigourney outdid himself with "The Shape of Pain" and they talked of another Oscar for Janice Baur.

Dade, Amy

A former model who starred in Steven Sigourney's film, "M... Mania". Janice Baur was awed by her performance. At the screening she wore a necklace similar to the Lament Configuration and claimed the films tour was like "time off for good behaviour".

Female Cenobite

Cenobite summoned by the Lament Configuration. Janice dreamt of her whilst forming the Shape of the Pain. When Janice solved the Lament Configuration she was greeted by the Female and the other Cenobites in Hell. She tortured Janice to help motivate her performance.

George

He escorted Janice at the premiere of "The Shape of Pain" and claimed she was looking foward to the publicity tour.

Kael, Pauline

biography

A critic who raved about Sigourney's latest film.

Marie

She watched "The Shape of Pain" with Steven Sigourney and told him she loved it. She said there was talk of an Oscar for Janice and claimed she'd "do anything for a role like that". Sigourney planned to sign her up for his next film.

Peter

A friend of Janice's. Peter came to her apartment on thursday and saw her cut hands. She said she couldn't go out as she was preparing for a role.

Pinhead

Cenobite summoned by the Lament Configuration. Janice dreamt of him whilst forming the Shape of Pain. When Janice solved the Lament Configuration she was greeted by Pinhead and the other Cenobites in Hell. Pinhead told her that what was happening was real and then tortured her to help motivate her performance.

Producer

He saw Steven Sigourney talking to Janice Baur after the press screening and asked if he was trying to sign her up for his next film.

Sigourney, Steven

A director of horror films, critics claimed his film "transcended its genre trappings. That he is poised on the brink of a new kind of film artistry". He had a deal with Hell to provide them victims if he could film them for his movies. He wanted Janice Baur to star in his next film and convinced her to read the script after she saw the press screening of "M... Mania". When she said she couldn't do it he flirted with her and enticed her to take the Lament Configuration, the central image in all his films, and form it into the Shape of Pain. When she left he contacted the Cenobites and told them he would have another one for them soon. When she agreed to play the part he told her to solve the Lament Configuration. Janice was taken to Hell where Sigourney filmed her, he told the Cenobites to torture her to motivate her 'performance'. Months later he sat with Marie at the screening of "The Shape of Pain" before going to sign her up for his next film.

Locations

Apartment 3B

Janice Baur's apartment. It has a large living room with the kitchen off the side. Janice attempted to form the Shape of Pain here and often had disturbing dreams as she progressed. She didn't leave her apartment for several days whilst trying to solve the puzzle.

Cinema

Where Steven Signourney's films are first shown. Janice Baur saw the press screening of "M... Mania" here and met Sigourney afterwards. Months later "The Shape of Pain" premiered here.

Hell

Where Steven Sigourney shoots his films, the home of the Cenobites. Janice Baur dreamt of Hell whilst trying to form the Shape of Pain. When she solved the Lament Configuration she was transported to Hell and greeted by the Cenobites. Sigourney filmed her being tortured here for his next movie.

Office, Steven's

Steven Sigourney's office is filled with movie memorabilia such as posters and monster masks. Janice Baur came here the day after meeting Sigourney to turn down a role in his next film but he managed to change her mind. She returned after forming the Shape of Pain and solved the Lament Configuration here.

Things

Dreams

Janice Baur suffered from nightmares whislt trying to form the Shape of Pain. After she cut herself for the first time she was confronted by Butterball in a dream. After Pete visited her she dreamt of all the Cenobites and then that Steven Sigourney was torturing her. When she awoke the Lament Configuration was in the Shape of Pain.

Films, Steven Sigourney's

These include "Gash n' Gore", "M... Mania", "Muck Monster", The Shape of Pain", "Slim Pl..." and "Smegma Man". The Lament Configuration is the central image of all his films, "the physical manifestation of desire, obsession, confusion, pain. There are as many interpretations of its meaning as there are viewers of [his] film[s]". The films are about suppressed sensation and the audiences respond to the pain felt by the stars of the films.

"Gash n' Gore"

A poster for this horror film was on the wall of Sigourney's office.

Lament Configuration

Also: LeMarchand Puzzle Box.

"The physical manifestation of desire, obsession, confusion, pain". It is a puzzle box that "can be manipulated into all sorts of different shapes. Each shape has a name". The Lament Configuration is the central image in Steven Sigourney's films in which "each shape represents some emotional state". The Shape of Pain is a configuration where a crown-shape emerges from the top of the box with slats emerging from two of the sides. Sigourney gave Janice Baur the box and asked her to form the Shape of Pain as an "acting exercise". She later solved the Lament Configuration and went to Hell where Sigourney filmed her.

LeMarchand Puzzle Box

See Lament Configuration.

"M... Mania"

Steven Sigourney's last film starring Amy Dade. Janice Baur met Steven at the films press screening.

Mega-Mess Productions

Steven Sigourney's production company.

"Muck Monster"

A poster for this horror film was on the wall of Sigourney's office.

Necklace

A necklace that looks like the centre circle of the Lament Configuration, it's worn by Amy Dade and Janice Baur after they appear in Steven Sigourney's films.

Oscar

definition

Famous film award. Janice Baur had won at least one already for her films and there were talks of another for her role in "The Shape of Pain".

"The Shape of Pain"

Steven Sigourney's new film, named after a position the Lament Configuration can be formed into. Janice Baur felt the script was brilliant, it involved a women who suffered extreme obsession and pain. Her preperation for the part was to configure LeMarchand's Box into the Shape of Pain. After its premiere it was considered Steven's best film and their was talk of an Oscar for Janice.

The Shape of Pain

A shape of the Lament Configuration. Steve Sigourney asked Janice Baur to configure the box into it as an "acting exercise". She cut herself numerous times attempting to form it but succeeded after having a nightmare where she was approached by Steven and the Cenobites. Reaching the Shape of Pain makes fully solving the Lament Configuration simple.

"Slime Pl..."

A poster for this horror film was on the wall of Sigourney's office.

"Smegma Man"

A poster for this horror film was on the wall of Sigourney's office.

The Standard Deal

Steven Sigourney's deal with Hell. He provided Hell with new victims in exchange for being able to film them for his movies. The stars were released from Hell temporarily to do the movies promotional tour.

The Sunday Times

definition

Canby published a "think piece" on Sigourney's films in this paper.

Timeline

1991 (day 1)	Janice goes to press screening of Steven Sigourney's new film. She agrees to read his next script.
1991 (day 2)	Janice turns down the role. Steven gives her the Lament Configurationto and asks her to form the Shape of Pain. She cuts herself on it and dreams of Hell.
1991, thursday (day 6)	Peter visits Janice but she sends him away. Janice continues working on the box.
1991 (day 7)	Janice wakes up after a dream of Hell and finds she has formed the Shape of Pain. Janice solves the Lament Configuration and goes to Hell. Steven films the Cenobites torturing Janice.
1992	Steven's new film "The Shape of Pain" premieres. Janice is at the premiere under Hell's influence. Steven signs Marie for his next film.

References

Clive Barker's Hellraiser, Book 8: "Losing Herself in the Part" by Doug Murray, Dwayne McDuffie, Gray Morrow, Tom Vincent & Bill Oakley