Photo: Steven Friederich / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Clive Barker is one of those rare figures who treats horror as fine art rather than cheap shock. The Books of Blood announced a writer unafraid of the body, desire, and the grotesque all at once, and Hellraiser turned that sensibility into one of cinema's most iconic nightmares. What fascinates me is his refusal to be one thing: novelist, filmmaker, painter, all feeding the same dark imagination. The shelf of awards, from the Lambda to the Bram Stoker, confirms the breadth. I value him because he insists horror can be beautiful, sensual, and intellectually serious. That conviction makes him an artist, not just a scaremonger.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Clive Barker
- Name (Japanese)
- クライヴ・バーカー
- Reading
- くらいゔ・ばーかー
- Born
- October 5, 1952 (age 73)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Dragon
- Origin
- Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- film director / novelist / writer / screenwriter / film producer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- University of Liverpool
Awards & achievements
- Lambda Literary Award
- 1998 Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire for Best Foreign Novel
- 1995 World Horror Convention Grand Master Award
- 2004 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers
- 2004 GLAAD Davidson/Valentini Award
- 1990 Cosmos 2000 Award
- 1991 Inkpot Award
- 2009 Time Machine Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Tapping the vein | — | |
| Notable work | Hellraiser | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Clive Barker born?
Born October 5, 1952 (age 73).
Where is Clive Barker from?
Clive Barker is from Liverpool, United Kingdom.
What does Clive Barker do?
Clive Barker works as film director, novelist, writer, screenwriter, film producer.
What is Clive Barker known for?
Notable works include Tapping the vein, Hellraiser.
Film director — see all → · Novelist — see all → · More people from United Kingdom →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.