Clive Barker English horror writer Date of Birth: 05.10.1952 Country: Great Britain

Clive Barker: A Biography

Clive Barker, an English writer in the horror genre, was born in 1952 near Penny Lane in Liverpool, United Kingdom. He attended the University of Liverpool, majoring in English literature and philosophy. However, at the age of 21, Barker moved to London and founded a theater company to bring his own plays to life. It was in these works that the elements of what would later become Barker's signature style - a combination of fantasy, eroticism, and horror - began to emerge.

In 1984, Barker's first collection of stories, "Clive Barker's Books of Blood," was published. While it went relatively unnoticed in Britain, it was met with great acclaim in America. Many consider this publication to be the entry of a new direction in the literary market known as splatterpunk. Barker's debut novel, "Damnation Game," caused a sensation on both sides of the Atlantic. He quickly gained recognition as the most promising writer in the horror genre, with Stephen King himself calling Barker his successor.

In 1985, Barker wrote the screenplay for the film "Transmutations," also known as "Underworld." Two years later, the same director, George Pavlou, adapted Barker's short story "Rawhead Rex" from "The Books of Blood" into a film. However, Barker was dissatisfied with both films, which led him to take up directing himself. The result was the film "Hellraiser" (1987), based on his novella "The Hellbound Heart," which later spawned three sequels.

Barker's second film as a director was the adaptation of his novel "Cabal" into the film "Nightbreed" (1990). In 1992, Bernard Rose wrote the screenplay and directed the film "Candyman," based on Barker's story "The Forbidden," with Barker serving as the executive producer. A sequel, "Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh," was released in 1995. In 1995, Barker directed his third film, "Lord of Illusions," based on his short story "The Last Illusion."

Apart from his horror works, Barker is also known for several brilliant works in the fantasy genre, with his epic novel "Imajica" being the most significant. In addition to literature, Barker is involved in sculpture and painting. His artwork has been exhibited in the Bess Cutler Gallery in New York, where it has been highly successful. Currently, the writer resides in California.