Pumpkinhead (1988)

Director:

Stan Winston

Writers:

Ed Justin (poem)
Mark Patrick Carducci (story) ...

Release Date:

13 January 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

Cruel, devious, pure as venom. All hell's broken loose.

Plot:

A man conjures up a gigantic vengeance demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy the teenagers who accidentally killed his son.

Plot Keywords:

Demon | Storekeeper | Vengeance | Witch | Death

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Lance Henriksen	...	Ed Harley
Jeff East	...	Chris
John D'Aquino	...	Joel
Kimberly Ross	...	Kim
Joel Hoffman	...	Steve
Cynthia Bain	...	Tracy
Kerry Remsen	...	Maggie
Florence Schauffler	...	Haggis
Brian Bremer	...	Bunt
George 'Buck' Flower	...	Mr. Wallace (as Buck Flower)
Matthew Hurley	...	Billy Harley
Lee de Broux	...	Tom Harley (as Lee DeBroux)
Peggy Walton-Walker	...	Ellie Harley (as Peggy Walton Walker)
Chance Corbitt Jr.	...	Eddie Harley
Dick Warlock	...	Clayton Heller (as Richard Warlock)

Also Known As:

Vengeance: The Demon

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (cut) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) | Netherlands:16 | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2007) | Australia:M | Canada:R | Norway:18 (video premiere) | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)

Trivia:

Because of Stan Winston's request, the screenwriters made both Pumpkinhead and Haggis (the old woman), much darker than in the original script.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Wires visible several times when Pumpkinhead picks up Bunt by his leg.

Quotes:

Kim: [talking about Joel and Chris looking for Steve] They should be okay, right? I mean, they took the guns and everything.
Maggie: God is the only thing that can stop what's out there, Kim.
Tracy: [walks over to the drawer and pulls out a large kitchen knife] Just in case God doesn't show.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Devil's Chair (2006)

Rise!

Pumpkinhead, like The Wickerman, is much more than what's glowing on the screen, financial turmoil, whitecollar decision making and a long wait all add to it's legend and while The Wickerman has genuinely risen Pumpkinhead remains a true enigma. For an '80s horror it looks and feels strangely timeless, only the city folks' era-defining hairdos attach any kind of date to the film and most people watching from this distance will probably think them quaint in any case. Stan Winston makes the movie look as good as you'd expect a Stan Winston movie to look and the flashy beauty is complimented by fine performances by the entire cast, Lance looks awesome and adds darkness and depth to the story every time he's on the screen. I understand your reluctance to believe that a 1988 horror can really be this good, but it is and it's time to rise.