Pumpkinhead (1988)

After a tragic accident, a man conjures up a towering, vengeful demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy a group of unsuspecting teenagers.

Director:

Stan Winston

Writers:

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

Stars:

Lance Henriksen, Jeff East, John D'Aquino

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lance Henriksen	...	Ed Harley
Jeff East	...	Chris
John D'Aquino	...	Joel (as John DiAquino)
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 Michael Corbitt	...	Eddie Harley (as Chance Corbitt Jr.)
Dick Warlock	...	Clayton Heller (as Richard Warlock)

Storyline

After a group of teens accidentally kill a young boy named Billy Harley, his father Ed is devastated and the only thing he wants is revenge. He goes to an old woman who is said to be a witch and conjures a demonic creature known as Pumpkinhead, and unleashes him on the teens.

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Plot Keywords:

demon | vengeance | monster | first part | evil woman | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joel's car is a 1986 Chevrolet Corvette.

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Goofs

When Haggis the witch cuts Ed Harley's hand to draw blood for the resurrection of Pumpkinhead you can clearly see the blood running from behind the knife and onto Ed's hand, and not out of Ed's hand itself.

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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.

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Crazy Credits

Inspired by a poem by Ed Justin

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Connections

Referenced in DNA (1996)

User Reviews

Underrated Horror Flick

Pumpkinhead is a criminally overlooked 80's horror movie that stands up there as one of my favorites of the entire decade. It is exceptionally well made by first time director Stan Winston who shows more skill behind the camera than one might expect from someone primarily known for special effects. Most of the lead actors do a very good job, with a few exceptions, however Lance Henriksen brings an enormous amount of credibility to the whole thing. I have great respect for character actors such as Lance and this is some of his best work. The creature itself is well conceived however it is hidden in shadows throughout most the picture which allows the actors and the story to take center stage, much to the film's benefit. Overall this is one of the best Halloween movies ever made as that is the perfect time of year to watch this movie. It's dark, it's Gothic, and it's damn cool.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 January 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pumpkinhead

Filming Locations:

Topanga, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$686,567, 16 October 1988

Gross USA:

$4,385,516

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,385,516

Company Credits

Production Co:

De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG), Lion Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1