A man conjures up a gigantic vengeance demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy the teenagers who accidentally killed his son.
Well here is the start of my “Pumpkinhead” franchise review, I’m really excited to be reviewing this franchise, so lets get on with it!
When you think of a typical 80’s Horror you think of it being over the top, cheesy, full of nudity, sex etc. The only thing that “Pumpkinhead” can be accused of is being the tiniest bit cheesy but that’s due to how it’s aged over the years.
The film was the directorial debut of Stan Winston and what a debut it was, we all know the guy had great talent when it came to make up and effects, hell he’s only the second special effects artist to be honoured with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Stars, but here he showed there was more to his craft. He didn’t even work on the effects for this film which I always found strange.
The monster itself looks absolutely amazing, as does all the effects and make up in the film. But the creature itself has such a dark presence in the film and looks so authentic that it’s terrifying. At Stan Winston’s request, the screenwriters made both “Pumpkinhead” and Haggis, much darker than in the original script and it was a decision that definitely worked.
The cast do an amazing job as-well, sure there’s no Oscar worthy performances but for the film it works fantastic and there’s not an ounce of overacting. Plus the fact that the film stars Lance Henriksen, my nickname for him is ‘Mr. Reliable’ as he never does a bad performance in any role he plays.
“Pumpkinhead” is a truly under-rated film that I feel never really got the recognition it deserved. If you’ve not watched it then go and give it a try.
Miscellaneous facts about the film:
The origin of the story was a poem written by Ed Justin.
Gypsy the dog is also Barney from Gremlins (real name: Mushroom).
The one scene that made Lance Henriksen most want to take the role was where the deceased Billy sits up and asks his father what he’s done.
Lance Henriksen had a set of dentures made to give him a more rural look. He also gathered all of his own props and wardrobe, including a WWII pump-action shotgun, his cap worn throughout the film and the silver dollars which he gives to Haggis.
Lance Henriksen gathered all of the silver dollars himself by visiting several pawn shops. He said that most of them fell through the floorboards of Haggis’ shack, where they may still lie.
This film, orphaned by the bankruptcy of De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, eventually garnered a spotty release when acquired by United Artists, which tested the film under the alternate title Vengeance – The Demon.
Although the FX team created the titular monster, Stan Winston was so busy with directorial duties that he was unable to directly supervise their work.
The costume Florence Schauffler wore as Haggis weighed about 65 pounds.
Film debut of Mayim Bialik.
Film debut of Brian Bremer.
Stan Winston’s two children can be glimpsed as members of the Wallace clan.
Screenwriters Mark Patrick Carducci and Gary Gerani were inspired by the horror movies of Mario Bava.
The character of Joel was named after Joel Bender.
An early scene introducing the young adults from the city at a dinner was filmed, but cut from the final version of the movie.
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