After a tragic accident, a man conjures up a towering, vengeful demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy a group of unsuspecting teenagers.After a tragic accident, a man conjures up a towering, vengeful demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy a group of unsuspecting teenagers.After a tragic accident, a man conjures up a towering, vengeful demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy a group of unsuspecting teenagers.
- Awards
- 3 nominations
John D'Aquino
- Joel
- (as John DiAquino)
George 'Buck' Flower
- Mr. Wallace
- (as Buck Flower)
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
Did you know
- Trivia'Fun' was, in fact, the prevalent mood on the Pumpkinhead set. Despite many additional burdens and responsibilities, Winston brought the same sense of humor and lighthearted spirit to directing Pumpkinhead as he had to his creature effects assignments. "Stan was a blast as a director," recalled Alec Gillis. "He was fun and completely relaxed on the set, as if he didn't have a care in the world. I remember one day when we were in this cramped cabin set, and I was very tense and tired because Shane and I had just spent three hours applying makeup to the actress playing the witch. But then I looked over and saw Stan standing across the room, staring at me, with his glasses cocked at a weird angle on his head -- just to make me laugh. There was my director, making an idiot of himself for nobody's benefit but mine. That isn't something most directors would do!"
- GoofsIn the scene where Pumpkinhead is entering the burned out church, he takes several steps where you can clearly see that he's wearing Nike shoes. (FULLSCREEN ONLY).
- Crazy creditsInspired by a poem by Ed Justin
- ConnectionsEdited into Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes (2006)
Featured review
Stay away from Pumpkinhead, unless you're tired of living...
Most critics (who actually get PAID to critique films, unlike me, HA!) really hated this movie, dismissing it as yet another "brainless teen" slaughterfest and slamming it with either one star or a big fat turkey. I've never really understood this. Okay, it's not ever going to win an Academy Award, some of the acting is atrocious and much of the incidental music was cheesy and had me rolling my eyes, but the basic story is quite good. Six city teens on a vacation in either the Appalachians or the Ozarks, make the mistake of running over a little hillbilly boy with a motorcycle. 5 of them want to do the right thing and call the police, but the 6th, a hulking moron with a police record, takes his friends hostage. By the time he comes to his senses, it's too late. The dead boys father has been to see the local Witch, who in turn has summoned the Demon of Vengeance: Pumpkinhead.
There's really not a lot of gore here, and no sex whatsoever. The "typical teens" here actually appear to be in their early twenties, and are hardly the faceless victims you usually find in these kinds of films. The real menace lies with the hill folk, many of whom look like the genuine article; inbred and dangerous. Lance Henriksen turns in a great performance as the dead boys father, blinded (most understandably) by grief and anger, yet still compassionate enough at last to try and reverse what he has done. The monster, Pumpkinhead, is really cool looking, created as it was by special effects man Stan Winston, who also directed. The atmosphere and mood of this movie are constantly menacing, even in the bright light of day, and Pumpkinhead seems to bring an aura of electrical storms with him wherever he goes, the sound of cicadas and the flashing of heat lightening most unsettling. The Witches cabin in particular is a magnificent set piece. Worth seeing at least once. The "professional" critics are NOT always right.
PS - Don't bother watching "Pumpkinhead 2: Blood Wings." I've never seen a more horrible sequel with a more annoying cast of arrogant teenagers who deserved to be killed. Banal, moronic waste of film.
There's really not a lot of gore here, and no sex whatsoever. The "typical teens" here actually appear to be in their early twenties, and are hardly the faceless victims you usually find in these kinds of films. The real menace lies with the hill folk, many of whom look like the genuine article; inbred and dangerous. Lance Henriksen turns in a great performance as the dead boys father, blinded (most understandably) by grief and anger, yet still compassionate enough at last to try and reverse what he has done. The monster, Pumpkinhead, is really cool looking, created as it was by special effects man Stan Winston, who also directed. The atmosphere and mood of this movie are constantly menacing, even in the bright light of day, and Pumpkinhead seems to bring an aura of electrical storms with him wherever he goes, the sound of cicadas and the flashing of heat lightening most unsettling. The Witches cabin in particular is a magnificent set piece. Worth seeing at least once. The "professional" critics are NOT always right.
PS - Don't bother watching "Pumpkinhead 2: Blood Wings." I've never seen a more horrible sequel with a more annoying cast of arrogant teenagers who deserved to be killed. Banal, moronic waste of film.
helpful•7115
- Gafke
- Nov 1, 2003
- How long is Pumpkinhead?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Vengeance: The Demon
- Filming locations
- Kelly Gulch - 1801 N. Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Topanga, California, USA(cabin in which the group holds up in while hiding out)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $3,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $4,385,516
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $686,567
- Oct 16, 1988
- Gross worldwide
- $4,385,516
- Runtime1 hour 26 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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