Featured Audience Ratings

• Cory T

  
  In his ungainly, deep-fried directorial debut â~Pumpkinheadâ(TM), Stan Winston, the connoisseur of animatronics and practical effects, has crafted another urban legend to rank alongside Candyman and Freddy Krueger. Winston doesnâ(TM)t adhere to the â~Jawsâ(TM) rule where Spielberg… More
  In his ungainly, deep-fried directorial debut â~Pumpkinheadâ(TM), Stan Winston, the connoisseur of animatronics and practical effects, has crafted another urban legend to rank alongside Candyman and Freddy Krueger. Winston doesnâ(TM)t adhere to the â~Jawsâ(TM) rule where Spielberg slowly unveiled the shark in portions. Pumpkinheadâ(TM)s ghoulish, emaciated figure is explicitly shown in a 1957 prologue and he looks like a fragile marionette. The only spine-tingling moment is when Ed (Lance Henriksen) hallucinates his son pleading âwhat did you do daddy?â?. The harmonica-and-banjo music is too folksy for a gothic horror movie. The teenage rabble in this movie is the stereotypical beer-guzzling punks who snicker at the cannibalistic yokels and Joel, the ringleader, is particularly callous and unsympathetic. On top of that, Winstonâ(TM)s voodoo choreography during the stigmatic showdown near a barn is very cumbersome. Notwithstanding the hokey writing, the father-son relationship with Ed and Billy is wrenchingly touching.

• Ken S

  
  Great effects, acceptable acting.

• Dean !

  
  An ok creature slasher, made better due to being directed by Stan Winston and B-movie horror star Lance Henriksen. This feels like it's an even older film, surprised it was made in '88! The creature design, costume is pretty cool as you would expect in a Stan Winston film.… More
  An ok creature slasher, made better due to being directed by Stan Winston and B-movie horror star Lance Henriksen. This feels like it's an even older film, surprised it was made in '88! The creature design, costume is pretty cool as you would expect in a Stan Winston film. It looks like it owes a lot to the Alien creature design. The creature is played by the same guy used for the first two Predator films, Kevin Peter Hall. This has spawned 3 more sequels since, two made in the last 4 years. The 4th stars Lance Henriksen again! Worth checking out for old skool horror fans!

• Jeff "

  
  Stan Winston has pioneered some of the greatest special effects in cinema. His resume of work is very, very impressive. So when I found out he had directed a film, a horror film to be more precise, I just had to see it. Well Pumpkinhead is one creepy film with obviously some great… More
  Stan Winston has pioneered some of the greatest special effects in cinema. His resume of work is very, very impressive. So when I found out he had directed a film, a horror film to be more precise, I just had to see it. Well Pumpkinhead is one creepy film with obviously some great special effects. The film has a very old school vibe to it, like I'm talking about 1930-1950's monster films, which add something special to the already solid film that Winston has delivered. The atmosphere is dark, evil, and melancholic as the Pumpkinhead wreaks havoc on a group a teens that murdered Lance Henriksen son, a solid horror film with blazing originality, Pumpkinhead is a must watch.

• Tim S

  
  Bizarre Stan Winston classic.

• Phil H

  
  Saw this along time ago, its very basic and formulaic but the two things that save it are the creature, designed by Stan Winston the genius and Henriksen. Apart from that its just an average boogieman thriller.

• Jason S

  
  A pretty good monster flick. The sequels got progressively worse but this one still stands up.

• Curtis L

  
  Lance Hendriksen is a fun hillybilly after revenge of his dead son who got run over by motorcycle man. Otherwise, the movie was kinda dumb.

• Lafe F

  
  I didn't like the monster, the setting, the characters or the story. The name is great, but it doesn't look like a Pumpkin. Sorry, I don't consider it to be a great horror flick.

• Dr Blood  

  
  More a moral fable about two wrongs not making a right than anything else but well done all round with an outstanding performance by Lance Henriksen. It's a pity that none of the sequels have been as good.

• Michael G

  
  Good in a really low-budget way.

• Matthew Y

  
  Pumpkinhead's a bit better and smarter than your average monster movie. The creature is always shot in dark, shadowy places to give the "rubber suit" a more realistic feel and the film smartly sets up some mood and atmosphere to balance out its obvious budgetary… More
  Pumpkinhead's a bit better and smarter than your average monster movie. The creature is always shot in dark, shadowy places to give the "rubber suit" a more realistic feel and the film smartly sets up some mood and atmosphere to balance out its obvious budgetary issues. Lance Henriksen (whom you'll remember from the Alien and Terminator series) playing the protagonist Ed Harley, adds a more veteran acting presence than is usually found in these types of productions. The greatest success of the film though is its challenging moral conflict. Ed's son is accidentally killed by a group of wild teenagers. Grief stricken and wanting revenge he summons an ancient demonic creature known as pumpkinhead to dispatch those responsible. As the body count rises Ed contemplates where he has done that right thing and whether it is too late to recall the demon. Solid if unspectacular creature flick.

• Jacob P

  
  A good, descent 80's flick with a very creative creature.

• Justin W

  
  Always start with the good... the story progressed well, now for the bad... everything else. The characters were completely unbelievable in their actions regarding what was going on around them. I'm sorry, but if I see my friend being picked up by the head onto the roof of my… More
  Always start with the good... the story progressed well, now for the bad... everything else. The characters were completely unbelievable in their actions regarding what was going on around them. I'm sorry, but if I see my friend being picked up by the head onto the roof of my cabin, I would not decide to go back and stay inside that very same cabin. I'll give it to them, the monster was pretty nicely designed for the time and it kept me entertained, but the moments that were meant to be scary were lost in the filmmaking by robbing the audience of actual scary moments by jerking the camera the wrong way as if trying to play off of using the audience's imagination instead of actual visuals. Sure the story progressed and got from point A to point B, but it moved at such a pace that it wasn't pleasing since every time you think you have a moment of actual character reflection, we're off running again to the next killing. A lack of pacing, awkward acting, and a predictable story is this films downfall but I will give the designer of the monster credit any day.

• Marcus W

  
  The legendary Stan Winston and the brilliant Lance Henriksen join up for this competent horror movie. Evidently, Winston was more than just an effects wizard, he was also capable of writing/directing too. The pacing and tension work well, it has layers and the production design is… More
  The legendary Stan Winston and the brilliant Lance Henriksen join up for this competent horror movie. Evidently, Winston was more than just an effects wizard, he was also capable of writing/directing too. The pacing and tension work well, it has layers and the production design is fucking gorgeous - especially the pumpkin patch. Pumpkinhead himself is one cool monster, and apart from a slip near the end where the film slows down this is way better than any Halloween/FT13th.

• Grifty G

  
  I give it points for being somewhat original in the horror genre, and having good creature effects. And you've got Lance Hendriksen too. But let's not forget, it's still a cheesy 80s low budget horror movie with some goofy writing, editing, and atrocious music.

• Nicky M

  
  Backwoods vengeance sets up this tale of morality. Lance Henriksen shines as the father who wants revenge for the death of his son but then balks at the cost. Features a great "witch" and superb man in a suit effects. Great, laughable name of the demon only adds to the fun… More
  Backwoods vengeance sets up this tale of morality. Lance Henriksen shines as the father who wants revenge for the death of his son but then balks at the cost. Features a great "witch" and superb man in a suit effects. Great, laughable name of the demon only adds to the fun of this overall great B-movie from the 80's.

• Anthony V

  
  An 80's horror classic.

• Christopher B

  
  Great little revenge/monster flick with an awesome performance by the great Henriksen. Might get around to watching the sequels someday.

• Barry L

  
  A watchable film if a little daft.

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