Pumpkinhead | 
 enlarge | Director: Stan Winston
Actors: Lance Henriksen, Jeff East, John D'aquino, Kimberly Ross, Joel Hoffman
Studio: Tartan
Category: DVD
Buy Used: $9.49
Used (2) from $9.49
Rating:  115 reviews
Sales Rank: 188927
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Digital Sound, Pal, Widescreen
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Running Time: 86
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5023965341723
ASIN: B00008IARS
Theatrical Release Date: January 13, 1989
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
A starkly original visual treat, this Halloween-themed exercise in terror is uncommonly well made, seeking to add yet another creature to horror film lore. A group of teenagers camping in a remote mountain resort accidentally kill a boy and cover it up, and his aggrieved father (Lance Henriksen) vows revenge. Enlisting the help of a local witch, he conjures up a mythic demonic monster to kill those responsible for his son's death. The plot and dialogue are not very original, but the creepy mood and some fine work by director Stan Winston (the special effects whiz behind Jurassic Park) make Pumpkinhead an eerie gothic horror tale and great viewing for Halloween nights. --Robert Lane
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| Customer Reviews: Read 110 more reviews...
 A frightening little folk tale by way of awesome monster movie December 18, 2008
This movie is a frightening little folk tale by way of awesome monster movie.
A group of partying teenagers accidentally causes the death of Lance Henriksen's son, and Lance goes to the old witch in the woods seeking a reckoning. And a reckoning, by God, he gets.
Pumpkinhead is a jewel of a film, full of suspense, and ultimately quite moving. And the creature, designed and built by master monster builder Stan Winston (who also directed), is awesome. Don't bother with any of its sequels, but do not miss this movie.
awsome November 3, 2008
this movie was awesome, the special effects, lance hendriksen is a great actor. I had this movie on VHS, very excited about purchasing it on DVD. I have had no problems with Amazon
If You Do Wrong, Pumpkinhead Will Come For You! October 26, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Imagine your only son is accidentally killed and the people who did it, do absolutely nothing to help. It's safe to assume you want revenge on the wrongdoers, but do you do the dirty work yourself? Or do you go knocking on the local witch's door to call upon a demon to seek vengeance for you? For Ed Harley (Lance Henrikson) he's chosen the latter and it turns out he might've gotten more than he bargained for.
"Pumpkinhead" is a delightful horror movie that is overlooked, but shouldn't be. It's exceptionally dark and creepy, and is capable of providing some scares here and again. What stands out most with "Pumpkinhead" is the creature itself. It's convincingly life-like and looks better than most CGI monsters do nowadays.
"Pumpkinhead" is a straightforward horror flick, you get what you pay for. And what you get is awesome creature FX, teens getting killed in gruesome fashions, and a story of revenge that anybody can relate to. If you take the plot of "Friday the 13th" and replace Jason Vorhees with a mythical demon you get "Pumpkinhead". If you think that sounds sweet, it's because it is. Remember, vengeance is a beast that dwells within us all.
Good Upgrade October 17, 2008
If you are a fan of this movie, the transfer is much improved, so it is worth the upgrade.
THE NEW SCARY MONSTER, 20 YEARS LATER October 17, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since the first PUMPKINHEAD film was released. Followed by some lame and some good sequels, the original does what it intends to do: it scares you.
Just released as a special 20th Anniversary edition, the movie holds up remarkably well for having been made that long ago. Sure it's not as far back as say Karloff or Lugosi films, but a number of movies from that era show their age. This one rarely does.
The story concerns a store own in a backwoods small town in what appears to be either the Ozarks or the Appalachians. Raising a son by himself, Ed Harley (Lance Henriksen) does what he can. The affection he has for the boy is evident not so much in the words he uses but in his actions and mannerisms when with the boy. Henriksen outdoes himself here.
When he forgets a load of seed for a customer, Ed leaves his son Billy to mind the store. This is shortly after a group of teens from the city show with trail bikes in tow. Once he leaves, Billy's dog gets out of the store with Billy in hot pursuit. Unseen beneath a hill being jumped, one of the bikes slams into the young boy and knocks him unconscious.
The guilty party heads out with no intent to offer help. Already up on charges, he knows this will put him in jail since they had been drinking. While the rest accompany him to get help, his brother stays behind to watch over Billy.
When Ed returns to find his son dead, his anger refuses to allow him to see that this young man stayed to help. Instead he allows his rage to take over and heads to the hills of his customer to find out the location of a witch woman they all talk about. The man refuses to help but his son takes Ed to her.
Not realizing what he is doing, acting out of grief and anger, Ed asks for her help in seeking revenge on those responsible. Instructed to leave the boys body, Ed goes to a secluded graveyard and digs up a rotted corpse then follows the witch's instructions.
The teens in the meantime have secluded themselves in a cabin in the woods. The one who killed the boy refuses to let anyone leave for fear of prison. He eventually changes his mind but by then it's too late. Pumpkinhead has arrived.
The creature here is one that truly seems scary. Like the boogey man come to life, Pumpkinhead is the thing nightmares are made of. With a head shaped like a grotesque pumpkinhead (as in the title), long scaly fingers that claw at those attempting to escape, hunched legs like that of a wild beast and a scream that chills the heart, Pumpkinhead is one of the most frightful creatures to be formed in recent time.
Pumpkinhead begins to wreak havoc with the teens, attacking and then killing them one by one. With each death, Ed Harley is affected as well. He feels the damage down deep in his soul. When he tries to put an end to the killing, the witch informs him that once begun you can't put an end to it. But Harley finds a way.
The movie offers some truly scary moments, almost all involving the title creature. Like a spook house ride, the jolts and jumps are timed with perfection, the sights of the monster just enough to inspire fear, that you watch waiting for the next scene to come out at you. Pumpkinhead is not a monster you want to bump into.
Henriksen is one of the unsung character actors that deserves more praise then he gets. Be it here of as Frank Black I the series MILLENIUM, Henriksen not only shows a range that goes beyond what many actors have to offer, he makes even the most diabolical of characters seem sane. As Ed Harley, the pain he feels at the loss of his son makes his journey to find vengeance one we want to cheer him on with. Yet when he realizes the cost, we cheer as he tries to stop that which he began not more than a half hour prior.
The special edition offers the usual bells and whistles, behind the scenes items, interviews, commentary tracks and more. But the real gift here is the movie itself. The print is pristine and looks as good as anything coming out recently. The photography is beautiful, including the night scenes which in many modern horror films consist of dark lighting, blackness that leaves everything invisible and jump cuts that never allow the monster to be seen. Pumpkinhead can be seen and seen often here. And with each vision, you're scared even more.
I was stunned that the movie held up as well as it did. If you like horror films this is one not only to watch but to own. And if you're in the mood for the perfect film to watch on Halloween, what better title could you have than Pumpkinhead? Just don't watch it alone.
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