Pumpkinhead (Collector's Edition)

Pumpkinhead is a film brimming with all the typical horror tropes. But what truly sets it apart is their elegant delivery in the form of good storytelling--the kind of good writing and well-staged events we seldom encounter in horror. Oh, and EXCELLENT pacing, special effects and set design!!! Makeup special effects wizard turned one-time horror director, Stan Winston (Constantine, Galaxy Quest) demonstrates a greater handle on storytelling and general filmmaking than most would on even their fifth turn helming a horror movie…and he does it just right his first time. He did an admirable job and I'm baffled (and quite disappointed) that he did not continue to direct more horror films. The 90s certainly would have benefited from more of his work. Pumpkinhead is a film brimming with all the typical horror tropes. But what truly sets it apart is their elegant delivery in the form of good storytelling--the kind of good writing and well-staged events we seldom encounter in horror. The scenes stitch together seamlessly and imbue a finer level of synthesis than horror typically finds. In the opening scene, Ed's father protects his family from a desperate man pursued by a most pernicious demonic entity during a rather dire flashback that links our main character's childhood to the monster. Now grown and a father of a young boy himself, Ed (Lance Henriksen; Harbinger Down, Aliens, AVP, The Pit and the Pendulum) finds his son in his last living moments after some intoxicated twenty-something runs him over with his dirt bike. Much to my relief, what we don't find are a bunch of young adults who keep talking about beer and smoking weed and getting drunk and getting laid. Their upcoming plight is not prefaced by drunk lap dances or cabin stripteases (e.g., Julianna Guill in Friday the 13th). What we witness instead is what we might expect of a young group (incl. Kerry Remsen; A Nightmare on Elm Street 2, Ghoulies 2) on vacation--mild drinking and driving but no one seems sloshed, typical fun behavior that's just a little bit dangerous, and a somewhat understandable (though not at all forgivable) reaction to a big screw up while one of them was on probation. Even more rare for a horror film is that although we have a clear singular protagonist in our recently bereft father, the soon-to-be victims are effectively humanized when we witness that only the proby screw-up acts immorally after the accident. Like I said, the tropes are all here, but they don't feel like the same old over-played tropes when handled so well. Ed seeks out a witch--a piece of local hillbilly folklore--to exact his revenge. What's funny is that Ed is the local middle-of-nowhere store owner in the mountain woods. Normally HE would be the harbinger warning the younger city folks of bad things to come. Instead it's Ed's fellow poverty-stricken neighbor (with five kids wearing filthy rags singing rhymes about the monstrous Pumpkinhead) who warns Ed away from pursuing the witch. How's that for a badass turn of troped-up events? The witch is great! The translucently thin-haired hag lives in a fetid cabin in the swamp. The set designers really outdid themselves. She's creepy and says all the typical lines like "you'll know when you find it." But she's just soooo creepy that it doesn't feel corny. Then the pumpkin-patched grave site, the exhumation, the alien-looking transformation…this film truly has a lot to offer. The pacing is excellent. We consistently build towards the reason to seek the witch (i.e., the tragedy), the impetus of vengeance, the necessary ritual, some blood and black magic, and the mysterious discovery that Ed is now somehow "connected" to the Pumpkinhead demon. Once it comes time to start picking off twenty-somethings the movie becomes a bit more typical, but remaining on the higher quality end in terms of execution. Get it…execution? See what I did there? But for real, it's pretty fun. There are various "horror drags" and a grabs-from-above that reminds me of Alien 3…or, I suppose, Alien 3 (1992) reminds me of this. Which brings us to the monster, which is undoubtedly reminiscent of the Alien Xenomorph, but with its own style. It's slimy skin, protruding bones, gaunt body, huge head and long tail make this fiend super-creepy and I love the way it lumbers around and makes interesting facial expressions! And while its appearance reminds me of Aliens, its behavior is more like Jason Voorhees as it lurks around the isolated cabin in the woods (yes, all the tropes are here), occasionally dropping a dead body in front of a future victim (for no other reason than a good jump scare for us viewers). I'm also quite fond of the scene when it "stabs" a guy with a rifle. Cheeky! This film offers much worthy screen time to its well-crafted monster and the action is pretty cool, especially at the end. The conflict is resolved properly with an ending that "matters" (unlike a lot of horror that just sort of "ends"). What's more is that the 80s loved horror endings that all but flagged down the obvious sequel. That happens here, but in a most tasteful, thoughtful, and appreciative manner that will put a smile of understanding satisfaction on your face the moment you catch it. I don't simply recommend this be watched, but that you just go buy it. This movie contributed to making the 80s a special era for horror.

DISC REVIEW: I love Pumpkinhead (see movie review below), it's a favorite horror, especially around the Halloween season, and one of my favorite movie monsters. The film has never been released on video or DVD in it's proper aspect ratio, so, those like myself who didn't catch it in it's limited theatrical release in 1988 have yet to see it in all it's glory... until now! Scream Factory once again takes a cult classic title and gives it the proper respect it is due. The remastered picture looks absolutely gorgeous with rich colors and clarity that preserve the wonderfully spooky imagery director Stan Winston brought to this creepy tale of backwoods revenge. The image is presented in a sumptuous 1080 HD and there is remastered DTS audio to go with it. It's like seeing it and hearing it for the first time. As for the extras, there are commentary tracks from writer Gary Gerani and the creature FX team and about 3 hours of interviews and featurettes to chew on. Everything from the previous MGM DVD special edition is there, as well as, some new interviews from producer Richard Weinman and actor John Di'Aquino (Joel), as well as, an interview filled tribute to the late Stan Winston... which brings about my only criticism. The Stan Winston tribute documentary goes on for about 15 minutes too long. At about the 35 minute mark, the interviewees seem, at that point, to be rambling on and it becomes tedious and loses a bit of it's focus. Some judicious editing would have kept this at a more reasonable length and still preserved the essence of it's fond look back at working with the FX legend and the impact he had on these individuals. There's a lot or repetitiveness as it drags on and would have lost none of it's heartfelt purpose with losing a few minutes. But, aside from that one meager critique, this is an absolute must have for fans of this flick. It is a gorgeous looking edition filled with extras that take you back behind the scenes of the making of a cult classic that sadly never got the proper attention it deserved... until Scream Factory got a hold of it. Another great collector's edition from the awesome folks at Scream Factory! Pumpkinhead has truly been resurrected at last! MOVIE REVIEW: Pumpkinhead tells the grim tale of a group of partying twenty-somethings from the city who head into the Appalachian Mountains for a weekend of drinking and dirt biking in a secluded cabin and run afoul of a local legend who is quite real. While stopped at the rural general store of kind local man Ed Harley (the legendary Lance Henriksen) drunk jerk Joel (John D'Aquino), who already has injured a girl in a drunk driving accident, takes out his dirt bike and proceeds to carelessly run over and kill Harley's son Billy (Matthew Hurley). Enraged with grief, Harley turns to a mountain woman who is rumored to be a witch named Haggis (Florence Schauffer) to evoke the demon Pumpkinhead that Harley saw once as a boy. The demon is said to grant vengeance to those who call upon it. But, as both Harley and the young vacationers find out, evoking Pumpkinhead comes with a powerful price as not only will it stop at nothing till all it's prey, including good natured Chris (Jeff East) and his girlfriend Tracy (Cynthia Bain), are dead but, may take Harley back to Hell with it when it's done. Can a now regretful Harley stop what he started and save the remaining youths or will the demon of vengeance have all their souls before it returns to the pumpkin patch from whence it was called? Pumpkinhead is a very spooky horror dripping with Halloween atmosphere thanks to the great visuals from first time director and make-up SPFX legend Stan Winston. With a truly great looking creature and production design that oozes All Hallow's Eve, this is a welcome edition to any Halloween season movie viewing. Aside from his awesome monster, Winston not only gives us some great settings... such as Haggis' cabin, the pumpkin patch from which Pumpkinhead originates and an abandoned church where our remaining characters flee to... but, he also creates some nice suspense, tension and chills. The biggest factor in the film's effectiveness though, is imbuing the title creature with a great sense of character and menace. Pumpkinhead is a vicious and unforgiving demon who shows no mercy and even seems to enjoy taunting and then killing his victims. When Ed Harley, who is cursed to feel it's victims' pain, changes his mind about calling it, the creature still will not stop till all are dead. Winston, who also co-wrote, also creates likable characters for us to fear for. They are all pretty good people with Joel being the exception and even he shows us he has a soul when he realizes that his friends are being slaughtered because of his selfish actions. A key to a good horror is empathy with it's characters and here we feel for them as the backwoods demon relentlessly pursues them for a nasty death. Winston gets good performances out of his cast with Henriksen creating one of his best roles in Ed Harley and the young cast members, like East and Bain, creating likable victims to root for. D'Aquino does a great job of making Joel an unlikable jerk and yet being very convincing in his moment of redemption when it comes. Film vet Buck Flower has a strong presence as mountain man Mr. Wallace and Schauffer is downright chilling as the witch, Haggis. Overall Pumpkinhead is part slasher, part backwoods horror and part monster movie with some great special FX to present it's title creature and the carnage it creates and surrounded in some very spooky visuals that evoke the spirit of Halloween in almost every shot. It is an underrated horror that got a sadly ineffective limited release back in October of 1988 and then dumped onto VHS and then DVD. It should have gotten better and thankfully, it has developed the cult following it deserves and Pumpkinhead himself is now regarded along with Giger's Alien as one of modern horrors most iconic creatures. Sadly, the film was followed by three awful sequels and if any character deserves a reboot and another chance, it's dear ole Pumpkinhead! Also stars Brian Bremer as Bunt Wallce, a local boy trying to help the city folk escape the monster's wrath and Big Bang Theory's own Mayim Bialik as one of the Wallace kids. *** 1/2

This is almost mandatory Film to any Horror lovers..

With Halloween fast approaching, it seemed appropriate to revisit some of the iconic horror films of my teenage years. Among those was PUMPKINHEAD, the directorial debut of Stan Winston, the makeup-effects legend who, it so happens, trained about a third of the guys I presently work with in the MPFX business. I'm glad I did. It's a much better film than I remember, and well worth a horror fan's time. PUMPKINHEAD is a straightforward revenge story with a back-country twang. When Ed Harley's only son Billy is accidentally killed by some joyriding cityfolk, Harley (played by the great Lance Henriksen) descends into the deepest, spookiest hollers of his Western Virginia mountain country and strikes a deal with an evil witch named Haggis. In return for all his wealth, she will summon "Pumpkinhead", a ghastly demon who will find and slaughter all those responsible. She warns him what he asks "has a powerful price" but doesn't elaborate, and Harley is too addled by grief to realize she ain't talking about money. Haggis takes some of his blood and uses it to animate a shriveled, mummified corpse which she has directed Harley to disinter from a cemetary in a creepy pumpkin patch, and soon Pumpkinhead is running amok, cruelly toying with and then killing each of those responsible for Billy Harley's death. Harley soon discovers, however, that he and the creature are linked by his blood; he sees what it sees and feels what it feels; and after experiencing a few vicious murders he decides that revenge is an overrated pleasure. He tries to get Haggis to call off the beast, and when she scornfully refuses, he elects to try to save the few remaining cityfolk from the monster he unleashed upon them, even if it costs him his life. PUMPKINHEAD combines many classic horror elements -- it reminded me in turn of such disparate horror flicks as FRIDAY THE 13TH, HELLRAISER, FRANKENSTEIN, EVENT HORIZON, and PET SEMATARY. That is to say, it's part slasher and part monster movie, but also examines the price of revenge, of tampering with forbidden knowledge, and of making deals with the devil. What sets it apart from most horrors, however, is the tragic element. Matthew Hurley, the actor who plays Billy Harley, gives such an adorable performance that his death is almost unbearable to watch, as is the tenderness with which Henriksen handles his broken body. The grief he was portraying seemed absolutely real, as did his remorse when he realizes his vengeance has gone too far. And Florence Shauffler, who portrays Haggis, gives one of the most gleefully evil performances I've yet seen, doing a huge amount with only a few short scenes. Of course the film has many problems. The editing is clumsy and the cinematography sometimes amateurish at crucial moments, the often clever script has some jarringly bad dialogue, and some of the acting is right out of the "Slasher Fodder School" that turned out so many graduates in the 1980s (surely you remember the legions of generic-looking, talentless young actors whose only job was to absorb the axe-blows and machete-thrusts of cinematic psychopaths? Well, several of `em are in this flick.) Taken all in all, however, PUMPKINHEAD has a lot to offer. It's a thoughtful horror movie, and that alone is worth the price of admission.

Amazing film. A classic I believe. Looks even more amazing in 4k and sounds great through surround sound speakers! Great job on the 4k resolution.

Great dvd movie to watch.

I’m going to start with my one complaint so the images pretty clearly show there’s a slip cover and it didn’t come with one it came plastic wrapped and everything so I don’t know why but the slip cover and actual case have the same art so no big deal but kinda weird the movie looked really good I got it in 4k and played it on a Xbox 1s on a 4k tv and the color and just everything looked great but one seen near the start when he’s against the door it went blurry for just a second or two but I didn’t see any blur the rest of the movie and now I’m gonna say things about the movie itself spoiler free going into this movie I thought cheesy 80s creature feature no story with gore but I was blown away by the acting cinematography and plot I really liked it it felt very full not hollow very fleshed out definitely watch it if recommend the 4k I got mine for around 15$

I am glad I bought this movie always enjoyed it is worth the money buying 3

DVD Pumpkinhead Horror ab 18 nur für starke Nerven aber nicht in deutsch

Lo cercavo da molto. Uno dei miei preferiti da visionare durante il periodo di Halloween. DVD buono, classico MGM del periodo.

A felicidade de abrir o pacote foi gigantesca ,chegou no prazo, a edição é linda,os cd também, contém extras muito divertidos, só é uma pena não ter em português, mas isso não me incomoda tanto, qualidadesde som e imagemexcelente. Extremamente satisfeito, se tivesse como dar 10 extrelas eu daria.

The only good Pumpkinhead movie. Happy to finally have it on 4k and blu-ray. It of course looks fantastic on 4k and even the blu-ray looks great. I love the artwork. Screamfactory always knocks it out of the park with their artwork.

Una pena q no este doblada al castellano, pero por lo menos esta subtitulada en español. Una pequeña joya q merece la pena.