Movie Review #51: Pumpkinhead (1988)

 

Well I've decided to review a series. Like an entire series, because it's the hot thing that cool bloggers do, like Random Reviews. He reviewed every Puppet Master movie, yes even the one that's literally 94% stock footage of the earlier films. I recommend you check them out. He's a very fun fella and I like him. Anyway I didn't want to do a long series (I really do not want to talk about any Puppet Master movie after the fifth film and there's like eleven of those movies. Actually Puppet Master Vs. Demonic Toys was kinda fun). I mean no one wants to see me talk about Witchcraft 8: Witch Titties because it was literal soft core porn at that point. Soft core porn is kind of hard to review. It's absolutely hard to review at least 10 times. When did the Witchcraft movies become a soft core porn / horror series? 4th movie? 5th? I clearly felt that I had to pick a short series so I went with Pumpkinhead because I haven't seen the first two movies since I was a kid and I have never seen the last two movies. I think that works out pretty well. I don't know if I plan to review each one of these films in a row or what but hopefully I will discuss them during the rest of this month.

Pumpkinhead was a movie that like The Birds II - Land's End fascinated me as a child. I mean how could any child who liked monsters and horror and scares not be interested by this cover? Unlike The Birds II - Land's End. I rented Pumpkinhead right after I finished up the main 70s/80s horror series and didn't wait decades to check it out. I don't remember what I thought of the movie but fragments and scenes stuck in my mind so it did it's job as a memorable piece of horror fiction. What I do know now is that on second rewatch is that I should have watched this movie again way sooner because holy shit this is a great fucking horror film. It was directed by Stan Winston who did special effects for like fucking everything and honestly he should have gotten more movies to direct because this is not only a very good horror story but it's also a feast for the eyes. I love the set direction for so many moments in this film. The old wtich's house is fucking amazing looking. All swampy and shit. I also love the design of Pumpkinhead and I kinda wish his series was more than just four films.

The acting in this movie is fantastic. Like everyone in the film is at least pretty good. Lance Henrikson of Aliens, Terminator, and Man's Best Friend (the best movie about a killer cyborg dog ever!) is always fantastic in any role. I'm amazed it took till he was in his late forties before he got his starring role in this film. He's incredible as Ed Harley the man who seeks vengeance via Pumpkinhead and then regrets it. I'd rate the acting in this movie high if only for him. The next guy I want to talk about is George 'Buck' Flower. He would show up in so many weird movies, sometimes mainstream and sometimes a weird almost porno film. He made a fucking art form out of playing weirdo gross drunks and hillbillies. I love him and I was so happy when I got to see him in this film. I also liked the"jerk" character who actually ends up trying not to be so jerkish near the end of the film before uh he dies. It's actually a pretty unsettling and scary movie because you like these characters and don't want to see them get their faces eaten by Pumpkinhead. I mean several of them get fucked up but it's a monster movie. Someone's gotta get fucked up by the monster.

The plot is pretty good.  It takes place in a rural area and Ed Hartley and his Son Billy run a general store. Some random teens show up and two of them start dirt biking all over the place. One of them ends up hitting Billy and killing him. Even though the majority of the teens tried to help Billy, all Ed sees when he gets back is one of them watching over him. He believes they all hurt him and left. So Ed goes to find Haggis the Witch the get Pumpkinhead. It's a simple plot that is worked out very well. There are too many horror movies that try to go for a huge plot when simple is what works. We want a good set up to get invested in and a cool monster. That's it! There's nothing more we really need!

FINAL VERDICT: I had a great time with this flick and I can't wait to see how the second movie holds up or how the other two films are. I have a feeling I'm going to regret doing this quickly.