Podcast (doh80s): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:14 — 29.6MB)
Subscribe: RSS
“For each of man’s evils, a special demon exists. You’re looking at vengeance; – cruel, devious, pure-as-venom vengeance.” And a fine demon it is! Join your faithful Grue-Crew – Bill Mulligan, Chad Hunt, Crystal Cleveland, and Jeff Mohr – as they go in search of the special demon known as Pumpkinhead (1988).
Decades of Horror 1980s
Episode 169 – Pumpkinhead (1988)
After a tragic accident, a man conjures up a towering, vengeful demon called Pumpkinhead to destroy a group of unsuspecting teenagers.
IMDb
- Director: Stan Winston
- Writers: Mark Patrick Carducci, Gary Gerani; Ed Justin (poem)
- Music: Richard Stone
- Cinematography: Bojan Bazelli
- Film Editing: Marcus Manton
- Casting: Bob Morones
- Production Design: Cynthia Kay Charette
- Set Decoration: Kurt Gauger
- Creature Effects Designed and Created by:
- Cast
- Lance Henriksen as Ed Harley
- John D’Aquino as Joel
- Jeff East as Chris
- Kerry Remsen as Maggie
- Kimberly Ross as Kim
- Buck Flower as Mr. Wallace
- Mayim Bialik as Christine Wallace
- Joel Hoffman as Steve “Scratch”
- Cynthia Bain as Tracy
- Florence Schauffler as Haggis
- Brian Bremer as Bunt
- Matthew Hurley as Billy Harley
- Lee de Broux as Tom Harley (as Lee DeBroux)
- Peggy Walton-Walker as Ellie Harley (as Peggy Walton Walker)
- Tom Woodruff Jr. as Pumpkinhead
- Dick Warlock as Clayton Heller (man in the opening; credited as Richard Warlock)
- Mushroom as Gypsy
Pumpkinhead is Stan Winston’s first film as a director but you would never know it by the result. Crystal has always been impressed with the full-body creature and the great story the film tells. Pumpkinhead is hands-down, Lance Henriksen’s best performance according to Chad, who also places the movie in his top 10 horror movies of all time. Bill is impressed by the relatively unique creation of a new, well-constructed, and well-realized creature, and he also points out Pumpkinhead’s place as a member of the folk horror subgenre. Jeff is thoroughly impressed with the film’s look this time around and finally realizes what a quality film Pumpkinhead is.
If you haven’t seen Pumpkinhead for a while, the Decades of Horror 1980s Grue-Crew strongly recommend this underrated horror gem. As of this writing, the film is available to stream on Amazon Prime and on physical media as a Limited Edition Steelbook Blu-ray and a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray, both from Scream Factory.
Every two weeks, Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s podcast will cover another horror film from the 1980s. The next episode’s film, chosen by Chad, will be Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).
Please let them know how they’re doing! They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave them a message or leave a comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com
