Pumpkinhead

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Pumpkinhead

R

1988

1h 26m

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

51%

Tomatometer

55 Reviews

49%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

After his son dies in a hit-and-run accident, Ed Harley seeks revenge against the teenagers responsible. With the help of a local witch, Ed summons the vengeful demon Pumpkinhead to hunt and kill the group of friends. But when Ed discovers a bond between himself and the creature, he begins to have second thoughts about employing the vicious monster, and he fights to end Pumpkinhead's murderous rampage before it is too late.

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Critics Consensus

With effects work and solid direction from Stan Winston -- and Lance Henriksen adding welcome gravitas -- Pumpkinhead is a creature feature that stands a cut above.

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Henry Mietkiewicz

Toronto Star

Aug 14

Who could have guessed that, despite its gruesome moments, this low-budget thriller would turn out to be a surprisingly satisfying little morality tale in the best horror tradition.

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Victoria Mather

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Aug 14

The standard sort of video schlock.

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Harper Barnes

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Aug 14

If you are looking for gore, you are going to have trouble with Pumpkinhead because almost all the action takes place in very dim light...

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Alan Jones

Radio Times

Dec 17

3/5

Winston's creature is as awesomely frightening and brilliantly constructed and offers more than enough feral scream-lined chills to thrill along to.

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Walter Chaw

Film Freak Central

Aug 14

3/4

Pumpkinhead is literally about the impossibility of objective violence–every action, no matter how intimate or remote, has a spiritual impact on both victim and perpetrator. It’s a surprisingly rich vein for something like this to mine, and it resonates.

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Michael D. Reid

Victoria Times Colonist (B.C., Canada)

Aug 14

1/5

A film that ultimately fails to deliver the goods.

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Joaquin U

@Joaquin1 Jun 16

Mildly entertaining. The creature is nice to look at, and Lance’s presence is always powerful. The script is terrible, amateurish at best. The direction is poor, and it’s not like some people said the film avoids jump scares — it’s that the jump scares just don’t work. Watchable, but only for midnight snacks.

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TheMovieSearch R

@TheMovieSearch Dec 5

Pumpkinhead turned out to be a far better horror film than expected, especially considering its cheesy cover and old-school reputation. Instead of relying on cheap jump scares or excessive gore like many modern horror movies, it builds tension through atmosphere, shadows, and strong emotional stakes. The screenplay isn’t perfect, but it delivers a cohesive story that keeps the creature frightening and unpredictable. Pumpkinhead’s design is genuinely unsettling, and the director uses him sparingly enough to keep viewers on edge, never quite sure where he’ll strike next. The performances are surprisingly heartfelt, grounding the supernatural horror in real human emotion. With its practical effects, moody cinematography, and slow-burn suspense, Pumpkinhead becomes a compelling creature feature that holds up decades later. It’s a perfect pick for Halloween season and a reminder of how effective classic horror can be when built on tension instead of CGI.

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Jack F

@MovieFan111 Nov 27

I enjoyed Pumpkin Head, because I was curious about it for a long time. When I got around to it, I wasn't disappointed. Only watch in October or November.

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V P.

@DoubleEvent Oct 22

This has been a long time favorite since childhood. It’s a good creature feature that actually tells a lesson to it’s audience.

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Lucas T.

@LukkenHadduken Oct 19

It’s kinda bad, but in an enjoyable way. The creature is great, but the acting is pretty rough.

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Daniel G.

@Cinemafandan89 Oct 18

Such an underrated Halloween Horror Flick with fantastic special effects from Stan Winston and a great performance from Lance Henriksen.

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Synopsis

After his son dies in a hit-and-run accident, Ed Harley seeks revenge against the teenagers responsible. With the help of a local witch, Ed summons the vengeful demon Pumpkinhead to hunt and kill the group of friends. But when Ed discovers a bond between himself and the creature, he begins to have second thoughts about employing the vicious monster, and he fights to end Pumpkinhead's murderous rampage before it is too late.

Director: Stan Winston
Producer: Howard Smith, Richard Weinman, Bill Blake
Screenwriter: Mark Patrick Carducci, Gary Gerani
Distributor: United Artists, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: De Laurentiis
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 13, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.0M
Runtime: 1h 26m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Surround