VHS Vault: Pumpkinhead (1988)

“For each of man's evils, a special demon exists...”

In the dim, fog-choked woods of rural Appalachia, vengeance takes monstrous form. Pumpkinhead isn’t just a movie; it’s a backwoods fable soaked in grief, guilt, and Southern Gothic dread.

Stan Winston’s directorial debut is a showcase of practical effects mastery. The titular demon, all sinew, hate, and ritual, crawls straight from the VHS shelves of 1988 into your nightmares. No quips. No camp. Just pain. And a price.

Vault Notes:

This was a staple in the creature-feature aisle. MGM’s VHS release came in a moody clamshell or slipcase, often worn soft by repeat rentals. You'd rent it for the monster... then feel gut-punched by Lance Henriksen’s haunted performance and that dusty, funeral-like score. 

💀 Still haunted by childhood rentals?
You’re not alone. Pumpkinhead is horror with weight and one of the few ‘80s monster movies that doesn’t wink at the camera.

📼 Return to the woods. Revisit Pumpkinhead... if you dare. 

📚 Vault Fact File: Pumpkinhead (1988)

• Directed by: Stan Winston
• Creature Design: Winston Studios: behind Aliens, Predator, The Terminator
• Budget: ~$3.5 million
• Filming Location: Southern California as Appalachia
• VHS Release: MGM/UA Home Video (1989)
• Cult Legacy: Spawned 3 sequels and a comic book
• Did You Know? The demon subtly mirrors the man who summons it