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