Hey everybody! Hope things are going well and your'e having an amazing spooky Halloween season. There will be two videos (hopefully) this month, and I really am excited to share them with you. I've been working almost every day on this second project since June, and is in my opinion the most unique and professional work I've ever produced. It will come out the last week of the month right before Halloween, and is about a horror legend from where I grew up. It is a very personal project to me, and I'm already very happy with how it is turning out. Thanks again so much for everything, and I'll see you again very soon.
I'm excited for it my friend! I'm working on my Oct episode as well, this is the month!! Your work on here is really inspiring! After finding your channel 5 months or so ago I've just been blown away by the quality of your work and how well written, put together, and edited your videos are. I just tore through your back catalog! You really inspire me to work even harder on my own channel. Thank you!-SLD
Looking forward to the next video. I'm about to watch this one, and am so glad whenever PUMPKINHEAD gets attention. It's like a tight short story, great pacing and, the big one for me in a horror movie, ATMOSPHERE. I have never seen the sequels because I feared being let down, so looking forward to this. Keep up the good work, your videos are always entertaining.
I thought the thing, about where the poster artist drew inspiration, was from either the Witch or actually Hardy, at one point, when his eyes get like that, as he’s partially becoming the beast.
I grew up with a 7ft tall Pumpkinhead movie prop in my grandparents front room. My Nana would dress it up for holidays and make it sway during storms while telling us it was coming to life to eat us. Pumpkinhead has a special place in my heart, behind my Nana staring menacingly.
@@theterbear9915 My grandparents had a friend who collected weird things that they bought it off of. If I'm not mistaken the guy had a giant Thomas the tank engine replica/prop as well.
My grandma was really into Pumpkinhead as well. She would hide a radio around her house at night and play sound clips of Pumpkinhead growling and stuff to scare people and owned all the movies.
I have to disagree on the eyes. Pumpkinhead is a dead thing (actually the previous person to call on the power), animated by hate and vengeance. While his face is wonderfully emoting and animate... he has the eyes of a corpse and it's freaky as hell. Once Henricksons character starts to lose his soul, his eyes change as well. He was damned when he gave his soul to vengeance, but just hasn't realized it yet. It's a huge part of the lore.
So happy to see Pumpkinhead getting some love more recently, they announced a remake but who knows if that will happen haha. Part 1 and 2 are pretty great though
@@jasonsantos3037 I would so love it if Robert Eggers or even Sean Ellis directed and developed the story for an excellent reinvigoration of the monster.
The body of the man who is responsible for calling Pumpkinhead goes to the pumpkin patch as a seed. This seed, when watered with blood, grows into a new vessel for Pumpkinhead. In this regard it is a fitting metaphor for revenge. The violence we do against others becomes the seed of further violence in the future. As far as the motorcycle chain, who can say? I'm sure an ancient demon can observe the world as it is a spirit. Also, the transformation of the summoner (Henriksen) into the beast while Pumpkinhead is still active might suggest a mingling of experience. It also shows how disfiguring hate and vengeance can be.
I absolutely agree with the color palette thing, I’m sick that every monster is either grey or pale. Which is something I love about King Ghidorah, despite him being potentially the ultimate evil in the Godzilla and Mothra franchise his golden color palette radiates an elegance and etherealness usually reserved for angelic characters and gives him a sense of authority over the other Kaiju helping him pop amongst the giant monster crowd.
@Zetti Yeah classic Gigan has a great color pallet that really complements the comic book aesthetic of that movie, even the modern Gigan has a good color scheme with the red eye really popping with the metallic blue and silver.
Speaking of Mothra she’s another good example of a colorful monster. Kaiju do tend to me more colorful then smaller monsters. With Titanosaurus, King Ceaser, and Biolante all being good examples of this.
I wouldn't say Ghidorah is the ultimate evil unless you count Anime Ghidorah or MV Ghidorah, which are actually evil. Other versions of Ghidorah were just controlled monsters with the exception of GMK Ghidorah that was a protector.
Dude, you may have just said something that I found ridiculously important to the entire genre, and movies as a whole at 45:58 "Good enough to catch on cable late at night in the mid 00s, before there was the option to watch better things on streaming." Catching things on TV late at night, and renting movies with cool VHS covers, is probably how the majority of us gained our love and passion for the genre.
I've never seen Pumpkinhead but there's something legitimately upsetting about how we go from the first 2 entries hiding the monster in shadow and light, to subsequent sequels showing the whole thing tip-to-toe; walking around confused, like it went to the wrong pride fair.
11:20 I always *loved* that Pumpkinhead removed the dirt bike’s chain as a mean trick. I guess I’ve always assumed Pumpkinhead would know how to mess with the bike because it knows what *Ed Harley* knows. Plus when Pumpkinhead is killing the main cast, Ed can feel their fear and pain-which kinda suggests Pumpkinhead acts as a conduit to the victims’ perceptions, too. Like maybe after killing the first brother, it absorbed some of his dirt bike knowledge? I dunno, for me the lore’s level of fidelity works so well. It is juuust cohesive enough, and juuust vague enough, too, like some real-world folklore you might stumble upon in an isolated corner of the world.
Was so excited to see this drop!! I love when you mention Southern Gothic Horror and always wanted to see you talk about it. As someone from the same state of you, I adore seeing people talk about southern horror from the lense of people who live there.
One of things always liked about Pumpkinhead was that if you don't interfere nothing will happen to you it only kills who it's assigned to kill. Well at least for the first movie. Oh yeah that one actor that did survive along with the girl he played a young teenage Superman in the first Superman movie that came out in 1978. He was the one racing that train.
Pumpkinhead despite being a demon, is one of the least evil monsters in horror next to original leatherface. It's just a means of revenge for those who are unable to grieve. I think 1,3, and 4 all do a pretty great job setting up the reasons for the summoners to committing to the ritual. Lance really nailed his character and he probably the best part of this franchise. He's doesn't feel like Lance here, just a wronged man and eventual spirit locked with the curse. I wish we saw other previous summoners appear in the films. This is the most underrated horror franchise imo. If I had the money and power, I would love to make another one of these without the cgi and use a proper budget.
Do we really know that he's not evil? He's certainly intelligent, and from what we've seen, he does take sadistic pleasure in slowly killing people. If you ask me, the whole "revenge" thing is just an excuse for him to go after victims with impunity.
Pumpkinhead is a franchise that could be served very well to have its core rules explored in wildly differing stories and settings with each movie. Sure, the main theme of "revenge will destroy you" means it could get repetitive, but you could also do things like explore the idea of embracing the demon, or things like you suggested, of an It Follows type scenario where the subject of vengeance lives a paranoid life on the run. I don't even think the repetitive nature of the demon would be a bad thing when you could move the setting and characters around so much. It'd be a great way to let new talent rise up, as well.
I've gotten to the point where I watch movies just because you made a video on them. I'm never disappointed. I love watching a horror movie and then coming straight to this channel for the breakdown right after.
The first Pumpkinhead was my house favorite when I was Savini's school. We would make jokes and say Ed Harley like Haggis to each other. Thank you for the memories.
I'm an illustrator by trade so character design is a big part of what I do, and your take on incorporating those vivid warning colours found in nature into monster designs is SO good. Like, I literally think your third eye was open - it's the kind of design approach that's brilliant because it's simultaneously true and obvious - like yeah, dangerous things have bright colours! - as well as being totally and tragically underutilised (as you expressed in the video). Just - it's so satisfying for me personally to hear such a crisp, fresh take relating to visual design. Thanks for perking me up
@@GleebyDeebyEeby mmm.... now that you mention it, you're right that bright warning colours are more of a "don't eat me" thing. When you work in the visual arts as I do, many design ideas become rote to the point of tedious, and it's normal to develop this burning desire to just "see something done differently". I think that what you're saying is true and we should be mindful about exactly what cues we take from the natural world and what they mean biologically, but that doesn't make my heart any less bored of shadowy, camouflaged creature designs. Maybe something like the monster design in Attack The Block could be a good compromise, where the predators are mainly completely blended in with shadow, but accented with neon in a way that, whilst unrealistic, is visually swagadelic in the realm of atypical design that I'm yearning for.
I love how in the inciting incident in Pumpkinhead 3 is a Doctor stealing dead people's organs but then just let a bog witch take an ENTIRE body to do God knows what.
Ed Justin may have gotten the idea of Pumpkinhead from Jack Pumpkinhead. Jack Pumpkinhead is an L. Frank Baum character from the Land of Oz. “The Marvelous Land of Oz”(1904) has his 1st appearance. He was taken from a pumpkin patch and made into a creature by a witch, Mombie.
I really love modern day gothic fantasy horror that really explore aspects of human character, with Pumpkinhead, Hellraiser, and even Gravity Falls being some really good examples. Pumpkinhead on the surface is a fairytale esque horror story about revenge but underneath is a story about how rage justified or not devours our humanity, Hellraiser is as much a story about how the line between pain and pleasure is thin to non-existent as it is a Lovecraftian horror story, and Gravity Falls is about how childlike curiosity is suppressed with maturity and must be cherished which enriches the supernatural elements.
One of my favourite songs by folk punk band Harley Poe is called Vengeance the Demon, which is about the movie and even has a part near the end of the song where the poem is used as lyrics. I was watching Pumpkinghead for the first time and hadn't realized it was inspired by a poem, and to my surprise I knew the entire rhyme the kids recite in the beginning of the movie haha.
Legit one of the scariest monsters I've ever seen. I could even say it traumatized me as a kid who lived out in the Texas country. Made me hate the woods. But now I can say is one of my favorite monsters and wish it had a decent revival or sequel.
please don't ever change anything about your deadpan delivery. every time you say something funny in the exact same tone of voice i lose it lol in seriousness though, this is probably your best anatomy of a franchise. perhaps i'm biased because i love pumpkinhead so much, but the details you point out bring me a much richer enjoyment of the referenced works. each new video you drop i see get better and better and it's been very gratifying to watch you grow.
Practical effects, my guy. When you have something actually interacting with the physical space you get a superior level of realism that'll always be useful in suspending your disbelief - a necessity for this genre. These movies should always strive for believability, be it set-pieces or character behaviour, if you can't sell the audience on the lie, you have no stakes.
My father brought home Pumpkinhead from the video store in the 90s specifically because of Stan. Saw it way too early, always knew it was something special. So thanks for this, it fills in a lotta the blanks and is phenomenally researched and presented as always.
Between this and Nothing But Trouble... Bruh, you are speaking directly to me lately! Your videos are really informative and well researched. Keep up the great work!
This is one of the most informative and well thought out videos on the Pumpkinhead franchise. Pumpkinhead has been my favorite horror film ever since I first saw it as a kid back in the 80s and Pumpkinhead himself is easily favorite horror character. Over the years I've amassed a huge collection and have read up on anything Pumpkinhead related that I've been able to get ahold of including interviews and even early scripts to the first film. You've clearly put a lot of research into the franchise for this video and such efforts should be commended. The one thing I would add is that the comic book series you discussed from the 90s titled 'Pumpkinhead: The Rites of Exorcism' did in fact get a conclusion to the story. Yes, it is true, that only 2 out of the 4 planned issues were finished and released. However, the writer 'Gary Gerani' who, as you've mentioned helped write the first film, finished the story and included it within the instructional booklet which came with 'Geometric's' winged 'Pumpkinhead: The Metamorphosis' model kit. This, to the best of my knowledge, was the first time a winged Pumpkinhead was presented. The winged transformation was originally to be revealed in the comic, but it ended before they got that far. Luckily the idea was realized in the model kit and 'Gary Gerani' was able to finish up the story. At one point Gary Gerani had also hoped to put together a Pumpkinhead television series as well. It was to be an anthology and would focus on different Pumpkinhead tales that took place throughout varying time periods and would also explore the other demons of sin. Again, I commend you on a fantastic video.
This was a pleasant surprise to rent in the late 80s when there were tons of boxes on the video store shelves that all looked good but rarely were. We rented both movies in the same weekend. I didn't know what to expect from Pumpkinhead. Rawhead Rex was a great short story I had read in "The Books of Blood", Clive Barkers short story books that came out before anyone recognised what his name meant. When we saw it at the video store I insisted on renting it but as always back then, it fell way short as a film after having read it first. Point being: Pumpkinhead got the treatment Rawhead Rex needed.
Part of me would love for someone to attempt a better Rawhead Rex movie, but then the other part of me says 'No' because Hollywood will likely fuck it up again.
@@erubin100 You're right about that. But it's Celtic folklore and Barker is English so it should be done by them anyway. I want him to be designed by the guys who did the first Pumpkinhead. It's a real short story to read, you should check out how he is described, it's pretty awesome.
RIP Stan Winston. One of my childhood hero movie directors and special FX artists. And a stellar performance from Lance Henriksen who became a cult star.. Great video essay (that's what's this is called right? 😁).
Several kids die in a town with a polluted water supply, and the parents collectively summon Pumpkinhead. The movie then shifts to Pumpkinhead's persective, the underdog hero, as he tries to figure out how to kill capitalism.
Aw man, I remember seeing the first Pumpkinhead years ago. I actually really liked it. Never saw the sequels though so I am sure this video will be very informative!
One of my all-time favorites. A compelling story that stands out and holds up over time. Unlike so many slashers/creature-features, it provides a very literal lesson - i.e., that to act on our desire for vengeance makes us into the monster. Lance Henrikson did a great job with that character arc. While De Laurentis had a hand in many iconic movies of that era, I'm glad he didn't get his way. Glad to see the fime get the love it deserves!
Pumpkinhead knows what Harley knows, in many ways, yet still has its own need to finish the curse. The longer it goes on, the more Ed becomes like Pumpkinhead, as they’re linked. The connection helps with defeating it, although it’s really Ed dying that really stops it.
Never came across such a Pumpkinhead anatomy fan video before. So that's cool. I'm a horror fan; favorite decades are the 70's and 80's. Some 90's. I'm also a movie and history buff and a big time true crime fan. Been getting into horror novels. 98% of all my books are true crime or non fiction books pertaining to history. But I've been adding more horror novels into my book collection. I'm a 90's kid. Gremlins, Critters, and Ticks were like my main childhood movies. Other then the stuff that was coming out like Fear, The crush, Scream, Carrie 2: The rage, Starship troopers, etc. My non horror childhood films were Who framed roger rabbit? Batman and Zorro. Teenage mutant ninja turtles, etc. Pumpkinhead was one of my childhood movies. I watched Pumpkinhead all the time. On TV when it would air and the VHS I stole-borrowed from my grandfather. My grandfather had over 100 movies, so that's how I got to see the original Alien, Aliens, Terminator, Killer klowns from outerspace, CHUD, The prowler, Friday the 13th part 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7, Nightmare on elm street part 1, 2, 3, and 5, Pet semetary, Silver bullet, and more. I would often watch these movies in my grandparent's dark spooky basement either on VHS or Beta. One of those films was Pumpkinhead 2, another film I'd watch over and over and over and over again on VHS. I know this is gonna sound blasphemous but I have watched Pumpkinhead 2 more then the original. Last time I watched Pumpkinhead....the dialog sounded far too artificial. Multiple scenes the dialog sounded far too made up. Maybe I had memorized the film too much, but the dialog came off as way too artificial. Other then that one time I've always loved the first movie. Love Dead and buried. Always loved the look of Pumpkinhead. I use to draw fan art of Pumpkinhead in school. Pumpkinhead 2 I think is incredibly underrated. I honestly always cry when Pumpkinhead is killed in part 2. I love the beginning when he's brutally murdered and I love the ending. A great soundtrack. Love the bored reckless 90's teens. I like the depiction of Pumpkinhead in the movie. My favorite kill is when he breaks the mailman's back....the music playing, Pumpkinhead lifting that guy up and breaking his back over his knee and then tossing him aside. Just something about that kill scene makes it a great kill scene. I can totally separate the movies from each other and simply two different versions of the same idea and concept and for me it totally works. Something I rarely accept. Like Return of the living dead 2. Which uses two of the main cast. Rarely do I accept that in a sequel, but part 2 I can accept it. "there is an unrealistic and unbelievable escalation of events" ...maybe I've seen this movie too often, maybe it's because I've listened to teens who grew up in "painfully generic simple small towns". But the teens in Pumpkinhead 2 are to me super realistic. They are the town's "Bad kids" and because the town is so boring they are looking for cheap thrills anywhere they can get it. We get this through out the film. So it makes perfect sense to me that they would all react the way they do and let's be honest...it was really one single character. All the other characters just went along with it or didn't even know about it. Like when he beats up the witch, they didn't see that. Except Pauly. I also disagree with you in terms of "he seems to be just killing random people" until the reveal...to me that was obvious from the start. We saw him get brutally murdered by several people. This is a Pumpkinhead movie and Pumpkinhead equals vengeance. We clearly see the connection of "Red wings"; their jackets and now it's like 30 years later and Pumpkinhead is drawing bloody red wings at the crime scenes. I also understand movies and how movies work. To me the connection was blatantly obvious and no secret what so ever. All the rest of the Pumpkinhead movies are not worth seeing what so ever. They get Pumpkinhead wrong in every single respect. The plots are boring and generic. No new ideas what so ever. The effects are painfully cheap. I can't find a single redeeming thing about any of the Pumpkinhead sequels after 2. I remember waiting for Pumpkinhead 3. For several years I was like "When are we gonna get a new Pumpkinhead movie?!" and I was excited that Ashes to ashes was announced....back before I realized "it's a scifi movie; scifi original movies means SH*T! Z grade movies." But I remember reading articles on it and the creators of Pumpkinhead: Ashes to ashes bashed part 2....which is so incredibly arrogant. BETTER THEN YOUR TRASH MOVIE!!!!! So I watched it when it aired on Scifi and I was like stunned and went "this is really bad. This is TERRIBLE!!!!" and the biggest offense is what they did do the character Bunt. First off, all of the characters are totally unlikeable. Not a single likeable character and Bunt is the worse of them all. Not only is Bunt unlikeable but a total INSULT to the Bunt the character. They literally turned this smart curious, normal, "redneck" kid into a STUPID, fumbling idiot. A total absolute insult to Bunt. The film is terrible in every possible way...also WRONG pumpkinhead. Where is the slow methodical sadism, cruelty, and taunting? With part 2, it was a different lore and different Pumpkinhead. So they didn't have that excuse. Lance Hendrickson literally said he only did his cameos in Ashes to ashes because he needed some extra cash for his car and at the premiere he was so embarrassed by the film he literally sneaked out of the theater. So when it came to the Q&A he was missing. Leaving his agent sitting alone laughing nervously. Never watched Blood feud, only saw clips of it while serfing channels a few times back in the 2000's. Trick me once shame on me, trick me twice, shame on you. Personally my idea on a Pumpkinhead sequel would be and always has been this. In a small southern town the local Priest's family is brutally murdered by a small "satanic cult" poser group. So the local priest seeks out the local witch and summons Pumpkinhead. The last remaining posers realize what they need to go, so they try and find the priest to kill him. So ya. Love Pumpkinhead 1 and 2. The rest don't exist in my world. "caricatures of ignorant rural hicks" You mean like part 3?! And I'm a city boy. I aint southern. So I aint personally offended what so ever. Has nothing to do with me. I'm offended at BAD WRITING and ruining a character I liked. I always liked Bunt from the original movie. So them totally rewriting his character is what I find offensive.
your channel has been such a great help in my writing, seeing in new light and being able to dwell deeper into their meanings that i wouldn't normally catch. you reignite my passion for filmmaking and makes me want to write in deepest passion. thank you very much for all of your videos
I largely have to agree with your praise of the original Pumpkinhead; it's clearly not only a labor of love from those involved, it was an intelligently filmed and planned movie for the budget it had (you can either work with what you have or against yourself)... The film that introduced me to Pumpkinhead however was the second ("Blood Wings"), which was apparently panned by critics and audiences alike...however I found it terrifying as a kid (to the point where I was really quite terrified of the creature for quite a few years)
Thank you so very much for this! My wife introduced this to me early into our marriage. 21 years later, this is still the best fall/ Halloween movie I've ever seen. Why? The storyline hit so close to my own experiences. 👍😃👍🙏💛☯️🌞🎃🎃
Everytime I hear something like "Because of medium used at the time a certain amount of filmed footage was lost forever" it makes me sad. I don't even watch lots of movies in the moment but it still makes me sad :(
Pumpkinhead is a very, very, very underrated Slasher horror film. Ive asked avid/fan of slasher and any other horror genre film fans if they have ever watched or heard of Pumpkinhead. they have not. For those who have not watch Pumpkinhead, it worth watching.
I think I have a little correction -- in the first film, death of the summoner is not the only way to send Pumpkinhead back to the grave -- it's just the only way to stop the revenge from happening. Letting him finish the revenge is also an option. "You have to let it run its course," says the old witch. Unless we assume its course finishes with killing Harley, but that was never implied as far as I recall.
It's a shame we didn't get a BUNCH more movies in this franchise. I would have loved to see those other 6 demons, or even what kinds of sins they'd be associated with (I'm assuming Pumpkinhead's vengence is wrath?). This idea is so obscure that I can't even find any fanart of it! EDIT:...I need to check out that comic.
I really respect your ability to find the good elements in what would typically be considered really bad movies. I have seen ashes to ashes. I saw it far too young watching the scifi channel knowing i wasnt supposed to and even i changed the channel because i thought it was stupid. I like that you've taken the time to find effort in certain details that others would refuse to acknowledge or even bother to look for, knowing how difficult it is to make a movie in general. Even if its a bad one. Great work as usual man.
I mean, yeah, "came for pumpkin head", but probably wouldn't have watched many others productions with the same focus. The cinematographic insight, over all research, and helpful understanding of why this role seems iconic for henrickson, thats why i come to you. Your laudings of the umbral are better conceived, and produced, than alot of the library VHS i grew up on. That isn't shade, i love those VHS tapes, that as formative memory is likely a large part of why i enjoy channels like yours. Nonetheless, you represent an evolution in the format. Could probably avoid the titular monsters like a plauge, and still arrive ata watchable piece.
It's really funny that I was trying to guess what franchise you'd cover next and I actually guessed right! I love these retrospectives since there's not a lot of channels with that are able to look at these films with the articulation and polish that you have! Glad you're making these looks at horror franchises!
I... kinda really like Pumpkinhead. I've seen all the movies on SyFy, and at least enjoyed, if not outright loved, them. Thank you, for teaching me about their history. It makes me appreciate them all the more.
"Pumkinhead" is one of the best horror films ever, and one of the things that makes it great is the relationship of Ed and Billy, who seem not only happy but at peace and content. Without the moments of sweetness between the two it wouldn't have the emotional gravity, of course. I am not a filmaker and i figured that out, why the makers of the rest of the franchise movies didn't get that I do not understand. Because Pumkinhead has to be summoned, because he only goes after certain people, the fear of random violence is taken away and it still works because of the tragedy at the core. So perhaps in each movie they develop characters we care about( like Lance "Bad -Ass Hendrikson and endearing Billy) and circumstances around the summoning we can relate too. Then its personal.
When you mentioned Phantasm I had a nasty flashback. The Phantasm series was the first series I had to nope out of. It was just so ridiculously hopeless, which is fine for the most part since that was part of the point, but for me, making something that hopeless kind of makes it pointless to sit through because you know that no matter what, nothing these characters do even matter.
I always look forward to the next video! Always great lore and analysis about the genre I love most! And of course, the credits music selection is - as always - EXCELLENT!
Pumpkinhead is perhaps one of my most favorite monster designs to have ever come from a horror movie. This is one of the many reasons that the late 80s to late 90s were my favorite era of horror movies.
Sorry, slight editorial note. I clicked on the video because it was a video by you, and I love what you have to say on art and the genre. Your hard work and dedication to the craft makes this a website worth coming to. Your hard work helps inspire me to not slack on my own creative endeavors.
14:30, a colorful monster could be visually interesting, and it doesn't have to follow nature's lead. But animals that show their danger through color, as a rule, are avoiding being eaten, a trait not too frightening.
Thank you so much for another wonderful video. I am so grateful for the work and care you put into them and to be introduced , lovingly, to a new (to me) film franchise. Whenever another video of yours comes out I always set aside special rejuvenating me time to watch it. I can’t wait for the second October release !
Awesome retrospective! Pumpkinhead needs more love. That first film really is quite a monster movie gem. Along with the xenomorph, the design of Pumpkinhead is probably the creature look that has become most ingrained in my psyche. Looking back, elements of one or both always seem to seep into my horror writing involving monsters😅
Early enough you might see this. Thank you for your hard work, as entertaining as it is I hope you find it fulfilling. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and creativity with us 😊
You said in this video that the sole reason for clicking on this was for Pumpkinhead. I came to moreso to hear you talk about it. I've seen the film before, was sit-throughable, but figured the added context may help with the enjoyment. So far, so good. :)
Another great one! Thanks for doing what you do. I try to get people to look deeper than the surface when it comes to horror, and cinema as a whole; as I feel we are in rough time when it comes to movies. Mediocrity is the king these days.
Did you see the stack of Lament Configurations by the window of the doctor's office? Great Homage to Bradley's work as the immaculate Pinhead of Hellraiser.
You've read my mind! I've been playing Terrordrome Rise of the boogymen alot lately and I've been focusing on pumpkinhead! lol. The movie stands its ground to this day as a classic dark fairy tale of vengeance.
I still think Pumpkinhead is one of the best horror movies made. It's got a solid story, a solid supernatual bent, and even a moral lesson. It's a shame it isn't more well-known than it is.
Pumpkinhead 2 was one of the first horror movies I watched. The scene where the teens kill the guy playing with the toy truck was deeply disturbing and when Pumpkinhead is shot to death was ultimately very sad.
I was so happy when I saw you did Pumpkin head! Its one of my guilty favorites honestly. (Mainly the first on) I love your take on movies and how you explore their symbolism. You're one of the only people I have seen that touches on even the minor symbolism that often escapes others. I often feel myself going "You missed some things" by the end of the video but I have feel that with yours. Great job once again!
Hey everybody! Hope things are going well and your'e having an amazing spooky Halloween season. There will be two videos (hopefully) this month, and I really am excited to share them with you. I've been working almost every day on this second project since June, and is in my opinion the most unique and professional work I've ever produced. It will come out the last week of the month right before Halloween, and is about a horror legend from where I grew up. It is a very personal project to me, and I'm already very happy with how it is turning out. Thanks again so much for everything, and I'll see you again very soon.
I'm excited for it my friend! I'm working on my Oct episode as well, this is the month!!
Your work on here is really inspiring! After finding your channel 5 months or so ago I've just been blown away by the quality of your work and how well written, put together, and edited your videos are. I just tore through your back catalog! You really inspire me to work even harder on my own channel.
Thank you!-SLD
Hope you can give The WISHMASTER series of movies the treatment in the future 👍🏻 Congrats on your successes
Can you please stop being so pretentious in moralistically self-righteous in your videos?
Looking forward to the next video. I'm about to watch this one, and am so glad whenever PUMPKINHEAD gets attention. It's like a tight short story, great pacing and, the big one for me in a horror movie, ATMOSPHERE. I have never seen the sequels because I feared being let down, so looking forward to this. Keep up the good work, your videos are always entertaining.
I thought the thing, about where the poster artist drew inspiration, was from either the Witch or actually Hardy, at one point, when his eyes get like that, as he’s partially becoming the beast.
I grew up with a 7ft tall Pumpkinhead movie prop in my grandparents front room. My Nana would dress it up for holidays and make it sway during storms while telling us it was coming to life to eat us. Pumpkinhead has a special place in my heart, behind my Nana staring menacingly.
How did she get that?
@@theterbear9915 My grandparents had a friend who collected weird things that they bought it off of. If I'm not mistaken the guy had a giant Thomas the tank engine replica/prop as well.
Nana is metal af
My grandma was really into Pumpkinhead as well. She would hide a radio around her house at night and play sound clips of Pumpkinhead growling and stuff to scare people and owned all the movies.
@@hexxerman7656 your Nana is metal af too! 👑
I have to disagree on the eyes. Pumpkinhead is a dead thing (actually the previous person to call on the power), animated by hate and vengeance. While his face is wonderfully emoting and animate... he has the eyes of a corpse and it's freaky as hell. Once Henricksons character starts to lose his soul, his eyes change as well. He was damned when he gave his soul to vengeance, but just hasn't realized it yet. It's a huge part of the lore.
Yes, more times than not, when the eyes of a creature glow it gives a cheesy or cringe worthy effect for me !
Absolutely.
So happy to see Pumpkinhead getting some love more recently, they announced a remake but who knows if that will happen haha. Part 1 and 2 are pretty great though
With all the reboots we’ve gotten in the last decade I’m 100 percent certain one of the more iconic b movie monsters will get a reboot.
@@Chiefteeth1 Oh totally, if Toxic Avenger can get one anyone can haha
Pumpkinhead is underrated movie monsters he get more love
@@jasonsantos3037 I would so love it if Robert Eggers or even Sean Ellis directed and developed the story for an excellent reinvigoration of the monster.
Blood Wings is trash
The body of the man who is responsible for calling Pumpkinhead goes to the pumpkin patch as a seed. This seed, when watered with blood, grows into a new vessel for Pumpkinhead.
In this regard it is a fitting metaphor for revenge. The violence we do against others becomes the seed of further violence in the future.
As far as the motorcycle chain, who can say? I'm sure an ancient demon can observe the world as it is a spirit. Also, the transformation of the summoner (Henriksen) into the beast while Pumpkinhead is still active might suggest a mingling of experience. It also shows how disfiguring hate and vengeance can be.
I absolutely agree with the color palette thing, I’m sick that every monster is either grey or pale. Which is something I love about King Ghidorah, despite him being potentially the ultimate evil in the Godzilla and Mothra franchise his golden color palette radiates an elegance and etherealness usually reserved for angelic characters and gives him a sense of authority over the other Kaiju helping him pop amongst the giant monster crowd.
@Zetti Yeah classic Gigan has a great color pallet that really complements the comic book aesthetic of that movie, even the modern Gigan has a good color scheme with the red eye really popping with the metallic blue and silver.
Speaking of Mothra she’s another good example of a colorful monster. Kaiju do tend to me more colorful then smaller monsters. With Titanosaurus, King Ceaser, and Biolante all being good examples of this.
I wouldn't say Ghidorah is the ultimate evil unless you count Anime Ghidorah or MV Ghidorah, which are actually evil. Other versions of Ghidorah were just controlled monsters with the exception of GMK Ghidorah that was a protector.
@@lorddevilfish5868Pumpkinhead is brown & a little pink here & there. So the character has a good color palette
Dude, you may have just said something that I found ridiculously important to the entire genre, and movies as a whole at 45:58
"Good enough to catch on cable late at night in the mid 00s, before there was the option to watch better things on streaming."
Catching things on TV late at night, and renting movies with cool VHS covers, is probably how the majority of us gained our love and passion for the genre.
I've never seen Pumpkinhead but there's something legitimately upsetting about how we go from the first 2 entries hiding the monster in shadow and light, to subsequent sequels showing the whole thing tip-to-toe; walking around confused, like it went to the wrong pride fair.
I truly hope that you've watched this awesome movie.
11:20 I always *loved* that Pumpkinhead removed the dirt bike’s chain as a mean trick. I guess I’ve always assumed Pumpkinhead would know how to mess with the bike because it knows what *Ed Harley* knows. Plus when Pumpkinhead is killing the main cast, Ed can feel their fear and pain-which kinda suggests Pumpkinhead acts as a conduit to the victims’ perceptions, too. Like maybe after killing the first brother, it absorbed some of his dirt bike knowledge? I dunno, for me the lore’s level of fidelity works so well. It is juuust cohesive enough, and juuust vague enough, too, like some real-world folklore you might stumble upon in an isolated corner of the world.
I agree with you 100% and I was honestly thrown off by this guy not liking the bike chain part.
Pumpkin head really disturbed me as a child, even your chill, laid back video about it still gets under my skin
To be fair, square dances ARE still a thing.
Excellent analysis as ever, and I'm glad that the franchise still exists, warts and all.
Was so excited to see this drop!! I love when you mention Southern Gothic Horror and always wanted to see you talk about it. As someone from the same state of you, I adore seeing people talk about southern horror from the lense of people who live there.
One of things always liked about Pumpkinhead was that if you don't interfere nothing will happen to you it only kills who it's assigned to kill. Well at least for the first movie. Oh yeah that one actor that did survive along with the girl he played a young teenage Superman in the first Superman movie that came out in 1978. He was the one racing that train.
Yeah. That was Jeff East. Except for the hair, he didn't look any different in 1988 than he did in 1978.
Lance H. was so good in this! That death stare he gave the teen who ran over his son, damn!
Pumpkinhead despite being a demon, is one of the least evil monsters in horror next to original leatherface. It's just a means of revenge for those who are unable to grieve. I think 1,3, and 4 all do a pretty great job setting up the reasons for the summoners to committing to the ritual. Lance really nailed his character and he probably the best part of this franchise. He's doesn't feel like Lance here, just a wronged man and eventual spirit locked with the curse. I wish we saw other previous summoners appear in the films. This is the most underrated horror franchise imo. If I had the money and power, I would love to make another one of these without the cgi and use a proper budget.
Do we really know that he's not evil? He's certainly intelligent, and from what we've seen, he does take sadistic pleasure in slowly killing people. If you ask me, the whole "revenge" thing is just an excuse for him to go after victims with impunity.
Pumpkinhead is a franchise that could be served very well to have its core rules explored in wildly differing stories and settings with each movie. Sure, the main theme of "revenge will destroy you" means it could get repetitive, but you could also do things like explore the idea of embracing the demon, or things like you suggested, of an It Follows type scenario where the subject of vengeance lives a paranoid life on the run. I don't even think the repetitive nature of the demon would be a bad thing when you could move the setting and characters around so much. It'd be a great way to let new talent rise up, as well.
I've gotten to the point where I watch movies just because you made a video on them. I'm never disappointed. I love watching a horror movie and then coming straight to this channel for the breakdown right after.
The first Pumpkinhead was my house favorite when I was Savini's school. We would make jokes and say Ed Harley like Haggis to each other. Thank you for the memories.
I'm an illustrator by trade so character design is a big part of what I do, and your take on incorporating those vivid warning colours found in nature into monster designs is SO good. Like, I literally think your third eye was open - it's the kind of design approach that's brilliant because it's simultaneously true and obvious - like yeah, dangerous things have bright colours! - as well as being totally and tragically underutilised (as you expressed in the video). Just - it's so satisfying for me personally to hear such a crisp, fresh take relating to visual design. Thanks for perking me up
@@GleebyDeebyEeby mmm.... now that you mention it, you're right that bright warning colours are more of a "don't eat me" thing. When you work in the visual arts as I do, many design ideas become rote to the point of tedious, and it's normal to develop this burning desire to just "see something done differently". I think that what you're saying is true and we should be mindful about exactly what cues we take from the natural world and what they mean biologically, but that doesn't make my heart any less bored of shadowy, camouflaged creature designs.
Maybe something like the monster design in Attack The Block could be a good compromise, where the predators are mainly completely blended in with shadow, but accented with neon in a way that, whilst unrealistic, is visually swagadelic in the realm of atypical design that I'm yearning for.
I love how in the inciting incident in Pumpkinhead 3 is a Doctor stealing dead people's organs but then just let a bog witch take an ENTIRE body to do God knows what.
Those Stan Winston effects in the first film are so damn good.
It was because he actually had a good group of special effect experts who knew what they were doing.
Lance Henrickson's said to be a really nice guy, and from the 5 minutes I talked to him at a Comic Con, that seems to be true.
I love this movie.
There’s a horrorcore album inspired by it. It’s called Punkinhead.
It’s a southern slang rap horror artist named Boondox.
There's also a misfits song. They even included the poem
Ed Justin may have gotten the idea of Pumpkinhead from Jack Pumpkinhead.
Jack Pumpkinhead is an L. Frank Baum character from the Land of Oz. “The Marvelous Land of Oz”(1904) has his 1st appearance.
He was taken from a pumpkin patch and made into a creature by a witch, Mombie.
I’m quite sure that’s where the idea came from. Definitely Jack Pumpkinhead
I really love modern day gothic fantasy horror that really explore aspects of human character, with Pumpkinhead, Hellraiser, and even Gravity Falls being some really good examples. Pumpkinhead on the surface is a fairytale esque horror story about revenge but underneath is a story about how rage justified or not devours our humanity, Hellraiser is as much a story about how the line between pain and pleasure is thin to non-existent as it is a Lovecraftian horror story, and Gravity Falls is about how childlike curiosity is suppressed with maturity and must be cherished which enriches the supernatural elements.
One of my favourite songs by folk punk band Harley Poe is called Vengeance the Demon, which is about the movie and even has a part near the end of the song where the poem is used as lyrics. I was watching Pumpkinghead for the first time and hadn't realized it was inspired by a poem, and to my surprise I knew the entire rhyme the kids recite in the beginning of the movie haha.
Thank you for this! I like Harley Poe, and I watch Pumpkinhead every Halloween; but I've never heard this song before! It's really good!
Funny cause the misfits did exactly that in the 90s
@@mariovazquez4436 I love that song
Legit one of the scariest monsters I've ever seen. I could even say it traumatized me as a kid who lived out in the Texas country. Made me hate the woods. But now I can say is one of my favorite monsters and wish it had a decent revival or sequel.
Whether he's playing a preacher, a beat cop,
an android, a vampire or even a gorilla,
Lance Henriksen always delivers the goods.
Such a great actor!
Ive always loved pumpkin head feels like it usually doesn't get the love it deserves
please don't ever change anything about your deadpan delivery. every time you say something funny in the exact same tone of voice i lose it lol
in seriousness though, this is probably your best anatomy of a franchise. perhaps i'm biased because i love pumpkinhead so much, but the details you point out bring me a much richer enjoyment of the referenced works. each new video you drop i see get better and better and it's been very gratifying to watch you grow.
That movie is an absolute classic and treasure. Lance Henrickson did an amazing job
Pumpkinhead is one of my all time favorite horror films. It holds up as much today as it in the 1980s.
Practical effects, my guy. When you have something actually interacting with the physical space you get a superior level of realism that'll always be useful in suspending your disbelief - a necessity for this genre. These movies should always strive for believability, be it set-pieces or character behaviour, if you can't sell the audience on the lie, you have no stakes.
@@00Discourse00 I love stakes
@@00Discourse00 Nailed it.
My father brought home Pumpkinhead from the video store in the 90s specifically because of Stan. Saw it way too early, always knew it was something special. So thanks for this, it fills in a lotta the blanks and is phenomenally researched and presented as always.
Between this and Nothing But Trouble... Bruh, you are speaking directly to me lately! Your videos are really informative and well researched.
Keep up the great work!
This is one of the most informative and well thought out videos on the Pumpkinhead franchise. Pumpkinhead has been my favorite horror film ever since I first saw it as a kid back in the 80s and Pumpkinhead himself is easily favorite horror character. Over the years I've amassed a huge collection and have read up on anything Pumpkinhead related that I've been able to get ahold of including interviews and even early scripts to the first film. You've clearly put a lot of research into the franchise for this video and such efforts should be commended.
The one thing I would add is that the comic book series you discussed from the 90s titled 'Pumpkinhead: The Rites of Exorcism' did in fact get a conclusion to the story. Yes, it is true, that only 2 out of the 4 planned issues were finished and released. However, the writer 'Gary Gerani' who, as you've mentioned helped write the first film, finished the story and included it within the instructional booklet which came with 'Geometric's' winged 'Pumpkinhead: The Metamorphosis' model kit. This, to the best of my knowledge, was the first time a winged Pumpkinhead was presented. The winged transformation was originally to be revealed in the comic, but it ended before they got that far. Luckily the idea was realized in the model kit and 'Gary Gerani' was able to finish up the story.
At one point Gary Gerani had also hoped to put together a Pumpkinhead television series as well. It was to be an anthology and would focus on different Pumpkinhead tales that took place throughout varying time periods and would also explore the other demons of sin.
Again, I commend you on a fantastic video.
This was a pleasant surprise to rent in the late 80s when there were tons of boxes on the video store shelves that all looked good but rarely were. We rented both movies in the same weekend. I didn't know what to expect from Pumpkinhead.
Rawhead Rex was a great short story I had read in "The Books of Blood", Clive Barkers short story books that came out before anyone recognised what his name meant. When we saw it at the video store I insisted on renting it but as always back then, it fell way short as a film after having read it first.
Point being: Pumpkinhead got the treatment Rawhead Rex needed.
Part of me would love for someone to attempt a better Rawhead Rex movie, but then the other part of me says 'No' because Hollywood will likely fuck it up again.
@@erubin100 You're right about that. But it's Celtic folklore and Barker is English so it should be done by them anyway. I want him to be designed by the guys who did the first Pumpkinhead.
It's a real short story to read, you should check out how he is described, it's pretty awesome.
@@ronofthesea5953 I've read it. He's a giant carnivorous penis. It's incredible. All the more reason why hollywood should not attempt it.
Always love your Anatomy of franchises, I've never watched Pumpkinhead but this may get me to change that.
RIP Stan Winston. One of my childhood hero movie directors and special FX artists. And a stellar performance from Lance Henriksen who became a cult star.. Great video essay (that's what's this is called right? 😁).
Several kids die in a town with a polluted water supply, and the parents collectively summon Pumpkinhead. The movie then shifts to Pumpkinhead's persective, the underdog hero, as he tries to figure out how to kill capitalism.
Aw man, I remember seeing the first Pumpkinhead years ago. I actually really liked it. Never saw the sequels though so I am sure this video will be very informative!
You're not missing much in regards to the sequels.
They went to shit faster than the Howling sequels.
One of my all-time favorites. A compelling story that stands out and holds up over time. Unlike so many slashers/creature-features, it provides a very literal lesson - i.e., that to act on our desire for vengeance makes us into the monster. Lance Henrikson did a great job with that character arc. While De Laurentis had a hand in many iconic movies of that era, I'm glad he didn't get his way. Glad to see the fime get the love it deserves!
Pumpkinhead knows what Harley knows, in many ways, yet still has its own need to finish the curse.
The longer it goes on, the more Ed becomes like Pumpkinhead, as they’re linked. The connection helps with defeating it, although it’s really Ed dying that really stops it.
Never came across such a Pumpkinhead anatomy fan video before. So that's cool. I'm a horror fan; favorite decades are the 70's and 80's. Some 90's.
I'm also a movie and history buff and a big time true crime fan. Been getting into horror novels. 98% of all my books are true crime or non fiction books pertaining to history. But I've been adding more horror novels into my book collection.
I'm a 90's kid. Gremlins, Critters, and Ticks were like my main childhood movies. Other then the stuff that was coming out like Fear, The crush, Scream, Carrie 2: The rage, Starship troopers, etc. My non horror childhood films were Who framed roger rabbit? Batman and Zorro. Teenage mutant ninja turtles, etc.
Pumpkinhead was one of my childhood movies. I watched Pumpkinhead all the time. On TV when it would air and the VHS I stole-borrowed from my grandfather. My grandfather had over 100 movies, so that's how I got to see the original Alien, Aliens, Terminator, Killer klowns from outerspace, CHUD, The prowler, Friday the 13th part 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7, Nightmare on elm street part 1, 2, 3, and 5, Pet semetary, Silver bullet, and more. I would often watch these movies in my grandparent's dark spooky basement either on VHS or Beta.
One of those films was Pumpkinhead 2, another film I'd watch over and over and over and over again on VHS.
I know this is gonna sound blasphemous but I have watched Pumpkinhead 2 more then the original.
Last time I watched Pumpkinhead....the dialog sounded far too artificial. Multiple scenes the dialog sounded far too made up. Maybe I had memorized the film too much, but the dialog came off as way too artificial. Other then that one time I've always loved the first movie.
Love Dead and buried.
Always loved the look of Pumpkinhead. I use to draw fan art of Pumpkinhead in school.
Pumpkinhead 2 I think is incredibly underrated. I honestly always cry when Pumpkinhead is killed in part 2. I love the beginning when he's brutally murdered and I love the ending. A great soundtrack. Love the bored reckless 90's teens. I like the depiction of Pumpkinhead in the movie. My favorite kill is when he breaks the mailman's back....the music playing, Pumpkinhead lifting that guy up and breaking his back over his knee and then tossing him aside. Just something about that kill scene makes it a great kill scene.
I can totally separate the movies from each other and simply two different versions of the same idea and concept and for me it totally works. Something I rarely accept. Like Return of the living dead 2. Which uses two of the main cast. Rarely do I accept that in a sequel, but part 2 I can accept it.
"there is an unrealistic and unbelievable escalation of events" ...maybe I've seen this movie too often, maybe it's because I've listened to teens who grew up in "painfully generic simple small towns". But the teens in Pumpkinhead 2 are to me super realistic. They are the town's "Bad kids" and because the town is so boring they are looking for cheap thrills anywhere they can get it. We get this through out the film. So it makes perfect sense to me that they would all react the way they do and let's be honest...it was really one single character. All the other characters just went along with it or didn't even know about it. Like when he beats up the witch, they didn't see that. Except Pauly.
I also disagree with you in terms of "he seems to be just killing random people" until the reveal...to me that was obvious from the start. We saw him get brutally murdered by several people. This is a Pumpkinhead movie and Pumpkinhead equals vengeance. We clearly see the connection of "Red wings"; their jackets and now it's like 30 years later and Pumpkinhead is drawing bloody red wings at the crime scenes. I also understand movies and how movies work. To me the connection was blatantly obvious and no secret what so ever.
All the rest of the Pumpkinhead movies are not worth seeing what so ever. They get Pumpkinhead wrong in every single respect. The plots are boring and generic. No new ideas what so ever. The effects are painfully cheap. I can't find a single redeeming thing about any of the Pumpkinhead sequels after 2.
I remember waiting for Pumpkinhead 3. For several years I was like "When are we gonna get a new Pumpkinhead movie?!" and I was excited that Ashes to ashes was announced....back before I realized "it's a scifi movie; scifi original movies means SH*T! Z grade movies." But I remember reading articles on it and the creators of Pumpkinhead: Ashes to ashes bashed part 2....which is so incredibly arrogant. BETTER THEN YOUR TRASH MOVIE!!!!! So I watched it when it aired on Scifi and I was like stunned and went "this is really bad. This is TERRIBLE!!!!" and the biggest offense is what they did do the character Bunt. First off, all of the characters are totally unlikeable. Not a single likeable character and Bunt is the worse of them all. Not only is Bunt unlikeable but a total INSULT to the Bunt the character. They literally turned this smart curious, normal, "redneck" kid into a STUPID, fumbling idiot. A total absolute insult to Bunt. The film is terrible in every possible way...also WRONG pumpkinhead. Where is the slow methodical sadism, cruelty, and taunting? With part 2, it was a different lore and different Pumpkinhead. So they didn't have that excuse.
Lance Hendrickson literally said he only did his cameos in Ashes to ashes because he needed some extra cash for his car and at the premiere he was so embarrassed by the film he literally sneaked out of the theater. So when it came to the Q&A he was missing. Leaving his agent sitting alone laughing nervously.
Never watched Blood feud, only saw clips of it while serfing channels a few times back in the 2000's. Trick me once shame on me, trick me twice, shame on you.
Personally my idea on a Pumpkinhead sequel would be and always has been this.
In a small southern town the local Priest's family is brutally murdered by a small "satanic cult" poser group.
So the local priest seeks out the local witch and summons Pumpkinhead. The last remaining posers realize what they need to go, so they try and find the priest to kill him.
So ya. Love Pumpkinhead 1 and 2. The rest don't exist in my world.
"caricatures of ignorant rural hicks" You mean like part 3?! And I'm a city boy. I aint southern. So I aint personally offended what so ever. Has nothing to do with me. I'm offended at BAD WRITING and ruining a character I liked. I always liked Bunt from the original movie. So them totally rewriting his character is what I find offensive.
your channel has been such a great help in my writing, seeing in new light and being able to dwell deeper into their meanings that i wouldn't normally catch. you reignite my passion for filmmaking and makes me want to write in deepest passion. thank you very much for all of your videos
This was my and my dad's jam when I was younger! Good stuff
I largely have to agree with your praise of the original Pumpkinhead; it's clearly not only a labor of love from those involved, it was an intelligently filmed and planned movie for the budget it had (you can either work with what you have or against yourself)...
The film that introduced me to Pumpkinhead however was the second ("Blood Wings"), which was apparently panned by critics and audiences alike...however I found it terrifying as a kid (to the point where I was really quite terrified of the creature for quite a few years)
Thank you so very much for this! My wife introduced this to me early into our marriage. 21 years later, this is still the best fall/ Halloween movie I've ever seen. Why? The storyline hit so close to my own experiences.
👍😃👍🙏💛☯️🌞🎃🎃
Everytime I hear something like "Because of medium used at the time a certain amount of filmed footage was lost forever" it makes me sad. I don't even watch lots of movies in the moment but it still makes me sad :(
Pumpkinhead is a very, very, very underrated Slasher horror film. Ive asked avid/fan of slasher and any other horror genre film fans if they have ever watched or heard of Pumpkinhead. they have not. For those who have not watch Pumpkinhead, it worth watching.
I think I have a little correction -- in the first film, death of the summoner is not the only way to send Pumpkinhead back to the grave -- it's just the only way to stop the revenge from happening. Letting him finish the revenge is also an option. "You have to let it run its course," says the old witch. Unless we assume its course finishes with killing Harley, but that was never implied as far as I recall.
It's a shame we didn't get a BUNCH more movies in this franchise. I would have loved to see those other 6 demons, or even what kinds of sins they'd be associated with (I'm assuming Pumpkinhead's vengence is wrath?). This idea is so obscure that I can't even find any fanart of it!
EDIT:...I need to check out that comic.
I really respect your ability to find the good elements in what would typically be considered really bad movies. I have seen ashes to ashes. I saw it far too young watching the scifi channel knowing i wasnt supposed to and even i changed the channel because i thought it was stupid. I like that you've taken the time to find effort in certain details that others would refuse to acknowledge or even bother to look for, knowing how difficult it is to make a movie in general. Even if its a bad one. Great work as usual man.
"Pumpkinhead's fingers don't move before blood feud."
Now I can never unsee that!!!
Oh, the supreme irony of Dino De Laurentiis of all people likening something to King Kong "in a bad way."
This movie scared the shit outta me as a kid but started my love for horror
Lance henriksen is the shining star of this whole movie and such a damn good actor and truly a shame more people don’t know how good of an actor he is
Oh pog, I was super looking forward to your next video and then youtube didn't tell me yours came out! Aw hell yeah I'm excited to watch this.
I mean, yeah, "came for pumpkin head", but probably wouldn't have watched many others productions with the same focus. The cinematographic insight, over all research, and helpful understanding of why this role seems iconic for henrickson, thats why i come to you. Your laudings of the umbral are better conceived, and produced, than alot of the library VHS i grew up on. That isn't shade, i love those VHS tapes, that as formative memory is likely a large part of why i enjoy channels like yours. Nonetheless, you represent an evolution in the format. Could probably avoid the titular monsters like a plauge, and still arrive ata watchable piece.
It's really funny that I was trying to guess what franchise you'd cover next and I actually guessed right! I love these retrospectives since there's not a lot of channels with that are able to look at these films with the articulation and polish that you have!
Glad you're making these looks at horror franchises!
I didn't just click on this video for pumkinhead, bud. I clicked on it for your unique brand of narration.
I... kinda really like Pumpkinhead. I've seen all the movies on SyFy, and at least enjoyed, if not outright loved, them.
Thank you, for teaching me about their history. It makes me appreciate them all the more.
I always look forward to your videos
"Pumkinhead" is one of the best horror films ever, and one of the things that makes it great is the relationship of Ed and Billy, who seem not only happy but at peace and content. Without the moments of sweetness between the two it wouldn't have the emotional gravity, of course. I am not a filmaker and i figured that out, why the makers of the rest of the franchise movies didn't get that I do not understand.
Because Pumkinhead has to be summoned, because he only goes after certain people, the fear of random violence is taken away and it still works because of the tragedy at the core. So perhaps in each movie they develop characters we care about( like Lance "Bad -Ass Hendrikson and endearing Billy) and circumstances around the summoning we can relate too. Then its personal.
Always look forward to hearing from In Praise Of!!!
When you mentioned Phantasm I had a nasty flashback. The Phantasm series was the first series I had to nope out of. It was just so ridiculously hopeless, which is fine for the most part since that was part of the point, but for me, making something that hopeless kind of makes it pointless to sit through because you know that no matter what, nothing these characters do even matter.
I always look forward to the next video!
Always great lore and analysis about the genre I love most!
And of course, the credits music selection is - as always - EXCELLENT!
27:34 I really wish you hadn't pointed this out. Now I have to reformat my chart connecting different horror universes.
Pumpkinhead is perhaps one of my most favorite monster designs to have ever come from a horror movie.
This is one of the many reasons that the late 80s to late 90s were my favorite era of horror movies.
Let’s go!!! Much needed Pumpkinhead recognition!
Sorry, slight editorial note. I clicked on the video because it was a video by you, and I love what you have to say on art and the genre. Your hard work and dedication to the craft makes this a website worth coming to. Your hard work helps inspire me to not slack on my own creative endeavors.
14:30, a colorful monster could be visually interesting, and it doesn't have to follow nature's lead. But animals that show their danger through color, as a rule, are avoiding being eaten, a trait not too frightening.
Thank you so much for another wonderful video. I am so grateful for the work and care you put into them and to be introduced , lovingly, to a new (to me) film franchise. Whenever another video of yours comes out I always set aside special rejuvenating me time to watch it. I can’t wait for the second October release !
Awesome retrospective! Pumpkinhead needs more love. That first film really is quite a monster movie gem.
Along with the xenomorph, the design of Pumpkinhead is probably the creature look that has become most ingrained in my psyche. Looking back, elements of one or both always seem to seep into my horror writing involving monsters😅
and Stan Winston (and his studio)is legend! thank you for giving them a light
Early enough you might see this. Thank you for your hard work, as entertaining as it is I hope you find it fulfilling. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and creativity with us 😊
“The soil to a man’s heart Louis, is stonier.”-Judd(Fred Gwynn), Pet Semetary
You said in this video that the sole reason for clicking on this was for Pumpkinhead. I came to moreso to hear you talk about it. I've seen the film before, was sit-throughable, but figured the added context may help with the enjoyment. So far, so good. :)
Have you ever considered doing a video on the Phantasm series? That is one of my favorites series and I would love to see your take on it.
Another great one!
Thanks for doing what you do.
I try to get people to look deeper than the surface when it comes to horror, and cinema as a whole; as I feel we are in rough time when it comes to movies.
Mediocrity is the king these days.
Watched Dead & Buried on your recommendation today and I loved it
Thanks man. Glad to see another NC native doing good work
I love this retrospective. Thank you for this!
Knowing how much love went into making the first movie makes me love it even more
This is by far my favorite horror icon which is underrated horror gem. I love the setting and atmosphere. Great video!
I've been waiting all day to have time to get comfy, make some coffee and watch the whole video, love your work.
Seeing this drop today is such a nice surprise!
Did you see the stack of Lament Configurations by the window of the doctor's office? Great Homage to Bradley's work as the immaculate Pinhead of Hellraiser.
You make some of the most engaging video essays I've ever seen. Never stop
You've read my mind! I've been playing Terrordrome Rise of the boogymen alot lately and I've been focusing on pumpkinhead! lol. The movie stands its ground to this day as a classic dark fairy tale of vengeance.
The first punpkinhead will forever be a favorite. Even as a youth, i could fully understand why he summoned him. I felt so badly for him.
I still think Pumpkinhead is one of the best horror movies made. It's got a solid story, a solid supernatual bent, and even a moral lesson. It's a shame it isn't more well-known than it is.
Exactly!! Never go dirt biking in hillbilly country. No good will come of it and they have demons and stuff. A powerful lesson, indeed 😉
Always an amazing day when you upload :)
Pumpkinhead 2 was one of the first horror movies I watched. The scene where the teens kill the guy playing with the toy truck was deeply disturbing and when Pumpkinhead is shot to death was ultimately very sad.
I was so happy when I saw you did Pumpkin head! Its one of my guilty favorites honestly. (Mainly the first on) I love your take on movies and how you explore their symbolism. You're one of the only people I have seen that touches on even the minor symbolism that often escapes others. I often feel myself going "You missed some things" by the end of the video but I have feel that with yours. Great job once again!
Excuse me but I didn’t click this for pumpkin head. I clicked this for you.
I like hearing you do your thing.
Best part about this video, for me, is that I only just found out there are more than two movies. Thanks Tubi 😂
A really underrated horror film. It's a shame the sequels weren't as good or did something different.
Creature features on a budget! Lessons learned. I am grateful for your appreciation of the relevant issues, which enhances my own enjoyment.
Oh man new update from In praise of shadows, can't wait to watch this 🥰
One of my fav creature designs of all time. Love this movie, such a good folk/fairietale horror.
Love your channel man. Always love to watch your videos around Halloween