PUMPKINHEAD

US, 1988, 90 minutes, Colour.
Lance Henriksen, Jeff East, Matthew Hurley, Kimberley Ross, Cynthia Bain.
Directed by Stan Winston.

Pumpkinhead is a short atmospheric horror thriller in the vein of Friday the 13th with its group of youngsters - but not in any way sexually explicit as those films were. It also has an atmosphere of the supernatural n the backwoods. Lance Henrickson has appeared in many similar films and is effective as the central character.

The film was directed by special horror effects whiz, Stan Winston.

1. Interesting horror? The backwoods? The supernatural?

2. Locations, far from the city, the town, the farms, the mountains? The prologue and the horror? The ordinariness of the characters, the homes? The old woman on the mountain? The cemetery plot? The dark, the atmospheric score?

3. The demon and special effects, the atmosphere? The name and the origin of the name?

4. The prologue and 1957, the family afraid, Ed seeing the demon, superstition?

5. Ed and his life, work, relationship with bi-s son Billy, domestic scenes, telling stories, pleasant, the shop? The Wallaces and the delivery? Billy wandering away with his dog, the accident of his death?

6. The presentation of the group of youngsters, their style, men and woman, vying with one another, the bikes, the accidental death and their concern?

7. Ed and his reaction, anger, going to the witch, calling up Pumpkinhead, becoming possessed by the demon, sharing in the killing, his reactions of horror, his decision to save the youngsters, his shooting of himself, the demon being buried - but with Billy's chain?

8. Joel and his bravado, on probation, drinking, the death, his running away? His death? Steve and his concern, staying guard - and yet his being killed by the demon? The first killed, Maggie and her prayers, her death?

1 Kim and Chris trying to rescue? Locked in by Joel? The pursuit by the demon? The encounter with the Wallaces, the boy helping them? Why did some die, some live?

0. The Wallaces and the backwoods, superstitions, their life and work, the boy and his helping Ed, understanding what he had done, wondering whether the stories were true, the confrontation with the demon?

10. The old woman and her damnation, calling up the demon, burying him?

11. A blend of murder and horror and folk horror?