Pumpkinhead (film series)

Pumpkinhead is an American horror film series, which mainly focuses on Pumpkinhead, a gigantic vengeance demon, that destroys whomever it's summoned to destroy. It was released at a time when slasher movies were beginning to become less commercially successful. The original film received mixed reviews and was not a commercial success, but it has gained a cult following. The first film was the only one to have a theatrical release; the sequels, which weren't as well received as the original film, were released either direct to video or were made for television. Critics praised the design of Pumpkinhead and the effects of the original film. Pumpkinhead was the directorial debut of the late special effects wizard Stan Winston.

Pumpkinhead was not a major box office success when it was first released. Pumpkinhead was picked up by United Artists/MGM and given a barely-noticed theatrical release in late 1988 before it made its way onto home video in 1989. Pumpkinhead became a popular rental title during the VHS era and eventually managed to capture a cult following. This resulted in an inevitable, belated series of straight to video sequels, 1994's Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings, 2006's Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes and 2007's Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud.

The films feature a common theme of revenge, which was praised by critics and audience alike for its originality. The sequels were met with a general negative reception; critics said that they lacked the quality of the original. A reboot for the franchise is currently in talks, Its to be produced by Saw Producer Peter Block with an intended release of 2017.

In Pumpkinhead, Tom Harley waits inside his farm cabin with his wife and young son, Ed. A doomed man runs seeks sanctuary at Tom's cabin, but Tom refuses and threatens to shoot him if he does not leave. Watching through a window, Ed witnesses the man caught and killed by a grotesque creature.

In the present, Ed Harley owns a small store in the country. He briefly leaves his young son alone while he runs an errand. A group of teenage campers stop by Harley's, and, while riding their dirt bikes, they mortally injure Harley's son. One teen, Steve, stays with the boy until his father's return; the rest flee the scene. At their cabin, the campers fight about whether or not to call the police. Joel, who is responsible for the boy's injury and is on probation for a similar incident, knocks one of his friends unconscious and locks two others in the closet to stop them from contacting the authorities.

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