Did anyone else find the father/son story to be almost unbearably sad? Lance H. is the most amazing actor on the planet by the way, and portrayed Ed's pain so vividly that I was tempted to stop watching several times and have myself a good cry. I hardly noticed the monster because I spent the rest of the movie grieving Billy.
-Not expecting this from a horror movie.
This is how horror movies are supposed to be like, like with intense dramatic elements not anybody running away from a dude with an axe. But as a whole, I loved that sequence, it was so sad. By the way this is probably one of the last films of the 'heyday' of the horror film. Another film you should check out is 'Phantasm'.
shareI totally agree that it's important to create a strong story line and characters that you can care about, but I hate to see children hurt or victimized in any movie. I get that they needed to kill Ed's son because only something that extreme would drive a good man to seek the witch, but wish his son had been a little older. Still tragic for Ed but not so bad for me.
shareWouldn't have been so bad for me if the kid hadn't been so damn ADORABLE. When he got killed I was completely horrified. He was just so sweet and innocent. And the father son relationship was very well done. Add in these components to make a very emotionally charged horror film.
shareI was surprised at how much the movie moved me. It also made me tear up.
If you are Anti-American: Admit you are doing it just to be cool. Does it feel good to hate?
I kinda would have liked to see Ed breakdown a little more honestly. Don't get me wrong Lance is great in this as he is in all he does. But if I had lost my son I would have been an uncontrollable sobbing mess.
There is a seen however that I find to be both heart breaking and brilliant. It's when Ed is digging a grave for his son. At one point Ed stops digging leans over and brushes some dirt off of Billy. To me its so touching because even though Ed knows his son is gone and he's about to bury him in the cold earth he still has that nurturing fatherly instinct to keep his child clean just as he would while Billy was alive.
The seen is pretty quick and easy to miss but it's just one of those things that adds heart to the movie.
It was terribly sad. Unlike so many modern horror films, you honestly cared what happened to the characters---Ed/Lance's grief over that sweet little boy of his is so hard to watch (I teared up some, too). My husband and I watched it just tonight for the first time in years, and I realized what a SAD story it actually is. Because of this, as a poster above me stated, the movie becomes very emotionally charged---and very effective. Great folklore/classic 80's horror.
shareDefinitely, yes. And I agree that's even more difficult to see that part because the kid was extremely adorable and sweet. I even felt bad when the stupid guy makes fun of his glasses and he looks down, like he's embarrassed.
"Pumpkinhead" is a movie that you never really expect to be so sad.
"I really felt quite distressed at not recieving an invitation" - Maleficent
Yeah definitely. I was surprised at how much I cared about the father/son relationship. I think a large part is Henrikson because he's such a wonderful actor. But the kid was amazingly cute too - I normally hate children in movies (they're always smart asses who try and talk like adults) whereas this boy was just sweet and innocent. I also really liked the glasses scene.
But the teenagers from the city? Ugh, I couldn't wait for them all to die. I didn't see them as being any different from other slasher film victims.
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Really I think this movie is Lance Henriksen's best role ever. He really played it so well, plus the kid was young and likable. The city kids were always unlikable to me. I always rooted for Pumpkinhead, and the ending was a great finish.
shareYeah, I agree, one of Lance's best performances, and I agree when the son dies, it is heartbreaking. Underrated flick!
"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna `*beep*` wit me!"- Hudson in Aliens.
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Absolutely. Ed's son was the only thing he truly cared about in life, and you could tell that they genuinely loved one another more than anything in the world. So for him to be ripped out of Ed's hands like that for no reason is horrifically sad. I think Lance gave a brilliant performance and if this wasn't a horror/monster movie I think he could've won awards.
Burn, witch! Burn, witch! Burn! Burn! Burn!