the plot: A group of dirt bike-riding teenagers disrupt the usual calm at Ed Harley’s (Henriksen) country store. Harley steps out to deliver feed to a local farm, leaving his young son, Billy, alone at the store. When Billy follows his dog outside, he inadvertently stumbles into the path of an on-coming dirt bike. The accident kills Billy, and the bike’s driver, Joel (D’Aquino), convinces his friends to leave the boy behind and run off to their nearby vacation cabin. Harley discovers his son’s body and, grief-stricken, hatches a plan for revenge. Enlisting the help of his neighbor’s son (Bremer), Harley finds an old witch (Schauffler) who lives in the hills and asks her to help him summon a vengeful demon, known to the locals as “Pumpkinhead.” The witch calls forth the beast, who quickly begins stalking and killing the teens. However, Harley discovers an unexpected side-effect: He can see and feel everything the demon does. Sickened by Pumpkinhead’s murderous rampage, Harley tries to help the remaining teens. But, rifles and flamethrowers are no match for Pumpkinhead’s thirst for blood, and Harley learns that stopping the demon means paying the ultimate price.

why it’s good: “Pumpkinhead” is a great looking horror flick, but it’s mostly an exercise of style, not substance. The directorial debut of special-effects master Stan Winston (whose credits include “Alien,” “Terminator 2” and “Jurassic Park”), “Pumpkinhead” is full of eerie, atmospheric shots of broken-down rural homesteads and creepy creature effects. Beyond that, it’s largely forgettable, with the exception of Henriksen’s performance. The opening scenes between Harley and his son are touching, and Harley’s rage when he summons Pumpkinhead is believable. But, once the foolishly-named demon shows up, “Pumpkinhead” is strictly by the numbers. The teenage victims, most of whom are largely interchangeable and forgettable, are picked off one by one. The resulting killings aren’t very gory—a surprise, considering Winston’s other films—and, unlike other ’80s horror villains, Pumpkinhead is a straightforward kind of killer, avoiding novel murder weapons or lame wisecracks. The creature sure does look cool, though, with long, bony fingers that taper off into sharp claws and a snarling, fang-filled face that’s pretty chilling. Looks only count for so much, though, and by the time the credits roll, “Pumpkinhead” will already be on its way to becoming a distant memory. Although, that wasn’t necessarily the case for a handful of producers. “Pumpkinhead” spawned three sequels, two of which brought back Henriksen’s character.

why you should own it: “Pumpkinhead” is a perfect rental for dark and stormy autumn evenings. MGM’s DVD is sadly lacking in extras, however.