PUMPKINHEAD II: BLOOD WINGS

Pumpkinhead himself

PUMPKINHEAD II: BLOOD WINGS (1995). Director: Jeff Burr.

In 1958 a deformed orphan boy named Tommy (J. P. Manoux) is killed by a bunch of nasty high school bullies. Decades later a new group of teens manage to call up this dead boy -- whose father was the original demonic Pumpkinhead -- from his grave, and he sets out to revenge himself upon the men who killed him. Caught up in the horror is Sheriff Sean Braddock (Andrew Robinson of The Drowning Pool), his daughter, Jenny (Ami Dolenz),  and her naughty new boyfriend, Danny Dixon (J. Trevor Edmond), son of Judge Dixon (Steve Kanaly of Dallas), one of Tommy's original tormentors. Pumpkinhead II is hardly a great horror film, but it is somewhat better than the original Pumpkinhead, having a more involved plot line, a faster pace and more suspense, and some decent action-slay scenes at the climax. 

J. Trevor Edmond and Ami Dolenz

There is a surplus of amateurish actors in the picture among the supporting cast and bit players; however, Hill Harper wound up on one of the CSI shows years later, and veteran actress Lilyan Chauvin [Lost, Lonely and Vicious] plays the old witch, Miss Osie. Former president Bill Clinton's half-brother Roger plays the mayor and is abysmal. Gloria Hendry [Live and Let Die] is appealing, if at times a bit stiff, as a crime scene lady who surveys Pumpkinhead's carnage while J. Trevor Edmond makes a charismatic bad boy. This is more graphic than the original, which gives it a little more grisly zest. Followed by a couple of cable sequels. Jeff Burr also directed From a Whisper to a Scream. 

Verdict: Despite many flaws this direct-to-video sequel -- which could have been called Son of Pumpkinhead -- plays a bit better than the original . **1/2. 

FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM

Vincent Price

FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM (aka The Offspring/1987). Director: Jeff Burr.

After Beth Chandler (Susan Tyrrell) witnesses the execution of murderess Katherine White (Martine Beswick of Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde), she visits White's father, Julian (Vincent Price), who tells her that his daughter was affected by the evil influence of the town of Oldfield. To illustrate his point, he relates several stories from varying time periods. Stanley Burnside (Clu Gulager) has a weird relationship with the sister (Miriam Byrd-Nethery) he lives with, but is developing a passion for a co-worker that leads to disaster. Jesse Hardwick (Terry Kiser), on the run from gangsters, runs into a very old man named Felder Evans (Harry Caesar), who has a life-sustaining potion that Jesse tries to kill for him, but Evans gets terrible revenge upon him. Steven Arden (Ron Brooks) is afraid to love Amarrillis (Didi Lanier) because he's scared of the "Snakewoman" (Rosalind Cash) who runs the carnival where he is employed as a glass eater. This voodoo priestess has terrible powers that keep everyone in thrall to her. Finally, during the very final days of the Civil War, Sgt. Gallen (Cameron Mitchell) and his fellow soldiers come afoul of a group of children who answer to a creepy "magistrate" who does not have the soldiers' best interests at heart. From this situation emerges the new and creepy Oldfield. From a Whisper to a Scream has EC Comics-style plots and features some good performances, especially from Price, Cameron [Pier 5 Havana], and Gulager in a well-done character turn.

Verdict: Absorbing if imperfect horror anthology with a more subdued Price in good form. **1/2.