Pumpkin Man

The week before Halloween, Jason Hollway's parents separate, and his dad moves out. Jason is depressed and doesn't want to go trick or treating with his friends Jenn, Ted, and Austin. His mom and grandpa encourage him, first by a trip to a pumpkin patch and then with the promise of a party at the end of the evening. The neighborhood has a scary story of a son's murder of his father 25 years before, so all the kids are frightened of Sam Hain: they ring his doorbell and run. All evening, the kids talk about the Sam Hain house: one by one, Jason's pals disappear; soon, it's just him and a silent Pumpkin Man walking up to Sam Hain's door. What will Jason do?

Directed by Jennifer Wynne Farmer, Pumpkin Man leans on a strong ensemble — Christopher Ogden, Denise Crosby, Philip Abbott — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about family titles of 1998.