/zXAbwU1xsqX2JoeFlPbu6tjCct0.jpg
HorrorThriller

Hack-O-Lantern

- The power is in the blood.

When Tommy was a boy, he saw his grandpa, the leader of a vicious satanic cult, murder his father in a brutal ritual on Halloween night. Now he is 18, and grandpa is ready to indoctrinate him into the ways of the black arts.

Release Date : 1988-03-25

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Spencer Films

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : The DamningHalloween NightDeath Mask

Cast

Hy Pyke

Character Name : Grandpa Drindle

Original Name : Hy Pyke

Gender : Male

Gregory Scott Cummins

Character Name : Tommy Drindle

Original Name : Gregory Scott Cummins

Gender : Male

Katina Garner

Character Name : Amanda

Original Name : Katina Garner

Gender : Male

Carla Baron

Character Name : Vera Drindle

Original Name : Carla Baron

Gender : Male

Jeff Brown

Character Name : Roger

Original Name : Jeff Brown

Gender : Male

Michael Potts

Character Name : Bill

Original Name : Michael Potts

Gender : Male

Patricia Christie

Character Name : Beth

Original Name : Patricia Christie

Gender : Male

Larry Coven

Character Name : Brian

Original Name : Larry Coven

Gender : Male

Bryson Gerard

Character Name : Young Tommy Drindle

Original Name : Bryson Gerard

Gender : Male

Heidi Lepucki

Character Name : Young Vera Drindle

Original Name : Heidi Lepucki

Gender : Male

Lance Harvey

Character Name : Young Roger

Original Name : Lance Harvey

Gender : Male

Jeanna Fine

Character Name : Nora

Original Name : Jeanna Fine

Gender : Female

David James Campbell

Character Name : Sarge

Original Name : David James Campbell

Gender : Male

Marya Gant

Character Name : Carrie

Original Name : Marya Gant

Gender : Female

Michael Mincinski

Character Name : Bob

Original Name : Michael Mincinski

Gender : Male

Tracy Shuttleworth

Character Name : Lou

Original Name : Tracy Shuttleworth

Gender : Male

Susan Hoffman

Character Name : Lou's Girlfriend

Original Name : Susan Hoffman

Gender : Male

Jai Emerick

Character Name : Bob's Girlfriend

Original Name : Jai Emerick

Gender : Male

Brenda Cedarblade

Character Name : Witch

Original Name : Brenda Cedarblade

Gender : Male

D.D. Gonzales

Character Name : Witch

Original Name : D.D. Gonzales

Gender : Male

Jacqueline Lee Kaagen

Character Name : Witch

Original Name : Jacqueline Lee Kaagen

Gender : Male

Sahida Patel

Character Name : Witch

Original Name : Sahida Patel

Gender : Male

Diane Trimble

Character Name : Branding Witch / Party Stripper

Original Name : Diane Trimble

Gender : Male

Andleib Seth

Character Name : Trick-or-Treater

Original Name : Andleib Seth

Gender : Male

Milan Chawla

Character Name : Trick-or-Treater

Original Name : Milan Chawla

Gender : Male

Michael Maye

Character Name : Trick-or-Treater

Original Name : Michael Maye

Gender : Male

Mark A. Pecaro

Character Name : Trick-or-Treater

Original Name : Mark A. Pecaro

Gender : Male

Justin Rajendra

Character Name : Trick-or-Treater

Original Name : Justin Rajendra

Gender : Male

Michelle Brooks

Character Name : Kali

Original Name : Michelle Brooks

Gender : Male

D.C. La Croix

Character Name : Dream Band

Original Name : D.C. La Croix

Gender : Male

Mercenaries

Character Name : Party Band

Original Name : Mercenaries

Gender : Male

Charles Hyatt

Character Name : Cowboy #1

Original Name : Charles Hyatt

Gender : Male

Jeff Amberg

Character Name : Cowboy #2

Original Name : Jeff Amberg

Gender : Male

Wayne Harvey

Character Name : Gangster

Original Name : Wayne Harvey

Gender : Male

Mina Sanjo

Character Name : Geisha

Original Name : Mina Sanjo

Gender : Male

Bill Tucker

Character Name : Party Comedian

Original Name : Bill Tucker

Gender : Male

Gyan Singh

Character Name : Sword Warrior

Original Name : Gyan Singh

Gender : Male

Ramesh Pandey

Character Name : Spaceman

Original Name : Ramesh Pandey

Gender : Male

Chandra Williams

Character Name : Caribbean Girl

Original Name : Chandra Williams

Gender : Male

Dalika Gokhley

Character Name : Cat Girl

Original Name : Dalika Gokhley

Gender : Male

Regina Starr

Character Name : Snake Dancer

Original Name : Regina Starr

Gender : Male

Reviews

W

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2025-03-13

**_A bad 80’s Halloween flick, but at least it tries to entertain_** As Tommy grows up in rural SoCal, he’s negatively influenced by his dubious grandfather (Hy Pyke). When he’s 21, the old man has a ritual scheduled for him on Halloween night. Naturally, his mother (Katina Garner), sister (Carla B.) and cop brother (Jeff Brown) oppose this. Everything culminates at the town’s Halloween party. Shot in the second half of November, 1986, "Hack-O-Lantern" wasn’t released until late March, 1988, and then only in the UK, although it was eventually released to video. Alternative titles include “Halloween Night,” “Death Mask” and “The Damning.” Despite its low-budget vibe, it actually cost a whopping $5.5 million. I say ‘whopping’ because the hailed “Halloween” was shot just 8.5 years earlier and only cost $325,000. Yet don’t expect the sense of artistry of that popular film. This is cartoonish and low-rent by comparison, characterized by the hammy acting of Hy Pyke as grandpa. Meanwhile Gregory Scott Cummins is a little too long in the tooth to portray 21 years-old Tommy (he was 30 during shooting), but that’s a minor cavil. If you can roll with the cheesiness, there are several highlights. For instance, the soundtrack features the catchy song “Devil’s Son” by DC Lacroix from Seattle/Los Angeles, who released two albums in the mid-80s before disappearing. Their style is akin to WASP meets The Runaways, basically catchy hanging chord anthemic hair metal. Meanwhile the cut “Against the Law” is performed by no-name band The Mercenaries at the Halloween party. Both tracks resurface for the closing credits. The other songs and score were done competently enough by Greg Haggard. Comedian Bill Tucker is thrown in for a surprise routine outside the party, which is amusing (“Gobble, gobble”). Sharp blonde Carla B., aka Carla Baron, stands out on the feminine front as the protagonist. Jeanna Fine is also alluring as Nora, the one with the short wild hair; she’s unnecessarily shown fully nude, no doubt in an attempt to make up for subpar filmmaking. She unsurprisingly dabbled in porn before marrying a Hebrew and converting to Judaism. The rest of the exploitive nudity could be classified under what Seinfeld called “bad naked.” It runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot in the rural outskirts of Los Angeles. GRADE: C