I love the classic "pumpkinhead" character- any kind of humanoid monster that sports a carved gourd for a head. Be it a walking scarecrow or a headless horseman, pumpkinheads are, to me, the unofficial mascot of Halloween itself, akin to Santa or the Easter Bunny. So I decided to round up some pumpkinheads from different media and rate them all for fun.
The Headless Horseman (The Legend of Sleepy Hollow)
Might as well start with the OG pumpkinhead, the Headless Horseman! Although the idea of a decapitated equestrian has been around since medieval times, from the ghoulish Dullahan of Scotland to the Green Knight of Arthurian legend, the Jack-o-Lantern-juggling jockey we all know and love comes from Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, published in 1819. A classic gothic horror story wherein the superstitious schoolmaster Ichabod Crane has a run-in with the Headless Horseman as he rides through the forest, after which Crane is never seen again, leaving only his hat and a shattered pumpkin behind. It's implied that the Headless Horseman was actually a romantic rival of Crane's in disguise to scare him away so he could get the girl he was dating, but like most gothic horror, what is or isn't supernatural is left up in the air.
So what do I think of the Headless Horseman? Well, it's hard to say- he's pretty much the de facto pumpkinhead, dressed in black Victorian garb and sporting a jack-o-lantern as a false head, often pulling it off and throwing it at his targets, and he's got a sick steed to boot. However, it's hard calling Ol' Double-H a proper pumpkinhead, since in most depictions he's shown without any kind of head, pumpkin or otherwise. Still, I can't completely dismiss him outright; it'd be like saying the Wright Brothers' plane isn't a real plane because it doesn't have windows.
The Original(TM). 8/10.
Jack Pumpkinhead (Return to Oz)
Originally a lifeless scarecrow built by the Queen of Oz to scare the evil witch Mombi (kind of a weak plan for the queen, but I'm here to judge pumpkinheads, not royalty). Mombi was scared at first, but then she got angry, and was going to smash Jack to bits, but instead decided to test her Powder of Life on Jack, bringing him to life. She then left him in pieces in a forgotten storeroom, leaving him to rot until Dorothy rescued him.
Next to Tick-Tock, Jack was probably my favorite character. He's got the classic pumpkin-headed scarecrow look, with a colorful patchwork outfit giving him a friendly, folksy appearance (seriously Queen Ozma, how is Jack supposed to be scary? He looks like a rodeo clown) and his limbs are made from hinged bits of woods held together with ropes. The actual effects to bring Jack to life is a combination of puppetry and costume, which is pretty impressive to watch, especially with how they manage to make him emote despite having an immobile face- when he's surprised or flustered, his head noticeably "stretches" up a bit in lieu of raising eyebrows, like a cartoon character. As for personality, he has a warm, childlike demeanor, easily frightened but eager to help others, and even asking Dorothy permission to refer to her as his "mom", due to missing his own.
Overall, an adorable pumpkin-spice cinnamon roll. 10/10.
Jack Skellington as the Pumpkin King (Nightmare Before Christmas)
Technically this is a costume for Jack, but it's one of the first things we see as we are introduced to Halloween Town, and its reappearance does not fail to impress. Carted into town on a wicker horse as still as it was before, only to spring to life, grab a torch, and light himself aflame before dancing around like a living effigy and diving into a fountain, finally emerging as Jack Skellington proper. A short-lived scene, but definitely unforgettable introduction to Halloweentown and its citizens.
Look-wise, The Pumpkin King is very much like Jack; with a stick-figure physique that has grown to be more popular with modern-day internet monsters like Slender Man, Siren Head, and several SCP Foundation entities. His outfit only consists of a few elements- jack-o-lantern head, ratty maroon shirt, rope belt, straw legs- but the little details, like the overall asymmetry and the way the frayed ends of the shirt whip about like coattails, really adds to the overall feel of the outfit. It's almost like the Halloween Town version of "formal attire".
Good Halloween costume; 9/10
The Jack-O-Lanterns (Goosebumps, Attack of the Jack-O-Lanterns)
In the book, a group of kids befriend a pair of strange kids in pumpkin-head outfits, consisting of Jack-o-Lantern heads, dark green robes, and, in the case of the TV show adaptation, large crab claws for some reason. The Jack-O-Lanterns bring them to "a better neighborhood" that seems like Trick-Or-Treat paradise, with loads of houses close together offering oodles of candy. But as time goes on the Jack-O-Lanterns get more hostile, forcing the kids to trick-or-treat forever, and threatening them by floating in the air and breathing flames. One even gets their head pulled off without issue.
As a kid, this was one of my favorite of the Goosebumps series, and the villains of the book are some of the most memorable, even though the twist at the end regarding their true identities is pretty hit-or-miss. Like the other two pumpkinheads, I admire their simple design, with pumpkin heads full of flickering fire, green robes resembling plant vines, and even the odd crab-claw hands from the show are a unique touch that strangely works. Their initial goal to force a group of kids to trick-or-treat forever, while seemingly small-potatoes on the surface, is depicted as pretty harrowing for the kids actually being put through it- at one point they're forced to eat loads of candy to make more room in their bags, which is described in rather gross detail.
Classic Goosebumps charm; 7/10
Pumpkin Rapper (Power Rangers)
The crazy and creative monster designs in the Power Rangers series was always the main draw for me as a kid, and Pumpkin Rapper here is no exception. The bright orange and green contrast well together, especially how his limbs and vines transition smoothly between the two like an actual pumpkin. The zipper-like part of his front is reminiscent of a flytrap, adding to his deadly plant theme, as well as the "ruff" of vines around his neck. But of course his most iconic feature is his head- the face is a pretty standard jack-o-lantern design, and the single Sans Undertale-esqe eyeball peering out is easily missed, but somehow, slapping it all on upside-down was a stroke of creative genius that makes Pumpkin Rapper's design unforgettable.
But of course, what makes him truly unforgettable is the bizarre decision to have him rapping all his lines to a constant "generic kids show hip-hop" beat, with all the delightful lyrical corniness one can expect from the original Power Rangers show.
Pumpkin Rappin' Is About to Happen! 8/10
Mutant Pumpkins (Monsters Vs. Aliens - Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space)
Contrary to the title, the mutant pumpkins featured in this short are not from outer space, rather they get mutated after a passing UFO dumped toxic waste on a pumpkin patch. After they trick the local townsfolk into taking them into their houses and carving faces for them, the mutant pumpkins sprout little viney arms and legs and proceed to run around gobbling all the candy in the neighborhood, speaking in incomprehensible jabbering, and generally causing chaos.
The mutant pumpkins at first aren't what I'd call true "pumpkinheads", since they technically have neither a head nor a body, Mike Wazowski-style, but I appreciate the simplicity of their design. I especially like how the holes that make up their faces look: rather than having a regular carved pumpkin face with sharp edges, they have a more organic, soft and sunken look to their mouths and eye-holes, similar to how a real jack-o-lantern looks after rotting for a while. But once the mutant pumpkins coalesce into a single giant monster, then it truly becomes a proper pumpkinhead. Having a body made of vines and plant matter is the usual go-to design for pumpkin-themed monsters, but this pumpkin-kaiju (Pumpkaiju?) goes the extra mile by being made of more pumpkins, all wound together with vines. The asymmetrical limbs are nicely balanced, and the little pumpkins stuck to its head like warts are a nice touch. A nice design overall- too bad it was stuck in this otherwise mediocre franchise.
A good Halloween-themed giant monster. 6/10
Scarecrow (Pathfinder RPG)
While I'm no stranger to tabletop RPGs, I've never actually played Pathfinder or even Dungeons & Dragons. Even so, I still have the D&D Monster Manual and the Pathfinder Bestiary series, which I enjoy perusing for artistic inspiration and general appreciation for the artwork and lore. Both games feature some kind of animated scarecrow monster, but Pathfinder features the pumpkin-headed variety, thus its inclusion here.
Honesty, the Pathfinder Bestiary books are somewhat of a mixed bag as far as artwork goes. Most of it is impressive, though some are rather generic, and others just feel lacking (pretty much every illustration for the Giants fails to make them look or feel actually huge). The scarecrow in particular is one I'm on the fence about. Generally I like it, with the long tattered rags and the sharp sticks jutting out from it head and shoulders. Their arms appear to be made of bone, which adds a dark touch to its origins, and I like how the legs just terminate into sharp stubs. However, I feel that the inclusion of the snake and the dangling pocket watch are just unnecessary, and the overall look of him is a bit too gangly and fragile, especially with all those loose rags and ropes hanging off its body. Just gonna get caught on something.
Though I will end this on a positive: While the illustration makes it seem like the scarecrow has some kind of fire-breathing ability, what it does is actually cooler: aside from being able to instill instant fear in someone with a touch, it has a "fascinating gaze" power, which makes those who fall under the spell register it as just a harmless scarecrow, regardless of what it's doing... up until it stabs them in the gut of course.
Could use some duct tape. 6/10
"Ghost in the Keys" Dancer (Just Dance 2017)
This one is a bit more obscure then the others on this list, having no official name and only appearing once in the game Just Dance 2017. For those unfamiliar, Just Dance is a series of party-type video games where you and your friends dance in front of the motion sensors of your game console, trying to match the poses of the characters on-screen. There's several licensed songs available: "Rasputin" by Boney M, "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction, etc. But it has some original songs too, such as this one: "Ghost in the Keys", a Halloween-themed rap song that's honestly kind of a banger.
But enough about that- let's talk about the Pumpkinhead in center stage! This is probably one of the more "family-friendly" pumpkinheads on the list, but they're all the more endearing for it, especially the mismatched eyes on its cute little face. Their dapper purple and black suit complete with different-colored gloves contrasts very well against their bright orange head, and adds to the "blacklight funhouse" look of the whole scene. I especially like their striped pants and long, swishy coattails. The other dancers are pretty neat too- a classic bedsheet ghost who apparently died from a botched appendectomy, a lady in bat pajamas, and what appears to be the offspring of Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas and Pinkie Pie- but the dapper pumpkinhead takes center stage.
I wanna name them "Gourdon". 9/10.
The Horseless Headless Horseman (Team Fortress 2)
Introduced in 2010 as part of Team Fortress 2's "Scream Fortress" Halloween event, the Horseless Headless Horsemann is TF2's first official "boss" type enemies. Spawning from a contested control point on the map, the HHHMann runs around relentlessly beheading anyone he can reach until he's finally killed- not an easy feat, as his massive health pool increases with each additional player, and is immune to weapon effects that normally slow down or soften up targets. He can also let out a terrifying "BOO!" which stuns nearby players for a few seconds.
I used to play TF2 a lot, and the introduction of the Horsemann was a real game-changing treat. I loved playing on any server that featured him, and even got my own personal copy of his signature weapon, the "Horseless Headless Horsemann's Headtaker". As a pumpkinhead, he's got the classic Headless Horseman look with his own unique flair: skeleton limbs ending in old-fashioned gloves and boots, a ratty black cape, a jack-o-lantern belt buckle, and of course the jack-o-lantern head itself. His head (also available as a hat, of course) also has a few simple but well-crafted details: the teeth are more carved in than most, the candlelight shines out from both the face and the lid on top (a oft-forgotten element in cartoon jack-o-lanterns), and the odd fungus-like growths across its left brow adds a lovely bit of asymmetrical elegance that TF2's aesthetic is famous for. If I had to criticize the look of the Horseless Blah Blah Blahmann, I'd say that his outfit is rather lacking in details, especially the shirt. Sure it has the tattered holes and exposed bones, but otherwise its just a plain black shirt, hardly becoming of the ghost of a vengeful 1800's tycoon. A few buttons or lapels wouldn't be amiss here.
A real spooky game-changer. 8/10
Pumpkinhead (Pumpkinhead film series)
What the fuck is this? This isn't a pumpkinhead at all! Looks more like a Xenomorph that sat in the bath for too long. This ugly-ass thing and its film is unworthy of the title of "Pumpkinhead" and should be ashamed.
