Get the latest gossip

Best Horror Movies: ‘M3GAN’ Writer Akela Cooper on How Seeing Stan Winston’s ‘Pumpkinhead’ Became a ‘Crucial Core Memory’


'M3GAN' and 'Malignant' writer Akela Cooper recalls how 'Pumpkinhead' made her the horror writer she is today.

In 1988, Stan Winston, then mostly known for his incredible work as a special effects artist, made his directorial debut with a low-budget film inspired by a Gothic poem. I was eight, so I can’t say if it was my parents’ review that swayed me or the fact that everyone in my family was going to see this thing and I didn’t want to be left out, but I begged to see “Pumpkinhead” too. The movie “Inside Out” established the concept of a “core memory,” an experience so indelible that it not only stays with you but helps form you as a person.

Get the Android app

Or read this on Variety

Read more on:

Photo of stan winston

stan winston

Photo of akela cooper

akela cooper

Related news:

News photo

Genre-Busting Writer Akela Cooper Is Twisting The Rules On Horror: “I Am Trailblazing For Those Who Want To Do This As A Career”

News photo

Universal Pre-Empts Colin Bannon Short Story ‘Don’t Look’ For Janelle Monáe To Star & Produce; Akela Cooper Scripting

News photo

In First Auction Since WGA Strike End, Sony Lands ‘It’s Over;’ ‘M3GAN’s Akela Cooper Scripting Jack Follman Horror Short Story