This Halloween movie from the eighties isn’t great, but it does make an effort to be entertaining. As Tommy matures in rural Southern California, his questionable grandfather (Hy Pyke) has a negative influence on him. When he turns 21, the older man schedules a ritual for him on Halloween night. Understandably, his mother (Katina Garner), sister (Carla B.), and police officer brother (Jeff Brown) object to this. Everything builds up to the town’s Halloween celebration. Filming took place in November of 1986, and "Hack-O-Lantern" wasn't released until March of 1988, initially only appearing in the UK before eventually being distributed on video. Other names considered for the film were “Halloween Night,” “Death Mask” and “The Damning.” Despite its low budget feel, it actually cost a considerable $5.5 million. I use that word because the well-regarded "Halloween" was made just 8.5 years earlier and only cost $325,000. However, don't expect anything like the artistic quality of that popular film. This one is cartoonish and cheaply made in comparison, largely due to Hy Pyke’s over-the-top performance as the grandfather. Gregory Scott Cummins also seems a bit too old to play 21-year-old Tommy (he was 30 during filming), but it's not a major issue. If you can tolerate the cheesiness, there are some enjoyable moments. For example, the soundtrack includes “Devil’s Son” by DC Lacroix from Seattle/Los Angeles; they released two albums in the mid-80s before disappearing. Their sound is like WASP mixed with The Runaways – essentially catchy, anthemic hair metal. Also, the song "Against the Law" is performed by an unknown band called The Mercenaries during the Halloween party. Both songs return at the end credits. Greg Haggard did a decent job with the other music and score. Comedian Bill Tucker appears unexpectedly for a routine outside of the party, which provides some amusement (“Gobble, gobble”). Carla B., also known as Carla Baron, is memorable among the female cast members. Jeanna Fine is also attractive as Nora, the character with the short, wild hair; she's shown completely nude without any real need, likely to compensate for the film’s shortcomings. She had previously worked in adult films before marrying a Jewish man and converting to Judaism. The other nudity feels exploitative and could be described as “bad naked,” like Jerry Seinfeld once said. The movie runs 1 hour and 27 minutes and was filmed on the outskirts of Los Angeles. GRADE: C

Source on TMDB