Yes I found it a worry approaching a sequel as I love Stan Winston's original and we had a lot less money and time to shoot than the original and it's a daunting thing doing a sequel to anyone else's work, especially when it's regarded a a minor classic. So my thinking was to try and up the ante with the story line and instead of having just one person seeking Vengeance this time we have a group of people and this is their damnation, as to kill Pumpkinhead you have to kill the people that raised the Demon.

As the writer of the film as well, how obligated did you feel to follow the logic/plotting of the preceeding 'Pumpkinhead' films?

I wanted my film to be a direct sequel to part 1, albeit 20 years later. and had great respect for the source material and the established mytholgy. I wanted to keep the characters of the Witch, Haggis, and the grown up Bunt who is haunted by Ed Harley from the events of 20 years ago.

What was the most difficult scene or effect to pull of for the film?

The church scene sequence because we had so many extras and logistics with Fire, Wire Work, gore kills and the suit and only 2 days to film what is a large scale set piece. Interestingly the Church is the one used in Cold Mountain - so obviously we asked if we could burn it down!

'Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes' stars Lance Henricksen...what is something about the actor that may surprise his many horror fans?

He had his 67th birthday on set and we got him a cake. He was very touched, and it was a fun moment.

Jake, your first feature was 'Razor Blade Smile' in 1998. What were the greatest lessons you learned from making that film that you would like to pass on to novice filmmakers?

Make your first film with whatever resources you have availble - the expereince of making a feature length film is more valuable than any book or course that theorizes on what it's like. Trial by fire, and then at the end of it if you still want to make more movies you'll know if your gonna be a filmmaker.

I heard rumors regarding a 'Razor Blade Smile' sequel. Where does that project stand at present?

Script is written, but could never raise the finance.

I also want to hear about 'Evil Aliens' (2005) which you wrote/edited/and directed. Give me a bit of a teaser that will make it irresistable to the www.racksandrazors.com readers?

Welll it's a gory, Splatstick flick in the bloody vein of early Jackso/Raimi via Sergio Leone. And there's Emily Booth as well as Aliens!

'Evil Aliens' is also said to be filled with lots of genre in-jokes. Do you have a personal favorite snicker or two from the script you would care to share?

For me it'd be the Wurzels song that accompanies the combine Harvester massacre!

Along with Marc Morris you started the DVD label Nucleus Films. What was you initial intent and business plan for the company?

We started off producing in-depth and high quality genre DVD extras to fund setting up our own distribution label - which is now going strong with Deathship & Gwendoline amongst recent releases.

Do you have any other projects pending that you would like to let the site readers know about?

Doghouse is coming, based on a script by ultra cool Comic book Writer/Artist Dan Schaffer (Dogwitch/The Scribbler/indigo Vertigo etc)

Okay, we're pulling the car into the Jake West Drive In. What three horror flicks are on the triple bill for tonight and what goodies are they going to be serving up at the concession stand?

Sex, Drugs and Rock n'roll with a side order of blood and mayhem.

What scares you in real life?

Politicans. Wars. Debt. Unreasonable people. The usual line in real life horror.