One more thing I just noticed, the pumpkin that Laurie, Tommy and Lindsey are carving is the same that then, later on, has been re-carved to become the opening credit’s Jack O’ Lantern. If you look at the spots on the pumpkin’s left side you’ll notice that they are identical. You’ll need to see the scene where Laurie is carrying out her lantern in high resolution but then you’ll notice it:
pumpkin 2.tiff (492 KB)
pumpkin 1.tiff (118 KB)
I’m fairly certain the opening pumpkin scene was not originally shot in principal photography but it was done later making it impossible they are the same.
I see the marks you’re talking about and they look the same to me. I think it was the same pumpkin.
Also the size and placement of the opening pumpkin’s eyes, nose and mouth fit perfectly on top of Laurie’s pumpkin in terms were one would have had to cut during the re-carving etc. I don’t know about when they shot the opening credits scene but there are too may similarities in my opinion for the pumpkins not to be one and the same.
Good eye! No way they are two different pumpkins. The markings match up perfectly. I believe Halloween was filmed in spring, so I’m guessing that carving pumpkins were not in season and were hard to get a hold of. So it would make sense that they made use of the pumpkin as much as possible. Cool observation!
Mark
Very,very good eye and I agree 100% that they are the same pumpkins.Great observation!!
Thanks for the flowers! I also thought that probably, having not an endless supply of pumpkins at their disposal they would have had to make the most out of what they had. Purely hypothetically speaking; they could have frozen the pumpkin to re-carve later if it’s true that the opening credits were shot at a later date. Oh and btw, Myerstat could you please change your avatar, I’m having a hard time focussing on my thoughts here…
Sorry,but Kari has to stay a while.After meeting her last month,I’m on a bit of a kick 
There were no pumpkins used in Halloween. They were gourds (squash) painted orange. They would not have been able to get pumpkins in March.
Certain places you still could buy pumpkins. There’s places in Half Moon Bay that you could for months after Halloween. I have over 20 pumpkins sitting here right now. I’ll carve a few up each month until May. They start going bad around late May.
I always thought it was cool how the nose of the jack 'o lantern looks a bit like a knife. 
Mark
Definitely matches up to me. Nice eye!
Seriously, how hard would it have been to film the 2-3 minute intro the same night that scene was shot? After looking at it back and forth, you notice more and more similarities. It’s gotta be the same.
Huh, same as above…great eye. That has to be the same pumpkin just modified and tweeked…someone needs to ask Tommy Lee about this one.
You lucky dog, you! She’s super hot.
Good eye, I had NEVER noticed this in all the countless times I’ve watched the movie.
During the commentary, on the latest 35th Anniversary Blu Ray, Carpenter states that Tommy Lee Wallace carved the pumpkin that was used in the opening credits scene. He also said that particular scene was shot inside a garage, using a camera dolly, to dolly in on the pumpkin.
I agree, that it looks like the two pumpkins could be one in the same…
Then there is the pumpkin on the patio bannister at the Myer’s house. And one by the bed, in Lindsey’s house. And the one crushed by Tommy Doyle at the school yard.
Four pumpkins total, perhaps, used in the movie…
just when you think youve heard ALLLL the trivia 
something more to look for when i re-watcch the movie 