The random convex hull of a Poisson point process in $mathbb{R}^d$ whose intensity measure is a multiple of the standard Gaussian measure on $mathbb{R}^d$ is investigated. The purpose of this paper is to invent a new viewpoint on these Gaussian polytopes that is based on cumulants and the general large deviation theory of Saulis and Statuleviv{c}ius. This leads to new and powerful concentration inequalities, moment bounds, Marcinkiewicz-Zygmund-type strong laws of large numbers, central limit theorems and moderate deviation principles for the volume and the face numbers. Corresponding results are also derived for the empirical measures induced by these key geometric functionals, taking thereby care of their spatial profiles.