Fool is a ghetto kid about to evicted who decides to break into the house of the greedy landlords and steal enough to pay the rent. Big mistake - the landlords turn out to be a loony-toon brother-and-sister act who live in a labyrinthine mansion and literally eat little boys for breakfast. Can Fool get out alive, rescue the imprisoned Alice and save his neighbourhood from the bulldozers ? This is a terrific film, one of Craven's best, and one of a handful of great little horror movies made in the late eighties / early nineties by Shep Gordon's Alive Films company. It works wonderfully on several different levels; it's basically a great horror-adventure film with lots of action and scares, but it's also a weird culture-clash drama, a mythic adventure with a princess to be freed and golden treasure at the end, and even a lefty citizens' rights story. It's gloriously all over the place. The cast are excellent, especially young Adams, who holds the movie squarely on his small shoulders, and McGill and Robie (who played husband and wife on the TV show Twin Peaks) as the thoroughly psychotic Mom and Dad. A great visceral movie with lots of horrible moments - Adams battles with the vicious rottweiler, McGill gleefully chewing bits of Rhames' corpse, the ominous piles of dead flies in the kitchen. The art direction is tremendous; the gigantic, gruesome Bad Place of a house is horrifically cavernous and foreboding, crammed full of crawlspaces, archaic plumbing, ghoulish brickdust and crumbling plasterboard. Full of intriguing ideas and sociological riffs (gun culture, S&M tendencies, incest, racism, class exploitation), this is a movie bursting at the seams with cinematic creativity. Brilliantly written and directed by Craven, this is a fine example of the rare breed of multi-layered movie I adore which is automatically derided by snooty film critics who want to keep entertaining films and intelligent films mutually exclusive - may they burn in hell !!
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poolandrews6 June 2008The People Under the Stairs starts as a young boy Poindexter nicknamed Fool (Brandon Adams) learns that his family is about to be evicted from their crummy apartment, then his sister's boyfriend Leroy (Ving Rhames) convinces Fool to help him rob the landlords house & get the money his family needs. Together they break into the landlords house but find themselves trapped inside the house which has electrified doors & bars on all the windows, there they discover mutilated people kept in the basement by the crazy owners who want to create the perfect American family & take a very dim view on anyone who doesn't measure up...
Written, executive produced & directed by Wes Craven who apparently wrote the film after seeing a newspaper article about similar sorts of child abuse The People Under the Stairs was made at a less than successful period for Craven, after the box-office success of A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) Craven spent the next decade trying to recapture that success before his huge come back teen horror Scream (1996). Between A Nightmare on Elm Street & Scream Craven's directorial output was erratic to say the least although he continued to make worthwhile films like The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), for every giant sized turkey like Vampire in Brooklyn (1995) there was a The People Under the Stairs which convinced the public & the studios to stick with him. I actually think The People Under the Stairs is easily amongst Craven's best work, I think it's a terrific film that is only let down by some silly slapstick comedy that doesn't work (the chimney scene at the end comes to mind) & a really cheesy ending in which all the poor people of the neighbourhood make a stand against the evil landlords. There is much to enjoy here, the film moves along like a rocket, it certainly isn't boring or dull, the film has a jet black sense of humour running through it with some amusing one-liners & some funny scenes, there's plenty of chases, horror & downright weirdness, the man running around the house wearing full bondage gear with a shotgun is a memorably oddball image. The People Under the Stairs is also quite different to anything I have ever seen before, I can't think of another film like it. Maybe that's why some people don't like it, we all spend so much time saying how films are so unoriginal but when something fresh & different like The People Under the Stairs comes along it is still attacked for being to weird or unrealistic or offbeat. I love it's unpredictability & that there's nothing else quite like it out there, there aren't many films you can say that about.
Director Craven does a decent job here, although the house seems bigger on the inside than the outside would suggest there's plenty of tension, chases, near misses & lots of long winding claustrophobic corridors to keep the action tight & taught. I love the couple who own the hose, their names are never revealed but talk about the odd couple! They are just plain crazy yet have real personality, in fact all of the character's are well written. There's a very gory scene when someone is gutted & their sliced open body is seen several times, other than that there's some blood splatter & a severed hand.
With a supposed budget of about $6,000,000 the film has good production values & is well made with decent special effects. The acting is good, the kid is surprisingly not annoying while Everett McGill & Wendy Robie as the two psycho house owners put in suitably eccentric performances.
The People Under the Stairs is one of Craven's best films, it's not perfect but it tries hard to be different & it has a good story which mixes dark humour & horror to great effect. The sequel The People Under the Stairs 2 (2008) sees the return of a now grown up Alice. -
drownsoda901 July 2007"The People Under The Stairs" is a delightfully oddball horror flick that centers on a young boy nicknamed Fool, who lives in a dilapidating apartment in the inner-city ghetto with his family and dying mother. The greedy landlords of the apartment complex plan on kicking Fool and his family out, so he and a family friend, Leroy (Ving Rhames) hatch a plan to break into the landlords' spooky large house (which was formerly a funeral home) to steal a coin collection supposedly hidden somewhere in there. But they get more than they bargained for when they discover the man and woman living there kidnap young children and lock them inside the cellar. What ensues is a bizarre battle between Fool and the landlords as he tries to save all of the abused, deformed people who have been locked inside all their life.
"The People Under The Stairs" is one wild trip, and I say that because it really truly is. Written and directed by horror legend Wes Craven, I'd have to say that this his strangest film, and I think most would agree. The entire script is quite off-the-wall and very strange, but I admire that quality about it. The story is actually pretty unique, I can confidently say I've never seen a film like this before. While the storyline may be a little hard to sink your teeth into, if you set aside logic and just watch the movie for what it is, it is quite a neat little horror movie. For one, it has a surreal atmosphere that adds to its overall quirkiness, and it has a certain effect that I've never really experienced before. It's a bizarre movie to say the least, but I think that might be why I enjoyed it so much. The characters are twisted, and the dark, musky setting in the old house is a perfect place for the story to unfold. Plus there is also some dark comedy to be found here as well. In fact, at times this movie seems like more of a seriously twisted black comedy, but I'd say it's a cross between both of these genres.
Brandon Adams leads the cast as a thirteen year old boy who is caught up in the battle with the psychotic landlords and is surprisingly good, especially considering his age. A.J. Langer plays Alice, the only child in the house that isn't neglected and locked away, and is also good. The actors playing the mother/woman and dad/man are excellent in their bizarre and over-the-top roles, and Ving Rhames is decent with what screen time he has. There are some excellent sequences in this movie as well, mostly the chase scenes within the walls and labyrinth of passageways and whatnot inside the house. I'd like to point out the special effects as well which were very well done, as was the makeup on the deformed, former-"children" of the landlords, who looked very disgusting. As for the ending, it is also over-the-top and a bit silly, but the entire movie is, really, so this goes along with the flow of the movie well. The film itself as a whole seems to have some sort of deeper meaning behind all of the psychotic and twisted elements - as for me, I have my ideas of what it may be trying to say, but I think it can be interpreted different ways. But it does seem to be trying to send some sort of message, whatever that may be.
Overall, "The People Under The Stairs" is an immensely entertaining but very bizarre and offbeat little horror flick. It isn't perfect and it is a little out there, but if you can suspend your disbelief for a couple of hours and enjoy a twisted, almost fairytale-like horror movie, this can be a fun experience. But make sure you don't take it too literally, because it is a very strange movie. All things considered though, I dug it. 7/10. -
angelynx27 December 1998I really think people who describe this as a comedy or even a horror comedy are missing the point - it's a classic fairy/folk tale, right down to the theme of the kid having to earn manhood and a "real name" by doing a heroic deed. Wicked step-parents, hidden treasure (gold coins, even!), creepy house with secret passages and monsters in the basement, captive maiden to be rescued, innocent villagers held in slavery by evil (land)lords - it's all there! I know this could be said of a lot of fantasy/horror films, but this one seems to be more clearly derived than most. Loved it!
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kameleontti6 October 2004Many people dislike this movie but it's good enough for watching, if maybe not several times then at least once. "Don't damage the face", says Mother and leaves Father to punish Alice for being a bad girl. That's it, I'm hooked to the screen. First time I saw this movie I missed the beginning but it works well without it. Actually you can skip the background story with the financial problems and society issues and stick to the horror - and it's comical side. I specially liked the kid called Roach, who had his tongue cut out for bad words. Alice was also great, a shy little girl that tries to be nice for Mommy and not soil her pretty dress, though she feeds the basement people and guides Fool around when the time comes. When you watch a doll being pulled away from you on a string, you must follow it... Find a candle in the darkness. You know you must get out but the door is locked. The only way out is upwards.
There is a lot of nice visual stuff like the old bathroom or running inside the walls and the light drifting in from bullet holes. Mother and Father live in a fantasy where children are supposed to be pretty and behave. Now a few decades ago that was reality, but they are pulling it over the edge by mutilating their children and locking them in the basement if they're naughty. I recall that the kids weren't really theirs but kidnapped from around the area. Many people writing down the plot have misunderstood it somehow. It is quite poor but in this case it's not supposed to be a main attraction. I bet the writer came up with the idea of a sick mother and burglary in order to get money for medical treatment only after inventing the main idea about the house and the brother and sister living together as a couple, herding a bunch of insane children. Well they must have some reason to get Fool into the house, so why not... -
michaelRokeefe7 January 2004Once again director/writer Wes Craven delivers the thrills and chills. A young boy(Brandon Adams)is persuaded by a hapless crook(Ving Rhames) to break into his landlord's house to steal a gold coin collection. The house turns out to be an overly secured mansion that was formerly a funeral home. The demented landlord(Everett McGill)and his wife(Wendy Robie) and daughter(A.J. Langer)are not the only weirdness to be found. There is the mangled denizens under the stairs...in the basement...between the walls. The husband and wife are actually brother and sister. This tale of horror turns into a campy riot and easy to gain a cult following.
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Directed by Wes Craven, "The People Under the Stairs" is a fun and energetic, if a bit dated, horror flick that stars Brandon Quintin Adams (of "The Mighty Ducks" fame) as a Fool, a street-smart and spunky 13 year-old kid living in the ghetto. When his mother falls ill and the evil landlord hits them with an eviction notice, he hatches a plan with a family friend (Ving Rhames) to break into the landlord's house and rob him of his riches. Unfortunately, Fool finds himself trapped in the house which turns out to be a fortress and uncovers a disturbing discovery about the inhabitants lurking in the basement.
Full of stunning visuals, slapstick humor and colorful performances by its cast, "The People Under the Stairs" is perhaps the best 80's movie made in the 90's. Yeah, that's right, this movie looks and feels like something that belongs in the eighties, from the outfits the characters wear to the oddball hip-hop song that closes out the movie. It helps, though, that Craven is in top form with delivering some truly nightmarish visuals, aided by one great big set-piece in the house that the film spends ninety-five percent of its run-time within.
Adams is a rarity in that he is a kid in a horror movie that isn't annoying. Quite the opposite, Fool is likable and real enough that you can't help but cheer him along as he gives the landlord some payback by throwing a brick at him -- "Home Alone 2" style -- and by sucker-punching his vicious guard-dog when it gets too close. The film is more fun than it is scary, with plenty of witty one-liners, awkward moments and situational humor. Horror fans will recognize Kelly Jo Minter (of "A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child" fame) in a supporting role and will get a kick out of the funhouse trip that "The People Under the Stairs" ultimately is. Despite looking even more dated than it should, it's a film that still holds up as simply a good time. -
keithbrown-901955 October 2016It's a horror movie in concept, but not entirely in execution. I'd call it kooky and bizarre, with some social and political commentary thrown in around the margins.
A young boy and two older criminals break into their landlord's mansion, hoping to score a loot that will help them pay off the increased rent. To get more than they bargained for would be an understatement. Personally, I got most of my enjoyment from the reunion of Twin Peak's Big Ed and Nadine, doing their best to bring the camp levels through the roof. Big Ed running around the house dressed in a gimp suit with a shotgun in tow screaming bloody murder is a sight to behold.
While the story is fun in a backwards Home Alone sort of way, I thought Craven really struggled balancing the right tone. There are scenes that are too gruesome and scary for children, but the tension never materialized and the titular people under the stairs are never used to incite fear. I guess I just couldn't get a grip on what it was exactly trying to do, and it hampered my enjoyment.
It's still a decently fun watch, something I wish I experienced at a younger age, to be sure. -
ivo-cobra826 October 2016Wes Craven, the director of The Serpent and the Rainbow and Shocker, locks you inside the most terrifying house on the street. The People Under the Stairs (1991) is Wes Craven's masterpiece along side A Nightmare on Elm Street, New Nightmare, Scream, Shocker and The Serpent and the Rainbow. This is a Home alone for only adults. I wish I would see this movie as a child, but sadly I haven't. I never knew about this movie or that it exists. I just realize something Home Alone 2: Lost in New York copied the scene from this movie. When Kevin throws a brick on Marv that scene was copied from this movie in which Fool throws a brick on man's had in the attic. This is a horror comedy that it is well acted, well written and really incredible awesome! I love this film to death! I own it on Blu-ray in my collection and I still love it. This is a great horror movie. Very creative and interesting story line along with characters that are very interesting, at times, very comedic. This movie is one of Craven's best I highly recommend this.
This film is in my top 10 Wes Craven favorite movies and it is my fifth favorite movie from Wes Craven that I love it to death. Starring Brandon Adams who played Jesse Hall in The Mighty Ducks 1 and 2 movies. Everett McGill from Silver Bullet and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. I saw this on demand and I thought it was well played out although the parents were just plain freaks in their own way. The story line was just excellent and the settings gave it more of an eerie feel to it, although the children were an excellent addition, the whole beginning scenes really didn't need to be in there.
Plot: Two adults and a juvenile burglar break into a house occupied by a brother and sister and their stolen children and become trapped. Trapped inside a fortified home owned by a mysterious couple brother and sister, a young boy is suddenly thrust into a nightmare. The boy quickly learns the true nature of the house's homicidal inhabitants and the secret creatures hidden deep within the house.
I love the story, the idea from richer vs poor, you have a lead that it is a kid Brandon Adams is the star and the hero of the film. That is very unique, it is very unique. In every neighborhood there is one house that adults whisper about and children cross the street to avoid. Now Wes Craven, creator of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" takes you inside.
I love this movie to death: It is different than Home Alone. A young boy breaks in to a house by the landlords to steal the golden coins to support his poor family including his dying sick mom with his partner/ sister boyfriend Leroy (Ving Rhames) unaware the house is full of booby traps and no one get's out, no one ever has. Fool has to fight for his life while it is impossible to get out of the house because he is locked from inside. You have full of booby traps, monsters in the basement, ugly mad dog and two psychos in the house chasing fool which is scary. I think Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) would s**t in his pens, if he would be in this house. A.J. Langer is absolutely gorgeous, awesome in this movie seriously she is so beautiful and gorgeous that my jaw drop.
I love the scene in which Leroy defends Fool and shouts to Fool "run Fool" when brother and sister killed him with a shot gun. It also has a heart. Another scene that I love is after Fool escapes from the house later he learns the secret about the landlords, he comes back to the house for Alice who he gave her a promise. The characters, especially the main hero are decent written by Wes him self.
This movie is intelligent and really brilliant. You have to put brains in this movie, because it is so intense. Brandon Adams was fantastic as the main hero Fool. Everett McGill as the psycho brother was great and creepy in a lethal, while Wendy Robie was a great psycho sister in the house.
I also love the music song Do The Right Thing by Redhead Kingpin And The FBI. Wes Craven directed this movie perfectly. His script was perfect and the direction locations were fantastic in the movie. Wes Craven for me was a master of horror and I miss him so much. The People Under the Stairs is a classic horror film and I really do wish I would have watch it as a child.
R.I.P. - Wes Craven (1939 - 2015) I really miss you and thank you for all the Freddy movies, thank you for all horror franchise and movies like are: A Nightmare on Elm Street, New Nightmare, Scream, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Shocker and The People Under the Stairs. Thank you for all your work Wes. I love you so much I wish you could done more horror movies, I really love them.
This movie get's my perfect 10/10 for been one of my favorite Wes Craven horror movies of all time.
The People Under the Stairs is a 1991 American horror film written and directed by Wes Craven and starring Brandon Adams, Everett McGill, Wendy Robie, A. J. Langer, Ving Rhames and Sean Whalen.
10/10 Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: Universal Pictures Starring: Brandon Adams, Everett McGill, Wendy Robie, A. J. Langer, Ving Rhames, Bill Cobbs, Kelly Jo Minter, Sean Whalen, Jeremy Roberts Director: Wes Craven Producers: Shep Gordon, Wes Craven, Marianne Maddalena, Stuart M. Besser, Dixie Capp, Peter Foster Writer: Wes Craven Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 42 Mins. Budget: $6.000.000 Box Office: $24,204,154 -
lee_eisenberg15 May 2010"The People Under the Stairs" is usually listed as a horror movie, but I view it more as a social commentary. Basically, it shows how the landlords, far from the wholesome image that they project, are two of the vilest individuals imaginable. I've liked every Wes Craven movie that I've seen, and "TPUTS" is no exception. I think that part of the thing is that I saw it around the same time that I saw Woody Allen's repulsive "Everyone Says I Love You", which constituted excessive focus on neurotic rich New Yorkers. Wes Craven's movie presents a very negative image of rich people. Mom (Wendy Robie) and Dad (Everett McGill) make Ebenezer Scrooge look like Mother Teresa. Not even the landlady in "Gremlins" was as nasty as these two.
All in all, this is a horror movie in the sense that it's horrific not only what the landlords are doing, but what those in power have degenerated into overall. Worth seeing.
Also starring Brandon Adams, A.J. Langer, Ving Rhames, Bill Cobbs, Kelly Jo Minter, Sean Whalen and Jeremy Roberts. -
Anonymous_Maxine19 December 2004The People Under the Stairs isn't even one of those Wes Craven films that's weak because it was a popular or critical disaster, like some of his best films were (such as The Last House on the Left and The Hills Have Eyes), this movie was just goofy camp. Structurally, the film is very good. Craven has a very well written plot fighting for families in the inner city that are victimized by greedy landlords, but it gets goofy along the way, mostly because the father, one of the main characters, is trying to be Leatherface and Ash from The Evil Dead at the same time rather than creating an original character. Seriously, if you combine Leatherface and Ash, this guy is exactly what you get. Exactly.
Speaking of the father, it's odd that the IMDb lists the two main characters as Man; Dad, and Woman; Mom, since they are revealed to be brother and sister late in the movie. Nevertheless, they are clearly a severely disturbed couple, whatever their relationship, as is made clear as one minor character explains to his grandson, curiously named Fool and the star of the film, that the family has been filthy rich and completely insane for generations, each generation crazier than the last. It seems that the one featured in this film has been kidnapping children for years and adopting them as their own, then forcing them to live in the basement for all eternity if they misbehave. As was the case with those two girls abducted in the first act of The Hillside Strangler, it is indeed odd that no one ever caught on.
At one point in the film we learn that the police have been trying for years to be able to look deeper into the mysterious case surrounding these two people, yet when they find a stolen van in their driveway, they just say they haven't seen anyone in the house and the cops tell them to have a nice day and drive off, not having even investigated why there was a stolen van in their driveway. What was that? The biggest problem with the people under the stairs is that not only are the people under the stairs not supposed to be scary, they're supposed to be victims. Actually, maybe they were meant to be scary. That would certainly explain why the plot leads us to believe that they're still alive down there, surviving only on the random scraps thrown to them and a seemingly insatiably appetite for watching the news about Iraq War I, but the makeup artists make us believe that they're zombies. No way are those people still alive, their skin is rotting off their bones.
Even better are the characters of Alice and Roach, played by Sean Whalen in his film debut. It seems that Roach has escaped the basement and spends his time wandering the huge hallways that exist inside the walls in this massively inefficiently built house, avoiding his "father," who is uncontrollably furious that he has escaped the basement. When the cops show up to investigate complaints they've received about gunshots in the area, they walk through the house, not seeing the huge holes that Dad has blasted in the walls throughout the house, because they have somehow managed to fix them instantaneously, and leaving happily after a few cups of coffee and some cookies. Everything seemed fine to them. If nothing else, I would have been mildly curious as to why, in a house with elegant furniture and mahogany walls, the kitchen was protected by an industrial steel wall.
Ving Rhames plays the part of LeRoy, a family friend so close to the family that he brings Fool on a trip to rob the landlords, who are rumored to have buried treasure in their house. Yes, buried treasure. Fool's mom has cancer and they're being evicted for being all of three days late with their rent (more proof that the movie has more to say about the plight of the inner cities than anything else), so it's up to Fool to save the day. Sadly, the only thing scary about this movie is that it is based, albeit loosely, on a true story about parents that locked their kids in the basement for many years. -
ddfcmp820 June 2006Now Wes Craven may not talk about this one too much, but you know what? I bet he's more proud of this film than most of his films. You know why? He went back to his original roots of storytelling as such how he made "Last House On The Left". The film is an exploitation film, but you would never guess it by the stylish way he fits it into the urban setting, and the wretched display of the villains. You know what? This film tops the last few films he's ever done. I think so, because he uses the old school style of scares, and yes, this film delivers some real moments. It has a very light sense of adventure and humor, but it's all for not without the scares. What would you do if you were a 13 year old boy, tapped in a big, strange house, which is a death trap for all burglars and juveniles? Not only that, but the owners who live their are not only your landlords, but also total psychotics! Well, with a few paths within the house, walkways in the walls, and trap doors in the oven and heater, you might have a chance at living. Brandon Adams, A.J. Langer, Wendie Robie, and Everett McGill are great, and work well together. I hope Universal releases a special edition DVD of this one soon. We need it.
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SPaS7 May 2002Years ago I went to see this movie with my friend, think I was 15... Well, liked it then, like it now! A mystery to me is that how can this horror gem be so underrated - at the time it's practically forgotten! C'mon! Let's see what we got here!
1) Originality. It's mostly day time, we're up against no Jason or Michael, but two HUMAN baddies, and the setting is just a normal (well, then again maybe not so normal) HOUSE in the middle of a suburb! In between the lines this pays homeage to Halloween by shoving that inhabited areas can be just as deserted and unsafe as, say, a foggy forest...
2) Humour. This must be the most coal-black-humour-ridden splatter flick in history! And believe it or not, it all works! You'll be either frightened and laughing your ass off in every twisted turn, I promise you that. A school- book example of a roller-coaster-ride- kind of a movie! Most of this thanks to the nutcased "parents", especially the father (Everett McGill)!
Also instead of a caucasian College kid Johnny Football Hero in the lead for goodies, we this time have a 13-year old black kid everyone calls "Fool".
Was Craven ahead of his time back then? I think "Scream" owes at least a bit to this one in what comes to taking the splatter genre not too seriously... Any which way, go rent this one right away! -
Aaron137520 February 2004Everyone I know who watched this movie liked it, but I thought it was quite bad. Yet this one scores higher than "Mind Ripper" here. Just shows I have differing tastes I guest. This one is more original than that movie, but this one also is not the least bit scary. The jokes to me are not very funny either, so it is no wonder that I don't like this. It is about a bunch of guys and a kid robbing the house of these slum lords. Well what they find is that the house is well protected and that the two that live and preside over the house are a tad crazy. The kid gets away by hiding in the walls, then he is caught and put under the stairs with the title characters who do not play as big a role in the film as the title implies. Along the way we see various things die such as a kid and a dog, but nothing that would approach a true horror film. There are also many twists and turns here and there, but nothing to shocking (well maybe the one revelation is). What you end up with is a movie with no real direction and no real thrills or chills.
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Big Movie Fan2 August 2002The People Under The Stairs was a creepy film. How creepy? Well, as creepy as it can get when it features a young lad trapped inside a house hiding a dark secret.
Wendy Robie and Everett McGill are the owners of the house and they hide a dark secret. I won't tell you what but the title itself is a clue. A young lad finds himself trapped in the house after a burglary goes wrong and in a very creepy sequence of events he discovers the horrible secret of the house.
The People Under The Stairs was my favourite horror of 1991. The hero was a young boy in a hopeless situation and like most good horrors it was set in a big nasty house. Wendy Robie and Everett McGill did a brilliant job as the evil owners of the house.
I recommend The People Under The Stairs to any big horror fans. -
HumanoidOfFlesh29 July 2004Wes Craven's "The People Under the Stairs" is a weird horror film that plays like a dark fairy tale.The film is not scary and there is very little gore,so fans of splatter will be disappointed.Still the production values are excellent,the old house and the mazes within are nicely constructed.The acting is exceptionally good,albeit Brandon Adams overacts sometimes as the hero Fool.On the other hand,there are some bits of lame slapstick comedy that are simply out of place.The film also features rather grisly themes of child and animal abuse,incest,S&M and murder,but it's not offensive.So if you're a fan of Wes Craven's horror films give this one a look.However I still consider "Last House on the Left" as his best film to date.My rating:7 out of 10.
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"The People Under the Stairs" is a fun black comedy horror movie with nice cast, finely balanced moments of tension and loads of fun. Horror movie veterans especially will enjoy watching Craven getting ready for "Scream" through making this movie and perfecting the art of chases through the house. Don't look for too much logic or realism from this movie and you will be fine. That's maybe it's best thing and biggest drawback of this movie in the same time. It doesn't take itself too seriously. Sometimes it's brilliant because of that, sometimes it feels like too much. All in all, it's a very good and fun movie and I give it 8/10! I recommend it to both fans of the genre and to casuals (I watched it with my mom).
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sol-16 October 2016In desperate need of money to pay the rent, a teenager breaks into his landlord's home, only to discover it booby-trapped and full of 'prisoners' who live within the walls and under the floorboards in this darkly comic horror movie from the mind of Wes Craven. As others have noted, the film is structured as a fairy-tale with the young protagonist taking it upon himself to liberate the prisoners and foil the evil landlord and landlady so that the poor folks in his neighbourhood can survive, yet the film works best when Craven concentrates less on the story and more of the sheer strangeness of the situation. The narrative has quite a few gaps (most strikingly, why the landlord and landlady feed their prisoners, give them flashlights and let them survive) but the absolutely uncanny nature of the story keeps things afloat and this is one of few films equally as funny as it is scary. While much of the humour is very dark, give or take Everett McGill and Wendy Robie's deliberately accentuated performances, there is some highly amusing slapstick humour in the mix such a dog sliding out of the laundry chute like a kid on an amusement park ride! The architecture of the house is also a wonder to be hold with hidden passageways, rigged staircases and electric shock door handles. Whether the film has a lot to say as a satire is debatable, but the central concept works fairly well with the landlord and landlady literally driven insane by their greed and their greed finally reaching such an extent that it leads to their downfall. As mentioned, the film is a fairy-tale of sorts. Imagine 'Hansel and Gretel' meets 'Robin Hood' and you will have half an idea of what to expect, though nothing matches the experience of actually watching this bizarre little gem.
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ReelCheese4 August 2006This uneven, film takes a great concept but doesn't always know what to do with it. With his family about to be evicted, thirteen-year-old Fool (it's a nickname) agrees to help a thief break into Fool's landlord's house to steal some valuable gold coins. Only they get much more than they bargained for when they find the bizarre landlord and his equally strange wife keep several guests trapped in the basement.
"The People Under the Stairs" starts out strong, promising to be a solid horror picture. But it's soon weighed down by its many flaws. The evil landlord, roaming the hallways of the spooky mansion in a tight leather suit, his rifle in hand, is ridiculously over the top. Brandon Adams as Fool is generally acceptable, but whenever he tries to portray emotions, particularly fear, he looks like a bit player in a junior high production. Storywise, the film focuses too much on the homeowners and Fool's attempts to rescue their supposed daughter and not enough on the zombie-like title characters, who held enormous potential.
Though it gets full marks for originality, "The People Under the Stairs" doesn't work as well as it could have. Still, director Wes Craven has done a lot worse! -
fibreoptic7 March 2004I found The People Under The Stairs very entertaining as it combines comedy with suspense. The Mum and Dad character were really creepy but provided the most laughs in the movie which is kind of odd in a way. The kid (who is kind of annoying) is similar to Macauley Culkin's character in Home Alone and the Ma and Pa characters are similar to the burglars from Home Alone too but instead of the bad guys invading the good guys house the good guys are invading the bad guys house. The house is cool as heck with loads of secret passages and gizmos, it's a child's dream play house! It has thrills, suspense, laughs and gore! There is not much bad to say against it but don't go in to this thinking it's a horror movie because it isn't. A darned good flick! 9/10
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Bunuel197622 October 2006This isn't a horror film per se but rather a macabre black comedy, and it also ends up not really being about the titlular 'creatures'. There are bravura performances from Everett McGill and Wendy Robie, however. It's unusual in having a black kid as hero (with the film playing almost like a demented version of HOME ALONE [1990]!); Ving Rhames also makes an impression as a smart-alec 'brother'.
The script has things to say about poverty and parenthood but it all kind of gets sidetracked by the action and thrills. It's less significant, therefore, than a somber film like THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW (1988) but also more entertaining. There's even a touch of surrealism when McGill emerges dressed in leather and studs from head to toe and starts blowing holes in the house's walls with a shotgun because one of the 'creatures' has escaped from the cellar - and there are also a couple of good lines: "If you thought he was white, you should see the sucker now!" (in reference to a pal of Rhames who, apparently, has died of fright) and the boy telling A.J. Langer (the manic couple's cloistered teenage 'daughter') "Your father is one sick mother...actually, your mother is one sick mother, too!"
Ultimately, the film can be seen perhaps as Craven's take on 'old dark house' chillers; incidentally, this viewing was preceded by THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (1944) - which also revolves, in part, around this same theme! -
tomgillespie200219 July 2015Poindexter 'Fool' Williams (Brandon Quintin Adams) is a kid from a poor black neighbourhood with a terminally ill mother and whose family are facing imminent eviction from their run-down apartment. His mother's disease is operable, but they do not have the funds to pay for her treatment, nor can they afford the extortionate rent set by their greedy landlords the Robesons (Twin Peaks' Wendy Robie and Everett McGill). Fool's criminal 'friend' Leroy (Ving Rhames) suggest that they break into the Robesons rich suburban home to steal the store of loot rumoured to be hoarded somewhere in the house. Once inside, they find themselves facing angry dogs and a bunch of cannibalistic freaks in the basement.
Although packaged and labelled as a horror and helmed by genre legend Wes Craven, The People Under the Stairs feels more akin to a boy's adventure movie, specifically those that emerged in the 1980's with children as their protagonists. The tone is often light-hearted and playful, with Fool playing the role of terrified but gadget- savvy child. Adams thankfully keep the levels of precociousness to a minimum, so we can cheer him on while he dodges the shotgun blasts from the insane Robesons, who refer to each other as Mommy and Daddy while they are actually brother and sister. They keep their only daughter Alice (A.J. Langer) under a strict, watchful eye, so she proves to be valuable to asset to Fool once he befriends her.
The lurking creatures under the stairs scowl and grab but do little else. Anyone hoping for a twisted, incestuous gore-fest like the title and presence of the director's name may suggest will be disappointed, for this is relatively mild stuff for the most part, and it does feel like an opportunity was missed somewhat. The 100 minute running-time drags towards the end, with various false climaxes stretching the patience. But for the most part, this is entertaining fluff, with Craven managing to squeeze some excitement out of every tiny crevice of the setting, and there's even a bit of social commentary in there somewhere. -
lornastone2 March 2022Wes Craven tackles race, class, and religion in one of his lesser known and most jam-packed horror films. It features a young child who must help rob his landlord's home in order to get the money to pay for his ailing mother's operation. Once inside, he find a house full of horrors with hidden tunnels, abused children, rabid dogs, and a whole lot of hidden treasure.
Craven creates a whole world inside this house full of depravity and still has a sense of humor about it all. -
morrison-dylan-fan24 August 2018Aware of the first half of the decade being a time where the Horror genre appeared to have died, I started digging for 1991 Horror titles to view for an ICM poll on the best films of the year. Recently viewing their very good Blu-Ray of the 2009 Henri-Georges Clouzot doc Inferno,I was pleased to find that Arrow has put out a rather overlooked Wes Craven '91 flick out,which led to me going under the stairs.
View on the film:
Bringing a bundle of detailed extras up the stairs, Arrow present an excellent transfer,with the audio being crisp,and the picture transfer being sharp,but retaining a film grain. Only the second time he had gotten the "final cut" right to his own work, (the first was Shocker) writer/ director Wes Craven is joined by cinematographer Sandi Sissel in taking advantage of this,by departing from the Slasher era with a macabre Gothic Horror atmosphere. Crawling round the house at Fool's height, Craven & Sissel stylishly use flash lights and slivers of light between the wooden walls to give the house the appearance of a castle, complete with hidden mazes/corridors and a moat.
Done as the first Bush era was nearing an end, the screenplay by Craven displays a surprising edge of maturity,as Craven opens not with a shock,but spending time with Fool and his family in The Projects. Continuing the major theme across his films of chipping away at the white picket fence of the middle class, Craven makes the baddies be embodiment's of Greed is Good,which works well with sadistic glee as Craven sends Fool into a funhouse of a blood-thirsty couple and mysterious people under the stairs, but becomes too on the nose,as the greed gets blown open and shared to da Hood. Bringing the weird vibes they shared in Twin Peaks, Everett McGill and Everett McGill give delirious Pantomime villain performances as the nutty couple, whilst in his movie debut, Brandon Quintin Adams gives a terrific energetic performance, capturing the mad-dash Fool makes to escape the people under the stairs. -
thesar-28 October 2013Out of thousands of movies I've seen in the theatre, I've walked out of the theatre in disgust prior to the climax only three times. (Actually, one movie I actually walked out on TWICE, because after I initially walked out on the movie, Cadillac Man, my friends dragged me back to that movie at a later date. 20-minutes in, they agreed with me, and we all walked out.) The People Under the Stairs was one of the other two I walked out on and get this, it was literally 10-minutes before the end of the movie!
I remember this movie vividly. Picture it: Phoenix, Arizona, 1991. I've always loved horror and since I loved Freddy so much, Wes Craven was high on my list. For a new and "original" film, this was a must see. Unfortunately, half way through, I thoroughly disliked this movie and by the time the movie got to almost the ending, I couldn't care any less on how it ended and I bolted. This has never happened to me before or since and of those three movies I exited early, I never made it this far and left early.
Nowadays, I write a ton of film reviews, but I would never on a movie I didn't complete. It's unfair to the movie by not allowing it to fully explain itself. Rarely will a movie redeem itself in the last ten minutes, but it has happened, I recall.
Fast forward, 22 years, and during October/Horroween time, I decided to *finally* give this movie another shot. I mean, why not? It's not like it's another 3-vested-hours of goofiness I have to endure; it's only 102 minutes and 10 of which I hadn't seen before.
To be honest, I didn't hate on the movie that much this time. Sure, it's still bad, and though Craven was trying hard to be original, though failing some, it was so convoluted with way too much going on to enjoy. The basics of this movie was a creepy house and a trapped-inside boy trying to escape and eventually does, but *has* to go back for a captive girl living there.
Literally, that's the core of this movie. There's roughly 23 other plots going on – and yeah, I know, I'm exaggerating, but not too far off, but breaking it down, the movie's somewhat focus is on the boy, a dog and the escape plan.
One of the things I had a problem back in 1991 was Plot #17, the sadomasochism (S&M) "father" in leather. In my defense, I was in High School, living in a pre-internet age and was brought up in a very sheltered, Christian household, so I had no clue what S&M was or why this man decided it would be a good idea to disguise himself in full leather in his own home to continue to chase the boy.
Today, knowing exactly what it is, and why it still makes zero sense for him to do this. Previously, it's stated that "every generation more insane than the one before it" in this household. But, being crazy does not equate the desire to participate – in this case, unexplainably – in S&M.
Now, here's the million dollar question, but mostly for myself: Should I have stayed for the final 10-minutes in 1991? And the answer is: No. I would've hated it all the more. The finale, and sorry – spoiler for the 22-year-old movie, involves blowing up a room full of cash and despite the grand explosion, the cash survives and intact and is distributed to the poor.
The movie gets a little too out of whack, too many times. Reminded me a lot of The Evil Dead original, but for no solid reasons for it to mimic that movie. Also, the "message" felt like a Lethal Weapon unneeded addition to the already overloaded script. Totally: Not recommended to meet the people under the stairs.
* * * Final thoughts: I was right. Back up, I was right to walk out on the movie, but I would've been more right not to see it in the first place.