The People Under the Stairs main backdrop
The People Under the Stairs main poster

The People Under the Stairs

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6.5/10 • 676

1991-11-011h 43m

HorrorComedyMysteryThriller

In every neighborhood, there is one house that adults whisper about and children cross the street to avoid.

Trapped inside a fortified home owned by a mysterious couple, a young boy quickly learns the true nature of the homicidal inhabitants, and secret creatures hidden deep within the walls.

Directors
Wes Craven
Writters
Wes Craven
Editors
Wes Craven, James Coblentz

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Brandon Quintin Adams

    Brandon Quintin Adams

    Fool

  2. Everett McGill

    Everett McGill

    Man

  3. Wendy Robie

    Wendy Robie

    Woman

  4. A. J. Langer

    A. J. Langer

    Alice

  5. Ving Rhames

    Ving Rhames

    Leroy

  6. Sean Whalen

    Sean Whalen

    Roach

  7. Bill Cobbs

    Bill Cobbs

    Grandpa Booker

  8. Kelly Jo Minter

    Kelly Jo Minter

    Ruby

  9. Jeremy Roberts

    Jeremy Roberts

    Spencer

Reviews1

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tmdb28039023 Avatar

tmdb28039023

Aug 27, 2022

6/10

The plot follows a boy and two adult thieves who, after breaking in to steal a collection of rare coins, become trapped in a house belonging to a strange couple. These thieves are so inept they leave their van parked next to the house, in full view of a couple of policemen who are even more inept; “This truck was used to rob a liquor store last night,” they inform the homeowners, whereupon they just drive off, leaving the getaway vehicle right where it is (but then cops are always incompetent in a Wes Craven film; cf. The Last House on the Left). The inside of the house, which appears to have been designed by serial killer H.H. Holmes, is full of booby traps, including a door whose knob has been rigged to deliver electric shocks – in one hilarious scene, young Fool (Brandon Quintin Adams) grabs the doorknob with one hand while holding Leroy's (Ving Rhames) hand with the other; Leroy’s other hand is currently between a Rottweiler’s fangs, and the electrical charge travels through the two intruders and knocks out the dog. The People Under the Stairs is like a Scooby Doo episode with a lot more blood in it; it’s indeed so ludicrous that the stolen coins are meant to pay for “mom's operation.” Having said that, there’s no question it was Craven’s intention all along to make a comedy. Moreover, it's impossible not to have a soft spot for a movie that includes a kid punching a Rottweiler in the face, an homage to The Shining, and the aforementioned dog going on an unexpected ride down a homemade slide, all in the space of just over three minutes.

Media

  • The People Under the Stairs poster
  • The People Under the Stairs poster
  • The People Under the Stairs poster
  • The People Under the Stairs poster
  • The People Under the Stairs poster
  • The People Under the Stairs poster
  • The People Under the Stairs poster
  • The People Under the Stairs poster
  • The People Under the Stairs poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$6,000,000.00
Revenue
$31,400,000.00
Keywords
child abuseescapeshotgunserial killerlandlordwrongful imprisonmentcannibalincestbluntmental illnessbreak inpsychoticguard dogbad landlorddisfigurementtarotgreedy developerneighborhoodlandlord tenant relationshipshockingpoor kidmurderous pairtrapped in a houseclass warfarein the wallsmother daughter relationshipbrother sister relationshipsexual fetishabsurdantagonisticridiculous