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The People Under the Stairs

R Released Nov 1, 1991 1h 42m Horror Comedy Mystery & Thriller List
70% Tomatometer 33 Reviews 61% Audience Score 25,000+ Ratings
When young Fool (Brandon Adams) breaks into the home of his family's greedy and uncaring landlords, he discovers a disturbing scenario where incestuous adult siblings have mutilated a number of boys and kept them imprisoned under stairs in their large, creepy house. As Fool attempts to flee before the psychopaths can catch him, he meets their daughter, Alice (A.J. Langer), who has been spared any extreme discipline by her deranged parents. Can Fool and Alice escape before it's too late? Read More Read Less
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The People Under the Stairs

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Held aloft by gonzo black comedy and socially conscious subtext, The People Under The Stairs marks a unique -- though wildly uneven -- change of pace for director Wes Craven.

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Critics Reviews

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Henry Sheehan Chicago Reader The People Under the Stairs may be as misshapen as the people who live in this basement, but it might be as subversive too. Rated: 3/4 May 26, 2022 Full Review Variety Staff Variety A pretense of social responsibility and most of the necessary tension get lost in a combination of excessive gore and over-the-top perfs in The People Under the Stairs. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review Nigel Floyd Time Out There are a few push-button frights, but a total dearth of mind-disturbing terror; the humour, too, is broad, crowd-pleasing stuff. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy As with most Craven images, this one suffers from lackluster performances, a clumsy screenplay, a campy tone, and a noticeable lack of suspense. Rated: 1.5/4 Jun 11, 2023 Full Review Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm ...those shrieking, reaching victims will always stay with me. Rated: 2.5/4 Jun 22, 2022 Full Review Randall King Winnipeg Free Press It’s both a nasty thriller and a concise satire of race and class in America. Mar 17, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ethan M This was not a bad horror movie and had a few good moments, but it is definitely not a good one. It was a watchable experience just lacked some suspense. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/17/24 Full Review Drift B Watchable nothing special Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/03/24 Full Review Giuseppe S The People under the Stairs 1991 Uno dei film più sottovalutati degli anni 90 di Wes Craven ma contemporaneamente uno dei suoi migliori film horror sociale e politico un Grande film di Critica Sociale Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/02/23 Full Review michael b Absoulity Fantastic Horror Movie, With A Little Bit Of Humear,Loved It. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/02/23 Full Review Madie R A bit of a slow start, but once the two adults and Fool break into the house buckle up for one thrilling roller coaster ride. Wes Craven is a master of creating the perfect nightmare. The story is messed up beyond reason (in a good way), but it's smart and never lets up for a second. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/24/23 Full Review Scott H God awful movie. Right down there with I Know What You Did Last Summer awful. I expected better, much better, from Wes Craven. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 10/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The People Under the Stairs

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The People Under the Stairs

The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - I Busted This House's Cherry The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - I Busted This House's Cherry 2:57 The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - You're Not My Mother The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - You're Not My Mother 2:54 The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Total Spring Cleaning The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Total Spring Cleaning 2:15 The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - The House That Keeps You In The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - The House That Keeps You In 2:14 The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Dead Meat The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Dead Meat 2:16 The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Run, Fool! The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Run, Fool! 2:04 The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Don't Go in the Basement The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Don't Go in the Basement 2:56 The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - A Dog and a Roach The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - A Dog and a Roach 3:09 The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Get Away From the Walls The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Get Away From the Walls 2:51 The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Kiss Your Ass Goodbye The People Under the Stairs: Official Clip - Kiss Your Ass Goodbye 3:08 View more videos

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The People Under the Stairs

The People Under the Stairs (1991) The People Under the Stairs (1991) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When young Fool (Brandon Adams) breaks into the home of his family's greedy and uncaring landlords, he discovers a disturbing scenario where incestuous adult siblings have mutilated a number of boys and kept them imprisoned under stairs in their large, creepy house. As Fool attempts to flee before the psychopaths can catch him, he meets their daughter, Alice (A.J. Langer), who has been spared any extreme discipline by her deranged parents. Can Fool and Alice escape before it's too late?
Director
Wes Craven
Producer
Stuart M. Besser, Marianne Maddalena
Screenwriter
Wes Craven
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Horror, Comedy, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 1, 1991, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$21.9M
Runtime
1h 42m
Sound Mix
Surround
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