The People Under the Stairs (1991)

Director:

Wes Craven

Writer (WGA):

Wes Craven (written by)

Release Date:

1 November 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Comedy

Tagline:

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

Plot:

Two adults and a juvenile burglar break into a house occupied by a brother and sister and their stolen children and can't escape.

Plot Keywords:

Young Boy | Television Set | Caged Human | Disturbing | Tarot Card

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Brandon Quintin Adams	...	Fool (as Brandon Adams)
Everett McGill	...	Man; Dad
Wendy Robie	...	Woman; Mom
A.J. Langer	...	Alice
Ving Rhames	...	Leroy
Sean Whalen	...	Roach
Bill Cobbs	...	Grandpa Booker
Kelly Jo Minter	...	Ruby
Jeremy Roberts	...	Spenser
Conni Marie Brazelton	...	Mary
Joshua Cox	...	Young cop
John Hostetter	...	Veteran cop
John Mahon	...	Police sergeant
Teresa Velarde	...	Social worker
George R. Parker	...	Attic Cop

Also Known As:

Wes Craven's The People Under the Stairs

Runtime:

102 min | Germany:99 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2002) | UK:18 (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (1992) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-18 | Germany:16 (cut) | Germany:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1992) (uncut) | Norway:(Banned) (1991-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Alive Films

Trivia:

Wes Craven chose Wendy Robie and Everett McGill to play the parts of Mommy and Daddy after seeing them play husband and wife on the TV series, "Twin Peaks" (1990).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Obvious (taller) stunt double, when Fool falls off the edge of the bathtub.

Quotes:

Fool: No *wonder* there's no money in the ghetto!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: The People Under the Stairs" (2007)

Soundtrack:

THRENODY TO THE VICTIMS OF HIROSHIMA FOR 52 STRING INSTRUMENTS

'The People Under the Stairs' delivers Craven's weirdest

People Under the Stairs, The (1991) Brandon Adams, Everett McGill, Wendy Robie, A.J. Langer, Ving Rhames, Sean Whalen, Bill Cobbs, Kelly Jo Minter, Jeremy Roberts, D: Wes Craven.

Hoping to get his ailing mother an operation, 13-year-old ghetto slum Adams attempts to break and enter into the suburban house belonging to his greedy landlords (McGill, Robie) to steal a fortune of gold coins. Unfortunately, he gets more than he bargains for when he gets trapped in their mansion of horrors.

Writer-director Craven makes one strange horror film. Uneven but quirky and ambitious-enough to establish new Craven country.

Running Time: 102 minutes and rated R for horror violence, some gore, and language.

RATING: ** ½ (out of ****)