Horror

Comedy

Mystery

Thriller

The People Under the Stairs

Alive Films

United States of America

English

Brandon Quintin Adams

Everett McGill

Wendy Robie

A. J. Langer

Ving Rhames

Sean Whalen

Bill Cobbs

Kelly Jo Minter

Jeremy Roberts

Conni Marie Brazelton

Josh Coxx

David Robinson

John Hostetter

George R. Parker

John Mahon

Teresa Velarde

Yan Birch

Wayne Daniels

Michael Kopelow

Brutus

Bubba

Schultz

Zeke

Nic Cramer

Jon Kinney

Danny Kopel

Wes Craven

Dane Farwell

Paula Moody

Marian Green

Don Peake

Sandra Lee Gimpel

Stuart M. Besser

Dixie J. Capp

Peter Foster

Shep Gordon

Marianne Maddalena

James Coblentz

Eileen Mack Knight

Bryan Jones

Steven Lloyd Shroyer

Molly Flanegin

Ileane Meltzer

Robert Kurtzman

Greg Nicotero

Carl Beyer

Graeme Revell

Lynn Salvatori

Sandi Sissel

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.

Best Movies

The People Under the Stairs

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Brandon Quintin Adams

Everett McGill

Wendy Robie

A. J. Langer

Ving Rhames

Sean Whalen

Bill Cobbs

Kelly Jo Minter

Jeremy Roberts

Conni Marie Brazelton

Box office

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