Review of The People Under the Stairs (1991) by Deborah M — 05 Sep 2015
Throughout Wes Craven's career he made a lot of dark, disturbing and thought-provoking films...none more bizarre and offbeat than his highly underrated 1991 thriller, The People Under the Stairs. Craven takes the illusion of the 'all American family' and completely turns it on its head.
When a crew of unfortunate burglars decide to rob their slum landlords, they find themselves trapped in a house of horrors owned by one of the craziest couples in cinematic history. Craven juxtaposes the dark subject matter with an energetic sense of fun that surprisingly works well.
The People Under the Stairs is refreshingly original, fast paced, surprising and, yes, quite disturbing. The casting of Twin Peaks' Everett McGill and Wendy Robie as the psychopathic couple is one of the films many highlights.
Their performances are equal parts hilarious and terrifying, and a major reason everything remains so unpredictable. This may not have been one of Craven's more successful films, but it's a film with something to say, and has stood the test of time extremely well.
This review of The People Under the Stairs (1991) was written by Deborah M on 05 Sep 2015.
The People Under the Stairs has generally received positive reviews.
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