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Cynthia (Sarah Torgov) leaves a mental institution, where she stayed after losing her baby in a bath accident. Her husband decides to join a group of friends and fly from Seattle to a camping in a small hydroplane. The craft has a problem and it lands in a lonely island in the middle of nowhere. There, they are hosted by Ma (Yvonne de Carlo) and Pa (Rod Steiger), a very religious couple, who lives like they were in the beginning of the Twentieth Century. When the group meets the two sons and the daughter of Ma and Pa, they realize that they are in the middle of very demented persons, who start hunting them.

"American Gothic" was a great surprise. Although having a low rating in IMDB, it is indeed a good and original horror movie. The scary story has many funny situations, and the direction and performance of the cast are very good. The contrast in the behavior of such a nice Ma and Pa when the secret of that weird family is disclosed, is really frightening. Highly recommended for fans of horror movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): 'Os Anfitriões' ('The Hosts')

Note: On 23 Sep 2022, I saw this film again.

The theme of religious fanatics who live in complete isolation and consider any contact with the outside world "contamination" has been done to death in the horror genre, but here they give it another go. Apparently they decided that wasn't enough, so they also threw in the "adults-behaving-as-kids" theme, which also has been done before (check out the REALLY twisted 1973 film "The Baby"). The result is a campy, silly, demented and thoroughly unpleasant horror film, but the production is fairly polished, the direction is competent and Rod Steiger gives a deliciously embarrassing performance as "Pa" (what the hell was he thinking when he decided to sign on for such a movie?) (**)

A group of twentysomethings are stranded on an island off the coast of Washington and find refuge with an odd couple named Ma and Pa (Yvonne De Carlo and Rod Steiger). Things get odd quickly as the family introduces a trio of infantile adult offspring (Janet Wright, Michael J. Pollard and William Hootkins) that like to play and kill. With a cover riffing on the famous Grant Wood painting, you can pretty much expect this one to be tongue-in-cheek. And while the story isn't anything beyond cliché, it is worth seeing for the performances of Steiger and his demented family. I mean, how can you not appreciate a film that casts Michael J. Pollard and William Hootkins as retarded brothers? Or features Steiger whipping Hootkins with a switch; not because he killed a girl but because he killed her and then had sex with her. Wright is the stand out as the creepy Fanny, who is in her forties but thinks she is Shirley Temple and dresses accordingly. Gross. Director John Hough gets good use out of the forest (British Columbia) location. Like I said, worth seeing for all of the actors as the villains.

Yvonne DeCarlo's death a few days ago brings to mind her varied career. She may be best known for playing Lily on the comic-horror TV series "The Munsters", but in the movie "American Gothic", she went for straight horror. The movie portrays some young people flying out over the Puget Sound - on either a sunny or overcast day; the setting kept changing - and having to land on an island when their plane conks out. The island turns out to be inhabited by a family. Ma (DeCarlo) and Pa (Rod Steiger) are practically Amish, their daughter Fanny looks only a little younger, and sons Woody (Michael J. Pollard) and Teddy don't do much. But this family isn't what they seem. Every member seems like s/he has some nasty plans, and the outsiders had better not trespass.

There were some pretty gross scenes here, but I liked how they played everything out. Especially what Cynthia did at the end. I couldn't have predicted that even if I'd tried! So, it's mostly your average slasher flick, but still quite enjoyable. I wonder what Grant Wood would have thought had he known that the name of his famous painting would one day get used for this sort of movie.

A different sort of slasher film, this one. It concerns three young couples who head for an island vacation in the Pacific Northwest. Plane troubles force them to land on a different island. Unfortunately, this one is dominated by stereotypical backwoods redneck type senior citizens, Pa and Ma (Rod Steiger and Yvonne De Carlo). They live with three middle aged children, Fanny (Janet Wright, 'Corner Gas'), Woody (Michael J. Pollard, "Bonnie and Clyde"), and Teddy (William Hootkins, "Hardware"), who all have the mindsets of children. They're also murderous, laying waste to most of the interlopers in various ways.

Although there's some excellent atmosphere (this was filmed on Bowen Island, the same Canadian locale utilized by "The Food of the Gods"), and some decent enough gore, "American Gothic" gets most of its strength through characterization. You sure don't care about most of the victims. In fact, you're happy to see them die. The screenplay is by Burt Wetanson and Michael Vines, and not only does it make these people insufferably obnoxious, it's patently absurd. Who in their right mind gets on a swing that's perched right at the edge of a cliff? The most sympathetic victim is Cynthia (Sarah Torgov ("Meatballs"), in what appears to be her last acting credit). Cynthia just got out of a mental institution because she wasn't able to deal with the tragic death of her baby.

Steiger and De Carlo have a field day as the rigid, religious, backwards yokels, and Steiger has a priceless, memorable monologue right at the end. Wright is rather endearing, Pollard is his usual self, and Hootkins is solid as the twisted Teddy. Familiar faces among the victims also include Stephen Shellen ("The Stepfather" '87) and Mark Lindsay Chapman ("Titanic" '97).

The outcome involving Cynthia is somewhat intriguing, offering up at least two possible reasons for her actions. And this brief but generally amusing little movie does teach us one lesson: if you're stuck on an island, with little to no chance of getting off, it might be wise to respect the ways of your hosts, however antiquated they may be.

Seven out of 10.

Rod Steiger and Yvonne De Carlo appear to be having a good time as the patriarch and matriarch of a creepy backwoods family who continue to believe their grown children are still in the single digits. Their idea of family bonding is killing anyone who trespasses on their island. Good, campy fun.

We have seen the storyline a million times before. So it had to have something special, but it failed. okay, it's old school horror but you can tell that it was made at the end of the slashers era. horror wasn't the thing anymore and the glory days were over. Here they tried to make a kind of early Wrong Turn or those other don't go there movies. The acting is okay but somehow the story failed to give you the creeps. The best thing is the flashbacks of one of the victims. The effects are cheap and the blood flows but not enough. Some parts are way too long, and sometimes you can see it coming from miles away that the victim will die. Over here in Europe the movie isn't available that easy so you will have to catch it in Germany or the US. It's watchable on a Saturday afternoon just before the family arrives. Could have been better...

Good campy horror movie that has 3 couples going for a little vacation and getting stuck on an island. They take shelter at an old couple's house whose "kids" are at least in their fifties. Soon one by one the couples get killed except for one lucky one who has a few little surprises of her own. Surprisingly good, with good campy acting by all. "Give me my baby Fanny!" Recommended

This was a somewhat frustrating movie to watch. It just seems like everything that one shouldn't do in a horror movie (if you want to make it out alive that is) was done. But that is also something that kept me watching and occasionally shouting unheeded advice at my television screen. I have to mention how hard it was to swallow the brash and inconsiderate attitude of the wayward group of teens when they meet up with the owners of the house. The acting was something to be desired, though the quaint family of psychos was very convincing. If only so much could be said of our misplaced campers. I recommend this one to anyone who would enjoy a stylish b-grade slasher movie.

Not exactly a highly original 80's horror movie, this 'American Gothic', but a mildly entertaining one that is stuffed with unsubtle satire towards the hypocritically religious Americans and their unhealthy conceptions of family values. The main problem is that this has all been done before, much better too, and what remains is a passable horror comedy with adorably grotesque performances by Rod Steiger and Yvonne De Carlo. The film's most ingenious finding probably is the title and VHS cover-art that are inspired by Grant Wood's famous painting of the same name. Steiger and De Carlo play a married couple, exclusively referring to each other as Pa and Ma, and live on a remote island far away from decaying civilization. When a plane full of sinners; a group of twenty-something friends on holiday; strikes down on the island with engine trouble, it's time to re-teach them some moral and religious standards! Ma and Pa also have an uncanny offspring, two elderly males and a female that behave like young children and play lethal games with the island's guests. There's a sub plot involving one of the stranded people being a psychiatric case too, due to the tragic bathing accident that killed her own child. "American Gothic" opens rather slowly and the first murder was a long time coming. Moreover, only this first murder is really worth mentioning, since it's an inventive death-by-swing sequence, whereas all the other murders are fairly ordinary and not at all gory. There's a minimum in tension, exclusively supplied by the eerie Janet Wright as the overweight adult portraying a child, but most of the film's intentions miss their target, like the sarcasm towards society and the supposed "shock ending". John Hough's directing is more than competent, but this nevertheless remains one of his most mediocre achievements, languishing for the better days of "Twins of Evil", "The Legend of Hell House" and "Escape to Witch Mountain". Overall, this film isn't a must-see but there surely are worse ways to kill an hour and a half of your time.

American Gothic is a horror movie that is truly horrible and scary: Because what it portrays is a completely psychotic and homicidal family living on an isolated island in the Pacific Northwest who become the only beacon of help for several young people who become temporarily stranded on the island. The lighting in the film is almost nonexistent; it seems as though it were filmed in a basement, which adds to the creepiness. Even though there are some extremely cheezy elements in the film, there's a constant suspicion that something not just bad, but terrible and downright terrifying is going to happen. Rod Steiger and Yvonne de Carlo are absolutely brilliant in this film as "Pa" and "Ma" and are so extreme in their character portrayals that they almost become parodies of themselves and are therefore on the threshold of being humorous. But the 'kids' (who are actually 3 deranged siblings in their 40's and seemingly quite comfortable in their maritime never never land) are so creepy that they make not only your skin but lining of your bones crawl. On a scale of 1--10, I'd give this an 8.5.

American Gothic stands out among lesser known horror movies of the 80's for its patience and atmosphere. The majority of the movie has a dark, gloomy, overcast feel. This combined with the performances delivered by the unknown and unusual family creates a very uncomfortable watch. Some viewers might find the film a bit slow, or even cringey at times. Absolutely worth checking out for most horror fans.

In "American Gothic", the story revolves around Cynthia, a young woman mourning the death of her baby daughter, for which blames herself (and she really should!). Following her psychiatrist's advice, Cynthia and her husband, Jeff, go on a trip with some friends, but their trip is cut short when they find themselves stranded in a deserted island. During a walk around the woods, the group finds a wooden cottage and they decide to break in (of course they do!). While the guys and girls are snooping around the place, going through the drawers and even dancing the Charleston like complete imbeciles, the owners of the house arrive. The householders are an elderly couple who call themselves "Ma" and "Pa". Jeff apologizes for the intrusion, but Ma tells him not to worry and invites them to stay for as long as they need. Later, we find out that Ma and Pa have a "child" named Fanny, a middle-aged woman who thinks she's 11-years-old. Fanny has two brothers, who are also middle-aged and behave like children.

Up until this point, we assume that this is only a very peculiar family, but the truth is that Ma and Pa are religious fundamentalist who condemn and punish everything that is disapproved by the Bible, and they have trained their "children" to be that way too. As it is expected, the young friends and their modern lifestyle don't quite fit with the family's traditional values and it doesn't take long for the carnage to begin.

"American Gothic" is one of those films where it's very hard not to like the killers more than the victims. The family members are judgmental and self-righteous, which are two qualities that many people dislike, but it is also evident that they simply don't know any better as a consequence of living in seclusion and having been trained to strictly obey the Bible. At first, Ma and Pa actually seem to mean well, since they offer shelter without expecting anything in return. However, this so-called act of kindness could also be explained through the Bible, which they seem to follow unconditionally ("Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless"). It is uncertain whether Ma and Pa were being nice out of kindness or if they were only obeying the book, but regardless of their primary motives, they help the young friends nonetheless. On the other side, these ungrateful bastards show no respect, they laugh at the family's lifestyle, make fun of the obviously mentally ill "children" and expect the family to adjust to their lifestyle, so in the end, one sort of expects them to die horribly. Even though the modern audience would most likely relate to the young friends, at the same time, it is easy to understand why the family members were out to get them. It is evident that the family doesn't kill just to please the Lord, they also get pleasure from it but they are immune from prosecution due to insanity and still less offensive than the young group. The other reason to like the family of lunatics more than the young friends, is that the family members are actually funny and likable due to their hilarious insanity. Crazy characters tend to be more appealing, at least compared to these nasty and generic young characters. I wouldn't exclusively blame "American Gothic" for providing unlikeable victims, as this is a common thing in slasher films. Perhaps, in some cases, it is intentional and we are supposed to root for the bad guys or even take these films as a cautionary tale with some kind of moral, like in this case "Don't be a disrespectful jerk to those who have different values" or "don't barge in and expect the others to adjust to your own ways".

"American Gothic" provides a few funny moments and lines, which in some cases seem intentional and in other cases not. For instance: I think the family members, especially Fanny, are supposed to be somewhat humorous. I refuse to believe that these over-the-top characters were not deliberately written to provide a few laughs. The acting on the other hand, is one of the things that had me chuckling once or twice and I don't think this was supposed to happen. The beautiful Yvonne De Carlo plays the part of Ma and she does it very well. Rod Steiger on the other hand, mostly gave a solid performance, but I also found his acting to be over the top sometimes, which provides this film with a nice campy nature. Actress Janet Wright basically steals the show with her performance of Fanny, the daughter. Not only she manages to be deliberately funny, she also portrays a character that is somehow likable in a condescending way (sort of like a mental patient claiming to be Napoleon, maybe?).

As for the gore, there really isn't much and towards the last minutes, we get a lot of murders in a very short period of time, but it seems rushed and it is hard to appreciate them. I think this is a little bit disappointing, as gore and creative murders are usually expected in films like this. The low amount of gore doesn't ruin an otherwise entertaining film, but it sure gives the feeling that something is missing.

This film goes to a safe place by using the classic formula of a group of moronic friends becoming stranded in a deserted place and ending up dead. "American Gothic" goes out of its way to avoid being too generic and makes a noble effort to stand out, by offering a very colorful family of villains and it works pretty good, even if it's unintentionally funny for moments. We also get a far-fetch twist towards the end, which I won't spoil, but I will say that I found it a little bit unnecessary and rushed, although not enough to ruin a film that is mostly fun and respectable.

It's an ok movie. The problem is if you go looking for help, and you knock 4⃣ or, five times. You keep walking. You don't just go inside someone's house and snoop, around and mess with their stuff. Then you try to get an attitude, when they tell you their rules. Being, rude making fun of them and their ways. Common sense tells you that people in the back woods probably have something wrong with them. So as I said they deserved what happened. Same goes for running in high heels, breathing loud enough for the killer to hear you. Not going for a vital organ, if you have a weapon. Then staying there to see if they're really dead, stupid. Smh.

This is a decent 1980s horror movie. It's a familiar premise but nonetheless fairly well done.

The TV Veteran cast--Yvonne De Carlo of 'Munsters,' and Janet Wright of 'Corner Gas'--and off-screen kills kind of gave it a made-for-TV feel. However, the aspect ratio and direction suggest the producers had larger ambitions. I'm not sure if this film was released in theaters, but the combination of these elements gives the film a unique feel for an 80s slasher.

I'd wager this is one of the films Rob Zombie had in mind when he was making House of 1000 Corpses.

Overall, an interesting watch for fans of the genre.

American Gothic is consistently awful as a horror film, but is nonetheless an entertaining picture, thanks to an almost constant supply of unintentional humor.

Six friends fly off for a camping trip, but when their seaplane suffers engine trouble, they are forced to land on the beach of a remote island. While Jeff (Mark Ericksen) tries to repair the aircraft, the others set up camp nearby. Naturally, one of the friends ventures into the forest alone (what else would you do on a mysterious island where anything can happen?), leading to the first of many situations which are intended to be frightening but fall flat.

When the six meet up again at camp, Jeff informs the group that he cannot fix the plane. He suggests that they explore the island. In true horror movie fashion, Jeff proposes that one member of the party stay behind to keep an eye on the plane. Of course, no one sees any harm in leaving Paul (Steven Shelley) all by himself in a completely unfamiliar area, and so the other five set off in search of someone who can help them.

The group's expedition leads to the discovery of a small house, straight out of the 1920s. They assume that no one has lived there for ages, though logic dictates that someone must reside there, as all of the antique furniture is dust-free. Nevertheless, they put a record on the victrola and proceed to get their groove on. Their dance party is cut short by the arrival of the house's inhabitants -- two elderly folk known simply as Ma (Yvonne De Carlo) and Pa (Rod Steiger). They seem a nice enough sort. Pa informs the group that a friend of his should be coming by boat within the next few days, and could probably help them get home. Ma and Pa invite the kids to stay with them in the meantime, and they accept.

All is not well, however. The kids' modern lifestyle immediately clashes with Ma and Pa's traditional values. Pa nearly has a heart attack when Lynn (Fiona Hutchinson) lights a cigarette at the dinner table, and Ma is very disappointed in Cynthia (Sarah Torgov) when she fails to clean her plate. Bedtime brings more conflict, as Pa sternly informs Rob (Mark Lindsay Chapman) and Terri (Caroline Barclay) that they are to sleep in separate rooms, for they are not married. (Strangely, Jeff and Cynthia are married, yet they are also forced to sleep apart.) Ma and Pa's children soon enter the picture, and the group's suspicions that something isn't quite right are confirmed. To reveal more would give much of the plot away, but suffice it to say that things begin to go downhill for our friends at this point.

The characters are about as deep as a kiddy pool. That is not so unusual for a horror movie, but a problem arises from the film's feeble attempt to inject depth into the character of Cynthia. Periodic flashbacks to a traumatic event in Cynthia's life are supposed to make us feel for the character, but fail miserably. The movie does manage to evoke emotion in the viewer from time to time, but it has nothing to do with the filmmakers' talents, and everything to do with Steiger's. He actually manages to make the viewer sympathize with Pa and his psychopathic clan. The rest of the performances are unremarkable, but acceptable, given how little the actors have to work with.

This movie was a real relief since it starred Yvonne DeCarlo (The Munsters) and Michael J. Pollard (Sleepaway Camp 3) and I already knew what the main idea was. Little did I realize that this perpetual 10 was only going to turn out to a 7. It had a ten at first since it had good characterization, a cool plot, the two stars named above, and it just had that great aura around it. Here, though, is what knocked it down to a....

9 - I'm sorry but when I start to feel bad for the killers, it's time to wonder...

8 - Okay, what stupid person would go onto a swing that swung over the edge of a cliff? That's just plain stupidity, there.

7 - I didn't like the fact that we didn't know what was happening with that guy back at the downed copter. I mean, that could have earned a few more minutes right there.

All and all, though, a greatly earned 7.

When you have the talents of an Academy Award winning Actor (Rod Steiger) and a classic, beloved sitcom star (YVonne DeCarlo), and an Academy Award nominated star of Bonnie and Clyde, (Michael J. Pollard) you have to expect a good movie, as one would think that established actors such as these would be wise in their script choices. While American Gothic certainly isn't Bonnie & Clyde or In The Heat of the Night, for an 80's horror film it isn't bad. In fact, it sticks out among the countless teeny slasher flicks that dominated the decade for several reasons, least of which is the plot, which has been used in some shape or form in countless slasher flicks released before and after American Gothic.

A group of six vacationing friends, including, Cynthia (Sarah Torgov), a woman who has been traumatized by the accidental drowning of her baby , land their small plane on a seemingly deserted island after some engine problems with the craft. After some exploring, they find an old house occupied by an odd, extremely religious family who seem to be stuck living in the 1890's, headed by Ma DeCarlo and Pa Steiger. Their "children" are in their thirties and forties, yet still act like they are little kids. The daughter plays with her dolly and the two sons entertain themselves by playing on a swing and playing hide and go seek. This would be enough to make me find ANYWAY I could off the island, but the group sticks around to eventually tick the family off by going against the strict "morals." Well not a lot of guess work to what transcends, but there is a twist at the end of the film that is refreshing to see and to mention anymore would spoil the plot. But let's just say things get bloody and characters are disposed of in variety of creative and disturbing ways. Along the way, the film does provide a few memorable, downright creepy scenes, including the "swing" and Fannie's (one of the "children") baby, as well as things that are not blatantly stated, but hinted at (infantcide, incest, necrophilia) What sets this film apart from other slasher flicks of the time period is that it does make an attempt at some character development., particularly for the character of Cynthia, whose troubled past explains her behavior toward the end of the film. There is also the sense that this filmed was geared toward a more mature horror audience, as many of the clichés that are steeped in most 80's slashers are not utilized here, which is refreshing. The characters themselves are not teens, and for the most part, behave realistically. The theme of isolation and uncertainty also works extremely well here, as the island presents a challenge not often found in horror films. It offers opportunity for crisp cinematography Still, not all is perfect, as the performance are a mixed bag, ranging from typical slasher film cheese to Steiger's over the top performance (did he think he was going to win a second Oscar for this??) to the very reserved and pitch-perfect De Carlo, who really outshines the rest of the cast. And while most of the deaths are creative and effectively done, one involving a jump rope was somewhat cheesy and had me cringing for all the wrong reasons.

Overall, this is one of the better entries into the genre to come out of the late 80's and really is a must see for horror fans. Younger viewers may be turned off at how dated the films looks (even though it was released in 1988), but there is enough creepiness and disturbing things here to feast upon.

My Grade: B

American Gothic (1987) is a gem that I recently rewatched on Tubi. The storyline follows a group on a small private plane heading on a camping trip when the plane crashes on a small island. There's one house on the island where an old couple live, and their "children," as long as the kids act "accordingly." If the survivors of the plane crash don't act accordingly they will suffer the wrath of the old couple and their children.

This movie is directed by John Hough (The Incubus) and stars Rod Steiger (In the Heat of the Night), Michael J. Pollard (Scrooged), Caroline Barclay (Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh), Yvonne De Carlo (The Ten Commandments) and Janet Wright (The Perfect Storm).

This storyline is executed very well, the setting are perfectly selected and cast delivers solid performances. The way the old couple and children are introduced is creepy and set the tone for the movie. The dinner scene opening is very well done and keeps the air of intensity over the film. The kills themselves are average, not overly gory and generally make you use your imagination on what happens. There's an entertaining swing scene that made me laugh. Hough does a great job of keeping a hopeless feel over the entire film like the kids have no chance of escaping.

Overall, this is a horror classic that is definitely entertaining but doesn't reach its full potential. I would score this a 6.5-7/10 and recommend seeing it once.

How did director John "Twins of Evil" Hough sink to this dull, ponderous, by the numbers, 80's American horror fluff? Oh dear!

The last 15 minutes picks up and opens up a suitably macabre world, but there is nothing here really. Low gore, rushed deaths and ending, tired direction, overly slow build-up, annoying acting (Michael J. Pollard is only slightly less awful than he was in "Sleepaway Camp 3"), slumming thesps (Rod Steiger and Yvonne De Carlo, though at least Steiger has a better wig this time than he did in "The Kindred").

All in all it's just a passionless splodge of smelly blandness thrown at your TV screen, that was actually a good signpost to the (mostly) awful decade to come as far as American horror films went.

When a group of friends land their plane on a presumably deserted island they stay with couple Ma and Pa and their over grown children until; they can get their plane fixed. Just too bad the while family is insane and our victims start dying off one by one. A lock of gore allows the viewers to concentrate on more important things like atmosphere and character developement. Although all the performances in this often chilling and sometimes amusing chiller are sound it is Rod Steiger who gives an goulishy creepy performace as Pa. Although it is often predictable and a lot of what happenes goes unexplained you'll be to entertained to care.