American Gothic

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.

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

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.

AMERICAN GOTHIC is a bit of a surprise, especially if you're expecting just another movie about inbred hillbillies on a rampage. The main antagonists, Ma and Pa (Yvonne De Carlo and Rod Steiger) are an interesting pair of hyper-religious maniacs. Their brood of homicidal offspring add even more madness to the proceedings.

A group of young people arrive in order to be terrorized and killed. These unfortunate visitors, while fairly dumb, aren't as annoying as most such human prey.

There are some cool twists and disturbing circumstances throughout. This all leads up to a scorched-earth finale with a big surprise for Ma and Pa.

Recommended for those looking for something off-the-wall and refreshing in the genre...

I couldn't sleep the night I watched "American Gothic" for the first time. (I've seen it twice more since.) Unlike "Nightmare on Elm Street" which could only happen in a nightmare, this movie was so real...highly unusual, but real.

It's possible to be stranded on an island and meet strange seemingly "backwards" people who seem innocent enough, but have a twisted view of what's right and wrong, and an insane idea that they are in charge of other people's actions. I've known people like Ma and Pa, who you wouldn't want to mess with if you pulled off the faux sheep cover.

Every inch of this movie could have happened to any one of us, the insanity, the self-righteousness, the hideousness, the out-of-this world notions--well maybe not every piece. I mean, what parents would allow their adult children to behave that way?

The most amazing way that this movie affected me, was that I cheered Cynthia on in the end---and that scares me, because, like I said-- "It could have happened to me....or you!!"

If you want to be baffled and scared to death, watch "American Gothic". It will make you think twice about the people you come in contact with.