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"The People Under The Stairs" is a delightfully oddball horror flick that centers on a young boy nicknamed Fool, who lives in a dilapidating apartment in the inner-city ghetto with his family and dying mother. The greedy landlords of the apartment complex plan on kicking Fool and his family out, so he and a family friend, Leroy (Ving Rhames) hatch a plan to break into the landlords' spooky large house (which was formerly a funeral home) to steal a coin collection supposedly hidden somewhere in there. But they get more than they bargained for when they discover the man and woman living there kidnap young children and lock them inside the cellar. What ensues is a bizarre battle between Fool and the landlords as he tries to save all of the abused, deformed people who have been locked inside all their life.

"The People Under The Stairs" is one wild trip, and I say that because it really truly is. Written and directed by horror legend Wes Craven, I'd have to say that this his strangest film, and I think most would agree. The entire script is quite off-the-wall and very strange, but I admire that quality about it. The story is actually pretty unique, I can confidently say I've never seen a film like this before. While the storyline may be a little hard to sink your teeth into, if you set aside logic and just watch the movie for what it is, it is quite a neat little horror movie. For one, it has a surreal atmosphere that adds to its overall quirkiness, and it has a certain effect that I've never really experienced before. It's a bizarre movie to say the least, but I think that might be why I enjoyed it so much. The characters are twisted, and the dark, musky setting in the old house is a perfect place for the story to unfold. Plus there is also some dark comedy to be found here as well. In fact, at times this movie seems like more of a seriously twisted black comedy, but I'd say it's a cross between both of these genres.

Brandon Adams leads the cast as a thirteen year old boy who is caught up in the battle with the psychotic landlords and is surprisingly good, especially considering his age. A.J. Langer plays Alice, the only child in the house that isn't neglected and locked away, and is also good. The actors playing the mother/woman and dad/man are excellent in their bizarre and over-the-top roles, and Ving Rhames is decent with what screen time he has. There are some excellent sequences in this movie as well, mostly the chase scenes within the walls and labyrinth of passageways and whatnot inside the house. I'd like to point out the special effects as well which were very well done, as was the makeup on the deformed, former-"children" of the landlords, who looked very disgusting. As for the ending, it is also over-the-top and a bit silly, but the entire movie is, really, so this goes along with the flow of the movie well. The film itself as a whole seems to have some sort of deeper meaning behind all of the psychotic and twisted elements - as for me, I have my ideas of what it may be trying to say, but I think it can be interpreted different ways. But it does seem to be trying to send some sort of message, whatever that may be.

Overall, "The People Under The Stairs" is an immensely entertaining but very bizarre and offbeat little horror flick. It isn't perfect and it is a little out there, but if you can suspend your disbelief for a couple of hours and enjoy a twisted, almost fairytale-like horror movie, this can be a fun experience. But make sure you don't take it too literally, because it is a very strange movie. All things considered though, I dug it. 7/10.

I really think people who describe this as a comedy or even a horror comedy are missing the point - it's a classic fairy/folk tale, right down to the theme of the kid having to earn manhood and a "real name" by doing a heroic deed. Wicked step-parents, hidden treasure (gold coins, even!), creepy house with secret passages and monsters in the basement, captive maiden to be rescued, innocent villagers held in slavery by evil (land)lords - it's all there! I know this could be said of a lot of fantasy/horror films, but this one seems to be more clearly derived than most. Loved it!

Once again director/writer Wes Craven delivers the thrills and chills. A young boy(Brandon Adams)is persuaded by a hapless crook(Ving Rhames) to break into his landlord's house to steal a gold coin collection. The house turns out to be an overly secured mansion that was formerly a funeral home. The demented landlord(Everett McGill)and his wife(Wendy Robie) and daughter(A.J. Langer)are not the only weirdness to be found. There is the mangled denizens under the stairs...in the basement...between the walls. The husband and wife are actually brother and sister. This tale of horror turns into a campy riot and easy to gain a cult following.

"The People Under the Stairs" is usually listed as a horror movie, but I view it more as a social commentary. Basically, it shows how the landlords, far from the wholesome image that they project, are two of the vilest individuals imaginable. I've liked every Wes Craven movie that I've seen, and "TPUTS" is no exception. I think that part of the thing is that I saw it around the same time that I saw Woody Allen's repulsive "Everyone Says I Love You", which constituted excessive focus on neurotic rich New Yorkers. Wes Craven's movie presents a very negative image of rich people. Mom (Wendy Robie) and Dad (Everett McGill) make Ebenezer Scrooge look like Mother Teresa. Not even the landlady in "Gremlins" was as nasty as these two.

All in all, this is a horror movie in the sense that it's horrific not only what the landlords are doing, but what those in power have degenerated into overall. Worth seeing.

Also starring Brandon Adams, A.J. Langer, Ving Rhames, Bill Cobbs, Kelly Jo Minter, Sean Whalen and Jeremy Roberts.

Many people dislike this movie but it's good enough for watching, if maybe not several times then at least once. "Don't damage the face", says Mother and leaves Father to punish Alice for being a bad girl. That's it, I'm hooked to the screen. First time I saw this movie I missed the beginning but it works well without it. Actually you can skip the background story with the financial problems and society issues and stick to the horror - and it's comical side. I specially liked the kid called Roach, who had his tongue cut out for bad words. Alice was also great, a shy little girl that tries to be nice for Mommy and not soil her pretty dress, though she feeds the basement people and guides Fool around when the time comes. When you watch a doll being pulled away from you on a string, you must follow it... Find a candle in the darkness. You know you must get out but the door is locked. The only way out is upwards.

There is a lot of nice visual stuff like the old bathroom or running inside the walls and the light drifting in from bullet holes. Mother and Father live in a fantasy where children are supposed to be pretty and behave. Now a few decades ago that was reality, but they are pulling it over the edge by mutilating their children and locking them in the basement if they're naughty. I recall that the kids weren't really theirs but kidnapped from around the area. Many people writing down the plot have misunderstood it somehow. It is quite poor but in this case it's not supposed to be a main attraction. I bet the writer came up with the idea of a sick mother and burglary in order to get money for medical treatment only after inventing the main idea about the house and the brother and sister living together as a couple, herding a bunch of insane children. Well they must have some reason to get Fool into the house, so why not...

Directed by Wes Craven, "The People Under the Stairs" is a fun and energetic, if a bit dated, horror flick that stars Brandon Quintin Adams (of "The Mighty Ducks" fame) as a Fool, a street-smart and spunky 13 year-old kid living in the ghetto. When his mother falls ill and the evil landlord hits them with an eviction notice, he hatches a plan with a family friend (Ving Rhames) to break into the landlord's house and rob him of his riches. Unfortunately, Fool finds himself trapped in the house which turns out to be a fortress and uncovers a disturbing discovery about the inhabitants lurking in the basement.

Full of stunning visuals, slapstick humor and colorful performances by its cast, "The People Under the Stairs" is perhaps the best 80's movie made in the 90's. Yeah, that's right, this movie looks and feels like something that belongs in the eighties, from the outfits the characters wear to the oddball hip-hop song that closes out the movie. It helps, though, that Craven is in top form with delivering some truly nightmarish visuals, aided by one great big set-piece in the house that the film spends ninety-five percent of its run-time within.

Adams is a rarity in that he is a kid in a horror movie that isn't annoying. Quite the opposite, Fool is likable and real enough that you can't help but cheer him along as he gives the landlord some payback by throwing a brick at him -- "Home Alone 2" style -- and by sucker-punching his vicious guard-dog when it gets too close. The film is more fun than it is scary, with plenty of witty one-liners, awkward moments and situational humor. Horror fans will recognize Kelly Jo Minter (of "A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child" fame) in a supporting role and will get a kick out of the funhouse trip that "The People Under the Stairs" ultimately is. Despite looking even more dated than it should, it's a film that still holds up as simply a good time.

Now Wes Craven may not talk about this one too much, but you know what? I bet he's more proud of this film than most of his films. You know why? He went back to his original roots of storytelling as such how he made "Last House On The Left". The film is an exploitation film, but you would never guess it by the stylish way he fits it into the urban setting, and the wretched display of the villains. You know what? This film tops the last few films he's ever done. I think so, because he uses the old school style of scares, and yes, this film delivers some real moments. It has a very light sense of adventure and humor, but it's all for not without the scares. What would you do if you were a 13 year old boy, tapped in a big, strange house, which is a death trap for all burglars and juveniles? Not only that, but the owners who live their are not only your landlords, but also total psychotics! Well, with a few paths within the house, walkways in the walls, and trap doors in the oven and heater, you might have a chance at living. Brandon Adams, A.J. Langer, Wendie Robie, and Everett McGill are great, and work well together. I hope Universal releases a special edition DVD of this one soon. We need it.

Years ago I went to see this movie with my friend, think I was 15... Well, liked it then, like it now! A mystery to me is that how can this horror gem be so underrated - at the time it's practically forgotten! C'mon! Let's see what we got here!

1) Originality. It's mostly day time, we're up against no Jason or Michael, but two HUMAN baddies, and the setting is just a normal (well, then again maybe not so normal) HOUSE in the middle of a suburb! In between the lines this pays homeage to Halloween by shoving that inhabited areas can be just as deserted and unsafe as, say, a foggy forest...

2) Humour. This must be the most coal-black-humour-ridden splatter flick in history! And believe it or not, it all works! You'll be either frightened and laughing your ass off in every twisted turn, I promise you that. A school- book example of a roller-coaster-ride- kind of a movie! Most of this thanks to the nutcased "parents", especially the father (Everett McGill)!

Also instead of a caucasian College kid Johnny Football Hero in the lead for goodies, we this time have a 13-year old black kid everyone calls "Fool".

Was Craven ahead of his time back then? I think "Scream" owes at least a bit to this one in what comes to taking the splatter genre not too seriously... Any which way, go rent this one right away!

It's a horror movie in concept, but not entirely in execution. I'd call it kooky and bizarre, with some social and political commentary thrown in around the margins.

A young boy and two older criminals break into their landlord's mansion, hoping to score a loot that will help them pay off the increased rent. To get more than they bargained for would be an understatement. Personally, I got most of my enjoyment from the reunion of Twin Peak's Big Ed and Nadine, doing their best to bring the camp levels through the roof. Big Ed running around the house dressed in a gimp suit with a shotgun in tow screaming bloody murder is a sight to behold.

While the story is fun in a backwards Home Alone sort of way, I thought Craven really struggled balancing the right tone. There are scenes that are too gruesome and scary for children, but the tension never materialized and the titular people under the stairs are never used to incite fear. I guess I just couldn't get a grip on what it was exactly trying to do, and it hampered my enjoyment.

It's still a decently fun watch, something I wish I experienced at a younger age, to be sure.

Wes Craven, the director of The Serpent and the Rainbow and Shocker, locks you inside the most terrifying house on the street. The People Under the Stairs (1991) is Wes Craven's masterpiece along side A Nightmare on Elm Street, New Nightmare, Scream, Shocker and The Serpent and the Rainbow. This is a Home alone for only adults. I wish I would see this movie as a child, but sadly I haven't. I never knew about this movie or that it exists. I just realize something Home Alone 2: Lost in New York copied the scene from this movie. When Kevin throws a brick on Marv that scene was copied from this movie in which Fool throws a brick on man's had in the attic. This is a horror comedy that it is well acted, well written and really incredible awesome! I love this film to death! I own it on Blu-ray in my collection and I still love it. This is a great horror movie. Very creative and interesting story line along with characters that are very interesting, at times, very comedic. This movie is one of Craven's best I highly recommend this.

This film is in my top 10 Wes Craven favorite movies and it is my fifth favorite movie from Wes Craven that I love it to death. Starring Brandon Adams who played Jesse Hall in The Mighty Ducks 1 and 2 movies. Everett McGill from Silver Bullet and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. I saw this on demand and I thought it was well played out although the parents were just plain freaks in their own way. The story line was just excellent and the settings gave it more of an eerie feel to it, although the children were an excellent addition, the whole beginning scenes really didn't need to be in there.

Plot: Two adults and a juvenile burglar break into a house occupied by a brother and sister and their stolen children and become trapped. Trapped inside a fortified home owned by a mysterious couple brother and sister, a young boy is suddenly thrust into a nightmare. The boy quickly learns the true nature of the house's homicidal inhabitants and the secret creatures hidden deep within the house.

I love the story, the idea from richer vs poor, you have a lead that it is a kid Brandon Adams is the star and the hero of the film. That is very unique, it is very unique. In every neighborhood there is one house that adults whisper about and children cross the street to avoid. Now Wes Craven, creator of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" takes you inside.

I love this movie to death: It is different than Home Alone. A young boy breaks in to a house by the landlords to steal the golden coins to support his poor family including his dying sick mom with his partner/ sister boyfriend Leroy (Ving Rhames) unaware the house is full of booby traps and no one get's out, no one ever has. Fool has to fight for his life while it is impossible to get out of the house because he is locked from inside. You have full of booby traps, monsters in the basement, ugly mad dog and two psychos in the house chasing fool which is scary. I think Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) would s**t in his pens, if he would be in this house. A.J. Langer is absolutely gorgeous, awesome in this movie seriously she is so beautiful and gorgeous that my jaw drop.

I love the scene in which Leroy defends Fool and shouts to Fool "run Fool" when brother and sister killed him with a shot gun. It also has a heart. Another scene that I love is after Fool escapes from the house later he learns the secret about the landlords, he comes back to the house for Alice who he gave her a promise. The characters, especially the main hero are decent written by Wes him self.

This movie is intelligent and really brilliant. You have to put brains in this movie, because it is so intense. Brandon Adams was fantastic as the main hero Fool. Everett McGill as the psycho brother was great and creepy in a lethal, while Wendy Robie was a great psycho sister in the house.

I also love the music song Do The Right Thing by Redhead Kingpin And The FBI. Wes Craven directed this movie perfectly. His script was perfect and the direction locations were fantastic in the movie. Wes Craven for me was a master of horror and I miss him so much. The People Under the Stairs is a classic horror film and I really do wish I would have watch it as a child.

R.I.P. - Wes Craven (1939 - 2015) I really miss you and thank you for all the Freddy movies, thank you for all horror franchise and movies like are: A Nightmare on Elm Street, New Nightmare, Scream, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Shocker and The People Under the Stairs. Thank you for all your work Wes. I love you so much I wish you could done more horror movies, I really love them.

This movie get's my perfect 10/10 for been one of my favorite Wes Craven horror movies of all time.

The People Under the Stairs is a 1991 American horror film written and directed by Wes Craven and starring Brandon Adams, Everett McGill, Wendy Robie, A. J. Langer, Ving Rhames and Sean Whalen.

10/10 Grade: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: Universal Pictures Starring: Brandon Adams, Everett McGill, Wendy Robie, A. J. Langer, Ving Rhames, Bill Cobbs, Kelly Jo Minter, Sean Whalen, Jeremy Roberts Director: Wes Craven Producers: Shep Gordon, Wes Craven, Marianne Maddalena, Stuart M. Besser, Dixie Capp, Peter Foster Writer: Wes Craven Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 42 Mins. Budget: $6.000.000 Box Office: $24,204,154

With the impending eviction from his family's apartment, young Fool (Brandon Quintin Adams) helps his sister's boyfriend, Leroy (Ving Rhames) break into the greedy landlord's home. Once inside, the two discover that the occupants are not what they appear to be. Once locked inside, they soon realize that they are not the only ones trapped inside.

The first thing that is apparent about this film is the casting and performance of the Robesons. Mommy (Wendy Robie) and Daddy (Everett McGill) both bring a sadistic approach, specifically Mommy, that keeps the viewer tense whenever they appear on screen. Adams is sympathetic as the young Fool who has a selfless side when he befriends Alice (A. J. Lancer) and Roach (Sean Whalen). Lancer plays the shell-shocked daughter with a timid demeanor, and Roach is as spastic as an actual roach.

Director Wes Craven does a fine job crafting this film inside the confines of a house. The use of the interior walls gives the whole film a funhouse feeling. Not knowing what is around each corner, or inside each wall, keeps the viewer on the edge of their seats.

The actual people under the stairs are one of the weaker aspects of the film. While the cannibalistic aspect of an unknown creature is terrifying, the backstory of these people could use some rounding out. The film teeters on the edge of an R rating and a PG-13, not knowing which market they're going for. The majority of the film shows restraint, while a few scenes have an adult element, leaving the film to feel lost in the shuffle.

The premise alone is enough to watch this film. When you add the performances of the Robesons into the mix, this makes it an enjoyable film to watch. Leave it to Craven to take a basic plot line and turn it into something dark and surreal. By the end of the runtime, you'll be listening to your walls in hopes of being alone.

The People Under the Stairs isn't even one of those Wes Craven films that's weak because it was a popular or critical disaster, like some of his best films were (such as The Last House on the Left and The Hills Have Eyes), this movie was just goofy camp. Structurally, the film is very good. Craven has a very well written plot fighting for families in the inner city that are victimized by greedy landlords, but it gets goofy along the way, mostly because the father, one of the main characters, is trying to be Leatherface and Ash from The Evil Dead at the same time rather than creating an original character. Seriously, if you combine Leatherface and Ash, this guy is exactly what you get. Exactly.

Speaking of the father, it's odd that the IMDb lists the two main characters as Man; Dad, and Woman; Mom, since they are revealed to be brother and sister late in the movie. Nevertheless, they are clearly a severely disturbed couple, whatever their relationship, as is made clear as one minor character explains to his grandson, curiously named Fool and the star of the film, that the family has been filthy rich and completely insane for generations, each generation crazier than the last. It seems that the one featured in this film has been kidnapping children for years and adopting them as their own, then forcing them to live in the basement for all eternity if they misbehave. As was the case with those two girls abducted in the first act of The Hillside Strangler, it is indeed odd that no one ever caught on.

At one point in the film we learn that the police have been trying for years to be able to look deeper into the mysterious case surrounding these two people, yet when they find a stolen van in their driveway, they just say they haven't seen anyone in the house and the cops tell them to have a nice day and drive off, not having even investigated why there was a stolen van in their driveway. What was that? The biggest problem with the people under the stairs is that not only are the people under the stairs not supposed to be scary, they're supposed to be victims. Actually, maybe they were meant to be scary. That would certainly explain why the plot leads us to believe that they're still alive down there, surviving only on the random scraps thrown to them and a seemingly insatiably appetite for watching the news about Iraq War I, but the makeup artists make us believe that they're zombies. No way are those people still alive, their skin is rotting off their bones.

Even better are the characters of Alice and Roach, played by Sean Whalen in his film debut. It seems that Roach has escaped the basement and spends his time wandering the huge hallways that exist inside the walls in this massively inefficiently built house, avoiding his "father," who is uncontrollably furious that he has escaped the basement. When the cops show up to investigate complaints they've received about gunshots in the area, they walk through the house, not seeing the huge holes that Dad has blasted in the walls throughout the house, because they have somehow managed to fix them instantaneously, and leaving happily after a few cups of coffee and some cookies. Everything seemed fine to them. If nothing else, I would have been mildly curious as to why, in a house with elegant furniture and mahogany walls, the kitchen was protected by an industrial steel wall.

Ving Rhames plays the part of LeRoy, a family friend so close to the family that he brings Fool on a trip to rob the landlords, who are rumored to have buried treasure in their house. Yes, buried treasure. Fool's mom has cancer and they're being evicted for being all of three days late with their rent (more proof that the movie has more to say about the plight of the inner cities than anything else), so it's up to Fool to save the day. Sadly, the only thing scary about this movie is that it is based, albeit loosely, on a true story about parents that locked their kids in the basement for many years.

Horror and dark comedy elements don't always mix well in Wes Craven's The People Under the Stairs, but when all the elements come together in just the right way, it's a thrilling and creepy horror tale about a young boy who tags along with his sister's criminal boyfriend to rob the tightly guarded home of the their demented, racist, religious fanatic landlords and he gets trapped and has to escape.

There are striking, memorable images aplenty here mixed in with odd moments of humor. McGill and Robie are unforgettable as the two evil landlords and supply most of the film's creepiest moments.

I remember when this movie first came out I had to be about 8 or 9 years old. Growing up I had a cool mom who loved watching horror movies and she used to let me watch them with her. This used to be one of my favorite movies. Every chance it was on I would watch it. Lets face it they don't make movies like this anymore. Nothing special about this movie just good old fashion horror fun. I love around Halloween time when you turn on the TV and you have a movie like People Under the Stairs on and you say to yourself: 'it's been years since I seen this'. I don't understand how this movie has so many bad reviews what else can you ask for from a Wes Craven movie?! People are just spoiled these days . You can give me this movie over some of the crap that Hollywood has pooped out in the past 10 years. Once my daughter is old enough we will both sit down and watch the awesomeness that is People Under the Stairs.

The people under the stairs is a classic cult horror/thriller. its unique storyline and bizarre characters, set it up for a strange and beautifully creepy experience. the movie has many 'jump off your seat experiences'. the plot goes something like this - a boy along with a grown up burglar-duo break into a strange residence having heard of a fortune within, only to find themselves in the company of a ruthless and savage human/child abducting brother-sister couple who usually confine their abductees to a dark cellar if they misbehaved, which leaves our friends with no choice but escape.the film on the whole is a really worthy experience, although the direction and the plot could have used minor tweaks here and there.still, you'll be craving for more Wes Craven after you seen this one. i'd recommend anyone who likes horrors to watch this movie. worth while.

A young boy nicknamed Fool (Brandon Adams) attempts to rob the house of two creepy landlords (Everett McGill, Wendy Robie). The robbery goes wrong and Fool is trapped in the frightening house. While there he discovers the landlords' disturbing secrets. Underrated Wes Craven horror film with doses of comedy and social commentary. Very interesting and unique movie. I'm not sure why it has such a bad reputation. Craven seems to attract venomous backlash at anything he puts out that isn't a surefire classic. Like I said, I'm not sure why. But he has made a lot of good movies that get crapped on because they aren't Elm Street or Scream or, God forbid, the criminally overrated Last House on the Left. Anyway, this is a good one with some quality performances from McGill and Robie as the creepy bad guys. Also some solid work from the younger cast (Brandon Adams, A.J. Langer). Ving Rhames is fun as Leroy. Good cast, nice direction by Craven, interesting story. Check it out.

I found The People Under The Stairs very entertaining as it combines comedy with suspense. The Mum and Dad character were really creepy but provided the most laughs in the movie which is kind of odd in a way. The kid (who is kind of annoying) is similar to Macauley Culkin's character in Home Alone and the Ma and Pa characters are similar to the burglars from Home Alone too but instead of the bad guys invading the good guys house the good guys are invading the bad guys house. The house is cool as heck with loads of secret passages and gizmos, it's a child's dream play house! It has thrills, suspense, laughs and gore! There is not much bad to say against it but don't go in to this thinking it's a horror movie because it isn't. A darned good flick! 9/10

i dont know about the rest of you but i enjoyed this film, It wasnt scary, it didnt really shock and there was no suspence. It was pure story that pushed this film along you just wanted to see what was going to happen next. Wes craven is not my fav director but he did well with this film it was well made. The acting was what you come to expect from this sort of film. I found this film to be very funny at times and just down right strange. Was there any need for the gimp costume it just looked silly.

overall i give this film a 6/10

The People Under the Stairs (1991) is a movie in the DVD collection that I recently rewatched on Tubi. The storyline follows a family in the projects down on their rent that decide robbing the land lords and stealing their rumored gold to make ends meet makes sense. Once they get inside the house they realize they've bitten off more than they can chew...

This movie is directed by Wes Craven (Scream) and stars Everett McGill (Silver Bullet), Brandon Quintin Adams (The Sandlot), Wendy Robie (Twin Peaks), A. J. Langer (My So Called Life), Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction), Sean Whalen (Twister) and Bill Cobbs (Demolition Man).

The storyline for this is so unique and clever and contains awesome characters. The settings and circumstances are depicted so well that you find yourself quickly putting yourself in the main characters shoes as he progresses through the movie and situations. The cast is awesome as McGill and Robie deliver outstanding performances as the villains. The horror elements are brilliant from the environment, backstories, character behaviors and kill scenes. Everything is perfectly done.

This is horror movie gold that I wouldn't change a single aspect of the movie. I would score this a 10/10 and strongly recommend it.

Wes Craven really hit the jackpot here. Every person is going to think Nightmare on Elm Street when they hear the name Wes Craven, but he should definitely be recognized for this movie. The People Under the Stairs was one of the most peculiar movies I have ever seen. It kept my interest throughout the whole movie. Fool, a young black child living in the projects, stumbles into hell. A wacko father and insane mother want to make sure Fool isn't going anywhere. He must now escape the house without being killed by a ferocious dog, crazy dad, or deranged mother. If you truly want a "thriller", this is a perfect movie. The People Under the Stairs delivers a performance unlike any other. I will always remember the father dressed up in his executioner suit. Wow. This is definitely worthy of *** (out of ****).

Everyone I know who watched this movie liked it, but I thought it was quite bad. Yet this one scores higher than "Mind Ripper" here. Just shows I have differing tastes I guest. This one is more original than that movie, but this one also is not the least bit scary. The jokes to me are not very funny either, so it is no wonder that I don't like this. It is about a bunch of guys and a kid robbing the house of these slum lords. Well what they find is that the house is well protected and that the two that live and preside over the house are a tad crazy. The kid gets away by hiding in the walls, then he is caught and put under the stairs with the title characters who do not play as big a role in the film as the title implies. Along the way we see various things die such as a kid and a dog, but nothing that would approach a true horror film. There are also many twists and turns here and there, but nothing to shocking (well maybe the one revelation is). What you end up with is a movie with no real direction and no real thrills or chills.