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The People Under the Stairs
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Movie Details
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Videos & Photos
- Official Home Video Trailer (01:09)
- (00:30)
Movie Info & Cast
Synopsis
When Fool breaks into the home of his family's landlords, he discovers that they have mutilated several boys and kept them imprisoned under stairs. As Fool attempts to flee, he meets their daughter, Alice. Can Fool and Alice escape?
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
Letterboxd User Reviews
3.5
96.3K
41.4K
27.1K
- Sep 11, 2016
The most merciless evocation of Bush I White Supremacist Necrocapitalism ever put to film, The People Under The Stairs is the crowning achievement of Wes Craven's personal struggle against an Inbred, Paranoid, Racist America On Lockdown And Armed To The Teeth. This is a…
nathaxnne [goodbye <3]Jun 12, 2020This is one of the most tonally insane movies I've ever seen lol. A heightened children's fairy tale rendition of capitalism, gentrification, and class/racial tensions in LA but also just a plain nasty little gothic horror with all of Craven's interests in American horrors…
Josh LewisNov 24, 2025these landlords wouldn’t last a minute in Zohran’s new york !!!!!!
sarah squirm - Feb 1, 2024
Horror has a long and storied history of great images. Everett McGill in a gimp suit screaming and firing a shotgun into his own walls is one of them.
Branson ReeseOct 22, 2025trying to explain how THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS is an interesting exploration of class, racism and inequality in the reagan era to my wife. “so it’s not about cannibals?” “oh no, to be clear there ARE cannibals in this film”
Jamelle BouieJul 23, 2020A lovely couple must defend their home and teenage daughter when intruders break in determined to steal her and their hidden treasure.
Griffin - Oct 29, 2023
We don’t talk about Roach! Oh-no-noooo! If anyone gets that, forgive me—my life is a weird hybrid right now of watching Disney musicals with my daughter and then watching horror movies at odd hours of the night. The wires get crossed sometimes. For some reason I never…
Matt!Oct 1, 2020people who say uncut gems is the most stressful movie ever clearly haven’t watched this
benton tarantellaSep 11, 2024imagine you’re able to hide your crimes for so many years & you get outsmarted by a 13 year old boy named poindexter
aurora 𖦹
Queue Community Reviews
89%
Community 1,057
Top Reviews
- Emir lovedThe People Under the Stairs
9/10
brielle lovedThe People Under the Stairsi knew i was going to love this before i even watched it so i purchased a DVD and watched it that way. mom and dad's comedic level of evilness made them easy to hate. they are a good example of characters that are just evil for the sake of being evil. loved the happy ending!!
Haley Mastronardi likedThe People Under the StairsVery entertaining and a very unique story. I really don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this before. I guess Don’t Breathe is the closest thing I can think of. This falls more into horror comedy than Scream does. They could’ve killed the captors sooner multiple times.
- Tamia King lovedThe People Under the Stairs
This movie is pure 90s chaos. It's equal parts hilarious, horrifying, and surprisingly smart. A kid-hero, a fortress of a house, and villains you'll love to hate. If you want a horror movie with a pulse and a political bite, this is it. Don't look under the stairs
kendra jo likedThe People Under the Stairsvery “eat the rich before they eat you” & i enjoyed it. it’s plenty scary & fun. i liked the setting of the house & all the secret passageways. the gore was alright, i noticed a couple little special effects imperfections but overall it wasn’t too bad.
Angie Lankford lovedThe People Under the StairsWhat an underrated gem! Given how PC the world is in 2022, this movie was ahead of its time, probably being more relevant now than it was when it was originally released. Definitely worth a rewatch!👍🏻👍🏻
- Orlando Ramone likedThe People Under the Stairs
This was Wes Craven’s favorite movie that he ever directed. I think it’s really fun to see two cast members from Twin Peaks play another married couple but wildly different characters!
MovieDaddy likedThe People Under the StairsMore comedy than horror, this one gets mid-hyped frequently. Lower your expectations and you’ll be fine, but some horror enthusiasts tend to give this more credit than it deserves.
Kward0610 lovedThe People Under the StairsAnother great film from the amazing Wes Craven. Ahead of its time in its depiction of gentrification and capitalism, this film is a scary and fun time. Highly recommend this one.
Atom Users Reviews
Metacritic
While The People Under the Stairs may leave some horror fans unsatisfied and other horror detractors repulsed, it ought to satisfy those viewers who appreciate a thoughtful and visceral movie entertainment.
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
If there were truth in advertising, The People Under the Stairs would be called The Not Very Scary Movie Set Inside a Grungy, Badly Lit House.
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
Craven also wrote the script here, based on a news story about California parents who kept their children locked in the basement for many years. That's scary -- and so is how far Craven has fallen.
Richard Harrington
Washington Post
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The People Under the Stairs (1991) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is The People Under the Stairs (1991)?
The movie is 1hr 42min long.
What's The People Under the Stairs (1991) about?
When Fool breaks into the home of his family's landlords, he discovers that they have mutilated several boys and kept them imprisoned under stairs. As Fool attempts to flee, he meets their daughter, Alice. Can Fool and Alice escape?
Who's the cast of The People Under the Stairs (1991)?
- Brandon Quintin Adams as Fool
- Everett McGill as Man
- Wendy Robie as Woman
- A.J. Langer as Alice
- Ving Rhames as Leroy
- Sean Whalen as Roach
- Bill Cobbs as Grandpa Booker
- Kelly Jo Minter as Ruby Williams
- Jeremy Roberts as Spenser
- Conni Marie Brazelton as Mary
Who's the director behind The People Under the Stairs (1991)?
Wes Craven directed The People Under the Stairs (1991).
Who produced The People Under the Stairs (1991)?
Stuart M. Besser and Marianne Maddalena produced The People Under the Stairs (1991).
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