The People Under the Stairs (1991)

The People Under the Stairs

• Dude, Wes Craven is the coolest. I hope they never remake this film, because it’s not humanly possible to recreate or capture the same feeling that this has. It’s one of the funniest horror films I’ve seen, and the way it blends horror with comedy reminds me a lot of Hitchcock’s ‘The Lady Vanishes’ and Mark Mylod’s ‘The Menu’. There’s some moments that were exciting and thrilling, and then somewhere I was laughing out loud. The line deliveries, mostly from Brandon Adams and Ving Rhames, were so spot on and hilarious. Even in the most serious moment, somebody will say something that totally takes the edge off. Kudos, Wes, for your miraculous script writing. Most of this film feels like a feature length ‘Goosebumps’ episode, except that it’s actually good all throughout. The story is honestly kind of horrifying, despite the comedic aspect. It’s a kids' worst nightmare: being trapped in a house where all the doors and windows are locked, and the tenants want to kill you. It’s spooky stuff, and probably would’ve scared the crap out of me as a kid. The cast does fantastic, with serious but silly performances from Adams and Rhames, and a very goofy but unsettling duo of Everett McGill and Wendy Robie (aka Ed and Nadine from ‘Twin Peaks’). Apparently Wes saw them in ‘Twin Peaks’ and liked them so much that he cast them in this. I greatly appreciate that, because they were perfect. The makeup was great for the people under the stairs, and the effects for the blood, Prince, and the whole house, were pretty good. A great use of props and sets. Overall, this is a very solid entry from Wes Craven, the genius that he is. It’s very underrated, and I could watch this every October until I die and it wouldn’t get old. It’s silly, it’s corny, and it’s goofy, but it’s spooky and creepy, and I liked it a lot. I would recommend it to all horror/comedy fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!