Reed Alexander's Horror Review of 'The People Under the Stairs' (1991)

Here's a fantastic horror movie from my childhood that had an attitude like Don't Kill It (2016), wherein the tone of the movie switches gears a lot. However, this movie was the first to do it and that should be no surprise from the mind of Wes Craven, the guy who gave us a pun-slinging joker who was also a child-murdering dream demon. So, for the most part, this movie is a little tongue and cheek, even kinda slapstick, but then all of a sudden it goes fucking HARD. We're talking about a movie that has R-rated Home Alone (1990) vibes but then also has triggery as fuck, hardcore child abuse. Like, hold nothing back, violent child abuse. It's sorta stunning to sit through and definitely not for the weak of stomach. So, if we define this movie as sort of a horror comedy, it's definitely one that leans on the horror element HARD, and I mean sandpaper dildo with no lube, HARD.

Here's the thing. Not only does this movie go hard, it's also really fucking good. Let's just talk about the story. A couple of WASPs are buying up property in the ghetto specifically to run up the rent and drive everyone out. That way they can tear everything down and build expensive condos or some shit. It's got the same gentrification and redlining background as Candyman (2021) and Candyman (1992). It's even possible that this movie inspired Candyman, because the backgrounds to the plot are so similar. You literally can't talk about this movie without talking about the sociopolitical undertones. It's quite literally the ghetto V. landowning WASPs.

So anyway, the story is about a little kid who helps some thieves break into this rich couple's house to steal some gold and pay off his mother's back rent and medical bills. He and the thieves quickly discover that the house is a boobytrapped fortress of no return. It starts with a vicious rottweiler and ends with a pistol-gripped, sawed-off shotgun. This is how we learn about the people under the stairs. But I can't talk about them until the spoilers.

The atmosphere and soundtrack are also amazing. There's not really much to it. Save for the scenes shot on the streets, most of this movie happens inside the deathtrap mansion. The mansion itself is huge, labyrinthian, and fortified like a jail. It's also old, too. Maybe turn of the century? So it looks somewhat Victorian. Anyway, it's a fucking cool set and really sets up the atmosphere brilliantly.

The acting is... right. The tone is kinda weird, but like I said this is an R-rated Home Alone. The actors are acting like they're in a comedy, except for when shit gets violent. So, one minute you have campy, silly acting, and then the next minute you have real fucking feels. It's sooooo good. The child actor, Brandon Adams, who plays Fool, is actually kinda brilliant. His ability to switch tone like that is impressive for someone just starting their career. It's actually a pity he didn't get a ton of work after this. But then, that's the fate of a lot of child actors without even getting into the trouble of being a black actor trying to find work. It's a waste of good talent. Good to see he's still working though.

This movie is required viewing for Horror Heads. No exceptions. I'll take away your horror card if you don't go watch this. Here's the thing, this is also pretty good for general adult audiences. It's just a fucking good movie.

SPOILERS!!!

So, as the movie goes on, you find out about Roach, one of the people under the stairs who got out and is now roaming the mansion. He spends most of his time playing pranks on the WASPy owners, just to give them some kind of hell back for what they did to him. They cut out his tongue, fyi. But, why doesn't Roach free the other people under the stairs? There's a fucking army of them down there. He could spring them all, and the whole pack of ghouls could just murder the WASPs. Not to mention, there is no conceivable way Roach didn't know about the exit. He knew every inch of the inside of that mansion. How could he possibly have not known about the exit? Roach should have freed the people under the stairs and the poor girl the WASPs were violently abusing. It's kinda a huge plot hole and there were even available workarounds that I'm honestly shocked didn't come up. I mean, there may have been logistical reasons they couldn't mold the movie to fix this hole, but it is a glaring flaw in the story.

Anyway, like Us (2019), the plot holes don't ruin the movie. Everyone should seriously watch this.