The People Under the Stairs (1991)

Director:

Wes Craven

Writer (WGA):

Wes Craven (written by)

Release Date:

1 November 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

In every neighborhood there is one house that adults whisper about and children cross the street to avoid.

Plot:

Two adults and a juvenile burglar break into a house occupied by a brother and sister and their stolen children and can't escape.

Plot Keywords:

Fool | House | Landlord | Young Boy | Ghetto

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Brandon Quintin Adams	...	Poindexter 'Fool' Williams (as Brandon Adams)
Everett McGill	...	Man / Dad / Eldon Robeson
Wendy Robie	...	Woman; Mom
A.J. Langer	...	Alice
Ving Rhames	...	Leroy
Sean Whalen	...	Roach
Bill Cobbs	...	Grandpa Booker
Kelly Jo Minter	...	Ruby Williams
Jeremy Roberts	...	Spenser
Conni Marie Brazelton	...	Mary
Joshua Cox	...	Young cop
John Hostetter	...	Veteran cop
John Mahon	...	Police sergeant
Teresa Velarde	...	Social worker
George R. Parker	...	Attic Cop
Yan Birch	...	Stairmaster
Wayne Daniels	...	Stairperson 1
Michael Kopelow	...	Stairperson 2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Micheal	...	The People Under the Stairs
Nic Cramer	...	The People Under the Stairs (uncredited)
Jon Kinney	...	Drug Addict #1 (uncredited)
Danny Kopel	...	Drive-by Biker (uncredited)
David Robinson	...	The People Under the Stairs (uncredited)

Directed by
Wes Craven

Writing credits (WGA)
Wes Craven		(written by)

Produced by
Stuart M. Besser	....	producer
Dixie J. Capp	....	co-producer (as Dixie Capp)
Wes Craven	....	executive producer
Peter Foster	....	associate producer
Shep Gordon	....	executive producer
Marianne Maddalena	....	producer

Original Music by
Don Peake

Cinematography by
Sandi Sissel

Film Editing by
James Coblentz

Casting by
Eileen Mack Knight

Production Design by
Bryan Jones

Art Direction by
Steven Lloyd Shroyer

Set Decoration by
Molly Flanegin

Costume Design by
Ileane Meltzer

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Michelle Bühler	....	makeup artist
Denise Dellavalle	....	assistant makeup artist
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Barbara Olvera	....	hair stylist
Wayne Toth	....	special makeup effects artist
David P. Barton	....	dental prosthetics (uncredited)

Production Management
Stuart M. Besser	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Chesney	....	second unit director
Rosemary C. Cremona	....	second assistant director
Melanie L. Knox	....	second second assistant director
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	assistant director (as Nick Mastrandrea)

Art Department
Will Blount	....	property master
Chester A. Hewett III	....	stand-by effects carpenter
Fernando Lau	....	construction foreman
Philip Mayor	....	storyboard artist
Lisa Thompson	....	assistant set decorator
Ernst van de Bovenkamp	....	set constructor
Helen Wilson	....	draper

Sound Department
Rick Bozeat	....	sound editor
Paul B. Clay	....	supervising sound editor
Rich Coleman	....	sound recordist
Roberta Doheny	....	sound re-recording mixer
Walter Charles Gorey	....	boom operator
Susan Kurtz	....	sound editor
Susan Kurtz	....	sound effects editor
Greg W. Lowe	....	adr recordist
Diane Marshall	....	foley artist (as Diana Marshall)
Ernesto Mas	....	adr editor
Peter Reale	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Carin Rogers	....	sound editor
Karin Roulo	....	foley mixer
Jeffrey L. Sandler	....	sound editor
Tanya Sharp David	....	adr mixer
Steve F.B. Smith	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Pat Somerset	....	adr editor
Don Summer	....	sound mixer
Mike Szakmeister	....	sound editor
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist
Howard Wilmarth	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Peter Chesney	....	special effects supervisor
Tom Chesney	....	special effects technician
Dean W. Miller	....	special effects foreman
Kate Steinberg	....	special effects projects coordinator
Sandra Stewart	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Howard A. Anderson	....	opticals

Stunts
Linda Arvidson	....	stunts
John Branagan	....	stunts
Tony Cecere	....	stunt coordinator
Tony Cecere	....	stunts
Dane Farwell	....	stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunts
Marian Green	....	stunts
Jeff Habberstad	....	stunts
Melvin Jones	....	stunts
Kelsee King-Devoreaux	....	stunt double
Kelsee King-Devoreaux	....	stunts (as Kelsee Devoreaux)
Kent W. Luttrell	....	stunts
Eric Mansker	....	stunts
Paula Marie Moody	....	stunts
Beth Nufer	....	stunts
William R. Perry	....	stunts
Lori Lynn Ross	....	stunts
Dan Rycerz	....	stunts
Lynn Salvatori	....	stunts
Birgit K. Schier	....	stunts
Lee Waddell	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Douglas L. Adam Jr.	....	assistant camera
Dana Altomare	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Huston Beaumont	....	rigging gaffer
George Billinger III	....	camera operator
Joe Celeste	....	key grip
George M. Chappell	....	gaffer: second unit
Ted Chu	....	Steadicam assistant
Craig Cockerill	....	second assistant camera
Tony Cutrono	....	director of photography: second unit
Jeffrey De La Rosa	....	lighting technician
Lex DuPont	....	Steadicam assistant
Linda Field	....	grip
Jerry Gorman	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Chris Hayes	....	additional camera operator
Dan Kneece	....	Steadicam operator
Jules Labarthe	....	gaffer: second unit
Jerry L. Mandley	....	electrician
Jeff Mart	....	Steadicam operator
Bruce McCleery	....	gaffer
Ned Nedrow	....	rigging grip
Terry Pfrang	....	first assistant camera
Felix Rivera	....	gaffer: second unit
Brian Robertson	....	best boy grip
Dave Robey	....	best boy electric
Brenda Ryan	....	camera loader
Wendi Van Dyke	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Carol Westwood	....	still photographer
Gary A. Williams	....	grip
Jamie Young	....	dolly grip

Casting Department
Andria Mack	....	casting assistant
Rick Montgomery	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tim Wegman	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Sondra Davis	....	first assistant editor
Brian Leon	....	telecine colorist
Tim O'Neil	....	second assistant editor
David Orr	....	color timer
William Pine	....	color timer (as Bill Pine)
Angela Robinson	....	second assistant editor
Yvonne Valdez	....	post-production coordinator
Tom Walls	....	additional editor

Music Department
Dick Bernstein	....	music editor
Graeme Revell	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
Jimmy Jones	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Joi Andreoli	....	script supervisor
Sarah James Arbeid	....	production coordinator
Henri Bollinger	....	unit publicist
Kathie Broyles	....	title designer
Robert Clark	....	mechanical dog effects
James Dew	....	animal trainer
Earl Ellis	....	key effects technician
Mark Goldberg	....	dog effects
Fabio Golombek	....	set production assistant
Mark Goodell	....	dog effects
Camilla Henneman	....	dog effects
Van Johnson	....	stand-in
Kent Jones	....	dog effects
Rikelle Kerr	....	dog effects
Sean Lemar	....	stand-in
Mark Maitre	....	key effects technician
Jim McLoughlin	....	dog effects
Roxanne 'Rocky' Meyers	....	stand-in
Dean W. Miller	....	key effects coordinator
Julie Mondin	....	stand-in
Jeffrey A. Okun	....	title designer
David Riggons	....	stand-in
Angelo Rivers	....	animal trainer
Roger Schumacher	....	head animal trainer
Judson Schwartz	....	location manager (as Judson Neil Schwartz)
Sandra Stewart	....	effects technician (as Sandy Stewart)
J.D. Streett	....	effects technician
Crystal Weaver	....	production assistant
Wanda Welch	....	stand-in
Sharon 'Mae' West	....	script supervisor
Richard Wicklund	....	studio teacher
Michael Haro	....	additional production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Alive Films
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• United International Pictures (UIP) (1992) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• CIC Video (1993) (Finland) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Nelonen (2003) (Finland) (TV)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Argentina)
• Universal Home Video (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures

Special Effects

• Image Engineering (special effects)
• Roark Productions (mechanical dog effects)
• K.N.B. Effects Group (special make-up effects)

Other Companies

• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animals provided by
• Design Setters  set construction
• Howard A. Anderson Company  opticals
• In Frame Inc.  negative cutting
• Inter Video  video playback services
• L.A. Loopsters  loop group
• Make Believe Productions Inc.  fiberglass molds
• Mobile Star Catering  catering
• Offbeat Systems  scoring synchronization
• The Casting Group  extras casting
• Transamerica Insurance Group  insurance
• Wayne's Leatherack  leather outfit

Also Known As:

Wes Craven's The People Under the Stairs

MPAA:

Rated R for terror/violence.

Runtime:

102 min | Germany:99 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1993) | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2002) | UK:18 (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (1992) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1992) (2002) | Germany:16 (cut) | Germany:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1992) (uncut) | Norway:(Banned) (1991-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Alive Films

Trivia:

Wes Craven was inspired to write this film after seeing a real-life news story about parents who locked their children up inside their house, never allowing them outside.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the man blasts away the trap door in the wall, pieces of the door are left in place. But when he walks up to the wall to yell at Roach, the area surrounding the hole in the wall is perfectly square as if the door was never there.

Quotes:

Leroy: You seen Spencer?
Fool: I seen Spencer, alright.
Leroy: You find anything?
Fool: Something found him. He's dead, Leroy. I think scared to death.
Leroy: Y-you sure?
Fool: You thought he was white before, you should see that sucker now!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: The People Under the Stairs" (2007)

Soundtrack:

THRENODY TO THE VICTIMS OF HIROSHIMA FOR 52 STRING INSTRUMENTS

I liked it

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...