The People Under the Stairs
United International Pictures (UIP) | Release Date: November 1, 1991 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
57
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
7
Mixed:
4
Negative:
4
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
A terrifically effective scare show, a virtuoso work of cinematic terror incorporating superior cinematography and production design -- and, most important of all, comic relief. [04 Nov 1991, p.F6]
83
The A.V. ClubNoel Murray
It’s that intuitive fusion of whiplash-inducing plot twists and political anger that makes The People Under The Stairs so fascinating, even when the humor’s too blunt or the scares too soft. Read full review
80
EmpireS. C. Davis
This movie-movie gem scores on levels few horror films ever have. Not just a disturbing ride but also a hard-hitting political statement. Read full review
80
Rolling StoneAlex Pappademus
Since this is a movie about deranged racists driven by a virulent strain of midcentury Christian moralism to keep children in cages while conspiring to disenfranchise the poor, that’s not going to work. Everything that happens in this movie could happen next month and it would be a one-day cable-news story that Fox would probably not cover. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyGlenn Kenny
People is a bizarre fairy tale that never loses its sly intelligence even when fulfilling its gross-out quota. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
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. Read full review
63
Miami HeraldJuan Carlos Coto
The People Under the Stairs is about nooks, crannies and crevices, and there's allegory everywhere: comments on the horror of our cities, the Ron and Nancy-esque landlords. [07 Nov 1991, p.F7]
60
The New York TimesVincent Canby
Though the new movie has its share of blood and gore, it is mostly creepy and, considering the bizarre circumstances, surprisingly funny. Read full review
60
CineVueCleaver Patterson
Though it may not be one of Craven’s very best efforts, it does create a sense of tension seldom felt in horror cinema. Read full review
40
Time OutStaff (Not Credited)
Craven aims for an archetypal confrontation between childlike innocence and wicked step- parent cruelty, but the results are more grim than Grimm. Read full review
40
VarietyStaff (Not Credited)
A pretense of social responsibility and most of the necessary tension get lost in a combination of excessive gore and over-the-top perfs in The People Under the Stairs. Read full review
38
The Seattle TimesJohn Hartl
Unfortunately, Craven's constant emphasis on cannibalism, child abuse and incest adds up to more unpleasantness than thrills. [02 Nov 1991, p.C3]
30
Washington PostRichard Harrington
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. Read full review
25
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
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. Read full review
25
TV Guide MagazineStaff (Not Credited)
The People Under The Stairs doesn't play like a fairy tale; there's nothing fantastic about it, and the happy ending, in which money seems to equal happiness, rings terribly false. Read full review
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