The People Under the Stairs
The Frida Cinema's seating is first-come, first-serve. For our Midnight Screenings, please plan on arriving by 11:30pm to ensure ample time for parking, picking up concessions, and securing optimal seats. Screening will begin promptly at midnight.
Director: Wes Craven Run Time: 103 min. Rating: R Release Year: 1991
Starring: A.J. Langer, Brandon Quintin Adams, Everett McGill, Ving Rhames, Wendy Robie
Close out the summer with our friends at HorrorBuzz.com as they return with their latest Horror Movie Night installment, Wes Craven’s underrated 1991 classic, The People Under the Stairs. Join us for a full night of entertainment including a special HMN Video Preshow, a Horror Game Show, Trivia, and an award-winning horror short from HorrorBuzz’s Screaming Room Film Festival at Midsummer Scream!
Cleverly combining social commentary with suspense and dark humor, The People Under the Stairs follows a young boy named Fool (Brandon Quintin Adams) who, along with two adult burglars, breaks into the home of his family’s cruel landlords, known as “Mommy” (Wendy Robie) and “Daddy” (Everett McGill). Intent on finding a rumored treasure, they instead find themselves in a labyrinth filled with traps and hidden chambers — as well as the titular mutilated children who are imprisoned in the basement. Praised for its originality and its blend of horror with social issues such as class disparity and gentrification, the film’s critique of the housing system, and its portrayal of the villains as grotesque embodiments of greed and oppression, add depth to the typical horror narrative. The film has developed a cult following for its bold themes, engaging plot, and Craven’s distinctive directorial style, and it has endured as a memorable entry in unique 1990’s thrills.
Arrive early! Doors open and pre-show begins at 7:30 pm!