The first movie I ever watched to scare me stupid was Wes Craven’s The People Under the Stairs. Until that point, the most shocking thing I’d managed to see (thanks to my over protective parents) was 48 Hrs. and my sister and I watched that through the cracked door of our bedroom since mom and dad didn’t think we were old enough to take in all the swearing. So there we were, I was 12 and watching my first “horror movie” and it features creepy, disfigured human looking “things” living under the stairs. It’s a good thing we didn’t live in a house at the time because if we had, I doubt I ever would have gone down the stairs into the basement.
Craven’s film was on TV last year and I managed to sit through most of it wondering how that had possibly shocked or scared me; I’ve come a long way in a dozen years, but it looks as though Craven may be getting ready to scare more children with people under stairs.
The folks at Jo Blo had a chance to talk with Craven last night and he revealed that there’s talk about remaking The People Under the Stairs. Now how far this will go is anyone’s guess especially considering the long line of re-makes of Craven’s work over the last few years, but I will admit that they haven’t all been bad and I wouldn’t shy away from seeing a new take on the first film that scared me sleepless. And I have to concur with Mike Sampson: better this than a remake/reboot/rewhatever of Nightmare on Elm Street.
Movie laboratories are one of my favorite things ever. Metropolis,...
I enjoy the baffling weirdness of People Under the stairs, its a fun flick. A strange pick to remake, because really, is their very many people who have even heard of this one?
Again I re-iterate WHY use the same name. The horror genre is so malleable, that why not just ‘remake the film’ using the concept, but give it a different name.
See Ils vs. The Strangers.
See Who Can Kill a Child vs. Vinyan (well that’s more of an hommage)
See Doomsday vs. EscapeFromNY/TheRoadWarrior
See Cars vs. Doc Hollywood (heh.)
This got a pretty wide release in the States, though I remember me and my friend being the only ones in the theater watching it. Just a weird film that is a blast to watch.
I actually don’t mind a movie like this being remade, it was low budget and strange enough that it leaves a lot of room to expand on the idea and have fun with it with a decent budget and a good director. Though it is going to be hard to top Stilgar dressed like The Gimp running around the house trying to kill a tongue-less mute that is living in the walls.
The surreal style really doesn’t play well to most director’s strengths, and I hope they don’t go for more of a straight horror remake. But give this film to someone like David Lynch and you could have something truly special.
This film has one of the best lines ever in it, one I still use today. “Yeah, and the president is going to make me the Secretary of Pussy.”
Of course the original is famous among Twin Peaks fans.
This is one film that gets put into rotation around Halloween round these parts. It’s odd one as people usually know about it but it doesn’t have fandom/cult status to it.
I think it’s not a bad remake choice but then on the other hand I’d be just as happy rewatching the original.
I’ve still got my ratty old VHS copy of this movie. Was it ever put out on DVD? (…google…Oh, I guess it was)
I enjoyed the film when it came out but I really don’t see anyone getting excited about a remake.
chuck
ihave seen this film many times it DOES need a modern remake it was what i wanted 2 do if i was a director as u can c i can not spell ,it goes shallow near the end BUT 1 of cravens best
Its called “The Collector”
OMG WHEN I FIRST SAW THAT MOVIE I WAS TERIFIED IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME I ALMOST CRIED I WAS SO SCARED I WAS SCARED TO GO GET IN THE CAR AND GO OVER MY AUNTS HOUSE TO GET MY PHONE CHARGER IM NEVER LOOKING AT THAT MOVIE AGIAN.