Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

The People Under the Stairs 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 21, 2023

Those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest perhaps feel a special kinship with Twin Peaks. In fact several actors in that series have resided in my hometown of Portland through the years, and one of them, Al Strobel (who portrayed Mike, "the one armed man"), served on Portland's SAG-AFTRA Board with my wife. While The People Under the Stairs has never seemed to really gain the same kind of zeitgeist "cred" that some of Wes Craven's other work has, anyone (Pacific Northwest native/resident or otherwise) who loved David Lynch's delirious foray into television will probably want to check out this bizarre film, since it co-stars Wendy Robie and Everett McGill, "reunited" in a way in this enterprise as a married couple at least as weird as the one they portrayed on television. This is a film that, as one of the supplements gets into, might resort to a bit of a "bait and switch" in terms of what initially seems to be going on, and then what is ultimately disclosed. It's an often cartoonish effort from Craven which combines his penchant for gore and ultra dark humor, and it offers both Robie and McGill a chance to simultaneously go Grand Guignol and grandly gonzo.

The People Under the Stairs received a release on Blu-ray from its parent studio Universal way back in 2014. Those interested in a plot summary are encouraged to read Michael Reuben's The People Under the Stairs Blu-ray review of that version. Michael's review is also a good resource for screenshot comparisons. Shout! Factory also released its own (1080) Blu-ray several years ago, and those interested can also peruse my The People Under the Stairs Blu-ray review of that version, which of course also includes screenshots. This new Shout! release repeats the supplements that were on the first 1080 release, and there's a bit more information about some of them in my original review. While I don't have it to confirm, evidently Arrow's UK release of The People Under the Stairs was the source for the rest of the supplements on this release. The Universal release had no supplements, so there's "no contest" in that regard between the three releases (see below for details on what accompanies this Shout! release).

The People Under the Stairs 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc in this package.

The People Under the Stairs is presented on 4K UHD with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer, and on "standard" Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer, both in 1.85:1. Just the aspect ratio alone provides proof that Shout! has gone back to the drawing board, or at least the original camera negative (both the Universal and prior Shout! releases were in 1.81:1), and in fact the back cover of this release states that both the 2160 and 1080 versions are the result of a 4K scan of the original camera negative. The differences are quite striking, as even a cursory comparison of screenshots may show. Since both the 1080 and 4K UHD versions are "new and improved", I'll discuss both resolutions in the following comments. As can probably easily be gleaned, this new version is considerably more yellow than the older versions, though I found the palette reproduction here to be preferable to the older transfers. There's kind of a summery golden quality to a lot of the outdoor material now that makes it pop extremely well even in the 1080 version, and HDR and/or Dolby Vision in the 4K UHD version adds some really nice if subtle highlights in these outdoor moments in particular. Also noticeably different is a much tighter grain resolution in both formats included in this release. I guess some may prefer the grittier look of the older Shout! and Universal releases, but to my eyes it almost looks artificially sharpened when compared side by side with this rendition. There are definitely some fairly wide variances in grain resolution throughout this presentation, some obviously the result of vastly different lighting conditions, but on the whole I found the "chunky yellow" moments here to be rather surprisingly few. Detail levels are typically excellent in both versions, especially in the more brightly lit close-ups. The 4K UHD's HDR probably adds a least a bit of shadow detail in the many dark scenes once the story moves more resolutely inside the house, but I'd frankly warn not to get hopes up too high, as there can still be rather large areas of the frame where not a lot can be made out. The most eagle eyed videophile may spot a passing blemish or two, but nothing of any major import in my estimation.

The People Under the Stairs 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This release offers what to my ears sounds like the same DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 options that were on Shout!'s first 1080 release. The 5.1 mix is quite convincing, at least sporadically, with some nicely placed sound effects once Fool is scrambling in and out of tight spaces and various threats are impinging from the "outside". There's some very effective ambient reverb which helps to establish various hiding places Fool sequesters himself in. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly, and the score by Don Peake and Graeme Revell enjoys a substantially wider soundstage in the 5.1 iteration. Fidelity is excellent and dynamic range wide on these problem free tracks. Optional English subtitles are available.

The People Under the Stairs 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K UHD Disc

• Fear, Freud and Class Warfare (HD; 24:38) is a fun piece which features Wes Craven discussing the film.


• Behind Closed Doors (HD; 13:38) is an interview with actress A.J. Langer.


• Silent But Deadly (HD; 14:00) is an interview with actor Sean Whelan.


• Underneath the Floorboards (HD; 9:05) features Jeffrey Reddick, creator of the Final Destination franchise, here discussing the lasting legacy of this film.


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:35)


• Audio Commentary with Director Wes Craven is moderated by Michael Felsher and is accessible under the Setup Menu.


• Audio Commentary with Actors Brandon Adams, A.J. Langer, Sean Whalen and Van Birch is accessible under the Setup Menu.


• Audio Commentary with Actor Brandon Adams is moderated by Calum Waddell and is accessible under the Setup Menu.

1080 Disc

• House Mother (HD; 19:26) is an interview with Wendy Robie.


• What Lies Beneath (HD; 15:02) mixes archival footage and new interviews to document some of the effects.


• House of Horrors (HD; 16:09) features cinematographer Sandi Sissel.


• Settling the Score (HD; 10:13) is an interview with Don Peake.


• Behind the Scenes Footage (HD; 6:39)


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:18)


• TV Spots (HD; 1:21)


• Vintage Making Of Featurette (HD; 3:43)


• Original Storyboards (HD; 6:55)


• Still Gallery (HD; 4:17) offers the typical chapter skipping, but is authored to auto advance, so have your pause button handy if you want to linger on any given image.


• Audio Commentary with Director Wes Craven is moderated by Michael Felsher and is accessible under the Setup Menu.


• Audio Commentary with Actors Brandon Adams, A.J. Langer, Sean Whalen and Van Birch is accessible under the Setup Menu.


• Audio Commentary with Actor Brandon Adams is moderated by Calum Waddell and is accessible under the Setup Menu.

The People Under the Stairs 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Craven's patented blend of lunacy and madness is on full display in The People Under the Stairs, and the film boasts two of the downright weirdest main characters in horror film history. That old adage used to go something like, "you'll laugh, you'll cry," which might be slightly amended to "you'll laugh, you'll emit brief gasps of shock" as Craven wends a somewhat circuitous tale that probably has a bit too much backstory for its own good, but which offers opportunities for some outstanding set pieces. The color timing here may be a source of controversy (what else is new?), but I personally found it preferable to the older versions, and as is not always the case with my reactions to grain in 2160p, I thought these new transfers offered a generally more tightly resolved viewing experience in that regard as well. Supplements are excellent. Recommended.