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Rod Steiger, Yvonne De Carlo, Sarah Torgov, Michael J. Pollard, Fiona Hutchinson ... see more see more... , William Hootkins , Caroline Barclay , Janet Wright , Mark Lindsay Chapman , Mark Ericksen , Terry Kelly , Stephen Shelley , Will Wright

This eccentric, amusingly sick Canadian production involves a group of annoying yuppies who charter a plane for a camping getaway, only to find themselves making an emergency landing on an isolated, f... read more read more...orest-covered island. They are taken in by the only inhabitants, the rabidly-religious "Ma & Pa" (Yvonne De Carlo and Rod Steiger), who seem trapped in a Norman Rockwellian time-warp and are invited to stay the night. This proves to be every bit as unpleasant as it seems -- especially after the hapless campers are introduced to the psychotic, middle-aged "children" (Michael J. Pollard and Janet Wright) -- who appear to be pushing 50. Before long, it's crazed crackers 1, campers 0 and counting, as the warped, scripture-spouting yokels take sharp objects in hand... until one of the campers (Sarah Torgov) reveals her own homicidal potential and goes completely berserk. Despite delightfully weird performances from a top-drawer cast, this campy romp is slightly spoiled by a poorly-scripted climax that suggests a sudden loss of creative inspiration. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Flixster Users

56% liked it

692 ratings

R, 1 hr. 29 min.

Directed by: John Hough

Release Date: February 1, 1988

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Flixster Reviews (94)

  • TheDudeLebowski65
    November 19, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Interesting, but flawed psycho horror/ slasher film that is somewhat tongue in cheek. American Gothic is a different style of slasher film, and though it's not the best, it adds a certain twist to the genre. American Gothic is one of those films that you can't really take serious... read morely. Director John Hough directs this unique Slasher and does a pretty good job. The acting is pretty good considering, however it's clear that the film could have been much better. I'm just saying that the film had the potential in being a terrific horror film, but it ends up being an average film that leaves you wanting a bit more. American Gothic is entertaining, and is pretty good, but in the end it leaves a lot to be desired. The problem with the film is that at times it goes overboard on its silliness and it becomes laughable. Still, I enjoyed the film, but I expected something really original with this Slasher film, and somehow I got that, but I just wish that the filmmakers could have delivered slightly better kills and toned down on the tongue in cheek material, only a little bit. Overall American Gothic is a good, different style of Slasher and it works. Though not perfect, the film is entertaining enough to appeal to horror fans. John Hough has made a good film that like I said, not perfect, but good. This is one of those films that is underrated and is worth checking out.
  • SirPant
    May 3, 2011
    SirPant
    This film has completely destroyed my boyhood crush on Yvonne De Carlo. It's a typical American 80's horror movie, the bit with the baby was quite distasteful but the eerie things is that there probably are people out there like this. I got it from the bargain bin that was in an ... read moreIronmongers (hardware store), will I ever learn?
  • WrenchLT
    January 12, 2011
    WrenchLT
    Slow-moving slasher about a bunch of young adults who cross paths with a religious, backwoods American family on an isolated island. Enjoyable at times, but it shy's away from any graphic violence cutting the camera away rather annoyingly. Had a good unexpected finale though
  • fb100000185301014
    October 1, 2011
    fb100000185301014
    Canadians have done it again!!! With limited budget and actors, they produced an entertaining piece of work.
  • iansubordinate
    November 21, 2009
    iansubordinate
    Not very gory and kind of boring but Its a fun movie to watch for the setting and the funny characters and the fact that it takes place in the northwest. I expected more.
  • riverotter
    August 25, 2009
    riverotter
    This was one of those lost-in-the-shuffle late '80s horror flicks that cluttered the rental shelves at the end of that decade, and casual browsers would be easily forgiven for passing "American Gothic" over as just another corny slasher toplined by some slumming stars. Those who ... read morehave actually seen it, however, know that it's something a bit darker, sleazier, and altogether more interesting than that. True, it is pretty corny, and yes, Rod Steiger and Yvonne De Carlo aren't exactly bringing their A-game to the performances, but where "Gothic" really shines is in its legitimately twisted edge. Less a "Friday the 13th" clone than a bizarre and often sick take on family values (ala Charles Kaufman's "Mother's Day"), this flick wallows in murder, necrophilia, incest, and not one but two dead babies (one of which is mummified and carried around like a dolly). Steiger and De Carlo may head up the cast as Ma and Pa, the patriarchs of this film's demented backwoods family, but more memorable are Janet Wright as daughter Fanny (she's pushing 50 but dresses and acts like she's 12), Michael J. Pollard as giggling, obnoxious son Woody, and the always-welcome William Hootkins as Teddy, a chubby man-child with a bad temper and an even worse libido. The rest of the cast is rounded out by your standard unsympathetic blanks (not really the actors' fault... the parts are just underwritten), with the exception of Sarah Torgov as a grieving young mother teetering precariously on the edge of a full-on mental breakdown. Veteran director John Hough gives the nasty proceedings his usual polished, atmospheric edge, occasionally recalling some of his earlier efforts like "Watcher in the Woods" and "Escape to Witch Mountain". He may never quite find the right balance between dark humor and gross thrills that "Gothic" needed to really be a true cult classic, but that's not to say that this isn't a rough, gruesome treat in its own right.
  • jk2two
    December 12, 2008
    jk2two
    This is one of those flicks that I saw in high school, so the rating is probably inflated for the nostalgia factor. The acting is painfully cheesey, but it's enjoyable. You get your 6 20-somethings stranded on an island with a weird backwoods family with 3 adult children weirdos.... read more Kind of a slasher with a twist, I really like revisiting this flick once in a while. FUN FACT: One of the brothers is played by the same actor who play "Porkins" in Star Wars, new hope.
  • cjgmborsut
    May 10, 2008
    cjgmborsut
    I liked this movie so much simply because it's a story that could actually happen! It makes me wonder how many creepy families there are out there.

View All American Gothic (Hide and Shriek) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Ken Hanke
January 21, 2004
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Even as exploitation schlock this is pretty bad.

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Steiger, Pollard AND De Carlo? Yeah, okay, let's rent something else.

February 23, 2012
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Jonathan Taylor
April 4, 2011
Jonathan Taylor, Variety

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Caryn James
May 20, 2003
Caryn James, New York Times

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Chuck O'Leary
October 9, 2005
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

No review available.

Emanuel Levy
August 3, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

James O'Ehley
November 9, 2011
James O'Ehley, Movie Gurus

Click to read the article Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Click to read the article Full Review

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