American Gothic (1988)

Very best movie i ever watch

Excellent adaptation.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

"American Gothic" features a group of three couples who venture to an island in the Pacific Northwest after one of the women has tragically lost her infant in an accident. The getaway is supposed to be a time of healing, but becomes one of insanity when they are confronted by a backwoods elderly couple and their demented adult children.I've mentioned it in reviews of his other films, but I truly find John Hough to be a criminally underrated director, especially for his contributions to the horror genre. "The Legend of Hell House," "The Incubus," and "The Watcher in the Woods" are all extremely moody, atmospheric films that don't get nearly as much attention as they should. I had heard of this film before, but had no idea Hough was behind it—and honestly, I would have never guessed it had I not paid attention to the opening credits."American Gothic" is an all-out "backwoods crazies" horror movie that is heavy on the hysterics and light on just about everything else. The film boasts campy performances from veterans Yvonne De Carlo and Rod Steiger, both genre fixtures in their own rights, and lend the film some credibility, although they seem to be self-aware of what they're participating in. The script and pacing are amicable, but what I found the film to be truly lacking was a sense of atmosphere— something that Hough has, in my mind at least, been a master at achieving. In spite of the film's less-than-serious demeanor, opportunities to sap from the gloomy and remote setting are more or less left untapped; relatively flat cinematography leaves the film feeling even more muted.On a positive note, there really never is a dull moment to be had here, and that may be the film's most worthwhile element. It is admittedly fun—wacky, demented, and ultimately silly, but fun. The gory conclusion is also a bit of a surprise. All in all, I found the film amusing, but simultaneously lacking in atmosphere and tension, both of which I'd seen him achieve brilliantly in his previous films. On that level, I was disappointed, but for a late-eighties afterthought/retread on "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," this is fairly well done. 6/10.

A group of twentysomethings are stranded on an island off the coast of Washington and find refuge with an odd couple named Ma and Pa (Yvonne De Carlo and Rod Steiger). Things get odd quickly as the family introduces a trio of infantile adult offspring (Janet Wright, Michael J. Pollard and William Hootkins) that like to play and kill. With a cover riffing on the famous Grant Wood painting, you can pretty much expect this one to be tongue-in-cheek. And while the story isn't anything beyond cliché, it is worth seeing for the performances of Steiger and his demented family. I mean, how can you not appreciate a film that casts Michael J. Pollard and William Hootkins as retarded brothers? Or features Steiger whipping Hootkins with a switch; not because he killed a girl but because he killed her and then had sex with her. Wright is the stand out as the creepy Fanny, who is in her forties but thinks she is Shirley Temple and dresses accordingly. Gross. Director John Hough gets good use out of the forest (British Columbia) location. Like I said, worth seeing for all of the actors as the villains.

***possible spoiler****The movie is about a group of friends who are going on a trip when their plane breaks down so they are forced to land in the middle of nowhere........ Soon to find a house where they are greeted by an older couple who let the group of friends stay in their home....... very creepy,twisted things start to happen! The plot line may seem cheesy but this movie is far from it...must watch!!!!!! This movie is definitely one of the best horror films I've ever watched. I'm not sure where you can find this movie I recently tried renting it from Hollywood Video and Blockbuster but neither of them carried it....maybe Netflix?

For reasons they took to their graves, Rod Steiger and Yvonne De Carlo star as Bible-thumping, apple pie-eating, guest-killing inhabitants of a remote island. When some young Seattle adventurers crash their plane en route to a camping trip, they stumble upon Ma and Pa and their strange family of middle-aged "children." The family doesn't take kindly to swearing, fornicating or smoking, and many of the guests meet unfortunate ends when they don't follow the family's rules. But one guest has a tragic past that she turns to her advantage."American Gothic" is interesting strictly for its big-name stars plumbing the depths of their careers. As a B-movie, it rates a C. I was never bored, but I was never captivated, either. "American Gothic" is so bad it's ... well, just very average.