IMDb RATING
5.8/10
4.6K
YOUR RATING
A group of travellers make emergency landing on an island in the Pacific Northwest after their seaplane malfunctioned, and stumble across an isolated and psychopathic family.A group of travellers make emergency landing on an island in the Pacific Northwest after their seaplane malfunctioned, and stumble across an isolated and psychopathic family.A group of travellers make emergency landing on an island in the Pacific Northwest after their seaplane malfunctioned, and stumble across an isolated and psychopathic family.
- Awards
- 1 win
Terence Kelly
- Psychiatrist
- (as Terry Kelly)
Mark Erickson
- Jeff
- (as Mark Ericksen)
Steve Oatway
- Paul (when dead)
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOriginally, Stephen Shellen (Paul) was intended to be the lead. A week into principal photography, Shellan got into a bar brawl and returned to work with his face mangled so badly that makeup wouldn't cover it. Working quickly to prevent the production from shutting down, director John Hough revised the entire script and made Sarah Torgov (Cynthia) the leading character. Hough was credited as a co-writer in the British print.
- GoofsWhen Teddy and Woody douse Paul's body with gasoline, you can see him blink as this is happening.
- Crazy creditsSteve Oatway Stood-in for Rod Steiger and the other men plus Body Doubled Steve Shellen when he was too injured to work and is seen from the back sometimes and lying face-up in a rowboat after the character "Paul" was killed.
- Alternate versionsAlthough the cinema version was uncut the 1987 UK Virgin video release (as "Hide And Shriek") was cut by 58 secs by the BBFC. The cuts were fully waived for the 2005 Stax DVD and the film released under its original title.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Svengoolie: American Gothic (1998)
Featured review
A Good and Original Horror Movie
Cynthia (Sarah Torgov) leaves a mental institution, where she stayed after losing her baby in a bath accident. Her husband decides to join a group of friends and fly from Seattle to a camping in a small hydroplane. The craft has a problem and it lands in a lonely island in the middle of nowhere. There, they are hosted by Ma (Yvonne de Carlo) and Pa (Rod Steiger), a very religious couple, who lives like they were in the beginning of the Twentieth Century. When the group meets the two sons and the daughter of Ma and Pa, they realize that they are in the middle of very demented persons, who start hunting them.
"American Gothic" was a great surprise. Although having a low rating in IMDB, it is indeed a good and original horror movie. The scary story has many funny situations, and the direction and performance of the cast are very good. The contrast in the behavior of such a nice Ma and Pa when the secret of that weird family is disclosed, is really frightening. Highly recommended for fans of horror movie. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): 'Os Anfitriões' ('The Hosts')
Note: On 23 Sep 2022, I saw this film again.
"American Gothic" was a great surprise. Although having a low rating in IMDB, it is indeed a good and original horror movie. The scary story has many funny situations, and the direction and performance of the cast are very good. The contrast in the behavior of such a nice Ma and Pa when the secret of that weird family is disclosed, is really frightening. Highly recommended for fans of horror movie. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): 'Os Anfitriões' ('The Hosts')
Note: On 23 Sep 2022, I saw this film again.
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- claudio_carvalho
- Apr 20, 2004
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