Wes Craven had a wildly uneven career, but he was prolific enough that the bad films are easily overshadowed by the good ones, including a couple of genre-changing classics. He currently has 9 films in the Top 1000. This is #6 and The Serpent and the Rainbow is close behind. When Craven passed away and people looked back on his filmography, this one was the most re-evaluated and discovered. It showcases the best and worst of Wes’ filmography. It’s often silly and sometimes laughable, oddly reminding me of Home Alone, but there’s a strong social satire woven in. Craven (who wrote the script) said it was his reaction to Regan-era politics, and the story of a self-entitled white couple feeding off the black community is an idea stronger than it seems Craven was even aware of. That’s probably why Jordan Peele has been trying to get a remake off the ground for a few years now. This would make a great Double Feature with They Live.
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