AMERICAN GOTHIC (1987)

• Director: John Hough
• Cast: Rod Steiger, Yvonne De Carlo, Janet Wright, Michael J. Pollard, William Hootkins
• Film: 90mins | UK | Subtitles | Intermission
• Event: Doors 6pm | Intro + Film 6:30pm – 9pm [18+]
• Event takes place in the Members’ Bar (membership not required)

“THE FAMILY THAT SLAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER.”

After their seaplane malfunctions, a group of travellers make an emergency landing on an island in the Pacific Northwest and stumble across an isolated and psychopathic family.

Cult film night BAR TRASH continues with CELLULOID JAM, an unofficial celebration of 50 years of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975).

The poster for forgotten rural slasher AMERICAN GOTHIC (1987) riffs on one of the most indelible images referenced in ROCKY HORROR, the famed Grant Wood painting ‘American Gothic’ referenced in the rock musical’s opening wedding sequence as the cast stand on the steps of a wooden chapel, Richard O’Brien with pitchfork in hand.

From acclaimed genre director John Hough (TWINS OF EVIL, THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE), AMERICAN GOTHIC features Oscar-winner Rod Steiger (IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT), Yvonne De Carlo (THE MUNSTERS), and a cast of veteran character actors as time-warping backwoods puritans “Ma”, “Pa” and their savagely demented brood. Needless to say, they don’t welcome visitors… This rarely-screened slice of 1980s hard-boiled mayhem is a throughly trashy and entertaining thrill-ride from start to finish.

“The performances probably deserve backhanded praise. To be good with a good script is relatively easy. To be reasonably good with material this atrocious is a sign of true professionalism.”

Michael Wilmington, L.A. Times

Polite notice: We are showing AMERICAN GOTHIC with subtitles from the best available digital source.

// Part of BAR TRASH Season 9 — CELLULOID JAM, an unofficial celebration of 50 years of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975). Hosted by queer film fanatic Token Homo (creator of BAR TRASH and QUEER HORROR NIGHTS), all films screen with an introduction, intermission, and subtitles/captions (where possible!). Tickets £8 / £5 for PH members. Adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo on Instagram for news and updates. //