Alison’s Birthday

Alison’s Birthday

Year: 1981

Runtime: 99 mins

Language: English

HorrorHorror

After a late‑night Ouija board session with her teenage friends, 16‑year‑old Alison receives a chilling warning from beyond the grave: never return home for her birthday three years hence. The ominous message haunts her, turning what should be a simple celebration into a suspense‑filled ordeal as the foretold day draws near.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Alison’s Birthday (1981)

Trace every key event in Alison’s Birthday (1981) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Ouija session triggers possession and deadly warning

During a Ouija session, Alison Findlay and her friends Chrissie and Maureen contact a malevolent entity. The entity claims to be Alison's father and warns of danger on Alison's 19th birthday. Moments after the séance, Chrissie is killed when a bookcase collapses onto her.

2

Alison returns home for her 19th birthday

Nearly three years later, Alison returns to her hometown with her boyfriend Pete for her 19th birthday. They visit the home of Aunt Jenny and Uncle Dean, who raised her after her parents' death. The visit foreshadows a looming, supernatural danger centered on her birthday.

On her 19th birthday hometown
3

Stone monolith discovery

Alison discovers a large stone construct in the woods near her aunt and uncle's home, a mysterious monument resembling Stonehenge. Uncle Dean explains it was built by the previous owner, a history enthusiast, hinting at occult significance surrounding Alison's past.

woods near home
4

Grandmother Thorne awakens

That night, Alison is awakened by an elderly woman she does not know. Aunt Jenny identifies the visitor as Alison's 103-year-old Grandmother Thorne, a presence Alison has never met before, deepening the sense that something supernatural is at play.

that night Aunt Jenny and Uncle Dean's home
5

Dean and Jenny isolate Alison from Pete

Dean and Jenny dislike Pete and move to keep him away from Alison. They drug Alison and summon a false doctor who prescribes that she stay home and avoid visitors, strengthening the cult's control over her.

that night Aunt Jenny and Uncle Dean's home
6

Pete breaks in and is arrested

That night, Pete breaks into the house to rescue Alison but is stopped by the impostor doctor and by Dean, who subdue and drug both of them. Jenny and Dean then coach Alison into telling the police that Pete has been stalking her, resulting in Pete's arrest.

that night Dean and Jenny's home
7

The truth about birth parents uncovered

After Pete's bail, he and Sally investigate Alison's birth parents at the library and learn that Dean and Jenny are Celtic cult members who abducted Alison at birth for a 19:00 birth-time ritual. They suspect Mirna inhabits Grandmother Thorne.

19:00 birth time library
8

Cult attacks and escape

Pete and Sally deduce Mirna will inhabit Alison's body to complete the ritual. Cult members accost Pete in an abandoned cemetery and try to kill him, but he manages to escape, confirming the imminent threat.

night abandoned cemetery
9

The ritual begins; Mirna in Alison

Pete returns to stop the ritual and finds Alison at the stone monolith with Jenny, Dean, and other family members—including Grandmother Thorne—wearing druid shawls. Alison pleads for Pete to throw the crucifix at the cultists to deter them, and they flee through the forest as the ritual progresses.

during ritual stone monolith location in woods
10

Mirna completes the transfer; Pete dies

In a clearing, Pete trips and drops his gun. Alison retrieves it and reveals that Mirna has completed the soul transfer, inhabiting the young Alison's body while Alison's soul resides in Grandmother Thorne's infirm body. She then shoots Pete to death.

that night forest clearing
11

Police deception and the bedside revelation

When police arrive, Dean, Jenny, and the now-possessed Alison (as Mirna) tell them Pete came to abduct Alison and died in a scuffle, a story the detectives accept. After the police depart, Dean, Jenny, and Alison—now Mirna—visit Grandmother Thorne in her bed, where the aged body awakens and alarms Alison as she realizes what has happened.

after police depart Grandmother Thorne's bedside
12

The final swap is revealed

In the final twist, Mirna now inhabits the young Alison's body, while Alison's soul is trapped in Grandmother Thorne's 104-year-old form. The film ends with Alison screaming in horror at her aged hands, realizing the transference has left her consciousness inside an elderly body.

aftermath Grandmother Thorne's home

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:51

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Alison’s Birthday Summary

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Alison’s Birthday Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Alison’s Birthday

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Alison’s Birthday. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Alison’s Birthday

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