Beyond Evil (1980) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Alma Martin, a voodoo witch queen murdered a century earlier, needs a living host to resurrect herself. Throughout the film, Dr. Solomon explains that Alma is vying for Barbara's body as part of a dark ritual to return to the living world. The possession allows Alma to escape her spectral state and regain physical form through Barbara.

Foreshadowing: Early in the film, Barbara is awakened by chanting and visions of Alma, establishing Alma's intent from the first night at Casa Fortuna.

• alma martin
• possession
• body snatching
• resurrection
• voodoo

Alma's possession progresses gradually. It begins with visions and mental influence, then manifests physically as a strange skin anomaly, a deep red swelling on Barbara's finger that Dr. Solomon identifies as Alma attempting to infect and seize control. As Alma's influence grows, Barbara loses agency, eventually committing violent acts like stabbing herself and pushing Del to his death.

Foreshadowing: Barbara's involuntary hand-stabbing early in the film signals that Alma's spirit has already begun infiltrating her mind.

• possession progression
• skin anomaly
• infection
• control
• mind influence

Del Giorgio is found dead on the hillside near Casa Fortuna. The timeline reveals that Barbara led him upstairs and pushed him off the balcony to his death, though this act appears to be driven by Alma's influence rather than Barbara's own will. His death marks another victim claimed by the mansion's curse.

Foreshadowing: The earlier tension between Del and Barbara, combined with Alma's growing control, sets up this violent confrontation.

• del giorgio death
• balcony
• murder
• victim

Barbara was under Alma's increasing spiritual influence at this point. The film shows her with a blank stare during the confrontation, indicating Alma was controlling her actions. Del had attempted to initiate sex with Barbara, which she rejected before leading him upstairs to the balcony where the push occurred.

Foreshadowing: The disappearance of Barbara's medical test records and her worsening symptoms foreshadow her complete loss of control to Alma.

• balcony scene
• possession act
• mind control

Leia attempted to cleanse the house while Larry and Barbara were away. Alma's spirit confronted her directly and electrocuted her, reducing her body to dust. This brutal death demonstrates Alma's lethal power and warns that even supernatural defenses are insufficient against her.

Foreshadowing: Earlier warnings from Dr. Solomon about Alma's growing strength established that the cleansing would be dangerous.

• lea solomon
• electrocution
• cleansing attempt
• dust

The deep red swelling on Barbara's finger was the physical manifestation of Alma's possession attempt. Dr. Solomon confirmed it was Alma trying to infect Barbara's body, essentially marking her as a vessel for the spirit's entry. This visible symptom escalated as Alma's influence grew stronger.

Foreshadowing: Dr. Solomon's warning that Alma was attempting to infect Barbara directly preceded this visible symptom appearing.

• finger swelling
• infection sign
• possession mark
• red skin

Barbara resisted Larry's proposal to move away because she was clinging to the life they had built together and to whatever hope of healing remained. However, her resistance was also influenced by Alma's deepening hold on her mind, making it difficult for her to consciously choose to leave the source of her possession.

Foreshadowing: Barbara's initial unease about the house had already faded by this point, replaced by an unnatural attachment.

• resistance
• attachment
• choice
• possession effect

Dr. Solomon performed an exorcism to separate Alma's spirit from Barbara's body. During the ritual, Alma materialized with increasing menace and threatened to fully take over, but the ceremony disrupted her hold. The act exposed Alma's life-draining power and left her unable to sustain a full rebound, causing her to deteriorate rapidly and be destroyed.

Foreshadowing: The earlier failed cleansing attempt and Leia's death demonstrated that direct confrontation with Alma required powerful spiritual intervention.

• exorcism
• ritual
• separation
• destruction
• spiritual battle

The records of Dr. Albanos's tests on Barbara disappeared shortly after being taken, suggesting someone was concealing information about her condition. While the film doesn't explicitly reveal who took them, the disappearance points to either Alma's supernatural interference or a cover-up related to the sinister forces surrounding Casa Fortuna.

Foreshadowing: This disappearance occurs after Alma's presence is firmly established, suggesting the spirit can manipulate the physical world.

• records
• disappearance
• cover-up
• medical tests

Yes, Alma was completely defeated. Dr. Solomon separated her spirit from Barbara's body, causing Alma to deteriorate rapidly without a host to sustain her. With Alma destroyed, Barbara was freed, and the couple left Casa Fortuna for good, starting their new life away from the mansion's influence.

Foreshadowing: The film's consistent buildup of Alma's power made her defeat through the exorcism feel like the only resolution capable of ending her threat.

• defeat
• destroyed
• freedom
• new life
• resolution