Cassandra

Cassandra

Year: 1987

Runtime: 94 mins

Language: English

Director: Colin Eggleston

HorrorFantasy

Gifted with prophetic visions, Cassandra sees unsettling glimpses of the future. When she begins experiencing vivid, disorienting flashes of a memory in which her brother appears to commit a murder, she confronts her parents' reassurances that everything is fine, forcing her to question the reality of her gifts and the hidden truths within her family.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Cassandra yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Cassandra (1987)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Cassandra (1987). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Family beach house, Old family home, Hospital

The story shifts between a seaside family residence and the old family home, both saturated with memory and hidden truths. The beach house anchors Cassandra’s childhood and the uncovering of crucial photographs, while the old house becomes the stage for shocking revelations about the family’s past. The reference to Warren’s institutionalization hints at long-standing trauma that continues to haunt the family.

🏖️ Beach house 🏚️ Old family home 🏥 Hospital

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:11

Main Characters – Cassandra (1987)

Meet the key characters of Cassandra (1987), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Cassandra (Tessa Humphries)

A young woman plagued by recurring nightmares about a demonic boy and a woman’s suicide, Cassandra struggles to distinguish memory from deception. Her evolving suspicions about her parents and Jill’s identity push her to uncover a buried family history and a twin who may still be alive.

🧠 Mystery 💔 Trauma 👥 Family

Helen (Briony Behets)

Cassandra's mother-figure who is later revealed to be the paternal aunt, complicating her relationship with Cassandra. She becomes involved in the family’s dark history and the lies that conceal their true origins.

🧭 Family secrets 🌀 Tension 🌫️ Deception

Stephen (Shane Briant)

The patriarch whose affair with Jill and the hidden incest shape Cassandra's past. He becomes a victim of Warren's revenge as the family’s violence escalates toward a tragic climax.

🫶 Family ties 🗣️ Infidelity ⚰️ Violence

Jill (Tessa Humphries)

The woman who is Cassandra's true mother in the awakening revelation, whose suicide and photo anchor Cassandra's search for identity. Her past actions loom large over the present.

💔 Tragic past 🗝️ Hidden lineage 🕯️ Mystery

Robert / Warren (Lee James)

Cassandra's boyfriend who is later revealed to be her twin brother Warren, embodying the darkest consequence of the family’s past. He murders Cassandra's parents and becomes the ultimate hunter in the climactic confrontation.

🪖 Dual identity 🔪 Threat 🏚️ Revenge

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:11

Major Themes – Cassandra (1987)

Explore the central themes of Cassandra (1987), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🗝️ Family Secrets

Hidden relationships and a tangled lineage drive the plot, with revelations about Jill, Stephen, and the twins reframing Cassandra's understanding of her identity. The film uncovers how long-suppressed memories and lies can fracture a family, creating a legacy of trauma that resurfaces violently. The discovery of Jill’s photograph and the admission of an incestuous history confirm that what Cassandra believed about her family’s past was a constructed absence, not a truth.

🌙 Dreams and Memory

Cassandra's nightmares function as a conduit to past events, suggesting that memory can manifest in frightening visions. The dreams signal danger while revealing a hidden history, including the existence of a twin and a murdered figure. As the dreams evolve, they become clues that force Cassandra to confront the reality behind her memories. The line between nightmare and memory blurs, pushing the narrative toward a violent revelation.

🔥 Violence and Revenge

The film centers on cycles of violence within the family, culminating in murders and a choice to burn the house to end the taint. Warren, revealed as Cassandra's twin brother, embodies the darkest consequence of a shared past, aiming to destroy Cassandra and Helen. The climactic fire acts as both a literal and symbolic cleansing of the family's sins. Yet the ending suggests that some threats may persist beyond the flames, as Warren's presence lingers in Cassandra's life.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:11

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about psychological gaslighting like Cassandra

Stories where a character's sanity is undermined by those closest to them.If you liked the psychological torment of Cassandra, you'll find more movies like it here. These films focus on characters whose reality is questioned by trusted figures, creating a deep sense of unease and paranoia. Explore similar stories of manipulation and the fight to reclaim one's sanity.

paranoidunsettlingclaustrophobicanxiousdesperatenightmarish

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread typically follow a character, often a woman, who perceives a hidden threat or truth that no one else acknowledges. Allies become adversaries as they are gaslit into doubting their own senses. The core conflict is internal—a battle for mental sovereignty—while the external threat remains ambiguous and deeply personal.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared focus on psychological manipulation and the erosion of reality. They create a specific, claustrophobic form of horror where the enemy is not a monster but the denial of one's own experience, resulting in a consistently tense and unsettling viewing experience.

Movies about dark family secrets like Cassandra

Dark explorations of horrific truths festering within a family's history.Discover more movies like Cassandra that delve into the horror of family secrets. These films explore cursed lineages, repressed memories, and the terrifying truths that lie beneath a seemingly normal family surface. If you were captivated by the hereditary trauma in Cassandra, this thread is for you.

ominousmelancholicclaustrophobicgothicdesperateunsettling

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a protagonist returning to or investigating their family home, only to peel back layers of denial and lies. The discovery often recontextualizes their entire identity and reveals a hidden history of violence or taboo acts. The climax typically involves a confrontation with the literal or metaphorical ghosts of the past, leading to an ambiguous or bleak resolution.

Why These Movies?

These films share a core theme of discovering that one's identity is built upon a foundation of horror. They blend psychological dread with gothic sensibilities, focusing on the inescapable nature of inherited trauma and the claustrophobic atmosphere of a family hiding monstrous truths.

Unlock the Full Story of Cassandra

Don't stop at just watching — explore Cassandra in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Cassandra is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Cassandra Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Cassandra, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Cassandra Summary

Cassandra Timeline

Track the full timeline of Cassandra with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Cassandra Timeline

Cassandra Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Cassandra that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Cassandra Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Cassandra

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Cassandra: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Cassandra

Similar Movies to Cassandra

Discover movies like Cassandra that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.