Hour of the Wolf

Johan Borg begins sketching his terrifying visions for Alma and names them the Birdman, the Insects, the Meat-Eaters, the Schoolmaster, and the Lady With a Hat. His insomnia grows worse, and Alma stays by his side through the nights, trying to soothe him. The small island of Baltrum becomes a backdrop for their creeping dread.

An elderly lady urges Alma to read Johan's diary, and she discovers that Johan is haunted by Veronica Vogler and has been approached by Baron von Merkens. The diary entries hint that Veronica lingers in Johan's memories and that the Baron is part of the web around him. Alma's fear grows as the past seems to reach into their present.

Johan and Alma travel to the von Merkens castle for a reception. After dinner, the baron's wife shows them into her bedroom, where she has a portrait of Veronica painted by Johan. The image of Veronica intensifies Johan's obsession and foreshadows the later entanglement with the demons.

As they depart the castle, Alma confesses her fear of losing Johan to the demons and voices her determination to persevere if such a fate comes. She articulates a mix of love and dread, acknowledging the fragility of their bond. The moment marks a turning point in their relationship.

That night, Johan explains the so‑called Hour of the Wolf, a time when births and deaths occur. He recounts childhood trauma of being locked in a closet and recalls a confrontation on the island that ended with him killing a boy. Alma is shocked by these revelations and struggles to process the depths of his past.

Heerbrand, a guest of the Baron, arrives at Johan and Alma's home to invite them to another castle party and mentions Veronica Vogler will be among the guests. He leaves a pistol on the table, telling them it is protection against 'small animals.' The ominous gesture underscores the sense of danger surrounding Johan.

Johan and Alma quarrel over Veronica, and in a sudden act he grabs the pistol, shoots Alma, and then runs toward the castle. Alma survives the gunshot but is left reeling as Johan escapes into the night. The couple's relationship fractures under the pressure of Johan's obsessions.

At the castle, the guests are revealed to be the demons Johan described—manifestations of his fears. He rushes through the halls in search of Veronica, aided by Lindhorst, who applies cosmetics to his pale face and dresses him in a silk robe. The staged encounter propels Johan toward his dangerous confrontation with Veronica.

Veronica, though initially appearing dead, sits up and laughs, shocking Johan. The demons physically assault him, forcing him to flee into the surrounding underbrush. Alma, wounded but alive, races to follow and witness the horror from a distance.

Alma, with a scar from the earlier shooting, searches the forest for Johan and witnesses the attacks on him before he vanishes. She is left alone in the woods, surrounded by the spectral threats that haunted their life. The pursuit ends with Johan's disappearance into the darkness.

Back home, Alma shares Johan's diary and contemplates how their long closeness might have allowed her to glimpse his Meat-Eaters. She wonders whether she could have protected him differently, or if love itself fed his visions. The memories bind her to the night and to what remains unresolved.

With Johan gone and the diary in her possession, Alma remains alone, reflecting on the nightmarish revelations and what they mean for her memory of him. She carries the weight of the diaries and the lost life on Baltrum as the island settles around her.