Lunacy

Lunacy

Year: 2006

Runtime: 118 min

Language: Czech

Director: Jan Svankmajer

Horror

Set in 19th-century France, a troubled young man finds his past colliding with the unsettling interests of a secretive nobleman. Their paths intertwine within a gloomy castle, where a disturbing event blurs the boundary between reality and nightmare. As the night unfolds, both men confront inner demons and descend into a chilling spiral of madness.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Lunacy (2006)

Trace every key event in Lunacy (2006) 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

Mother's death and funeral arrangements

Jean is haunted by his mother's death, noting she had been committed to a mental institution before she died. He must arrange her funeral, a grim ritual that foreshadows his fixation with confinement and mortality. The scene establishes the emotional weight that carries into the strange events to follow.

Immediately after mother's death Funeral home
2

Meeting the Marquis de Sade

At the funeral arrangements, a man claims to be the Marquis de Sade and their uneasy bond begins. The Marquis lives in an 18th-century persona within the modern Czech Republic, drawing Jean into a dangerous alliance. Jean is pulled toward this provocative companionship despite his misgivings.

Same day as meeting the Marquis Funeral home
3

Spying the Marquis' orgy

Jean witnesses through an open window the Marquis's blasphemous orgy, a sight that horrifies and unsettles him. The debauched display foreshadows the moral chaos that will surround Jean. The Marquis's libertine world clashes with Jean's fragile sense of reality.

The following day Marquis's residence
4

Marquis dies and burial pressure

The following day, the Marquis chokes on a banana and dies. Jean is dragged at gunpoint to assist in burying the coffin in the family mausoleum. This forced task binds Jean to the macabre drama and its consequences.

The next day Marquis's residence and family mausoleum
5

The mausoleum prank unfolds

The next morning, the bell wakes them and, after opening the mausoleum stone, the Marquis reveals it was all an elaborate prank. He uses the staged burial to force Jean to confront his childhood trauma. The prank introduces a therapeutic twist that will haunt Jean.

The morning after the burial Family mausoleum
6

Revelation of the mother’s death

The Marquis explains that Jean's mother died after being buried alive, a memory he relives as a therapeutic exercise. The revelation links Jean's trauma to the past and frames the events as a controlled psychodrama. This moment deepens Jean's vulnerability to suggestion and manipulation.

During the mausoleum opening Mausoleum
7

Therapy proposal and asylum introduction

The Marquis proposes therapy: Jean should voluntarily commit himself to an asylum run by Dr. Murlloppe, who offers 'Purgative Therapy' for people who could become mad. This marks a shift from haunted memory to institutional treatment. Jean is drawn toward this option by the chance to end his nightmares.

Immediately after the prank revelation Asylum
8

Charlota enters Jean's life

Jean meets a beautiful nurse named Charlota, who claims she is being held at the hospital against her will. Her allure pulls him in as she hints at the asylum's secrets. This connection sets the stage for further revelations and danger.

Shortly after meeting Charlota Hospital
9

Charlota's revolt tale

Charlota tells Jean that Murlloppe and the Marquis were previous patients who led a revolt and locked the real asylum employees in the basement. This paints the facility as chaotic and dangerous. Jean's trust in the institution is increasingly tested.

Around that time Hospital
10

One-year revolt anniversary and kidnapping

On the one-year anniversary of the revolt, Murlloppe, the Marquis, and Dominik take Charlota for a ritual orgy, and she informs Jean that this is his only chance to free the staff. The conspirators still hold power within the asylum. The moment raises Jean's urgency to intervene.

One year after the revolt Asylum
11

Basement uprising and release

Jean finds Charlota and the others tarred and feathered in the basement and frees them. The released men immediately attack and beat the other patients to shove them back into their cells. The basement scene signals a brutal collapse of order within the asylum.

Immediately after the abduction Asylum basement
12

Coulmiere’s punitive philosophy

Dr. Coulmiere thanks Jean for releasing the men and explains his philosophy: corporal punishment balances mind and body, while Murlloppe's idea of curing through freedom is absurd. The exchange anchors the film in a stark view of treatment. Jean's actions are interpreted as disobedience to a harsh medical doctrine.

Shortly after the basement incident Hospital / Doctor's office
13

Punishments for the conspirators

Murlloppe, the Marquis, and Dominik are tracked down and subjected to severe punishments for their roles in the revolt. The authorities reassert control over the chaotic asylum. This punitive response reinforces Dr. Coulmiere's harsh treatment philosophy.

After the basement rebellion Town / asylum vicinity
14

Charlota rescued; plans to leave

Charlota is rescued, and Jean hopes to leave with her and marry. Dr. Coulmiere refuses to permit departure until 8am, per protocol. The stubborn rule highlights the hospital's rigid control over its patients.

After the punishments Hospital
15

Final confrontation and punishment

Jean searches for Charlota and finds her in Coulmiere's room preparing for a night of sexual pleasures, triggering a violent hallucination. Coulmiere orders the first round of corporal punishment: two orderlies stuff Jean into a straitjacket and carry him away. The denial of escape culminates in a brutal, destabilizing punishment.

Night Dr. Coulmiere's room / Hospital

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:57

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Lunacy Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Lunacy

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