Mortuary

Mortuary

Year: 1982

Runtime: 93 mins

Language: English

Director: Howard Avedis

HorrorHorror

In a place where nobody rests in peace, a determined young woman delves into the mysterious death of her father, initially thought to be an accident. As she uncovers unsettling secrets hidden within the grieving community, the truth draws her deeper into danger, threatening her life at every turn.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Mortuary 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 – Mortuary (1982)

Trace every key event in Mortuary (1982) 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

Parson death at the pool

The wealthy psychiatrist Dr. George Parson is bludgeoned and drowned in his pool, opening the film with a deadly mystery. Christie, his daughter, believes foul play, while her mother Eve insists it was an accident. The enigmatic death sets off a chain of suspicions that shadow the family.

Opening scene Parson estate pool
2

Christie and Eve discuss father's death

Several weeks pass before the truth begins to emerge. Christie grows convinced that someone close to the family murdered her father, not that it was an accident. Eve clings to denial, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy as fear gnaws at Christie.

Several weeks later Parson estate
3

Mortuary sabbath observed

That night, Josh and Greg infiltrate the mortuary warehouse to steal tires as payment for unpaid wages, and they stumble into an occult sabbath. They witness masked figures and ritual activity that chill them to the bone.

That night Mortuary warehouse
4

Josh is killed during the break-in

During the break-in, Josh is stabbed to death with a trocar by a cloaked assailant. The brutal killing underscores the danger surrounding the mortuary's secrets.

That night Mortuary warehouse
5

Search for Josh at the roller rink

Greg and Christie search for Josh at the local roller skating rink but cannot locate him, his disappearance deepening the mystery. The search reveals no clear clue, leaving a chilling sense that more threats loom.

The following day Roller skating rink
6

Christie chased to the coastal mansion

Christie is pursued by a car en route to her family's secluded coastal mansion, escalating the sense that someone is watching her. The chase ends with her arrival at the mansion, where she hopes for safety.

The next day Coastal family mansion
7

Sleepwalking and hooded encounter

That night, Christie, who has begun sleepwalking from the trauma, wakes to find herself in the pool and is confronted by a hooded figure. She escapes back into the house, terrified and confused.

That night Family pool
8

Greg reveals Eve's sabbath sighting

Greg confesses that he saw Eve at the sabbath he witnessed at the mortuary, prompting Christie to suspect Eve and Hank of murder and manipulation surrounding her father's death. The revelation deepens Christie’s paranoia.

The following day Family home
9

Séance at the mortuary

At the mortuary, Eve conducts a séance with Hank and the women, aiming to contact Eve's late husband. The table moves and Hank hints that George's death was not an accident, hinting at hidden motives.

During the seance Mortuary
10

Christie attacked by hooded figure

That night, Christie is attacked by a cloaked figure resembling Paul and smashes a glass window, startling her mother. The attack confirms that the threats are real and personal.

That night Family home
11

Eve murdered by Paul

The cloaked assailant moves to Eve and murders her in her bed, revealing himself as Paul in a white latex mask and sending Christie into a panic as he pursues her.

That night Family home
12

Paul reveals motive and kills Hank

Paul explains that he had to punish Eve for revealing his psychiatric condition and that he murdered Dr. Parson for suggesting treatment. In a fit of rage, he also stabs Hank, killing him.

That night Mortuary
13

The makeshift wedding in the warehouse

Paul takes Christie and the corpses of Eve and Hank to the warehouse, where he arranges a macabre wedding ceremony for himself and Christie and conducts a Mozart-inspired rite among the bodies.

Later that night Mortuary warehouse
14

Confrontation and abrupt ending

Greg breaks free and confronts Paul with an axe; Christie, in a dramatic turn, drives the axe into Paul’s back, killing him. Mrs. Andrews, long in a coma, suddenly awakens and lunges at the couple with a knife, ending the scene in chaos.

Finale Mortuary warehouse

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:56

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Grief-Choked Horror Mysteries like Mortuary

Uncovering sinister truths while grappling with profound personal loss.If you liked the blend of murder investigation and deep personal tragedy in Mortuary, explore more movies like it. This selection features similar horror stories where characters confront supernatural threats or killers while navigating the heavy emotional terrain of loss and trauma.

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These narratives often begin with a significant death that propels the protagonist into a dangerous inquiry. As they dig deeper, their grief becomes intertwined with the mystery, revealing shocking secrets that challenge their sanity and put their life at risk, creating a double-edged sword of emotional and physical peril.

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Movies in this thread are united by their core premise: using a horror-mystery framework to explore themes of grief, trauma, and psychological unraveling. They share a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and a focus on the disturbing intersection of personal loss and sinister discoveries.

Claustrophobic Small-Town Conspiracies in movies like Mortuary

A lone outsider uncovers a terrifying secret that an entire community is hiding.Fans of Mortuary's atmosphere of community-wide secrets and occult rituals will enjoy these similar movies. This list features horror and thriller stories about isolated towns where the entire population seems complicit in a dark conspiracy, creating a sense of inescapable paranoia and dread.

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Narrative Summary

The pattern involves a protagonist arriving in or returning to a secluded town to solve a mystery. They quickly sense something is wrong, facing passive aggression and gaslighting from the locals. The tension builds as they discover the community is bound by a shared, macabre secret—a cult, a curse, or a cycle of violence—making them a target for elimination.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their setting and core conflict: the protagonist against a hostile, secretive community. They excel at building a pervasive sense of paranoia and claustrophobia, with a steady pacing that reveals the scale of the conspiracy, leading to a violent confrontation.

Unlock the Full Story of Mortuary

Don't stop at just watching — explore Mortuary 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 Mortuary is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Mortuary Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Mortuary, 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.

Mortuary Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Mortuary

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

Characters, Settings & Themes in Mortuary

Mortuary Spoiler-Free Summary

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Mortuary Spoiler-Free Summary

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