New Year's Evil (1980) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Midnight Countdown Celebration Begins

As the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve, DJ Diane Sullivan, known as Blaze, is captivating the audience at a Hollywood hotel. Her electrifying countdown celebration is being simulcast on local radio, creating excitement across the nation.

When

Midnight

Where

Hollywood Hotel

Chilling Phone Call

During the height of the celebration, Diane receives a disturbing phone call from a person identifying himself as Evil. The caller reveals a sinister plot to kill one 'naughty girl' in each U.S. time zone, which ultimately targets Diane herself.

Derek's Appearance

Diane's son, Derek, makes an appearance in the studio but goes largely unnoticed. Little do they realize that Derek will soon play a crucial role in the chaos that unfolds during the night.

When

New Year's Eve

Where

Radio Studio

Increased Security Measures

As festivities continue, the studio team ramps up security measures to protect against any potential threats. Sadly, their efforts prove insufficient as a series of brutal murders begins to sweep across Los Angeles.

Where

Radio Studio

First Victim Found

The first victim of the night, a nurse, is discovered dead at a sanitarium right after midnight in the Eastern Time Zone. This tragic discovery marks the beginning of the killer's gruesome rampage throughout the country.

When

Eastern Time Zone, right after midnight

Where

Sanitarium

Additional Murders Reported

Shortly thereafter, two more victims, both women, are found dead near a liquor store in the Central Time Zone. The killer, using a radio/cassette recorder to document his crimes, begins to taunt Diane with calls after each murder.

When

Central Time Zone

Where

Liquor Store

Killer's Pursuit Intensifies

As the clock nears midnight in the Mountain Time Zone, the killer rampages through a drive-in theater, leading a gang of bikers on a frantic chase. This chaotic pursuit only escalates the tension of the night as he brutally dispatches one of the bikers.

When

Mountain Time Zone

Where

Drive-in Theater

Richard's Infiltration Plan

Unbeknownst to Diane, her husband Richard, disguised and resentful, sneaks into the hotel. He plans to enact his twisted revenge, harboring deep-seated feelings of scorn towards Diane and other women he believes have wronged him.

Where

Hollywood Hotel

Richard's Dark Intentions Revealed

Richard's plot escalates as he hacks into the hotel's elevator system, intending to chain Diane and send her plummeting. This malevolent scheme reveals the extent of his twisted mindset and desire for revenge.

Where

Hollywood Hotel

Police Confrontation

As the police close in, a tense standoff ensues with Richard, leading to an intense exchange of gunfire. The confrontation ultimately disrupts his plans, causing damage to the elevator controls and saving Diane from imminent danger.

Where

Hollywood Hotel

Richard's Last Stand

Cornered on the rooftop, Richard faces the repercussions of his actions. In a desperate bid for escape, he dons a mask and chooses a dark path, leaping from the building to evade capture.

Where

Rooftop of Hollywood Hotel

Derek's Transformation

In a shocking twist, Derek becomes involved in the chaos as he commandeers an ambulance meant to rescue Diane. Having killed the true driver, he is embroiled in the very darkness that surrounded his mother earlier in the night.

Where

Ambulance

Midnight in Hawaii

As the night unfolds, a radio announcer in Honolulu notes the arrival of midnight in the Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone. This seemingly innocuous announcement adds an additional layer of eerie tension to the events taking place at the hotel.

When

Midnight Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone

Where

Honolulu

Diane's Uncertain Fate

With all the chaos and brutality surrounding her, Diane’s fate hangs in the balance. As authorities tend to her injuries, the dark ramifications of the night leave her future uncertain, enveloped in mystery.

Where

Hollywood Hotel