One Dark Night

One Dark Night

Year: 1982

Runtime: 94 mins

Language: English

Director: Tom McLoughlin

HorrorHorror the undead and monster classicsTerrifying haunted and supernatural horrorGory gruesome and slasher horrorGothic and eerie haunting horror

After discovering a way to boost his power through telekinesis even after death, Karl Rhamarevich dies and is laid to rest in a crypt. For an initiation rite, Julie must spend the night there with two other girls. The burial site erupts into terror when Karl returns as a telekinetic specter, unleashing deadly, unseen forces upon the youngsters.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – One Dark Night (1982)

Trace every key event in One Dark Night (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

Crime scene discovery and Raymar's electric power

The police discover six murdered girls in Raymar's apartment, triggering a baffling case. When coroners lift Raymar's body onto a stretcher, bolts of electricity shoot from his fingers, hinting at a supernatural force at work. Investigators scramble to explain the inexplicable violence that defies ordinary explanation.

early hours Raymar's apartment
2

Dockstader reveals Raymar's true nature

Samuel Dockstader, a friend of Raymar and writer for The World of the Occult, explains that Raymar was a psychic vampire who kidnapped girls to harvest bioenergy. He shows Olivia a set of photographs illustrating how bioenergy works and gives her an audiotape outlining his findings. Olivia, initially skeptical, begins to believe him.

shortly after the discovery Olivia's home
3

Julie seeks entry into The Sisters

High school student Julie Wells wants to join The Sisters, a club of three elitist girls: Carol, Leslie, and Kitty. Jealousy from Carol drives a plan to scare Julie by sending her to spend the night alone in a mausoleum. The scheme sets the stage for the night's terrifying events.

evening School and mausoleum planning
4

Julie enters the mausoleum

Julie travels to the mausoleum and prepares to sleep there as part of the Sisters' prank. Unbeknownst to her, cracks appear around Raymar's vault, hinting that something malevolent is stirring. The quiet turns ominous as the building seems to awaken.

evening Mausoleum
5

The Sisters' prank escalates; Raymar awakens

Carol and Kitty return to the mausoleum dressed for fright and the prank seems to succeed too well. Julie locks herself in the chapel, hoping to survive the night. Raymar begins to reawaken, using his powers to rattle walls, explode windows, and slam doors open.

evening Mausoleum
6

Coffins open and corpses mobilize

Raymar's powers open the vaults containing coffins and rotting cadavers float around the mausoleum. The corpses move to swarm the girls, and the danger escalates as they pile onto Carol and Kitty. Julie fights to stay ahead of the living dead.

evening Mausoleum
7

Steve learns about Julie's initiation

Steve, Julie's boyfriend, learns from Leslie about Julie's initiation into The Sisters and races to the mausoleum to find her. He arrives as the danger escalates, determined to rescue Julie.

evening Mausoleum
8

Olivia heads to the mausoleum

Olivia discovers that she may possess her father's powers and hurries to the mausoleum to save Julie. She arrives with resolve, intending to stop Raymar's murderous plan.

evening Mausoleum
9

Raymar breaks free and commands the dead

Back in the mausoleum, Raymar finally breaks out of his coffin and uses his psychic powers to control the rotting corpses and the doors. The room fills with menace as Julie, Steve, and the others realize the full scale of the threat.

evening Mausoleum
10

Steve and Julie are cornered

Steve breaks in and finds an hysterical Julie as the corpses close in around them. He fights the undead but is knocked out, leaving Julie vulnerable to Raymar's pull.

evening Mausoleum
11

Olivia arrives and intervenes

Olivia arrives at the mausoleum and moves to save Julie, stepping into the melee with a determined resolve. She uses her power to counter Raymar's attack and protect Julie.

evening Mausoleum
12

Raymar and corpses disintegrate

Olivia takes out Raymar by reflecting the bolts of energy back at him with her compact, causing Raymar and the surrounding corpses to disintegrate. Julie and Steve are saved, and the immediate threat collapses.

evening Mausoleum
13

Escape and aftermath

The three survivors slowly walk out of the mausoleum, visibly traumatized by the night's events. They begin to process the horror and the new, fragile normalcy of life after the encounter with Raymar.

post-incident Mausoleum exterior
14

Final eerie image

In the final shot, Kitty's toothbrush—an odd, constant companion—appears near the mound of corpses inside the empty mausoleum, and a corpse screams as the scene cuts away. The implication is that the malevolent force lingers beneath the surface.

ending Mausoleum interior

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:28

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One Dark Night Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in One Dark Night

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