Rumpelstiltskin

Rumpelstiltskin

Year: 1995

Runtime: 87 mins

Language: English

Director: Mark Jones

HorrorHorror the undead and monster classicsCreepy chilling and terrifying horrorGory gruesome and slasher horrorSpooky scary comedy

When the fairy tale ends, the nightmare begins. In the 1400s, the mischievous spirit Rumpelstiltskin is sealed inside a tiny jade figurine. Centuries later in modern Los Angeles, a recently widowed police officer’s wife visits a witch’s shop with her infant, purchases the figurine and unwittingly releases the cackling creature, which demands the baby’s life.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Rumpelstiltskin (1995)

Trace every key event in Rumpelstiltskin (1995) 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

Transformation and imprisonment

In 15th-century Europe, a mob pursues a deformed man, Rumpelstiltskin, after he abducts a baby. A gypsy witch transforms him into a stone effigy and imprisons him for a thousand years, with release only if a heartfelt wish involving a child is spoken.

15th century Europe cliffside
2

Russell's death and Shelly's heartbreak

In present-day Los Angeles, police officer Russell Stewart is gunned down during a botched carjacking, leaving Shelly widowed and pregnant. The tragedy drives Shelly toward a glimmer of hope found in an ancient stone with rumored powers.

present day Los Angeles
3

Matilda's Place and the stone

Shelly, her newborn Johnny, and her friend Hildy visit Matilda's Place, an antique witch shop that now possesses the stone. Against Matilda's warning, Shelly buys the talisman, drawn by tales of its wish-granting powers.

shortly after Russell's death Matilda's Place
4

Shelly's wish frees Rumpelstiltskin

Back home, Shelly wishes for her deceased husband to meet their son, inadvertently fulfilling the stone's condition and releasing Rumpelstiltskin into the world. The wish opens the doorway for the imp to claim a future victim, Johnny.

same night Shelly's home
5

Rumpelstiltskin's appearance and demand

Rumpelstiltskin appears, returning as Russell in Shelly's dream and then materializing to demand Johnny as payment for fulfilling the wish. Shelly and Johnny narrowly escape, while baffled authorities look on.

following night Shelly's home
6

Hildy dies; chase begins

Rumpelstiltskin pursues the trio, killing Hildy as Shelly and Johnny flee by car. They push into increasingly dangerous terrain, escalating the pursuit toward Bakersfield.

the night after mountain roads near Bakersfield
7

Max Bergman enters the chase

Shelly flags down Max Bergman, a chauvinistic TV host who reluctantly helps them travel forward. A long, chaotic chase ensues through windy terrain until Max uses a dune buggy to derail Rumpelstiltskin, sending him off a hillside into a tree and triggering a fiery tanker explosion.

same chase mountain roads to Bakersfield outskirts
8

Rumpelstiltskin survives and strikes back

The imp survives the explosion and murders a deputy during the ensuing pursuit. Shelly, Max and Johnny hide in an abandoned diner while authorities investigate, as Rumpelstiltskin continues to hunt them.

after explosion near Bakersfield; police precinct area
9

Arrest and Matilda's warning

Shelly realizes the stone is the source of the danger, and summons Matilda for help. Rumpelstiltskin infiltrates the station, kills several officers, and kidnaps Johnny, forcing Shelly and Max to flee.

following infiltration police station; Matilda's warning
10

Matilda divulges the ritual and is slain

Matilda explains that a graveyard ritual using fire, straw, and a chant spoken three times can trap Rumpelstiltskin, but she is killed by the imp just before the ritual. The plan to stop him is set in motion.

shortly after kidnapping police station; graveyard plan
11

The graveyard plan takes shape

Shelly and Max locate a graveyard and race to set up the ritual. They move to a barn to marshal tractor power, stacked straw, and flames to confront the imp before sunrise.

pre-dawn graveyard and nearby barn
12

The final confrontation

Max drives the burning straw-loaded tractor toward Rumpelstiltskin, capturing him in the loader as it collides with a power line and explodes. Shelly calls out the imp's name thrice, binding him back into the stone effigy.

dawn graveyard
13

Johnny safe and the stone disposed

Johnny is found unharmed in a nearby grave, and Max throws the stone figurine into a creek to ensure it cannot be easily used again. The trio departs together, with Shelly entering into what appears to be a new relationship with Max.

shortly after capture graveyard and creek
14

Three years later: a new finder

Three years later, a young girl discovers the returned stone figurine and rushes to show her mother, who now holds an infant. The cycle hints that the stone's curse may extend to another generation.

three years later unspecified; likely in present-day home

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 12:12

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Rumpelstiltskin

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