Scum of the Earth

Scum of the Earth

Year: 1974

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: S.F. Brownrigg

HorrorThrillerDrama

During their honeymoon in a secluded Texas cabin, newlyweds Helen and Paul are devastated when Paul is killed by an unseen assailant. Helen escapes into the woods, where Odie Pickett and his impoverished hillbilly family take her in, imprisoning her in their isolated shack while the killer remains at large, turning the remote refuge into a nightmare.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Scum of the Earth (1974)

Trace every key event in Scum of the Earth (1974) 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

Arrival at the lakeside cabin and Paul's murder

Paul and Helen Fraser arrive at the isolated lakeside cabin. A figure with an axe brutally murders Paul, and Helen discovers the body, realizing he is dead.

Evening Lakeside cabin
2

Helen finds Paul’s body and flees into the woods

Helen discovers Paul's body and finds that the car keys are missing, trapping her at the cabin. Terrified, she flees into the surrounding woods in an attempt to escape the killer.

Evening Lakeside cabin and surrounding woods
3

Helen encounters Odis Pickett's farmhouse and is offered help

Helen stumbles on the Pickett farmhouse and is met by Odis, who says he will phone the sheriff. Inside the farmhouse, Emmy, Sarah, and Bo are introduced.

Night Pickett farmhouse
4

Night at the farmhouse: moonshine, possum, and tensions

Odis grows drunk on moonshine while Bo skins and boils a possum for dinner. Bo accuses Sarah of prostitution, and Sarah hexes him.

Night Pickett farmhouse
5

Emmy reveals Odis’s abuse and Helen shares her past

Emmy explains that she married Odis because her father owed him money, hinting at his abusive nature. Helen opens up about her dead husband who presumably died in Vietnam.

Night Pickett farmhouse
6

Odis gropes Helen; Sarah accuses him of molestation

Odis sexually assaults Helen while she sleeps; her screams awaken Emmy and Sarah. Sarah accuses Odis of molesting her since she was twelve.

Night Pickett farmhouse
7

Emmy sends Bo to fetch help

Emmy urges Bo to go to the neighbors to call the sheriff. Bo sets off through the woods to fetch help.

Night Wooded path near Pickett farmhouse
8

Bo is killed in the woods

Bo is killed by being impaled on a spiked fence in the woods. The killer remains unseen as Helen and the others shelter inside.

Night Woods near farmhouse
9

The morning after: Bo’s corpse discovered; Helen attempts to leave

Odis continues to drink; Helen tries to leave the house quietly. She finds Bo's corpse on the front porch, deepening the horror.

Early morning Pickett farmhouse, front porch
10

Odis plans burial, Sarah is accused; Odis assaults Helen

Odis plans to bury Bo in the backyard. Sarah accuses Helen of being a witch who has brought misfortune. Odis makes another attempt to rape Helen, while Emmy comes to Helen's defense, but is unsuccessful.

Morning Pickett farmhouse
11

Sarah heads to neighbors; danger closes in

The next morning, Emmy sends Sarah to fetch a preacher for Bo's burial. Sarah follows a path through the woods, calling out to help the assailant locate Helen.

Morning Woodland path
12

Sarah is murdered on the woods path

The follower pursuing Sarah catches up with her and strangles her with barbed wire. Her death leaves the rescue attempt in peril.

Morning Wooded path near Pickett farmhouse
13

Odis is killed by the killer who claims to be Jim

Emmy sends Odis to locate Sarah. Odis finds Sarah in the woods and tries to load his shotgun, but a figure grabs him from behind and murders him.

Morning Woods near the house
14

The killer is Jim, Helen's husband

The killer is revealed to be Jim, Helen's first husband, who explains he was a Vietnam POW and thought Helen was dead. Jim stabs at Helen, but Sarah bursts in and shoots Jim dead with Odis's shotgun. Emmy consoles Helen on the front porch, telling her they still have one another.

Afternoon Pickett house / front porch

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 08:17

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Scum of the Earth

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