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The Day of the Beast (1995) movie poster

Timeline

The Day of the Beast (1995) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1995 · 103 mins · Spanish
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Directed by
Álex de la Iglesia
Starring
Antonio de la Torre, Ismael Martínez, Enrique Villén, Antonio Dechent, Santiago Segura, Maria Grazia Cucinotta

A devilishly dark comedy that follows a Basque Roman Catholic priest who vows to commit as many sins as possible, a death‑metal salesman from Carabanchel, and an Italian TV occult host. Together they embark on a literal Christmas‑time trip through Madrid, racing amid a chaotic quest to locate and stop the Antichrist’s reincarnation.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Day of the Beast
  6. 6 Every angle
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14 events in order · contains spoilers

The Day of the Beast Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Day of the Beast (1995) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Confession and the fateful cross

    A Basque priest Ángel Berriatúa confesses to another priest that he intends to commit as much evil as he can. The other priest is shocked until Ángel whispers his reasons, and the confession becomes a pact. When the other priest agrees to help him, a large cross falls from an unseen support and crushes him.

    When
    opening scene
    Where
    Basque country church
  2. First acts of evil in Madrid

    Ángel ventures into downtown Madrid, deliberately sowing chaos. He steals from the homeless, shoves a street performer, and insults a dying man by telling him to go to Hell while taking his wallet.

    When
    daytime
    Where
    Downtown Madrid
  3. Meeting a Satanist

    In a record store, Ángel meets José María, a self-described Satanist and heavy metal fan from Carabanchel. José María gives him a tape of what he calls the most evil band and shelters him at his mother's boarding house.

    When
    evening
    Where
    Record store in Madrid
  4. The boarding house introduction

    Ángel moves into José María's mother's boarding house, sharing space with José María's mother, grandfather, and Mina, a woman he is attracted to who helps with the business. The new living arrangement marks the start of their collaboration.

    When
    night
    Where
    José María's mother's boarding house, Carabanchel, Madrid
  5. The plan to sell his soul

    Ángel tries to steal a book by occult TV host Professor Cavan, believing it will reveal how to sell his soul to Satan. He fixes on a secret Bible code about the Antichrist being born at midnight on Christmas Eve, which drives his risky pursuit.

    When
    night
    Where
    Boarding house / vicinity
  6. Cavan's virgin blood quest begins

    Ángel and José María kidnap Cavan and torture him to learn how to complete the ritual. They aim to obtain a virgin's blood, starting with Susana, Cavan's girlfriend, but discover she is not a virgin after knocking her out.

    When
    night
    Where
    Cavan's home or residence
  7. Mina's blood and the mother's killing

    Ángel returns to the boarding house to grab Mina's blood, but José María's mother objects and tries to shoot him. Ángel escapes with blood but accidentally kills José María's mother in the chaos.

    When
    same night
    Where
    Boarding house, Carabanchel
  8. The ritual and the taunting devil

    They burn the paper scraps, take LSD, and perform what Cavan calls a ritual. A he-goat appears briefly, and the devil taunts Ángel from the burnt pages, showing that the attempt to bargain with darkness was ultimately a failure.

    When
    late night
    Where
    Boarding house room
  9. Police arrival and escape

    The police arrive on suspicion of Cavan's kidnapping, forcing the trio to flee the apartment. They scatter into Madrid streets, unsure of what to do next as the search intensifies.

    When
    late night
    Where
    Boarding house
  10. A city-wide chase for the sign

    Ángel and José María drive through Madrid seeking any sign that could reveal the Antichrist's birth. They chase a man giving a Nostradamus lecture, leading to a stunt-filled chase where three men dressed as the Three Wise Men are shot by police.

    When
    following night
    Where
    Madrid streets
  11. Heavy metal show and TV plea

    Desperate, they crash a heavy metal show and are beaten by attendees. Later, Cavan goes on television to appeal to Ángel, claiming he now believes Ángel's theory and urging him to call.

    When
    later that night
    Where
    Heavy metal venue; television studio
  12. The Gate of Europe and the final confrontation

    Cavan points out the devil's symbols, guiding them to the Gate of Europe towers where an extreme-right gang has murdered homeless people and sprayed Limpia Madrid. The gang's leader is revealed as the devil when he throws José María from the building; Ángel then kills the gang and shoots the devil.

    When
    climax night
    Where
    Gate of Europe (Puerta de Europa), Madrid
  13. Aftermath: new roles and homelessness

    Sometime later, another actor takes over Cavan's TV show, and Ángel and Cavan become homeless drifters. They reflect on their actions and the impossibility of fully revealing their deeds.

    When
    aftermath
    Where
    Madrid streets / TV show set
  14. Missing José María, acceptance of fate

    Ángel misses José María but has come to accept the duo's fate, recognizing their bond and the world they helped save in their own strange way. The ending leaves them wandering, not sure what comes next.

    When
    finale
    Where
    Madrid streets

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:13

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Timeline questions answered

The Day of the Beast Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Day of the Beast (1995): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Ángel decide to commit sins in The Day of the Beast?

Ángel believes he can bargain with Satan to prevent the Antichrist's birth. He discovers a cryptic Bible verse claiming the Antichrist will be born at midnight on Christmas Eve, and he reasons that by selling his soul to the devil first, he can prevent the Antichrist from coming into existence. His plan is to out-sin the devil by committing maximum evil before the deadline.

  • Ángel Berriatúa
  • priest
  • Antichrist
  • soul bargain
  • Bible verse
  • Christmas Eve
Q2

Why does the cross fall on the other priest?

The cross falls immediately after the other priest agrees to help Ángel with his plan. While the film presents this as a potentially divine sign, it remains ambiguous whether it is supernatural intervention, a coincidence, or the universe itself rejecting their pact. This moment sets the tone for the film's darkly comedic approach to religious symbolism.

  • cross
  • priest death
  • church
  • Basque
  • supernatural sign
Q3

What was the virgin blood ritual supposed to accomplish?

Ángel believes the ritual from Professor Cavan's book requires the blood of a virgin to successfully bargain with Satan. He needs to sell his soul before midnight on Christmas Eve to prevent the Antichrist's birth. The ritual is meant to be the vehicle for this soul sale, with virgin blood serving as the essential component.

  • virgin blood
  • ritual
  • Professor Cavan
  • Susana
  • soul bargain
Q4

Why does Ángel kill José María's mother?

Ángel returns to the boarding house to obtain Mina's blood for the ritual. José María's mother confronts him with a shotgun, trying to stop him. During the struggle, Ángel accidentally kills her while attempting to escape with the blood. He did not intend to kill her, the death is a tragic accident that weighs heavily on the narrative.

  • José María mother
  • Mina
  • boarding house
  • accidental death
  • blood
Q5

What does the devil's message in the ashes mean?

After the ritual, a he-goat appears and the devil writes a taunting message in the burnt pages, mocking Ángel's failed attempt to deceive him. The devil recognizes that Ángel's ritual was a fraud, a desperate ploy rather than a genuine bargain. This confirms that Ángel cannot outsmart the devil through tricks, forcing him to confront the actual threat.

  • devil
  • he-goat
  • ritual
  • ashes
  • taunt
  • deception
Q6

Why does Professor Cavan suddenly help Ángel?

After being kidnapped and tortured, Cavan initially dismisses Ángel's theories. However, when he sees the devil's symbolic messages and realizes the gang violence in Madrid matches Ángel's warnings about the Antichrist's arrival, he becomes a believer. He goes on television to urge Ángel to contact him, now understanding that the apocalyptic events are real.

  • Professor Cavan
  • TV show
  • belief
  • devil symbols
  • apocalypse
Q7

Who is the actual Antichrist at the end of The Day of the Beast?

The film leaves this ambiguous, but the baby Ángel saves from the gang is implied to be the Antichrist, as the gang is protecting it and spraying "Limpia Madrid" in a fascist cleansing mission. However, the gang leader is also revealed to be the devil himself when he throws José María off the building, suggesting the devil may be the true Antichrist incarnation rather than the baby.

  • Antichrist
  • baby
  • Gate of Europe
  • devil
  • gang
  • Limpia Madrid
Q8

Why is the gang leader revealed as the devil?

When Ángel and José María confront the extreme-right gang at the Gate of Europe, the leader hurls José María off the building with supernatural strength, revealing his true identity as the devil. This connects the gang's fascist violence ("Limpia Madrid") to demonic forces, turning the social commentary into literal supernatural evil.

  • devil
  • gang leader
  • Gate of Europe
  • José María death
  • supernatural
Q9

Why do Ángel and Cavan become homeless at the end?

After defeating the devil and the gang, Ángel and Cavan are left with no home, no identity, and no way to prove their deeds. They saved the world but became outlaws in the process, Ángel is a murderer and Cavan was kidnapped. The pyrrhic victory leaves them wandering Madrid as homeless drifters, unable to claim credit for stopping the apocalypse.

  • homeless
  • ending
  • Ángel
  • Cavan
  • pyrrhic victory
  • salvation
Q10

What happens to José María in The Day of the Beast?

José María is killed when the devil, disguised as the gang leader at the Gate of Europe, throws him off the building. His death is a major loss for Ángel, who later reflects on missing his friend. José María's death represents the tragic cost of their mission to stop the Antichrist.

  • José María
  • death
  • devil
  • gang
  • Gate of Europe
  • sacrifice
Q11

What was the purpose of the Three Wise Men chase scene?

Ángel and José María chase a man giving a Nostradamus lecture, believing he might have information about the Antichrist's birth. This leads to a chaotic stunt sequence where three men dressed as the Three Wise Men are shot by police. The scene satirizes the absurdity of seeking prophetic answers while also showing Madrid in complete chaos.

  • Nostradamus
  • Wise Men
  • chase
  • prophecy
  • Madrid police

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Day of the Beast, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Day of the Beast tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Apocalyptic Comedies with Sinister Humor like The Day of the Beast

Where the end of the world is treated as a darkly hilarious crisis. If you liked the blend of devil worship and dark comedy in The Day of the Beast, explore these movies that similarly treat the apocalypse with irreverent satire. Find more films with frantic quests, absurd characters, and a tone that mixes horror-fueled stakes with biting humor.

  • sinister humor
  • apocalyptic
  • irreverent
  • frantic
  • absurd
  • bleakly funny
  • Tone: dark, irreverent, absurd
  • Pacing: fast, frantic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically involve a race against time to prevent a cataclysmic event, often rooted in religious or occult mythology. The protagonists are frequently misfits or reluctant heroes whose methods are as unorthodox as the threat they face. The narrative thrives on the friction between the seriousness of the mission and the absurdity of its execution.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their distinctive tonal blend: they share a high-stakes, often horror-infused plot with a consistently dark comedic sensibility. The pacing is fast, the mood is chaotic and irreverent, and the intensity remains high, creating a cohesive experience for viewers who enjoy serious themes delivered with a wicked sense of humor.

Bleakly Absurd Urban Quests like The Day of the Beast

Unlikely allies navigate a decaying city on a morally complex mission. Fans of The Day of the Beast's chaotic trip through Madrid will enjoy these movies featuring frantic quests through gritty cityscapes. Discover similar stories of unlikely alliances, urban decay, and morally complex missions that end on a bittersweet or bleak note.

  • urban decay
  • unlikely alliance
  • frantic
  • bleak
  • morally complex
  • bittersweet ending
  • Tone: bleak, absurd, chaotic
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a linear, fast-paced chase or mission structure. The urban setting is a character in itself, reflecting the themes of decay and chaos. Character arcs are defined by their descent into or confrontation with a darker world, and the resolution often sacrifices personal happiness for a pyrrhic, larger victory, leaving the characters adrift.

Why they belong together: These films share a specific combination of a fast-paced urban quest narrative, a bleakly absurd tone, and a heavy emotional weight. They feature chaotic journeys, themes of faith or morality in crisis, and endings that are bittersweet or bleak, creating a coherent vibe of gritty, morally unsettling adventure.

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Every angle

The Day of the Beast (1995) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Day of the Beast in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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