The Day Time Ended

The Day Time Ended

Year: 1980

Runtime: 80 mins

Language: English

Director: John "Bud" Cardos

Science FictionHorrorAdventureMonsters aliens sci-fi and the apocalypseAction-packed space and alien sagas

Deep in a remote desert, a rural American family finds its quiet night shattered when a luminous UFO hovers over their home, plunging them into an inter‑dimensional assault of extraterrestrial terror that forces them to confront unimaginable threats until dawn.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Day Time Ended (1980)

Trace every key event in The Day Time Ended (1980) 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

Welcome back to the desert home

A father and his elder son greet the rest of the family as they return from vacation to a gleaming, state-of-the-art house in the Sonoran Desert. The home’s modern features promise comfort and safety, setting a calm tone despite what’s about to unfold. The anticipation of an ordinary evening quickly gives way to strange signals from the wider world.

Evening Sonoran Desert, new home
2

Eerie signals from the barn

News reports recount a spectacular triple supernova, while the granddaughter reports seeing a glowing alien construction behind the barn. The family remains curious but placid, treating it as background color to their routine return. The combination of science fiction spectacle and a quiet family evening hints at incoming danger.

Late afternoon Behind the barn, Sonoran Desert home
3

UFOs over the hills

Unsettling lights glide across the night sky and vanish into the hills near the house. The family watches, uneasy, as rumors of extraterrestrial activity spill beyond the TV reports. The calm of the evening begins to fracture as something unseen presses in.

Evening Hills surrounding the home
4

Rift opens in space-time

The triple supernova appears to rupture reality, opening a rift that distorts their surroundings. Objects flicker, and a sense of being watched settles over the house. The family realizes the phenomena are not merely weather or news, but a gateway to another dimension.

Evening Near the home
5

Power outages and interference

Electrical power falters as devices spasm and cutting-edge systems whine with unfamiliar energy. The house’s safety and routines strain under the unseen pressure. The moment marks the first clear sign that normal life is breaking down.

Evening Inside the house
6

Granddaughter’s telepathic contact

During an anxious moment, the granddaughter experiences a telepathic encounter with an extraterrestrial presence. Her description hints at a mind-to-mind link rather than a physical visitation. The scene deepens the sense that nonhuman forces are already among them.

Evening Inside the house
7

Grandmother sees a beckoning creature

The grandmother glimpses one of the diminutive aliens beckoning from the shadows, but the creature vanishes almost as soon as she notices it. The brief sighting adds to the sense of being watched and to the mystery of the rift. The home becomes a place where reality feels permeable.

Evening Inside the house
8

Grandfather spots the approaching danger

The grandfather sees a strange creature approaching from a distance and rushes inside to warn the family. He urges caution as the threat grows, underscoring the imminent danger outside. The sense of imminent intrusion dominates the family’s fragile calm.

Evening Outside the house
9

Creatures fight and a probe breaks in

Two horrific reptilian or amphibian monsters clash right outside, their combat echoing through the walls. A small camera-like probe craft circles the house, trying to breach the defenses. The family watches in terror as the threats threaten to reach them, before they are abruptly pulled away.

Evening Outside the house
10

Time warp isolates the family

The threats are teleported away through what appears to be a time warp, leaving the family bewildered and separated from the flow of time. They realize they are trapped in a moment where hours and days feel the same. The sense of isolation intensifies as they determine a plan to survive.

Evening Inside and around the house
11

The family prepares to flee

As night falls, the family begins packing to leave the home that sits at the center of the disruption. Each member seeks safe passage, aware that staying could mean danger. The plan to seek refuge elsewhere takes shape against an ominous, expanding horizon.

Evening Around the house
12

Elder son’s return is thwarted

The elder son tries to hurry back from the city, but rushing UFOs crash his car on the road. The accident worsens the family’s fragmentation as they lose contact with their son. This event marks a turning point, forcing the remaining family to adapt to a new reality.

Evening Road near the city
13

Family split continues

The group disperses: grandparents and their younger son stay behind, while the daughter-in-law, her husband, and their daughter move away. The separation heightens tension but also foreshadows new alliances. Everyone clings to the hope that reunions are possible, despite the danger.

Evening Around the desert home and road
14

Reunion glimpsed and domed city appears

The daughter-in-law reconnects with her husband and daughter, meeting up with her own parents and brother-in-law. A domed city looms in the distance, offering a possible sanctuary from the anomaly. The family edges toward it, unsure but determined.

Evening Desert road toward domed city
15

Desert trek toward shelter; purposeful ending

With a sense of purpose, the family sets off toward the domed city as the grandfather voices that there must be a reason behind it all. They walk into the unknown, united by the hope of shelter and safety. The film ends on the threshold of a new refuge, leaving the fate of the family in the hands of the mystery beyond the rift.

Night Desert toward domed city

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:51

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Day Time Ended

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