The Severed Arm

The Severed Arm

Year: 1973

Runtime: 91 mins

Language: English

Director: Thomas S. Alderman

Horror

After a cave collapse leaves five men stranded, they amputate one companion’s arm to survive. Rescued later, the maimed survivor, now unhinged, turns into a murderous maniac wielding an axe, hunting his former comrades one by one. Driven by fear and guilt, he stalks each survivor, delivering lethal blows.

The Severed Arm (1973) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at The Severed Arm (1973) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a remote, winding canyon the earth collapses, sealing a small party of cave explorers beneath stone and darkness. With supplies dwindling and hope fading, the men are forced to confront an unimaginable choice: they sever one companion’s arm to stave off starvation. The act, performed in desperation, leaves a scar that is far deeper than flesh, a secret bound by silence and a fragile pact of survival.

Years later, the survivors have scattered into ordinary lives, each carrying the weight of that night. Jeff Ashton lives a quiet existence until a strange package forces him to revisit the buried trauma. He reaches out to his old friend Doctor Ray Sanders, a pragmatic medic whose steady demeanor masks his own unease about the past. Together they locate Mark Richards, now a police detective, whose methodical mind has never quite let go of the unanswered questions that linger after the rescue.

The reunion of the original group awakens an undercurrent of tension that the world outside the cave never quite understood. The man whose arm was taken, now living with a permanent reminder of survival, has become a quiet storm of guilt and fear, his psyche teetering on the edge of something darker. The barren landscape around the caves mirrors the emptiness that has settled over their relationships, and an oppressive, claustrophobic atmosphere hangs over every conversation.

As the former comrades navigate their strained connections, the story presses on the thin line between camaraderie and the primal instinct to survive. The tone remains tense and unsettling, a blend of psychological horror and stark survival drama that asks what remains when the very act that saved a life also threatens to unmake it.

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 18:23

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about vengeful trauma like The Severed Arm

Stories where past survival horrors trigger a methodical, lethal reckoning.If you liked The Severed Arm for its story of revenge stemming from a survival horror, you'll find similar thrills here. These films feature characters hunted due to a past traumatic event, blending psychological horror with a methodical, vengeance-driven plot.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically begins with a traumatic group survival incident that forces a morally compromising choice. Years later, this event catalyzes a revenge plot, where a survivor or an avatar of their trauma methodically targets the others, often blurring the lines between victim and villain.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the long-term psychological fallout of trauma manifesting as violent revenge. They share a dark tone, steady pacing for a methodical hunt, and a heavy emotional weight centered on guilt and consequences.

Claustrophobic survival horror movies like The Severed Arm

Tales of survival in tight spaces that force horrific choices and destroy sanity.Fans of The Severed Arm's cave collapse and desperate survival will appreciate these films. Discover similar stories of confinement, where characters face starvation and are driven to brutal acts, exploring the dark side of human nature under extreme pressure.

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Narrative Summary

The plot revolves around a group forced into a life-or-death situation within a confined space. To survive, they commit an act that crosses a moral line, such as violence against one of their own. The narrative then explores the immediate and long-term psychological devastation of that decision.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by the potent combination of a claustrophobic setting and a narrative centered on the moral decay that extreme survival necessitates. They generate high tension and anxiety, often culminating in a bleak outlook on human nature.

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The Severed Arm Summary

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The Severed Arm Summary

The Severed Arm Timeline

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The Severed Arm Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Severed Arm

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Severed Arm

More About The Severed Arm

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