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The Inhabitants (2015) movie poster

Timeline

The Inhabitants (2015) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2015 · 90 mins · English
Directed by
Shawn Rasmussen, Michael Rasmussen
Starring
Edmund Donovan, Michael Reed, Vasilios Asimakos, Erica Derrickson, Elise Couture, India Pearl

A young couple purchases a historic bed and breakfast in New England, hoping for a fresh start. However, they soon realize the charming property holds a dark secret hidden within its walls. As they settle in, they uncover a disturbing history and must confront the unsettling truth about the house and its former occupants.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Events in order (12)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Movies like The Inhabitants
  5. 5 Every angle

12 events in order · contains spoilers

The Inhabitants Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Inhabitants (2015) 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. Tara confronts a curse tied to Lizzie Borden

    Tara, a teenage girl, becomes convinced that her family is haunted by a curse rooted in Lizzie Borden. The fear overwhelms her, bringing nightmares, murderous impulses, and visions of Lizzie urging violence. To cope, she clings to redesigning vintage clothing, a hobby she shares with her mother Emily.

    When
    opening scenes
    Where
    Tara's home
  2. Nightmares and visions intensify the curse's grip

    Nightmares plague Tara whenever the curse takes hold, and her urge to harm grows stronger. The visions of Lizzie blur the line between fantasy and reality. She turns more to her vintage clothing project as a distraction from the fear.

    When
    nighttime
    Where
    Tara's bedroom
  3. A string of murders puts Tara under police scrutiny

    Several townspeople are found murdered, and the police quickly suspect Tara. All the victims had issues with her, and the killer is reportedly seen wearing one of Tara's dresses. The mounting suspicion forces Tara to seek answers rather than defend herself.

    When
    mid-film
    Where
    The town
  4. Tara seeks answers from her aunt Diane

    Tara visits her aunt Diane, who is institutionalized for murdering her infant. Diane claims that Emily experienced the same curse, suggesting Emily may be the killer and linking the family to the ongoing violence.

    When
    early investigation
    Where
    Mental institution
  5. Diane implicates Emily in the murders

    Diane's warning deepens Tara's confusion, implying Emily is connected to the killings and may be the true murderer. The conversation hints at a shared pattern of violence across generations.

    When
    during visit
    Where
    Diane's room in the institution
  6. Tara and Carl visit the Borden House

    Seeking answers, Tara brings her boyfriend Carl to the Borden House, a landmark tied to the Lizzie Borden legend. There, Tara hopes to uncover clues about the curse and the possible trigger behind the violence.

    When
    later in the story
    Where
    Borden House
  7. Lizzie's seamstress skills spark new theories

    While at the Borden House, Tara learns that Lizzie was an excellent seamstress, which makes her wonder if clothing itself could be the trigger. The idea links the murders to the dresses that have appeared around the victims. Tara begins to see the dresses as a potential link to the curse.

    When
    during visit
    Where
    Borden House
  8. Dresses as a key clue surface

    Tara sends Suzy to fetch dresses from her house, hoping to confirm the theory, but Suzy does not return or respond to calls. The missing girl heightens paranoia and suggests the danger connected to the clothing extends beyond Tara.

    When
    after the Borden House visit
    Where
    Tara's house
  9. Aunt escapes; Emily's true role revealed

    Returning home, Tara discovers that her aunt has escaped from the mental institution. She also learns that Emily is the true killer and that Emily had killed Diane's baby, believing it to be the product of incest between Diane and their father.

    When
    investigation/climax
    Where
    Tara's home
  10. Emily's psychotic rage and allegiance to Lizzie

    Emily, in a psychotic rage, aligns with Lizzie Borden's legend and believes Lizzie killed her parents due to perceived infidelity. She turns toward Tara, intending to slaughter her as part of the curse's culmination.

    When
    climax
    Where
    Tara's home
  11. Policing ends the rampage

    Police arrive and shoot Emily before she can finish Tara. Caleb, Tara's brother, had called for help, bringing authorities to the scene.

    When
    final confrontation
    Where
    Tara's home
  12. The curse persists in spirit

    In the final scene, one of Tara's brothers speaks to the spirit of Lizzie Borden, implying the curse will continue to haunt the family. The haunting legacy remains unresolved as the credits roll.

    When
    final scene
    Where
    Family home

Last updated: October 14, 2025 at 04:07

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Timeline questions answered

The Inhabitants Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Inhabitants (2015): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Tara believe her family is cursed by Lizzie Borden?

Tara becomes convinced that her family is haunted by a curse originating from Lizzie Borden, the infamous 19th-century murderess. She experiences nightmares, murderous impulses, and visions of Lizzie herself, urging her toward violence. This supernatural pressure overwhelms Tara throughout the film, leading her to seek answers about whether the legendary killer's rage has been passed down through her bloodline.

  • Lizzie Borden
  • curse
  • Tara
  • family curse
  • supernatural
Q2

How are the dresses connected to the murders?

The killer is seen wearing one of Tara's dresses at each murder scene, which is why police initially suspect her. Tara later discovers that Lizzie Borden was an excellent seamstress, leading her to theorize that clothing itself may be a trigger for the curse's violent impulses. This connection between fabric and fate suggests the dresses serve as a conduit for the inherited murderous energy.

  • dresses
  • murders
  • clothing
  • Lizzie Borden
  • seamstress
Q3

Why is Tara suspected of the town murders?

Several townspeople are found murdered, and all the victims had conflicts with Tara. Additionally, witnesses report seeing the killer wearing one of Tara's distinctive dresses. This evidence leads police to believe she is the perpetrator, forcing Tara to investigate the real cause rather than defend herself against false accusations.

  • police
  • suspicion
  • murders
  • Tara
  • dresses
Q4

What does Diane reveal about Emily and the curse?

Tara's aunt Diane, institutionalized for murdering her own infant, tells Tara that Emily (Tara's mother) experienced the same curse. This revelation suggests the violence runs in the family and that Emily may be connected to the current murders. The warning plants doubt in Tara's mind about her own mother being the true killer.

  • Diane
  • Emily
  • curse
  • institutionalized
  • family violence
Q5

Why does Emily kill Diane's baby?

Emily killed Diane's infant because she believed the child was the product of incest between Diane and their father. This psychotic belief drove Emily to commit infanticide, which she later justifies through her alignment with Lizzie Borden's legend, convinced that Lizzie killed her own parents for similar reasons of perceived betrayal.

  • Emily
  • Diane
  • baby
  • incest
  • murder
  • psychosis
Q6

What does Tara discover at the Borden House?

At the Borden House, Tara learns that Lizzie Borden was described as an excellent seamstress. This discovery strengthens her theory that clothing and fashion are linked to the curse's trigger mechanism. The revelation connects the dresses found at murder scenes to Lizzie's own skill with needle and thread, suggesting the garments carry the curse's violent energy.

  • Borden House
  • Lizzie Borden
  • seamstress
  • dresses
  • discovery
Q7

How is Emily revealed as the true killer?

When Tara returns home after visiting the Borden House, she discovers that her aunt Diane has escaped from the mental institution. The truth then unfolds: Emily is revealed as the actual killer behind the town murders, not Tara. Emily had been using the curse legend and the dresses to frame her daughter while carrying out the violent acts herself.

  • Emily
  • true killer
  • revealed
  • frame
  • Tara
Q8

Why does Emily align herself with Lizzie Borden?

Emily, in a psychotic rage, becomes convinced that Lizzie Borden's legendary murders of her parents were justified responses to infidelity and betrayal. This belief system provides Emily with a twisted moral framework for her own violence, including the killing of Diane's baby and her attempt to murder Tara. She sees herself as carrying out Lizzie's righteous fury.

  • Emily
  • Lizzie Borden
  • alignment
  • psychosis
  • justification
Q9

How does Caleb help stop Emily?

Caleb, Tara's brother, realizes the danger and calls the police for help. When Emily turns on Tara and attempts to kill her, authorities arrive in time to shoot Emily before she can complete the murder. Caleb's quick thinking averts a complete catastrophe, though the immediate intervention leaves the family traumatized.

  • Caleb
  • police
  • help
  • intervention
  • Tara
Q10

What does the ending imply about the curse's future?

In the final scene, one of Tara's brothers is shown speaking with the spirit of Lizzie Borden, implying the curse remains active and will continue to haunt the family. The cycle of violence is not broken, Emily's death merely removes one perpetrator while the supernatural influence persists, suggesting future generations may fall victim to the same murderous impulses.

  • curse
  • ending
  • Lizzie Borden
  • spirit
  • continuation
  • cycle
Q11

What role does Tara's vintage clothing hobby play?

Tara uses redesigning vintage clothing as a coping mechanism to manage the fear and murderous impulses caused by the curse. Her mother Emily secretly helps sell the reimagined pieces online. This creative outlet allows Tara to channel her anxiety into something tangible and positive, providing her with a fragile sense of stability amid the supernatural terror.

  • vintage clothing
  • Tara
  • coping
  • hobby
  • creativity
Q12

How does the curse affect Tara's behavior?

The curse manifests in Tara through nightmares, violent visions of Lizzie Borden, and uncontrollable murderous impulses that she dreads but cannot fully resist. These symptoms blur the line between reality and supernatural influence, making it difficult for Tara to distinguish between her own desires and the curse's push toward violence.

  • curse
  • visions
  • impulses
  • Tara
  • nightmares
  • Lizzie Borden

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Inhabitants, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about inescapable family curses like The Inhabitants

Stories where characters discover a terrifying family legacy they cannot escape. If you were fascinated by the hereditary curse in The Inhabitants, you'll find similar chills in these films. This list features horror and thriller movies like The Inhabitants where characters uncover a dark family legacy, exploring themes of inherited madness, generational trauma, and a fate that seems impossible to break.

  • disturbing
  • unsettling
  • psychological
  • inherited dread
  • family secrets
  • oppressive
  • Tone: dark, oppressive
  • Pacing: steady, investigative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a character or family unit as they move into a new setting or investigate their past, only to uncover a grim truth about their lineage. The plot involves piecing together clues from history, often revealing that the current threat is a cyclical, inescapable part of their identity, leading to a confrontation that questions free will versus predestined doom.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are united by the central theme of a hereditary threat. They share a dark, oppressive tone and a steady pacing that allows the dread of this revelation to build. The emotional weight is consistently heavy, focusing on the psychological terror of discovering that the greatest danger comes from within your own family tree.

Oppressive haunted house movies like The Inhabitants

Films where a house's malevolent history slowly consumes its new inhabitants. For viewers who enjoyed the chilling atmosphere of The Inhabitants, this list features similar horror movies with a steadily building dread. Discover films like The Inhabitants where a historic house with a grim past psychologically torments its residents, leading to a bleak and heavy conclusion.

  • haunting
  • oppressive
  • claustrophobic
  • suspenseful
  • atmospheric
  • paranoid
  • Tone: dark, haunting
  • Pacing: steady, slow burn
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves characters—often a family or couple—seeking a fresh start in a new property, only to find it is a prison of past tragedies. The story unfolds through a gradual unveiling of the home's secrets, with the building's influence causing paranoia, supernatural events, and the psychological deterioration of the inhabitants, often culminating in a tragic confrontation.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared oppressive mood and steady, methodical pacing that builds palpable tension. They prioritize a haunting, unsettling atmosphere over fast-paced action, creating a sense of dread that is both psychological and supernatural. The experience is defined by high intensity arising from sustained suspense and a dark, bleak outlook.

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The Inhabitants (2015) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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