The Kiss

The Kiss

Year: 1988

Runtime: 101 mins

Language: English

Director: Pen Densham

DramaHorrorFantasyThriller

After her mother’s death, a teenage girl begins to experience unsettling supernatural phenomena. The disturbances intensify when her mother’s estranged sister shows up, slipping into the household and gradually manipulating both the girl and her father’s lives. The film warns viewers not to watch with their eyes closed.

The Kiss (1988) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at The Kiss (1988) 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 the quiet suburbs of Albany, a teenage girl named Amy Halloran is left to navigate the sudden void left by her mother’s death. The house that once hummed with familiar comforts now feels thin, as if unseen forces are pressing against its walls. Everyday moments begin to warp with a subtle, unsettling presence that seems to seep into the corners of her life, turning ordinary rooms into spaces where the ordinary and the uncanny coexist.

The fragile balance of the Halloran household is further disturbed when Felice, the estranged sister of Amy’s late mother, arrives unannounced. Her presence is both alluring and disconcerting, as she slips seamlessly into the family’s routine, offering a connection to a past that Amy never truly knew. Jack, Amy’s father, finds his world quietly shifting under the weight of this new dynamic, while the house itself seems to respond to the tension bubbling beneath the surface. The film gently amplifies the sense that something ancient and inexplicable is stirring, weaving a mood that is simultaneously intimate and foreboding.

Through a palette of dimly lit interiors, lingering camera work, and a soundtrack that hovers just at the edge of the audible, the story creates an atmosphere that feels like a whisper you can’t quite catch—an invitation to watch with every sense alert. The tension builds not through overt action but through the slow, relentless creep of the supernatural into the family’s daily rhythm. It is a tale that thrives on the fear of the unseen, reminding viewers that some mysteries are best faced with eyes wide open.

Last Updated: December 03, 2025 at 23:48

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Explore Movie Threads

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 where families are haunted by evil like in The Kiss

Stories where an external evil invades and twists a seemingly safe family life.If you liked the sinister invasion of the family home in The Kiss, explore more movies like it. This collection features similar supernatural horror stories where an external evil manipulates and destroys domestic life, focusing on psychological terror and inherited curses.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically begin with a disruption to a domestic setting, often following a loss or the arrival of a malevolent force. The narrative progresses by showing how this evil subtly or overtly manipulates family members, turning them against each other and corrupting the safety of the home, leading to a climactic confrontation with the supernatural threat.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared core premise: a supernatural entity targeting a family unit within their own home. They share a dark, oppressive tone, a steady pacing that builds suspense, and a heavy emotional weight derived from the violation of familial trust and safety.

Movies with a sinister, steady build like The Kiss

Films that maintain a constant, unsettling tension from start to finish.Fans of the relentless, oppressive atmosphere in The Kiss will find more movies like it here. This selection focuses on horror and thriller films that share a steady pacing, a consistently dark and tense tone, and a high-intensity feeling of inescapable dread.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern here is one of linear, escalating threat. The ominous tone is established early and maintained throughout, with events methodically increasing the stakes and psychological pressure on the characters. There are few comic relief moments or major shifts in pace, creating a cohesive experience of sustained anxiety.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their cinematic approach to tension. They share a specific combination of a dark tone, steady pacing, and high intensity, resulting in a cohesive vibe of relentless dread. The similarity lies less in plot specifics and more in the consistent, oppressive mood they create.

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The Kiss Summary

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The Kiss Summary

The Kiss Timeline

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The Kiss Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Kiss

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Kiss

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