The Possessed

The Possessed

Year: 1976

Runtime: 97 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Tadashi Imai

Horror

Oshima, a wealthy young woman, is married to Shinzo. His cousin Sawa harbors a deep jealousy toward Oshima and places a curse on her, rendering Shinzo unable to touch or be intimate with his wife. Enraged, Shinzo turns his affection toward Sawa, beginning an affair.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Possessed (1976)

Trace every key event in The Possessed (1976) 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

Leahy returns to life as an exorcist after fatal crash

Kevin Leahy dies in a car crash and is given a penance to return to Earth to fight evil as an exorcist. He is resurrected and returns to life, then sets out to confront the mysterious fires plaguing the Helen Page School. This return marks the start of the campus's supernatural ordeal.

The moment of the crash On the road near Salem, Oregon
2

Strange fires begin at Helen Page School

Unexplained fires begin erupting around the Helen Page School as graduation season approaches. Ellen Sumner reports the incidents and grows convinced something supernatural is at work. Leahy arrives and begins to parallel his exorcist mission with the investigation.

During graduation season Helen Page School, Salem, Oregon
3

Weezie's dorm blaze and prank

A prank by Lane, Alex, Celia, and Marty ends with Weezie's dorm being smeared with liquids and the curtains bursting into flames that night. Weezie witnesses the flames and warns the staff, but Gelson insists the blaze was caused by smoking. The incident ignites fear across the campus and draws attention to the growing danger.

Night of the prank Weezie's dorm, Helen Page School
4

Lane's gown catches fire during graduation practice

During graduation practice, Lane's gown bursts into flames. Ellen and Paul Winjam rush to extinguish the fire, but Lane suffers burns to her legs. The incident confirms that the fires are intentional and linked to a malevolent force.

During graduation practice Graduation practice hall, Helen Page School
5

Investigation expands as Sgt Taplinger takes note

Sergeant Taplinger begins to investigate the campus fires. Ellen explains that the incidents feel supernatural rather than accidental. Leahy joins the inquiry, bringing an exorcist's perspective to the investigation.

After Lane's injury Campus, Helen Page School
6

Leahy and Ellen visit Lane in hospital

Leahy and Ellen visit Lane in the hospital to assess her burns and discuss the escalating fires. They piece together a pattern that hints at something beyond ordinary danger. The team realizes they are dealing with a malevolent spiritual force.

After Lane's injury Hospital, near Helen Page School
7

Weezie reveals the biology-room tragedy

Weezie confesses that she met Winjam in the biology room the night of the incident, where his jacket burst into flames and he died as she watched. The confession ties personal secrets to the deadly events plaguing the campus. Gelson's affair with Winjam is revealed as part of the mounting motive.

Night of the biology room incident Biology room, Helen Page School
8

Gelson's distress escalates and the school shuts down

Gelson is found crying in Winjam's office and the school suspends classes as students begin to leave. Weezie's mother and Leahy become more involved as the danger deepens. Gelson's erratic wandering and wild behavior signal a festering haunting on the campus.

The day after Weezie's confession Winjam's office and campus
9

The living threat moves through the dorms

Remaining girls are locked in dorms as fires spread and rooms lock themselves. Gelson unlocks the rooms and leads the students away while Leahy searches for the missing occupants. The sense of a trapped, supernatural threat grows throughout the dormitories.

Evening of chaos Dormitories, Helen Page School
10

Final confrontation at the pool

The possessed Gelson confronts Leahy at the college swimming pool while the girls watch. She spits nails and flames lash out, and Leahy embraces the possession, catching fire himself and leaping into the pool to disappear. The climax leaves Leahy's fate unresolved as the school faces the aftermath.

Final confrontation College swimming pool
11

Graduation day: aftermath and uncertainty

In the aftermath, the college reopens for graduation and Taplinger questions Ellen about Leahy's identity. Ellen says she does not know who he really was or where he went. Lane returns to participate in the graduation ceremony, led by a healthy Ms Gelson.

Graduation day Graduation ceremony, Helen Page School

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:24

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