Time Walker

Time Walker

Year: 1982

Runtime: 83 mins

Language: English

Director: Tom Kennedy

HorrorHorror

Centuries after being sealed in Tutankhamun’s tomb, the ancient mummy Ankh‑Vanharis is shipped by Professor Douglas McCadden to the California Institute of Sciences. X‑ray scanning reveals five diamond‑like crystals, which technician Peter Sharpe steals, unintentionally reviving a green fungus. When the coffin is opened at a university press conference, the mummy disappears, signalling the Time Walker's return.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Time Walker yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Time Walker (1982)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Time Walker (1982). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Modern day

The events take place in contemporary times on a university campus and in Egypt’s ancient tomb. Scientific research, media intrusion, and unexpected danger drive the plot forward in a present-day setting. The narrative moves briskly from discovery to public scrutiny to a hazardous confrontation, maintaining a real-world temporal frame.

Location

California University of the Sciences, Tutankhamun's tomb, Egypt, Campus boiler room

The discovery unfolds on the California University of the Sciences campus, where a mummy in Tutankhamun's tomb is brought for study. The tomb itself serves as a gateway to an alien life form, intertwining ancient mystery with modern science. Key action shifts between the campus laboratories, a high-profile press conference, and a climactic showdown in a campus boiler room.

🗺️ Mystery 👽 Sci‑Fi 🏺 Egyptology 🔬 Science

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:41

Main Characters – Time Walker (1982)

Meet the key characters of Time Walker (1982), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Dr. Ken Melrose — Austin Stoker

A California University of the Sciences professor who leads the examination of the mummy and drives the initial scientific investigation. He translates hieroglyphic clues and tries to separate fact from sensationalism, though he becomes entangled in campus politics and danger as events unfold.

🧪 Scientist 🧭 Investigator 🧬 Curious

Prof. Douglas McCadden — Ben Murphy

A key scientist who discovers the mummy and pushes to decode its origins. He serves as a rational, research-focused figure who links the alien threat to a broader mystery, risking conflict with administrators to pursue knowledge.

🧪 Scientist 🧭 Scholar

Prof. Wendell J. Rossmore — James Karen

University president with political instincts who tries to weaponize the investigation to install a favored director. He prioritizes institutional power and public relations over collaborative science.

🏛️ Authority 💼 Power

Peter Sharpe — Kevin Brophy

A student who steals crystals from the examination, sells them, and unintentionally accelerates the alien’s reawakening. He serves as a catalyst for the crisis, driven by curiosity and opportunism.

🧭 Thief 🧪 Student

Lt. Plummer — Darwin Joston

The campus investigator who initially treats the attacks as a possible serial killer case. He pursues leads with determination, gradually unraveling a larger extraterrestrial threat.

🕵️ Investigator 🧭 Detective

Dr. Hayworth — Antoinette Bower

A fellow scientist who works with the team to identify and address the fungus threat. She balances skepticism with scientific urgency as the situation worsens.

🧪 Scientist 🧭 Researcher

Dr. Bruce Serrano — Sam Chew Jr

A professor who is positioned as the president’s preferred successor, highlighting campus politics and the competition for leadership within the department.

🏛️ Academic 🧠 Power

Linda Flores — Shari Belafonte

A student who becomes entangled in the crisis as the alien fungus threatens the campus community. Her involvement underscores the human stakes of the discovery.

👧 Student 🛡️ Resilience

Susie Fuller — Nina Axelrod

A student connected to the scientific work who witnesses the unfolding events and its consequences on campus life.

👩 Student 🧭 Observer

Jennie — Melissa Prophet

Another student who interacts with the mystery surrounding the crystals and the alien life form, highlighting the wider impact on the student body.

👧 Student 🧩 Participant

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:41

Major Themes – Time Walker (1982)

Explore the central themes of Time Walker (1982), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧪 Science Ethics

Time Walker examines how scientific curiosity can be entangled with political maneuvering and risk. The awakening of the alien fungus shows that knowledge can be weaponized or mishandled if power-hungry individuals intervene. Researchers face pressure to protect reputation and funding while ensuring public safety. The plot uses laboratory discovery to probe responsibility in science.

👽 Alien Life

An otherworldly being lies dormant until revived by human actions, challenging assumptions about biology and safety. The crystals become a critical element for interstellar travel, elevating the stakes of possession and control. The pursuit of the alien generates suspense as characters confront the unknown. The encounter questions humanity’s place in the cosmos and ethics of first contact.

💰 Greed & Power

University politics drive manipulation of investigations and leadership appointments. The president seeks to frame the discovery to advance his own ally, revealing how ambition corrupts judgment. A student’s theft of crystals accelerates danger and cover-ups, highlighting how greed can trigger catastrophic outcomes. The finale leaves a cautionary note about how power interests can overshadow truth.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:41

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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.

Academic horror movies with ancient monsters like Time Walker

When scientific curiosity unearths a deadly force that turns the campus into a hunting ground.If you liked the campus setting and archaeological dread of Time Walker, explore more movies where scientific hubris awakens ancient evils. These films blend monster hunts with institutional cover-ups, turning labs and lecture halls into suspenseful scenes of survival.

suspensefulominousclaustrophobicmysteriousparanoidanxious

Narrative Summary

These narratives typically begin with a discovery—an artifact, a specimen, or an anomaly—that is brought into an academic environment. The initial fascination and professional ambition quickly give way to terror as the entity awakens, forcing characters to use their intellect not for study, but for survival against a threat they don't fully understand.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a specific setting (academic institutions) and a core conflict (scientific curiosity vs. uncontrollable ancient forces). They blend investigative mystery with creature-feature thrills, often featuring themes of institutional responsibility and the dangers of tampering with the unknown.

Movies with relentless creature hunts like the Time Walker

A single-minded entity systematically hunts its targets, creating a pervasive sense of inescapable dread.Fans of the Time Walker's methodical mummy will enjoy these stories of unstoppable entities. If you liked the tense pursuit driven by the stolen crystals, find more movies where a creature's singular focus creates a high-stakes game of cat and mouse.

suspensefulrelentlessominousmethodicalinescapabletense

Narrative Summary

The plot follows a linear structure: the creature is introduced, its motive is revealed (often to retrieve something or follow an instinct), and it begins a systematic pursuit. The human drama revolves around figuring out the creature's pattern and finding a way to stop it, with the steady pacing emphasizing the inevitability of each encounter.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their central antagonist—a creature that is more force of nature than complex character. The similarity lies in the experience of watching a predictable, high-intensity threat unfold, where the suspense is built on the characters' desperate attempts to break the creature's simple, deadly pattern.

Unlock the Full Story of Time Walker

Don't stop at just watching — explore Time Walker in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Time Walker is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Time Walker Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Time Walker, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Time Walker Summary

Time Walker Timeline

Track the full timeline of Time Walker with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Time Walker Timeline

Time Walker Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Time Walker that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Time Walker Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Time Walker

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Time Walker: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Time Walker

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