When the Lights Went Out
Year: 2012
Runtime: 86 mins
Language: English
Director: Pat Holden
In 1974 Yorkshire, the Maynard family moves into their ideal home, only to have the dream turn into a terrifying nightmare. They soon uncover a horrifying truth that will enter the history books: the house is already haunted by the most violent poltergeist recorded, a spirit that can wrench occupants from their beds and drag them into darkness.
When the Lights Went Out (2012) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview
Get a spoiler-free look at When the Lights Went Out (2012) 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 hills of 1974 Yorkshire, a newly‑built house promises a fresh start for a family eager to leave behind the cramped confines of their past. The property, set amid mist‑softened fields and ancient woods, feels like a rare sanctuary where modern comforts meet the romance of rural England. Yet the very walls that whisper of domestic bliss also seem to retain an older, unsettled memory, hinting that the land itself guards secrets older than the newly‑laid foundations.
At the heart of this story are Len and Jenny, a pragmatic couple whose love is tempered by the pressures of providing security for their teenage daughter, Sally. Their dynamic is a blend of hopeful optimism and quiet apprehension, each trying to nurture a sense of normalcy while the house subtly tests their resolve. Sally navigates teenage turbulence, her curiosity and sensitivity making her especially attuned to the house’s lingering unease. Around them, the nearby community offers glimpses of ordinary life—a schoolteacher, a local priest—each a potential anchor or conduit to the mysteries that linger just beyond the kitchen window.
The film breathes a slow, atmospheric dread, balancing the nostalgic glow of a 1970s family drama with an ever‑present sense of danger lurking in the shadows. Light and darkness play across the rooms, and ordinary sounds—creaking floorboards, distant wind—take on an ominous quality, suggesting that the home’s promise may conceal something far more volatile. This tension between aspiration and the unknown invites viewers to wonder what lies beneath the veneer of a perfect domestic haven, and whether the family’s pursuit of peace will ever truly be secured.
Last Updated: September 26, 2025 at 04:39
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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.
Grim historical hauntings like in When the Lights Went Out
True-story hauntings with violent, documented poltergeist activity and grim outcomes.If you liked the true-story terror of When the Lights Went Out, you'll find more movies here based on documented hauntings. These films explore violent poltergeist activity with a grim, historical foundation, delivering similar feelings of oppressive dread and family trauma in the face of a seemingly unstoppable evil.
The Haunting
1963
Poltergeist
1982
Paranormal Activity
2009
Poltergeist
2015
The Dead Room
2016
When the Lights Went Out
2012
P.O.V. A Cursed Film
2012
Horror Story
2013
Death of a Ghost Hunter
2007
Beyond Evil
1980
Witchtrap
1989
The Woman in Black
1989
Curse of the Black Widow
1977
Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor
2023
Paranormal Activity
2024
Narrative Summary
These stories typically follow a family or group moving into a new space, only to uncover its violent paranormal history. The narrative progresses from initial skepticism to terrifying confirmation, often involving outside experts or religious figures. The climax is a desperate confrontation with the entity, frequently leaving lingering trauma even if the immediate threat is subdued.
Why These Movies?
They are grouped by their grounding in real-world paranormal claims, a focus on violent physical hauntings (poltergeists), and a consistently grim, high-intensity tone. The shared experience is the claustrophobic terror of a home turned hostile by a malicious presence with a documented backstory.
Claustrophobic domestic terror movies like When the Lights Went Out
The home becomes a prison as a family is tormented from within its walls.For viewers seeking similar films to When the Lights Went Out, this thread features horror stories where the home itself becomes the enemy. Discover movies about families trapped and psychologically tormented by supernatural forces, all sharing a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere and a heavy emotional weight focused on survival.
The Deep House
2021
In Fear
2014
Them
2007
Our House
2018
The Blair Witch Project
1999
When a Stranger Calls
2006
The Dead Room
2016
When the Lights Went Out
2012
The Barrens
2012
Interior
2014
Satan’s Playground
2006
Mountaintop Motel Massacre
1983
When a Stranger Calls Back
1993
Don’t Open the Door
2024
The Spiral Staircase
1946
Narrative Summary
The narrative revolves around a family's struggle for survival within their own compromised sanctuary. The threat is internal and pervasive, escalating from subtle disturbances to direct physical attacks. The story explores themes of familial bonds under extreme stress, psychological torment, and the desperation to reclaim a sense of safety that has been violently shattered.
Why These Movies?
These films share a core premise of domestic invasion by a supernatural entity, resulting in a uniquely claustrophobic and anxious viewing experience. They are united by a high-intensity, tense tone, a steady pacing that builds oppressive dread, and a focus on the emotional devastation of having one's safest space violated.
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When the Lights Went Out Summary
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