Leprechaun
When Dan O'Grady returns to the U.S. after stealing some Irish leprechaun's pot of gold, he thinks he can settle down and enjoy his newfound wealth. He thought wrong. The leprechaun followed him and O'Grady barely gets away with his life, having locked the little monster in his basement. Ten years later, J.D. and his spoiled daughter Tory move in. By accident, the leprechaun is released and almost immediately the annoying creature starts to look for his gold, not displaying any respect for human life.
Despite its small-scale budget of $1.0M, Leprechaun became a commercial juggernaut, earning $8.6M worldwide—a remarkable 760% return. The film's compelling narrative connected with viewers, illustrating how strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
1 win & 1 nomination
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Leprechaun (1993) reveals carefully calibrated dramatic framework, characteristic of Mark Jones's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 31 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Tory Redding
Leprechaun
Nathan Murphy
J.D. Redding
Alex Murphy
Ozzie Jones
Main Cast & Characters
Tory Redding
Played by Jennifer Aniston
A young woman who moves to North Dakota with her father and becomes the primary target of the Leprechaun's wrath.
Leprechaun
Played by Warwick Davis
A malevolent, sadistic Irish leprechaun who hunts down anyone who steals his gold with murderous intent.
Nathan Murphy
Played by Ken Olandt
A simple-minded but kind-hearted man who befriends Tory and becomes her protector against the Leprechaun.
J.D. Redding
Played by Robert Hy Gorman
Tory's father, a paint-by-numbers businessman who buys the farmhouse where the Leprechaun was imprisoned.
Alex Murphy
Played by John Sanderford
Nathan's younger brother, a rebellious teenager who gets caught up in the Leprechaun's deadly game.
Ozzie Jones
Played by Mark Holton
The youngest member of the painting crew, a child who accidentally swallows one of the Leprechaun's gold coins.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Tory arrives with her father at their new rural North Dakota home, a dilapidated farmhouse meant to be their fresh start. She's clearly a city girl out of her element, unhappy about the move.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 10 minutes when The Leprechaun is accidentally freed from his crate prison in the basement after ten years of captivity. The malevolent force is now loose and seeking his stolen gold.. At 11% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 24 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to The group witnesses the Leprechaun directly and realizes the supernatural threat is real. They make the active choice to fight back rather than flee, committing to battle the creature., moving from reaction to action.
At 46 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat False defeat: The Leprechaun retrieves most of his gold and grows more powerful. What seemed like a manageable threat now appears unstoppable. The stakes escalate dramatically., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 68 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Ozzie is gravely injured and appears to be dying from the Leprechaun's attack. The "whiff of death" as the group's most innocent member faces mortality, and all hope seems lost., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 72 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Tory realizes they must use the Leprechaun's greed against him and synthesizes everything learned: four-leaf clovers, his need for gold, and a final trap. New resolve to end this once and for all., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Leprechaun's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Leprechaun against these established plot points, we can identify how Mark Jones utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Leprechaun within the comedy genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Tory arrives with her father at their new rural North Dakota home, a dilapidated farmhouse meant to be their fresh start. She's clearly a city girl out of her element, unhappy about the move.
Theme
Ozzie warns about the danger of greed when discussing the previous owner's obsession with gold: "That stuff can make people do crazy things." The thematic warning about materialism corrupting the soul.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the new world: meeting Nathan and his crew (Ozzie and Alex), exploring the decrepit house, learning about the property's dark history, and establishing Tory's fish-out-of-water status.
Disruption
The Leprechaun is accidentally freed from his crate prison in the basement after ten years of captivity. The malevolent force is now loose and seeking his stolen gold.
Resistance
Strange occurrences begin as the Leprechaun starts his terror campaign. The group debates what's happening, dismissing supernatural explanations. Tory and Nathan grow closer while tension builds.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The group witnesses the Leprechaun directly and realizes the supernatural threat is real. They make the active choice to fight back rather than flee, committing to battle the creature.
Mirror World
Tory and Nathan share a genuine moment of connection amid the chaos, representing human warmth and relationship as the antithesis to the Leprechaun's greedy isolation.
Premise
The "fun and games" of battling a supernatural creature: chase sequences, clever traps, learning the Leprechaun's weaknesses, discovering four-leaf clovers as weapons, and increasingly creative horror-comedy kills.
Midpoint
False defeat: The Leprechaun retrieves most of his gold and grows more powerful. What seemed like a manageable threat now appears unstoppable. The stakes escalate dramatically.
Opposition
The Leprechaun hunts them relentlessly, picking them off. Their defenses fail, safe spaces are violated, and the creature's magic proves increasingly difficult to counter. Desperation sets in.
Collapse
Ozzie is gravely injured and appears to be dying from the Leprechaun's attack. The "whiff of death" as the group's most innocent member faces mortality, and all hope seems lost.
Crisis
The dark night of despair as they process Ozzie's condition and face the seeming inevitability of their deaths. The Leprechaun has won.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Tory realizes they must use the Leprechaun's greed against him and synthesizes everything learned: four-leaf clovers, his need for gold, and a final trap. New resolve to end this once and for all.
Synthesis
The final confrontation: executing the plan, using the Leprechaun's weakness, the climactic battle, and ultimately destroying the creature by exploiting his singular obsession with gold.
Transformation
Tory stands victorious with Nathan and the surviving group. No longer the helpless city girl from the opening, she's proven her courage and chosen people over property. The house may be destroyed, but relationships survived.