The Hidden
An alien parasite with the ability to possess human bodies goes on a violent crime spree in LA, committing dozens of murders and robberies. In pursuit of the extraterrestrial criminal is an FBI agent, and the local officer investigating the rash of violence. As they close in on the vicious intruder, the city faces a brutal threat like no other it has ever encountered.
Working with a modest budget of $5.0M, the film achieved a modest success with $9.7M in global revenue (+95% profit margin).
4 wins & 6 nominations
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%)
The Hidden (1987) exhibits carefully calibrated dramatic framework, characteristic of Jack Sholder's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 36 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes A violent bank robbery erupts as Jack DeVries, possessed by an alien parasite, guns down security guards and flees in a stolen Ferrari, establishing a world where sudden, inexplicable violence shatters normalcy.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when FBI Agent Lloyd Gallagher arrives at the precinct requesting to work with Beck on the DeVries case. His strange intensity and unusual questions about DeVries's condition signal something deeply wrong about this investigation.. At 12% 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 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Beck witnesses the impossible - the mild-mannered patient who received the parasite commits brutal murders with superhuman strength. He chooses to trust Gallagher's unconventional investigation despite his captain's skepticism, crossing into a world where the rules no longer apply., moving from reaction to action.
At 48 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat The alien parasite takes over a stripper's body and infiltrates a nightclub. Gallagher finally reveals the full truth: he is an alien cop pursuing a criminal of his own species. The parasite killed his partner and family. Beck must now accept an impossible reality - they are hunting an extraterrestrial serial killer., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 71 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The alien-possessed Senator Holt murders his way through security. Beck confronts it alone and is brutally shot multiple times. Gallagher arrives too late - Beck lies dying, and the alien escapes in the Senator's body toward a press conference where it will gain unstoppable power., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 77 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Gallagher chooses to pursue the alien to the press conference, understanding that stopping this evil is what Beck would want. He repairs his alien weapon and commits fully to the mission, even knowing he may not survive. His bond with Beck has taught him what his partner's sacrifice truly means., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Hidden's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping The Hidden against these established plot points, we can identify how Jack Sholder utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Hidden within the crime genre.
Jack Sholder's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Jack Sholder films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Hidden takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Jack Sholder filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional crime films include The Bad Guys, Rustom and The Whole Ten Yards. For more Jack Sholder analyses, see Renegades, A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
A violent bank robbery erupts as Jack DeVries, possessed by an alien parasite, guns down security guards and flees in a stolen Ferrari, establishing a world where sudden, inexplicable violence shatters normalcy.
Theme
Detective Tom Beck remarks to colleagues about DeVries: "This guy was a model citizen two weeks ago" - articulating the theme that evil can hide beneath any surface and identity is not what it appears.
Worldbuilding
Los Angeles is established as a city under siege by senseless violence. We meet Detective Beck, a dedicated family man and cop, as he pursues DeVries through a destructive car chase. DeVries is shot multiple times but survives, hospitalized in critical condition.
Disruption
FBI Agent Lloyd Gallagher arrives at the precinct requesting to work with Beck on the DeVries case. His strange intensity and unusual questions about DeVries's condition signal something deeply wrong about this investigation.
Resistance
Beck reluctantly partners with the enigmatic Gallagher, who insists DeVries is more dangerous than anyone realizes. At the hospital, the alien parasite transfers from the dying DeVries into another patient. A new killing spree begins, and Beck struggles to understand how a comatose man connects to fresh murders.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Beck witnesses the impossible - the mild-mannered patient who received the parasite commits brutal murders with superhuman strength. He chooses to trust Gallagher's unconventional investigation despite his captain's skepticism, crossing into a world where the rules no longer apply.
Mirror World
Gallagher reveals partial truths to Beck over dinner, and we glimpse his alien nature - he doesn't understand human customs, food, or social norms. Their partnership deepens as Beck's humanity begins to influence Gallagher, establishing their bond as the film's emotional core.
Premise
Beck and Gallagher hunt the body-jumping alien across Los Angeles. The parasite leaves a trail of stolen Ferraris, heavy metal music, and murdered hosts. Each time they get close, it transfers to a new body. Gallagher demonstrates strange abilities and knowledge while Beck's detective instincts prove invaluable.
Midpoint
The alien parasite takes over a stripper's body and infiltrates a nightclub. Gallagher finally reveals the full truth: he is an alien cop pursuing a criminal of his own species. The parasite killed his partner and family. Beck must now accept an impossible reality - they are hunting an extraterrestrial serial killer.
Opposition
The alien becomes aware it's being hunted by one of its own kind. It strategically chooses more powerful hosts, eventually targeting Senator Holt, a presidential candidate. Beck faces pressure from his captain and colleagues who think he's gone crazy. The alien gains political protection while Gallagher's alien weapon is damaged.
Collapse
The alien-possessed Senator Holt murders his way through security. Beck confronts it alone and is brutally shot multiple times. Gallagher arrives too late - Beck lies dying, and the alien escapes in the Senator's body toward a press conference where it will gain unstoppable power.
Crisis
Beck is rushed to the hospital, mortally wounded. Gallagher faces the impossible choice: save his dying partner or stop the alien before it becomes untouchable. The weight of his previous losses - his partner, his family - haunts him as he realizes he may lose Beck too.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Gallagher chooses to pursue the alien to the press conference, understanding that stopping this evil is what Beck would want. He repairs his alien weapon and commits fully to the mission, even knowing he may not survive. His bond with Beck has taught him what his partner's sacrifice truly means.
Synthesis
Gallagher storms the press conference and confronts Senator Holt. A violent battle ensues as Gallagher uses his alien weapon to destroy the parasite's host bodies one after another. The alien transfers desperately between victims until Gallagher finally corners and destroys it with a flamethrower, ending its rampage permanently.
Transformation
Gallagher visits the dying Beck in the hospital. In an act of profound sacrifice and connection, Gallagher transfers his own alien essence into Beck's body, saving his partner's life by giving his own. Beck awakens, now carrying Gallagher within him - two beings united, human and alien become one.