The House at the End of Time
The story of Dulce, a mother who has encounters with apparitions inside her old house. She must decipher a mystery that could trigger a prophecy: the death of her family.
Despite its extremely modest budget of $300K, The House at the End of Time became a massive hit, earning $4.6M worldwide—a remarkable 1430% return. The film's distinctive approach attracted moviegoers, proving that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
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 House at the End of Time (2013) showcases carefully calibrated plot construction, characteristic of Alejandro Hidalgo's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 12-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 41 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 Elderly Dulce under house arrest in the decaying house where her family disappeared 30 years ago, isolated and haunted by the past.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when In 1981, young son Rodrigo is violently attacked and dragged into a closet by an unseen supernatural force, marking the beginning of the family's nightmare.. 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 24% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Present-day Dulce actively chooses to investigate the house's supernatural secrets rather than wait out her sentence, entering the locked rooms to uncover the truth about her family., moving from reaction to action.
At 51 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Dulce discovers her husband Leopoldo died in 1981 during the original tragedy, raising stakes as she realizes the supernatural events are far more deadly and complex than imagined., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 76 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Dulce in 1981 finds her son Leopoldo dead, killed by her own hand in a time loop, the ultimate whiff of death as mother becomes destroyer of her own child., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 81 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Dulce executes the plan across timelines, orchestrating events to save her son Rodrigo in 1981, accepting personal sacrifice to break the curse and free her family from the loop., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The House at the End of Time's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 12 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping The House at the End of Time against these established plot points, we can identify how Alejandro Hidalgo utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The House at the End of Time within the horror genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional horror films include Lake Placid, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Cat's Eye.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Elderly Dulce under house arrest in the decaying house where her family disappeared 30 years ago, isolated and haunted by the past.
Theme
Father Rodrigo tells Dulce: "Sometimes we must look at things from a different perspective to understand the truth." Theme of seeing beyond surface reality.
Worldbuilding
Dual timeline establishes present-day imprisoned Dulce and flashbacks to 1981 when the family moved into the mysterious house with locked doors and strange phenomena.
Disruption
In 1981, young son Rodrigo is violently attacked and dragged into a closet by an unseen supernatural force, marking the beginning of the family's nightmare.
Resistance
Dulce resists acknowledging supernatural forces, seeking rational explanations while Father Rodrigo (present) guides elderly Dulce to confront the house's mysteries and understand the time distortions.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Present-day Dulce actively chooses to investigate the house's supernatural secrets rather than wait out her sentence, entering the locked rooms to uncover the truth about her family.
Premise
Dulce explores the supernatural premise: the house contains time portals connecting past and present, with mysterious figures moving through time as she pieces together the puzzle.
Midpoint
Dulce discovers her husband Leopoldo died in 1981 during the original tragedy, raising stakes as she realizes the supernatural events are far more deadly and complex than imagined.
Opposition
The supernatural forces intensify attacks, past and present timelines blur dangerously, and Dulce's understanding fragments as she struggles to prevent the original tragedy while trapped by its consequences.
Collapse
Dulce in 1981 finds her son Leopoldo dead, killed by her own hand in a time loop, the ultimate whiff of death as mother becomes destroyer of her own child.
Crisis
Dulce confronts the crushing guilt and despair of having killed her own son, wrestling with whether the cycle can be broken or if she's doomed to repeat the tragedy eternally.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Dulce executes the plan across timelines, orchestrating events to save her son Rodrigo in 1981, accepting personal sacrifice to break the curse and free her family from the loop.