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Horror thriller

The Initiation (1984): Cast & Plot

The Initiation (1984) movie poster

The Initiation is a 1984 horror thriller directed by Larry Stewart, starring Clu Gulager as Dwight Fairchild, Vera Miles and Daphne Zuniga. It runs 1 hour 37 minutes.

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Read the plot summary
The Initiation (1984) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 37m (97 min)
Director
Larry Stewart
Genres
Horror , Thriller , Mystery
Original language
English
Studio
Jock Gaynor Productions
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Initiation About?

The premise of The Initiation without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A sorority sister suffers from amnesia and a relentless nightmare, only to find herself and her fellow pledges hunted by a mysterious killer while they perform a hazing rite inside an abandoned department store. As the terror escalates, the women must confront their past and survive the night.

The Initiation Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • sorority
  • secret
  • evil twin
  • childhood trauma
  • nightmare
  • female protagonist
  • shopping mall
  • female nudity
  • slasher
  • memory
  • student
  • female full frontal nudity
+38 more
  • twin sister
  • mysterious man
  • stabbed to death
  • serial killer
  • psychopath
  • person on fire
  • woman in a shower
  • psychiatric hospital
  • writing in blood
  • premarital sex
  • twin sisters
  • two word title
  • slasher horror
  • slasher killer
  • grindhouse film
  • midnight movie
  • sorority slasher
  • pantyhose
  • mall
  • co ed
  • college students
  • college campus
  • female star appears nude
  • villainess
  • killer
  • actress playing dual role
  • actress playing twin roles
  • twin
  • teenager
  • murderer
  • initiation
  • prank
  • ritual
  • dream
  • psychopathic killer
  • family secret
  • 1980s
  • subjective camera
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Cast & crew

The Initiation Cast & Characters

Clu Gulager leads the cast as Dwight Fairchild, with Vera Miles as Frances Fairchild and Daphne Zuniga as Kelly Fairchild. Directed by Larry Stewart; 28 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Initiation

· 24 more
Show all 28 cast members
From the director

More from Larry Stewart

One more film directed by Larry Stewart: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

Full filmography
Plot

The Initiation Plot Summary

What happens in The Initiation from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Kelly Fairchild is a college student who has carried a troubling, recurring nightmare since childhood—a dream in which a mysterious man is burned alive inside her family home. The nightmare began after a head injury left her with amnesia when she was nine. In an effort to understand the dream, she pitches a term-project idea to Peter, a graduate assistant in her psychology seminar, hoping to uncover its hidden meaning. [Peter] agrees to run a sleep study on Kelly, but her mother, Frances, quickly forbids it. Simultaneously, miles away at a psychiatric hospital, several patients escape and a nurse is murdered. [Frances] is alerted to the incident by phone and relays the news to Kelly’s father, Dwight.

Full summary

The whole story of The Initiation, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Initiation?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What recurring nightmare does Kelly Fairchild experience?
Cars

Cars in The Initiation

13 cars on screen, including the 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC C107 and the 1969 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Coupé Typ 14.

All 13 cars
  • 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC C107 in The Initiation 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC C107 Important role
  • 1969 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Coupé Typ 14 in The Initiation 1969 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Coupé Typ 14 Important role
  • 1980 Volkswagen Rabbit Convertible I Typ 17 in The Initiation 1980 Volkswagen Rabbit Convertible I Typ 17 Important role
  • 1964 Austin-Healey 3000 in The Initiation 1964 Austin-Healey 3000 Minor role
Details

The Initiation Also Known As

12 alternative titles, including “Blutweihe” and “La iniciación”.

Also known as
  • Blutweihe
  • La iniciación
  • Voeux sanglants
  • Iniciação
  • 血ぬられた入寮式／呪われた女子大生の謎
  • Vér/csapda
  • Кровавое посвящение
  • The Initiation (L'incubo)
  • 启示
  • Ініціація
  • La iniciació
  • Inicjacja

Seen The Initiation?
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Movies Like The Initiation

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Initiation, The Hazing and The Initiation of Sarah.

FAQ

The Initiation FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Initiation, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Initiation?

The Initiation runs 1 hour 37 minutes (97 minutes).

When was The Initiation released?

The Initiation was released on December 7, 1984.

Who directed The Initiation?

The Initiation was directed by Larry Stewart.

More films by Larry Stewart

Who is in the cast of The Initiation?

The Initiation stars Clu Gulager as Dwight Fairchild, Vera Miles as Frances Fairchild and Daphne Zuniga as Kelly Fairchild, among 28 credited actors.

Does The Initiation have a post-credit scene?

No. The Initiation has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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