What Is All the Colors of the Dark About?
The premise of All the Colors of the Dark in 310 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the muted streets of contemporary London, Jane Harrison carries the weight of two fresh tragedies: a devastating car accident that stole the life of her unborn child and the lingering echo of a childhood murder she witnessed. The tragedy leaves her adrift, her nights invaded by increasingly vivid nightmares that feel less like dreams and more like parallel realities pressing against the walls of her waking world. As the boundary between sleep and daylight begins to dissolve, the city itself seems to pulse with a kaleidoscopic, almost hallucinatory glow, hinting at forces that lurk just beyond ordinary perception.
Desperate for stability, Jane leans on the people who orbit her life. Her partner, Richard Steele, a frequent‑travelling pharmaceutical salesman, struggles to bridge the growing gap left by grief and silence. Meanwhile, her sister, Barbara Harrison, arranges for a session with Dr. Burton, a psychiatrist whose office becomes a waypoint between conventional therapy and the uncanny. It is there that Jane first confides the recurring image of a mysterious, piercing‑blue‑eyed man—a figure that seems to stalk both her mental landscape and the streets she walks. Adding to the unease, a new neighbor, Mary Weil, arrives in the building, her presence both comforting and enigmatic, offering Jane a fleeting sense of connection amid the spiraling dread.
The film sways between the stark realism of a modern metropolis and a nightmarish tapestry woven from black‑magic whispers, surreal visuals, and a relentless sense of being watched. The tone is a disquieting blend of psychological horror and psychedelic fever‑dream, where ordinary settings—therapy rooms, apartment hallways, rain‑slicked streets—transform into stages for something far more sinister. As Jane’s visions deepen, the audience is left to wonder whether the terror originates from within her fractured psyche, external occult currents, or a darker combination of both, urging her to confront a reality that may never be the same again.
What Happens in All the Colors of the Dark?
The complete story of All the Colors of the Dark, from the first scene to the last, in 663 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 7 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Jane Harrison Jane Harrison lives in London with her boyfriend Richard Steele Richard Steele, a pharmaceutical salesman who travels frequently for work. After losing her unborn child in a car accident, Jane has been unable to have sex with Richard, all while carrying the heavy trauma of witnessing her mother’s murder when she was younger. Despite Richard’s skepticism about psychiatry, Jane’s sister Barbara Harrison Barbara Harrison arranges a session with a psychiatrist, Dr. Burton Dr. Burton, whom Barbara works for. In the session, Jane confides that she’s been haunted by nightmares of a sinister man with piercing blue eyes who murdered her mother, insisting she’s glimpsed the same man in the waiting room.
After encountering the blue-eyed man twice on her walk home, Jane meets Mary Weil, a mysterious woman who has just moved into her building. Jane shares her troubles with Mary, and soon the blue-eyed figure resurfaces, attempting to kill Jane with an axe. Under Mary’s seemingly supportive guise, she is taken to a castle where a Satanic cult led by J. P. McBain J. P. McBain is enacting a Black Mass. The ritual is shocking: a puppy is sacrificed, Jane drinks its blood, and J. P. forces himself on her, all while the other members look on. That night, Jane and Richard manage to reignite their intimacy, but the next day, Jane narrowly escapes the blue-eyed man again and flees in a taxi.
Jane’s involvement with the cult continues, and she is revolted by the latest ritual when it ends in Mary’s sacrifice. After waking in a field, the blue-eyed man, revealed as Mark Cogan Mark Cogan, brings Jane back to J. P., who explains that Mary allowed herself to be sacrificed so Jane could be drawn into the cult—the only way to leave it. In a tense sequence, Jane is attacked by two German Shepherds before Mark sedates her. She awakens back in her own bed and rushes to Mary’s apartment, which has been taken over by an elderly neighbor.
One night, with both Richard and Barbara away, Jane visits Dr. Burton’s office and recounts the disturbing events. Although the doctor dismisses the episodes as nightmares, he allows Jane to spend the night at his country house with an elderly couple who work as housekeepers. The next day, Richard returns to find Jane missing, prompting him to call Barbara. Meanwhile, Jane awakens to find the housekeepers murdered. She phones Dr. Burton, who is later seen driving to his country house with Richard and Barbara. In a private moment, Dr. Burton tells Barbara that it was Jane on the line. As the doctor drives away, Richard follows him.
Soon after, Mark reveals a darker lineage: Jane’s mother was a member of the cult and was killed when she tried to escape. Dr. Burton is found murdered in his car, setting off a desperate chase through the woods. Mark pursues Jane, but Richard intervenes, fatally stabbing Mark with a pitchfork and noticing a tattoo on Mark’s wrist. Richard later confronts Barbara at her apartment, having spotted that she bears the same tattoo. As Barbara reaches for a hidden gun and tries to persuade Richard to join the cult, he shoots her dead when she leans in for a kiss.
At the hospital, Jane experiences a nightmare in which she is framed by the cult for Richard’s murder, with J. P. McBain posing as a police inspector. When she awakens, the policemen reveal that the cult was a front for a drug ring and that Barbara was the mastermind behind it. They also disclose that the man who killed Jane and Barbara’s mother died two months earlier and left an inheritance to both sisters, a detail Barbara had planned to exploit to eliminate Jane and claim the entire inheritance for herself. Returning home, Jane and Richard confront J. P., who attacks Richard. A rooftop pursuit ends with Richard throwing J. P. to his death, bringing a brutal end to the cult’s scheme.
All the Colors of the Dark Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Trauma, abortion loss, and a psychiatry path” to “Final rooftop confrontation; J. P. killed”. 14 events name a place, across 13 locations.
- 1
Trauma, abortion loss, and a psychiatry path
Jane loses her unborn child in a car accident, which strains her relationship with Richard, who is often away on business. She also bears the trauma of witnessing her mother's murder as a child. Her sister Barbara arranges for Jane to consult psychiatrist Dr. Burton, hoping for relief.
Where:London
- 2
Jane tells Dr. Burton about nightmares
In Dr. Burton's office, Jane describes vivid nightmares of a blue-eyed man who murdered her mother and insists she has seen the same man in the waiting room. Dr. Burton remains skeptical about psychiatry but agrees to help address her symptoms. Barbara works for him, providing an internal connection to the treatment.
Where:Dr. Burton's office
- 3
Jane confides in Mary
Jane confides her troubles to Mary, a mysterious new neighbor who recently moved into her building. She also begins to notice the blue-eyed man on her path home, reinforcing her sense of being watched. This marks the start of a more ominous thread entering her life.
Where:Jane's apartment building
- 4
Blue-eyed man attacks with an axe
The blue-eyed man later attempts to kill Jane with an axe, creating a devastating brush with violence. She escapes the immediate danger, but the threat of this figure continues to loom over her. The attack intensifies Jane's flight from reality and trust.
Where:City streets vicinity
- 5
To the castle and the Black Mass
Under Mary’s guidance, Jane is brought to a castle where J. P. McBrian leads a Satanic cult performing a Black Mass. The ceremony includes the sacrifice of a puppy and Jane is forced to drink its blood, with McBrian compelling himself on Jane in front of the other members.
Where:Castle
- 6
Mary's sacrifice and Jane's possible escape
That night, the cult's rituals culminate in Mary’s sacrifice, a shocking act intended to help Jane enter as a novice and find a way to leave. Jane continues to attend subsequent rituals, realizing the cult's brutal measures are the price of possible freedom.
Where:Castle
- 7
Jane awakens in a field; Mark explains
After awakening in a field, Jane is brought back to J. P. by Mark Cogan, the blue-eyed man. J. P. reveals that Mary sacrificed herself to bring Jane in as a novice, claiming this was the only path to escape the cult. The revelation ties Mark’s role to the darker truth behind Jane's situation.
Where:Field / Castle grounds
- 8
Escape attempt and sedative
Jane tries to flee again, but two German Shepherds attack her; Mark then sedates her to prevent her escape. The captivity within the cult tightens its grip as she is restrained from leaving.
Where:Woods / Castle grounds
- 9
Jane wakes at home; Mary's apartment changed
Jane wakes in her own bed and hurries to Mary's apartment, only to find it now occupied by an elderly woman. The unsettling change hints at the cult’s reach and the upheaval occurring behind the scenes. Jane’s sense of safety continues to unravel.
Where:Jane's apartment; Mary's apartment
- 10
Dr. Burton's country house stay
One night Jane visits Dr. Burton's office, and although he initially dismisses her experiences as nightmares, he allows her to spend the night at his country house with elderly housekeepers. The next day, Richard returns to find Jane missing and informs Barbara by phone. The tension between belief and disbelief deepens.
Where:Dr. Burton's country house
Show the other 4 events of All the Colors of the Dark Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Housekeepers murdered and Dr. Burton's death
Jane wakes to discover that the housekeepers have been murdered and later learns Dr. Burton has been murdered in his car. Mark finds Jane, revealing she is in danger, and he chases her through the woods as Richard follows. This sequence escalates into a direct confrontation that tests Jane’s survival.
Where:Dr. Burton's country house; Woods
- 12
Barbara's demise
Richard confronts Barbara at her apartment after noticing that she bears the same tattoo as Mark's. She tries to persuade him to join the cult, but he shoots her dead just as she leans in for a kiss. The sister's conflict reveals the depth of the cult's reach and Barbara's manipulation.
Where:Barbara's apartment
- 13
Hospital nightmare; drug-ring revelation
In hospital, Jane experiences a nightmare in which J. P. impersonates a police inspector and frames her. The police reveal that the cult was a cover for a drug ring, and that Barbara was the mastermind behind it. They also disclose a family inheritance—an inheritance from the man who murdered their mother—left to both Jane and Barbara and used as motive for murder.
Where:Hospital
- 14
Final rooftop confrontation; J. P. killed
Back home, J. P. attacks Richard and Jane, blaming him for Barbara's death. Richard pursues J. P. up to the rooftop and, in a final struggle, throws him off, killing him. The film ends with Jane surviving the revelation of the cult's true nature.
Where:Rooftop
Who Are the Main Characters in All the Colors of the Dark?
8 characters, among them Jane Harrison (Edwige Fenech), Richard Steele (George Hilton) and Barbara Harrison (Nieves Navarro): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- JH
Jane Harrison (Edwige Fenech)
Played by Edwige Fenech
Jane is a Londoner haunted by trauma: the loss of her unborn child and her mother's murder. Nightmares and a sense of lurking danger push her toward unsettling encounters with a blue-eyed man and a seductive cult. Her resilience drives her to confront the truth, even as reality becomes unreliable.
- 🧠 Trauma
- 🌙 Nightmares
- 💔 Grief
- RS
Richard Steele (George Hilton)
Played by George Hilton
Jane's boyfriend, a pharmaceutical salesman whose skepticism of psychiatry clashes with Jane's fear. He remains protective and practical, ultimately taking decisive action to stop the cult's threat. His willingness to confront danger culminates in brutal acts that reveal his capacity for violence when defending Jane.
- 🧭 Loyal
- 💊 Pharmaceutical
- 🗡️ Decisive
- BH
Barbara Harrison (Nieves Navarro)
Played by Nieves Navarro
Barbara is Jane's sister and the architect of the cult's reach, using manipulation and ambition to pull strings behind the scenes. She orchestrates the ritual world and the drug-ring cover-up, showing a cold, calculating streak. Her plans unravel when confronted by Jane and Richard.
- 🧠 Manipulative
- 💰 Ambitious
- 🔒 Secretive
- DB
Dr. Burton (George Rigaud)
Played by George Rigaud
A psychiatrist connected to Barbara's scheme, who initially reassures Jane but becomes entangled in the web of manipulation. He is murdered after being drawn into the case, illustrating the danger that surrounds those who get too close to the truth.
- 🧠 Psychiatrist
- 🕯️ Influence
- 🗡️ Murdered
- JP
J. P. McBain (Julián Ugarte)
Played by Julián Ugarte
Leader of the cult, charismatic and dangerous, who presides over the Black Mass and guides Jane deeper into the group's rituals. He embodies the seductive appeal of power that masks a predatory agenda.
- 🕯️ Cult Leader
- 🗡️ Manipulative
- 💎 Charismatic
- MC
Mark Cogan (Ivan Rassimov)
Played by Ivan Rassimov
The blue-eyed man who acts as an instrument of the cult’s violence, targeting Jane and revealing a family-connected motive for the cult’s reach. He is ultimately slain by Richard, exposing a deeper layer of betrayal.
- 👁️ Blue-eyed
- 🔒 Hidden
- 🗡️ Threat
- MW
Mary Weil (Marina Malfatti)
Played by Marina Malfatti
Mary is the mysterious resident who lures Jane toward the castle and the cult’s rituals. She ultimately sacrifices herself in a bid to help Jane escape, only to be killed during the cult's latest rite.
- 🧭 Guide
- 💔 Sacrifice
- 🔒 Secret
- IS
Inspector Smith (Tom Felleghy)
Played by Tom Felleghy
A police investigator who appears as the case unfolds, linking the cult to a broader criminal drug network. His role is peripheral but essential to connecting the occult activities with the criminal underworld.
- 🕵️ Investigator
- 🧭 Authority
Where and When Is All the Colors of the Dark Set?
All the Colors of the Dark is set in London, England, Castle and Country House (Early 1970s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Early 1970s
The events unfold in the early 1970s London setting, a period of social change and gritty realism. The era's mood fuels the film's atmosphere of paranoia and occult intrigue, where normal life collides with clandestine rituals and a drug underworld.
Where
London, England, Castle, Country House
Jane Harrison's life unfolds in contemporary London, a city dense with fog, traffic, and a sense of unease. The story frequently shifts to a remote castle used by a secretive cult, and later to a quiet country house where disturbing rituals occur. The contrast between the urban setting and these secluded locales heightens the sense that danger can flourish behind familiar doors.
- 🏙️ London
- 🏰 Castle
- 🏡 Country House
What Are the Themes of All the Colors of the Dark?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Trauma, Cult Control and Deception.
-
01
Trauma
Trauma from a mother's murder and the loss of her child haunts Jane, seeping into dreams and waking life. The film uses dreamlike sequences to blur what is real, forcing Jane to confront memories that destabilize her. Her attempts to distinguish danger from memory drive the narrative and fuel the cult's lure.
-
02
Cult Control
A seductive occult group uses rituals and charisma to entrap vulnerable individuals. J. P. McBain's leadership frames the cult as a trap that promises escape while tightening its grip. The plot reveals a drug-ring cover-up behind the cult’s facade, showing corruption under the surface.
-
03
Deception
Appearances are misleading as characters conceal motives and loyalties. The psychiatrist's veneer of care, Barbara's benevolent concern, and the blue-eyed killer's true identity are gradually peeled back, reframing what viewers thought they knew. The climactic reveals force a reevaluation of trust and family ties.
What Kind of Film Is All the Colors of the Dark?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Mixed
A relentless, psychedelic descent into paranoia where traumatic nightmares bleed into a grim reality of satanic rituals and murder, creating a stressful and disturbing viewing experience.
- disturbing
- paranoid
- dreamlike
- psychedelic
- claustrophobic
- anxious
- psychological trauma
- satanic cult
- nightmare reality
- murder conspiracy
Content notes: sexual assault, animal sacrifice, graphic violence, murder, cult rituals.
Quiz
How well do you remember All the Colors of the Dark? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch All the Colors of the Dark
. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
