What Is Things About?
The premise of Things in 274 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a dimly lit suburban house where the ordinary collides with the forbidden, a desperate quest for parenthood spirals into a nightmarish experiment. The film opens on a world where scientific curiosity and personal obsession blur the line between creation and abomination, setting a foreboding atmosphere that feels both claustrophobic and unsettling. Shadows linger in every hallway, and a sense of inevitable dread hovers over each whispered decision, hinting that the pursuit of life can quickly become a nightmare.
Don Drake returns home with his loyal friend Fred Horton, only to find his own brother Doug Drake and Doug’s wife Susan Drake entrenched in a clandestine project overseen by the enigmatic Dr. Lucas. Don carries the weight of familial expectation, while Doug wrestles with the longing for an heir, and Susan is haunted by the emptiness of an unfulfilled womb. Their interactions are charged with a blend of camaraderie, frustration, and an undercurrent of desperation that fuels the unsettling experiment. The dynamics between the brothers, the couple, and the aloof doctor create a volatile mix, each character driven by personal motives that clash with the unsettling science they pursue.
The tone is a relentless blend of body‑horror and psychological suspense, rendered in a stark visual style that magnifies the grotesque possibilities lurking beneath the surface. As the night deepens, the house itself seems to breathe, amplifying the characters’ anxieties and the eerie hum of the unknown. Through muted colors, oppressive sound design, and fragmented glimpses of forbidden knowledge, the film invites the audience to linger on the fragile line between creation and chaos, leaving a lingering sense that some experiments are better left unstarted.
What Happens in Things?
The complete story of Things, from the first scene to the last, in 410 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
On a routine night, Don Drake and his brother Fred Horton visit the house of Doug Drake, Don’s brother. They are unaware that Doug and his wife, Susan Drake, who have struggled to conceive naturally, have been involved in unconventional experiments led by Dr. Lucas to artificially induce pregnancy. While they search for beer, they stumble upon a book written by Aleister Crowley and a tape recorder that plays a distorted voice. The eerie recording unsettles the group, and after hearing it, Doug storms in, scolds them, and then reluctantly joins them in their drinking.
Susan’s desperate longing for a child takes a dark turn as she gives birth to insect-like creatures before dying. The newborn beings quickly attack and kill a dog, setting a chilling tone for what follows. Doug explains the nature of the experiments he and Susan had pursued with Doctor Lucas, insisting that things have gone terribly wrong. The power in the house suddenly dies, and the creatures born from Susan begin to infest the dwelling, turning the night into a perilous fight.
Don and Doug search the house with a flashlight, moving cautiously through the dim rooms. In the basement, a creature attacks Doug from behind. Don raises a hammer to strike the threat, but in a tragic misstep, he accidentally bludgeons Doug instead. He drags Doug back upstairs, where another creature bites off several of Doug’s fingers. Don works to cauterize the wounds, but Doug dies soon after. To keep the rest of him safe from the advancing creatures, Don hides Doug’s body in a closet.
Armed with a drill, Don continues to roam the house, haunted by visions of Doug still being alive. He falls asleep on a couch, and soon Fred returns with a chainsaw. Don finds a golf club and together they fight the invading creatures, killing several of them. They uncover a horrifying scene: the creatures have eaten Susan’s body, leaving only bones. The danger intensifies as the creatures turn on Fred, who is eaten alive while he pleads for Don’s help.
Doctor Lucas arrives at the house, and Don openly accuses him of bearing responsibility for the cascade of deaths. The creatures ambush Lucas, and Don manages to escape the house and encounter a passerby who walks with him toward a car. He asks, > Are you sure this wasn’t all a dream? Afterward, he is shown back in the house, standing beside a bloodied but apparently living Doctor Lucas.
Things Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Don and Fred visit Doug's house” to “Escape to car and final twist”. 15 events name a place, across 5 locations.
- 1
Don and Fred visit Doug's house
Don and Fred decide to visit Doug, Don's brother, at his house. They are hoping for a casual catch-up and a beer. Unbeknownst to them, Doug and Susan have been involved in dangerous experiments led by Doctor Lucas.
When:Evening Where:Doug's house
- 2
Discovery of occult book and recorder
In the living room they discover a book written by Aleister Crowley and a tape recorder playing a distorted voice. The eerie artifacts hint at occult influences behind the strange events. The mood grows tense as the recordings crackle to life.
When:Evening Where:Doug's house - Living room
- 3
Susan's birth and death
Susan gives birth to insect-like creatures and dies in the process. The grotesque birth reveals the grim consequences of the experiments. Don and Fred watch in stunned silence as the house fills with a new, threatening presence.
When:Evening Where:Doug's house
- 4
Creatures kill the dog
The creatures attack and kill the family dog. The sudden violence shocks the men and confirms the danger within the house. Don and Fred steel themselves as they realize they are trapped.
When:Night Where:Doug's house
- 5
Doug explains the Lucas experiments
Doug explains that he and Susan participated in experiments with Doctor Lucas to artificially induce pregnancy. He regrets their involvement as the situation spirals out of control. The revelation reframes the night's horrors as something more than superstition.
When:Night Where:Doug's house
- 6
Power outage and infestation begins
The power in the house goes out, plunging the rooms into darkness. The creatures begin to infest the house, attacking the men with increasing boldness. Don and Fred rely on flashlights to navigate the peril.
When:Night Where:Doug's house
- 7
Flashlight search through the house
Don and Doug search the house with a flashlight, trying to locate the source of the disturbances. Every creak and shadow seems to conceal another threat. The tension escalates as they move from room to room.
When:Night Where:Doug's house
- 8
Basement attack and Doug dies
In the basement, a creature attacks Doug from behind. Don tries to strike the creature with a hammer but accidentally bludgeons Doug instead. Doug dies, leaving Don stunned and filled with guilt and panic.
When:Night Where:Doug's house - Basement
- 9
Don hides Doug's body
Don drags Doug's body upstairs and hides it in a closet to keep the creatures from devouring him. The claustrophobic space muffles the horrors as the house continues to crash around them. He steels himself to press on despite the growing nightmare.
When:Night Where:Doug's house - Closet
- 10
Don's drill-wielding nightmare
Armed with a drill, Don wanders through the house, chasing a way to survive. He experiences visions of Doug still being alive, blurring the line between reality and nightmare. Eventually he collapses onto a couch, exhausted and haunted.
When:Night Where:Doug's house - Living room
Show the other 5 events of Things Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Fred returns with a chainsaw
Fred reappears with a chainsaw, and Don finds a golf club to defend themselves. The two men fight back against the creatures, killing several in a brutal struggle. The house rattles with noise and screams as the battle continues.
When:Night Where:Doug's house
- 12
Susan's remains revealed
The creatures reveal that they have eaten Susan's body, reducing her to bones. The horror deepens as the survivors realize the extent of the carnage. The threat grows more relentless as night wears on.
When:Night Where:Doug's house
- 13
Creatures kill Fred
The creatures attack Fred and devour him as he pleads for help. Don is left to confront the mounting danger with dwindling options. The sense of impending doom dominates the night.
When:Night Where:Doug's house
- 14
Lucas arrives; confrontation begins
Doctor Lucas arrives at the house and is confronted by Don, who accuses him of causing the deaths. Lucas tries to stay calm as the situation spirals further. Tensions rise as the investigation into the experiments turns into a fight for survival.
When:Night Where:Doug's house
- 15
Escape to car and final twist
The creatures attack Lucas; Don escapes the house and steps outside. A passerby accompanies him as they walk toward a car. Don asks, 'Are you sure this wasn't all a dream?' The film ends with a final twist: Don is seen back inside the house, alongside a bloodied but apparently living Doctor Lucas.
When:Night Where:Exterior of Doug's house
Who Are the Main Characters in Things?
6 characters, among them Don Drake (Barry J. Gillis), Susan Drake (Patricia Sadler) and Doug Drake (Doug Bunston): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- DD
Don Drake (Barry J. Gillis)
Played by Barry J. Gillis
Don is a practical, wary man who finds himself at the center of the crisis. He improvises under pressure, wielding tools like a hammer and drill to fend off the infestation. He takes a leadership role, trying to protect others even as the situation spirals. The ending leaves his reality uncertain, underscoring his resolve in a nightmare he may not fully escape.
- 🧭 Leader
- 🛠️ Resourceful
- 🧩 Skeptical
- SD
Susan Drake (Patricia Sadler)
Played by Patricia Sadler
Susan is the subject of the illicit pregnancy experiments and becomes the vessel for the insect-like offspring. Her transformation triggers the first wave of horror and the breakdown of the house's safety. Her death marks a turning point in the siege, as the family and friends grapple with the consequences of the experiments.
- 🤰 Host
- 🪲 Tragical
- 🕯️ Fatal
- DD
Doug Drake (Doug Bunston)
Played by Doug Bunston
Doug is Don's brother who participates alongside Susan in the dangerous experiments. He confronts the escalating horror in the basement and is ultimately overwhelmed by the creatures. Don's decision to hide Doug's body reflects the brutal, desperate measures taken to survive the encounter.
- 👨👦 Brother
- 🗡️ Victim
- 🔍 Investigator
- DL
Dr. Lucas (Jan W. Pachul)
Played by Jan W. Pachul
Dr. Lucas is the physician behind the illicit experiments, driving the plot with his ambition and clinical detachment. He becomes a focal point of accusation when Don confronts him about responsibility for the deaths. He appears alive at the end, bloodied, leaving the truth of the events ambiguous.
- 🧬 Scientist
- 🧭 Ambiguous
- 👁️🗨️ Controversial
- FH
Fred Horton (Bruce Roach)
Played by Bruce Roach
Fred is Don's friend who accompanies him into Doug's house and joins the fight against the creatures. He is ultimately killed by the infestation, his demise underscoring the peril that the house holds for all who enter.
- 🪓 Companion
- ⚔️ Fight
- 💀 Fatal
- R(
Reporter (Amber Lynn)
Played by Amber Lynn
The Reporter captures the eerie events surrounding Doug's house, serving as an external observer to the unfolding horror. Her presence frames the story for an audience outside the immediate chaos, hinting at a larger, unsettling atmosphere surrounding the experiments.
- 📝 Observer
- 🎥 Documentary
- 🗞️ Media
Where and When Is Things Set?
Things is set in Doug's House and Basement. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Doug's House, Basement
The action unfolds primarily in Doug Drake's house, a suburban family home that becomes a claustrophobic trap. Key locations include the living room where the men drink, and a basement that houses the illicit experiments and the initial creature encounters. A sudden power outage plunges the house into darkness, turning familiar rooms into dangerous corridors. The domestic setting readily shifts from comfort to horror as the infestation takes hold.
- 🏠 Suburban House
- 🧪 Experimental
- 👾 Creature Infestation
What Are the Themes of Things?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Body Horror, Unethical Experiments and Domestic Horror.
-
01
Body Horror
Birth and mutation take center stage as Susan's pregnancy yields insect-like creatures. The transformation is shown through tight, disturbing sequences that turn the human body into a habitat for horror. The creatures' emergence and aggression escalate violence and fear, highlighting the fragility of the human form under grotesque interference.
-
02
Unethical Experiments
Doctor Lucas's illicit experiments with Susan (and Doug's wife) drive the plot, pushing science beyond ethical boundaries. The presence of a Crowley book and a disturbing tape recorder hints at occult influence and a troubling disregard for consent. The experiments go disastrously wrong, unleashing the horror that consumes the characters.
-
03
Domestic Horror
A familiar home becomes a site of terror as the house is invaded by creatures. The basement, kitchen, and living spaces transform into danger zones, heightening the sense that safety can be broken by hidden threats. The contrast between everyday domestic life and sudden violence amplifies the dread and claustrophobia.
What Kind of Film Is Things?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Ambiguous
A relentlessly bleak and claustrophobic horror film that descends into a nightmarish chaos of body horror, fueled by desperate acts and grotesque creatures in a single, terrifying location.
- grotesque
- claustrophobic
- nightmarish
- unsettling
- desperate
- chaotic
- body horror
- mad science
- infertility
- survival horror
Content notes: body horror, graphic violence, animal death, disturbing imagery, psychological distress.
Quiz
How well do you remember Things? Test yourself on the story.
