The Kindred (1987) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

After his mother's death, John investigates her research and uncovers the connection between Anthony, a dangerous creature, and her experiments.

Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases

A Mother's Brief Awakening

A highway wreck and a hospital situation establish an atmosphere of danger. John and Lloyd learn that Amanda has regained consciousness, but she dies and John turns to her unfinished research.

Key Events

• House Thrown onto Highway — A house is thrown from a truck onto a highway. Location: Highway
• Injured Man Found Alive — Responders find an injured man alive among the wreckage. Location: Highway wreckage
• Doctors Fear Head Injuries — Doctors fear the injured man's head injuries may leave him unconscious. Location: Hospital
• Amanda Regains Consciousness — Larson calls Sharon with news that Amanda has regained consciousness. Characters: Dr. Larson, Sharon Raymond Location: Unspecified
• John Leaves His Laboratory — John, a researcher studying prions, leaves his laboratory for the hospital. Characters: John Hollins Location: Laboratory
• Lloyd Hears the News — Dr. Lloyd also hears that Amanda has regained consciousness. Characters: Dr. Phillip Lloyd Location: Hospital
• Amanda Dies — Amanda later dies after regaining consciousness. Characters: Amanda Hollins Location: Unspecified

Secrets in the House

John assembles a team to sort Amanda's records while he searches for information about Anthony. The childhood lullaby and hidden basement area suggest that her house contains more of her unfinished work.

Key Events

• John Searches Amanda's House — John goes to Amanda's house to sort through her unfinished experiments and research. Characters: John Hollins Location: Amanda's house
• Research Team Assembles — John gathers a team to investigate Amanda's work. Characters: John Hollins, Melissa Leftridge, Hart Phillips, Brad Baxter, Cindy Russell, Nell Valentine Location: Amanda's house
• Records Assigned for Review — John assigns the team to organize the records and investigate Amanda's research. Characters: John Hollins, Melissa Leftridge, Hart Phillips, Brad Baxter, Cindy Russell, Nell Valentine Location: Amanda's house
• John Seeks Anthony — John searches for information about Anthony, whom he believes may be his brother. Characters: John Hollins Location: Amanda's house
• Childhood Lullaby Found — The team discovers a lullaby from John's childhood among clues to Amanda's work. Characters: John Hollins, Melissa Leftridge, Hart Phillips, Brad Baxter, Cindy Russell, Nell Valentine Location: Amanda's house
• Hidden Basement Area Found — The team discovers a hidden area in the basement that remains incompletely investigated. Characters: John Hollins, Melissa Leftridge, Hart Phillips, Brad Baxter, Cindy Russell, Nell Valentine Location: Basement of Amanda's house

The Hemocyanin Clue

Lloyd seeks access to Amanda's research and recruits Melissa by promising stronger medication. Hart's convulsions and hemocyanin results help John connect the creature to Anthony and Amanda's experiments.

Key Events

• Lloyd Presses for Records — Lloyd presses for information about Amanda's experiments and the records she left behind. Characters: Dr. Phillip Lloyd Location: Unspecified
• Lloyd Recruits Melissa — Lloyd promises stronger medication to persuade Melissa to help find Anthony. Characters: Dr. Phillip Lloyd, Melissa Leftridge Location: Unspecified
• Hart Suffers Convulsions — Hart suffers convulsions during the investigation. Characters: Hart Phillips Location: Unspecified
• Hemocyanin Detected — Hart is found to have a high level of hemocyanin in his blood. Characters: Hart Phillips Location: Unspecified
• Earlier Case Connection — Dr. Stone connects hemocyanin to an earlier case. Characters: Dr. Stone, John Hollins Location: Unspecified
• Anthony Identified as Creature — John realizes the creature attacking people is the being Amanda called Anthony. Characters: John Hollins Location: Unspecified
• Hybrid Experiment Explained — John says he gave Amanda tissue and believes she combined his human cells with an animal species. Characters: John Hollins, Amanda Hollins Location: Unspecified

Melissa's Final Revelation

A patient tries to warn others as Melissa's role in Lloyd's effort is exposed. After she is badly hurt, she reveals where Amanda's journals are hidden, leaving John with a path to uncover the experiments' history.

Key Events

• Patient Attempts a Warning — A hospital patient tries to warn the others as the danger escalates. Location: Hospital
• Melissa's Betrayal Revealed — Melissa admits she acted for Lloyd and contracted her illness through handling hemocyanin. Characters: Melissa Leftridge, Dr. Phillip Lloyd Location: Unspecified
• Melissa Is Badly Hurt — Melissa is badly hurt during a struggle. Characters: Melissa Leftridge Location: Unspecified
• Melissa Reveals Journal Location — Before dying, Melissa tells John the journals are hidden behind the laundry room and belong to him. Characters: John Hollins, Melissa Leftridge Location: Unspecified
• John Inherits the Investigation — John is left with the revelation of Amanda's experiments and the key to their history. Characters: John Hollins Location: Unspecified

Story Breakdown

• Highway Wreck — A house crashes onto a highway, and an injured man is found alive.
  • House Falls — A house is thrown from a truck onto the highway.
  • Survivor Found — Responders find an injured man among the wreckage, and doctors fear his head injuries may leave him unconscious.
• Hospital News — News of Amanda's brief return to consciousness brings John and Lloyd into the unfolding events.
  • Larson Calls Sharon — Dr. Larson tells Sharon Raymond that Amanda has regained consciousness.
  • John Goes to Hospital — John leaves his laboratory after hearing the news; Lloyd also hears it.
• Amanda's Research — After Amanda dies, John goes to her house to examine her unfinished work.
  • Team Assembles — John gathers Melissa, Hart, Brad, Cindy, and Nell at the house.
  • Records Organized — John assigns the team to organize Amanda's records and investigate her research.
• Clues at Home — The house contains traces of Amanda's work and John's childhood, along with an unexplored hidden area.
  • Childhood Lullaby — The team discovers a lullaby from John's childhood among the clues.
  • Hidden Basement — The team finds a basement area that has not yet been fully investigated.
• Lloyd's Bargain — Lloyd seeks Amanda's records and uses the promise of stronger medication to enlist Melissa.
  • Records Sought — Lloyd presses for information about Amanda's experiments and records.
  • Melissa Recruited — Lloyd persuades Melissa to help him find Anthony by promising stronger medication.
• Anthony Revealed — Hart's medical condition and Dr. Stone's observation help John understand the identity and origin of the creature.
  • Hart's Hemocyanin — Hart has convulsions and is found to have a high level of hemocyanin in his blood.
  • Hybrid Hypothesis — John identifies the creature as Anthony and explains that Amanda apparently combined his human cells with an animal species.
• Melissa's Last Clue — As the danger escalates, Melissa's role is exposed and she leaves John the means to pursue Amanda's history.
  • Secret Allegiance — Melissa admits that she acted for Lloyd and links her illness to handling hemocyanin.
  • Journals Disclosed — Badly hurt, Melissa tells John that Amanda's journals about Anthony are hidden behind the laundry room.

Directed by

Jeffrey Obrow, Stephen Carpenter

Key Cast

• David Allen Brooks — John Hollins
• Rod Steiger — Dr. Phillip Lloyd
• Amanda Pays — Melissa Leftridge
• Talia Balsam — Sharon Raymond
• Kim Hunter — Amanda Hollins