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The Vast of Night

The Vast of Night 2020

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Plot Summary

Discover the intricate plot of The Vast of Night (2020). From unexpected twists to emotional highs and lows, this detailed summary breaks down every moment to give you a deeper understanding of the film’s story.


In 1950s Cayuga, New Mexico, Everett, a teenage disc jockey, plays a pivotal role as he prepares for an upcoming high school basketball game. Alongside his friend Fay (Sierra McCormick), they test a new tape recorder. Afterward, Everett escorts her to her job as a switchboard operator, before heading to the WOTW radio station for his night shift.

While tuning into Everett’s radio show, Fay is startled by an ominous audio signal, which interrupts the broadcast. She starts receiving calls from concerned citizens reporting a strange wind-like phenomenon in the sky. Attempting to contact her friends, she faces abrupt disconnections, but manages to reach Everett, who promptly urges his listeners to share any information regarding the peculiar signal.

During the show, a caller named Billy (Bruce Davis) breaks into the airwaves. He shares a gripping tale about his military past and his experiences at a top-secret desert facility. He recounts being warned that revealing the clandestine project could “endanger America,” and describes an enormous object housed in a hidden underground bunker. He also reveals that he heard the same mysterious signal while on a plane.

Billy, who suffers from a lung condition he believes was caused by his experiences at the site, discusses other military cover-ups involving similar signals. He suggests they may be attempts at communication, transmitted from heights beyond that of any man-made aircraft.

As their call momentarily disconnects, Billy calls back to reveal a shocking detail — all personnel involved in the project were either black or Mexican, a choice made to ensure their credibility would be questioned. He mentions that a friend managed to record the mysterious signal and sent it to him and others. Tragically, one tape was entrusted to an Air Force member in Cayuga, who is now deceased.

Realizing that Billy’s recordings ended up at the local library, Fay acts decisively and steals them. However, Billy is disconnected again, and she and Everett find the signal recording and attempt to broadcast it. Their efforts are interrupted when the radio station loses power.

Determined, they rush to the switchboard office where Fay receives a flurry of reports about an unidentified object in the sky. They meet Gerald (Mark Banik) and Bertsie (Cheyenne Barton), also seeking information about the mysterious flying object. An elderly woman named Mabel (Gail Cronauer) phones in, promising to share more insights about the unusual signal.

When Everett and Fay visit Mabel at her home, she cryptically recites messages in an unfamiliar language. During their conversation, Mabel asserts that the sighting of spaceships piloted by aliens is no coincidence — these extraterrestrials use their transmissions to hypnotize and abduct humans during the basketball game when the town is least alert. She even expresses a desire to be taken to the alien ship to reunite with her son, abducted years before.

Not fully convinced, Everett departs with Fay, who picks up her baby sister Maddie. They are soon joined by Gerald and Bertsie, and when Everett plays Mabel’s alien message, he unwittingly sends them into a trance, causing a near-fatal car accident. The eerie atmosphere prompts panic, leading Everett, Fay, and Maddie to flee into the woods.

As they navigate through the trees, they discover charred branches and an ominous opening above, suggesting something has recently crashed. A realization dawns on Everett — the existence of aliens may not just be a figment of their imagination. Their journey leads them to an open clearing where they finally confront the truth.

In awe, they witness a flying saucer hovering nearby, which reunites with a massive mothership. The surrounding wind picks up, swirling violently around them. Meanwhile, the crowd at the basketball game disperses, oblivious to the disappearance of Everett, Fay, and Maddie, leaving behind only their footprints and the eerie tape recorder.

Timeline

Track the key events of The Vast of Night (2020) with a comprehensive timeline. Perfect for understanding the sequence of major plot points, this feature offers clarity on how the story unfolds.


Everett Prepares for the Game

In 1950s Cayuga, New Mexico, teenage disc jockey Everett gears up for an important high school basketball game. His excitement is palpable as he shares his enthusiasm with his friend Fay, who is also part of the day’s events.

1950s Cayuga, New Mexico

Testing the Tape Recorder

Everett and Fay decide to test a new tape recorder, sensing it could be useful for documenting their experiences. This moment foreshadows the important role the tape recorder will later play in uncovering the mysterious occurrences in their town.

Fay at Work

After testing the tape recorder, Everett escorts Fay to her job as a switchboard operator. This reflects their friendship and the small-town routine, which will soon be disrupted by extraordinary events.

Switchboard office

The Ominous Audio Signal

As Fay tunes into Everett's radio show, she is interrupted by a strange, ominous signal. Disturbed, she begins receiving calls from citizens who report a bizarre wind-like phenomenon in the sky, hinting at something otherworldly.

Cayuga, New Mexico

Billy's Mysterious Call

During Everett’s show, a caller named Billy shares his experiences at a secret military installation. His claims about a mysterious signal and an enormous object hidden underground set the tone for the emerging danger and curiosity.

Airwaves

Cover Ups and Health Warnings

Billy discusses military cover-ups and his lung condition, believed to be caused by his time at the secret facility. His warnings about the signals potentially being communications create a sense of urgency and mystery.

The Racial Conspiracy

Billy reveals a shocking detail about the personnel involved in the project, stating they were predominantly black or Mexican to undermine their credibility. This revelation deepens the plot's intrigue and reflects on societal issues.

Fay's Decision to Act

Fay learns that crucial recordings related to the mysterious signal are in the local library. Deciding to take action, she steals the tapes, demonstrating her resolve in the face of mounting uncertainty.

Local library

Power Loss at the Radio Station

As Everett and Fay attempt to broadcast the recordings, the radio station suffers a power outage. This dramatic twist further escalates the tension and illustrates the fragility of their efforts to expose the truth.

WOTW radio station

Reports of Unidentified Objects

In the switchboard office, Fay receives an influx of reports about unidentified objects in the sky. This surge in calls adds urgency to their investigation as more citizens express their concerns about the strange occurrences.

Switchboard office

Meeting Mabel

Everett and Fay visit Mabel, an elderly woman who cryptically speaks of the aliens and their intentions. Her assertions about the hypnotic abilities of the extraterrestrials cast a shadow over their investigation, heightening the mystery.

Mabel's home

The Car Accident

While playing Mabel's cryptic message, Everett accidentally causes a trance among his friends, leading to a near-fatal car accident. This incident heightens the atmosphere of fear and pressure surrounding their night filled with supernatural events.

Cayuga

Discovering the Crash Site

In the woods, Everett, Fay, and Maddie come across charred branches and an ominous opening, signaling a crash site. This discovery forces Everett to confront the possibility that aliens may indeed be real, shifting their investigation into a shocking reality.

The woods

Encountering the Flying Saucer

In an open clearing, the group witnesses a flying saucer near a massive mothership. The sight of the hovering craft transforms their fears into awe, marking a pivotal point in their journey as they realize they are part of something extraordinary.

Clearing near the woods

The Missing Footprints

As the basketball game concludes and the crowd disperses, Everett, Fay, and Maddie vanish without a trace. Their footprints and eerie tape recorder are the only remnants left behind, leaving the town unaware of the extraordinary events that have just unfolded.

Cayuga, New Mexico

Characters

Meet the characters that bring The Vast of Night (2020) to life. Dive into detailed profiles of the cast and their roles, exploring their motivations, relationships, and arcs within the story.


Everett (Adam Dietrich)

Everett is a teenage disc jockey whose passion for radio serves as a lifeline to the town and its residents. His curiosity and determination drive him to unravel the mystery of the strange signals. Throughout the film, he transitions from a carefree youth excited about basketball to someone deeply embedded in a spine-chilling quest for truth.

🎧 Disc Jockey 🤔 Curious 🏃‍♂️ Determined

Fay (Sierra McCormick)

Fay is a diligent switchboard operator who showcases a mix of bravery and resourcefulness throughout the film. Her keen instincts and quick thinking aid in the investigation of the mysterious signal, and her supportive friendship with Everett adds emotional depth to their harrowing journey.

📞 Switchboard Operator 🌟 Resourceful 👯‍♀️ Loyal

Billy (Bruce Davis)

Billy is a veteran whose haunting tales of military secrecy and past experiences at a clandestine facility provide crucial insights into the strange events occurring in Cayuga. His character reflects the struggle between truth and the societal reluctance to accept disturbing realities.

🎖️ Veteran 🗣️ Storyteller ⚰️ Haunted

Mabel (Gail Cronauer)

Mabel is an elderly woman whose cryptic messages add a layer of mystery to the narrative. Her belief in extraterrestrials and the danger they pose reveals themes of loss and longing, as she wishes to reunite with her abducted son, grounding the film's sci-fi elements in personal tragedy.

👵 Elderly 🔮 Mysterious 💔 Nostalgic

Setting

Uncover the settings of The Vast of Night (2020), from iconic locations to the time period that shapes its world. See how these elements add depth and context to the movie’s narrative.


Time period

1950s

The 1950s was a decade marked by significant cultural shifts and advancements, particularly in technology and communication. This era often featured themes of paranoia and conspiracy, fueled by the Cold War environment, making it a fitting period for the movie's exploration of mysterious phenomena and government cover-ups.

Location

Cayuga, New Mexico

Cayuga, New Mexico, is a small town set in a seemingly quiet desert landscape, serving as the backdrop for eerie and mysterious events. Known for its vast open skies, it provides a serene yet haunting atmosphere that becomes a catalyst for the unfolding peculiar happenings in the film.

🏜️ Desert 🌌 Mystery

Themes

Explore the core themes of The Vast of Night (2020). From its commentary on social issues to its emotional undertones, delve into the deeper messages woven into the film’s story.


👽

Alien Encounters

The theme of alien encounters pervades the film, shedding light on humanity's fascination and fear of the unknown. The characters face the possibility of extraterrestrial life, which raises questions about communication, perception, and reality in their small town setting.

🎙️

Media Influence

Media plays a central role in the film, showcasing how it can serve as a medium for both information and disinformation. As Fay and Everett use radio broadcasts to communicate urgent messages, the film highlights the power of media to shape public perception and response during crises.

🌀

Mystery and Paranoia

The atmosphere of mystery and paranoia is palpable throughout the film, as strange occurrences lead characters to question their reality. This theme reflects broader societal concerns of the era related to government secrecy and the potential threats lurking beyond the ordinary.

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