Baron Blood (1972) Movie Script
1
Thank you.
Mr Peter Kleist.
Mr Peter Kleist, please report
to the centraI information desk.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
You called Peter Kleist?
Ah, yes. This gentleman here
is looking for you.
Ah, Peter!
- I'm KarI HummeI.
- Uncle KarI!
I really didn't expect you
to meet me personally.
A nephew I've never seen -
my curiosity got the better of me.
- Any more bags?
- No, just these.
Oh, but you...
Welcome to Austria, Peter.
- And how's my sister?
- Mother's fine. She sends you her best.
She wrote saying that you were
awarded your master's degree.
We're all very proud. Education is a long
and honoured tradition in our family.
Yeah, Uncle,
but I've had enough of it for a while.
Then you're not going on
for your doctorate degree?
I'm going on for some rest.
Some relaxation, some fun.
Back to the earth, back to my roots.
So that's why
you've come here to Austria, hmm?
We all want to know
where we come from...
and from whom.
I'm particularly fascinated by that
ghoulish baron on my father's side.
Hmm... Otto von Kleist.
The baron's name is not exactly popular
around these parts.
To the villagers, he was not
a fictionaI character, but reaI,
and his victims were reaI people.
Even now, they all go out of their way
to avoid going to the castle at night.
I heard the castle's being made
into a hoteI.
Yes, that's so.
But a hoteI for foreigners,
not for the locals.
How do you feeI about it?
We pass it along the way.
Would you like to take a look?
Yeah, between us we might even
conjure up an ancestraI ghost or two.
Hey, Uncle,
what are they gonna call the hoteI?
- Von Kleist Horror House?
- No.
But the castle has always been called
Schloss des Teufels.
Schloss what?
Schloss des Teufels,
Castle of the Devils.
That's not
too inviting either, is it?
It's good for tourists.
Look, there's your castle.
Schloss des Teufels.
Could we go up, do you think?
Yes, we have a little time.
Eva, did they
put up those partitions yet?
Eva, please, please.
No, no, no, no, and I say you cannot
make these changes in the cellar.
Frulein, you're just a child,
an attractive child,
but I don't like you threatening me.
I am not threatening you, Herr Dortmundt,
it's only that the law says...
- Herr Dortmundt. Eva. Good day.
- How are you?
May I present my nephew,
Peter Kleist, from America.
- Herr Dortmundt.
- It's a pleasure.
- Frulein. Nice to meet you.
- And you.
Eva's one of my
prized architecturaI students.
She represents me on the Commission for
the Preservation of NationaI Monuments.
Kleist? Peter Kleist?
Peter is a direct descendant
of Baron von Kleist.
- Oh, really?
- Yes.
SeveraI great-grandfathers back,
of course.
Baron Blood, they called him.
Well, I hope you haven't inherited
his disposition.
One never knows!
They say
one of his favourite pastimes...
was to impale anyone who incurred
his displeasure on stakes...
planting their bodies up on this tower...
as a warning to others.
- Sweet guy!
I imagine if he was around to see what
Herr Dortmundt was doing to his castle...
he might get the same idea again.
Hey, that might be a good gimmick
to attract people to the castle again.
Oh, sure, sure.
Herr Dortmundt likes the idea.
He would stick all of womanhood up there.
I think I'd better go and check
what his workers are destroying
in this part of the castle.
Go on, busybody.
Go ahead and spy on me!
Ah, she can be
so exasperating at times.
Will you please close that door!
Why do you keep opening it all the time?
- To see you come in.
- Really now...
Hey... hey!
Somebody!
Open the door!
Do you hear me?
Somebody, please!
Open the door!
Fritz!
Fritz! Don't you ever, ever dare
do that to me again!
Eva, what is it?
That stupid fiend,
he frightened me out of my mind.
Oh, that's just Fritz,
the caretaker.
He's gotten into the bad habit
of scaring intruders.
Fritz, come back here!
I wonder how many victims
the baron tortured with these trinkets.
- Are you all right now?
- I'm sorry, I know.
Er, Peter...
If you think you can tear
yourself away for the time being...
my wife has been waiting to give you...
a sample of some
truly Austrian home cooking.
Eva, how about you joining us?
Not you, buddy.
- Some more cheesecake, Peter?
- Oh, no, thank you.
If I eat any more,
I'll get as fat as the old baron.
The baron was a tall man,
but he wasn't fat.
Well, listen to her now.
How would you know?
The child is right.
Von Kleist was tall and thin.
She must have seen
a painting of him somewhere.
No, I didn't.
Well then, child,
how do you know what he looked like?
I've seen him at the castle.
Gretchen, I don't like you
telling stories like that.
But I have seen him,
sometimes on my way home from schooI.
I can see him
looking out from the castle wall...
just like the nice witch said.
Ah, so, that explains it.
She's been hearing too many stories
about Elisabeth Hlle.
Then you, too, know about her.
When the baron
had her burned to death...
KarI! Such talk at the dinner table.
Martha's right, I'm sorry.
Come, Gretchen,
time to go to bed.
- Excuse us. Peter...
- Of course.
- Eva...
- Good night, Mrs HummeI.
- Good night.
- Good night, Gretchen.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Bye!
Well, I'm glad
the name of Elisabeth Hlle came up.
There's something I want to show you.
Oh, but before I show you this,
suppose you tell me
what you know about Elisabeth Hlle?
As legend has it, she was a witch...
put at the stake by the baron,
because he was afraid of her.
Is that all?
Well, no, before she died
she put a curse on him...
promising he would suffer a hundred times
as much as any of his victims, and...
he did die a horrible death.
They tortured him,
then burned him in his own chambers.
Fortunately for the castle,
a storm extinguished the fire...
before it spread too far.
The baron's body was never found.
But Elisabeth Hlle left an incantation
that would bring him back...
to suffer again and again.
This is it.
Looks authentic enough.
Kunik Sator Holmat...
- Where did you get this?
- Up at my grandfather's place.
I was just a kid then,
but I never threw it away.
Since I was coming here to Austria,
I thought I'd bring it along...
and scare up a little family history
while I was at it.
Hmm... very interesting.
Seems authentically old.
Worth trying out,
or too dangerous?
We live in an enlightened age, Peter...
where science not only reveals
the old mysteries as mere superstitions...
but, little by little, discovers
the true mysteries of the universe.
However...
I would not play with the occult,
if I were you.
One's obsession with it
could be the reaI danger.
It's getting late, and I still have
my lectures to prepare for tomorrow.
- No, don't get up.
- I'll get Eva home safely.
No, no, that won't be necessary,
because I live right close by.
Well then, stay as long as you like,
unless you have to rush off somewhere.
- Oh, no, no, no...
- Good night, then.
- Good night. Thanks, Uncle.
- Good night, Doctor.
May I?
Thank you.
7 XGR...
No, no, no, no! No, not here!
Don't read it now.
Well, you don't really
believe in that, do you?
Do you still have the keys
to the castle?
- Look, as a trustee of the government...
- Yeah, listen to this for a second.
They say the only place
the incantation will work...
is in the room
where the baron was killed.
Well, that should be
the "burned room", then.
It's starting to make sense now.
Let's go to the castle.
Come on, Peter. You want me to run
off in the night as your "guide"?
Have no fear, mein Frulein...
if the ancient baron should wake up
on the wrong side of the bed,
I'll be there to protect you.
- OK?
- Mm-hmm.
Does that mean yes or no?
It only means that I wonder
with whom I would be safer...
with the baron's ghost or with you?
Oh, good,
then that means "yes".
Are you always
so sure of yourself?
Huh? No.
That's good.
Let's go...
After you, Frulein.
Hurry!
The witching hour is almost here.
Nothing to worry about.
The second incantation will put
the old boy back where he came from.
I mean, if we don't dig him,
we'll ditch him.
Come on!
Damn!
Are you all right?
Yeah.
Oh, if you feeI to your right,
there's an oiI lamp on the table.
Uh-huh. Got it.
Now all I have to do is light it.
And then we'll be set.
Let's go.
It's up in the turret.
- Over there?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well? Where to?
- There's a table inside.
Go ahead.
- And now the incantation!
- Woo...
The parchment!
Oh, I have it here.
- What's that?
- It's an originaI plan of the castle.
Oh, the incantation of Elisabeth Hlle.
Kunik Sator Hol...
- Don't kid around!
- Why not?
Because you'll invoke
Elisabeth Hlle's anger.
Only if we do it solemnly
shall the bells toll...
announcing the baron's spirit.
- How nice!
- Ready?
- Ready!
Kunik Sator Holmat!
I beseech thee, oh, Elisabeth Hlle...
reach the fiery depths of hell...
and bring forth the eviI spirit
of Baron Otto von Kleist...
to this, the chamber of his tortured death.
Wow!
What is he waiting for?
Maybe he doesn't like us, huh?
Well, that er... That must be
the bell of the church of St Stefan.
Huh! It's midnight,
but the bell only rang twice.
Twice. Two o'clock.
Two o'clock was the hour
that von Kleist was killed.
Peter...
Peter, if the curse really worked, then...
if he really were to come back,
he'd be a monster.
- The way he was... killed and...
- Yeah, I know.
With his skull all crushed,
tortured, burned...
Peter, he'd be a monster.
I want to go, please.
Don't worry. Come on.
Peter, make it go away!
- Break the incantation! I beg you!
- All right! All right!
Kunik Sator Holmat!
Change thy heart, and take him away.
Holmat Sator Kunik.
Take him away to the darkest depths,
and break thy incantation.
I bet it was Fritz
with one of his pranks.
I'll bet anything it was Fritz.
It had to be.
- It couldn't have been anyone else.
- I hope so!
- That's 16, huh?
- Yes, sir.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
Good morning, Herr Dortmundt.
Is Fritz around?
Fritz? No, I fired him yesterday.
Then he wasn't here last night?
No, at least he shouldn't have been.
Why do you ask?
Herr Dortmundt, would you mind
if I brought him to the castle?
- Herr Dortmundt, bitte.
- I'll be with you in a second.
I'd like to show you around myself
if I weren't so busy.
Maybe you'll come up with more gimmicks
to attract American tourists!
Well, what is it?
Eva, let's go back in,
to the "burned room" again.
Along one of these walls,
there's got to be a hidden passage.
I was up half the night
studying this thing.
The plan shows a corridor
leading into another room.
That could be it.
- What on earth are you doing?
- Here, hold this a second.
- Why...?
- Just hold it!
What are you going to do,
break the whole castle down?
There's got to be another room here.
- Who could that be?
- Hmm...
It's probably a painting
of von Kleist.
But why those scratches?
Maybe one of his enemies
let his hatred out in the painting.
There's something about his eyes.
I'd swear they were following me.
He's looking at me!
Eva, let's try the incantation again.
- What for?
- I must find out what happened.
But you told me nothing happened.
I know I did,
but I want to make sure.
Oh, Peter, it was at night
and spooky and frightening,
but today everything seems so unreaI.
Does it? What if the ghost of Elisabeth
Hlle is stronger than the centuries?
What if it could bring
the baron back?
Oh, come on!
You don't believe that yourself.
It's not likely,
but I must find out.
What are you thinking?
That to come face to face with
my ancestor from the 16th century,
monster or not, is an experience
I wouldn't want to pass up.
You feeI better now?
Yes, thank you.
I felt chills going right through me.
Are you ready to start?
Kunik Sator Holmat.
I command you -
return, wherever you may be.
Kunik Sator Holmat.
I call the body and souI
of Otto von Kleist!
Peter, no.
No, let's stop it while we can.
Peter, let's stop it, please.
Peter... Peter, hurry,
it will be too late.
No! Peter!
Peter! The door!
He's coming in!
The door, Peter!
Peter, make him go away!
Make him go away, please!
The parchment!
It's burning, it's burning!
Peter! The parchment is burning!
Hurry! Hurry!
Blood!
There's blood, Peter!
There's blood under the door!
What have we done?
Peter?
Peter.
I can't understand it.
It's impossible.
Peter, there's something horrible
and terrifying out there,
and we have released it!
Madeleine?
Madeleine,
is there someone at the door?
Never mind, I'll go.
Yes?
Who is it?
Come in.
Hurry! Hurry!
I haven't seen such a gale in years.
It blew the lights out.
What happened to you?
Good lord! In here, quickly!
Come! Hurry! Hurry!
Madeleine, bring some hot water.
Hurry up!
I forgot. There's no light.
Wait! Wait there!
I have a flashlight here somewhere.
Oh, God in heaven.
Lie down, please.
I'll be right with you.
- Werner?
- Wait outside!
- Here.
- No, Madeleine, you wait outside.
Hmm.
I've applied a disinfectant
and stopped the bleeding.
Now we've got to get you
to a hospitaI.
Listen, it's a miracle if you're alive.
It's my duty as a doctor
to call an ambulance.
You need to be in a hospitaI.
Hello? Dr Werner Hesse, here.
Schloss des Teufels, ja.
I need an ambulance.
Ja, it's urgent, I...
'Hello?
Hello, Dr Hesse?
'Hello, Dr Hesse?
'Hello? Dr Hesse?'
Werner?
Who's there?
Nein! Nein!
Hilfe! Nein!
Nein!
Hilfe! Nein!
Uncle KarI!
- So, wie geht's, Peter?
- Not bad.
- Good morning.
- Morning, Eva.
Do you have a few minutes
you can spare us?
Well, I have a class,
but I guess it can wait.
Well... you remember
our talking about Elisabeth Hlle
and the curse
she put on Baron von Kleist?
Yes?
Well, last night at the castle,
I invoked the curse.
Did you bring the baron
back from his grave?
Oh no, it's true, Professor.
According to the curse,
the baron was supposed to come back
with blood flowing from his wounds,
and last night, Professor,
there was blood under the door.
And the door,
a big, heavy oak door,
gave away like a supernaturaI force
was trying to crush through it.
A spooky castle, a dark night,
a witch's curse...
It can play strange tricks
on our imagination.
And last night, a doctor was killed.
Yes, I know.
I read about it in the paper.
You see Professor,
if the baron should have come back,
he would have needed
medicaI attention,
and he could have killed
the doctor, no?
If you really think the baron is here,
why don't you send him back?
- But we can't!
- The parchment blew into the fire.
Ah!
- Good morning, Inspector.
- Good morning.
Eva called
and told me about Dortmundt.
Strange. Why would a man like that
want to commit suicide?
He just wasn't the type -
always active, thinking of money...
Hm. I don't think it was suicide.
The noose was tied by an expert
and there were signs of a struggle,
which leads us to suppose
that someone else was present.
But if it wasn't suicide,
- then who...? I mean...
- Who killed him?
- Why would anyone want to kill him?
- Fritz.
- Fritz?
- He was discharged just recently
and was seen in this area last night.
We have yet to check it out,
but we're looking for him.
AUCTION OF THE CASTLE HOTEL
SEALED BIDS ONLY
Sold for 90,000 schillings.
And now we come to the next item,
lot number 15,
consisting of 20 large-screen
colour television sets,
all brand new, all still crated.
We start the opening bid
with 135,000 schillings.
Who's going to up that bid?
Now, ladies and gentlemen.
145,000.
Are you bidding there, sir?
155,000.
155,000? 165,000!
175,000 schillings.
We're at 175,000.
175,000 once...
175,000 twice...
175,000 for the third...
Sold at 175!
And now the next
and last item of this auction.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the castle and its grounds.
How much do you think
the castle will go for?
I'm not sure.
I would say, in American money...
at least 600,000 dollars.
You're including the dungeon.
Yeah, at least.
For this bid we have asked you
to submit sealed bids
prior to the start of this auction.
Now I'm going to announce
the result of these bids.
Thank you.
I beg your attention,
ladies and gentlemen.
The winning bid was submitted
by Mr Alfred Becker.
- Is Mr Alfred Becker in the audience?
- Yes, I am.
My sincerest congratulations,
Mr Becker!
Congratulations!
The castle could not have been placed
in better hands.
Thank you.
- You know him, Doctor?
- No.
- Maybe we should introduce ourselves.
- Why not?
- The documents will be here shortly.
- Thank you.
Mr Becker? I'm Doctor HummeI.
This is Eva Arnold
and my nephew, Peter Kleist.
How do you do, sir?
We'd all like to offer
our congratulations.
- Thank you very much.
- Thank you, sir.
- Peter Kleist?
- Yes.
Baron Otto von Kleist
was an ancestor of mine.
It might interest you to know,
Doctor,
that Mr Becker intends
to live in this castle
and plans to restore it
to its originaI condition.
- Oh, really?
- Yes.
That's Eva's speciaI field.
Perhaps she could be of some help.
I'm sure she could.
When you have a moment,
young lady,
I would be delighted
if you would pay me a visit
and share
some of your knowledge with me.
Er... well, thank you very much.
Excuse me, Mr Becker, if you'd be
good enough to sign this document...
you shall take legaI title
to the castle.
- Er... good day, Mr Becker.
- Nice to have met you.
Frulein, don't forget -
I shall be expecting you.
Mr Becker?
Herr Becker?
Herr Becker, you...
you frightened me.
I'm sorry.
I couldn't help but admire
that beautifuI tapestry.
- Where did you find it?
- Oh, in a little antique shop.
It was a stroke of pure luck.
They didn't even know
it belonged to the castle.
Of course it does.
How clever of you to find it.
Well, thank you.
Herr Becker, there's something
I would like to tell you.
Oh? Go ahead, dear.
Yes, it seems that a curse has been put
on Baron von Kleist by a witch.
Now, she vowed that he would suffer
a horrible death...
and be returned only
to go through all the agonies again.
A witch?
You... you believe this?
Well, but... let me finish, please.
You see, when Peter first arrived,
we invoked the curse.
We said the words that would
bring the baron back to life.
And?
I don't know...
So many terrible things have
happened here after that, that I...
I know it all sounds foolish, but...
Let me be the judge of that,
my dear.
Go ahead.
Horrible things
have happened since then.
A doctor was killed in his home.
Herr Dortmundt was murdered
right here in this castle.
- And now Fritz is missing.
- Fritz?
Oh, he's the caretaker
here in the castle.
- If only we could send him back!
- Send him back?
Well, yes. You see, the parchment
with Elisabeth Hlle's curse
also contained an invocation
to send the baron back.
Where is the parchment now?
Well, er... that is the trouble.
It burned in the fireplace.
What a pity!
But there is another way.
I just can't remember it.
- Another way?
- There must be another way.
You know, I remember
when I was a child,
there were other similar legends.
But now I search and search
and search my mind,
and I just don't...
don't seem to remember it.
- And yet...
- Eva!
Yes, Herr Becker?
Please... enough of that! Eva!
Oh yes, sir.
Would you drape
the tapestry over the railing?
- I'd like to see how it looks hanging.
- Certainly.
Like this?
Eva, is something wrong?
No, it is that... It's just that for...
for a moment, I thought that...
Why not put it in your work room
untiI we decide where to hang it?
Yes, sir.
After which, you'd better get
some rest, don't you think?
Yes, sir.
- Forgive me.
- Certainly, my dear.
Certainly.
No!
No, go away!
No!
No!
No! No!
Eva! Eva!
- Where are you?
- No! No!
Eva, where are you?
Answer me!
Eva!
Eva!
Eva!
Eva! Eva!
Where are you?
Eva!
- Where's Eva?
- She's in trouble, Peter.
Go help her. Hurry! Hurry!
- Where is she?
- The tower. Up in the tower!
Eva!
- Eva!
- Peter! Oh, Peter!
Peter, please take me
away from here.
I never want to come back here again.
Please!
- Please... never. Peter, please!
- All right, darling.
HALLS OF RESIDENCE
- Eva, I...
- Don't say anything.
We don't need words.
No matter, darling,
what Becker or anyone else says, I...
Look, I don't care about
anybody else.
- I believe you.
- The only one who matters is you.
I'd still feeI better if you stayed
at my uncle's place for a few days.
Oh no, I'll be all right.
Don't worry about me.
I won't be alone there. There are lots
of students who stay over the weekend.
Listen, I'll give you my car, and then
you pick me up in the morning, OK?
A kiss first.
No, no, no, don't get out.
And... well, thank you for... for everything.
Taxi!
Oh!
Open! Open the door!
The door! The door, please!
Open the door!
Eva, what is it?
- The monster! My God!
- What's wrong? What happened?
It was the monster! The baron!
It was the baron! The baron!
I know it was.
No, no! He's still out there!
- Eva, you must get a hold of yourself.
- It was the monster!
It was!
- No, don't, Eva. Don't.
- Easy, easy.
- May we?
- Oh, come in, come in.
- How are you?
- Fine. Finishing a few assignments.
- If you're busy, we can...
- No, I'm almost finished.
As you know, part of my work
here at the university...
involves research
in extrasensory perception.
Each card
shows either a circle...
a line...
or a rectangle.
My average score
is one out of three...
and that's exactly
what chance predicts, and...
Do these equations have anything to do
with your calling about, er...
about what happened last night?
Just my way
of leading up to the subject.
The fact is, I haven't been thinking
of anything else.
Then you do believe
that I saw someone or something
in my room and on the streets?
I'm convinced that you did.
- Do you believe it was the baron?
- I believe that it could have been.
Do you realise what that means?
A human spirit brought back to life
after centuries.
It makes the greatest discovery
look triviaI by comparison.
Try to remember - what did he look like?
Oh, it was just horrible.
I really don't want to talk about it, Peter,
if you don't mind.
I don't blame you.
You really had a terrifying experience.
If it was the baron, then both your lives
are in danger. He'll try again.
- But why?
- Because he fears you'll send him back.
But we can't!
The parchment with Elisabeth Hlle's
curse burned. It is gone.
There may be still another way.
You know of one?
About a year ago,
we were interviewing subjects for ESP
right here in this classroom.
For the most part, we came up
with results that were about average...
but with one very notable exception.
A woman named Christina Hoffmann.
- A former teacher.
- Did you test her with these, Uncle?
Yes.
And by many other methods.
Her results were astounding.
Far surpassing random
or chance probabilities.
But what makes you think
that she can help us?
Because Christina Hoffmann claims,
and I believe her...
that she is not only clairvoyant...
but a medium
between the living and the dead.
Why did you come here?
I feeI... I feeI something.
No, I don't want to talk to you.
Christina, you're the only one
who may be able to help us.
No.
No.
It may be too late...
...for all of us.
So, you've come to talk to me...
...about the baron.
Remarkable!
It was a foolish thing you did.
And a dangerous thing.
He will destroy you, if he can.
But why?
Only those present
the day the spell was invoked...
have the power to eliminate it.
You mean, Eva and I...
Thus the baron
has only you two to fear.
Christina, can you help us?
No, I cannot.
I must not.
But the parchment with Elisabeth Hlle's
invocation burned...
and with it the order to send him back.
Please.
Please, you're the only one
who can help us. Please.
I told you I can do nothing.
Elisabeth Hlle invoked the curse.
Only she can tell you its secret.
But she's dead!
Oh, mortals are such fools!
Once you killed innocent witches...
and now you bring murderers
back to life.
It was my ancestor
who burned her at the stake.
I can make amends, with your help.
This once belonged to Elisabeth Hlle.
Tonight, we'll go to the place
where she was burned at the stake.
Peter. Eva.
Elisabeth...
these two who brought back
your murderer would speak with you.
The will of thy tortured spirit has been
placed in these unknowing hands.
Come, speak to us, Elisabeth.
Come before the rock that shall
forever mark the place of thy death.
Come, Elisabeth.
You lost the parchment.
Fools!
The curse shall stand...
...forever.
And the baron...
...shall suffer forever!
The baron can be destroyed...
...only by those
he has himself destroyed.
Now because of you
I have made him suffer again.
And for that, I'm in your debt.
I will tell you this...
You have the power to destroy him...
to make him suffer again...
...the agonies of hell!
Use it!
Before it's too late!
Death awaits.
Death.
You knew he sees Elisabeth Hlle.
You cannot escape him, Christina.
You cannot escape him.
I appreciate your coming here today...
and I promise I will not keep you long.
But Frulein Arnold...
Can't you tell me something more...
about the man you saw
in your room the other night?
No, Inspector, I cannot!
I hardly saw his face.
I only saw his hands, and they were
crushed and burned and bloodied!
It was a nightmare, Inspector.
Inspector, is it really necessary
to make Eva go through this again?
I'm afraid so.
You see, the murderer of Dortmundt
is still at large.
- And Fritz?
- My men are still looking for him.
Inspector, what if we told you
that we had another theory...
as to what happened to Herr Dortmundt
and possibly Fritz as well?
I'd be most interested.
You see, Inspector,
it involves a curse...
a curse put on Baron von Kleist
300 years ago.
- Von Kleist? Baron Blood?
- Exactly!
300 years ago!
Yes, and we believe the curse
has brought him back to life.
And that he killed Dortmundt
and attacked Eva in the castle.
- And then he tried to kill her.
- Yes, I'm certain of it.
Frulein, we are well aware of
your interest in historicaI archives.
Mr Kleist, we're aware also...
of your emotionaI involvement
in this particular castle.
You're both young, impressionable...
But you, Herr Professor...
You said yourself there have been
other disappearances...
a fisherman,
a villager on his way home...
and then that peddler,
all gone without a trace.
Yes, and of course
all in the vicinity of the castle.
I'm afraid your theories
are not of much use to me.
- Is that all, Inspector?
- For the moment, yes.
- Thank you.
- Thank you for your assistance.
I just don't understand
that inspector.
Four people disappear,
and he doesn't care.
- And all in the vicinity of the castle.
- I don't get it.
My God, I never stopped
to think that...
She passes by there every day,
on her way from schooI!
- Who?
- Gretchen!
How stupid of me
not to think of it. Hurry!
Gretchen!
Gretchen!
- Are you all right?
- I fell off my bike.
Oh look, she's bleeding.
Do you have a handkerchief?
It doesn't hurt much.
- Thank God it's only a scratch.
- What happened, Gretchen?
I stopped to look at the castle,
and I hurt myself when I...
I tried to jump on my bike.
Well, thank goodness that's all!
I saw the bushes move
because a ghost was there.
Look, Doctor.
Mr Becker is there all by himself.
Don't you think
we should warn him of this?
I appreciate your concern,
Doctor HummeI.
I respect your opinion,
though I do think it's a bit far-fetched.
I'm afraid
Eva can't consider it far-fetched.
I understand your apprehension, sir.
In view of the strange things
she appears to have seen...
strange enough to cause her
to leave my employment.
I hope this talk isn't going to give
this young lady nightmares.
She's my daughter, Gretchen.
Hello, Gretchen.
Lovely child!
Oh, I am very happy to announce...
that I have completed
the restoration of the castle,
including a few items
that may surprise even you, dear Eva.
Why don't you drop by this evening?
- Well, I don't know, sir...
- All of you! All of you, of course.
I promise you won't be disappointed,
Doctor HummeI.
Thank you.
Oh, and do be carefuI
of these mountain roads.
As you know, they can be
quite treacherous after dark.
UntiI tonight, then!
Mr Becker is the ghost.
- What do you mean, darling?
- I'd know him anywhere.
His eyes burn like fire.
All right, Gretchen,
that's enough now.
Go out and play, yeah?
Let's go and wash up first.
Then you can go out
and play in the garden.
- Wait a moment!
- Hmm?
- What do we really know about Becker?
- Personally, nothing.
Who is he?
Where did he come from?
Why did he...
How is it he suddenly appeared
at the auction?
And where did he get his money?
It's true, his background
has a little mystery about it.
And another thing,
he's the only one who's not afraid
to stay by himself in the castle.
And then his invitation for tonight
was pretty weird.
- And yet, what about his face?
- What do you mean?
You know, the man who was in my room,
who chased me all over the castle...
he wasn't even human-looking.
I don't know.
If he is the baron, it's possible that he has
the power to change his appearance.
But you know, I remember now
that when I mentioned the name
of Elisabeth Hlle for the first time,
Herr Becker looked...
well, he looked stricken.
If Becker is the baron,
then you must realise how dangerous it is
to go to the castle tonight.
There are too many unknown quantities
to this mystery,
and there's no logicaI procedure
to its solution.
We can't drop everything
right now, just when...
Just when it may seem
too dangerous to go further, Peter?
But Uncle, we must go!
It's the only way we can get the proof.
If only we knew
what Elisabeth Hlle meant...
when she said
we had the power to destroy him.
Maybe she meant the amulet.
The amulet!
Peter, look!
What?
Up there, that painting!
- Isn't that the one we saw...?
- The night of the incantation, exactly!
Good evening,
my dear friends.
Please... please come in.
I am really delighted
to see you.
I was afraid
you might have changed your minds.
Come!
- Good evening, Mr Becker.
- I'm so glad you could come, Doctor.
- Um, Herr Becker...
- Isn't that Baron von Kleist?
Yes, I believe it to be the only true portrait
of the baron in existence.
Well, it really seems very odd to me,
Herr Becker,
that the whole painting was restored,
except for the face.
Artistic integrity, dear Eva.
Since no one knows
what the baron actually looked like...
would you have a painter give him a face
that wasn't truly his own?
I understand
that he was a sadist and a murderer.
And quite probably insane.
Sadist? Murderer?
Matters of terminology.
Insane?
Hmm...
I rather think not.
He was much too clever.
But such cleverness goes hand in hand
with insanity, don't you think?
You are the scientist, Doctor.
But let's not bore these children
with clinicaI analyses!
I'd like to show you
something more realistic.
Excuse me, dear Eva.
Now, if you'll all just follow me,
please.
- Well, what do you think?
- Did you see that?
My God, it's pretty startling, even for
a castle like Schloss des Teufels.
But they seem so life-like.
Anybody would think they were reaI.
- A magnificent effect, Herr Becker.
- If it is just an effect!
Oh, Peter. I've restored
not only the furniture of the castle...
I've tried to recreate the atmosphere,
the personality of its originaI owner.
The baron's will
not only dominated this castle...
but all the valley below.
The people were necessary
only for his convenience.
Those whom he found inconvenient...
Follow me.
I'm particularly pleased...
with the meticulous and exacting
restoration of this dungeon.
With a little imagination you should
be able to envision the tortures...
and hear the screams
that echoed through here.
Those recorded screams
in the baron's day were reaI.
Hours perhaps. Entertaining?
It's disgusting and horrible, and I...
I'd like to leave, please.
It's all very fascinating,
but I'm afraid, we must be going.
- May we assist you upstairs?
- Thank you, no.
But please come back.
There are many more things
I would like to ask you, Herr Becker.
- Perhaps you would like to stay.
- Peter, please.
- I understand.
- Let's go.
It was a pleasure.
Good night.
Do come back soon
for a longer visit.
A much longer visit...
Auf Wiedersehen.
I'm sure he's the baron.
But if he is,
why did he let us go?
Possibly he's just playing a game.
- Do you have the amulet?
- Oh yes, it's here.
We've got to try to send his ghost back.
Hurry! Let's go.
But let's talk to him
before sending him back.
This opportunity
is never gonna come again.
Think what it would mean to actually
speak with someone from the past.
- Peter, please.
- Peter!
You've unleashed
a monster on the world.
- You must try to send him back.
- Oh...
I am disappointed, Doctor.
Is your scientific interest waning?
For a man in your position...
I would have expected
more intellectuaI curiosity.
- Baron Otto von Kleist!
- What a pity...
You are Baron von Kleist!
...that circumstances
oblige me to eliminate...
my only living male descendant.
Go back! Go back!
Go back!
Go back to wherever you came from!
- Go back!
- Child...
Do you think you can destroy me
with a trinket?
Good shot, Doctor!
No! No!
Now you shall taste the pain,
the exquisite agony...
...the fate you'd planned for me.
Only, luckily for you,
there will be no coming back.
No!
You shall join the others...
the miserable beings
who dared to oppose my will.
- You shall die!
- No! No!
Eva!
Hurry!
The baron of
blood and eviI shall be destroyed...
... only by those
he has himself destroyed.
You, his victims,
have the power to crush him...
and make him suffer
the agonies of hell.
Use it, before it's too late.
It's the monster!
He's coming!
Eva, don't!
It's the monster!
No!
Get a hold of yourself!
No!
No! No!
Hurry, hurry, Peter.
Come! Hurry! Hurry!
Are you OK?
No, don't look back, Evie.
Leave
the last blow for me, Elisabeth Hlle.
Let me taste sweet revenge.
Let me please, please...
Let me cut into his heart.
Please!
Thank you.
Mr Peter Kleist.
Mr Peter Kleist, please report
to the centraI information desk.
Thank you.
Excuse me.
You called Peter Kleist?
Ah, yes. This gentleman here
is looking for you.
Ah, Peter!
- I'm KarI HummeI.
- Uncle KarI!
I really didn't expect you
to meet me personally.
A nephew I've never seen -
my curiosity got the better of me.
- Any more bags?
- No, just these.
Oh, but you...
Welcome to Austria, Peter.
- And how's my sister?
- Mother's fine. She sends you her best.
She wrote saying that you were
awarded your master's degree.
We're all very proud. Education is a long
and honoured tradition in our family.
Yeah, Uncle,
but I've had enough of it for a while.
Then you're not going on
for your doctorate degree?
I'm going on for some rest.
Some relaxation, some fun.
Back to the earth, back to my roots.
So that's why
you've come here to Austria, hmm?
We all want to know
where we come from...
and from whom.
I'm particularly fascinated by that
ghoulish baron on my father's side.
Hmm... Otto von Kleist.
The baron's name is not exactly popular
around these parts.
To the villagers, he was not
a fictionaI character, but reaI,
and his victims were reaI people.
Even now, they all go out of their way
to avoid going to the castle at night.
I heard the castle's being made
into a hoteI.
Yes, that's so.
But a hoteI for foreigners,
not for the locals.
How do you feeI about it?
We pass it along the way.
Would you like to take a look?
Yeah, between us we might even
conjure up an ancestraI ghost or two.
Hey, Uncle,
what are they gonna call the hoteI?
- Von Kleist Horror House?
- No.
But the castle has always been called
Schloss des Teufels.
Schloss what?
Schloss des Teufels,
Castle of the Devils.
That's not
too inviting either, is it?
It's good for tourists.
Look, there's your castle.
Schloss des Teufels.
Could we go up, do you think?
Yes, we have a little time.
Eva, did they
put up those partitions yet?
Eva, please, please.
No, no, no, no, and I say you cannot
make these changes in the cellar.
Frulein, you're just a child,
an attractive child,
but I don't like you threatening me.
I am not threatening you, Herr Dortmundt,
it's only that the law says...
- Herr Dortmundt. Eva. Good day.
- How are you?
May I present my nephew,
Peter Kleist, from America.
- Herr Dortmundt.
- It's a pleasure.
- Frulein. Nice to meet you.
- And you.
Eva's one of my
prized architecturaI students.
She represents me on the Commission for
the Preservation of NationaI Monuments.
Kleist? Peter Kleist?
Peter is a direct descendant
of Baron von Kleist.
- Oh, really?
- Yes.
SeveraI great-grandfathers back,
of course.
Baron Blood, they called him.
Well, I hope you haven't inherited
his disposition.
One never knows!
They say
one of his favourite pastimes...
was to impale anyone who incurred
his displeasure on stakes...
planting their bodies up on this tower...
as a warning to others.
- Sweet guy!
I imagine if he was around to see what
Herr Dortmundt was doing to his castle...
he might get the same idea again.
Hey, that might be a good gimmick
to attract people to the castle again.
Oh, sure, sure.
Herr Dortmundt likes the idea.
He would stick all of womanhood up there.
I think I'd better go and check
what his workers are destroying
in this part of the castle.
Go on, busybody.
Go ahead and spy on me!
Ah, she can be
so exasperating at times.
Will you please close that door!
Why do you keep opening it all the time?
- To see you come in.
- Really now...
Hey... hey!
Somebody!
Open the door!
Do you hear me?
Somebody, please!
Open the door!
Fritz!
Fritz! Don't you ever, ever dare
do that to me again!
Eva, what is it?
That stupid fiend,
he frightened me out of my mind.
Oh, that's just Fritz,
the caretaker.
He's gotten into the bad habit
of scaring intruders.
Fritz, come back here!
I wonder how many victims
the baron tortured with these trinkets.
- Are you all right now?
- I'm sorry, I know.
Er, Peter...
If you think you can tear
yourself away for the time being...
my wife has been waiting to give you...
a sample of some
truly Austrian home cooking.
Eva, how about you joining us?
Not you, buddy.
- Some more cheesecake, Peter?
- Oh, no, thank you.
If I eat any more,
I'll get as fat as the old baron.
The baron was a tall man,
but he wasn't fat.
Well, listen to her now.
How would you know?
The child is right.
Von Kleist was tall and thin.
She must have seen
a painting of him somewhere.
No, I didn't.
Well then, child,
how do you know what he looked like?
I've seen him at the castle.
Gretchen, I don't like you
telling stories like that.
But I have seen him,
sometimes on my way home from schooI.
I can see him
looking out from the castle wall...
just like the nice witch said.
Ah, so, that explains it.
She's been hearing too many stories
about Elisabeth Hlle.
Then you, too, know about her.
When the baron
had her burned to death...
KarI! Such talk at the dinner table.
Martha's right, I'm sorry.
Come, Gretchen,
time to go to bed.
- Excuse us. Peter...
- Of course.
- Eva...
- Good night, Mrs HummeI.
- Good night.
- Good night, Gretchen.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Bye!
Well, I'm glad
the name of Elisabeth Hlle came up.
There's something I want to show you.
Oh, but before I show you this,
suppose you tell me
what you know about Elisabeth Hlle?
As legend has it, she was a witch...
put at the stake by the baron,
because he was afraid of her.
Is that all?
Well, no, before she died
she put a curse on him...
promising he would suffer a hundred times
as much as any of his victims, and...
he did die a horrible death.
They tortured him,
then burned him in his own chambers.
Fortunately for the castle,
a storm extinguished the fire...
before it spread too far.
The baron's body was never found.
But Elisabeth Hlle left an incantation
that would bring him back...
to suffer again and again.
This is it.
Looks authentic enough.
Kunik Sator Holmat...
- Where did you get this?
- Up at my grandfather's place.
I was just a kid then,
but I never threw it away.
Since I was coming here to Austria,
I thought I'd bring it along...
and scare up a little family history
while I was at it.
Hmm... very interesting.
Seems authentically old.
Worth trying out,
or too dangerous?
We live in an enlightened age, Peter...
where science not only reveals
the old mysteries as mere superstitions...
but, little by little, discovers
the true mysteries of the universe.
However...
I would not play with the occult,
if I were you.
One's obsession with it
could be the reaI danger.
It's getting late, and I still have
my lectures to prepare for tomorrow.
- No, don't get up.
- I'll get Eva home safely.
No, no, that won't be necessary,
because I live right close by.
Well then, stay as long as you like,
unless you have to rush off somewhere.
- Oh, no, no, no...
- Good night, then.
- Good night. Thanks, Uncle.
- Good night, Doctor.
May I?
Thank you.
7 XGR...
No, no, no, no! No, not here!
Don't read it now.
Well, you don't really
believe in that, do you?
Do you still have the keys
to the castle?
- Look, as a trustee of the government...
- Yeah, listen to this for a second.
They say the only place
the incantation will work...
is in the room
where the baron was killed.
Well, that should be
the "burned room", then.
It's starting to make sense now.
Let's go to the castle.
Come on, Peter. You want me to run
off in the night as your "guide"?
Have no fear, mein Frulein...
if the ancient baron should wake up
on the wrong side of the bed,
I'll be there to protect you.
- OK?
- Mm-hmm.
Does that mean yes or no?
It only means that I wonder
with whom I would be safer...
with the baron's ghost or with you?
Oh, good,
then that means "yes".
Are you always
so sure of yourself?
Huh? No.
That's good.
Let's go...
After you, Frulein.
Hurry!
The witching hour is almost here.
Nothing to worry about.
The second incantation will put
the old boy back where he came from.
I mean, if we don't dig him,
we'll ditch him.
Come on!
Damn!
Are you all right?
Yeah.
Oh, if you feeI to your right,
there's an oiI lamp on the table.
Uh-huh. Got it.
Now all I have to do is light it.
And then we'll be set.
Let's go.
It's up in the turret.
- Over there?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well? Where to?
- There's a table inside.
Go ahead.
- And now the incantation!
- Woo...
The parchment!
Oh, I have it here.
- What's that?
- It's an originaI plan of the castle.
Oh, the incantation of Elisabeth Hlle.
Kunik Sator Hol...
- Don't kid around!
- Why not?
Because you'll invoke
Elisabeth Hlle's anger.
Only if we do it solemnly
shall the bells toll...
announcing the baron's spirit.
- How nice!
- Ready?
- Ready!
Kunik Sator Holmat!
I beseech thee, oh, Elisabeth Hlle...
reach the fiery depths of hell...
and bring forth the eviI spirit
of Baron Otto von Kleist...
to this, the chamber of his tortured death.
Wow!
What is he waiting for?
Maybe he doesn't like us, huh?
Well, that er... That must be
the bell of the church of St Stefan.
Huh! It's midnight,
but the bell only rang twice.
Twice. Two o'clock.
Two o'clock was the hour
that von Kleist was killed.
Peter...
Peter, if the curse really worked, then...
if he really were to come back,
he'd be a monster.
- The way he was... killed and...
- Yeah, I know.
With his skull all crushed,
tortured, burned...
Peter, he'd be a monster.
I want to go, please.
Don't worry. Come on.
Peter, make it go away!
- Break the incantation! I beg you!
- All right! All right!
Kunik Sator Holmat!
Change thy heart, and take him away.
Holmat Sator Kunik.
Take him away to the darkest depths,
and break thy incantation.
I bet it was Fritz
with one of his pranks.
I'll bet anything it was Fritz.
It had to be.
- It couldn't have been anyone else.
- I hope so!
- That's 16, huh?
- Yes, sir.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
Good morning, Herr Dortmundt.
Is Fritz around?
Fritz? No, I fired him yesterday.
Then he wasn't here last night?
No, at least he shouldn't have been.
Why do you ask?
Herr Dortmundt, would you mind
if I brought him to the castle?
- Herr Dortmundt, bitte.
- I'll be with you in a second.
I'd like to show you around myself
if I weren't so busy.
Maybe you'll come up with more gimmicks
to attract American tourists!
Well, what is it?
Eva, let's go back in,
to the "burned room" again.
Along one of these walls,
there's got to be a hidden passage.
I was up half the night
studying this thing.
The plan shows a corridor
leading into another room.
That could be it.
- What on earth are you doing?
- Here, hold this a second.
- Why...?
- Just hold it!
What are you going to do,
break the whole castle down?
There's got to be another room here.
- Who could that be?
- Hmm...
It's probably a painting
of von Kleist.
But why those scratches?
Maybe one of his enemies
let his hatred out in the painting.
There's something about his eyes.
I'd swear they were following me.
He's looking at me!
Eva, let's try the incantation again.
- What for?
- I must find out what happened.
But you told me nothing happened.
I know I did,
but I want to make sure.
Oh, Peter, it was at night
and spooky and frightening,
but today everything seems so unreaI.
Does it? What if the ghost of Elisabeth
Hlle is stronger than the centuries?
What if it could bring
the baron back?
Oh, come on!
You don't believe that yourself.
It's not likely,
but I must find out.
What are you thinking?
That to come face to face with
my ancestor from the 16th century,
monster or not, is an experience
I wouldn't want to pass up.
You feeI better now?
Yes, thank you.
I felt chills going right through me.
Are you ready to start?
Kunik Sator Holmat.
I command you -
return, wherever you may be.
Kunik Sator Holmat.
I call the body and souI
of Otto von Kleist!
Peter, no.
No, let's stop it while we can.
Peter, let's stop it, please.
Peter... Peter, hurry,
it will be too late.
No! Peter!
Peter! The door!
He's coming in!
The door, Peter!
Peter, make him go away!
Make him go away, please!
The parchment!
It's burning, it's burning!
Peter! The parchment is burning!
Hurry! Hurry!
Blood!
There's blood, Peter!
There's blood under the door!
What have we done?
Peter?
Peter.
I can't understand it.
It's impossible.
Peter, there's something horrible
and terrifying out there,
and we have released it!
Madeleine?
Madeleine,
is there someone at the door?
Never mind, I'll go.
Yes?
Who is it?
Come in.
Hurry! Hurry!
I haven't seen such a gale in years.
It blew the lights out.
What happened to you?
Good lord! In here, quickly!
Come! Hurry! Hurry!
Madeleine, bring some hot water.
Hurry up!
I forgot. There's no light.
Wait! Wait there!
I have a flashlight here somewhere.
Oh, God in heaven.
Lie down, please.
I'll be right with you.
- Werner?
- Wait outside!
- Here.
- No, Madeleine, you wait outside.
Hmm.
I've applied a disinfectant
and stopped the bleeding.
Now we've got to get you
to a hospitaI.
Listen, it's a miracle if you're alive.
It's my duty as a doctor
to call an ambulance.
You need to be in a hospitaI.
Hello? Dr Werner Hesse, here.
Schloss des Teufels, ja.
I need an ambulance.
Ja, it's urgent, I...
'Hello?
Hello, Dr Hesse?
'Hello, Dr Hesse?
'Hello? Dr Hesse?'
Werner?
Who's there?
Nein! Nein!
Hilfe! Nein!
Nein!
Hilfe! Nein!
Uncle KarI!
- So, wie geht's, Peter?
- Not bad.
- Good morning.
- Morning, Eva.
Do you have a few minutes
you can spare us?
Well, I have a class,
but I guess it can wait.
Well... you remember
our talking about Elisabeth Hlle
and the curse
she put on Baron von Kleist?
Yes?
Well, last night at the castle,
I invoked the curse.
Did you bring the baron
back from his grave?
Oh no, it's true, Professor.
According to the curse,
the baron was supposed to come back
with blood flowing from his wounds,
and last night, Professor,
there was blood under the door.
And the door,
a big, heavy oak door,
gave away like a supernaturaI force
was trying to crush through it.
A spooky castle, a dark night,
a witch's curse...
It can play strange tricks
on our imagination.
And last night, a doctor was killed.
Yes, I know.
I read about it in the paper.
You see Professor,
if the baron should have come back,
he would have needed
medicaI attention,
and he could have killed
the doctor, no?
If you really think the baron is here,
why don't you send him back?
- But we can't!
- The parchment blew into the fire.
Ah!
- Good morning, Inspector.
- Good morning.
Eva called
and told me about Dortmundt.
Strange. Why would a man like that
want to commit suicide?
He just wasn't the type -
always active, thinking of money...
Hm. I don't think it was suicide.
The noose was tied by an expert
and there were signs of a struggle,
which leads us to suppose
that someone else was present.
But if it wasn't suicide,
- then who...? I mean...
- Who killed him?
- Why would anyone want to kill him?
- Fritz.
- Fritz?
- He was discharged just recently
and was seen in this area last night.
We have yet to check it out,
but we're looking for him.
AUCTION OF THE CASTLE HOTEL
SEALED BIDS ONLY
Sold for 90,000 schillings.
And now we come to the next item,
lot number 15,
consisting of 20 large-screen
colour television sets,
all brand new, all still crated.
We start the opening bid
with 135,000 schillings.
Who's going to up that bid?
Now, ladies and gentlemen.
145,000.
Are you bidding there, sir?
155,000.
155,000? 165,000!
175,000 schillings.
We're at 175,000.
175,000 once...
175,000 twice...
175,000 for the third...
Sold at 175!
And now the next
and last item of this auction.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the castle and its grounds.
How much do you think
the castle will go for?
I'm not sure.
I would say, in American money...
at least 600,000 dollars.
You're including the dungeon.
Yeah, at least.
For this bid we have asked you
to submit sealed bids
prior to the start of this auction.
Now I'm going to announce
the result of these bids.
Thank you.
I beg your attention,
ladies and gentlemen.
The winning bid was submitted
by Mr Alfred Becker.
- Is Mr Alfred Becker in the audience?
- Yes, I am.
My sincerest congratulations,
Mr Becker!
Congratulations!
The castle could not have been placed
in better hands.
Thank you.
- You know him, Doctor?
- No.
- Maybe we should introduce ourselves.
- Why not?
- The documents will be here shortly.
- Thank you.
Mr Becker? I'm Doctor HummeI.
This is Eva Arnold
and my nephew, Peter Kleist.
How do you do, sir?
We'd all like to offer
our congratulations.
- Thank you very much.
- Thank you, sir.
- Peter Kleist?
- Yes.
Baron Otto von Kleist
was an ancestor of mine.
It might interest you to know,
Doctor,
that Mr Becker intends
to live in this castle
and plans to restore it
to its originaI condition.
- Oh, really?
- Yes.
That's Eva's speciaI field.
Perhaps she could be of some help.
I'm sure she could.
When you have a moment,
young lady,
I would be delighted
if you would pay me a visit
and share
some of your knowledge with me.
Er... well, thank you very much.
Excuse me, Mr Becker, if you'd be
good enough to sign this document...
you shall take legaI title
to the castle.
- Er... good day, Mr Becker.
- Nice to have met you.
Frulein, don't forget -
I shall be expecting you.
Mr Becker?
Herr Becker?
Herr Becker, you...
you frightened me.
I'm sorry.
I couldn't help but admire
that beautifuI tapestry.
- Where did you find it?
- Oh, in a little antique shop.
It was a stroke of pure luck.
They didn't even know
it belonged to the castle.
Of course it does.
How clever of you to find it.
Well, thank you.
Herr Becker, there's something
I would like to tell you.
Oh? Go ahead, dear.
Yes, it seems that a curse has been put
on Baron von Kleist by a witch.
Now, she vowed that he would suffer
a horrible death...
and be returned only
to go through all the agonies again.
A witch?
You... you believe this?
Well, but... let me finish, please.
You see, when Peter first arrived,
we invoked the curse.
We said the words that would
bring the baron back to life.
And?
I don't know...
So many terrible things have
happened here after that, that I...
I know it all sounds foolish, but...
Let me be the judge of that,
my dear.
Go ahead.
Horrible things
have happened since then.
A doctor was killed in his home.
Herr Dortmundt was murdered
right here in this castle.
- And now Fritz is missing.
- Fritz?
Oh, he's the caretaker
here in the castle.
- If only we could send him back!
- Send him back?
Well, yes. You see, the parchment
with Elisabeth Hlle's curse
also contained an invocation
to send the baron back.
Where is the parchment now?
Well, er... that is the trouble.
It burned in the fireplace.
What a pity!
But there is another way.
I just can't remember it.
- Another way?
- There must be another way.
You know, I remember
when I was a child,
there were other similar legends.
But now I search and search
and search my mind,
and I just don't...
don't seem to remember it.
- And yet...
- Eva!
Yes, Herr Becker?
Please... enough of that! Eva!
Oh yes, sir.
Would you drape
the tapestry over the railing?
- I'd like to see how it looks hanging.
- Certainly.
Like this?
Eva, is something wrong?
No, it is that... It's just that for...
for a moment, I thought that...
Why not put it in your work room
untiI we decide where to hang it?
Yes, sir.
After which, you'd better get
some rest, don't you think?
Yes, sir.
- Forgive me.
- Certainly, my dear.
Certainly.
No!
No, go away!
No!
No!
No! No!
Eva! Eva!
- Where are you?
- No! No!
Eva, where are you?
Answer me!
Eva!
Eva!
Eva!
Eva! Eva!
Where are you?
Eva!
- Where's Eva?
- She's in trouble, Peter.
Go help her. Hurry! Hurry!
- Where is she?
- The tower. Up in the tower!
Eva!
- Eva!
- Peter! Oh, Peter!
Peter, please take me
away from here.
I never want to come back here again.
Please!
- Please... never. Peter, please!
- All right, darling.
HALLS OF RESIDENCE
- Eva, I...
- Don't say anything.
We don't need words.
No matter, darling,
what Becker or anyone else says, I...
Look, I don't care about
anybody else.
- I believe you.
- The only one who matters is you.
I'd still feeI better if you stayed
at my uncle's place for a few days.
Oh no, I'll be all right.
Don't worry about me.
I won't be alone there. There are lots
of students who stay over the weekend.
Listen, I'll give you my car, and then
you pick me up in the morning, OK?
A kiss first.
No, no, no, don't get out.
And... well, thank you for... for everything.
Taxi!
Oh!
Open! Open the door!
The door! The door, please!
Open the door!
Eva, what is it?
- The monster! My God!
- What's wrong? What happened?
It was the monster! The baron!
It was the baron! The baron!
I know it was.
No, no! He's still out there!
- Eva, you must get a hold of yourself.
- It was the monster!
It was!
- No, don't, Eva. Don't.
- Easy, easy.
- May we?
- Oh, come in, come in.
- How are you?
- Fine. Finishing a few assignments.
- If you're busy, we can...
- No, I'm almost finished.
As you know, part of my work
here at the university...
involves research
in extrasensory perception.
Each card
shows either a circle...
a line...
or a rectangle.
My average score
is one out of three...
and that's exactly
what chance predicts, and...
Do these equations have anything to do
with your calling about, er...
about what happened last night?
Just my way
of leading up to the subject.
The fact is, I haven't been thinking
of anything else.
Then you do believe
that I saw someone or something
in my room and on the streets?
I'm convinced that you did.
- Do you believe it was the baron?
- I believe that it could have been.
Do you realise what that means?
A human spirit brought back to life
after centuries.
It makes the greatest discovery
look triviaI by comparison.
Try to remember - what did he look like?
Oh, it was just horrible.
I really don't want to talk about it, Peter,
if you don't mind.
I don't blame you.
You really had a terrifying experience.
If it was the baron, then both your lives
are in danger. He'll try again.
- But why?
- Because he fears you'll send him back.
But we can't!
The parchment with Elisabeth Hlle's
curse burned. It is gone.
There may be still another way.
You know of one?
About a year ago,
we were interviewing subjects for ESP
right here in this classroom.
For the most part, we came up
with results that were about average...
but with one very notable exception.
A woman named Christina Hoffmann.
- A former teacher.
- Did you test her with these, Uncle?
Yes.
And by many other methods.
Her results were astounding.
Far surpassing random
or chance probabilities.
But what makes you think
that she can help us?
Because Christina Hoffmann claims,
and I believe her...
that she is not only clairvoyant...
but a medium
between the living and the dead.
Why did you come here?
I feeI... I feeI something.
No, I don't want to talk to you.
Christina, you're the only one
who may be able to help us.
No.
No.
It may be too late...
...for all of us.
So, you've come to talk to me...
...about the baron.
Remarkable!
It was a foolish thing you did.
And a dangerous thing.
He will destroy you, if he can.
But why?
Only those present
the day the spell was invoked...
have the power to eliminate it.
You mean, Eva and I...
Thus the baron
has only you two to fear.
Christina, can you help us?
No, I cannot.
I must not.
But the parchment with Elisabeth Hlle's
invocation burned...
and with it the order to send him back.
Please.
Please, you're the only one
who can help us. Please.
I told you I can do nothing.
Elisabeth Hlle invoked the curse.
Only she can tell you its secret.
But she's dead!
Oh, mortals are such fools!
Once you killed innocent witches...
and now you bring murderers
back to life.
It was my ancestor
who burned her at the stake.
I can make amends, with your help.
This once belonged to Elisabeth Hlle.
Tonight, we'll go to the place
where she was burned at the stake.
Peter. Eva.
Elisabeth...
these two who brought back
your murderer would speak with you.
The will of thy tortured spirit has been
placed in these unknowing hands.
Come, speak to us, Elisabeth.
Come before the rock that shall
forever mark the place of thy death.
Come, Elisabeth.
You lost the parchment.
Fools!
The curse shall stand...
...forever.
And the baron...
...shall suffer forever!
The baron can be destroyed...
...only by those
he has himself destroyed.
Now because of you
I have made him suffer again.
And for that, I'm in your debt.
I will tell you this...
You have the power to destroy him...
to make him suffer again...
...the agonies of hell!
Use it!
Before it's too late!
Death awaits.
Death.
You knew he sees Elisabeth Hlle.
You cannot escape him, Christina.
You cannot escape him.
I appreciate your coming here today...
and I promise I will not keep you long.
But Frulein Arnold...
Can't you tell me something more...
about the man you saw
in your room the other night?
No, Inspector, I cannot!
I hardly saw his face.
I only saw his hands, and they were
crushed and burned and bloodied!
It was a nightmare, Inspector.
Inspector, is it really necessary
to make Eva go through this again?
I'm afraid so.
You see, the murderer of Dortmundt
is still at large.
- And Fritz?
- My men are still looking for him.
Inspector, what if we told you
that we had another theory...
as to what happened to Herr Dortmundt
and possibly Fritz as well?
I'd be most interested.
You see, Inspector,
it involves a curse...
a curse put on Baron von Kleist
300 years ago.
- Von Kleist? Baron Blood?
- Exactly!
300 years ago!
Yes, and we believe the curse
has brought him back to life.
And that he killed Dortmundt
and attacked Eva in the castle.
- And then he tried to kill her.
- Yes, I'm certain of it.
Frulein, we are well aware of
your interest in historicaI archives.
Mr Kleist, we're aware also...
of your emotionaI involvement
in this particular castle.
You're both young, impressionable...
But you, Herr Professor...
You said yourself there have been
other disappearances...
a fisherman,
a villager on his way home...
and then that peddler,
all gone without a trace.
Yes, and of course
all in the vicinity of the castle.
I'm afraid your theories
are not of much use to me.
- Is that all, Inspector?
- For the moment, yes.
- Thank you.
- Thank you for your assistance.
I just don't understand
that inspector.
Four people disappear,
and he doesn't care.
- And all in the vicinity of the castle.
- I don't get it.
My God, I never stopped
to think that...
She passes by there every day,
on her way from schooI!
- Who?
- Gretchen!
How stupid of me
not to think of it. Hurry!
Gretchen!
Gretchen!
- Are you all right?
- I fell off my bike.
Oh look, she's bleeding.
Do you have a handkerchief?
It doesn't hurt much.
- Thank God it's only a scratch.
- What happened, Gretchen?
I stopped to look at the castle,
and I hurt myself when I...
I tried to jump on my bike.
Well, thank goodness that's all!
I saw the bushes move
because a ghost was there.
Look, Doctor.
Mr Becker is there all by himself.
Don't you think
we should warn him of this?
I appreciate your concern,
Doctor HummeI.
I respect your opinion,
though I do think it's a bit far-fetched.
I'm afraid
Eva can't consider it far-fetched.
I understand your apprehension, sir.
In view of the strange things
she appears to have seen...
strange enough to cause her
to leave my employment.
I hope this talk isn't going to give
this young lady nightmares.
She's my daughter, Gretchen.
Hello, Gretchen.
Lovely child!
Oh, I am very happy to announce...
that I have completed
the restoration of the castle,
including a few items
that may surprise even you, dear Eva.
Why don't you drop by this evening?
- Well, I don't know, sir...
- All of you! All of you, of course.
I promise you won't be disappointed,
Doctor HummeI.
Thank you.
Oh, and do be carefuI
of these mountain roads.
As you know, they can be
quite treacherous after dark.
UntiI tonight, then!
Mr Becker is the ghost.
- What do you mean, darling?
- I'd know him anywhere.
His eyes burn like fire.
All right, Gretchen,
that's enough now.
Go out and play, yeah?
Let's go and wash up first.
Then you can go out
and play in the garden.
- Wait a moment!
- Hmm?
- What do we really know about Becker?
- Personally, nothing.
Who is he?
Where did he come from?
Why did he...
How is it he suddenly appeared
at the auction?
And where did he get his money?
It's true, his background
has a little mystery about it.
And another thing,
he's the only one who's not afraid
to stay by himself in the castle.
And then his invitation for tonight
was pretty weird.
- And yet, what about his face?
- What do you mean?
You know, the man who was in my room,
who chased me all over the castle...
he wasn't even human-looking.
I don't know.
If he is the baron, it's possible that he has
the power to change his appearance.
But you know, I remember now
that when I mentioned the name
of Elisabeth Hlle for the first time,
Herr Becker looked...
well, he looked stricken.
If Becker is the baron,
then you must realise how dangerous it is
to go to the castle tonight.
There are too many unknown quantities
to this mystery,
and there's no logicaI procedure
to its solution.
We can't drop everything
right now, just when...
Just when it may seem
too dangerous to go further, Peter?
But Uncle, we must go!
It's the only way we can get the proof.
If only we knew
what Elisabeth Hlle meant...
when she said
we had the power to destroy him.
Maybe she meant the amulet.
The amulet!
Peter, look!
What?
Up there, that painting!
- Isn't that the one we saw...?
- The night of the incantation, exactly!
Good evening,
my dear friends.
Please... please come in.
I am really delighted
to see you.
I was afraid
you might have changed your minds.
Come!
- Good evening, Mr Becker.
- I'm so glad you could come, Doctor.
- Um, Herr Becker...
- Isn't that Baron von Kleist?
Yes, I believe it to be the only true portrait
of the baron in existence.
Well, it really seems very odd to me,
Herr Becker,
that the whole painting was restored,
except for the face.
Artistic integrity, dear Eva.
Since no one knows
what the baron actually looked like...
would you have a painter give him a face
that wasn't truly his own?
I understand
that he was a sadist and a murderer.
And quite probably insane.
Sadist? Murderer?
Matters of terminology.
Insane?
Hmm...
I rather think not.
He was much too clever.
But such cleverness goes hand in hand
with insanity, don't you think?
You are the scientist, Doctor.
But let's not bore these children
with clinicaI analyses!
I'd like to show you
something more realistic.
Excuse me, dear Eva.
Now, if you'll all just follow me,
please.
- Well, what do you think?
- Did you see that?
My God, it's pretty startling, even for
a castle like Schloss des Teufels.
But they seem so life-like.
Anybody would think they were reaI.
- A magnificent effect, Herr Becker.
- If it is just an effect!
Oh, Peter. I've restored
not only the furniture of the castle...
I've tried to recreate the atmosphere,
the personality of its originaI owner.
The baron's will
not only dominated this castle...
but all the valley below.
The people were necessary
only for his convenience.
Those whom he found inconvenient...
Follow me.
I'm particularly pleased...
with the meticulous and exacting
restoration of this dungeon.
With a little imagination you should
be able to envision the tortures...
and hear the screams
that echoed through here.
Those recorded screams
in the baron's day were reaI.
Hours perhaps. Entertaining?
It's disgusting and horrible, and I...
I'd like to leave, please.
It's all very fascinating,
but I'm afraid, we must be going.
- May we assist you upstairs?
- Thank you, no.
But please come back.
There are many more things
I would like to ask you, Herr Becker.
- Perhaps you would like to stay.
- Peter, please.
- I understand.
- Let's go.
It was a pleasure.
Good night.
Do come back soon
for a longer visit.
A much longer visit...
Auf Wiedersehen.
I'm sure he's the baron.
But if he is,
why did he let us go?
Possibly he's just playing a game.
- Do you have the amulet?
- Oh yes, it's here.
We've got to try to send his ghost back.
Hurry! Let's go.
But let's talk to him
before sending him back.
This opportunity
is never gonna come again.
Think what it would mean to actually
speak with someone from the past.
- Peter, please.
- Peter!
You've unleashed
a monster on the world.
- You must try to send him back.
- Oh...
I am disappointed, Doctor.
Is your scientific interest waning?
For a man in your position...
I would have expected
more intellectuaI curiosity.
- Baron Otto von Kleist!
- What a pity...
You are Baron von Kleist!
...that circumstances
oblige me to eliminate...
my only living male descendant.
Go back! Go back!
Go back!
Go back to wherever you came from!
- Go back!
- Child...
Do you think you can destroy me
with a trinket?
Good shot, Doctor!
No! No!
Now you shall taste the pain,
the exquisite agony...
...the fate you'd planned for me.
Only, luckily for you,
there will be no coming back.
No!
You shall join the others...
the miserable beings
who dared to oppose my will.
- You shall die!
- No! No!
Eva!
Hurry!
The baron of
blood and eviI shall be destroyed...
... only by those
he has himself destroyed.
You, his victims,
have the power to crush him...
and make him suffer
the agonies of hell.
Use it, before it's too late.
It's the monster!
He's coming!
Eva, don't!
It's the monster!
No!
Get a hold of yourself!
No!
No! No!
Hurry, hurry, Peter.
Come! Hurry! Hurry!
Are you OK?
No, don't look back, Evie.
Leave
the last blow for me, Elisabeth Hlle.
Let me taste sweet revenge.
Let me please, please...
Let me cut into his heart.
Please!