House of Lost Souls (1989) Movie Script
1
(Haunting music)
(Bird cawing)
(Wolf howling)
(Fire crackling)
(Wolf howling)
(Ominous music)
(Screaming)
Carla!
Hey, what is it? What
happened? (Carla whimpering)
Kevin, I can't stand it anymore.
Hey, just relax. Nothing
happened, you hear?
My god, I had
those visions again.
The same terrible ones.
Were you awake?
Yes.
Even tonight, I
couldn't get to sleep.
I'm so scared I can't tell you.
Hey, the doctors gave you
a reasonable explanation.
They said that you
have psychic powers.
You're a medium.
I don't want to be a medium.
I don't.
Where are the others?
They're in the tent asleep.
It'll be daylight soon.
We'll get out of
these mountains.
In two days, we'll be home, OK?
OK.
I'm sorry.
(Sighs)
(Pensive music)
Morning.
Hi there.
OK, guys, 10 minute break.
Anybody got to
take a leak, do it now.
There's homemade
grappa in the bar.
And if anyone's hungry,
we got the best pizza around.
- Fill 'er up?
- Yeah, both cars, please.
Hey, Kevin, you swear up and
down that the bad weather doesn't
start till the end of November?
Even Irishmen are
wrong once in a while.
(Laughing)
Terrible weather for
touring, isn't it, boy?
Touring? We're geology students.
I'm not. They are.
Have you ever heard of
the calcareous paleolithic
formations of the
reddish Alps around here?
Paleo, huh?
- Paleolithic.
- Hmm.
See this rock?
It was formed 10
million years ago.
Before Lieutenant
Kojack had his first lollipop.
Who told you?
The one in the leather
jacket, my brother.
He's the expedition leader.
- Get a move on.
- Hey! Kevin!
(Indistinct music playing)
Gianluca, he's busy.
Carla: And we
don't have all day.
- So long.
- Goodbye.
Kids watch too much TV.
(Upbeat music)
Here I am, Carla.
- It's a pleasure.
- Thanks.
Hi, I'm Daria, Channel 13.
We're asking people about
nature and conservation.
- Is there anything you'd like to say?
- Ah, sure.
I'd like to say that this
place is falling apart.
There's landslides.
There's muds.
And embankments
aren't holding up.
I mean, why don't they
do something about this?
What are they waiting for?
Don't you think you're
landing a little too hard on us?
I'm in complete
and total agreement.
If someone doesn't do
something pretty damn quick,
this whole area is going to find
itself in the middle of a catastrophe.
Well, this is something I think
everybody should know about.
I'd like to invite
you up to Sondrio
to take part in the TV
discussion show with me.
You'd be getting information
to people on a large scale.
Obviously, you're experts. Have
you been up in the Engadina.
Yes, we were there
about two months working.
We obtained a research grant
from the University of Rome.
And, at present, we're going
back to the land of the living.
(Laughing)
Thank you.
I'll have a Coke.
Are you out of your mind, boy?
No, I'm dying of thirst.
Hey, why don't you let
him have what he wants?
Listen, I'm taking care
of my brother, OK?
OK.
Daria, do you think we're going
to make it to Bormio in two hours?
I'm more inclined to tell you to
find a place with a bed in this area.
It's probably going
to get ugly out.
The roads are going to be disastrous
after the landslides last night.
Better just sit it
out, believe me.
Hey, what do you say, Massimo?
Well, it's getting late.
It's not an awful idea.
No, it's a miserable idea.
Because if it starts storming again
tonight, tomorrow we are flugeled.
Maybe Guido's right.
We should take off now.
I'll go along with the majority.
- Watch out, it's hot as hell.
- OK.
Well, kids, we all agreed?
- Right on.
- Sure.
(Gasps) What about you?
You agreed, too?
We all do, except Mary.
She had to go pee.
Right.
And in a democracy, you go to
the bathroom during the voting.
It's not to be
counted. (Laughing)
Yeah, right. (Laughing)
You better be going. Good luck.
- Thanks.
- Take it easy.
(Pensive music)
Christ, one whole hour and we've
gotten less than 30 kilometers.
Look, just relax.
See what happens.
How's it going?
Couldn't be worse, thanks.
Really horrible.
I can't wait till
we get to Bormio.
We should have listened to the
barman down at the gas station.
So cold, it's unbelievable.
Well, if the Valtellina
were in Africa,
you'd be bitching
about the heat right now.
And we could be stuffing our faces
with coconuts and bananas, too.
Right.
(Laughing)
Massimo: Road
closed due to landslides.
- Danger.
- Oh no!
All we needed, right?
Talk about the
luck of the Irish.
Now what do we do?
Go back to the village?
Oh, no. All those bumps
to get another hour of it.
There's got to be a place to
sleep that we can find around here.
There is!
Not long ago, there was a
sign, a sign with an arrow.
Motel dell Ermita.
The Hermit Motel? You sure?
Of course I am.
It was at the last
crossroads five minutes ago.
OK.
Go back. Turn around.
You got it.
(Pensive music)
(Ominous music)
Closed
Look what's written there.
You know how to read or not?
It isn't my fault.
It didn't say closed on
the sign down on the road.
Come on. It's not
his fault. This once.
It's strange, though.
It looks not so much
closed as abandoned.
There's nothing
strange about it.
It's off season. Come on.
It'll be spring before
they open again.
Hey, you guys, at
this point, I've had it.
It's freezing. Come
on. Let's get out of here.
Hey!
Someone's in there.
(Eerie music)
Hey!
Wait a minute.
Good evening. Excuse me.
Uh, the road to
Bormio's closed tonight.
We were wondering if we
could spend the night here?
We'll rough it, honestly.
We just need to get inside.
Massimo: All we
want is three rooms.
No food, no service, just beds.
Do us a favor.
It's damn cold and we don't
feel like going back to the village.
Massimo: Mister, please?
OK, guys.
Get the bags before
he changes his mind.
- OK.
- Yeah, man.
(Dog barking in background)
Thank you.
(Ominous music)
Boy, we really got lucky.
- Yeah.
- Right.
Massimo: Well, kids, looks
like we found ourselves a hutch.
What a strange guy.
He just didn't
bother saying a thing.
Maybe he's a deaf mute.
No, he's just a little annoyed.
I mean, the motel
is closed after all.
He could have
told us to go to hell.
- That's true.
- Alright.
Let's see.
Carla and Gianluca
going lucky 13.
- That's us.
- Thank you, sir.
Me and Massimo in 17.
Right you are.
And Guido and Mary in 16.
- OK?
- OK.
- Right. Got it.
- OK, big guy?
Everybody assigned?
Ready for bed?
Yeah.
OK.
God, I'm tired. I can't
wait to get under a shower.
And I'm going to snore
for a day and a half solid.
You wake me at your own peril.
You got the message,
children? Got it?
Yes, sir. Of course.
Well, I tell you,
may not be much,
but it looks like
a palace to me.
Tell me about it.
Ah, here we go.
Carla, I found our
room. It's up there.
Give me the key,
will you? (Door shuts)
What do you say
we get together later?
I'm too tired.
And there's something else.
What?
I don't like the
face of that man.
He's so- he's so strange.
I don't know how to
explain it to you, but-
but I have bad
feelings about it.
Oh, Kevin, why don't
we go back to the village?
Hey, listen, you're the
one that said you're tired.
It's just your imagination.
Stop worrying. Relax.
How can I?
Carla: Honestly, Kevin.
Would you two stop
lollygagging around?
(Chuckling)
Go to bed.
Be brave.
OK.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Come on. I'm falling on my face.
Coming, brat.
What a bore this place is.
They don't even have a room for
video games, not even a TV set.
Why aren't you just dying
to get some shut eye?
Aww, that was only talk.
Hmm.
There must be a ton of dust.
I think we won't even
bother unpacking.
Just get out your pajamas.
OK.
Hey, look at this calendar.
Isn't it funny?
Why?
Someone's just circled
the 24th of August.
What's all that
comical about it?
Please, Carla, come on.
Even you must know this is 1989.
There it's written
20 years earlier.
I'm sure they left it like that
in honor of a special day.
Maybe the inauguration
of the motel.
Hmm?
(Ominous music) (Animal howling)
(Thunder)
(Pouring rain)
Guido: How long can you possibly
stay in there? (Thunder rumbling)
The Guinness Book of
Records is not looking for you.
(Thunder)
(Ominous music)
(Floorboards creaking above)
(Distant crying)
Gianluca. (Crying continues)
Gianluca.
(Distant woman crying)
(Ominous music)
(Woman crying)
(Door creaking)
(Door creaking)
(Ominous music)
(Loud beeping)
(Eerie music)
(Explosion)
(Screaming)
(Screaming)
(Scream echoing)
What's going on here?
(Carla screaming)
Christ! That's Carla, come on!
Carla!
(Carla screaming)
Carla!
Carla, what happened?
Are you hurt?
What happened?
He hit him! He hit
him with the axe!
And then the explosion.
Oh, Kevin, I'm so scared.
Hey, don't be scared.
Everything's alright, OK?
Try to calm down now.
I saw him being
slaughtered with the axe!
Hey, calm down. Relax.
Everything's alright.
Do you hear me, Carla?
Please, just don't leave
me alone anymore.
Guido?
Guido!
Where are you, Guido?
(Clattering sound)
(Ominous music)
Who's there?
(Screaming)
Guido! Oh no! Guido!
OK.
Feeling better now?
Yeah, a lot better. Thanks.
Did you find anything?
No. There's nothing
strange down here.
Carla, is it possible you
just had a nightmare?
You're trying to say that it
just invented the whole show?
Including an exploding TV set?
Will you look here?
Hmm. I see what you mean.
Massimo: Hey, you
guys. Come here.
There's an electric wire
exposed here. It's a short circuit.
(Electricity crackling)
It must have been those sparks
that set off all the racket down here.
Probably set off a
little fire, too, huh?
And because of the heat, the
cathode tube in the TV set exploded.
Yeah.
(Eerie music)
Oh, God!
Guido!
Massimo, help!
(Ominous music)
(Floorboards creaking above)
(Intense music)
(Ominous music)
Carla! Massimo!
Guido! Oh, hurry!
Gianluca: Help!
- Gianluca!
- Come on!
Gianluca!
Oh, God!
Do something, Massimo.
He's not breathing. Look!
OK. Hold on.
Come on. Take a breath now.
(Gasping)
That a boy. Now another one.
Way to go. You
feel better now, huh?
Oh, Gianluca, thank god.
You're OK. Calm down.
What did I?
Don't worry about
it. Relax for a minute.
Carla, I don't know. I just
don't know what would happen.
Relax. Feel better.
There's nothing to be scared of.
Nothing in the world.
Hey, big guy. No problem.
You just had a bad
dream, that's all.
(Ominous music)
(Gasping, crying)
Guido!
(Music playing on headphones)
What's happening, Guido?
I can't find Mary
anywhere. She's just gone.
You mean disappeared?
If you quit asking all those questions,
maybe we can start looking for her.
Mary, where are
you, for god's sake?
- I'm gonna go wake up the owner.
- Good idea.
(Eerie piano music)
Guido: Massimo!
Come here! Quick!
Massimo: Where are you?
Down here in the kitchen.
(Shivering) (Eerie piano)
Come on! Mary!
Another five minutes and
she'd have been frozen solid.
(Eerie piano)
Hey, kid, you really
think you're gonna make it
on two aspirins after what
you've just been through?
Please, Guido. All I have
is a terrible headache.
Where the hell is the
owner of this place?
- Maybe he went to the village.
- Hmm.
How's Gianluca?
I gave him a
sedative. He's asleep.
I said it before, kids. This
place gives me the creeps.
Look, what happened to Carla is
very easily explained, you know.
She had herself a nightmare.
That's all. Nothing more.
Even the little drama we
just had up in Gianluca's room
can be explained away
on the nightmare theory.
OK, OK. But tell me this. How did
Mary end up in the frigging' freezer?
She goes in and the door
closes behind her. That's all.
I can't go for extra-sensory
phenomena and bullshit like that.
The fact is, we're all tired
and our nerves are shot.
Remember, we had eight weeks of staring
at fossils up in the damn mountains.
What's the matter? You hard
of hearing? I got pushed, Buster.
And blocked the handles, leaving
you face to toes with two dangling stiffs.
Quit the sarcasm. Mary got
herself a real fright. So did Carla.
And Gianluca dreaming
about those gigantic spiders...
and blood dripping
from the roof.
He's never had
nightmares, not one.
He's just a very normal kid.
We're all normal kids, Carla.
But that doesn't mean we can't have
a hallucination every now and then.
Carla: Hallucination's
determined by physical causes.
For example, by atmospheric
conditions or altitude.
That's what you mean, isn't it,
Guido? Come on, answer me.
That's exactly what I mean.
And if that isn't enough, the air
right now is loaded with electricity.
So as far as you're concerned,
this can all be ascribed to
some kind of self-hypnosis, right?
You got it.
You trying to say I'm crazy?
I saw those two bodies
hanging from those hooks.
Yeah, I know.
Like the time in New York you saw Ronald
Reagan skating at Rockefeller Center?
You swore up and down.
My god, that's idiotic!
Knock it off. Fighting's
not going to help anything.
There's nothing
I find perplexing.
Have you taken a
good look around?
Have you seen the
state this motel is in?
Let's investigate the telephone.
(Crow cawing outside)
Not a whisper.
(Eerie music)
Come on.
Huh, that looks like it hasn't
been used in a hundred years.
Can't get this open at all.
Incredible. Looks
like a cemetery.
All of the rooms are
in the same condition,
except for our three.
I know there must
be a reason for this.
Only one person knows it.
The proprietor of the motel.
(Eerie music)
Hey, Kevin, did
you cut yourself?
No.
Hey, look, someone was here.
Someone was wounded here
not more than ten minutes ago.
I mean, the blood's
not even congealed.
Yeah, so I see.
It's strange, though.
Anyone passing this way would
have to leave his footprints in the mud.
That's right. I didn't
think about that.
(Mysterious music)
Kevin: Mandalay, May 2, 1969.
Does that mean anything?
That this is not a product
of our imaginations.
Something happened
here last night.
And not just last night.
Listen, I think it's better if we
don't tell the others about this.
Uh-huh.
And let's get out of
here as soon as possible.
Yeah, OK.
The heating system's on the fritz,
but there's a wood stove in the kitchen.
I could try to get
that thing going.
Where did Kevin get to?
He went to see if they
reopened the roads yet.
We'll be leaving soon.
I'll go get Gianluca.
Go ahead.
You don't have to. I've been up
for an hour now. Are we leaving?
That's right.
- Good.
- As soon as Kevin gets back.
It's cold as hell out there.
Anyone for a sip of gin?
No, thanks.
Oh, for a cup of real hot tea.
Oh, for a Pepsi and a hamburger
slathered in mustard,
ketchup, mayo and pickles.
Wow, what a meal, kids.
(Laughing)
Hey, there's Kevin. Let's go.
Yeah, let's go.
Hi!
Hey, big guy. How's it going?
- Just great, Lieutenant Colombo.
- What's the news?
The road's still closed.
Oh, that's just terrific.
Now what do we do?
You guys wait here. I'll go to the
village and talk to the highway patrol.
Ask about another way to Bormio.
OK, I'll come along.
I'll buy us sandwiches.
Unless, of course, we run into the owner
here loaded down with steaks and beer.
- Gianluca: I'm coming too.
- No, Gianluca.
Let him. It'll do him good
to run around a bit, huh?
Bye now.
Well, I'm going to
do something useful,
like find some
wood for that stove.
- Why don't we wait in the car?
- Good idea.
Hey, Magnum, stop.
OK, big guy.
What's this about, huh?
Yeah, why'd you
change your mind?
There's a soccer game
on radio. I'd forgotten.
It's Milan versus Madrid. I'm
not going to miss that for anything.
OK. (Laughing)
OK, fine.
(Ominous music)
(Screams)
Carla! What's the matter?
For a moment I saw the
face of that old man, you know.
Who was killing
that boy. Oh, god.
Shall I get you something?
No, no, I'm fine. No, thanks.
These strange visions of yours,
have you had them, I mean, before?
Last time was two years ago,
November, I was listening to music.
I got in a trance.
I saw my cousin up north.
He was being run over by a
big truck on a sun-filled road,
one lined with
palms and orchards.
When I came to, I
realized how silly it was.
He'd never seen a
palm tree in his life.
Where he lives it snows
six months out of the year.
Later that night, I
received a telegram saying-
saying he had died two days
previously, in Santa Domingo.
Run over by a truck?
Yeah.
What's the name for your kind
of nightmares, premonitions or...
No.
A premonition is when somebody
with marked sensitivities for ESP
foretells something that's going to
take place somewhere in the future.
I get brief flashes on
what's already happened.
If that's called anything,
it's just messages and
telepathy out of the past, that's all.
Well, then...
Are you saying that a small boy
and his mother were really killed?
And you saw it?
I'm afraid so.
And right here in this motel.
(Ominous music)
(Sighs) I'm such an idiot.
I must have forgotten the bottle of
aspirin's inside on the reception desk.
No problem, I'll go get them.
(Door opens)
- Carla!
- Hmm?
My purse, guess what I found?
Carla: Dope.
(Soft music)
(Ringing sound)
(Crying)
Who are you?
What are you doing here?
(Crying)
Why are you crying?
(Explosion)
Oh!
(Mysterious music)
(Door slamming)
(Gasps)
(Machines clamoring)
(Wind blowing)
(Yelps)
Did you hear anything?
No, not a thing, really.
Listen, I'll only be
about five minutes.
Why don't you go
get some groceries?
- You got it, boss.
- Right.
(Radio in foreign language)
Hello?
My name is Kevin.
Kevin Foster.
Milan is unbeatable.
They'll win everything in sight.
You're American, aren't you?
Yes, but I live here in Italy.
Sorry, what were you saying?
My friends and I
are going to Bormio.
We were wondering whether
they're going to reopen the roads.
Tomorrow, the
weather gets better.
But it's not very likely.
Can you suggest another route?
You better head west
out of town and turn north.
That's to the right
at the 25th kilometer.
Go through the valley
until the turn off for Sandolo.
But it'll be a real long
way around, this detour.
Well, there doesn't seem
to be any other solution.
Thanks, Maresciallo.
My pleasure.
(Distant music)
Massimo: Hey, Kevin!
Should I get a
bottle of booze, too?
Yeah, hurry up, though.
Lady's voice: Kevin.
Hey!
- How are you?
- Hi.
You still around?
Unfortunately, yes.
That landslide has really
upset your plans, hasn't it?
Hey, tell me about it.
Listen, do you know the
owner of the Motel dell Eremita?
The owner of the
Motel dell Eremita?
Is that what you said?
Yeah, do you know him?
Old Nardi? Everyone
around here knew him.
He was arrested in 1969
along with his son and daughter
for a series of murders
committed right there in the motel.
Murders?
Yeah, he killed his
clients for their money.
Then he'd get rid of the
bodies with the help of his son
and his daughter-in-law,
probably eight or nine.
They were never really sure how many of his
clients he murdered, some say a lot more.
And what happened to him?
He committed suicide
a week before the trial.
The son died about two years
ago at an asylum in the east.
And the motel?
Oh, it's been closed since then.
Nardi had no other relatives.
And no one's interested in taking
over that kind of place, you know.
The Motel of the horrors.
They named it that
in the media then.
Do you know what this
guy Nardi looked like?
I really don't remember.
I was just a kid at the time.
Uh-huh.
But I can help you find out
more since you're so curious.
Yeah.
Here we are.
These are all the back issues
for October 69 of the journal.
Take all the time you need.
Thank you.
You're not the first
one who's come here
to nose around that
old story, you know.
I'm willing to bet
you're preparing
a research thesis
on the Nardi case.
Then pay, he's preparing a
script for a nice little horror film.
(Laughs)
Elderly Owner of Nardi Hotel
Arrested (Suspenseful music)
Victims' Remains
Found in Horror Hotel
Kevin, wait!
I tell you honestly,
you better get out of there
as fast as you can move, OK?
Thanks.
- Bye.
- Bye.
So long.
- You know...
- What?
I wouldn't set foot in that
motel, not for a million dollars.
Neither would I.
That's too damn
crazy, it's absurd.
It's ridiculous.
It is true, unfortunately.
So that man last night that we
mistook for the proprietor of the motel,
he's been dead
all this time, huh?
Murdered.
(Ominous music)
Carla, do you
believe ghosts exist?
And if they like,
they can harm us?
I don't know.
What brought that to your mind?
Well, I felt very strange things
when I was locked up in that freezer.
It was as though there
were these really evil souls...
pushing me towards my death.
I think I felt something like
that too, down in the cellar.
But then, we're at the
mercy of those souls.
That means that we're not
gonna escape. Carla, it's horrible.
They're gonna
kill every one of us!
How do you know they have
the power to do all of that?
You're just saying that
to make me feel better.
But I was in that freezer and
I almost died from the cold.
I saw you come out.
But we're leaving soon,
there's nothing to keep us.
Carla, I'm scared.
I just wanna get a million
miles south of this motel.
Don't get so worked up.
The minute the kids
are here, it's time.
Time to move.
By the way, why are
they taking so long?
It's almost one.
You can be sure Gianluca's
spotted a bar somewhere
with a big bunch of video games.
That's the explanation.
Hey, ladies!
What's going on?
I should get hugs and kisses.
I got the stove
going. Come on in!
Let's go, huh?
No way, thanks a
lot. You go ahead.
(Fire crackling)
Why doesn't she
come in by the fire?
She still convinced someone
pushed her into the freezer
and she saw two
corpses on hooks?
Guido, lay off. Making jokes
isn't helping the situation.
I've been through it with
Gianluca too last night.
Things that are
apparently absurd, right?
But we still came close to
losing our lives, come on!
Tell me, have you ever heard
of gross emotional susceptibility?
No, and I'm not interested.
I only know I wanna get
the hell away from here soon.
OK, don't get mad.
(Bird cawing)
(Intense music)
(Gasping)
(Wind blowing)
(Rock music on radio)
The ultimate, Rudolph
Bandits. Does it splash?
It's you.
You frightened me a little.
(Screaming)
Help, Guido, help!
(Rock music)
Isn't it fantastic?
What do you think?
Where you going?
To get my cigarettes.
(Gasping, panting)
Help!
(Crying)
(Gasping)
No!
(Door opens)
Carla?
Carla!
Carla!
(Ominous music)
No!
No!
(Screaming)
(Gasping, crying)
My god!
Oh no!
Oh, god!
Please!
On radio: Heavy rainfall is still
the look out for all of northern Italy
and the mountain
regions in particular.
Violent storms are working
their way west from the Balkans
and will be hitting the
Valtellina zone by early evening.
Extreme caution is
urged to all car drivers.
Better yet, stay home.
Terrific! What other
great news do they have?
I don't get it, Kevin.
What are you trying to find out?
A lot of things.
If Eraldo Covatta is
buried here for starters
and if someone was present
when they exhumed the bodies.
What do you care anyway?
The librarian in the village
was very, very reticent.
I understood there
was a mystery here,
but I didn't realize
how deep it went.
You're turning into a
private eye all of a sudden?
I want to get to
the bottom of this.
We've got to.
Where are you kids going?
Why all the curiosity?
Why all this fooling
around with the past?
Why bother the departed?
Let them rest in peace.
So they're buried here?
(Somber music)
There, these are their graves.
I buried them all myself.
I remember it as though it
were yesterday... poor souls.
Well, you've
seen it all, let's go.
Huh? Now what?
Now, tell me all
you know about this.
I've already told you
everything I know.
Everything there is to know.
Get it off your conscience.
You'll feel better.
Hey, come on, I don't-
Something was
kept secret, wasn't it?
Yeah, you're right.
One particular detail.
The investigating authorities ordered
that it was never to be revealed.
Go ahead.
Well, the police looked through
every corner of that old miserable motel.
Only they never found the heads
of any of the people
Nardi had murdered.
The bodies of those
poor souls were all each...
Decapitated.
Decapitated?
It was probably to hinder
the identification, I guess.
The specialists had to
work over a month on...
prints and laundry
tickets and such.
And what about
old Nardi, the killer?
Up and died.
And they never got a thing.
Since then, it's almost as
though that motel had a curse on it.
People say strange things.
You hear them talk about
ghosts and phantoms and such.
Phantoms?
Yeah, spooks and
ghosts and such.
The Lord have pity on
our sinning souls, boys.
- We gotta hurry.
- Right.
The idea of your sister and the others
in that motel makes my skin crawl.
Christ, Kevin. Is it possible
we're just dreaming all this?
If there is life after
death, anything's possible.
They're stronger than we
are. There's no defense.
God!
(Engine rumbling)
We've gotta take
them all to the village.
Yeah, and before
it gets dark, too.
I'm such an idiot, I
didn't take them seriously.
Neither Mary nor Carla.
Kevin, do you think
there's a real danger?
Don't know.
Guido: Mary, come
in. It's nice and warm.
(Ominous music)
Carla, Carla!
Yeah?
Do you have any idea
where the hell Mary is?
No, she must be near
here on the grounds.
Listen, you take a
look around out here.
I'll go see if she's
somewhere in the motel.
OK, but hurry.
Mary, Mary!
(Ominous music)
Mary?
Mary, are you in here?
Mary!
Mary, for a moment I
thought you might have-
Mary?
What's the matter?
(Suspenseful music)
Mary?
Guido: Carla, where are you?
Carla!
Oh my God!
No!
I'm not seeing it, I'm not!
Tell me that! Tell
me that I'm not!
Come on, Carla,
let's get out of here!
No, no!
No!
We've gotta get to
the police, quickly!
Yeah, well what the hell
happened to everybody else?
(Engine sputtering)
What's happening?
Why isn't it starting?
I don't know.
I don't think the juice
is getting through.
Looks like someone
poured a ton of oil in here.
(Ominous music)
We all got taken in.
That man didn't say a word last
night when we got to the motel.
He acted so strangely.
We should have just moved
on, that's what Carla wanted.
They'll be all
right, won't they?
We'll get to them in time?
They'll be OK, don't worry.
(Engine rumbling)
Hold it.
We really don't have much
time. Could you let us pass?
Uh, I'm afraid there's
no way you can get by
until we've removed
all this rubble, sir.
Well, how long will it take?
I'd say 20 minutes.
(Sighs)
I'm worried about
Gianluca, Kevin.
He's still a baby, he
could frighten easily.
If anything happens to him, I'm going
out on my head just at the thought.
Hey, just cool it, I mean,
this isn't gonna help anything.
(Engine starts)
- Don't let it die, huh?
- Right.
Guido, look.
It's the boy from my vision,
the one they killed. Oh my God!
Just wait for me here.
Wait and don't move, huh?
Come back!
Guido, were you
crazy? Come back!
(Intense music)
(Door slamming)
(Door creaking)
(Ominous music)
(Screaming)
Oh god, help me!
Oh god, Guido, Guido!
(Guido screaming)
Guido: Carla, help me, oh god!
Help me!
(Grunting)
Carla, oh god, hurry!
Help me, please!
Carla: How did this happen?
My god, Guido.
The thing just
snapped right down.
Come on, let's try
together. (Guido grunting)
(Grunting)
Oh god!
It's no use, we'll
never get it off.
- Is it broken?
- I don't think so.
(Door creaking)
(Slamming)
Somebody's there!
Who could it be?
I don't know.
Listen, Carla, forgive me.
I know I came on
like a stupid idiot.
If I hadn't sneered
at your ideas...
and poked all
that fun at Mary...
If I hadn't, she
might be living.
She was my girl, I loved Mary.
You know better
than to talk like that.
Nobody can predict the
future, it wasn't your fault.
I saw that little
boy that you saw.
Well, he dissolved
into thin air.
That kid wasn't alive
if I haven't gone crazy.
No, he's dead.
A poor soul looking for peace.
It seemed, it seemed
he was in pain.
I know, he was murdered in fact.
In this very motel.
It was with an axe.
Not just him either.
I don't believe
it, it's horrible.
But why is all this
around us now?
Why are they after us?
What terrible things
have we done?
By just coming here, we
reawakened their anger.
We're paying for wrongs
in the past done by others.
Carla, listen to
what I tell you.
You beat it to my car and
you go and get the kids.
Very fast, huh?
It's the only possibility
we have to survive.
Don't waste time.
But you can't stay
here completely alone.
It's OK, honest.
Everything's just fine, Carla.
OK, Guido.
Hang in there, OK?
No sweat.
(Groans)
(Intense music)
(Screams)
(Screams)
(Crying)
(Sinister breathing)
(Ominous music)
(Groaning)
(Gasping)
(Engine struggling)
Mary, you survived.
How?
(Suspenseful music)
No!
(Crying, gasping)
(Grunting)
(Crying)
(Chair creaking) Huh?
(Electricity crackling)
(Voice on radio in
foreign language)
(Laughing on radio)
(Buzzing noise)
(Electric saw buzzing)
No!
Kevin! Massimo!
Carla, what are you doing here?
Thank god you're here.
I thought I would go crazy.
Please do something!
Well, what happened?
Mary! Mary was murdered.
Murdered?!
Yes, and Guido's down
in the cellar. He got hurt.
We must do something
or he'll die for sure.
- Well, come on.
- Just a minute.
Where's Gianluca?
Why isn't he with you?
You must know that.
He changed his mind.
He didn't come along.
He said he wanted to listen
to the game at six on the radio.
That means that he's
down there right now!
Oh, Massimo, you've gotta
do something for him, please!
- Of course I will, but keep cool.
- Yeah, yeah.
Let's not fly off the handle.
What are you doing?
I'm going to get the metal
detector. We can use it.
OK.
Whatever we do,
we better do it quick.
- Come on.
- Right.
Come on.
Gianluca!
Where are you? Can you hear me?
No, you go back upstairs
and look with Massimo.
- Alright.
- Guido!
Guido!
(Ominous music)
(Mysterious clattering)
(Clattering)
Is he... is he dead?
Yes.
Massimo: No!
No!
Oh my god!
Gianluca!
Gianluca!
No!
(Stammering) No!
Gianluca!
Don't let her in, Kevin, for
Christ's sake! Get her out of here!
- Let me go, I want to see him!
- Calm down!
- Let me go, I want to see him!
- Stop it! Be reasonable!
Let me go!
Let me go!
(Screams)
Oh, Massimo, it's all my fault.
I should never
have left him alone.
I shouldn't have.
(Ominous music)
(Screaming)
Come on, you guys, let's get
out of here before it's too late!
Yeah!
(Ominous music)
Oh, Christ, it is too late.
Reinforced concrete.
Must be 20 centimeters thick.
Christ.
Nothing doing here either.
- Go check the kitchen. I'll go upstairs.
- Right.
I checked all the windows
upstairs. They're completely blocked.
Damn it!
There must be some way
of getting out of this trap.
Now where are you going?
- What are you going to do?
- Move.
(Clank)
(Electricity buzzing)
Here, let me try.
(Electricity buzzing)
(Metal clanging)
We're buried alive.
Is there any of
that grappa left?
No.
What time is it?
A little after 3:30.
Every minute that goes by
seems like a century to me.
How the hell much longer is this
torture going to go on anyway?
I can't stand it anymore.
I can't wait till
this thing's over.
Come out, damn you!
What are you waiting for?
Stop it!
Why are you waiting?
Why don't you just kill us?
- Go ahead!
- Stop talking like that!
We're not going to die!
We're going to make it!
Carla, it's going
to be daylight soon.
And someone's going to see
the station wagon parked out there.
And they're going to
come and rescue us.
Who? The road's
blocked by the landslide.
And why should someone
come over here anyway?
This hotel's been
closed for twenty years.
That girl said
so in the village.
Yeah...
It's been closed
since the murders.
See? I told you.
They've all gone.
That's not possible.
The roads are still out and they
haven't been seen in the village.
Anyway, there's
nobody around, OK?
And quit worrying about them.
They don't mean anything to you.
Listen.
Huh? What is it?
For a moment, I thought I
heard a car motor out there.
You're hearing things.
Of course.
Why didn't I think
of this before?
Some part of their bodies
must be buried here still.
But where?
Listen.
I want you to go upstairs and lock
yourself in one of the rooms with Carla.
And don't come out
for any reason, OK?
What do you want to do?
I'm going to find them if I have
to tear this fucking place apart.
You can't make it, Kevin.
Listen, you'll be killed.
Look, this is our only chance.
I want you two to go now. Hurry!
Come on, Carla.
(Metal detector
creaking) (Ominous music)
Just a minute.
Did you hear anything?
No.
There's someone inside
here, Carla. I'm sure there is.
(Carla gasps)
(Ominous music)
(Metal detector clicking)
(Metal detector pulsing)
(Plaster falling)
(Electricity buzzing)
(Glass breaking) (Pans falling)
(Mysterious rumbling)
(Grunting, clamoring)
(Electricity buzzing)
(Low rumbling)
(Gas spraying)
(Debris clattering)
(Shattering glass)
(Screams)
(Glass shattering)
(Electricity buzzing)
(metal clanking)
(Fire crackling)
Oh god!
Massimo: Over here, Carla!
For god's sake, help me!
Look out!
Good god, where are you?
(Electricity buzzing)
Help me!
Come on, this way!
(Fire raging)
(Electricity buzzing)
(Glass breaking)
(Clattering)
(Electrical explosion)
(Screaming)
(Intense music)
No!
Come on! Go!
(Door creaks)
(Clattering) (Screaming)
Carla, come on!
(Carla screaming)
(Screaming)
This way!
(Screaming)
The door's locked!
Massimo!
We can't get out of here!
We've gotta try!
(Screaming)
There's a dumbwaiter down there!
Maybe we can use
this to get out of here!
Stay here, I'll go check it out.
No!
(Crying) No!
No!
(Crying)
No!
(Crying)
(Electricity buzzing)
Carla: No!
(Screaming)
(Whimpering)
(Sobs)
(Explosion)
(Fire burning)
(Crying)
(Crying)
(Fire crackling) (Ominous music)
(Birds chirping)
Kevin?
Kevin, they left us.
They're gone.
Oh.
(Crying)
Come on.
(Dreamy music)
- Hi.
- Hi.
There you go.
How are you?
Fine, thank you.
It's gorgeous.
A rose is a rose is a rose.
Who wrote that?
Marilyn Monroe?
Mm-mm.
- Gorbachev?
- You silly.
Gertrude Stein, a
poetess from the 20s.
Ah.
Well, you're in fine form today.
Well, the doctor said I can
leave the day after tomorrow.
OK, we'll have a big party.
Spaghetti and Chianti.
MmMmm.
Listen, why don't they
print the whole story?
My deposition to the state's
attorney and all the rest of it?
The newspapers and the
TV didn't say a thing about it.
They hushed the whole thing up.
You know how it is.
Orders from the top, the
usual political pressure.
They said it would be
disturbing for the general public.
I wonder if this
will ever be over.
The best thing we can do
about it now is forget about it.
It is over.
Do you really think so, Kevin?
Yes.
(Eerie music)
(Haunting music)
(Bird cawing)
(Wolf howling)
(Fire crackling)
(Wolf howling)
(Ominous music)
(Screaming)
Carla!
Hey, what is it? What
happened? (Carla whimpering)
Kevin, I can't stand it anymore.
Hey, just relax. Nothing
happened, you hear?
My god, I had
those visions again.
The same terrible ones.
Were you awake?
Yes.
Even tonight, I
couldn't get to sleep.
I'm so scared I can't tell you.
Hey, the doctors gave you
a reasonable explanation.
They said that you
have psychic powers.
You're a medium.
I don't want to be a medium.
I don't.
Where are the others?
They're in the tent asleep.
It'll be daylight soon.
We'll get out of
these mountains.
In two days, we'll be home, OK?
OK.
I'm sorry.
(Sighs)
(Pensive music)
Morning.
Hi there.
OK, guys, 10 minute break.
Anybody got to
take a leak, do it now.
There's homemade
grappa in the bar.
And if anyone's hungry,
we got the best pizza around.
- Fill 'er up?
- Yeah, both cars, please.
Hey, Kevin, you swear up and
down that the bad weather doesn't
start till the end of November?
Even Irishmen are
wrong once in a while.
(Laughing)
Terrible weather for
touring, isn't it, boy?
Touring? We're geology students.
I'm not. They are.
Have you ever heard of
the calcareous paleolithic
formations of the
reddish Alps around here?
Paleo, huh?
- Paleolithic.
- Hmm.
See this rock?
It was formed 10
million years ago.
Before Lieutenant
Kojack had his first lollipop.
Who told you?
The one in the leather
jacket, my brother.
He's the expedition leader.
- Get a move on.
- Hey! Kevin!
(Indistinct music playing)
Gianluca, he's busy.
Carla: And we
don't have all day.
- So long.
- Goodbye.
Kids watch too much TV.
(Upbeat music)
Here I am, Carla.
- It's a pleasure.
- Thanks.
Hi, I'm Daria, Channel 13.
We're asking people about
nature and conservation.
- Is there anything you'd like to say?
- Ah, sure.
I'd like to say that this
place is falling apart.
There's landslides.
There's muds.
And embankments
aren't holding up.
I mean, why don't they
do something about this?
What are they waiting for?
Don't you think you're
landing a little too hard on us?
I'm in complete
and total agreement.
If someone doesn't do
something pretty damn quick,
this whole area is going to find
itself in the middle of a catastrophe.
Well, this is something I think
everybody should know about.
I'd like to invite
you up to Sondrio
to take part in the TV
discussion show with me.
You'd be getting information
to people on a large scale.
Obviously, you're experts. Have
you been up in the Engadina.
Yes, we were there
about two months working.
We obtained a research grant
from the University of Rome.
And, at present, we're going
back to the land of the living.
(Laughing)
Thank you.
I'll have a Coke.
Are you out of your mind, boy?
No, I'm dying of thirst.
Hey, why don't you let
him have what he wants?
Listen, I'm taking care
of my brother, OK?
OK.
Daria, do you think we're going
to make it to Bormio in two hours?
I'm more inclined to tell you to
find a place with a bed in this area.
It's probably going
to get ugly out.
The roads are going to be disastrous
after the landslides last night.
Better just sit it
out, believe me.
Hey, what do you say, Massimo?
Well, it's getting late.
It's not an awful idea.
No, it's a miserable idea.
Because if it starts storming again
tonight, tomorrow we are flugeled.
Maybe Guido's right.
We should take off now.
I'll go along with the majority.
- Watch out, it's hot as hell.
- OK.
Well, kids, we all agreed?
- Right on.
- Sure.
(Gasps) What about you?
You agreed, too?
We all do, except Mary.
She had to go pee.
Right.
And in a democracy, you go to
the bathroom during the voting.
It's not to be
counted. (Laughing)
Yeah, right. (Laughing)
You better be going. Good luck.
- Thanks.
- Take it easy.
(Pensive music)
Christ, one whole hour and we've
gotten less than 30 kilometers.
Look, just relax.
See what happens.
How's it going?
Couldn't be worse, thanks.
Really horrible.
I can't wait till
we get to Bormio.
We should have listened to the
barman down at the gas station.
So cold, it's unbelievable.
Well, if the Valtellina
were in Africa,
you'd be bitching
about the heat right now.
And we could be stuffing our faces
with coconuts and bananas, too.
Right.
(Laughing)
Massimo: Road
closed due to landslides.
- Danger.
- Oh no!
All we needed, right?
Talk about the
luck of the Irish.
Now what do we do?
Go back to the village?
Oh, no. All those bumps
to get another hour of it.
There's got to be a place to
sleep that we can find around here.
There is!
Not long ago, there was a
sign, a sign with an arrow.
Motel dell Ermita.
The Hermit Motel? You sure?
Of course I am.
It was at the last
crossroads five minutes ago.
OK.
Go back. Turn around.
You got it.
(Pensive music)
(Ominous music)
Closed
Look what's written there.
You know how to read or not?
It isn't my fault.
It didn't say closed on
the sign down on the road.
Come on. It's not
his fault. This once.
It's strange, though.
It looks not so much
closed as abandoned.
There's nothing
strange about it.
It's off season. Come on.
It'll be spring before
they open again.
Hey, you guys, at
this point, I've had it.
It's freezing. Come
on. Let's get out of here.
Hey!
Someone's in there.
(Eerie music)
Hey!
Wait a minute.
Good evening. Excuse me.
Uh, the road to
Bormio's closed tonight.
We were wondering if we
could spend the night here?
We'll rough it, honestly.
We just need to get inside.
Massimo: All we
want is three rooms.
No food, no service, just beds.
Do us a favor.
It's damn cold and we don't
feel like going back to the village.
Massimo: Mister, please?
OK, guys.
Get the bags before
he changes his mind.
- OK.
- Yeah, man.
(Dog barking in background)
Thank you.
(Ominous music)
Boy, we really got lucky.
- Yeah.
- Right.
Massimo: Well, kids, looks
like we found ourselves a hutch.
What a strange guy.
He just didn't
bother saying a thing.
Maybe he's a deaf mute.
No, he's just a little annoyed.
I mean, the motel
is closed after all.
He could have
told us to go to hell.
- That's true.
- Alright.
Let's see.
Carla and Gianluca
going lucky 13.
- That's us.
- Thank you, sir.
Me and Massimo in 17.
Right you are.
And Guido and Mary in 16.
- OK?
- OK.
- Right. Got it.
- OK, big guy?
Everybody assigned?
Ready for bed?
Yeah.
OK.
God, I'm tired. I can't
wait to get under a shower.
And I'm going to snore
for a day and a half solid.
You wake me at your own peril.
You got the message,
children? Got it?
Yes, sir. Of course.
Well, I tell you,
may not be much,
but it looks like
a palace to me.
Tell me about it.
Ah, here we go.
Carla, I found our
room. It's up there.
Give me the key,
will you? (Door shuts)
What do you say
we get together later?
I'm too tired.
And there's something else.
What?
I don't like the
face of that man.
He's so- he's so strange.
I don't know how to
explain it to you, but-
but I have bad
feelings about it.
Oh, Kevin, why don't
we go back to the village?
Hey, listen, you're the
one that said you're tired.
It's just your imagination.
Stop worrying. Relax.
How can I?
Carla: Honestly, Kevin.
Would you two stop
lollygagging around?
(Chuckling)
Go to bed.
Be brave.
OK.
- Good night.
- Good night.
Come on. I'm falling on my face.
Coming, brat.
What a bore this place is.
They don't even have a room for
video games, not even a TV set.
Why aren't you just dying
to get some shut eye?
Aww, that was only talk.
Hmm.
There must be a ton of dust.
I think we won't even
bother unpacking.
Just get out your pajamas.
OK.
Hey, look at this calendar.
Isn't it funny?
Why?
Someone's just circled
the 24th of August.
What's all that
comical about it?
Please, Carla, come on.
Even you must know this is 1989.
There it's written
20 years earlier.
I'm sure they left it like that
in honor of a special day.
Maybe the inauguration
of the motel.
Hmm?
(Ominous music) (Animal howling)
(Thunder)
(Pouring rain)
Guido: How long can you possibly
stay in there? (Thunder rumbling)
The Guinness Book of
Records is not looking for you.
(Thunder)
(Ominous music)
(Floorboards creaking above)
(Distant crying)
Gianluca. (Crying continues)
Gianluca.
(Distant woman crying)
(Ominous music)
(Woman crying)
(Door creaking)
(Door creaking)
(Ominous music)
(Loud beeping)
(Eerie music)
(Explosion)
(Screaming)
(Screaming)
(Scream echoing)
What's going on here?
(Carla screaming)
Christ! That's Carla, come on!
Carla!
(Carla screaming)
Carla!
Carla, what happened?
Are you hurt?
What happened?
He hit him! He hit
him with the axe!
And then the explosion.
Oh, Kevin, I'm so scared.
Hey, don't be scared.
Everything's alright, OK?
Try to calm down now.
I saw him being
slaughtered with the axe!
Hey, calm down. Relax.
Everything's alright.
Do you hear me, Carla?
Please, just don't leave
me alone anymore.
Guido?
Guido!
Where are you, Guido?
(Clattering sound)
(Ominous music)
Who's there?
(Screaming)
Guido! Oh no! Guido!
OK.
Feeling better now?
Yeah, a lot better. Thanks.
Did you find anything?
No. There's nothing
strange down here.
Carla, is it possible you
just had a nightmare?
You're trying to say that it
just invented the whole show?
Including an exploding TV set?
Will you look here?
Hmm. I see what you mean.
Massimo: Hey, you
guys. Come here.
There's an electric wire
exposed here. It's a short circuit.
(Electricity crackling)
It must have been those sparks
that set off all the racket down here.
Probably set off a
little fire, too, huh?
And because of the heat, the
cathode tube in the TV set exploded.
Yeah.
(Eerie music)
Oh, God!
Guido!
Massimo, help!
(Ominous music)
(Floorboards creaking above)
(Intense music)
(Ominous music)
Carla! Massimo!
Guido! Oh, hurry!
Gianluca: Help!
- Gianluca!
- Come on!
Gianluca!
Oh, God!
Do something, Massimo.
He's not breathing. Look!
OK. Hold on.
Come on. Take a breath now.
(Gasping)
That a boy. Now another one.
Way to go. You
feel better now, huh?
Oh, Gianluca, thank god.
You're OK. Calm down.
What did I?
Don't worry about
it. Relax for a minute.
Carla, I don't know. I just
don't know what would happen.
Relax. Feel better.
There's nothing to be scared of.
Nothing in the world.
Hey, big guy. No problem.
You just had a bad
dream, that's all.
(Ominous music)
(Gasping, crying)
Guido!
(Music playing on headphones)
What's happening, Guido?
I can't find Mary
anywhere. She's just gone.
You mean disappeared?
If you quit asking all those questions,
maybe we can start looking for her.
Mary, where are
you, for god's sake?
- I'm gonna go wake up the owner.
- Good idea.
(Eerie piano music)
Guido: Massimo!
Come here! Quick!
Massimo: Where are you?
Down here in the kitchen.
(Shivering) (Eerie piano)
Come on! Mary!
Another five minutes and
she'd have been frozen solid.
(Eerie piano)
Hey, kid, you really
think you're gonna make it
on two aspirins after what
you've just been through?
Please, Guido. All I have
is a terrible headache.
Where the hell is the
owner of this place?
- Maybe he went to the village.
- Hmm.
How's Gianluca?
I gave him a
sedative. He's asleep.
I said it before, kids. This
place gives me the creeps.
Look, what happened to Carla is
very easily explained, you know.
She had herself a nightmare.
That's all. Nothing more.
Even the little drama we
just had up in Gianluca's room
can be explained away
on the nightmare theory.
OK, OK. But tell me this. How did
Mary end up in the frigging' freezer?
She goes in and the door
closes behind her. That's all.
I can't go for extra-sensory
phenomena and bullshit like that.
The fact is, we're all tired
and our nerves are shot.
Remember, we had eight weeks of staring
at fossils up in the damn mountains.
What's the matter? You hard
of hearing? I got pushed, Buster.
And blocked the handles, leaving
you face to toes with two dangling stiffs.
Quit the sarcasm. Mary got
herself a real fright. So did Carla.
And Gianluca dreaming
about those gigantic spiders...
and blood dripping
from the roof.
He's never had
nightmares, not one.
He's just a very normal kid.
We're all normal kids, Carla.
But that doesn't mean we can't have
a hallucination every now and then.
Carla: Hallucination's
determined by physical causes.
For example, by atmospheric
conditions or altitude.
That's what you mean, isn't it,
Guido? Come on, answer me.
That's exactly what I mean.
And if that isn't enough, the air
right now is loaded with electricity.
So as far as you're concerned,
this can all be ascribed to
some kind of self-hypnosis, right?
You got it.
You trying to say I'm crazy?
I saw those two bodies
hanging from those hooks.
Yeah, I know.
Like the time in New York you saw Ronald
Reagan skating at Rockefeller Center?
You swore up and down.
My god, that's idiotic!
Knock it off. Fighting's
not going to help anything.
There's nothing
I find perplexing.
Have you taken a
good look around?
Have you seen the
state this motel is in?
Let's investigate the telephone.
(Crow cawing outside)
Not a whisper.
(Eerie music)
Come on.
Huh, that looks like it hasn't
been used in a hundred years.
Can't get this open at all.
Incredible. Looks
like a cemetery.
All of the rooms are
in the same condition,
except for our three.
I know there must
be a reason for this.
Only one person knows it.
The proprietor of the motel.
(Eerie music)
Hey, Kevin, did
you cut yourself?
No.
Hey, look, someone was here.
Someone was wounded here
not more than ten minutes ago.
I mean, the blood's
not even congealed.
Yeah, so I see.
It's strange, though.
Anyone passing this way would
have to leave his footprints in the mud.
That's right. I didn't
think about that.
(Mysterious music)
Kevin: Mandalay, May 2, 1969.
Does that mean anything?
That this is not a product
of our imaginations.
Something happened
here last night.
And not just last night.
Listen, I think it's better if we
don't tell the others about this.
Uh-huh.
And let's get out of
here as soon as possible.
Yeah, OK.
The heating system's on the fritz,
but there's a wood stove in the kitchen.
I could try to get
that thing going.
Where did Kevin get to?
He went to see if they
reopened the roads yet.
We'll be leaving soon.
I'll go get Gianluca.
Go ahead.
You don't have to. I've been up
for an hour now. Are we leaving?
That's right.
- Good.
- As soon as Kevin gets back.
It's cold as hell out there.
Anyone for a sip of gin?
No, thanks.
Oh, for a cup of real hot tea.
Oh, for a Pepsi and a hamburger
slathered in mustard,
ketchup, mayo and pickles.
Wow, what a meal, kids.
(Laughing)
Hey, there's Kevin. Let's go.
Yeah, let's go.
Hi!
Hey, big guy. How's it going?
- Just great, Lieutenant Colombo.
- What's the news?
The road's still closed.
Oh, that's just terrific.
Now what do we do?
You guys wait here. I'll go to the
village and talk to the highway patrol.
Ask about another way to Bormio.
OK, I'll come along.
I'll buy us sandwiches.
Unless, of course, we run into the owner
here loaded down with steaks and beer.
- Gianluca: I'm coming too.
- No, Gianluca.
Let him. It'll do him good
to run around a bit, huh?
Bye now.
Well, I'm going to
do something useful,
like find some
wood for that stove.
- Why don't we wait in the car?
- Good idea.
Hey, Magnum, stop.
OK, big guy.
What's this about, huh?
Yeah, why'd you
change your mind?
There's a soccer game
on radio. I'd forgotten.
It's Milan versus Madrid. I'm
not going to miss that for anything.
OK. (Laughing)
OK, fine.
(Ominous music)
(Screams)
Carla! What's the matter?
For a moment I saw the
face of that old man, you know.
Who was killing
that boy. Oh, god.
Shall I get you something?
No, no, I'm fine. No, thanks.
These strange visions of yours,
have you had them, I mean, before?
Last time was two years ago,
November, I was listening to music.
I got in a trance.
I saw my cousin up north.
He was being run over by a
big truck on a sun-filled road,
one lined with
palms and orchards.
When I came to, I
realized how silly it was.
He'd never seen a
palm tree in his life.
Where he lives it snows
six months out of the year.
Later that night, I
received a telegram saying-
saying he had died two days
previously, in Santa Domingo.
Run over by a truck?
Yeah.
What's the name for your kind
of nightmares, premonitions or...
No.
A premonition is when somebody
with marked sensitivities for ESP
foretells something that's going to
take place somewhere in the future.
I get brief flashes on
what's already happened.
If that's called anything,
it's just messages and
telepathy out of the past, that's all.
Well, then...
Are you saying that a small boy
and his mother were really killed?
And you saw it?
I'm afraid so.
And right here in this motel.
(Ominous music)
(Sighs) I'm such an idiot.
I must have forgotten the bottle of
aspirin's inside on the reception desk.
No problem, I'll go get them.
(Door opens)
- Carla!
- Hmm?
My purse, guess what I found?
Carla: Dope.
(Soft music)
(Ringing sound)
(Crying)
Who are you?
What are you doing here?
(Crying)
Why are you crying?
(Explosion)
Oh!
(Mysterious music)
(Door slamming)
(Gasps)
(Machines clamoring)
(Wind blowing)
(Yelps)
Did you hear anything?
No, not a thing, really.
Listen, I'll only be
about five minutes.
Why don't you go
get some groceries?
- You got it, boss.
- Right.
(Radio in foreign language)
Hello?
My name is Kevin.
Kevin Foster.
Milan is unbeatable.
They'll win everything in sight.
You're American, aren't you?
Yes, but I live here in Italy.
Sorry, what were you saying?
My friends and I
are going to Bormio.
We were wondering whether
they're going to reopen the roads.
Tomorrow, the
weather gets better.
But it's not very likely.
Can you suggest another route?
You better head west
out of town and turn north.
That's to the right
at the 25th kilometer.
Go through the valley
until the turn off for Sandolo.
But it'll be a real long
way around, this detour.
Well, there doesn't seem
to be any other solution.
Thanks, Maresciallo.
My pleasure.
(Distant music)
Massimo: Hey, Kevin!
Should I get a
bottle of booze, too?
Yeah, hurry up, though.
Lady's voice: Kevin.
Hey!
- How are you?
- Hi.
You still around?
Unfortunately, yes.
That landslide has really
upset your plans, hasn't it?
Hey, tell me about it.
Listen, do you know the
owner of the Motel dell Eremita?
The owner of the
Motel dell Eremita?
Is that what you said?
Yeah, do you know him?
Old Nardi? Everyone
around here knew him.
He was arrested in 1969
along with his son and daughter
for a series of murders
committed right there in the motel.
Murders?
Yeah, he killed his
clients for their money.
Then he'd get rid of the
bodies with the help of his son
and his daughter-in-law,
probably eight or nine.
They were never really sure how many of his
clients he murdered, some say a lot more.
And what happened to him?
He committed suicide
a week before the trial.
The son died about two years
ago at an asylum in the east.
And the motel?
Oh, it's been closed since then.
Nardi had no other relatives.
And no one's interested in taking
over that kind of place, you know.
The Motel of the horrors.
They named it that
in the media then.
Do you know what this
guy Nardi looked like?
I really don't remember.
I was just a kid at the time.
Uh-huh.
But I can help you find out
more since you're so curious.
Yeah.
Here we are.
These are all the back issues
for October 69 of the journal.
Take all the time you need.
Thank you.
You're not the first
one who's come here
to nose around that
old story, you know.
I'm willing to bet
you're preparing
a research thesis
on the Nardi case.
Then pay, he's preparing a
script for a nice little horror film.
(Laughs)
Elderly Owner of Nardi Hotel
Arrested (Suspenseful music)
Victims' Remains
Found in Horror Hotel
Kevin, wait!
I tell you honestly,
you better get out of there
as fast as you can move, OK?
Thanks.
- Bye.
- Bye.
So long.
- You know...
- What?
I wouldn't set foot in that
motel, not for a million dollars.
Neither would I.
That's too damn
crazy, it's absurd.
It's ridiculous.
It is true, unfortunately.
So that man last night that we
mistook for the proprietor of the motel,
he's been dead
all this time, huh?
Murdered.
(Ominous music)
Carla, do you
believe ghosts exist?
And if they like,
they can harm us?
I don't know.
What brought that to your mind?
Well, I felt very strange things
when I was locked up in that freezer.
It was as though there
were these really evil souls...
pushing me towards my death.
I think I felt something like
that too, down in the cellar.
But then, we're at the
mercy of those souls.
That means that we're not
gonna escape. Carla, it's horrible.
They're gonna
kill every one of us!
How do you know they have
the power to do all of that?
You're just saying that
to make me feel better.
But I was in that freezer and
I almost died from the cold.
I saw you come out.
But we're leaving soon,
there's nothing to keep us.
Carla, I'm scared.
I just wanna get a million
miles south of this motel.
Don't get so worked up.
The minute the kids
are here, it's time.
Time to move.
By the way, why are
they taking so long?
It's almost one.
You can be sure Gianluca's
spotted a bar somewhere
with a big bunch of video games.
That's the explanation.
Hey, ladies!
What's going on?
I should get hugs and kisses.
I got the stove
going. Come on in!
Let's go, huh?
No way, thanks a
lot. You go ahead.
(Fire crackling)
Why doesn't she
come in by the fire?
She still convinced someone
pushed her into the freezer
and she saw two
corpses on hooks?
Guido, lay off. Making jokes
isn't helping the situation.
I've been through it with
Gianluca too last night.
Things that are
apparently absurd, right?
But we still came close to
losing our lives, come on!
Tell me, have you ever heard
of gross emotional susceptibility?
No, and I'm not interested.
I only know I wanna get
the hell away from here soon.
OK, don't get mad.
(Bird cawing)
(Intense music)
(Gasping)
(Wind blowing)
(Rock music on radio)
The ultimate, Rudolph
Bandits. Does it splash?
It's you.
You frightened me a little.
(Screaming)
Help, Guido, help!
(Rock music)
Isn't it fantastic?
What do you think?
Where you going?
To get my cigarettes.
(Gasping, panting)
Help!
(Crying)
(Gasping)
No!
(Door opens)
Carla?
Carla!
Carla!
(Ominous music)
No!
No!
(Screaming)
(Gasping, crying)
My god!
Oh no!
Oh, god!
Please!
On radio: Heavy rainfall is still
the look out for all of northern Italy
and the mountain
regions in particular.
Violent storms are working
their way west from the Balkans
and will be hitting the
Valtellina zone by early evening.
Extreme caution is
urged to all car drivers.
Better yet, stay home.
Terrific! What other
great news do they have?
I don't get it, Kevin.
What are you trying to find out?
A lot of things.
If Eraldo Covatta is
buried here for starters
and if someone was present
when they exhumed the bodies.
What do you care anyway?
The librarian in the village
was very, very reticent.
I understood there
was a mystery here,
but I didn't realize
how deep it went.
You're turning into a
private eye all of a sudden?
I want to get to
the bottom of this.
We've got to.
Where are you kids going?
Why all the curiosity?
Why all this fooling
around with the past?
Why bother the departed?
Let them rest in peace.
So they're buried here?
(Somber music)
There, these are their graves.
I buried them all myself.
I remember it as though it
were yesterday... poor souls.
Well, you've
seen it all, let's go.
Huh? Now what?
Now, tell me all
you know about this.
I've already told you
everything I know.
Everything there is to know.
Get it off your conscience.
You'll feel better.
Hey, come on, I don't-
Something was
kept secret, wasn't it?
Yeah, you're right.
One particular detail.
The investigating authorities ordered
that it was never to be revealed.
Go ahead.
Well, the police looked through
every corner of that old miserable motel.
Only they never found the heads
of any of the people
Nardi had murdered.
The bodies of those
poor souls were all each...
Decapitated.
Decapitated?
It was probably to hinder
the identification, I guess.
The specialists had to
work over a month on...
prints and laundry
tickets and such.
And what about
old Nardi, the killer?
Up and died.
And they never got a thing.
Since then, it's almost as
though that motel had a curse on it.
People say strange things.
You hear them talk about
ghosts and phantoms and such.
Phantoms?
Yeah, spooks and
ghosts and such.
The Lord have pity on
our sinning souls, boys.
- We gotta hurry.
- Right.
The idea of your sister and the others
in that motel makes my skin crawl.
Christ, Kevin. Is it possible
we're just dreaming all this?
If there is life after
death, anything's possible.
They're stronger than we
are. There's no defense.
God!
(Engine rumbling)
We've gotta take
them all to the village.
Yeah, and before
it gets dark, too.
I'm such an idiot, I
didn't take them seriously.
Neither Mary nor Carla.
Kevin, do you think
there's a real danger?
Don't know.
Guido: Mary, come
in. It's nice and warm.
(Ominous music)
Carla, Carla!
Yeah?
Do you have any idea
where the hell Mary is?
No, she must be near
here on the grounds.
Listen, you take a
look around out here.
I'll go see if she's
somewhere in the motel.
OK, but hurry.
Mary, Mary!
(Ominous music)
Mary?
Mary, are you in here?
Mary!
Mary, for a moment I
thought you might have-
Mary?
What's the matter?
(Suspenseful music)
Mary?
Guido: Carla, where are you?
Carla!
Oh my God!
No!
I'm not seeing it, I'm not!
Tell me that! Tell
me that I'm not!
Come on, Carla,
let's get out of here!
No, no!
No!
We've gotta get to
the police, quickly!
Yeah, well what the hell
happened to everybody else?
(Engine sputtering)
What's happening?
Why isn't it starting?
I don't know.
I don't think the juice
is getting through.
Looks like someone
poured a ton of oil in here.
(Ominous music)
We all got taken in.
That man didn't say a word last
night when we got to the motel.
He acted so strangely.
We should have just moved
on, that's what Carla wanted.
They'll be all
right, won't they?
We'll get to them in time?
They'll be OK, don't worry.
(Engine rumbling)
Hold it.
We really don't have much
time. Could you let us pass?
Uh, I'm afraid there's
no way you can get by
until we've removed
all this rubble, sir.
Well, how long will it take?
I'd say 20 minutes.
(Sighs)
I'm worried about
Gianluca, Kevin.
He's still a baby, he
could frighten easily.
If anything happens to him, I'm going
out on my head just at the thought.
Hey, just cool it, I mean,
this isn't gonna help anything.
(Engine starts)
- Don't let it die, huh?
- Right.
Guido, look.
It's the boy from my vision,
the one they killed. Oh my God!
Just wait for me here.
Wait and don't move, huh?
Come back!
Guido, were you
crazy? Come back!
(Intense music)
(Door slamming)
(Door creaking)
(Ominous music)
(Screaming)
Oh god, help me!
Oh god, Guido, Guido!
(Guido screaming)
Guido: Carla, help me, oh god!
Help me!
(Grunting)
Carla, oh god, hurry!
Help me, please!
Carla: How did this happen?
My god, Guido.
The thing just
snapped right down.
Come on, let's try
together. (Guido grunting)
(Grunting)
Oh god!
It's no use, we'll
never get it off.
- Is it broken?
- I don't think so.
(Door creaking)
(Slamming)
Somebody's there!
Who could it be?
I don't know.
Listen, Carla, forgive me.
I know I came on
like a stupid idiot.
If I hadn't sneered
at your ideas...
and poked all
that fun at Mary...
If I hadn't, she
might be living.
She was my girl, I loved Mary.
You know better
than to talk like that.
Nobody can predict the
future, it wasn't your fault.
I saw that little
boy that you saw.
Well, he dissolved
into thin air.
That kid wasn't alive
if I haven't gone crazy.
No, he's dead.
A poor soul looking for peace.
It seemed, it seemed
he was in pain.
I know, he was murdered in fact.
In this very motel.
It was with an axe.
Not just him either.
I don't believe
it, it's horrible.
But why is all this
around us now?
Why are they after us?
What terrible things
have we done?
By just coming here, we
reawakened their anger.
We're paying for wrongs
in the past done by others.
Carla, listen to
what I tell you.
You beat it to my car and
you go and get the kids.
Very fast, huh?
It's the only possibility
we have to survive.
Don't waste time.
But you can't stay
here completely alone.
It's OK, honest.
Everything's just fine, Carla.
OK, Guido.
Hang in there, OK?
No sweat.
(Groans)
(Intense music)
(Screams)
(Screams)
(Crying)
(Sinister breathing)
(Ominous music)
(Groaning)
(Gasping)
(Engine struggling)
Mary, you survived.
How?
(Suspenseful music)
No!
(Crying, gasping)
(Grunting)
(Crying)
(Chair creaking) Huh?
(Electricity crackling)
(Voice on radio in
foreign language)
(Laughing on radio)
(Buzzing noise)
(Electric saw buzzing)
No!
Kevin! Massimo!
Carla, what are you doing here?
Thank god you're here.
I thought I would go crazy.
Please do something!
Well, what happened?
Mary! Mary was murdered.
Murdered?!
Yes, and Guido's down
in the cellar. He got hurt.
We must do something
or he'll die for sure.
- Well, come on.
- Just a minute.
Where's Gianluca?
Why isn't he with you?
You must know that.
He changed his mind.
He didn't come along.
He said he wanted to listen
to the game at six on the radio.
That means that he's
down there right now!
Oh, Massimo, you've gotta
do something for him, please!
- Of course I will, but keep cool.
- Yeah, yeah.
Let's not fly off the handle.
What are you doing?
I'm going to get the metal
detector. We can use it.
OK.
Whatever we do,
we better do it quick.
- Come on.
- Right.
Come on.
Gianluca!
Where are you? Can you hear me?
No, you go back upstairs
and look with Massimo.
- Alright.
- Guido!
Guido!
(Ominous music)
(Mysterious clattering)
(Clattering)
Is he... is he dead?
Yes.
Massimo: No!
No!
Oh my god!
Gianluca!
Gianluca!
No!
(Stammering) No!
Gianluca!
Don't let her in, Kevin, for
Christ's sake! Get her out of here!
- Let me go, I want to see him!
- Calm down!
- Let me go, I want to see him!
- Stop it! Be reasonable!
Let me go!
Let me go!
(Screams)
Oh, Massimo, it's all my fault.
I should never
have left him alone.
I shouldn't have.
(Ominous music)
(Screaming)
Come on, you guys, let's get
out of here before it's too late!
Yeah!
(Ominous music)
Oh, Christ, it is too late.
Reinforced concrete.
Must be 20 centimeters thick.
Christ.
Nothing doing here either.
- Go check the kitchen. I'll go upstairs.
- Right.
I checked all the windows
upstairs. They're completely blocked.
Damn it!
There must be some way
of getting out of this trap.
Now where are you going?
- What are you going to do?
- Move.
(Clank)
(Electricity buzzing)
Here, let me try.
(Electricity buzzing)
(Metal clanging)
We're buried alive.
Is there any of
that grappa left?
No.
What time is it?
A little after 3:30.
Every minute that goes by
seems like a century to me.
How the hell much longer is this
torture going to go on anyway?
I can't stand it anymore.
I can't wait till
this thing's over.
Come out, damn you!
What are you waiting for?
Stop it!
Why are you waiting?
Why don't you just kill us?
- Go ahead!
- Stop talking like that!
We're not going to die!
We're going to make it!
Carla, it's going
to be daylight soon.
And someone's going to see
the station wagon parked out there.
And they're going to
come and rescue us.
Who? The road's
blocked by the landslide.
And why should someone
come over here anyway?
This hotel's been
closed for twenty years.
That girl said
so in the village.
Yeah...
It's been closed
since the murders.
See? I told you.
They've all gone.
That's not possible.
The roads are still out and they
haven't been seen in the village.
Anyway, there's
nobody around, OK?
And quit worrying about them.
They don't mean anything to you.
Listen.
Huh? What is it?
For a moment, I thought I
heard a car motor out there.
You're hearing things.
Of course.
Why didn't I think
of this before?
Some part of their bodies
must be buried here still.
But where?
Listen.
I want you to go upstairs and lock
yourself in one of the rooms with Carla.
And don't come out
for any reason, OK?
What do you want to do?
I'm going to find them if I have
to tear this fucking place apart.
You can't make it, Kevin.
Listen, you'll be killed.
Look, this is our only chance.
I want you two to go now. Hurry!
Come on, Carla.
(Metal detector
creaking) (Ominous music)
Just a minute.
Did you hear anything?
No.
There's someone inside
here, Carla. I'm sure there is.
(Carla gasps)
(Ominous music)
(Metal detector clicking)
(Metal detector pulsing)
(Plaster falling)
(Electricity buzzing)
(Glass breaking) (Pans falling)
(Mysterious rumbling)
(Grunting, clamoring)
(Electricity buzzing)
(Low rumbling)
(Gas spraying)
(Debris clattering)
(Shattering glass)
(Screams)
(Glass shattering)
(Electricity buzzing)
(metal clanking)
(Fire crackling)
Oh god!
Massimo: Over here, Carla!
For god's sake, help me!
Look out!
Good god, where are you?
(Electricity buzzing)
Help me!
Come on, this way!
(Fire raging)
(Electricity buzzing)
(Glass breaking)
(Clattering)
(Electrical explosion)
(Screaming)
(Intense music)
No!
Come on! Go!
(Door creaks)
(Clattering) (Screaming)
Carla, come on!
(Carla screaming)
(Screaming)
This way!
(Screaming)
The door's locked!
Massimo!
We can't get out of here!
We've gotta try!
(Screaming)
There's a dumbwaiter down there!
Maybe we can use
this to get out of here!
Stay here, I'll go check it out.
No!
(Crying) No!
No!
(Crying)
No!
(Crying)
(Electricity buzzing)
Carla: No!
(Screaming)
(Whimpering)
(Sobs)
(Explosion)
(Fire burning)
(Crying)
(Crying)
(Fire crackling) (Ominous music)
(Birds chirping)
Kevin?
Kevin, they left us.
They're gone.
Oh.
(Crying)
Come on.
(Dreamy music)
- Hi.
- Hi.
There you go.
How are you?
Fine, thank you.
It's gorgeous.
A rose is a rose is a rose.
Who wrote that?
Marilyn Monroe?
Mm-mm.
- Gorbachev?
- You silly.
Gertrude Stein, a
poetess from the 20s.
Ah.
Well, you're in fine form today.
Well, the doctor said I can
leave the day after tomorrow.
OK, we'll have a big party.
Spaghetti and Chianti.
MmMmm.
Listen, why don't they
print the whole story?
My deposition to the state's
attorney and all the rest of it?
The newspapers and the
TV didn't say a thing about it.
They hushed the whole thing up.
You know how it is.
Orders from the top, the
usual political pressure.
They said it would be
disturbing for the general public.
I wonder if this
will ever be over.
The best thing we can do
about it now is forget about it.
It is over.
Do you really think so, Kevin?
Yes.
(Eerie music)