The Sleep Curse (2017) Movie Script
1
- Happy birthday, hubby.
- Thank you.
Happy birthday, Daddy!
- Happy birthday, brother.
- Thank you.
Happy birthday, brother!
What is taking you so long, Teddy?
C'mon over, Teddy!
You have to be on camera, too.
Let's sing.
One, two, three.
"Happy birthday to you!"
"Happy birthday to you!"
"Happy birthday to daddy!"
"Happy birthday to you!"
Make a wish, brother.
Look this way, Daddy.
Why are you still up? It's 2 o'clock!
What's keeping you up?
I can't sleep, might as well get up to read.
Why don't you go to bed
if you feel tired, brother?
Sleep?
He's working too hard.
Why don't you take some time off, brother?
Stop that for now, Teddy! Eat first!
Be good, Teddy. Eat first.
Can't sleep again, Daddy?
I haven't been able to sleep
for many days already.
Let's play chess.
Teddy!
Leave Daddy alone.
I want to sleep! Let me sleep!
They say... it's a curse.
Come on, Teddy, go play outside.
I don't want to sleep! I don't want to sleep!
"1990 Hong Kong"
"The silvery moonlight...
is shining on the courtyard..."
"Be good, dad, go to sleep."
"The silvery moonlight...
is shining on the courtyard..."
"Be good, dad, go to sleep."
"Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong"
Morning, Professor Lam. You're early.
Yes! I miss that mouse.
It didn't sleep at all last night.
How many days now?
27 days in a row.
Inject half the dose of protein today.
OK, no problem.
Enjoy the honey heavy dew of slumber.
Can any of you tell me
who this saying is from?
Top students, eh?
You people know nothing about culture?
It's Shakespeare!
Can you tell us why...
even the great Shakespeare praises sleep, Draco?
Could it be because
people spend 1/3 of their lifetime asleep?
Is this why Shakespeare likes it?
Why doesn't he praise
the other 2
Anyone else?
In fact I've no idea myself
why sleep is worth praising.
I've seen many people who can't sleep or eat,
which reminds me of
what the old folks always say,
"It's a blessing to be able to eat and sleep."
They are right!
Research indicates that
sleeping is important to many parts of our body.
Namely, turning short-term memory into long-term,
as well as renewing the proteins
in our brain cells
during sleep.
But none of this research
has taken into account that
people's mode of sleep evolves by itself.
Let's look at animals in the wild.
Lions sleep 14 hours a day
while elephants sleep for only 4 hours.
Why?
Because predators
sleep more than prey.
Usually herbivores sleep less.
So that they can stay alert at all times,
and won't be too easy to catch.
Sleeping is enjoyable indeed.
Yet we're most vulnerable during asleep.
Just like the way Mr. Tin Chun Yuan is now.
One can kill him as easy as pie.
Don't bother, let him sleep.
The average life expectancy
of Hongkongers is 78 years.
We sleep for about 24 years of our lives.
It really wastes a lot of our time.
Sleep is still a mystery to us.
We know very little about
how we enter the state of sleep.
We know even less about why we need to sleep.
We do know there are 5 stages of sleep.
Stages 1 and 2 are "light sleep".
During these stages, when we close our eyes,
our blood pressure decreases,
heartbeats are slower.
We relax to enter stages 3 and 4,
which are "deep sleep".
I did research in Italy.
When we're in the deep sleep stages,
brain activity is reduced to a very low level.
Then we enter stage 5.
The REM stage-
Rapid Eye Movement.
We dream in this stage.
When you dream, your eyes move rapidly.
According to Freud,
"dreaming" helps to release
the desires of our subconscious.
Yet this is just psychoanalytic theory.
The medical community
still doesn't fully understand
how dreaming can affect the body.
As we see from the way Mr. Tin Chun Yuan is now,
if he's in a light sleep stage,
he should be able to hear me giving the lecture.
Are you demonstrating
the method of sleeping, Mr. Tin?
Or don't you care about finishing your degree?
The University Research Grants Committee
has carefully gone through your proposal,
and fully discussed it, Dr. Lam.
We're deeply sorry
for your application has not been approved.
Why not?
The University and the Faculty of Medicine
have always appreciated your...
OK, OK, I don't need that.
I only want to know why
such a valuable research was not approved.
Honestly,
the Committee finds your research unnatural.
Unnatural?
Do you know what you're talking about?
Of the 5000 years of human civilization,
do you know how much time and how many resources
we humans have wasted on sleep?
Do you know oxygen is wasted
with every single breath as we sleep?
People spend about 1/3 of their lifetime asleep,
which means there is no pleasure,
no entertainment, no productivity,
no economic benefit.
If mankind needs no sleep,
civilization can fast forward
about a thousand years.
We will die without sleep!
How can we not sleep?
That's what my research is all about.
Dolphins remain active without sleep.
Migrating birds can fly
26 consecutive days without sleep.
I have already collected some data
for my research from white mice.
Humans aren't animals.
Why not?
I mean humans aren't birds or beasts.
Anyway, we find your research
goes against the laws of nature.
It's unethical!
How is it unethical?
Your education really hasn't helped you much.
It's no big deal to turn down my application!
Why are you insulting me?
Who do you think you are?
I'm telling you, you people are pedantic!
Cynical!
Pedantic!
A lady by the name Yau Mong Hei
is out there to see you, Professor Lam.
Dr. Lam.
It's been 10 years, you look prettier than ever.
You still keep that brooch.
You gave it to me; of course I want to keep it.
I just used a hotel souvenir,
nothing significant.
Nothing significant?
Are you trying to say that
I never got you anything significant?
I told you on our first date that
I don't send flowers to women.
Don't tell me you were pissed.
How could I be?
Why did you leave
without saying goodbye 10 years ago?
Let's eat.
It seems you still owe me a tango.
It seems we only dated twice.
Are you talking about another woman?
No, I'm not.
I promised to teach you to tango
on our second date.
- Let me teach you.
- I don't want to learn it.
Are you married?
I'm still single.
So I was right.
Subconsciously, you're fond of me,
but you don't realize it yourself.
You have wasted 10 years of our time.
I already rejected you
on our second date, if I remember correctly.
What I remember is
I never accepted your rejection.
In fact, I came to you for help today.
You must know that Dr. Mella
died in a car crash 6 months ago.
I know.
I happened to have
3 surgeries.
So I didn't attend his funeral.
How did you know about his death?
I had been seeing Dr. Mella all that time.
A medical check-up every 2 years.
Certainly he wouldn't gossip about his patients.
Neither did I want anyone to know that.
You were his student, and I was his patient.
Our meeting in Venice 10 years ago
wasn't a coincidence.
What's wrong with you?
Very few doctors know about this illness.
Even if one did,
he wouldn't know how to deal with it.
You aren't talking about
"Atypical Insomnia", are you?
Once Dr. Mella told me,
that if he died,
the only person who could help me
was his student, Lam Sik Ka.
That is you.
The chance of it being a genetic disease is 50%.
It already killed my grandfather and father.
I'm OK today, but can't guarantee tomorrow.
Actually I've been working on this illness,
but can never find anybody
for clinical experiments.
Finally I've found one,
I didn't expect it would be you.
I'm not the one who needs your help most now.
It's my family.
My brother hasn't slept for 3 months.
"Malaysia"
My grandfather died before I was born.
But I witnessed what happened to my father
when he was ill.
At first he had nightmares every day.
Sometimes he woke up in the middle of his sleep
to hit or yell at us.
Gradually he stayed up all night.
He couldn't sleep,
couldn't walk or speak.
He changed into a totally different person.
Most terrible was that he had hallucinations,
and behaved strangely.
None of the doctors he saw could cure him.
Mom thought he was cursed.
Those sorcerers said our whole family was cursed.
If we wanted to break the curse forever,
my brother would have to sew father's eyes
shut with his own hands.
But later on my brother got it anyway.
Although your brother is asleep,
he isn't in deep sleep.
Therefore he hasn't had any rest.
It looks like
the strong sleeping pills aren't working.
That's all you say to me?
I don't pay good money
to listen to you, I pay you to solve problems!
You'd better cure him.
I don't want my brother
to be like the living dead, no matter what.
Well, I haven't got all day.
If you can't cure him, say so.
Don't waste my time.
Hi, brother.
Where have you been?
Haven't seen you for days.
This is Dr. Lam Sik Ka,
a specialist in Neuroscience and sleep,
has been invited here all the way from Hong Kong.
Seriously?
Big brother and I
share the same mother, you don't.
I've hired several famous doctors
and a team of nurses
to look after him 24 hours.
You don't have to do this to please him.
All it requires is one capable specialist,
no need to hire a whole team, stupid!
What? Are you any better than them?
All my brother
gets from you doctors is sleeping pills.
Sleeping pills have the opposite effect
on patients with insomnia.
Idiot!
Would you please step outside, Mrs. Yau.
I need to examine your husband for a while.
- I don't want to sleep!
- Daddy!
I don't want to sleep!
I don't want to sleep!
I don't want to sleep!
I don't want to sleep!
Daddy!
Daddy!
- I don't want to sleep!
- Hubby!
Hubby!
Hello? Yeah, Director! You must come right away.
His skull is still intact.
Yes, Director.
No one would know his brain is missing.
Right.
Remove the stitches.
Yes, Director.
- Hello?
- This is Monique, what have you been doing?
I was just packing.
May I come to you?
No, no, no, no! I'll meet you downstairs.
I was just about to get a cup of coffee.
- I'll see you in the Cafe.
- OK.
OK, I'm coming down now.
Are you leaving today?
In the afternoon.
My sister-in-law keeps asking me
if our family did anything bad once,
because my grandfather changed his family name.
I don't know what to tell her.
What she actually wanted to know is
if someone had cursed our family.
Do you think my big brother is cursed?
It's not impossible!
Do you believe in black magic, as a scientist?
Cursed or not is just an adjective,
it doesn't clash with science.
One key point about science is
to ask why and find a solution to the problem.
If your big brother is possessed,
you would have to find him an exorcist.
Or if he is cursed,
the curse must have affected his physical health,
made him unable to sleep.
If you can find no one to break the curse,
then switch to science.
From the medical point of view,
you must find out what made him ill.
Didn't you mention your research on sleep
was not funded?
This can keep you going.
I can't take this, it's a hell of a lot of money.
This is my other brother's money, not mine.
That's worse.
I can tell he's an asshole.
He treats you so badly.
He's worried about himself now.
I'm worried about my big brother's children, too.
As long as you can cure
the next insomnia patient in the line,
my family won't be helpless.
I not only want to cure insomnia,
but also find way to make people
lead normal lives without sleep.
What about you?
Have you ever worried about yourself?
I never know if the sleep I had the night before
would be the last in my life.
I would kill myself if I had insomnia.
I wouldn't want to burden anyone.
Is that why you ran away from me?
No, please.
Am I wrong?
Come to me if it ever happens to you.
Check, please.
Hello.
Hello.
To Hong Kong.
Send it to Hong Kong?
Yes.
Dr. Lam.
Working so late?
Been very busy.
Well, do you want to see a human brain?
Not at this time of the night.
Then why are you still here?
OK, I'm leaving.
Stupid!
Hey! Don't sleep! Wake up, hey...
I can't find anything wrong in
the sleep and waking centers of the brain-stem.
There's nothing peculiar
in the patient's cerebrum,
but the thalamus have shrunk 20%,
and 90% of the neurons are missing.
The cause is not yet known.
But I think that's what insomnia is about.
Also there were a lot of bad proteins
as I expected.
If ever there is a sleep curse or spell
in this world,
it must be black magic that affects the thalamus.
"The silvery moon...
is shining on the courtyard... "
"Be good, dad, go to bed."
"The silvery moon...
is shining on the courtyard... "
"Dad..."
Who do you want?
My father.
His name?
Lam Sing.
His date of birth?
August 18, 1900.
His date of death.
July 14 1943.
Lam Sing, the dead, your son is looking for you.
Lam Sik Ka, the living.
What did you call your father?
Dad.
Call him.
Dad.
Louder.
Dad!
Louder, louder!
Dad!
Keep calling!
Dad! Dad!
Keep calling, don't stop!
Dad, Dad...
Dad! Dad!
Do you want to talk to me, Sik Ka?
Where were you born, Dad?
Japan.
Dad, do you remember
taking me back to our home village
when I was young?
No!
It was during the war.
Why would I want you back there?
I want to know what happened
before you passed away.
What for?
I just want to know.
Can't you sleep?
Open the door! Open the door!
Why didn't you open the door?
Take the 4 women away.
Yes!
Don't take my daughter!
Mom!
Dad!
The Japs are coming.
Open the door!
Coming! Coming!
Open the door!
Why didn't you open the door?
- Search!
- Yes!
No! Don't...
Granny, Granny!
I found these.
Ryunosuke Akutagawa?
How come you can read Japanese, Lam Sing?
My father was one of the reformer-officials
of the Ching Dynasty.
Answer me in Japanese!
Yes.
My father was a reformer-official
of the Ching Dynasty.
He ran away to Japan with my mother
to avoid the purges of the Empress.
I was brought up and educated in Japan.
You grew up in Japan.
You should serve our Emperor then.
Come find me at the barracks tomorrow.
I'm Colonel Tanaka.
His book
was not a good choice.
- Let's go!
- Yes!
Hand in the copper! Hand in your copper!
What are they saying?
The Japs want our copper pots.
Kneel! Kneel!
What are you doing? Kneel quick.
They would kill us.
Hand in the copper! Hand in your copper!
That's all?
It's not enough to feed us for one week.
The school has been closed down,
I've lost my job, Mom.
I'll find a way.
I'm not blaming you, Sing.
It's hard to stay alive now, Master.
It's a blessing for you
and our daughter-in-law
to have died young, actually.
Why am I still sticking around?
It's all because of my son and grandson.
Very efficient, the writing is not bad.
I hope the translation is accurate.
Yes! It is.
Turn to the last page of Tales of Ugetsu.
Yes!
Chow Fook!
How are you, Colonel Tanaka!
How may I help you?
This is Lam Sing.
He can help you with
the Hong Kong Charity Foundation.
Thank you.
Be smart.
Did you understand?
Japanese?
This is the Hong Kong Charity Foundation.
Come in.
It's the British-American Powers
who invaded and oppressed us.
Open your eyes.
They are our common enemy.
The Imperial Army
is establishing the Great East Asia
Co-Prosperity Sphere
to liberate us from them,
to fight for freedom on our behalf,
to liberate all of Asia.
Long live the Imperial Army!
Your illness is quite serious, Chuen.
I'll write you a prescription.
Take the medicine home, stir it in water,
and apply it to your skin.
Also burn this spell to ashes
and drink it in wine.
Too bad I can't go to school because of the war.
I miss my classmates.
I couldn't go to school anyway, no matter what.
Why did father send you to school,
and make me learn to write spells,
decoct medicinal herbs,
and help him with alchemy?
Dad says only the first child of the family
gets to learn the art of black magic.
He also says the technique
is only passed on to the male, not the female.
We don't have any brothers.
I was born just a little earlier than you.
Why must I be treated like a boy?
It isn't fair.
Sis.
Don't get angry.
Master Hau.
What a good business you have!
Where is your donation?
Who would protect you for so little?
Search!
You were here just 2 days ago.
I haven't got any money left to give you.
Don't do that, don't!
Money, money!
Go. Let's go.
Let's go.
Uncle Cheung, it's Lam Sing.
- What do you want?
- Uncle Cheung, Madam Cheung.
My Mom says Madam Cheung is ill.
I've got you some rice and meat.
She must eat a little more.
You traded your people for this rice and meat.
I can't thank you for this.
Traitor! God damn you!
I've been waiting for you to come home, Dad.
Good. Good boy.
Are you working hard, Dad?
Did you study today?
Read me something.
I'm grateful.
Certainly! It's my duty to do the job well.
Thank you, goodbye.
They promoted me, Lam Sing.
Congratulations!
I've finished it.
Turn to the last page of Rashomon.
Thank you!
I've got a new job for you.
Go find Chow Fook.
Yes.
Wait... why did we come here?
What's wrong with this place?
I... I'm not going in...
Those Japs pay to go in.
Otherwise why would the girls
be willing to stay here?
Willing to stay?
They're saving money for their families.
No need to force them to stay.
I'm not going in, no matter what.
I'm in charge of this place, too.
Are you?
Girls here won't die of hunger or on the street.
I send them home when they have enough savings.
By then they can take their money
and join their families again.
If you don't want to go in,
tell Tanaka yourself.
Go in here.
You! Come here!
You must teach that girl, she hurt me!
Sorry, I'll look into it.
- What's the problem?
- Boss.
That soldier complained
about that girl who hurt him.
What should we do?
- Be quick.
- All right.
What did you inject her with?
Opium.
This is addictive.
Life won't be so miserable
if she learns to compromise.
Resistance will get her nowhere.
Nowadays, it's a blessing to be
able to eat and sleep.
Eat!
Take your time, Mom, I've lost my appetite.
Finish it, Sik Ka.
I told you this isn't the right way
to hold your chopsticks.
You never learn, do you?
Are you listening or not?
"Gwai Tower, Comfort Center Number 8"
Mister, mister, I'm Uncle Cheung's daughter.
Please help us!
Help us to run away.
Aren't you afraid?
You'll die if you fail.
I would rather die than stay here.
Here come your dinners.
What have we got to drink?
There's sake.
Perfect.
Please.
Homage to the Buddha,
Amita... Homage to the Buddha, Amita.
Stop!
Stop running!
Stay alive and tell others
what the Japs have done to us.
Go!
How did you manage the Comfort Center?
How did those little sluts get away?
Idiot!
Go and grab 40 to replace the 4 runaways!
I don't serve traitors.
No! Don't beat my father, please!
Help!
Don't take my daughters away!
Go to sleep, Sik Ka.
I want to see Dad.
Stop fooling around! Go to sleep!
What is Dad doing?
Did you hear me or not?
There they are!
Come over here, Lam Sing.
Well, aren't they all beautiful?
You need a cup of tea.
Lam Sing!
When was the last time you had fun with a woman?
Listen up!
His wife died young,
so he hasn't touched a woman for ages.
Women!
Where are the pretty women?
Sis!
Lam Sing! Lam Sing!
They're twins, look exactly the same.
I'll let you take the one you like home.
I dare not!
Pick one!
Or I'll kill one!
All right, all right! I'll pick one!
Sis! Sis!
You're the lucky one.
I'll take good care of you myself.
Look at me.
Monster! Monster!
She is a ghost straight out of Yotsuya Kaidan.
Ask Chow Fook to take a look at her himself!
You sleep here tonight.
What's that girl's name, Sing?
Ask her yourself tomorrow.
Look at me.
Think about it.
It was you who dragged me into all this.
- Come.
- Boss.
Go get a sack.
Tie her to a chair.
Yes.
And... put up her name tag right away.
Yes.
Man Woon cooked this, eat some.
Who?
The girl you brought back yesterday.
"Hau" is her family name.
This one a bit bigger.
Dad.
Thank you, Miss Hau.
Thank you.
My benefactor!
Have mercy, please.
Save my sister, too.
That would at least make her feel better.
Miss Hau.
How is my sister?
She's fine. She's fine.
Why is she always luckier than me?
Why did you pick my sister, not me?
I don't know...
Maybe because... she was right beside me.
Wrong!
Because fate
isn't fair.
Why do you want to be a traitor?
I... I don't... I am not...
You're not a nice man.
atrocious, ruthless.
You work for the Japs.
How can you sleep at night?
Miss Hau.
I saw your sister today,
She's quite all right.
Really?
Only that... those Japs...
My sister and I should switch places.
What are you doing up there, Sik Ka?
"Now hiring: Teaching Assistant
for Professor Lam Sik Ka"
I hope my name will appear
in famous international
research journals very soon.
to match Dr. Lam.
I'm sure you will.
All set?
All the equipment has been tested, Dr. Lam.
Call me if there are any problems.
What do you mean?
Haven't you checked everything?
Is it all working now?
Yes, I have.
There shouldn't be any problems then.
There shouldn't be.
All right, all right.
I'd call you if I come across any.
Sorry, Miss.
The wholesale clothing is in the next building,
if that's what you're looking for.
The door is open.
We've just moved in,
the smell of paint is very strong
so we opened the door to let the fresh air in.
In fact, I'm here for Dr. Lam.
Are you his friend or girlfriend?
Passers-by are not allowed in here.
- Hello.
- Dr. Lam.
You didn't have to come all the way here.
I could have gone to your hotel, C'mon in.
Why did you set your research center
in a factory building?
The rent is lower here.
Why would I pay high rent in Central?
Would you like something to drink, Miss?
Hot water with lemon and honey.
OK.
Leave us.
OK.
Didn't you ask me to come to you
when I couldn't sleep?
I haven't slept for the last few days.
Maybe you aren't used to sleeping in a hotel.
What if I still can't sleep tonight?
Then I'll come over and keep you company.
I'm sure I can cure this illness.
What if it isn't an illness?
Several hundred years ago,
the Europeans brought smallpox to America
and the native Indians got infected.
Back then the native Indians treated smallpox
as God's punishment
rather than an illness, too.
Actually I need volunteers
for clinical experiments.
People with...
insomnia would be ideal.
Her heart rate and blood pressure are both normal.
She seems to be full of spirit, too.
She hasn't slept for one whole week already.
The protein structure in her brain cells
will be damaged at this rate.
My mentor
Dr. Mella gave me this.
He died in a car crash 9 months ago.
4 months ago his secretary sent me this.
This contains the protein gas he developed,
which can restore the protein in human brain.
To treat an illness,
you either treat the symptoms
or remove the root cause.
To remove the cause, you have to find out why.
For a patient with atypical insomnia,
nothing can be done
until a DNA profile is obtained,
which will be years from now.
What about treating the symptoms?
Treating the symptoms means
putting the patient to sleep.
But my mentor found that
sleeping pills only give the patient
more trouble and less sleep.
Therefore I've been studying a third method
to help patients live without sleep.
What? No sleep?
Isn't that against our body clock?
The human body clock is only a process.
Cave-men slept very little,
because they had to protect themselves.
We need so much sleep only
after thousands of years of evolution.
Your daily necessities, Dr. Lam.
Perfect.
Inject the protein gas
into the room every 12 hours.
OK!
What gas? Draco?
Everything you need is in this room.
Let me know if you need more.
Three meals a day for you.
Not to worry.
I'll monitor your vital signs 24 hours.
The door isn't locked,
you may leave if anything happens, right?
Let me sleep, I want to sleep.
Sing.
What are you doing, Sing?
What are you doing?
Didn't you see that?
No.
What are you doing?
She's your sister, don't hurt her!
What did you say, Sing?
Did my sister already...
I... saw something wrong...
Eat... let's eat...
It's OK, let's eat.
Tell me, Sing.
Did my sister die?
Where is her body?
In the mass grave.
Try not to feel too sad, Man Woon.
Your sister is already dead.
We'll get her body from the mass grave tomorrow.
Granny, I think the reason Sing can't sleep is
he has been cursed.
Likely by my sister.
Why is that?
Sorry.
We are all pretty nice to you.
- Why did your sister
- Sorry!
do that to my son?
I'm worried it might affect Sik Ka
and the Lam family forever.
I'm sorry!
I beg you, Man Woon.
Our family might have wronged her,
but please help my son to break the curse.
I don't know how to do it.
I never learned it from my father.
Only my sister would know.
Let's go find her!
All right, let's go now!
Come with us, Sik Ka.
Don't run away, Sik Ka!
I'm scared, Granny.
Don't be scared.
I'm scared, Granny.
I'm trying to save you and your Dad, Sik Ka.
Be careful.
Sorry.
Sister.
Sorry.
Sister!
Sister!
Sister!
Sister!
Sister!
Sister! Sister!
Sister! Sister!
Sister!
Rest in peace, sister.
We'll be sisters again in our next lives.
Then, I'll be the big sister.
You'll be my baby sister.
I'll look after you in return.
I've married into the Lam family already, sister.
I'm begging you.
Forgive Sing and his family
on your sister's behalf.
We're here to apologize to you today.
I'm begging you.
Sik Ka?
Come.
Be good, Sik Ka.
Kowtow to your aunt, give her the flower.
- I want to go home...
- C'mon!
I want to go home.
C'mon, be a good boy.
Coming or not? C'mon!
Kneel!
This flower is for your aunt.
It's for your aunt.
It could save you and your Dad.
OK, kowtow.
Are you asleep?
I think so.
I can sleep.
I am alright now.
That was only a light sleep.
It's too soon to judge.
For you.
Thank you.
You're in so early, Dr. Lam.
Starting today,
protein gas injection every 8 hours.
OK.
I've made some spaghetti for you.
How long have I been in here?
8 days.
That means I haven't slept for 12 days already.
You had some light sleep.
Do you believe in Karma?
It should exist.
Otherwise a bad person would get away
with what he has done.
Do you think Karma can pass on to one's children?
It's possible.
If a bad person hasn't suffered enough
to pay for his sin
his children would have to suffer, too.
As you can see,
many people have done many bad things.
They don't do them for the sake of their children,
but for their own interests.
I mentioned my grandfather to you, remember?
Yes, you told me that he changed his family name,
and couldn't sleep before he died.
When I came to you last,
I also hired a private detective to check him out.
I found something, Miss Yau.
But I would like to make sure with you.
Do you really want to know the naked truth?
Some clients become more lost
after learning the truth.
If he really had done something wicked to someone.
I truly hope that I can make it up for him.
"Chow" was your grandfather Yau Fook's
previous family name.
After the Pacific War,
he moved from Hong Kong to Malaya,
and changed his name to Yau Fook.
He worked for the Japanese army.
Are you Madam Chuk?
I've told a hundred times
what I went through in the Comfort Center.
Although no one has yet apologized
and compensated me,
I'll tell it again and again.
It won't be buried with me.
What do you want to know?
Do you know him?
I can never forget this scumbag.
He is Chow Fook, a traitor
who worked in the Comfort Center.
He treated us like animals.
However, God granted us a way out.
I met a nice man.
Too bad that I haven't
had a chance to repay him yet.
He had a very hard time being a nice man, too.
I will never forget this savior.
I remember his name was Lam Sing.
Now I have this atypical insomnia, too.
Do you think we are meant for each other,
the way we met?
Why did you come back to me?
I thought our meeting in Venice 10 years ago
was predestined.
But now,
I'm worried it was payment for ancestral sins.
- Tea, Mom.
- Good.
- Have some tea, please.
- Good.
I'll stick with you from now on.
What's wrong, Sing?
I... something is wrong with my eyes...
Still not able to sleep?
You sleep first.
So early, Dr. Lam?
Are you two doing morning exercise?
There's something I want to ask you, Dr. Lam.
Why has the gas in there changed to N-gas?
N-gas makes one feel high.
What do you know!
Breakfast.
What are you doing?
I came in to see if you were able to sleep?
Why are you holding scissors?
I was mending clothes.
Mom, her sister, her sister...
Man Woon is possessed by her sister!
My sister is still affecting Sing's mind.
What?
I want to sleep!
Let me sleep, I want to sleep.
Let me sleep.
Let me sleep, I want to sleep!
Let me sleep!
Let me sleep.
What is Dad doing?
Let me sleep.
He's still the same.
Dad.
Sing.
Sing, Sing.
Don't! What are you doing?
Let go of him! You could kill him!
Sing! Let go of him!
Mom! Get up, get out of here!
Be careful!
Leave, hurry!
Be careful!
"The silvery moon...
is shining on the courtyard... "
"Be good, dad, go to sleep."
"The silvery moon...
is shining on the courtyard... "
"Be good, dad, go to sleep."
Comfy?
Halt!
Don't move!
Every debt has its debtor!
Your Dad was a nice man, Sik Ka.
You have said it many times already.
Don't talk about the old days anymore.
He didn't go insane.
He was really...
cursed.
Why did you force me to give the flower
at that mass grave?
Do you know that woman is still
following me everywhere?
I really feel awful.
I don't want to suffer anymore.
I don't want to see that woman anymore.
Why did you force me, why?
Why did you force me?
Sorry, I really feel awful.
I really feel awful.
I really don't want to see that woman anymore.
Why did you force me back then?
Sorry.
Dr. Lam.
"Wing Tai Fong"
- Happy birthday, hubby.
- Thank you.
Happy birthday, Daddy!
- Happy birthday, brother.
- Thank you.
Happy birthday, brother!
What is taking you so long, Teddy?
C'mon over, Teddy!
You have to be on camera, too.
Let's sing.
One, two, three.
"Happy birthday to you!"
"Happy birthday to you!"
"Happy birthday to daddy!"
"Happy birthday to you!"
Make a wish, brother.
Look this way, Daddy.
Why are you still up? It's 2 o'clock!
What's keeping you up?
I can't sleep, might as well get up to read.
Why don't you go to bed
if you feel tired, brother?
Sleep?
He's working too hard.
Why don't you take some time off, brother?
Stop that for now, Teddy! Eat first!
Be good, Teddy. Eat first.
Can't sleep again, Daddy?
I haven't been able to sleep
for many days already.
Let's play chess.
Teddy!
Leave Daddy alone.
I want to sleep! Let me sleep!
They say... it's a curse.
Come on, Teddy, go play outside.
I don't want to sleep! I don't want to sleep!
"1990 Hong Kong"
"The silvery moonlight...
is shining on the courtyard..."
"Be good, dad, go to sleep."
"The silvery moonlight...
is shining on the courtyard..."
"Be good, dad, go to sleep."
"Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong"
Morning, Professor Lam. You're early.
Yes! I miss that mouse.
It didn't sleep at all last night.
How many days now?
27 days in a row.
Inject half the dose of protein today.
OK, no problem.
Enjoy the honey heavy dew of slumber.
Can any of you tell me
who this saying is from?
Top students, eh?
You people know nothing about culture?
It's Shakespeare!
Can you tell us why...
even the great Shakespeare praises sleep, Draco?
Could it be because
people spend 1/3 of their lifetime asleep?
Is this why Shakespeare likes it?
Why doesn't he praise
the other 2
Anyone else?
In fact I've no idea myself
why sleep is worth praising.
I've seen many people who can't sleep or eat,
which reminds me of
what the old folks always say,
"It's a blessing to be able to eat and sleep."
They are right!
Research indicates that
sleeping is important to many parts of our body.
Namely, turning short-term memory into long-term,
as well as renewing the proteins
in our brain cells
during sleep.
But none of this research
has taken into account that
people's mode of sleep evolves by itself.
Let's look at animals in the wild.
Lions sleep 14 hours a day
while elephants sleep for only 4 hours.
Why?
Because predators
sleep more than prey.
Usually herbivores sleep less.
So that they can stay alert at all times,
and won't be too easy to catch.
Sleeping is enjoyable indeed.
Yet we're most vulnerable during asleep.
Just like the way Mr. Tin Chun Yuan is now.
One can kill him as easy as pie.
Don't bother, let him sleep.
The average life expectancy
of Hongkongers is 78 years.
We sleep for about 24 years of our lives.
It really wastes a lot of our time.
Sleep is still a mystery to us.
We know very little about
how we enter the state of sleep.
We know even less about why we need to sleep.
We do know there are 5 stages of sleep.
Stages 1 and 2 are "light sleep".
During these stages, when we close our eyes,
our blood pressure decreases,
heartbeats are slower.
We relax to enter stages 3 and 4,
which are "deep sleep".
I did research in Italy.
When we're in the deep sleep stages,
brain activity is reduced to a very low level.
Then we enter stage 5.
The REM stage-
Rapid Eye Movement.
We dream in this stage.
When you dream, your eyes move rapidly.
According to Freud,
"dreaming" helps to release
the desires of our subconscious.
Yet this is just psychoanalytic theory.
The medical community
still doesn't fully understand
how dreaming can affect the body.
As we see from the way Mr. Tin Chun Yuan is now,
if he's in a light sleep stage,
he should be able to hear me giving the lecture.
Are you demonstrating
the method of sleeping, Mr. Tin?
Or don't you care about finishing your degree?
The University Research Grants Committee
has carefully gone through your proposal,
and fully discussed it, Dr. Lam.
We're deeply sorry
for your application has not been approved.
Why not?
The University and the Faculty of Medicine
have always appreciated your...
OK, OK, I don't need that.
I only want to know why
such a valuable research was not approved.
Honestly,
the Committee finds your research unnatural.
Unnatural?
Do you know what you're talking about?
Of the 5000 years of human civilization,
do you know how much time and how many resources
we humans have wasted on sleep?
Do you know oxygen is wasted
with every single breath as we sleep?
People spend about 1/3 of their lifetime asleep,
which means there is no pleasure,
no entertainment, no productivity,
no economic benefit.
If mankind needs no sleep,
civilization can fast forward
about a thousand years.
We will die without sleep!
How can we not sleep?
That's what my research is all about.
Dolphins remain active without sleep.
Migrating birds can fly
26 consecutive days without sleep.
I have already collected some data
for my research from white mice.
Humans aren't animals.
Why not?
I mean humans aren't birds or beasts.
Anyway, we find your research
goes against the laws of nature.
It's unethical!
How is it unethical?
Your education really hasn't helped you much.
It's no big deal to turn down my application!
Why are you insulting me?
Who do you think you are?
I'm telling you, you people are pedantic!
Cynical!
Pedantic!
A lady by the name Yau Mong Hei
is out there to see you, Professor Lam.
Dr. Lam.
It's been 10 years, you look prettier than ever.
You still keep that brooch.
You gave it to me; of course I want to keep it.
I just used a hotel souvenir,
nothing significant.
Nothing significant?
Are you trying to say that
I never got you anything significant?
I told you on our first date that
I don't send flowers to women.
Don't tell me you were pissed.
How could I be?
Why did you leave
without saying goodbye 10 years ago?
Let's eat.
It seems you still owe me a tango.
It seems we only dated twice.
Are you talking about another woman?
No, I'm not.
I promised to teach you to tango
on our second date.
- Let me teach you.
- I don't want to learn it.
Are you married?
I'm still single.
So I was right.
Subconsciously, you're fond of me,
but you don't realize it yourself.
You have wasted 10 years of our time.
I already rejected you
on our second date, if I remember correctly.
What I remember is
I never accepted your rejection.
In fact, I came to you for help today.
You must know that Dr. Mella
died in a car crash 6 months ago.
I know.
I happened to have
3 surgeries.
So I didn't attend his funeral.
How did you know about his death?
I had been seeing Dr. Mella all that time.
A medical check-up every 2 years.
Certainly he wouldn't gossip about his patients.
Neither did I want anyone to know that.
You were his student, and I was his patient.
Our meeting in Venice 10 years ago
wasn't a coincidence.
What's wrong with you?
Very few doctors know about this illness.
Even if one did,
he wouldn't know how to deal with it.
You aren't talking about
"Atypical Insomnia", are you?
Once Dr. Mella told me,
that if he died,
the only person who could help me
was his student, Lam Sik Ka.
That is you.
The chance of it being a genetic disease is 50%.
It already killed my grandfather and father.
I'm OK today, but can't guarantee tomorrow.
Actually I've been working on this illness,
but can never find anybody
for clinical experiments.
Finally I've found one,
I didn't expect it would be you.
I'm not the one who needs your help most now.
It's my family.
My brother hasn't slept for 3 months.
"Malaysia"
My grandfather died before I was born.
But I witnessed what happened to my father
when he was ill.
At first he had nightmares every day.
Sometimes he woke up in the middle of his sleep
to hit or yell at us.
Gradually he stayed up all night.
He couldn't sleep,
couldn't walk or speak.
He changed into a totally different person.
Most terrible was that he had hallucinations,
and behaved strangely.
None of the doctors he saw could cure him.
Mom thought he was cursed.
Those sorcerers said our whole family was cursed.
If we wanted to break the curse forever,
my brother would have to sew father's eyes
shut with his own hands.
But later on my brother got it anyway.
Although your brother is asleep,
he isn't in deep sleep.
Therefore he hasn't had any rest.
It looks like
the strong sleeping pills aren't working.
That's all you say to me?
I don't pay good money
to listen to you, I pay you to solve problems!
You'd better cure him.
I don't want my brother
to be like the living dead, no matter what.
Well, I haven't got all day.
If you can't cure him, say so.
Don't waste my time.
Hi, brother.
Where have you been?
Haven't seen you for days.
This is Dr. Lam Sik Ka,
a specialist in Neuroscience and sleep,
has been invited here all the way from Hong Kong.
Seriously?
Big brother and I
share the same mother, you don't.
I've hired several famous doctors
and a team of nurses
to look after him 24 hours.
You don't have to do this to please him.
All it requires is one capable specialist,
no need to hire a whole team, stupid!
What? Are you any better than them?
All my brother
gets from you doctors is sleeping pills.
Sleeping pills have the opposite effect
on patients with insomnia.
Idiot!
Would you please step outside, Mrs. Yau.
I need to examine your husband for a while.
- I don't want to sleep!
- Daddy!
I don't want to sleep!
I don't want to sleep!
I don't want to sleep!
I don't want to sleep!
Daddy!
Daddy!
- I don't want to sleep!
- Hubby!
Hubby!
Hello? Yeah, Director! You must come right away.
His skull is still intact.
Yes, Director.
No one would know his brain is missing.
Right.
Remove the stitches.
Yes, Director.
- Hello?
- This is Monique, what have you been doing?
I was just packing.
May I come to you?
No, no, no, no! I'll meet you downstairs.
I was just about to get a cup of coffee.
- I'll see you in the Cafe.
- OK.
OK, I'm coming down now.
Are you leaving today?
In the afternoon.
My sister-in-law keeps asking me
if our family did anything bad once,
because my grandfather changed his family name.
I don't know what to tell her.
What she actually wanted to know is
if someone had cursed our family.
Do you think my big brother is cursed?
It's not impossible!
Do you believe in black magic, as a scientist?
Cursed or not is just an adjective,
it doesn't clash with science.
One key point about science is
to ask why and find a solution to the problem.
If your big brother is possessed,
you would have to find him an exorcist.
Or if he is cursed,
the curse must have affected his physical health,
made him unable to sleep.
If you can find no one to break the curse,
then switch to science.
From the medical point of view,
you must find out what made him ill.
Didn't you mention your research on sleep
was not funded?
This can keep you going.
I can't take this, it's a hell of a lot of money.
This is my other brother's money, not mine.
That's worse.
I can tell he's an asshole.
He treats you so badly.
He's worried about himself now.
I'm worried about my big brother's children, too.
As long as you can cure
the next insomnia patient in the line,
my family won't be helpless.
I not only want to cure insomnia,
but also find way to make people
lead normal lives without sleep.
What about you?
Have you ever worried about yourself?
I never know if the sleep I had the night before
would be the last in my life.
I would kill myself if I had insomnia.
I wouldn't want to burden anyone.
Is that why you ran away from me?
No, please.
Am I wrong?
Come to me if it ever happens to you.
Check, please.
Hello.
Hello.
To Hong Kong.
Send it to Hong Kong?
Yes.
Dr. Lam.
Working so late?
Been very busy.
Well, do you want to see a human brain?
Not at this time of the night.
Then why are you still here?
OK, I'm leaving.
Stupid!
Hey! Don't sleep! Wake up, hey...
I can't find anything wrong in
the sleep and waking centers of the brain-stem.
There's nothing peculiar
in the patient's cerebrum,
but the thalamus have shrunk 20%,
and 90% of the neurons are missing.
The cause is not yet known.
But I think that's what insomnia is about.
Also there were a lot of bad proteins
as I expected.
If ever there is a sleep curse or spell
in this world,
it must be black magic that affects the thalamus.
"The silvery moon...
is shining on the courtyard... "
"Be good, dad, go to bed."
"The silvery moon...
is shining on the courtyard... "
"Dad..."
Who do you want?
My father.
His name?
Lam Sing.
His date of birth?
August 18, 1900.
His date of death.
July 14 1943.
Lam Sing, the dead, your son is looking for you.
Lam Sik Ka, the living.
What did you call your father?
Dad.
Call him.
Dad.
Louder.
Dad!
Louder, louder!
Dad!
Keep calling!
Dad! Dad!
Keep calling, don't stop!
Dad, Dad...
Dad! Dad!
Do you want to talk to me, Sik Ka?
Where were you born, Dad?
Japan.
Dad, do you remember
taking me back to our home village
when I was young?
No!
It was during the war.
Why would I want you back there?
I want to know what happened
before you passed away.
What for?
I just want to know.
Can't you sleep?
Open the door! Open the door!
Why didn't you open the door?
Take the 4 women away.
Yes!
Don't take my daughter!
Mom!
Dad!
The Japs are coming.
Open the door!
Coming! Coming!
Open the door!
Why didn't you open the door?
- Search!
- Yes!
No! Don't...
Granny, Granny!
I found these.
Ryunosuke Akutagawa?
How come you can read Japanese, Lam Sing?
My father was one of the reformer-officials
of the Ching Dynasty.
Answer me in Japanese!
Yes.
My father was a reformer-official
of the Ching Dynasty.
He ran away to Japan with my mother
to avoid the purges of the Empress.
I was brought up and educated in Japan.
You grew up in Japan.
You should serve our Emperor then.
Come find me at the barracks tomorrow.
I'm Colonel Tanaka.
His book
was not a good choice.
- Let's go!
- Yes!
Hand in the copper! Hand in your copper!
What are they saying?
The Japs want our copper pots.
Kneel! Kneel!
What are you doing? Kneel quick.
They would kill us.
Hand in the copper! Hand in your copper!
That's all?
It's not enough to feed us for one week.
The school has been closed down,
I've lost my job, Mom.
I'll find a way.
I'm not blaming you, Sing.
It's hard to stay alive now, Master.
It's a blessing for you
and our daughter-in-law
to have died young, actually.
Why am I still sticking around?
It's all because of my son and grandson.
Very efficient, the writing is not bad.
I hope the translation is accurate.
Yes! It is.
Turn to the last page of Tales of Ugetsu.
Yes!
Chow Fook!
How are you, Colonel Tanaka!
How may I help you?
This is Lam Sing.
He can help you with
the Hong Kong Charity Foundation.
Thank you.
Be smart.
Did you understand?
Japanese?
This is the Hong Kong Charity Foundation.
Come in.
It's the British-American Powers
who invaded and oppressed us.
Open your eyes.
They are our common enemy.
The Imperial Army
is establishing the Great East Asia
Co-Prosperity Sphere
to liberate us from them,
to fight for freedom on our behalf,
to liberate all of Asia.
Long live the Imperial Army!
Your illness is quite serious, Chuen.
I'll write you a prescription.
Take the medicine home, stir it in water,
and apply it to your skin.
Also burn this spell to ashes
and drink it in wine.
Too bad I can't go to school because of the war.
I miss my classmates.
I couldn't go to school anyway, no matter what.
Why did father send you to school,
and make me learn to write spells,
decoct medicinal herbs,
and help him with alchemy?
Dad says only the first child of the family
gets to learn the art of black magic.
He also says the technique
is only passed on to the male, not the female.
We don't have any brothers.
I was born just a little earlier than you.
Why must I be treated like a boy?
It isn't fair.
Sis.
Don't get angry.
Master Hau.
What a good business you have!
Where is your donation?
Who would protect you for so little?
Search!
You were here just 2 days ago.
I haven't got any money left to give you.
Don't do that, don't!
Money, money!
Go. Let's go.
Let's go.
Uncle Cheung, it's Lam Sing.
- What do you want?
- Uncle Cheung, Madam Cheung.
My Mom says Madam Cheung is ill.
I've got you some rice and meat.
She must eat a little more.
You traded your people for this rice and meat.
I can't thank you for this.
Traitor! God damn you!
I've been waiting for you to come home, Dad.
Good. Good boy.
Are you working hard, Dad?
Did you study today?
Read me something.
I'm grateful.
Certainly! It's my duty to do the job well.
Thank you, goodbye.
They promoted me, Lam Sing.
Congratulations!
I've finished it.
Turn to the last page of Rashomon.
Thank you!
I've got a new job for you.
Go find Chow Fook.
Yes.
Wait... why did we come here?
What's wrong with this place?
I... I'm not going in...
Those Japs pay to go in.
Otherwise why would the girls
be willing to stay here?
Willing to stay?
They're saving money for their families.
No need to force them to stay.
I'm not going in, no matter what.
I'm in charge of this place, too.
Are you?
Girls here won't die of hunger or on the street.
I send them home when they have enough savings.
By then they can take their money
and join their families again.
If you don't want to go in,
tell Tanaka yourself.
Go in here.
You! Come here!
You must teach that girl, she hurt me!
Sorry, I'll look into it.
- What's the problem?
- Boss.
That soldier complained
about that girl who hurt him.
What should we do?
- Be quick.
- All right.
What did you inject her with?
Opium.
This is addictive.
Life won't be so miserable
if she learns to compromise.
Resistance will get her nowhere.
Nowadays, it's a blessing to be
able to eat and sleep.
Eat!
Take your time, Mom, I've lost my appetite.
Finish it, Sik Ka.
I told you this isn't the right way
to hold your chopsticks.
You never learn, do you?
Are you listening or not?
"Gwai Tower, Comfort Center Number 8"
Mister, mister, I'm Uncle Cheung's daughter.
Please help us!
Help us to run away.
Aren't you afraid?
You'll die if you fail.
I would rather die than stay here.
Here come your dinners.
What have we got to drink?
There's sake.
Perfect.
Please.
Homage to the Buddha,
Amita... Homage to the Buddha, Amita.
Stop!
Stop running!
Stay alive and tell others
what the Japs have done to us.
Go!
How did you manage the Comfort Center?
How did those little sluts get away?
Idiot!
Go and grab 40 to replace the 4 runaways!
I don't serve traitors.
No! Don't beat my father, please!
Help!
Don't take my daughters away!
Go to sleep, Sik Ka.
I want to see Dad.
Stop fooling around! Go to sleep!
What is Dad doing?
Did you hear me or not?
There they are!
Come over here, Lam Sing.
Well, aren't they all beautiful?
You need a cup of tea.
Lam Sing!
When was the last time you had fun with a woman?
Listen up!
His wife died young,
so he hasn't touched a woman for ages.
Women!
Where are the pretty women?
Sis!
Lam Sing! Lam Sing!
They're twins, look exactly the same.
I'll let you take the one you like home.
I dare not!
Pick one!
Or I'll kill one!
All right, all right! I'll pick one!
Sis! Sis!
You're the lucky one.
I'll take good care of you myself.
Look at me.
Monster! Monster!
She is a ghost straight out of Yotsuya Kaidan.
Ask Chow Fook to take a look at her himself!
You sleep here tonight.
What's that girl's name, Sing?
Ask her yourself tomorrow.
Look at me.
Think about it.
It was you who dragged me into all this.
- Come.
- Boss.
Go get a sack.
Tie her to a chair.
Yes.
And... put up her name tag right away.
Yes.
Man Woon cooked this, eat some.
Who?
The girl you brought back yesterday.
"Hau" is her family name.
This one a bit bigger.
Dad.
Thank you, Miss Hau.
Thank you.
My benefactor!
Have mercy, please.
Save my sister, too.
That would at least make her feel better.
Miss Hau.
How is my sister?
She's fine. She's fine.
Why is she always luckier than me?
Why did you pick my sister, not me?
I don't know...
Maybe because... she was right beside me.
Wrong!
Because fate
isn't fair.
Why do you want to be a traitor?
I... I don't... I am not...
You're not a nice man.
atrocious, ruthless.
You work for the Japs.
How can you sleep at night?
Miss Hau.
I saw your sister today,
She's quite all right.
Really?
Only that... those Japs...
My sister and I should switch places.
What are you doing up there, Sik Ka?
"Now hiring: Teaching Assistant
for Professor Lam Sik Ka"
I hope my name will appear
in famous international
research journals very soon.
to match Dr. Lam.
I'm sure you will.
All set?
All the equipment has been tested, Dr. Lam.
Call me if there are any problems.
What do you mean?
Haven't you checked everything?
Is it all working now?
Yes, I have.
There shouldn't be any problems then.
There shouldn't be.
All right, all right.
I'd call you if I come across any.
Sorry, Miss.
The wholesale clothing is in the next building,
if that's what you're looking for.
The door is open.
We've just moved in,
the smell of paint is very strong
so we opened the door to let the fresh air in.
In fact, I'm here for Dr. Lam.
Are you his friend or girlfriend?
Passers-by are not allowed in here.
- Hello.
- Dr. Lam.
You didn't have to come all the way here.
I could have gone to your hotel, C'mon in.
Why did you set your research center
in a factory building?
The rent is lower here.
Why would I pay high rent in Central?
Would you like something to drink, Miss?
Hot water with lemon and honey.
OK.
Leave us.
OK.
Didn't you ask me to come to you
when I couldn't sleep?
I haven't slept for the last few days.
Maybe you aren't used to sleeping in a hotel.
What if I still can't sleep tonight?
Then I'll come over and keep you company.
I'm sure I can cure this illness.
What if it isn't an illness?
Several hundred years ago,
the Europeans brought smallpox to America
and the native Indians got infected.
Back then the native Indians treated smallpox
as God's punishment
rather than an illness, too.
Actually I need volunteers
for clinical experiments.
People with...
insomnia would be ideal.
Her heart rate and blood pressure are both normal.
She seems to be full of spirit, too.
She hasn't slept for one whole week already.
The protein structure in her brain cells
will be damaged at this rate.
My mentor
Dr. Mella gave me this.
He died in a car crash 9 months ago.
4 months ago his secretary sent me this.
This contains the protein gas he developed,
which can restore the protein in human brain.
To treat an illness,
you either treat the symptoms
or remove the root cause.
To remove the cause, you have to find out why.
For a patient with atypical insomnia,
nothing can be done
until a DNA profile is obtained,
which will be years from now.
What about treating the symptoms?
Treating the symptoms means
putting the patient to sleep.
But my mentor found that
sleeping pills only give the patient
more trouble and less sleep.
Therefore I've been studying a third method
to help patients live without sleep.
What? No sleep?
Isn't that against our body clock?
The human body clock is only a process.
Cave-men slept very little,
because they had to protect themselves.
We need so much sleep only
after thousands of years of evolution.
Your daily necessities, Dr. Lam.
Perfect.
Inject the protein gas
into the room every 12 hours.
OK!
What gas? Draco?
Everything you need is in this room.
Let me know if you need more.
Three meals a day for you.
Not to worry.
I'll monitor your vital signs 24 hours.
The door isn't locked,
you may leave if anything happens, right?
Let me sleep, I want to sleep.
Sing.
What are you doing, Sing?
What are you doing?
Didn't you see that?
No.
What are you doing?
She's your sister, don't hurt her!
What did you say, Sing?
Did my sister already...
I... saw something wrong...
Eat... let's eat...
It's OK, let's eat.
Tell me, Sing.
Did my sister die?
Where is her body?
In the mass grave.
Try not to feel too sad, Man Woon.
Your sister is already dead.
We'll get her body from the mass grave tomorrow.
Granny, I think the reason Sing can't sleep is
he has been cursed.
Likely by my sister.
Why is that?
Sorry.
We are all pretty nice to you.
- Why did your sister
- Sorry!
do that to my son?
I'm worried it might affect Sik Ka
and the Lam family forever.
I'm sorry!
I beg you, Man Woon.
Our family might have wronged her,
but please help my son to break the curse.
I don't know how to do it.
I never learned it from my father.
Only my sister would know.
Let's go find her!
All right, let's go now!
Come with us, Sik Ka.
Don't run away, Sik Ka!
I'm scared, Granny.
Don't be scared.
I'm scared, Granny.
I'm trying to save you and your Dad, Sik Ka.
Be careful.
Sorry.
Sister.
Sorry.
Sister!
Sister!
Sister!
Sister!
Sister!
Sister! Sister!
Sister! Sister!
Sister!
Rest in peace, sister.
We'll be sisters again in our next lives.
Then, I'll be the big sister.
You'll be my baby sister.
I'll look after you in return.
I've married into the Lam family already, sister.
I'm begging you.
Forgive Sing and his family
on your sister's behalf.
We're here to apologize to you today.
I'm begging you.
Sik Ka?
Come.
Be good, Sik Ka.
Kowtow to your aunt, give her the flower.
- I want to go home...
- C'mon!
I want to go home.
C'mon, be a good boy.
Coming or not? C'mon!
Kneel!
This flower is for your aunt.
It's for your aunt.
It could save you and your Dad.
OK, kowtow.
Are you asleep?
I think so.
I can sleep.
I am alright now.
That was only a light sleep.
It's too soon to judge.
For you.
Thank you.
You're in so early, Dr. Lam.
Starting today,
protein gas injection every 8 hours.
OK.
I've made some spaghetti for you.
How long have I been in here?
8 days.
That means I haven't slept for 12 days already.
You had some light sleep.
Do you believe in Karma?
It should exist.
Otherwise a bad person would get away
with what he has done.
Do you think Karma can pass on to one's children?
It's possible.
If a bad person hasn't suffered enough
to pay for his sin
his children would have to suffer, too.
As you can see,
many people have done many bad things.
They don't do them for the sake of their children,
but for their own interests.
I mentioned my grandfather to you, remember?
Yes, you told me that he changed his family name,
and couldn't sleep before he died.
When I came to you last,
I also hired a private detective to check him out.
I found something, Miss Yau.
But I would like to make sure with you.
Do you really want to know the naked truth?
Some clients become more lost
after learning the truth.
If he really had done something wicked to someone.
I truly hope that I can make it up for him.
"Chow" was your grandfather Yau Fook's
previous family name.
After the Pacific War,
he moved from Hong Kong to Malaya,
and changed his name to Yau Fook.
He worked for the Japanese army.
Are you Madam Chuk?
I've told a hundred times
what I went through in the Comfort Center.
Although no one has yet apologized
and compensated me,
I'll tell it again and again.
It won't be buried with me.
What do you want to know?
Do you know him?
I can never forget this scumbag.
He is Chow Fook, a traitor
who worked in the Comfort Center.
He treated us like animals.
However, God granted us a way out.
I met a nice man.
Too bad that I haven't
had a chance to repay him yet.
He had a very hard time being a nice man, too.
I will never forget this savior.
I remember his name was Lam Sing.
Now I have this atypical insomnia, too.
Do you think we are meant for each other,
the way we met?
Why did you come back to me?
I thought our meeting in Venice 10 years ago
was predestined.
But now,
I'm worried it was payment for ancestral sins.
- Tea, Mom.
- Good.
- Have some tea, please.
- Good.
I'll stick with you from now on.
What's wrong, Sing?
I... something is wrong with my eyes...
Still not able to sleep?
You sleep first.
So early, Dr. Lam?
Are you two doing morning exercise?
There's something I want to ask you, Dr. Lam.
Why has the gas in there changed to N-gas?
N-gas makes one feel high.
What do you know!
Breakfast.
What are you doing?
I came in to see if you were able to sleep?
Why are you holding scissors?
I was mending clothes.
Mom, her sister, her sister...
Man Woon is possessed by her sister!
My sister is still affecting Sing's mind.
What?
I want to sleep!
Let me sleep, I want to sleep.
Let me sleep.
Let me sleep, I want to sleep!
Let me sleep!
Let me sleep.
What is Dad doing?
Let me sleep.
He's still the same.
Dad.
Sing.
Sing, Sing.
Don't! What are you doing?
Let go of him! You could kill him!
Sing! Let go of him!
Mom! Get up, get out of here!
Be careful!
Leave, hurry!
Be careful!
"The silvery moon...
is shining on the courtyard... "
"Be good, dad, go to sleep."
"The silvery moon...
is shining on the courtyard... "
"Be good, dad, go to sleep."
Comfy?
Halt!
Don't move!
Every debt has its debtor!
Your Dad was a nice man, Sik Ka.
You have said it many times already.
Don't talk about the old days anymore.
He didn't go insane.
He was really...
cursed.
Why did you force me to give the flower
at that mass grave?
Do you know that woman is still
following me everywhere?
I really feel awful.
I don't want to suffer anymore.
I don't want to see that woman anymore.
Why did you force me, why?
Why did you force me?
Sorry, I really feel awful.
I really feel awful.
I really don't want to see that woman anymore.
Why did you force me back then?
Sorry.
Dr. Lam.
"Wing Tai Fong"