Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (2022) s01e01 Episode Script
Lot 36
1
[eerie music playing]
[footsteps approaching]
In centuries past,
when the world was full of mystery,
and traveling was reserved
for the very few,
a new form of collection was born.
The cabinet of curiosities.
Now, this collection
could be lodged in a building,
a chamber,
or a piece of furniture.
In these private collections,
one would find books,
paintings, or specimens
of natural and unnatural history.
A dragon's tooth,
a Fiji mermaid, a unicorn's horn.
And behind each of these,
a story.
One could encounter something
as large as a suit of armor
or as small as a set of keys.
The keys to a storage room.
That old place where
one keeps the past alive.
The things that remind us
of our deeds, our darkness, our sins.
The story today is Lot 36.
And the director,
Guillermo Navarro.
[eerie instrumental music playing]
[eerie music fades]
[Bush] Just two hours ago,
allied air forces began an attack
on military targets in Iraq and Kuwait.
- These attacks continue as I speak.
- [man sighs]
[man sighs]
[Bush] We have before us
the opportunity to forge
for ourselves, and for future generations,
a new world order.
A world where the rule of law,
not the law of the jungle,
governs the conduct of nations.
When we are successful, and we will be,
we have a real chance
at this new world order.
An order in which
a credible United Nations
can use its peacekeeping role
to fulfill the promise and vision
of the UN standards.
We have no argument
with the people of Iraq.
Indeed, for the innocents
caught in this conflict,
I pray for their safety.
[eerie music playing]
[Bush] Our goal
is not the conquest of Iraq.
It is the liberation of Kuwait.
It is my hope that somehow
the Iraqi people can, even now,
convince their dictator
that he must lay down his arms,
leave Kuwait, and let Iraq itself
[fish flesh squelches]
rejoin the family
of peace-loving nations.
Thomas Paine wrote
[man groans]
"These are the times
that try men's souls."
- [strained grunting]
- [rapid heartbeat]
[Bush] Those well-known words
are so very true today.
[choked gasping]
[Bush] But even as planes
of the multinational forces attack Iraq,
I prefer to think of peace, not war.
[eerie music continues]
[Bush] I am convinced
not only that we will prevail,
but that out of the horror of combat
will come the recognition
that no nation can stand
against a world united.
[high-pitched ringing]
[pundit on radio] our land.
We fought for it and won.
These immigrants take and take,
and give nothing back.
Who told them they were welcome here?
Who invited them in?
We made this country,
fought for its freedoms,
and they want to fit right in.
- Fuck yeah.
- [pundit] Reap the benefits.
Loot the social programs.
Brown rights, Black rights,
well, what about white rights?
Oh no. No, we can't talk about that.
No, we can't.
[pundit] We're gonna take calls soon.
No self-righteous,
liberal assholes, please.
We've got Fred from Williamsville
on the line. What's on your mind today?
[country music plays on radio]
Then I went through the jewelry ♪
And I found our wedding rings ♪
I put mine on my finger ♪
And I gave yours a fling ♪
- Across this lonely ♪
- [radio stops]
[bell rings in distance]
Nice wheels.
My pride and joy.
[host] Good afternoon, everyone.
Don't be shy. Come to Daddy.
Join your brothers and sisters.
I'm Eddie, and you're in the Gold Coast.
For new faces, that's long-term rentals.
Folks who don't trust banks,
who stash gold bricks
inside of old couch cushions,
fur coats in boxes.
For some reason, they leave it all behind,
you know, the three Ds.
Death,
divorce, debt.
Bad luck for them, good luck for you.
But sometimes we roll up the door
praying for a big score
only to find a pile of shit
on the other side.
[chuckling]
We're short and sweet today,
starting with lot 36.
This is the one
owned for decades by the same man.
May he rest in peace up there,
down there or wherever he may be.
[chuckles softly]
I'm just covering all the bases.
- [scattered chuckling]
- Without further ado
[microphone feedback whines]
[Eddie] Yeah.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Eddie] A peek, a whiff.
It's all you get.
[shutter closes]
Let the bidding begin!
All yours, Bill.
And we are on the block.
On the block, starting with 50.
50 going, 50 goes.
- We got 50 dollars.
- 100.
- 100 going, do I hear 150?
- 150.
- Oooh, one five zero, we got her once!
- 175.
- 250.
- [Bill] 250 going once
- 350.
- [Bill chuckles]
Routing out the competition.
I got four bills, four bills I got.
400 going once, twice, three times.
Sold, to the shy man
with the deep pockets.
[applause]
All right, everybody, start filing out.
Next one's down the hall.
[man] I heard you, Tommy.
Did you, fuck-nut?
I remember telling you not to cross
county lines before settling in full.
- I haven't.
- [Tommy] Oh.
So, my guy eyes on you was lying?
- I'm here to make money, to pay you.
- I want my money now, lying piece of shit.
[Eddie] Pay phone's outside.
- You've gotta give me some room.
- [Tommy] Sure.
- I'm handling it.
- [Tommy] Better have it tonight, motherf
[hangs up]
You got that contract?
[drawer opens]
[man] Your cut from the last unit.
Did it bear fruit?
Stones were made of glass,
melting the gold yielded some.
- Looks light. What about the wooden canes?
- Replicas. Shitty wooden resin.
That's minus the legwork and gas money.
Guess that's why you got the truck
and I ride a busted moped.
- I'll cut you a check for the unit.
- Get the fuck out of here. A check.
You better get me my money.
A check.
- That's slick.
- Got any idea how much I make an hour?
Got my keys?
Before we get to that,
I wanna show you something.
Here it is.
[inserts video tape into VHS player]
Check this out. You gotta see.
This is the guy
that owns the one you bought.
Every day,
same guy.
Carrying the same bag.
Stayed in there for an hour,
hour-and-a-half.
- And then
- What's this got to do with me?
Ain't you curious?
No, I'm not, and I've never been.
Maybe that's why I'm still alive.
You gotta be shitting me.
[Eddie] Guy's had it
since this place opened.
Going back to '45.
Kept mostly to himself, polite,
tighter than a Tupperware lid.
White anger.
White anger
Am I allowed to say Black anger?
I didn't think so.
Anyway, something special in there,
for him to check on it like this?
Yeah, old clothes and worn-out shoes.
I bought a unit in Palmetto
packed with jars.
Urine, feces, hair, and toenails.
And bags and bags of coupons.
The older we get, the stranger, man.
[eerie music playing]
[Eddie] Now look.
Bag's empty when he comes out.
- Of course, it's a fucking storage unit.
- [Eddie] Yeah, but what was he up to?
He dropped something in there.
Every day for decades.
Here's with the hopping again.
What do you think it is?
[scoffs] I'll dig around.
[snaps fingers]
[key holder rattles]
[Eddie] For your lot 36.
Enjoy.
[suspenseful music playing]
Remember, I'm the one tipped you off.
Don't forget to spread the love.
[counter flap bangs]
Stingy bastard.
[ominous music playing]
[reporter on TV] The skies over Baghdad
are illuminated tonight
as allied forces
unleash an assault. Another
Hello, Mr. Eddie. I came to pay my bill.
Two months.
Uh, I thought you left the unit.
Gave it up. We sold it
on the block when we didn't hear from you.
Oh, no, no, no.
Mr. Eddie,
how long I am renting here?
We sent you
an eviction notice, Ms. Amelia.
- Your phone was disconnected.
- I telled you, I moved.
I have a new number.
Maybe you sent the notice
to the older address.
- The wrong one.
- Well, whose fault is that?
You!
I called. I said,
"Please, Mr. Eddie, don't forget."
That was
[sighs]
You see that guy right there?
His name is Nick Appleton.
He bought your unit.
Go see him.
Maybe you can get
some of your things back.
Hmm.
- Thank you.
- [in Spanish] You're welcome.
Thank you very much.
I'm sorry.
[back-up beeping in distance]
[mutters in English] Eyes on me.
Mr. Appleton?
- Mr. Appleton? Mr. Appleton.
- Whoa!
Sorry. My name is Amelia,
Mr. Eddie said you bought my unit.
- It's on the other side. Number 87.
- What if I did?
They made mistake.
- Who's they? You were evicted, right?
- They send wrong address.
- Talk to the manager.
- No. Mr. Eddie said I speak to you.
[chuckles softly, whispers] Fucker.
Is that right?
- Speak fast, this ear.
- All my family things are there.
Uh, letters, photos,
personal stuff, you know?
Well, I threw a lot of stuff away
and sold some others.
There may be some stuff left in there,
but whatever is in there is mine now.
No, it's not yours.
- Where are you from?
- My name is Amelia, and I am from here.
I took two buses.
Legally, you lost whatever is in there.
I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is.
All my children's pictures.
My mama, my papa's letters.
What good are they to you, Mr. Appleton?
You let me look around
and I bother nobody.
Maybe some things are still there,
and I'll go quick.
I'm sorry for your troubles,
but they're not mine.
You can do nothing for me?
A thousand bucks.
You can have what's left there.
I make this money in a month, cleaning.
[unzips bag]
Here.
This is yours, I bet you can still use it.
[speaking Spanish]
What's that?
Do you speak Spanish?
No. And clearly you don't speak English.
Make an effort when you're in my country
and try and insult me in my own language.
Dumb bitch.
I said I hope you rot in hell!
[cranking]
[mutters] As usual, it's all on me.
All on me.
Like I don't have enough problems.
I don't need this shit.
[shutter clatters]
[sighs]
[cranking]
- It's always something with this shit.
- [water flowing]
If it ain't the rain, it's the pipe.
I gotta get a new job.
Hey, Eddie.
The unit I got is a lot smaller than this.
What you talking about? Ain't planning
on getting a discount on account of size?
What made you so cheap, man?
Smaller space, fewer items.
All's I'm saying.
Nothing's up to code in this section.
It was built in the 1940s.
Units were wider, deeper, steeper.
Connected to each other.
[sighs]
I don't know what the fuck is
Excuse me. I gotta get a mop.
That lady Amelia's sitting outside.
Yeah, thanks for ambushing me
with that, by the way.
Let the lady see if any
of her stuff's left, for Christ's sake.
I'm not buying into
being the bad guy here,
especially not from you.
Don't be a hypocrite like everyone else.
Hey, look. You and me got our thing going?
Okay. I got my stuff on the side, sure,
but this lady? She's too good.
The game has rules.
You win some, you lose some.
Look at me.
I did what I had to for this country.
How the fuck do you bring that
into every conversation?
Because it bears fucking repeating!
The game I played was rigged.
Lost this ear except
for high-pitched ringing day in, day out.
Fine. Wife? Gone.
I'll take all the losses.
But now it's my turn.
You're not the only one
that feels fucked, brother.
Rigged? The front line
is all Black and Brown.
Maybe you didn't recall all
the dark-skinned bodies you stepped over
on your way to take a leak
in the Perfume River.
I bought that unit fair and square.
So fuck you,
fuck her, and fuck this guilt trip!
- And in my unit, everyone was green.
- [lighting buzzes]
Pfft.
- [clattering]
- [wheel squeaking]
[eerie music playing]
[footsteps retreating]
[lighting buzzes]
[eerie music continues]
[mysterious music playing]
[eerie music playing]
[ghostly whispering]
[eerie music continues]
[suspenseful music playing]
- [squeaking loudly]
- Fuck me blue!
[sighs]
[unsettling music playing]
[padlock clunks]
[tightening bolts]
[Nick grunts]
[tense music playing]
[both grunting]
[Nick grunts, groans]
Twelve K, tomorrow.
[Nick groans]
You made your fucking point.
Now I made my point.
[Nick] Fuck.
[groans]
[sighs] Dammit.
[eerie music continues]
Shoo!
Shoo!
[shattered glass clinking]
[tense music fades]
Fucking hell.
[footsteps approaching]
- [door opens]
- [Nick sighs]
Oh!
The fuck happened to you?
I'm borrowing your first aid kit.
- Maybe you should sit for a minute.
- [Nick] What?
Why? I'm fine.
I gotta get some shit appraised.
- Must be something good.
- [Nick] Antique pieces, some gold.
Maybe you should skip
the five-and-dime this time.
Go over to Agatha's joint
on Douglas Drive.
[Eddie clicks pen, writes]
She's good people.
Don't be hostile with your big,
weird eyes, and your bloody head.
Fuck off.
You need a chill pill, Nick.
[windshield crackles]
[tape tears]
[tape tears]
[tense music playing]
[tape tears]
[windshield crackles]
[tense music continues]
- [tense music fades]
- [Agatha sighs]
It's gold, sure,
but I'll only pay scrap for it.
Eddie said you'd do better for us.
Sure, if you guys do better for me.
Look at this.
No certified marks on the metal,
craftsmanship's crude.
[sighs]
Can't even dress it up.
Next, please.
The table and chairs are good.
That inlay is real.
Now those are excellent.
It's a séance table.
Like Ouija-board séance?
A bit more serious than that.
[Nick sighs]
What have we here?
Have you ever seen a
Yes.
"Liber Primus, Daemonia."
"Liber Secundus,
Symvolia."
"Liber Tertius,
Perilipsi."
What does it mean?
They're important, right? Valuable, I bet.
Not my province.
Whose then?
I have an associate in mind.
And this
- I've never seen one like it.
- I have.
Many times.
Feel. She's a beauty.
[warning grunts]
Gently. It gets brittle.
Try. Touch.
Can you guess the material?
Wool.
Human hair.
Smell.
Yeah. No thanks.
I'll go call my guy about the books.
[picks up handset]
[dialing number]
Roland. It's Agatha.
- Jesus Christ.
- [Agatha] I'm at the store.
I have a client here
with some very interesting items.
Right up your alley, know what I mean?
Come quickly.
Trust me.
[sniffing]
[bell tinkles]
[Roland chuckles]
Hallo, my dear.
[in German] How's it going?
Mmmwah!
[in English] This is Nick.
Ah, hello. Hello.
[Nick] Take a look. What do you think?
[Roland] Ah
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very interesting. Yeah.
This is
indeed
a séance table.
- It's exquisite.
- Nineteenth century Austria.
The wood is
white cedar and sandalwood,
treated in a very
unique way.
And arranged to facilitate
the summoning of an entity.
- You see?
- [Nick sighs]
The reddish tint on the lacquer? Huh?
Guess what went into it? Hey?
Sick fucks.
[Roland chuckles]
My God.
I knew you'd be thrilled.
Oh!
[gasps softly]
Was there a fourth volume?
Not that I saw.
But it's possible you could have it?
[mutters] Well,
I've barely touched the unit.
There's a life's worth of crap in there.
[Roland] The books are extremely rare.
I would say 10,000 for all three.
Well, well.
How much for all four?
[Roland] If placed at the right auction,
with multiple buyers,
in excess of $300,000.
[chuckles]
You see, the fourth volume
is the rarest one.
Liber Quartus Sacramentum.
The most desirable piece.
It's legendary.
Full of symbols and spells
to bind a demon,
to make it earthbound.
Ja?
[Nick] A demon?
The reason the
the fourth volume is the rarest
is because it burns down completely
at the end of the transaction
with the purveyor of its favors.
Except when
- Cut the fuckin' drumroll, will you?
- You've got a tough case here, Rolly.
Except when the demon has been betrayed.
Therefore, unable to collect its debt.
This transaction has to happen tonight.
This is the payment for the candelabra,
the table, and the chairs.
But the wreath I donate to you,
mein liebshe, Agatha.
[Roland chuckles]
For the referral, danke schön.
But
if we find the missing fourth volume,
I will write you a check for $300,000.
[Nick] My truck's outside.
I'll drive us over there.
- [in German] Thank you. Thank you.
- Mm.
[Roland] Thank you very much.
[thunder rumbles]
[in English] Great.
Now we're getting ass fucked
with rain on top of all this shit.
Did you, uh, hurt your head
on the windshield?
Yeah. When I was rear-ended.
[Roland] Uh, do you mind closing,
uh, the side window, please?
I, uh
I have a confession to make.
Jesus, really?
You see, I know all about the family
who owned the unit that you bought.
They were very rich,
made their money from steel in Europe,
and emigrated to America
at the end of World War II.
They made weapons.
Wolfram for tanks.
But for the wrong side.
Yeah, I saw some old war photos
in a photo album in there.
Whoever this guy was.
I hate to disabuse you
on your relative notion
of good and evil,
but this man knew and did evil
on a scale almost absolute.
Well, God's got him now.
[Roland chuckles]
Ah, yes.
God.
Silent, strong type
that loves to see us squirm
with free will and other delusions.
But what about his adversary? Huh?
Relentless, feisty even.
You know, whispering in our ears
at every waking moment. Huh?
Something tells me
you traffic in the wrong,
feisty side yourself there, Hans.
Is this relevant to this transaction?
The owner of the unit was a sick man.
Gambled his fortune away,
destroyed his family,
never had enough of anything.
Bottomless appetites.
You understand?
Yeah, another empty asshole.
That's right.
He moved in occult circles
in Berlin and Vienna.
[eerie music playing]
And he invoked an entity.
Offered it a vessel to occupy.
To possess.
His sister.
Dottie Wolmar,
I believe
was her name.
It was
quite the scandal.
Did they ever find her?
No. They searched but
it was futile.
[Nick] All right, enough.
I'm not interested in any
of this creepshow shit you favor, okay?
Anyway, we're here.
Here.
You've gotta be kidding me, put that away.
No, no, no, no.
The molten metal was collected
from a very peculiar source.
Bit by bit.
You see, if we find the book,
the light from the candelabra
will yield protection.
No offense, but shut the fuck up.
[Roland] Huh.
[unlocking padlock]
You take the left side.
We don't leave until we find it.
Books don't spontaneously combust.
[dramatic music playing]
[grunts]
[Nick grunting in background]
[in German] Ah, shit!
[objects clattering]
[cranking]
[eerie music playing]
[in English] You take anything
out of here, I'm gonna know.
And there's only one exit.
[wheel squeaking]
[ticking]
- [cranking]
- [lighting buzzes]
[wheel squeaking]
[sighs]
[eerie music playing]
Yeah, yeah.
Where are you, Dottie Wolmar?
[wheel squeaking]
[heavy rain pattering]
[wheel squeaking]
[Nick] Ah, fuck!
[Roland] It's hollow.
You heard that?
[hollow tapping]
I knew
these fucking measurements were off.
- Help me with this thing.
- Yes.
[Roland grunts]
[Roland exhales sharply]
[Roland sighs]
You know that book's locked in here.
[tools clunking]
[Roland] Now we'll find out
why he came here every day.
Oh!
What is that fucking smell?
- In my field, we call it effluvia.
- Oh, man.
You know, like when a cat
or a dog mark their territory.
Do not touch anything.
Do not say anything.
- Follow my precise instructions, please.
- You platoon leader now?
If anything not from the natural world
is found on the other side
of this threshold,
I have one piece of advice for you.
Do not make eye contact with it,
do not speak with it.
It will sense the dark in you as I do.
It will be greedy for it, hungry.
Do you understand?
I'm pretty sure
that's two pieces of advice,
and you don't know shit about me.
So fuck off.
[suspenseful music playing]
[coughs]
[Nick] It fucking smells horrible.
God dammit.
[Roland sniffs]
[suspenseful music intensifies]
[in German] Unbelievable.
[in English] Never in my imagination.
He trapped his poor sister.
Must be weak.
Starving. Poor thing.
It was pinned
inside the circle for so long, see?
- The hair is fused to the floor.
- [slithering, squelching]
[Roland] Look. Look how the demon writhes.
See, it took her face as a way in.
- There it is.
- [Roland] Do not cross that line.
- Fuck this, I'm going for the book.
- [Roland] No, stop, don't!
- [gasps]
- [unsettling music playing]
[Roland] You have no idea
what you've awakened!
[demon snarls]
[slithering]
[bones cracking]
[demonic screeching]
[snarling]
Holy mother of God.
Dottie.
[demonic screeching]
[slithering]
[screeching]
[fire roars]
[guttural growling]
- [panicked breathing]
- [dramatic music playing]
- [snarling]
- [objects clattering]
[cranking]
[panicked breathing]
- [Nick yelps]
- [snarling]
[Nick groans]
[breathing heavily]
[relieved sigh]
[clunky slithering in distance]
[demonic growling]
[Nick grunts]
[demonic screeching]
[gasps]
[breathes shakily]
Oh, fucking hell!
- [distant shrieking, growling]
- [doorknob rattles]
Oh, thank God.
Could you please open the door?
Could you open the door, please?
Can you open the door, please?
Open the door, please!
Thank you.
No! No, please!
I'm in danger here, I need your help!
Please! Open the door!
No!
Please! I'll give you whatever you want,
anything you want! Please!
Please! Open the door!
[grunts] Open the door, please!
Open the door!
Please! Please!
[demonic snarling]
[slimy slithering]
[low growling in distance]
[tense suspenseful music playing]
[demonic growling]
[Nick screams]
- [chomping, snarling]
- [bones crunching]
[dial ticking]
- [lights clunk]
- [eerie silence]
[eerie suspenseful music playing]
[terrified screaming]
[man 1] My career as an artist ended
the moment I saw your work.
Do you feel it, Will?
- The fear.
- [pained screaming]
Youse telling me
rats is stealing bodies out of coffins?
[screeching]
[man 2] I've seen a forest
that takes the dead inside.
- [screaming]
- [man 1] We need to get back there.
- [woman 1] This house gives me the creeps.
- I'm very worried about you!
- [pained groan]
- [laughter]
- I don't think you should use that lotion.
- [woman 2] This is what's gonna fix me!
[man 3] Tonight, I'm gonna gift you
a singular experience.
[man 4] What am I gonna find?
[dramatic suspenseful music playing]
[terrified panting] Did that just happen?
[man 5] Oh God!
[strong wind blows]
[overlapping screams]
[gunshot]
[dramatic music fades]
[man 1] The darkness has a way
of catching me.
[snarling]
- [suspenseful music playing]
- [ticking]
[dramatic music sting]
[eerie music playing]
[thunder rumbles, claps]
[eerie music playing]
[footsteps approaching]
In centuries past,
when the world was full of mystery,
and traveling was reserved
for the very few,
a new form of collection was born.
The cabinet of curiosities.
Now, this collection
could be lodged in a building,
a chamber,
or a piece of furniture.
In these private collections,
one would find books,
paintings, or specimens
of natural and unnatural history.
A dragon's tooth,
a Fiji mermaid, a unicorn's horn.
And behind each of these,
a story.
One could encounter something
as large as a suit of armor
or as small as a set of keys.
The keys to a storage room.
That old place where
one keeps the past alive.
The things that remind us
of our deeds, our darkness, our sins.
The story today is Lot 36.
And the director,
Guillermo Navarro.
[eerie instrumental music playing]
[eerie music fades]
[Bush] Just two hours ago,
allied air forces began an attack
on military targets in Iraq and Kuwait.
- These attacks continue as I speak.
- [man sighs]
[man sighs]
[Bush] We have before us
the opportunity to forge
for ourselves, and for future generations,
a new world order.
A world where the rule of law,
not the law of the jungle,
governs the conduct of nations.
When we are successful, and we will be,
we have a real chance
at this new world order.
An order in which
a credible United Nations
can use its peacekeeping role
to fulfill the promise and vision
of the UN standards.
We have no argument
with the people of Iraq.
Indeed, for the innocents
caught in this conflict,
I pray for their safety.
[eerie music playing]
[Bush] Our goal
is not the conquest of Iraq.
It is the liberation of Kuwait.
It is my hope that somehow
the Iraqi people can, even now,
convince their dictator
that he must lay down his arms,
leave Kuwait, and let Iraq itself
[fish flesh squelches]
rejoin the family
of peace-loving nations.
Thomas Paine wrote
[man groans]
"These are the times
that try men's souls."
- [strained grunting]
- [rapid heartbeat]
[Bush] Those well-known words
are so very true today.
[choked gasping]
[Bush] But even as planes
of the multinational forces attack Iraq,
I prefer to think of peace, not war.
[eerie music continues]
[Bush] I am convinced
not only that we will prevail,
but that out of the horror of combat
will come the recognition
that no nation can stand
against a world united.
[high-pitched ringing]
[pundit on radio] our land.
We fought for it and won.
These immigrants take and take,
and give nothing back.
Who told them they were welcome here?
Who invited them in?
We made this country,
fought for its freedoms,
and they want to fit right in.
- Fuck yeah.
- [pundit] Reap the benefits.
Loot the social programs.
Brown rights, Black rights,
well, what about white rights?
Oh no. No, we can't talk about that.
No, we can't.
[pundit] We're gonna take calls soon.
No self-righteous,
liberal assholes, please.
We've got Fred from Williamsville
on the line. What's on your mind today?
[country music plays on radio]
Then I went through the jewelry ♪
And I found our wedding rings ♪
I put mine on my finger ♪
And I gave yours a fling ♪
- Across this lonely ♪
- [radio stops]
[bell rings in distance]
Nice wheels.
My pride and joy.
[host] Good afternoon, everyone.
Don't be shy. Come to Daddy.
Join your brothers and sisters.
I'm Eddie, and you're in the Gold Coast.
For new faces, that's long-term rentals.
Folks who don't trust banks,
who stash gold bricks
inside of old couch cushions,
fur coats in boxes.
For some reason, they leave it all behind,
you know, the three Ds.
Death,
divorce, debt.
Bad luck for them, good luck for you.
But sometimes we roll up the door
praying for a big score
only to find a pile of shit
on the other side.
[chuckling]
We're short and sweet today,
starting with lot 36.
This is the one
owned for decades by the same man.
May he rest in peace up there,
down there or wherever he may be.
[chuckles softly]
I'm just covering all the bases.
- [scattered chuckling]
- Without further ado
[microphone feedback whines]
[Eddie] Yeah.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Eddie] A peek, a whiff.
It's all you get.
[shutter closes]
Let the bidding begin!
All yours, Bill.
And we are on the block.
On the block, starting with 50.
50 going, 50 goes.
- We got 50 dollars.
- 100.
- 100 going, do I hear 150?
- 150.
- Oooh, one five zero, we got her once!
- 175.
- 250.
- [Bill] 250 going once
- 350.
- [Bill chuckles]
Routing out the competition.
I got four bills, four bills I got.
400 going once, twice, three times.
Sold, to the shy man
with the deep pockets.
[applause]
All right, everybody, start filing out.
Next one's down the hall.
[man] I heard you, Tommy.
Did you, fuck-nut?
I remember telling you not to cross
county lines before settling in full.
- I haven't.
- [Tommy] Oh.
So, my guy eyes on you was lying?
- I'm here to make money, to pay you.
- I want my money now, lying piece of shit.
[Eddie] Pay phone's outside.
- You've gotta give me some room.
- [Tommy] Sure.
- I'm handling it.
- [Tommy] Better have it tonight, motherf
[hangs up]
You got that contract?
[drawer opens]
[man] Your cut from the last unit.
Did it bear fruit?
Stones were made of glass,
melting the gold yielded some.
- Looks light. What about the wooden canes?
- Replicas. Shitty wooden resin.
That's minus the legwork and gas money.
Guess that's why you got the truck
and I ride a busted moped.
- I'll cut you a check for the unit.
- Get the fuck out of here. A check.
You better get me my money.
A check.
- That's slick.
- Got any idea how much I make an hour?
Got my keys?
Before we get to that,
I wanna show you something.
Here it is.
[inserts video tape into VHS player]
Check this out. You gotta see.
This is the guy
that owns the one you bought.
Every day,
same guy.
Carrying the same bag.
Stayed in there for an hour,
hour-and-a-half.
- And then
- What's this got to do with me?
Ain't you curious?
No, I'm not, and I've never been.
Maybe that's why I'm still alive.
You gotta be shitting me.
[Eddie] Guy's had it
since this place opened.
Going back to '45.
Kept mostly to himself, polite,
tighter than a Tupperware lid.
White anger.
White anger
Am I allowed to say Black anger?
I didn't think so.
Anyway, something special in there,
for him to check on it like this?
Yeah, old clothes and worn-out shoes.
I bought a unit in Palmetto
packed with jars.
Urine, feces, hair, and toenails.
And bags and bags of coupons.
The older we get, the stranger, man.
[eerie music playing]
[Eddie] Now look.
Bag's empty when he comes out.
- Of course, it's a fucking storage unit.
- [Eddie] Yeah, but what was he up to?
He dropped something in there.
Every day for decades.
Here's with the hopping again.
What do you think it is?
[scoffs] I'll dig around.
[snaps fingers]
[key holder rattles]
[Eddie] For your lot 36.
Enjoy.
[suspenseful music playing]
Remember, I'm the one tipped you off.
Don't forget to spread the love.
[counter flap bangs]
Stingy bastard.
[ominous music playing]
[reporter on TV] The skies over Baghdad
are illuminated tonight
as allied forces
unleash an assault. Another
Hello, Mr. Eddie. I came to pay my bill.
Two months.
Uh, I thought you left the unit.
Gave it up. We sold it
on the block when we didn't hear from you.
Oh, no, no, no.
Mr. Eddie,
how long I am renting here?
We sent you
an eviction notice, Ms. Amelia.
- Your phone was disconnected.
- I telled you, I moved.
I have a new number.
Maybe you sent the notice
to the older address.
- The wrong one.
- Well, whose fault is that?
You!
I called. I said,
"Please, Mr. Eddie, don't forget."
That was
[sighs]
You see that guy right there?
His name is Nick Appleton.
He bought your unit.
Go see him.
Maybe you can get
some of your things back.
Hmm.
- Thank you.
- [in Spanish] You're welcome.
Thank you very much.
I'm sorry.
[back-up beeping in distance]
[mutters in English] Eyes on me.
Mr. Appleton?
- Mr. Appleton? Mr. Appleton.
- Whoa!
Sorry. My name is Amelia,
Mr. Eddie said you bought my unit.
- It's on the other side. Number 87.
- What if I did?
They made mistake.
- Who's they? You were evicted, right?
- They send wrong address.
- Talk to the manager.
- No. Mr. Eddie said I speak to you.
[chuckles softly, whispers] Fucker.
Is that right?
- Speak fast, this ear.
- All my family things are there.
Uh, letters, photos,
personal stuff, you know?
Well, I threw a lot of stuff away
and sold some others.
There may be some stuff left in there,
but whatever is in there is mine now.
No, it's not yours.
- Where are you from?
- My name is Amelia, and I am from here.
I took two buses.
Legally, you lost whatever is in there.
I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is.
All my children's pictures.
My mama, my papa's letters.
What good are they to you, Mr. Appleton?
You let me look around
and I bother nobody.
Maybe some things are still there,
and I'll go quick.
I'm sorry for your troubles,
but they're not mine.
You can do nothing for me?
A thousand bucks.
You can have what's left there.
I make this money in a month, cleaning.
[unzips bag]
Here.
This is yours, I bet you can still use it.
[speaking Spanish]
What's that?
Do you speak Spanish?
No. And clearly you don't speak English.
Make an effort when you're in my country
and try and insult me in my own language.
Dumb bitch.
I said I hope you rot in hell!
[cranking]
[mutters] As usual, it's all on me.
All on me.
Like I don't have enough problems.
I don't need this shit.
[shutter clatters]
[sighs]
[cranking]
- It's always something with this shit.
- [water flowing]
If it ain't the rain, it's the pipe.
I gotta get a new job.
Hey, Eddie.
The unit I got is a lot smaller than this.
What you talking about? Ain't planning
on getting a discount on account of size?
What made you so cheap, man?
Smaller space, fewer items.
All's I'm saying.
Nothing's up to code in this section.
It was built in the 1940s.
Units were wider, deeper, steeper.
Connected to each other.
[sighs]
I don't know what the fuck is
Excuse me. I gotta get a mop.
That lady Amelia's sitting outside.
Yeah, thanks for ambushing me
with that, by the way.
Let the lady see if any
of her stuff's left, for Christ's sake.
I'm not buying into
being the bad guy here,
especially not from you.
Don't be a hypocrite like everyone else.
Hey, look. You and me got our thing going?
Okay. I got my stuff on the side, sure,
but this lady? She's too good.
The game has rules.
You win some, you lose some.
Look at me.
I did what I had to for this country.
How the fuck do you bring that
into every conversation?
Because it bears fucking repeating!
The game I played was rigged.
Lost this ear except
for high-pitched ringing day in, day out.
Fine. Wife? Gone.
I'll take all the losses.
But now it's my turn.
You're not the only one
that feels fucked, brother.
Rigged? The front line
is all Black and Brown.
Maybe you didn't recall all
the dark-skinned bodies you stepped over
on your way to take a leak
in the Perfume River.
I bought that unit fair and square.
So fuck you,
fuck her, and fuck this guilt trip!
- And in my unit, everyone was green.
- [lighting buzzes]
Pfft.
- [clattering]
- [wheel squeaking]
[eerie music playing]
[footsteps retreating]
[lighting buzzes]
[eerie music continues]
[mysterious music playing]
[eerie music playing]
[ghostly whispering]
[eerie music continues]
[suspenseful music playing]
- [squeaking loudly]
- Fuck me blue!
[sighs]
[unsettling music playing]
[padlock clunks]
[tightening bolts]
[Nick grunts]
[tense music playing]
[both grunting]
[Nick grunts, groans]
Twelve K, tomorrow.
[Nick groans]
You made your fucking point.
Now I made my point.
[Nick] Fuck.
[groans]
[sighs] Dammit.
[eerie music continues]
Shoo!
Shoo!
[shattered glass clinking]
[tense music fades]
Fucking hell.
[footsteps approaching]
- [door opens]
- [Nick sighs]
Oh!
The fuck happened to you?
I'm borrowing your first aid kit.
- Maybe you should sit for a minute.
- [Nick] What?
Why? I'm fine.
I gotta get some shit appraised.
- Must be something good.
- [Nick] Antique pieces, some gold.
Maybe you should skip
the five-and-dime this time.
Go over to Agatha's joint
on Douglas Drive.
[Eddie clicks pen, writes]
She's good people.
Don't be hostile with your big,
weird eyes, and your bloody head.
Fuck off.
You need a chill pill, Nick.
[windshield crackles]
[tape tears]
[tape tears]
[tense music playing]
[tape tears]
[windshield crackles]
[tense music continues]
- [tense music fades]
- [Agatha sighs]
It's gold, sure,
but I'll only pay scrap for it.
Eddie said you'd do better for us.
Sure, if you guys do better for me.
Look at this.
No certified marks on the metal,
craftsmanship's crude.
[sighs]
Can't even dress it up.
Next, please.
The table and chairs are good.
That inlay is real.
Now those are excellent.
It's a séance table.
Like Ouija-board séance?
A bit more serious than that.
[Nick sighs]
What have we here?
Have you ever seen a
Yes.
"Liber Primus, Daemonia."
"Liber Secundus,
Symvolia."
"Liber Tertius,
Perilipsi."
What does it mean?
They're important, right? Valuable, I bet.
Not my province.
Whose then?
I have an associate in mind.
And this
- I've never seen one like it.
- I have.
Many times.
Feel. She's a beauty.
[warning grunts]
Gently. It gets brittle.
Try. Touch.
Can you guess the material?
Wool.
Human hair.
Smell.
Yeah. No thanks.
I'll go call my guy about the books.
[picks up handset]
[dialing number]
Roland. It's Agatha.
- Jesus Christ.
- [Agatha] I'm at the store.
I have a client here
with some very interesting items.
Right up your alley, know what I mean?
Come quickly.
Trust me.
[sniffing]
[bell tinkles]
[Roland chuckles]
Hallo, my dear.
[in German] How's it going?
Mmmwah!
[in English] This is Nick.
Ah, hello. Hello.
[Nick] Take a look. What do you think?
[Roland] Ah
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Very interesting. Yeah.
This is
indeed
a séance table.
- It's exquisite.
- Nineteenth century Austria.
The wood is
white cedar and sandalwood,
treated in a very
unique way.
And arranged to facilitate
the summoning of an entity.
- You see?
- [Nick sighs]
The reddish tint on the lacquer? Huh?
Guess what went into it? Hey?
Sick fucks.
[Roland chuckles]
My God.
I knew you'd be thrilled.
Oh!
[gasps softly]
Was there a fourth volume?
Not that I saw.
But it's possible you could have it?
[mutters] Well,
I've barely touched the unit.
There's a life's worth of crap in there.
[Roland] The books are extremely rare.
I would say 10,000 for all three.
Well, well.
How much for all four?
[Roland] If placed at the right auction,
with multiple buyers,
in excess of $300,000.
[chuckles]
You see, the fourth volume
is the rarest one.
Liber Quartus Sacramentum.
The most desirable piece.
It's legendary.
Full of symbols and spells
to bind a demon,
to make it earthbound.
Ja?
[Nick] A demon?
The reason the
the fourth volume is the rarest
is because it burns down completely
at the end of the transaction
with the purveyor of its favors.
Except when
- Cut the fuckin' drumroll, will you?
- You've got a tough case here, Rolly.
Except when the demon has been betrayed.
Therefore, unable to collect its debt.
This transaction has to happen tonight.
This is the payment for the candelabra,
the table, and the chairs.
But the wreath I donate to you,
mein liebshe, Agatha.
[Roland chuckles]
For the referral, danke schön.
But
if we find the missing fourth volume,
I will write you a check for $300,000.
[Nick] My truck's outside.
I'll drive us over there.
- [in German] Thank you. Thank you.
- Mm.
[Roland] Thank you very much.
[thunder rumbles]
[in English] Great.
Now we're getting ass fucked
with rain on top of all this shit.
Did you, uh, hurt your head
on the windshield?
Yeah. When I was rear-ended.
[Roland] Uh, do you mind closing,
uh, the side window, please?
I, uh
I have a confession to make.
Jesus, really?
You see, I know all about the family
who owned the unit that you bought.
They were very rich,
made their money from steel in Europe,
and emigrated to America
at the end of World War II.
They made weapons.
Wolfram for tanks.
But for the wrong side.
Yeah, I saw some old war photos
in a photo album in there.
Whoever this guy was.
I hate to disabuse you
on your relative notion
of good and evil,
but this man knew and did evil
on a scale almost absolute.
Well, God's got him now.
[Roland chuckles]
Ah, yes.
God.
Silent, strong type
that loves to see us squirm
with free will and other delusions.
But what about his adversary? Huh?
Relentless, feisty even.
You know, whispering in our ears
at every waking moment. Huh?
Something tells me
you traffic in the wrong,
feisty side yourself there, Hans.
Is this relevant to this transaction?
The owner of the unit was a sick man.
Gambled his fortune away,
destroyed his family,
never had enough of anything.
Bottomless appetites.
You understand?
Yeah, another empty asshole.
That's right.
He moved in occult circles
in Berlin and Vienna.
[eerie music playing]
And he invoked an entity.
Offered it a vessel to occupy.
To possess.
His sister.
Dottie Wolmar,
I believe
was her name.
It was
quite the scandal.
Did they ever find her?
No. They searched but
it was futile.
[Nick] All right, enough.
I'm not interested in any
of this creepshow shit you favor, okay?
Anyway, we're here.
Here.
You've gotta be kidding me, put that away.
No, no, no, no.
The molten metal was collected
from a very peculiar source.
Bit by bit.
You see, if we find the book,
the light from the candelabra
will yield protection.
No offense, but shut the fuck up.
[Roland] Huh.
[unlocking padlock]
You take the left side.
We don't leave until we find it.
Books don't spontaneously combust.
[dramatic music playing]
[grunts]
[Nick grunting in background]
[in German] Ah, shit!
[objects clattering]
[cranking]
[eerie music playing]
[in English] You take anything
out of here, I'm gonna know.
And there's only one exit.
[wheel squeaking]
[ticking]
- [cranking]
- [lighting buzzes]
[wheel squeaking]
[sighs]
[eerie music playing]
Yeah, yeah.
Where are you, Dottie Wolmar?
[wheel squeaking]
[heavy rain pattering]
[wheel squeaking]
[Nick] Ah, fuck!
[Roland] It's hollow.
You heard that?
[hollow tapping]
I knew
these fucking measurements were off.
- Help me with this thing.
- Yes.
[Roland grunts]
[Roland exhales sharply]
[Roland sighs]
You know that book's locked in here.
[tools clunking]
[Roland] Now we'll find out
why he came here every day.
Oh!
What is that fucking smell?
- In my field, we call it effluvia.
- Oh, man.
You know, like when a cat
or a dog mark their territory.
Do not touch anything.
Do not say anything.
- Follow my precise instructions, please.
- You platoon leader now?
If anything not from the natural world
is found on the other side
of this threshold,
I have one piece of advice for you.
Do not make eye contact with it,
do not speak with it.
It will sense the dark in you as I do.
It will be greedy for it, hungry.
Do you understand?
I'm pretty sure
that's two pieces of advice,
and you don't know shit about me.
So fuck off.
[suspenseful music playing]
[coughs]
[Nick] It fucking smells horrible.
God dammit.
[Roland sniffs]
[suspenseful music intensifies]
[in German] Unbelievable.
[in English] Never in my imagination.
He trapped his poor sister.
Must be weak.
Starving. Poor thing.
It was pinned
inside the circle for so long, see?
- The hair is fused to the floor.
- [slithering, squelching]
[Roland] Look. Look how the demon writhes.
See, it took her face as a way in.
- There it is.
- [Roland] Do not cross that line.
- Fuck this, I'm going for the book.
- [Roland] No, stop, don't!
- [gasps]
- [unsettling music playing]
[Roland] You have no idea
what you've awakened!
[demon snarls]
[slithering]
[bones cracking]
[demonic screeching]
[snarling]
Holy mother of God.
Dottie.
[demonic screeching]
[slithering]
[screeching]
[fire roars]
[guttural growling]
- [panicked breathing]
- [dramatic music playing]
- [snarling]
- [objects clattering]
[cranking]
[panicked breathing]
- [Nick yelps]
- [snarling]
[Nick groans]
[breathing heavily]
[relieved sigh]
[clunky slithering in distance]
[demonic growling]
[Nick grunts]
[demonic screeching]
[gasps]
[breathes shakily]
Oh, fucking hell!
- [distant shrieking, growling]
- [doorknob rattles]
Oh, thank God.
Could you please open the door?
Could you open the door, please?
Can you open the door, please?
Open the door, please!
Thank you.
No! No, please!
I'm in danger here, I need your help!
Please! Open the door!
No!
Please! I'll give you whatever you want,
anything you want! Please!
Please! Open the door!
[grunts] Open the door, please!
Open the door!
Please! Please!
[demonic snarling]
[slimy slithering]
[low growling in distance]
[tense suspenseful music playing]
[demonic growling]
[Nick screams]
- [chomping, snarling]
- [bones crunching]
[dial ticking]
- [lights clunk]
- [eerie silence]
[eerie suspenseful music playing]
[terrified screaming]
[man 1] My career as an artist ended
the moment I saw your work.
Do you feel it, Will?
- The fear.
- [pained screaming]
Youse telling me
rats is stealing bodies out of coffins?
[screeching]
[man 2] I've seen a forest
that takes the dead inside.
- [screaming]
- [man 1] We need to get back there.
- [woman 1] This house gives me the creeps.
- I'm very worried about you!
- [pained groan]
- [laughter]
- I don't think you should use that lotion.
- [woman 2] This is what's gonna fix me!
[man 3] Tonight, I'm gonna gift you
a singular experience.
[man 4] What am I gonna find?
[dramatic suspenseful music playing]
[terrified panting] Did that just happen?
[man 5] Oh God!
[strong wind blows]
[overlapping screams]
[gunshot]
[dramatic music fades]
[man 1] The darkness has a way
of catching me.
[snarling]
- [suspenseful music playing]
- [ticking]
[dramatic music sting]
[eerie music playing]
[thunder rumbles, claps]