A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD
Is anyone here?
- Are you Miss Benton? - Yes, but how do you know my name?
We were informed you'd be coming.
Who did?
Someone from the village did.
They said you should wait here.
Mr. Basilio will pick you up before 5:00.
Who is that Mr. Basilio?
That I don't know!
I've heard that name before, but I don't know the man.
Let me take you to your room.
Do you know the owners of the Monteserate castle?
Monteserate?
Nobody lives in that valley.
Don't tell me you want to go there...
I do. I need to go to the castle.
I'm expected there.
You can't say I haven't warned you.
As you can see, I'm giving you our best room.
Are you all right, miss?
It's so hot. I had a terrible nightmare...
and I can't go back to sleep.
This weather does that to you. It's hot and humid all year long.
- Do you live in the village? - No, I work here.
- Aren't you a writer? - No, I'm a doctor.
Tell me if I'm disturbing you.
You're not.
I'd like to ask for your advice.
I'm really confused...
by what the innkeeper said.
She said nobody lives in Monteserate.
But I know that's not true.
My whole family lives there.
I've come from London to visit them.
They used to write every week.
Don't you think I'm doing the right thing?
Of course you are. You must go.
What's the point of tormenting yourself?
One should always have the strength to accomplish their goals.
Yours is Monteserate, and you must reach it
without looking back.
"Basilio will take you to our house.
Much love, Uncle Howard."
I'll go get my suitcase.
We've been driving to the depths of the valley for an hour...
and I feel like this is all a strange dream.
Even the birds sound strangely unfamiliar.
It seems I'm seeing...
vultures.
Vultures.
Come on...
it can't be!
There are no vultures in this valley.
And these flowers...
these plants are so full of life.
And yet...
their colors seem off.
And their scent... surprising and...
unrecognizable.
Where are we?
What is this world
of shadows and silence?
As sad as a cemetery
in the autumn dawn.
- I think you were expecting me. - " She ran through the meadows,
so fast that we lost sight of her immediately.
They were instantly transformed by her beauty."
Isaiah, verse 777.
I now know you are Uncle Howard.
Yes, it is I, Uncle Howard,
so proud to have you here, in Monteserate.
This magical music has led you to the depths of this valley.
You are Uncle Howard's last expected guest,
and here you are, after such a long journey.
Your face is freezing cold!
Herminia's expecting you. Go see her.
- What happened to her? - She's dying.
The poor woman's dying while you're playing a waltz?!
I can play a funeral march if you want.
She might like that.
- I think she prefers waltz. - You're joking, right?
Not at all. Death is no joking matter,
and I know what she likes. I know who she is.
She's welcome in this house and I am playing for her.
Nothing would be too good for her.
You can't say hello?
- That's Carmenze. - Who is she?
That's Carmenze.
She's part of the family.
- Why did you do that? - For no reason.
What's wrong?
Nothing. I just wish I were sharing Herminia's path.
I'll go check on her.
Are you Aunt Abigail?
Yeah, I am your aunt.
You skank! You bitch!
Obviously, you've worked at the brothel too long!
Once a whore, always a whore, huh?
And you can't shut it off for a moment!
You must have been deaf and senile.
I won't squeeze the worms out of your skin anymore.
Sticks and stones can break my bones,
but your deadly breath won't kill me again!
Is that the best you've got?
You can't even cut its head off properly!
What a fucking dumb ass!
- Why don't you try again? - He's going to get it good!
Listen to me, Christina.
I am Linda.
I don't mean you any harm.
What could a blind woman do to you?
I know you are a good person.
I can see through your soul.
Like everything else, souls have a color.
Yours is white,
and that is why I came to see you.
I would like to help you,
but I don't think I can.
I am so unhappy.
How long have you been blind?
I have been blind for a very long time.
I have been living in absolute darkness.
I will pray to God.
Yes, I will pray with all my soul...
that He helps you.
May He help you. May He help you...
As of tomorrow, you'll have to do it yourself.
I completely understand.
Good morning, dear Christina.
I hope you slept well.
I had nightmares. Did you sleep well?
Time is passing slowly by day or night.
When it's dark, you can hear the vultures' wings'
macabre tap against the windows.
How long are you planning on staying here?
- When will you be leaving? - I don't know.
I came here to attend the reading of Daddy's will.
The lawyer will drop by. It's a quick formality.
You're not eating?
We don't have much of an appetite.
That's the least I can say!
You are all so nice. Thanks for making me feel at home.
I was six months old when my mom died.
I don't remember her at all.
And I've never know my father.
I was confined to my boarding school in London.
I was all alone, and the only news I had
was through the headmistress.
I wished I could see him,
but he lived far away and was apparently too busy.
And one day, I heard he had married Herminia.
And then I received your letter telling me he was dead.
Thank God you sent me those photographs.
I had never seen his picture before.
What a strange man. He really scares me.
He's just a little crazy.
However, he knows this castle very well.
He's a very useful employee.
Well, I think I'll go for a walk.
- Don't wander off too far. - Why not?
That's ridiculous. She's not a child anymore.
Hey, check it out!
Good heavens!
I hadn't seen...
With such a pretty girl, I should...
What would you like to do to her, sir?
I would like to eat her up!
Hey, get out of there!
Hurry up!
Run!
Hey, miss!
You can't walk around naked here.
- This is private property. - But you can be seen from the hill.
- I didn't know that. - Hey, wait!
- Do you live around here? - Yeah, I'm staying at the castle.
Nobody lives there.
What? My whole family lives there!
Hey, wait!
- What is it now? - I'd like to get to know you.
So what are you doing here?
- I was born here. - Do you work?
Not for now.
So this is what we'll do...
you're going to walk me to the castle
so that you realize people live there.
You'll see Uncle Howard, Aunt Abigail and Carmenze.
Some other people live with them too...
some strange but nice people.
- So, are you coming? - Yes, but I won't come in.
- The castle's beautiful. - Yes, but I'd rather not go in.
Come on! Don't tell me you're scared.
- I'd like to visit this chapel. - I don't think it's open.
It's closed. Otherwise I'd be inside.
I have come a long way for that.
I always pray to Saint Cecile,
and this is the last chapel dedicated to her!
I didn't know it was closed.
Yep, it's been closed for a long time,
apparently since the General's death.
This valley is dead and empty.
People say...
that the lords...
who used to live in the castle...
have come back to haunt their domain.
They apparently favor times when shooting stars abound,
like now.
This valley is cursed! It reeks of death!
Death doesn't faze me
and I'm not scared of dying.
But for you, it's different.
You guys are still young. You can't stay here.
Death is like a disease,
so you'd better get out of here!
Can't you see everything's dead here?
Even the flowers smell of decay.
Go away!
Come on, follow me. Don't tell me you believe that old fool.
What's the matter? See, it's just a regular house.
Get out of here, little bastard!
You can't have guests without our approval!
Help!
Help me!
Please help me!
Come in, Christina. We don't mind.
Why don't you come and play with us?
Have you ever tasted fresh blood? It tastes so good.
Come and try it. I promise it's delicious.
Her flesh is so delicate, too.
I'm sure you are tempted to try it.
Come in.
There's no need to hesitate.
What are you doing? Come on in.
Christina!
My daughter!
My child!
Listen to me!
Christina!
Listen to me!
That old bitch sure wasn't easy to kill!
She was wriggling like a worm,
especially her hands.
It was like she didn't want to die, but she did after all
and all this is ours now.
How I hated her!
Herminia had always been a stranger to us...
and I feel no remorse taking her jewels.
Tomorrow we'll pull out her gold teeth!
Maybe they'll come in handy.
What's wrong, my dear?
Poor child.
You seem upset. Tell me what happened.
I saw...
Calm down, you are here with us.
I saw something horrible!
Calm down and tell me everything.
What could have been so horrible?
I think she needs a doctor.
We should call one.
- What are you doing here? - Nothing.
How long have you been here?
- About an hour. - And you've been sitting here?
Your hips were swaying in the most fascinating way.
But don't you worry.
I'm only saying that.
At least I can watch, right?
And I can also pay you compliments.
Did you hear me scream?
I had an awful dream.
My dad had been hanged, but he was still alive.
He was calling to me.
That's quite ambiguous.
You should see a doctor.
A psychoanalyst would be appropriate.
Could you leave now? I'd like to get dressed.
Don't be shy in front of me.
Please.
I'll leave then, but hurry up.
Your uncle has gone for the lawyer.
He's coming today for the reading of your dear daddy's will.
In accordance with the law regarding inheritance,
particularly Section 22 and Articles III, IV and V,
the following arrangements have been made by the deceased
when he was sound of mind, and in the presence of a witness:
Let's see here.
I think I should read each paragraph
of the Articles, but...
that wouldn't serve any purpose.
So, I suppose you all agree
that we can do with a brief summary.
Well, it says here...
that anyone can contest the validity of the will
within eight days after the death of its author
provided they can submit legal proof
that the deceased was not sound of mind,
or that he might have been pressured.
No one filed a complaint with my office
during that time-frame.
There is one more formality to take care of
on the day of the reading... that is, today.
Close relatives alive today and sound of mind
can still object to the proceedings...
going through all the paragraphs will take forever.
If someone wishes to do so,
they can contest the validity of the will.
In response to the silence of those here present,
I declare this testament legal
according to the local authorities.
El Senor Ernesto Pablo Juan Reiner
bequeaths his Monteserate estate,
including the main building,
the annexes and the entire land,
his golden Chinese masks collection,
his securities kept in safe number 274 at the El Paso Central Bank,
all valuables and furniture,
and all the rugs in the property mentioned above,
"...to my one and only heir, my daughter Christina Reiner,
who will be responsible for the care
of Herminia Gonzalez Y Trujillo Garcia,
my second wife.
The designated proxy for my will is Paco Mandez, my lawyer."
And now, allow me to address a personal word
to my dear friend Ernesto Pablo Reiner.
May he find in the next world more peace than he did here.
Amen.
On behalf of our community, I congratulate you
and wish you the best.
Thank you, Uncle Howard, for those kind words.
You are all so kind.
I liked this piano.
It sounds really good.
Now it belongs to you,
like everything else here...
house, furniture...
You see, everything has changed.
- You are wrong... - I know what I'm saying.
Everything's different. Basilio, stay put!
We'll take the boat next week.
Aren't you happy here?
That's not the point.
I won't live off of somebody else.
But where would you go?
We don't know yet. Corfu, maybe.
There's a casino there.
I was such a good croupier.
One night, the Tzar of Russia made a killing
and gave me an icon that was later stolen from me in Athens.
Please don't leave.
You want us here now because you have a good heart,
but you would regret it soon enough. I know that for sure.
We weren't meant to live with a beautiful girl so full of life.
You should feel at home here.
This house is still yours.
Don't change anything.
Your presence will be the best cure for my loneliness.
I couldn't live here without you and your tenderness.
Please stay. We'll be a happy family.
Thanks, my dear. You have a heart of gold.
What have you done?!
Poor soul!
How could you shatter the Great Phallus?
We are now cursed, all of us!
I don't understand.
What could possibly happen to me?
I can't answer that.
Just like us, you'll be punished if you don't leave.
Listen to me. You have to go.
Leave now!
Christina!
My child!
Come rescue me! They've locked me up!
Listen! I am your father!
Come quick!
I want to see you.
My child!
Please...
don't be afraid!
Come and free me!
Christina!
I'm waiting for you.
I'm begging you!
Listen to your father!
Christina...
my dear child.
My daughter.
Father, is that you? What an awful sight!
Do you recognize me?
My aunt and uncle sent me some photographs.
I've kept them all.
The Queen of Darkness has allowed me to see you just for a short while.
Then I shall return to the depths of the valley,
with the others.
A terrible curse keeps us behind a mirror
only to be broken from time to time
by cold-blooded creatures.
Father...
what have they done to you?
- That rope... - I was hanged.
I am so unhappy.
What are you doing here?
I am their victim.
They killed me.
They took me to their world of darkness!
For Satan, death is proof of his power.
I used to be free and alive!
Then the Queen of Darkness came for me,
and I couldn't resist her treacherous voice.
Leave now, my sweet child! They are cursed!
You are the last one with the cursed blood running through your veins.
Leave now and never look back!
If you don't, you'll fall under their spell
and your mind won't think clearly.
You will create your own nightmares.
It's her.
She's coming for me. It's the Queen of Darkness.
I belong to her. I am a shadow among shadows.
I belong to her...
forever.
Christina!
Father.
Christina.
Father.
Father...
why are you calling me?
I heard your voice in the forest.
You shouldn't have followed me.
You heard my voice, but it betrayed my heart.
Why, Father?
Your presence can only do me good.
She is controlling us.
She is using my voice in spite of me.
I am not calling you, she is.
All she wants to do is fulfill the curse.
Alas...
it is now too late.
No!
Let me go!
She's delirious!
- How is she doing? - Not very well.
- What happened to her? - I don't know.
We found her lying unconscious near the abandoned house.
She's been delirious ever since.
She talks about her family... her father in particular.
He hanged himself a few months ago.
Your mind won't think clearly.
You'll create your own nightmares.
The Queen of Darkness has come.
A terrible curse!
Your mind won't think clearly.
Destiny has been fulfilled.
Our family has finally been reunited.
Death hasn't won over life...
but it is life that always leads to death.
We shall return to the River Styx forever,
wandering the swamp, without ever reaching its end.
May fate fulfill itself.
THE END