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Altar (2014)
I spy with my little eye
something beginning with "Y". Yorkshire. Ooh, no, you can't see Yorkshire. Yellow. I don't see anything yellow. Hey, Pet, these walls have been inspiration for a lot of great British artists. Maybe they'll be good for you, too. Oh, look. Look, kids. There's Heathcliff chasing Catherine across the moor. I don't see anybody, just a lot of... empty. Creepy. - Ow! - I think it looks nice. Wait 'til your mum's done with it. Rock stars and royalty will be lining up around the block to get into one of Brad Mason's parties. What block? All I see is green stuff. Come on. It's only for 6 months. - 6 months? - I thought it was 4 months. Well, it depends what I find! If there's woodworm and dry rot, it could take longer than that. Come on, we're going to enjoy ourselves, aren't we? This is an adventure! An adventure that pays well. I'll drink to that. There it is! Who would pay money to stay in a dump like this? Come on. Let's get settled in. Mum, there's no signal. And what kind of hotel doesn't have bathrooms? It wasn't a hotel. It was a B&B. And there's a bathroom down the hall. Yeah, still. Is there no water? Sorry, darling. I'll fix it tomorrow. Oooh. Come on, budge up. Let me in. Do you think you're gonna be able to work here? I think I can work anywhere, but right now, I just really wanna go to sleep. All right, let's... OK. Right down. 2, 1... Oh, yeah, it's perfect. What was it before? A games room, but originally when it was first built, it was an artists' studio. Radcliffe had an artist? No, Radcliffe was an artist, a landscape painter. I shouldn't wonder with all this landscape lying about. It's not too late for you to join the fun. I'd go crazy up here. Since when has that ever been bad for an artist? True, if you'll make something worth selling. What? And ruin my marriage? Is she all right? She has a broken jaw and a few cracked ribs. The car's a write-off. Jesus! It could be serious. They want to do a brain scan. I'm sorry, Meg. I can't leave her. Maybe you could get Tony to help you instead. But Tony's on a build in Scotland. Look, they're calling me back. What about that Italian guy you used... Can you hear me? Frank? Greg left. Couldn't get out of here fast enough. Everything all right? Celia's had a car accident. Oh, my God. Is she all right? Yeah, but Frank's got to stay and look after her. What are you gonna do? I don't know. I'll... find a local guy? Can you help me with something? Thing must be nailed shut. What's in there? I've no idea but from the skylight, it's worth a look. That's it. Nearly there. Oh! Damn! Ooh, are you all right? Yeah, it's just a nick. - OK. - Come on. Come on. On 3. Ready? 1...2... 3. Whoo! Ohh! What do you think this place was? I have no idea. It's not on any of the plans. I wonder why. What are you going to do with it? Turn it into a playroom for one of Brad's kids? I have a feeling this house is full of surprises. What the hell is that? Wow. Right. I've got a builder to find. Right. I'm looking for Mr. Donnelly? Sean Donnelly? I'm not available. - I've come about a long-term job. At Radcliffe. Yeah, wow, how do you know that? You're the American banker's designer from London. Why do I get the feeling you don't approve? I don't mind who lives in that house. Just don't want to be the one who turns it into Disneyland. That's not what we're doing. Is it true he hasn't even set foot in the place, that he bought it on the Internet? Well, he doesn't want to see it until it's fully restored to the original state. Many of those skills are long gone, Miss...? Hamilton. Meg. And what do you know about Yorkshire stone? I know that if you try and fix a bronze dial plate by F. Baker and Sons to a Mark Blanchard pedestal using hydrated cement paste, it'll probably corrode in the next 3 years. You need to use the old stuff, lime mortar and a French binding agent... if you want it to last. Mrs. Hamilton? - Ow! - Sorry, I'm doing laps! - What the hell... - Harper, can you...! What is that horrible thing? It's the fountain that used to live outside the back of the house. And it won't be horrible once you've cleaned it up. No, mum. I've got books to read for school. - Mum? - Mm-hmm. - Oh, my God, Mum. - What is it? Wait, come see this. What? What is that? I don't know. It's a flare or reflection or something. No, it looks like... Is that a ghost? Ooooh! Knock twice if you can hear me. Look, come on. Blow it up on your screen. - No, don't touch my... - OK. Sorry. - What do you want to look at? - The picture. There you go. Wait, no, I don't see anything. How can it be there and not here? I don't know. Printer's screwed. It's a rubbish printer. Yeah, well, maybe it's a different picture... It's not. Look. It's the only one I took. See? Nothing there. Come on, let's go and get some lunch. I'm starving, and you should be doing differential calculus. - Come on. - OK. It's nothing. It's in your head. - Mrs. Hamilton! - Ohh! Donnelly. I knocked. Figured you couldn't hear me. Yeah, thanks for coming. You did want me here at 4:00? Yes, yeah, no... God, sorry. I was miles away. What have you found? Well, I dunno. I think it's a bricked-up doorway. That would have been the root cellar way back when the house was first built. People closed them up when fridges came in. OK, well, give me a couple of secs. I'm just gonna patch this up. I can only do 3 days a week and my lad even less, if that still suits. Well, you know, I'll take what I can get. I think we should start at the top of the house and work our way down. As I said, my client wants to see the place returned to its original state. I think we might get away with... What was that? It's just the boiler. Well, are you sure that's was it was? It's not going to do that all night, is it? Can you go check, Dad? Your mom wears the plumber's pants in this house, sweetie. Oooh! Where do you think you're going? I'm gonna shut down the bloody boiler. I'm not finished with you yet. Jesus! Oooh! Whew. Huh. Aah! Whoo! That felt great. You've had a shower? Yeah, piping hot and great pressure. I gotta hand it to you, Meg. Alec, I turned the boiler off. Yeah, very funny. I thought I saw a woman wandering around the garden. Probably just some nosy neighbor curious about the newly arrived aliens from London. Maybe I'm just tired. You know what I think? I think you're more beautiful now than when we first met. I don't believe you. Why? I think you're wishing I'd never cut my hair. I'm obviously not the woman you fell in love with, Alec. I don't know what's happened to her. This... is your moment. You're perfect as you are now. But that's not me. It's not. Mmm... Mmm... What are you fucking doing to me? Aah! Aah! Aah! Alec, stop it! Don't take my picture! No! Stop! Stop it, Alec! Please. Please. No. Stop it! Penny? Penny, the door's locked. The key must have dropped out somewhere. Can you see it on the floor? Penny! Have you got your inhaler? Shit! Shit. Coming! Coming! Oh, shit! Penny, stand clear! Uhh! Where's your inhaler? Here we go. Exhale... and in, big one! Good girl, and again. And in. There we go. Let the medicine work. OK. Deep breath. Shhh, you're OK. You're OK. There was a woman! There was a woman. No, it was just a bad dream. No, I saw her. It was just a dream. What's happening?! Don't worry, Harper. She's just had an asthma attack. Go on back to bed, darling. No way. I'm sleeping in your bed now. You OK? Yeah. OK, so, who wants to go to the beach today? There's a town on the coast called Whitby not far from here. That's where Dracula landed. They put him in in a coffin because the sunlight burnt his skin. Shut up, Harper. I'm telling you, we're at the center of the creepy universe. Since when do you work all night? I'm on the brink of something. Where's the tea? We don't have tea. Don't tell me you forgot the tea. I didn't forget the tea 'cause we don't drink it. There's coffee on the stove. - Penny saw a ghost. - What? She had a nightmare. She got wound up and had an asthma attack. It was a real fucking ghost! - Penny! - Whoa! What kind of language is that, young lady? It's the language of a girl who's being neglected by her father, which is why you're taking them to the bloody seaside today. Today's no good. Alec! Alec, we agreed, you were going to look after the kids till they start school next week. And I will, most days, just not today. I'm in the middle of something very important. I'm very pleased for you. And you can pick it up where you left off when they start school next week. This isn't something that you can pick up and drop off. It's very important that you position it exactly in line with the study window, 10 yards from the house. It's this distance here. There were these cuts and scars all the way up her arms. I know I didn't dream it, Mum. I really didn't. No, I know it must seem like that but sometimes we just can't tell. OK, then why was the door locked? The door wasn't locked. Penny, the door doesn't have a lock. - The door was jammed. - Jammed? Old houses move over time. Things stick. OK, well, you know Emily? Well, her uncle bought this place near Manchester which was haunted, and he got this guy who came and sorted it out in, like, one visit. Now, have you been tweeting about this? Mum, we've got to do something! He's not like... he's not like a priest or anything. He just says he was born with a gift. Oh, my God, you've contacted him. No, Mum, not yet. Emily just sent me the link to his homepage so we could check him out. Let me see that. You've got to be kidding. What? He's super discreet! Promise me that you're not going to talk about this online anymore! My God, Mum! This is my work you're dissing, Penny! I'm gonna get a reputation. Fix yourselves some lunch. I'm going to check on the guys. Donnelly? "Sorry we missed you." What happened? We have a little problem. Ah! Wow! My lad's not normally superstitious, and neither am I. But we thought with the history of the place and all, you'd wanna keep it covered. Thought you understood. The history of the place is exactly what we're here to to restore. Then I'm afraid you're on your own. But why is it such a big deal? I've got a reputation, Mrs. Hamilton. Small, but enough to keep me in work. If word spreads that Sean Donnelly has invited the wrong kind of publicity, I'll lose my business. What kind of publicity? There've always been rumors that Radcliffe built the place as some sort of temple, but it was so long ago that thankfully it's all they are... rumors. Now I'm not so sure. But it's just a work of art. No, it's the work of the devil. - Now, that is ridiculous! - Is it?! He killed his wife in some sort of ritual, and to get her revenge, she haunted him day and night until he threw himself from a window. If I were you, I'd persuade your American banker to tear it all down and start from scratch. You've been in there all day? How was the beach? Alec, you missed the phone engineer! I'm sorry, babe. Can you stop walking away from me? I'm trying to talk to you! Alec, this is important! Listen. Donnelly's just quit. I've got to find someone else. If we're gonna make the deadline, I really need you to pitch in! - Would you sit for me? - Alec, this is serious! Just a couple sessions. I can't do this on my own! I'm right in the thick of it, Meg! Look, this is our paycheck, OK? It's our only paycheck since your last show. We don't have any money! And I understand all that, but what I'm doing will change our lives forever. Alec, I'm really glad for you. I'm so happy that you've found something new, but right now, I just need your help! OK. OK? OK. Really? Really? I'll set aside some time in the afternoons. Thank God. Hello? Is that you, Petal? Who is this? Oh! Aah! Aah! Aah! Oh, God! Aah! Alec! Oh, you scared me. Ha ha ha! What are you doing in here? Well, I... I just... I was answering the phone. I guess the engineer must have connected it after all. The phone? You didn't hear the phone? Listen, I don't think we should leave this light on. Did you put this light on? No, I thought you did. OK, let's get out of here. Let's not do this in here. Can we go upstairs? Alec, can we go? This room really gives me the creeps. I don't... I don't like it here. No! Alec, no, please! No! I don't like it here. Please! Please, no! Please, no! Please, Alec! Alec! Hi. Thanks for coming back. Just through there. Just on the table at the end there. Unless that's been converted to digital, it's never gonna work. It was working last night but dead again this morning. Well, I can't see how that's possible. It's not connected. In fact, I can't even see a telephone socket down there. Madam? OK, let's go. Uhh! Absolutely, Bradley, yep. Not only are we on schedule but we're also finding some amazing stuff. - Great. - Yeah, it looks like many original features are still intact... Excellent. Which is why I imagine you wanted to buy it in the first place. I didn't buy it. I inherited it. - You inherited it? - Yeah. I thought you knew that. No, I... Yeah. The will showed up after 150 years buried in some trust somewhere. The original owner has a sister who turns out to be my great-great-aunt. And you just discovered that? Yep. I guess Victorian paperwork was just not all it was cracked up to be. I see. The only condition is that the house is maintained in its original state. Listen, I gotta jump on another call. When you're done, all I need to do is get the executors to check over your work. Then they'll officially sign over the deed. What will you do with it? Sell it. Oh, and keep up the good work. Hello? Hello? I believe you've found some artwork of historical interest in the house. I'm sorry. You are... Charles Kendrick Walker. I've always wondered about this place. You've been talking to Donnelly? I'd love to take a peek. I'm sorry, we're not open to the public. You misunderstand, Mrs. Hamilton. I'm somewhat of an expert on the era. I may be able to help. I don't need any help, thank you. Word spreads pretty fast round Malton, good as well as bad. If we can dispel superstition, encourage people to regard Radcliffe with fascination rather than fear, you may be able to restore it to the status it deserves. I'm a historian, Mrs. Hamilton. Believe me, you need my expertise. Good heavens. The glass is 1860, but I think the design is a lot earlier. It goes back to the ancients. You know what it is? A map of the human soul. Rosicrucians call it the Emerald Tablet of Hermes. Radcliffe was an alchemist? Oh, yes. A very good one. What happened here? I guess somebody didn't like the mermaid's face. The glass was completely shattered. It must have been hit with something very hard. Will you be able to restore it? If I can find out what she looked like, yes. There's a painting at the Victorian Museum of Art in Leeds. Radcliffe was a landscape artist but he left one portrait of his wife, Isabella. This amazing illumati features in the background. Great. I'll check it out. There would have been an effigy of the Hermetic ray hanging over the tablet. The altar. Will you be restoring the house to its original state? Yeah, that's the plan. I'm not really sure what to do with this room, though. Do? I thought you said you were going to restore it. Oh, well, my employer doesn't really have a use for a Rosicrucian altar. And then there are the rumors around town. Well, these are simple folk, Mrs. Hamilton. The miracle of metempsychosis is not something they would ever understand. But Radcliffe did kill his wife. It was an accident. He loved her more than life itself. Why don't you come and meet my husband? I'm afraid I'm a little pushed for time. But you will put in a good word for us in town? I'll do my best. Uhh! I'd say that was a tie. Ha ha! Just leave that here. Uh, hi. Is there anything to eat? Ah, yep, there are coldcuts in the fridge and there's that bread you like. Can you grab something? "Oh, hi, Pen. How was your bike ride?" Internet's working. - Oh, my God, that's her! - Oh, God, you scared me! The woman in my room. That's her! What... it's just some stupid picture, Pen. Why were you looking at that? What are you doing? It just came up randomly when I was researching! Mum, that is definitely her! Listen, Penny, calm down! Look, it's very common, it's like a deja vu. When you're tired and stressed, and you feel like you've seen someone in a dream and you haven't. Oh, my God! Bullshit, Mum. It wasn't a dream. That is her. I promise you! That is the woman with the cuts up her arm! I thought you told me she was looking out of the window. Yeah. Well, then, how can you be sure? Because I'm sure. She looked at me. I saw her face. Please, we've got to leave now! Please! What's going on? Harper, can you just go? I'll be up in a minute, OK? What have I done wrong now? Just go upstairs now, please! Listen, Penny, I know you're upset. If you're really not happy here, I can try and organize for you to go and live with Grandpa in London. Would you like to do that, just for a couple of months? Is that what you want? No, Mum, please. We have to all leave right now. I can't leave. I have to finish this job. We need the money. Try and understand, OK? I fixed the hot water. I'm gonna run you a nice hot bath, and we'll all snuggle down in the bed together and watch a movie on the iPad, yeah? Something, you know, like a comedy... Was it the Reverend Green in the cellar with the lead pipe? Who's that? May I help you? Nigel Lean at your service. This the old spooky pile? Oh, God. You're the ghost whisperer, aren't you? This is Bessie. Look, I'm terribly sorry. There's been a misunderstanding. I know you've come a long... Mum? Well, come on, at least show him round, OK? So, you're a plumber as well, are you? Yeah, a man's got to make a living. I'd have thought exorcism... I don't charge for me cleansing work. There's rules about that sort of thing. But I will take a cup of coffee. Don't tell me. Milk and two sugars. Oh, you're psychic, Mrs. H. It kind of looked like a smudge, but then definitely, there was definitely a figure there. And then the other night, I was going to bed. Well, my mum says it was a dream, but I saw this woman. Here we are. Now, I should just explain my husband and I don't believe in ghosts or spirits, Mr. Lean. Ah, no one does, Mrs. H, until they experience one firsthand. Are you feeling one right now? The house has a very strong aura. No doubt about it. Can I take a look around? As long as you don't break anything. Been cooking, have we? Hmm. Yep. Metempsychotic Pharisee. What? It's a nasty red potion, takes a while to kick in. Word of caution, be very careful what you drink. Understood? OK, that's it. Upstairs both of you! - Mum! - I've heard enough! - No, Mum, no, no! - I said upstairs! Mum, he said we could watch! I will be leaving Mr. Lean to find his own way out. I want to watch! Mum, Mum, please, please, let him do the cleansing. He's not helping Penny. He's just spooking us, that's all. I'm sorry, Mr. Lean. I can't have you scaring the kids like that. Is something wrong? He's still here. Who? It's not safe. He wants to take over, take control. Mr. Lean, you're not making any sense. He was a painter. He died on that fountain from the fall. Oh, my God. Radcliffe. Penny, go upstairs, please. No, not Radcliffe. His name was different. Walker, I think. Yeah. I'll leave you this in case of anything untoward. Basically, it's holy water with a few add-ons. It's pukka. - OK, good-bye, Mr. Lean. There's something else. The feeling I picked up... I've never quite... you have to be careful. What do you mean careful? He loved her. That's the problem you see? He loved her too much. And now... he wants to take control. Control of what? The house? No, no, not the house, of you. - Good-bye, Mr. Lean. Penny, back in the house, please. He said a painter lived here and Radcliffe was a painter. All that information is available on the Internet for anyone who wants to see, OK? These guys always do their research. Go and hang with your brother. I'll be up in a minute. OK. Wait, where are you going? I'm just going to check on Dad. Oh, well, I'll come with you. No. Penny, your Dad and I need a bit of private time, OK? Here, take this... in case of anything untoward. Metempsychosis... Metempsychosis Pharisee. Jesus! "Walker, Radcliffe." Charles Kendrick Walker. You know, I've always wondered about this place. 1845? Alec? Alec? - What do you think? - Aah! What is this? Jesus! Different, huh? I wanted to wait till she was a little but further along, but I suppose now is as good a time as any. I could have done with a couple more sessions with you, but in the end, I had to settle for sketching you while you slept. Me? Alec, this isn't me. Well, wait 'til she's cast and finished. You'll see. You're quite difficult to nail down. Jesus! What have you done to yourself? I know it sounds crazy, but the blood makes the clay easier to work. The woman in Radcliffe's portrait. His wife that... Why are you sculpting Radcliffe's wife? What are you talking about? It's exactly the same face, the same position, everything! Meg, it's supposed to be you. Alec, he was a Rosicrucian. He killed his wife in some ritual in this house! This job has pushed you over the edge. I think you need to get back to therapy. Our daughter is having a breakdown because she believes she saw this woman in her bedroom. You said that was a nightmare. You said so yourself! - I'm going back to London. - No. I'm taking the kids and I'm gonna run the job from there. No! I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. Don't you care about our daughter? Of course I do, but I also care about me for a change. This is the best work I've ever done. Probably ever! And I'm not about to give that up now! This isn't your work, Alec. What are you talking about! You don't draw like this! This is what you do. This is your stuff and I love it! It's real! This is not yours! Get out! Um... first thing tomorrow morning after we've had a good sleep, I'm gonna have a family meeting. I'm... ready to... Go back to London and work the build from there. Really? It's going to cost a lot more money, but I think I can persuade Bradley to step up. Mum, we should leave now. Your father's not ready to leave yet. And, um, I'm not leaving him here on his own. Harper? Mum, mum! - Harper? - - Mum! Harper? Are you there? Mum! Mum! Harper? - Mum! - Harper? Where are you? Stuck! I'm stuck! Mum, I'm stuck! - Where are you? I can't... - Mum? Mum? Mum! - Harper! - - Help! Mum, open the door! Mum, I can't get out! Help! Harper, is that you? Are you there? Answer me! Shit! Aah! For Christ's sake, Penny! Where's Harper? I think he's fallen into the root cellar. The what? OK, I'll find Dad. No! Harper! Get back from the wall! Get back from the wall! Dad? Dad? Dad? Dad? Dad? Dad? Mum! Mum! Mum! Mum! Mum! Mum! Mum! Aah! Aah! Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Aah! Aah! Oh! It's you, Harper! Oh, God. Harper, it's you! Come on! Let's go. Did you see Dad? No, I was down there when I woke up. How do you think you got there? It wasn't Dad, Mum. It was the ghost. Shit! My keys are upstairs in my bag. No, don't, Mum, please. Please don't leave us! Well, come with me, then! - No, mum! - We can't sit here all night. You need your inhaler. I'm going back upstairs. Lock the door! Oh, God. Oh, God. - W-What? Penny? Penny? Penny? Shh, it's OK. We're safe in here, OK? Aah! Aah! We're gonna die! Uhh! How are you feeling? Where have you been, Alec? I went for a walk on the moor. To clear my head. Are you sure you're feeling OK? You're wearing a coat. Are you leaving? I thought I'd take the kids to Grandpa's for a couple of days, but I'll come right back. But we're getting so close. I just think we all need a break. Why don't we just talk about this when I get back? You can't abandon me. There's so much to be done. Why are you behaving like this? Harper? Penny? Where's the car?! Penny?! Harper?! Where's the fucking car? Help me, somebody, please!? Penny! Harper! We need to talk. The kids have gone! Someone's taken the car. We need to call to call the police! What kids? Let go of me! Let go of me! Isabella, what are you doing in here? It's nearly time. We have to get ready. What's happening to us, Alec? Who's Alec? One of your lovers? Stop it! Stop it! Keep away from me! You're losing your fucking mind! We made a sacred pact. You can't lose heart, Isabella. I think Radcliffe's trying to possess you somehow. You've got to be strong. You've got to fight this! I love you more than life itself, Petal. Are you OK? I think I peed. When I say run, you run with me, OK? OK. Ready? 1, 2, 3, run! Aah! What now? Oh, my gosh, why isn't there ever any signal in this stupid place? OK, I think it's this way. What if the ghost has killed Mum? - Stop thinking those thoughts. - You think those thoughts. Well, I'm older than you. What will we do if he has? It's fine. We'll get home and find Dad and he'll know what to do. What if the ghost has killed Dad? Then we'll run away and go back to London. OK, if we have to run, Harper, you stay close to me, OK? You! You there! - Harper! - Yeah! Harper! Harper! Penny! Oh, God. Harper? Uhh... Daddy! Daddy! Oh! Dad? Stop it, Dad. Aah! Ow! Dad, ow! Dad! Dad! Aah! Dad! Aah! No! Dad! Let me out! Dad! Dad! Aah! Aah! Harper. We need to get you out of there. Harper, stand back from the window, OK? You OK? OK. Dad's gone mad. We've got to find Mum. Have you seen her? No, what are we going to do? We've got to find her. Penny, he's changed. He locked me in the room. The ghost got inside him. OK. Let's go. Uhh! Boy! Mum! Mum! Wake up. Are you all right? Yeah. Mum come on, we have to hurry. - I think I can. - OK. Oh, my God. What's happening? The window! I think we can reach the fire escape from the rooftop. - Aah! - Ohh! Isabella? Please? Don't look down. Don't look down. Please? Please! Charles! Uhh! Oof! Why did you do that? Are you all right? Oh, my head! My back. What happened? Oh! Oh, you scared us! I love you, Petal. |
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