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The Curse of Sleeping Beauty (2016)
So you, uh, left
the door open again. Cash is on the counter. You know, as much as I love being your personal maid and running all these little errands for you, you really need to get out of this apartment, buddy. This is... It's gettin' ridiculous. I just have a couple more paintings to finish up. But thank you for your help. No problem. Hey, I'm goin' over to McGowan's. Craig's got his birthday happening. You should come with. I don't like karaoke. It's not karaoke. It's drunk girls singing. So it's drunk girl-araoke, which is awesome. Everybody loves drunk girl-araoke. You should come, get out of your apartment. - It smells like a shoe. - Oh. No, I'm fine. Okay. Sleep paralysis. It's happening every morning now? Only when I have the dream. But it's happened two nights in a row. It hasn't happened that close together before. The Sleeping Beauty dream? It always ends the same way. I'm about to kiss her, then get distracted by some creepy-looking house and that's it. Are they connected, the sleep paralysis and the dream? What do you think? I did some reading on sleep paralysis and it's supposedly your body not moving smoothly through the stages of sleep. And I also read that in the Dark Ages people thought the paralysis was a demon or evil spirit sitting on your chest. You mentioned that I'm your third therapist in three years. So you already know what I'm gonna say about the dream. Your subconscious created this perfect, passive woman with whom you are unable to connect. Can you see the parallels here with your isolation with people? That is the distraction keeping you from your real life. Your lack of human interaction is what makes these sessions the wrong kind of necessity. You're looking for an answer you already know. You just won't accept. What you need is to put yourself out there again. Be vulnerable. Only then do I think this dream will fade and you won't depend on this so much. Hello? Is this Thomas Kaiser? - Yes. Who is this? - Hi, this is Katherine from the law office of Jeff Jennings and Associates. Can you come down to claim your inheritance? What? Uh-huh. Yep. Yeah. Talk to you later, bye. Where is this? The address is at the top. - It's like three hours from here. - You know what? I really know just about as much as you do. This firm is just the executor of the property. Wait. You said Clive Kaiser died and left this property to me? Yes. It says here that you are the beneficiary. I had to dig in the archives downstairs for this. It looks like the property's been in your family for generations. It doesn't make any sense. I've never met my uncle... Okay, you're breaking my heart. This came in a few days ago. It's from your uncle Clive and the envelope said that it should go to you along with the deed. How much is the property worth? It's never been sold, so there's no reference. You'll have to get it appraised. We can help you with that, for a fee. But you know what? You might want to go out there and check it out on your own. - You okay? - How did he die? Oh, it says here that his body was found in the river by the property. It was ruled suicide. Thanks. I'll have a real estate associate meet you out there. 'Cause I am not drivin' out to that place. That was stimulating. Thomas, I wish we had a chance to get to know each other. Your grandmother, my mother, did her best to make sure that we had never met. She was not without her reasons. The men in our family carry with us something terrible. Kaiser Gardens has been in our family for a very long time. I have held watch for over four decades. I cannot withstand the burden of this property anymore. I entrust Kaiser Gardens to you. Oh, hey man. I brought the... Where are you going? I'm just gonna check something out. I'll be back soon though. But I got you the stuff that you were asking... - Just leave it on the counter. - What about your paintings? Uh, watch over 'em for me? Watch over your paintings? What, are we dating? When you reach Kaiser Gardens, there are rules you must obey. Your bloodline is able to access all parts of the property, but you must never enter the hidden rooms below the basement. Trust me when I say they are sealed for a reason, along with any objects protected against the hands of outsiders. I wish you well. And I ask for your forgiveness. It is a curse... ...and a blessing. May the spirits be on your side. Hello? Hey. Ah, shit. I'm so sorry. Thomas. - Yeah. - Yeah, hi, I'm... Hi, I'm sorry. I'm Linda Coleman. We spoke over the phone. - I'm so sorry. I wasn't quite... - It's okay. I kinda spooked myself out. Yeah, I don't blame you. Ah, this place is a shit hole. Um, here. I'll give you the keys to the house. And your keys to the front door. You just, um... Well, you open the door the old-fashioned way. You just turn it. So much for the thrill of breaking and entering. And I have an appraiser going to come by this week to get a ballpark estimate of this property. - Sorry for your loss. - Did you know my uncle? No, not personally. No. No, he was more of a shut-in. Were you close? I didn't know anything about him until a couple days ago. Well that's weird. He just... He just gave you this property just like that? That's very weird. Based on his letter to me he was more than just weird. He was bat shit crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Um, these mannequins, and his artwork would definitely qualify him. Um, I'm sorry. Do you have a letter from your uncle? You talked about that. The lawyer handed it to me with the deed. Would you mind if I take a look at it? It's actually in my car. Why? I'm so sorry. You must be so tired. It was very nice to meet you, Thomas. Have a nice day. Bye. Thomas. I always woke up before. This can't be a dream. It's too real. This realm is like a dream. One where we can both dwell. You're in my head. As you are in mine. I am also close to you in the physical world. That is the reason I am awake. Sleeping Beauty. It's what I called you before. Briar Rose is my given name. I like that. When you said you're close to me in the physical world, what do you mean? So I'm still asleep, awaiting your kiss. Thomas, don't go. Rose! Pipes are old and gonna need to be replaced. Interior paint is decent. Outside could use a coat. Sounds expensive. Not very well maintained. Did you find anything weird inside the house? You're kiddin' me, right? I mean in terms of, like, vibes. Are you asking me if I think this house is haunted? Yes. Quite a few folks have gone missing over the years but the police have searched this house a bunch of times and never found any evidence. Fingers have always pointed right back to this house. It didn't help your uncle's popularity any. It's probably why he didn't leave the house that much. Do you think it will affect the asking price? Yep, especially if the buyer's local. Now I suggest you get the electrical fixed first before we do the final estimate. Here, I can give you this card for the best electrician in town. He's the only electrician in town. - Thanks. - I can come back day after tomorrow. We can sit down, look at the wiring, and see what needs to be done without breaking the bank. I'd appreciate that very much. Oh, the basement. I think there's more to it. - What do you mean? - Well it's not on the blueprints and whoever did the wall did a pretty good job, but I've doing this job long enough to know when there's extra square feet hidden away. Excuse me. Hi. I need to look at some property records. You're gonna have to be a bit more specific than that. Uh, I just inherited a house so I need to check some records for an appraisal. - Address? - 1542 Chanley Street. It's Kaiser Gardens. Oh. Hi. I'm sorry to show up unannounced like this. I have something I need to speak to you about. Yeah, that's okay. You don't look so good. Are you okay? I'll be fine. I stopped by the county clerk's office today. What did you find out? That the house has been in my family since before they kept records. Earliest name on the deed is from 1876. Jacob Kaiser. That's interesting. Do you have any information you want to add on to that? I don't know what you're getting at. I think you do. There was a note in the file and the handwriting matches your handwriting from Billings's appraisal. Well I don't like being ambushed. What is it about the property that you're so interested in? Okay. Please. Answer me. My brother died in that house. So whatever sick, twisted thing you people have going on, I'm gonna figure it out. I told you I only found that out... Well, you must know something. At this point you know more than I do. My brother wasn't the only one. Fifty-three people have gone missing from that property in the last 125 years. The appraiser said the cops searched the place top to bottom. They found nothing. Yeah, well that's what this town keeps on telling itself. You think my uncle did it? I think it's something worse. You think it's haunted. You don't? I don't care. I wanna sell it and get the hell out of this godforsaken town. Well I'm gonna find my answers. And if you end up being one of those answers, so help me God. Thomas? Thomas, Thomas? Thomas, wake up. Thomas can you hear me? Help! Thomas. Thomas, wake up. Thomas can you hear me? Help! Somebody! Thomas! What's wrong with him? Panic attack. I gave him something to calm him down. Come to me. You're back. Only in my dreams. This realm is yours as much as it is mine. What about in waking life? You will be the one to set me free. You are lord of the land which I am cursed to. You may be mortal, Thomas, but in the physical realm you have great power. The Veiled Demon knows this. The Veiled Demon? Is that what I saw yesterday? She is merely an intruder on your domain. She is what made me flee. Until her curse is lifted, we can't truly be together. And to lift the curse, I need to what? Defeat her? You are the heir apparent of the Kaiser bloodline. Only you can wake me. You are away from me, away from your land. Yeah. When you are separated from me, your body withers. It is the same curse that imprisons me. The curse is real, Thomas. You are in Kaiser Gardens? Remember the bloodline will awaken me, and open all doors. You must wake up now. Hi. I, uh... ...brought you some food. What time is it? Last I checked, five p.m. Here. What happened? Um, well, you passed out at the bar and then I took you to the hospital. The doctor said there was nothing wrong with you, physically, and then you started screaming that you needed to be taken back here. You were fine once you got back to the house. - Shit. - Yeah. Um, did you ever figure out what happened to the lights? They work on and off. Especially at night, everything seems to stop working. My files. Why you helping me now? Mutual interest. You seem to be stuck with this place and I want to find my brother. You think he's here? I was living in Oregon when I got the phone call. It was hell on my parents but we spent months searching, which is why I came here. I was a realtor in Portland so I figured it was my way onto the property. His name is Luke. He was supposedly with his girlfriend. A witness said he saw him walking this way. They were out one drunken night. They must have come to the house on a dare. That was the last time he was seen. I am completely obsessed with this place. Every few years another person goes missing. Thomas, you said last night that Jacob Kaiser is the oldest holder of this property. Well two generations later, Michael Kaiser was the owner of this property. Earlier 1900s he tried to burn this place into the ground. He died a few days later. Body just shut down. From what I could figure out with your family on this side, is that it's all pretty much the same story. Accidental deaths, suicides. Males, shut-ins. I believe that it has to do with this house. Some sort of supernatural connection. Let's say I'm stuck in this mansion until I die. There has to be a way to break the spell, or curse, or whatever. You think it's a curse? I'm entertaining the possibility. But cops, us, have searched the house top to bottom. That's why I wanted to see your uncle's letter. There has to be something there that connects your family's bloodline. Bloodline. - Thomas? - Come on. Follow me. I have the letter. Be careful. This is it. Whoa. Yeah. So Billings was certain there was more space behind this wall. And your uncle also says here that there are more rooms below the basement. Here. Yeah, I tried that. It doesn't move. Hey, is that blood? That's what I thought. Bloodline. Holy shit. Yeah. - Looks like there's a tunnel. - Maybe. Look at this. It's a journal. What are you doing? In his letter Clive said the seals are meant to keep people out. You. Where's my uncle's letter? The handwriting matches, but I don't understand what it says. Neither do I. I have no idea what language this is. What was that? Come on. Let's go. - Did you see that? - No. Thomas. Thomas, Thomas. Oh, shit! - Looks like we have to go through them. - Slowly. Did you just see that? Yeah, it's like it didn't want to hurt me. There. Come on! Okay, go. Go. What the hell was that? I don't know. Hold this. I don't see any more. - Give me the book. - Okay. Linda. - Do you still have the journal? - Yes. - Where are the keys? - Oh, shit! Richard. Get in. - Go! - All right, where? This is an unexpected way to meet you officially. I tried calling you on the cell phone, but no luck, so I decided to take a look at that property that you've been yammering on about for the last few months. Excellent timing, Richard. Something else you want to tell me? Listen, uh, sorry. Richard Meyers. Glad to make your acquaintance. Richard is an expert in supernatural phenomenons, - specifically demonic. - Well, paranormal cleric. I perform rituals sanctified by the Paranormal Community, Catholic Church, to name a few. Great. So what were you running from? Something Thomas did not believe in five minutes ago. Come on, let's go to my place. I'll explain it to you there. All right. Well, welcome to my place. There is something that I want to show you guys. - You took all of these? - Yep. I've been documenting the paranormal activity surrounding the Kaiser Gardens. I figured out that if you use a very powerful lens and you open the shutter for a really long time that you can pick up on that. See these, these spirits, some people call them demons or ghosts or djinns but they are everywhere. Djinns? Well, there are three kinds of beings. There are the angels that are created by light. Humans are created by clay. And djinns are created by fire. - Like right there. - Yes. So that thing we saw in the house, the dark figure moving in and out? Most likely that was a Djinn. They mostly appear as a shadow or as a black dog. They can be evil, or good. And they can take possession of many things, such as inanimate objects. But like angels, they exist in a supernatural realm, and like humans they have free will. Free will. So they're behind what's happening at the house? And I'm stuck with them? I hate this goddamn house. I don't blame you. At least we know what we're dealing with. It doesn't matter. Nothing does. My life is over. Don't you get it? What are you talkin' about? Richard, he gets a sickness. We think if he spends more than a few days away from the property, he'll die. So you're cosmically bound to the property? That's interesting. You know, I've heard about this before but I've never actually seen it. This is exciting. You... May I please borrow the keys to your car, Richard? Oh, well, it needs gas. Thanks a lot, Uncle Clive. Shit! I'm not tied to the property. I'm tied to her, Briar Rose. - Who's Briar Rose? - I don't really know. I've dreamt about her my entire adult life, always in Kaiser Gardens, always asleep. Only when I inherited the property did she wake up, but only in the dream. She said her body is somewhere on the property and the only place we haven't looked is deeper in those basement rooms. - You say these are dreams? - She also mentioned a demon. I saw this in a nightmare. Rose called it the Veiled Demon. I've seen this face before. In ancient drawings in my trips to Jordan. She's called Shaytan Al-Hayalshabat, which translates into the Veiled Demon. In Greek mythology she's the female version of Erebus. This must be the source of the haunting. I think if we can find Briar Rose and wake her up, it will break the curse. So, uh, does it say anything about Rose or how to save her? I don't know. It's in a coded ancient language. We're gonna have to get somebody to help us translate this book. Well, you have your ex-boyfriend. No, Richard. He's not my ex-boyfriend. I went on two dates with him. It was two dates. It was like a deal. He was gonna help me with some things. You said the deal was one date. The details are not important. - As I live and breathe. - Hi, Daniel. Thanks for taking us on such short notice. Sure thing. Richard, it's nice to finally meet you in person. It's nice to see everybody in the flesh. It's like a family reunion. Ah, and who's this? Your boyfriend? He looks a little sickly. - Daniel! - I kid, because I love. Come on in. Welcome to my secret lair. I knocked a few walls down, rewired the whole place myself. Pretty unique. Oh, here. Let me show you. You see, it starts... Right here it gets dicey. All this writing looks like Aramaic script. - Right. - Oldest surviving Arabic grammar. Same as the last thing you gave me. This could take a while. - How long will it take? - How long? How long? Where'd you get this guy from? For your info, smart guy, I occasionally work for the government doing stuff I can't talk about. The program that we're using to figure out this ancient journal, I wrote it. Okay. Daniel. Yeah, uh, we have to get him back to the property or else his body's gonna shut down. Oh, bummer. Sorry. Daniel, it's gonna be a long night. Let's just have a drink here. Mmm. It's an Irish recipe. I made it myself. I call this program the Cypher Wizard. It uses some of the same logarithms I use in code breaking for the government. These ancient writings are essentially a kind of code, with symbols and double meanings. So you need to translate on two levels, the language or symbols, and what those symbols are really trying to say, in the context of the symbols around it. So how did this ancient book get into the house? I don't know how it got there. I can only tell you what it says. Now whoever wrote this journal, no doubt one of your ancestors, has got an unparalleled knowledge of both the language and the supernatural. All right, let's do some work. Thomas? Door's open. You home? Thomas, electricity still isn't working. Thomas? Thomas? Ya home? Hello? What are you doing here? Thomas? Is that you? This isn't funny. Hey. I brought you some coffee. Thank you. - Do you mind if I sit? - No, please. How's your shoulder? It's seen better days. For what it's worth, I'm really glad that you're here, sharing this horrifying experience with me. At least you have a choice in the matter. You guys don't even need to be here. Yet you are. Back in the city, I was just going through the motions. I didn't care about anything or anyone. Yeah, broken heart? No? Shit job? I was engaged. She got sick... And by the time they found the cancer it was too late. And that was three years ago. I am so sorry. I used her death as an excuse to check out. I lost my job, my house, everything. A friend graciously put me in a cubicle but reality never quite set in. You on the other hand, you lose a brother, and you become a regular Nancy Drew. Are you okay? - You okay? - Yeah. It looks like I've traded one shitty existence for another. Yeah, but we're close to finding the answers and the truth. I've had enough answers for one day. It's just a lot at once and I still don't know how Rose fits into the picture. Rose, the girl from your dreams? We have this connection. I can't explain it. They're more than dreams. They're so real. And after what happened today... Wait, uh... Are you saying that you think that you have some sort of real connection with this Briar Rose? Maybe. Okay, um... Well, uh... I should um... Go. I'm gonna take the couch upstairs. You should get some sleep. Say hi to Briar Rose for me. Thomas. Yo. We got some new Intel, bro. What do we got? Well the journal was written by one of your earliest ancestors, William Kaiser, during the Crusades. Shit's old. This is the first page of the journal. "I, William Kaiser, have wrought upon my family a debt which shall never be repaid. This sacrifice of a virgin bride to Iblis." In Islam, the devil is known as Iblis. He's the first to refuse to bow to Adam. - Essentially it's Satan. - Well, Azazel, yes. The Quran and the Bible have many similarities, just different names. So William had connections with Rose and Satan? There. Briar Rose, that's her name right? She was royalty known for her beauty. A Djinn cursed her with a needle that pierced her skin and put her in eternal sleep. Sounds like a fairy tale. It must be Iblis who wants her. Now, if this is real she's alive, but she's trapped in limbo, a slave to the supernatural realm. The Veiled Demon is the guard of Rose between these realms. The only other thing that was deciphered so far is, "The blood of our line shall open the gate." This phrase is next to this picture. What are you doing? I'm looking for protective spells in the original Arabic. They must be somewhere in here. Are you okay? I think we're gonna have to get him back. No, it's too dangerous to go back to the house. If it's just me we'll be fine. Oh no. What? Billings the appraiser. All right, it's all right. We'll be right back. Thomas. Rose, where am I? You have to move quickly, Thomas. There's no time left. When you are away, her evil thrives here. Do not trust. Just drive straight in. I can make it myself. No, you can't. When you confront her in her true form she can do more than haunt and bestow nightmares. Your bloodline will no longer protect you. Stop. Are you okay? Billings's car. - You all right? - Just stay here and don't follow me! Just trust me. Billings! This is it. This ends right here, right now. Where are you taking us? Ah, yes. Yes, this is the symbol for Iblis all right. Azazel. I think that we should get the cops involved. There is evidence all over the second floor bedroom that proves that Billings was killed here. We can't get the cops involved. Protocol would be to board this place up for who knows how long. I'd be booked as a suspect and spend at least a few nights in jail, and that would not bode well for me. We can figure this out for ourselves. If we just find... No! What... Richard, there it is. That's the gateway. - Linda. - Hm? Now, I uh... I have this. - A gun? - Well, ya never know. It's best to be prepared. How well do you know this guy? You want to tell him to sit this one out? Watch out. Well, it knows we're here. You said you have protection spells, right? Well, hopefully. I have a few we could use in there. Hopefully? Rose, she said I'm no longer protected once I'm near this Veiled Demon. I could die in here. Well, that makes three of us. Let's go. - Now that was a Djinn. - What did you do? I just banished him back to the hell he came from. Where are you going? Well, I'm gonna follow him unless you got a better idea. What is this place? Looks like a hospital from hell. These mannequins are different from the ones we saw. It's like someone's been working on them. It is hiding in here. I can feel it. Where did it go? I'll check over here. Luke. My brother, what have they done to you? That was my brother Luke. No. No, he left long ago. This is just an empty vessel. It's still here. Let's go get it. Oh, no. Not yet. This is the final chamber. And there she is. The Veiled Demon. And Briar Rose must be lying asleep just beyond those doors there. - How do we get past it? - Well, I don't know. We can distract her, keep her busy for a while, but you will have to wake Rose. She's the only one that can stop this. - I'm not leaving you guys. - It's our only choice. - We're doing this together. - Just listen to me. We'll keep her busy. You have to wake the Rose, whatever happens to us. You've got to wake her. I see you. Turn around and face us. Your spells and weapons are useless here. Are you the maker? Did you create these vessels? You have a lot to answer for. All who enter my realm will be punished. And their souls will be mine. I stand here in the name... I have the power here, as do the other djinns tasked to stand guard when the curse was first brought forth. Other djinns? There are 13 of us. - Where are they? - I answer to no mortal. You will answer to me! How dare you enter into my domain? Fools. Your mortal eyes are blind. It is I who is the protector. Where is the young Kaiser? Bloodline... Thank you. Now, the prophecy can be fulfilled. Your task has been completed. Mine has just begun. And I have plans for you. How dare you think you could come in here and break the curse? Unleashing the evil will summon the demons of the doomed Kaiser bloodline. And I... A thousand years. I have not forgotten. Rose is evil. You have to stop her. Linda! Ah. There's a special small taste of what's to come. I would kill you... ...but I want you to stay to see all of the darkness I have to show you. "We are cursed with the souls of demons in our blood. They live within us, using our bodies as their vessels. First comes the nightmares. Then the sickness begins to take over and he begins to hear the spirits of the damned. The souls of the Kaiser generations seeping into his blood. But be warned that one must never communicate with any demons, for you never know if it is a true beast, a true evil. The one who will use our curse in order to bring about the Qiyamat. The apocalypse. The end of our world." Soon, you shall all awaken... ...and bring about my Qiyamat. |
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