Re-cycle (2006) - full transcript

After writing three best-sellers about love story based on her own experiences, the successful writer Tsui Ting-Yin is without inspiration and having difficulties to write her new novel in the horror genre entitled "Re-cycle". While drafting the text, spooky events happen at her apartment and her former boy-friend of eight years ago visits her, after his divorce, proposing Tsui. When Tsui sees a supernatural long-haired character of her book, she follows him and is trapped in his world of terror. But she is saved by the young Ting-yu, who discloses a secret about her to Tsui.

Hey, please help me
carry the books out.

What's the matter?

You put me on the spot!

What did l do?

It's all your fault.

You shouldn't have announced
my new book, Recycle, so soon.

You should have waited
until I was almost finished.

Now I'm stressed
over writing the female protagonist.

The male lead from my
previous novel, Guo Rong...

...took me four drafts to get right.

I got it. I understand.
You don't have to finish it in a hurry.



Just take your time.

The early announcement
is just a promotional strategy.

The later the book comes out, the
more people will look forward to it.

When the time is right
for Recycle to be published...

...l guarantee it will be a bestseller.

Having met at the wrong moment,
their paths cross again.

Reaching the end of love.

Original novel written by Chu Xun.

My Love

[APPLAUSE]

Hello, everyone.

On behalf of our company...

...l'd like to thank our friends
from the media...

...for coming to the press conference
of the movie My Love.



This is our first film adaptation
of a novel by Miss Chu Xun.

May I ask a question? Among
the three volumes of My Love...

...why did you adapt this volume
into a movie?

After reading
the three volumes of My Love...

...l was amazed by Miss Chu.

She was able to write three love
novels in only three years' time.

Her incredible imagination
and creativity are really admirable.

Besides, the ending of the
third volume best expresses...

...the faithfulness of the love
between Guo Rong and Yong Lin.

Miss Chu Xun...

...the story between the two
characters, Guo Rong and Yong Lin...

...is very vividly written in the book.

Did that come from
your own experience?

Is that true?

[CLEARS THROAT]

Well, l admit that some of it
was my own experience.

When I'm writing...

...l subconsciously put myself
into the character.

Therefore, each Yong Lin...

...is a part of me.

If Yong Lin is modeled after yourself...

...l think a lot of readers would love
to know who Guo Rong is.

[AUDIENCE CHATTERING]

That person is no longer with us.

In fact, Miss Chu has started writing
her new book.

Can you tell us something
about the new book?

It will be a book
about the supernatural.

What's the title?

The book's title is Recycle.

Recycle

[CHATTERlNG]

Have you actually seen a ghost?

No, I haven't.

But l have heard
about many strange occurrences.

What kind of strange occurrences?

You'll find out
when you read Recycle.

Are you afraid of ghosts?

I believe many of us are.

Even though l'm afraid,
I would still like to see one.

MAN:
Why?

Because I want to experience...

...true terror that wells up
from the depths of the heart.

Personal experience
is crucial to a writer.

-Do you have an entry pass?
-Oh. Uh....

-No, I don't.
-Sorry, you can't get in.

But l know her.

-Sorry, you can't get in without a pass.
-Please do me a favor.

-l've got something urgent.
-No way.

[APPLAUSE]

Ladies and gentlemen,
now it's time for the readers...

...to get autographs
from Miss Chu Xun.

This is the end of the press
conference. Thank you very much.

HAO RAN:
Ting-Yin.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

When did you come back?

Last night.

Do you have some time? Can we talk?

LAWRENCE:
Ting-Yin.

Here you are.

Hi.

We need to go. The autograph
session is about to start.

We have nothing to talk about.

I'm busy today. Maybe later.

When did he come back?

He said yesterday.

Does it mean
there will be a sequel to My Love?

Come on. Let's go.

My Love
Chu Xun

TING-YlN:
The female protagonist is called...

...Fang Yu-ling.

Her hair is very, very long.

Her figure is oddly lanky.

Her survival instinct is very strong.

One day, Yu-ling sat in the
living room, thinking.

[TYPlNG]

The female protagonist of Recycle
is called Fung Sin-mei.

A woman full of adventurous spirit.

[PHONE RlNGING]

Hello?

[PHONE RlNGS]

Hello?

SANDY:
Hello, Chu Xun. This is Sandy.

Sandy. What's up?

Will you be free tomorrow?

I should be. What's the matter?

I would like to talk to you
about something.

My brother is back in Hong Kong.

In that case, l won't be free.

Come on,
just have dinner with me, okay?

It's been a long time.

Okay, as long
as you don't mention him.

Where should we meet?

Outside Sogo at 2:00, okay?

Okay. See you tomorrow.

Okay. See you tomorrow. Bye.

[PHONE RlNGS]

[STATIC]

Hello?

[DlAL TONE]

Do you know Hao Ran is back?

You've asked many times.
I said not to mention him.

He and Xu Fen are divorced.

Won't you give him another chance?

What chance?
Did he ask you to tell me that?

I'm sorry.

The writing hasn't been going well.
I'm in a foul mood.

I really don't want to talk about him.

Actually, I should apologize.

My brother asked me to do this.
What could l do?

He will check in with me
when l get home.

He really wants to see you.

When did he divorce?

Three months ago.

I told you so.
They were bound to get divorced.

What if I ask him to pay you a visit?
No matter what, just hear him out.

Oh, how's your new book going?
When will it be published?

I just started.

But for some reason,
it's not going well.

- The inspiration will come.
- Maybe.

Recently, something strange
happened at home.

They say writing or filming
about spirits brings them to life.

Last night, l had a feeling...

...that someone else
was in my house.

Someone else?

I found a few strands of hair
in the kitchen.

Much longer than mine.

You've been working too hard.
Maybe you were just overly sensitive.

But...

...l saw a figure.

Could it be a hallucination?

Hey, don't look so spaced out.
You're scaring me.

Was I? Many people
said the same thing to me.

[FOOTSTEPS]

[WATER RUNNlNG]

[MAN ON TELEVISlON
TALKING INDISTINCTLY]

[PHONE RlNGING]

Hello?

[COUGHlNG & GROANING]

[TYPlNG]

Sin-mei found...

...strands of long hair
in the bathroom.

They were behind
the shower curtain.

[PHONE RlNGING]

[GROANING]

No voice on the phone.
Only a hollow hissing.

[DlAL TONE]

[BEEPS]

[GROANING]

[WAILS]

[RUSTLlNG]

The female protagonist
is called Fang Yu-ling.

Her hair is very long.
Her figure is oddly lanky.

One night, she received three calls.

Strange noises in the receiver.

What's going on?

[DOORBELL RlNGS]

You don't look well.

Are you all right?

What do you want?

Why are you here?

I called, but the line was busy.

So l came up to check on you.

You sure you're okay?

I'm fine now.

What do you want?

I wanted to see you.

Something l would like to discuss.

- May I come in?
- No.

Then can we go out for dinner?

You seem frightened.

Really?

You've been working too hard.
You should get some rest.

No.

I got a divorce.

I know. Sandy told me.

Ting-Yin.

I think we should--

Stop saying, "l think."

You should have done this
eight years ago.

Now it's too late.

Yes, you're right.

I did contemplate a divorce
eight years ago. l was gonna--

"Contemplate."

Eight years ago,
I was ready to divorce Xu Fen.

But she suddenly told me...

...she was pregnant.

As a result....

You didn't want to hurt her...

...so you didn't say a thing, right?

Yes, that was the only reason.

You said you had to go to the States
to visit your father-in-law.

Why did it take so long?

Because my father-in-law died
in an accident.

I had to take care of his business.

I wrote you and asked you
to wait for me.

Yes, l received your letters...

...asking me to wait for this and that.

Later on,
I simply stopped opening them.

That's enough.
I don't want to hear any more.

Had l waited for you...

...l would have wasted
eight years of my life.

Ting-Yin.

--the phenomenon was unnatural....

Dim light appeared
at the end of the hallway.

The noise from the wind....

--by seeing this unnatural scene.

She pressed for the 1 0th floor
in the elevator.

The elevator doors opened.

The elevator stopped on the 7th floor.

[GASPS]

The hallway.

GIRL:
Grandma, the elevator is here.

Come back. We're not there yet.

One more floor down.

[SCREAMS]

[GASPS]

[GROANING]

[BARKING]

OLD MAN:
How did you get here?

Come and take a seat.

Sir, could you tell me,
what is this place?

Try to recall.

How did you get here?

I went down.

Everything looked different.

In the elevator,
I saw an old woman and a kid.

Then....

I don't remember.

This place is not for you.

But why are you here?

You think I'm like you?

GIRL:
Mommy?

[COUGHlNG]

Mommy? Mommy?

Don't you remember?

It all started
after I'd begun writing Recycle.

Is it because of the book?

You created this place.

Not created by you only.
There are others.

All of you
are creators of this domain.

Can you explain it more clearly?
I don't understand.

OLD MAN: This is a
dimension for the abandoned.

All discarded creations...

...end up in this domain.

And they may vanish any minute.

Everything is cyclical.

We are here...

...because we have been abandoned.

I think you have to go now.

- What's happening?
- Don't speak.

- What about you?
- I can't go there.

When things begin to disintegrate,
you have to go.

Or you will vanish with them.

Remember,
you can't stay long over there.

[GROANING]

[GROWLlNG]

[GEARS WHINING]

GIRL:
Follow me.

Who exactly are you?

Who am l? I don't know.

We have no names.

TING-YlN:
What is this place?

Why are there
so many broken things?

GIRL: This is a forgotten world
for the abandoned.

TING-YlN:
The abandoned?

Yes, everything you discard
ends up here.

Even thoughts
and unfulfilled promises.

They all end up here.

So the spiritual world
I was writing about...

...really exists?

Look! Don't you remember?

You threw away many old toys
when you were a kid.

All of them can be found here.

Now you know what it means
to be abandoned.

You can't stay here.
You must return to your dimension.

TING-YlN:
How can l do that?

Can you show me the way?

I know a place called the Transit.

But l don't know how to get there.

Even if you get there,
it's still pointless.

Why?

[RUSTLlNG]

GIRL: Recycle is fast
approaching. We have to run.

TING-YlN: What if we don't?
-We will disintegrate and be recycled.

It will be the end of us.

Go!

[GRUNTS]

TING-YlN:
What just happened?

GIRL: lf we hadn't run,
we would have vanished.

Let me introduce you to someone.

He knows where the Transit is.

Sir, how come you are here?

I told you before.
I belong to this domain.

You tell her.

She has to leave right away.

It's dangerous here.

I want to leave, but I don't know how.

You wanted to write about
the supernatural.

You were looking for inspiration.

But you didn't expect to end up here.

Tell us how to get to the Transit.

You want to go to the Transit?

Sir, please help me.

I really didn't expect to end up here.

Even if l tell you where it is...

...you can't get there by yourself.

I'll take her there.

Follow me. Follow me.

It's a long way from here
to the Transit.

The exact location
is not recorded here.

The book only has some hints.

GIRL:
What hints?

OLD MAN:
"Pick the wild flowers...

...take the path covered with
Hell money...

...Crescent moon. Red earth.
Fading sky and fading land.

See the rootless grasses,
then it's near.

When you arrive at the Transit,
it's time to depart."

Um....

After that.... The book is too worn.
I can't make it out.

Take this Hell money.

When you cross the bridge,
remember to hold your breath...

...or we'll be in trouble.

[GROANING]

GIRL:
It's okay, follow me.

[GROANING GETS LOUDER]

You go first.

Where to?

Jump into the well.

Go! l'll catch up with you later!

[SCREAMlNG]

[GASPS]

[BABIES SCREAMING & CRYING]

Little girl!

Where are you?

[GASPS]

[GROWLlNG]

Little girl!

GIRL:
Don't look! Come here!

Don't look! Hurry up!

How?

GIRL:
Run straight over! Hurry!

They didn't come after us.

[GlRL CHUCKLES]

Still scared?

What were those things?

They were aborted fetuses.

I feel sorry for them.

Aborted fetuses?

They continue to grow here.

When they become adults,
they have to leave there...

...and go to a dimension
where they belong.

Don't leave me alone again.
You promise?

I'm confused.

You say the abandoned things
all end up here.

But why do they become
so frightening?

[PANTlNG]

Are you okay?

Why do you look so pale?

The closer to the Transit,
the stronger the power of light.

I'll be fine. I must get you out of here.

So many flowers!

GIRL: Wild flowers. crescent moon.
Red earth.

Fading sky and fading land.
Rootless grasses.

Wild flowers. crescent moon.
Red earth.

Fading sky and fading land.
Rootless grasses.

BOTH:
Wild flowers.

Crescent moon. Red earth.

Fading sky and fading land.

Rootless grasses.

Wild flowers. crescent moon....

What's the purpose
of picking these flowers?

I don't know either.

The old man told us to pick them.
They must be useful.

For some reason...

...l feel I've seen you before.

That's impossible.

Why don't you give me a name?

All right. Then l can call you by it.

How about...

...Ting-Yu? How is that?

Ting-Yu? Good. lt sounds pretty.

Ting-Yu. Ting-Yu.

My name is Ting-Yin. l like it.

[GROWLlNG & SNARLING]

TING-YlN:
Who are they?

TING-YU: They are those buried
under the gravestones.

No one remembers them.

No one remembers?

Their offspring had neglected them
for a long time...

...so they ended up here.

They're blocking the way.

How can we get through?

Don't be afraid. Just follow me.

[GROANING]

TING-YlN:
What's happening?

You said they had been neglected
for a long time, didn't you?

Yes.

[SNARLING]

[GASPS]

TING-YlN:
Ting-Yu, do you have more flowers?

TING-YU: No!
-Forget it, then! Let's go!

Take this Hell money.
It'll come in handy.

How many more levels
before the Transit?

Why are your hands so cold?

I'm fine.
I think we are at the Transit now.

Can you leave with me?

No. If l go to your dimension,
I'll become a wandering spirit.

It will be the end of me.

What should l do?

I can't leave you behind.

Don't worry. l belong here.

OLD MAN:
Pick the wild flowers...

...take the path
covered with Hell money.

Crescent moon. Red earth.
Fading sky and fading land.

See the rootless grasses,
then it's near.

When you arrive at the Transit,
it.s time to depart.

Ting-Yu.

What's happening?

We have arrived.

The Transit.

You'd better hurry.

Are you going to be okay?

[GROANING]

You dumped us here.

You created us...

...and then discarded us.

I want you to stay here forever.
You can never leave!

Forever and ever!

[GASPlNG]

Ting-Yu. Wake up!

Tell me what l should do.

Ting-Yu!

We've reached the ending
she'd written.

She? What ending?

What are you talking about?

Who are you?

Mommy.

What did you call me?

Had l waited for you...

...l would have wasted
eight years of my life.

HAO RAN:
Ting-Yin.

Eight years ago...

...l was pregnant with your baby too.

I don't want to hear your excuses.

Don't worry.

I had an abortion.

Do you know
how hard the decision was?

Please.

Don't contact me anymore.

When I first came here,
I was very angry with you.

I asked Great Grandpa
why Mommy didn't want me.

Great Grandpa said everyone
had things they wanted to forget.

You didn't mean to abandon me,
did you, Mommy?

Remember
where the aborted fetuses live?

I grew up there too.

It was a scary place.

Now you know how scared
I was, right?

Ting-Yu.

It's not that Mommy didn't want you.

Mommy was....

I'm so sorry.

Mommy was....

Grandpa!

You recognize me now, don't you?

She wanted you to come here.
Wanted to ask you in person.

Why don't you leave with Mommy?

Come with me.

You want me to be with you?

I could have been with you.

But you abandoned me.

You gave up the opportunity.

[SOBBlNG]

Ting-Yu!

Ting-Yu! Remember your name!

Can you hear me?

[GASPS]

She reminded Tin-Yu
not to forget her name

before fading into the white light.

TING-YlN:
Hello, Amy? l finished another draft.

It's an overhaul.

The female writer
in the previous draft...

...was too close to myself.
I changed it all.

Now it's a story about reincarnation.

I'll e-mail it to you now. Okay, bye!

[GASPS]

When I'm writing...

...l subconsciously put myself
into the character.

You're not the only creator.

There are others.

[PHONE CLlCKS]

[GROANS]

[BABY CRlES]