Cruel Peter (2019) - full transcript

Peter has been cruel to children, animals and servants for a long time. One night he is ambushed and wakes up in a coffin, trapped after an earthquake, in the city's Gothic cemetery.

[BOY SINGING] ♪ Here is

cruel Peter Hoffmann, see

♪ A horrid wicked boy was he

♪ He caught the flies

Poor little things

♪ And then tore off

their tiny wings

♪ And, oh!

Far worse than all beside

♪ He killed the dog

and now he'll die ♪

[SONG ENDS]

[SINISTER INSTRUMENTAL

MUSIC PLAYING]

[BOY VOCALIZING IN DISTANCE]

[VOCALIZING CONTINUES]

[VOCALIZING DRAWING CLOSER]

[HORSES NEIGHING]

[EAGLE SCREECHING]

[HORSE WHINNIES]

[CARRIAGE DOOR OPENING]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[WIND WHOOSHING]

PETER'S MOTHER:

This girl is accusing you

of cutting her face

with a razor.

Is this true?

No, Mother.

PETER: She's a liar.

PETER'S MOTHER: Did you hear

what Peter said, Giovanni?

Yes, milady.

- But that would...

- The girl is a liar. That'll be the end of it.

I want her off my property

by this evening.

PETER'S MOTHER: You know I love

you, don't you?

I do.

Give me the razor, Peter.

No, Mother.

Please, do it for me.

My father gave it to me.

It's mine.

[MOUSE SQUEALING]

[MOUSE SQUEALS]

[MOUSE SCREECHING IN PAIN]

[ALFREDO GRUNTS]

I see you found your dog

in the end.

Inside a box.

Underground.

It's your fault.

You took too long.

The garden isn't so big.

[GRUNTS]

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

Lasciami!

PETER: Try it... peasant.

Lay one hand on me and my mother

will cast your family out.

And you... will starve.

[DOG WHIMPERING]

[THUDDING]

[WHIMPERING CONTINUES]

[CLATTERING]

- [WHIMPERS]

- [GASPS]

[DOG WHIMPERING]

[GASPS]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

[CLANKING]

[CLANKING]

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

[CLANKING]

[CLANKING]

[THUNDERCLAP]

You're even more stupid

than I thought.

Did you think I didn't

recognize you?

[RAZOR BLADE RINGS]

I didn't know you were

a poet, Alfredo.

"And Oh! Far worse

than all beside.

"You killed the dog..."

ALFREDO:

And now you will die.

[WINCES]

[GRUNTS SOFTLY]

[GRUNTS]

Let me out!

[BANGING ON DOOR]

Let me out of here,

you bastard.

I'll have you killed for this.

[BANGING ON DOOR]

[GRUNTS]

[BANGING CONTINUES]

[YELLING]

[BATS SCREECHING]

[SOMBER INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

PLAYING]

Your materials are here,

Professor Nash.

- From Froome? On my desk please.

- Yeah.

No, not yet.

Please tell me,

why do you have this book?

[SIGHS] Fine.

I think I'm in for it with Liz.

Boys?

[CHUCKLES] Christ, no.

She thinks I'm a total idiot.

In reality I suspect it's

something to do with her mother.

Do you think

she feels guilty?

Guilty?

Liz?

After she died, you stopped

traveling, locked yourself away.

I hate to say it,

but you're wasting your life.

Maybe Liz thinks it's...

because of her.

What person's gonna give me a

chance after messing up like that?

There's a restoration job

going in Italy.

Quite interesting,

not too demanding.

Where?

Town in Sicily.

There's even a school for Liz.

[NORMAN CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

You've thought

of everything, boss.

That way you can show the

world what I already know.

That you can still

run a site.

[SEAGULLS SQUAWKING]

BIANCA: And this is

the English cemetery.

Much of it destroyed

by the earthquake.

Along with almost 90%

of the estate's capitals.

Messina was one of

the richest cities in Sicily.

And English ancestors

did good business here.

It's probably not the most

interesting place for a young girl.

Oh, when she

was six years old,

Liz was playing in the Catacombs of

Paris amongst millions of skeletons.

She'll be fine.

[WIND HOWLING]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[BIRDS COOING]

The school is a two-minutes

walk from the house.

You can go straight

through the wood.

NORMAN: "I can walk myself."

Alone?

We'll see.

Teenagers, no?

Tell me about it.

[NORMAN WHISTLING]

[NORMAN HUMMING]

Professor.

- Norman.

- [CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY] Norman.

Uh, you should come for

lunch at my house sometime.

If you like.

My aunt is a great cook

and she'd love to meet you.

[EXHALES]

Liz is a vegan.

It's a touchy subject.

That's no problem for Aunt Emma.

Great.

Yes. [CHUCKLES] Thank you.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

NORMAN: Grazie. Grazie.

"Here is cruel Peter Hoffmann.

"See.

"A horrid

and wicked boy was he."

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

What did he say?

Um... These toys have been

put there for a little boy.

That way, he can keep

playing in the next life.

[TAPPING TOUCHPAD]

[PENCIL CLATTERS]

[DOGS BARKING IN DISTANCE]

[BLOWS]

[CELL PHONE BUZZING]

[STRAINED] Help me.

Help.

WOMAN: ♪ Na, na, na,

na, na, na, na, na

♪ Na, na, na, na, na, na, na

♪ Na, na, na, na,

na, na, na, na ♪

Help me!

[WOMAN GROANS]

Help me!

[GROANING]

Are you all right?

You're scared.

Why?

What's your name?

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[LIZ STAMMERING]

[NORMAN EXHALES]

There you are.

HARRIET: Hello.

I'm Harriet. I live nearby.

I have to walk

through these woods.

NORMAN: You're English.

Yes, Oxford.

I didn't think there were

any English people left here.

Somebody remained.

Uh...

My daughter can't hear,

but she lip reads very well.

- Her name is, uh...

- Liz, yes, as you said.

Right.

I'm Norman.

Pleased to meet you.

I hope to see you again.

Bye.

[TYPING]

[WIND WHOOSHING]

[GASPS]

[BIRD COOING]

[GROANING]

Mom!

NORMAN: This is

Edgar Hoffmann.

He committed suicide in 1907,

slitting his own throat.

Why did he do it?

Well, no one seems to know.

It was a big scandal

at the time.

He was one of the

wealthiest men on the island

and Peter was his son.

Now, he disappeared

on the 25th of December, 1908.

That's three days

before the earthquake,

and he was never found.

- Hmm.

- Twelve years old at the time.

Quite the mystery.

BIANCA: They destroyed it.

Do these cameras work?

Ah, unfortunately, they don't.

Well, make them work.

Yes, sure.

[MIMICKING CHOKING]

[WHISPERING IN ITALIAN]

Ho una cosa per lui.

AUNT EMMA: A gift for you.

What is it?

It's a piece of material that

has been bathed in holy water.

Inside it,

there's an image of Christ.

She'd never admit it,

but she has one too.

My auntie believes that the

dead can either be good or evil.

This helps keep

the evil ones away.

[CRYSTAL BALL REVOLVING]

[WATER SPLASHING]

[LIZ PANTING]

You used this?

Don't worry.

This... [CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

It's only a toy.

It's not a toy?

You heard Mum?

Please.

You couldn't.

It's impossible.

"What will it take

for you to believe me?"

[PLACES BALL IN BOX]

Liz...

[CROWS CAWING]

[CELL PHONE RINGING]

Bianca.

[FAUCET RUMBLING]

[WATER CONTINUES RUNNING]

[LIZ GASPING]

[SHRIEKS]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

What's missing?

Uh, in this mess

it's difficult to know.

Where is the metal box?

It was right here

and now it's gone.

I'm sorry, Bianca.

Liz and I, we got off

to a bad start this morning.

We can talk about it

if you want.

- [MAN HUMMING]

- [PLAYING GUITAR]

[SINGING IN ITALIAN]

Correva l'anno 1908...

I never asked you

what brought you here.

I mean,

for someone

of your experience...

it's a little low key.

I thought

that was common knowledge.

Not for me.

Five years ago...

my wife and I were working

on a dig in Turkey.

During the excavation, we...

uncovered this

Roman sarcophagus.

Beautiful.

Totally intact.

All I had to do

was clean it up

and it would

have been perfect.

I could've waited

till the next day.

But [CHUCKLES] I was so excited that I...

I couldn't leave it.

So I sent Jane home

in her car...

with Liz.

A truck...

knocked her car off a bridge.

While I...

was dusting the earth

off piece of marble.

I lost her...

and Liz lost her hearing.

The day after the accident...

I...

I returned to the site,

I grabbed a pickax,

and I smashed that

sarcophagus into pieces.

[INDISTINCT HISSING]

[DISTORTED] Go away.

Go away.

[CONTINUES HISSING]

[CHOKING]

[SHRIEKS]

[PANTING]

[SQUELCHING]

[LIZ WHIMPERING]

[SQUELCHING CONTINUES]

[LIZ WHIMPERING]

[SQUEALS]

"Tomorrow...

"school finishes early."

Shall I pick you up?

I'm sorry about earlier.

[SIGHS] Liz.

I'm confused.

Please tell me, why?

I don't buy that.

Something is up.

I eat meat.

But with you there, never.

Please.

Can we talk

about this together?

That's enough!

I'm your father.

And I don't want

any cheeky talk from you.

I'm not the father of the year,

but... I'm trying my best

to connect with you

and you're just

driving me crazy.

[SCOFFS]

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

CALARCO: Professor Nash.

Lieutenant Calarco,

the Carabiniere.

Finally.

We've been waiting for you.

We've had some

tomb damage and a theft.

Oh. What did they steal?

A, uh, a metal box

containing some toys

and, uh, a wooden tombstone.

That is not

much of a robbery.

[SCOFFS] Have you made

any enemies here?

Enemies?

[SCOFFS] Whatever for?

Maybe you did something wrong?

I'm simply trying

to protect this cemetery

against vandals

and decades of neglect.

This cemetery, not a colosseum.

No one cares about the dead.

Well, I do, for a start.

Professor, take my advice.

Go back to England.

How about

you do your job...

I'll do mine.

I am.

I am.

Hello!

[RUNNING FOOTSTEPS]

Hey.

[PANTING]

[BELL TOLLING IN DISTANCE]

[CLICKS TONGUE AND SIGHS]

What were you thinking?

The whole place is crumbling.

All the coffins

are full of rusty nails.

Last week,

Giuseppe hurt himself the same way.

It wasn't a nail.

This wasn't there before.

[LAUGHTER]

[HARRIET SQUEALS PLAYFULLY]

[LAUGHING]

Sure you wouldn't like some?

I just wanted to apologize.

For what?

I'm a complete stranger

and there I was chasing your

daughter around the woods.

You could've got the wrong idea.

I didn't get any idea.

Well, I'm the one

who should be reprimanded.

I was three hours late from

picking her up at school.

[CHUCKLES] She seemed

to manage just fine.

With a father like me,

she has to.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

We do what we can

for our children.

Do you have kids?

No.

It's getting late.

I should get going.

[FOOTSTEPS RECEDING]

[LAUGHTER]

[NORMAN EXHALES HEAVILY]

[COUGHING]

[SIGHS]

MAN: I scared you.

I try to defend the villa...

as I can.

[LIQUID POURING]

Questo and de Padre Nicolo.

He lost his arm...

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

Nel terremoto.

In the earthquake.

And who's this?

His brother. Alfredo.

He was not so lucky.

What about Peter Hoffmann?

Your father must have told you

something about him.

[INHALES SHARPLY]

Well...

my father said...

in all his life...

he never met anyone

as mean as Peter.

He enjoyed hurting others,

and he did it without fearing

to be punished.

His mother

always protected him.

She also did it

when he killed his father.

Peter wanted his mother

for himself.

She silenced what happened,

claiming it was a suicide.

Everybody knew the truth

in the villa,

but they were too scared

to talk.

One day, my uncle,

tired of that cruelty,

decided to make him pay.

Peter had to be stopped.

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

[BOTH SPEAKING ITALIAN]

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

[CAWING]

MATTEO: But Alfredo

was not a murderer.

And my father convinced him

to set him free.

Unfortunately...

he chose the wrong day.

[LOUD RUMBLING]

[ROCKS RATTLING]

[RATTLING STOPS]

[GRUNTS]

MATTEO:

Corpses everywhere.

Tens and thousands of bodies

were thrown into mass graves.

Alfredo!

MATTEO:

With death everywhere,

no one cared about Peter

and Alfredo's fate.

Alfredo!

Alfredo!

Alfredo!

MATTEO: It was

the 28th of December, 1908.

The city of Messina

was completely destroyed.

Mrs. Hoffmann

didn't accept the idea

of losing this boy

she loved more than anything.

And they were

not only rumors.

That woman was a witch.

Back in the villa,

my father saw her

while she performed a ritual

on the body of a housekeeper.

As soon as she was pulled

from the rubble...

Mom.

...that lifeless body

spoke with Peter's voice.

Help me.

Help me.

On the same night, Mrs.

Hoffmann disappeared in the woods

and nobody saw her again.

People say

she's still looking for Peter,

and that she won't find peace

until they're back together.

[UTENSILS CLINKING]

Let's try to finish classifying

the monuments tomorrow.

I want to get back to

London as soon as possible.

- Why?

- It's Liz.

She's unwell,

she needs help.

That's a bishop sphere.

Yes, it is.

It's a dangerous thing.

Why is it in this house?

Liz had it. She's been

trying to contact her mother.

And what happened?

Nothing.

Nothing!

Her mother's dead!

What do you think happened?

Liz should see

Aunt Emma.

We already moved a month ago,

so this is past normal.

By using that thing,

Liz could have left a doorway open.

I'm just asking you to let

her spend a day with my aunt.

You've met her.

She's a good person.

[SIGHS]

She understands things

that others do not.

And I will be there.

[SEAGULLS SQUAWKING]

BIANCA: They are making a cake.

NORMAN:

What did your aunt say?

She's just trying

to get her to relax.

We'll see.

[EGG CRACKING]

- Norman?

- Yes?

- I'd be sorry if you left.

- Me too.

But I have to look

after Liz.

Okay.

Right.

I'm gonna finish my rounds.

- See you soon.

- [CELL PHONE BEEPS]

[GASPS SOFTLY]

[WIND WHISTLING]

[OBJECTS CLATTERING]

- Liz!

- [CHEWING NOISILY]

Zia! Zia!

Zia!

Zia! Zia!

[LOUD THUMP]

[RUNNING FOOTSTEPS]

Zia! Zia!

Zia.

Zia.

Zia.

[GASPS, CHOKES]

[LIZ SNARLS]

[CHOKING]

- [LIZ SCREAMS]

- [AUNT EMMA CHANTING IN ITALIAN]

[SNARLING]

[CHANTING CONTINUES]

[BIANCA COUGHING]

[CHANTING CONTINUES]

Liz.

It's a rite of purification.

Liz is possessed.

She had black magic marks

on her body.

The marks of the witch.

Hello, sweetheart.

Help you?

Yes? You wanna go home?

- No. No, don't do it.

- Norman, please.

That's enough.

She's terrified.

We are going back

to London, tomorrow.

- Out of my way. Please.

- Please.

- Out of my way.

- I beg you.

[SIGHS]

[BREATH TREMBLES, WHIMPERS]

Tomorrow, you and I

will go back home.

You will feel...

much better.

[CALL RINGING ON LAPTOP]

[SIGHS] I'll get it.

- Hi, Rod.

- Hi! Did you try to call me?

I did.

I need to talk to you.

It's important.

[ELECTRICITY CRACKLING]

[FLESH SEARING]

[LIZ SCREAMS]

What's that?

[WINGS FLUTTERING]

[FLUTTERING CONTINUES]

Liz?

Liz?

Liz, stay there.

Stay there, Liz.

[IN DISTORTED VOICE]

Not Liz. Peter.

No. No!

[PANTING] Liz!

[PANTING]

Liz, hey...

Liz!

Liz!

[INDISTINCT WHISPERS]

Liz... [GROANS]

[GRUNTS]

[WOMAN HUMMING INDISTINCTLY]

- [GRUNTS]

- BIANCA: Stay still.

NORMAN: I've to get

back to the woods.

- I have to find her.

- You'll never find the way.

Dark forces

have been unleashed.

And they will

keep you from it.

What am I supposed to do?

Just accept that

I've lost my daughter?

[SPEAKS ITALIAN]

Diglielo.

There is a water tank

at the back.

We have to find Peter's body

and exorcise it.

- But we must do it tonight.

- [EXHALES DEEPLY]

- Or she'll be lost forever.

- But it's impossible.

[SCOFFS] It could be anywhere.

[GLASS CLINKING]

[IN ENGLISH] Then we must ask

someone who knows...

and this time,

you must believe.

Hm.

Alfredo, I call out to you.

Alfredo...

I call out to you.

Alfredo, are you there?

[SIGHS]

[SCREAMING]

ALFREDO: Hello, Peter.

I left you some air.

More than what

you gave my dog.

[GRUNTING]

[DISTANT SHRIEK]

I know where he is.

[PANTING]

I know where he is,

but he was trying to tell me something.

- BIANCA: Who?

- Alfredo.

It's Peter's mother.

She's the one who took

Liz through the woods.

She was here, in my house.

And my daughter said something

about speaking to Jane.

She wasn't lying.

But it wasn't

her mother she saw,

it was Peter's mother.

[KNOCKING]

Liz?

Good evening, Norman.

I'm sorry to

bother you so late,

- but I'm quite sure that I saw Liz.

- Where?

In the woods.

- Can I come in?

- [FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

No! Don't come in, witch!

[HIGH-PITCHED SCREAM]

[CRACKLING]

[AUNT EMMA CHANTING IN ITALIAN]

[THUMPING]

[CONTINUES CHANTING]

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

Amen.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

We are safe in the house.

The witch cannot come in

until somebody invites her.

Take the car

and go to the cemetery.

Once there, you will be safe.

The witch cannot walk

on consecrated ground.

BIANCA: And what about you?

Don't be afraid, honey.

I'll be fine.

You know what to do.

- Thank you, Emma.

- Now go.

[CRYING]

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

[DOOR OPENS]

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

- [SLASHING]

- [BIANCA SCREAMING]

[CRYING]

Giuseppe.

Giuseppe, I want you

to open the gates now.

[BIANCA CRYING]

- Open it!

- [THUMPING]

[SPEAKING ITALIAN]

It is fucking locked.

[BIANCA CRYING]

It's all right, Bianca.

It's all right. Don't worry.

[GLASS SHATTERING]

[SCREAMING]

Shit. Don't look. Don't...

NORMAN: It's all right.

[BIANCA CRYING]

- Don't look at him!

- [CAR ROOF CREAKING]

[CREAKING CONTINUES]

[ENGINE REVVING]

[TIRES SCREECHING]

[PANTING]

Come on. Come on.

[NORMAN GRUNTS]

NORMAN: Help.

[BOTH GRUNTING]

[METAL CLANGING]

[GRUNTING]

[CREAKING]

BIANCA: In the name of the Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

[WATER SPLASHING]

[WINGS FLUTTERING]

[BIANCA GASPS]

[INDISTINCT MURMURING]

[BIANCA SCREAMING]

[DISTORTED CHANTING IN ITALIAN]

[CHANTING IN ITALIAN]

[DISTORTED CHANTING CONTINUES]

[DISTANT SCREAMING]

In the name of the God...

Go away.

[SCREAMING]

BIANCA: We believe in you

and we pray thee,

come be with those who love

and learn to accept your will,

as it is the blessed

Virgin Mary.

Mother of Sorrows,

at the foot of the cross.

The Queen of the Martyrs,

through Christ, our Lord.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SINISTER WHISPER]

[GASPS]

O divine light,

urge the evil spirits

to leave us forever

and accept the light.

[PRAYER CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY]

BIANCA: We believe in you

and we pray thee...

[GRUNTS]

We believe in you

and we pray thee.

Come be with those who love

and learn to accept you.

[CONTINUES PRAYING INDISTINCTLY]

...Mother of Sorrows,

at the foot of the cross.

We believe in you

and we pray, my God...

[BIANCA SCREAMING]

[HISSING]

[GRUNTING]

[HISSING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Liz.

Liz, wake up, darling.

Please, my love.

Wake up.

[CRYING]

Lieutenant.

Why did you not

listen to me, professor?

Why did you not leave?

What do you mean?

You can't kill the dead.

You drove her to him.

And now, they'll be

together forever.

Lieutenant, what do you mean?

[INAUDIBLE]

PETER: Mom.

Mom.

Help me.

Help me.

[PANTING]

[COUGHING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

- [GAGGING]

- [WATER SPLASHING]

[COUGHING]

[CRYING]

[GASPS AND GROANS]

[GAGGING]

[VOMITING]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[WOMAN HUMMING]

[ITALIAN SONG PLAYING]