Curse of the Headless Horseman (1972) - full transcript

A phantom horseman who appears every night with a human head tucked under his arm lets it be known that he is searching for eight gunfighters.

- [Narrator] It is.

Beginning.

Again.

It is beginning again.

It is beginning again.

The story will be told.

But non-believers are doomed.

This time,

someone might escape before
the curse begins again.

Before someone else is taken.

(clock ticking)



(clock bell ringing)
The way they look at him.

Do they know?

(acoustic guitar music)

(whistling music)

In just a few minutes,
or is it an eternity?

Brenda and Mark will decide
if they now might marry.

If the lawyers tell him
that his Uncle Callahan

left a sizeable estate,
two long years must pass

before he finishes his residency.

Two years of waiting for Brenda.

Uncle Callahan is dead.

It was called a terrible accident.

There was a closed coffin.

Only his clothing identified him.



(dance music)
(dancers clapping)

(all shouting)

(dancers chattering)

- All the way?
- All right, here we are.

(guests chattering)

- [Guest] Pizza.

- Somebody take a pizza.
- There's two at this table.

(all chattering)

- These bunch of maniacs don't eat pizza,

they inhale it.

(acoustic guitar music)

(singing in foreign language)

- Hi.
- Hi.

- How are you?
- Hi.

- We're separating, so-
- Well, head in, John.

- I was holding out hope
that you'd come too.

- No, thank you.

- Yeah, but you know,
talk to somebody else.

- She was giving me the eye, man.

- She wasn't giving you the eye.

- She was.
- No way.

- She was.

She was giving me the eye, man.

No, don't give me that.

Hey, look.

- Hey.
- Hey, hey.

- Knock it off.
- Come on.

- Come on, come on.
- Cool it.

- Guys, guys, guys.
- Hey, hey, come on, come on.

Hey, hey, what's going on, huh?

Hey.
- Let him go, man.

- This is supposed to be
a party. Come on, relax.

It's all right, it's all right.

Hey, no, come on.

Come on.

Take it easy.

Come on.

Hey, I thought this was
supposed to be a party, huh?

Come on.

Is the excitement over with now?

I'm glad everybody's here now.

So come on, gather around.

I got something to tell you.

First, the good part.

- The inheritance.

Hey, what about it?

- [Guests] Yeah.

- Did you get a million dollars?

- Hold it down, hold it down.

My Uncle Callahan left me his ranch.

- The ranch?
- Now the bad part.

- Oh no.
- There is a codicil.

- What's a codicil?
(guests laughing)

- It's a condition.

- [Man] I got a condition, I really do.

- The condition is that
I've got to make the ranch

pay off and show a good
profit within six months

or it's not gonna become mine legally.

- Aw.
- What do you want from us?

- Come on.
- So, would you all

like to go out and see
it tomorrow morning?

- [Guests] Yeah.

- If you can dig it,

why don't we all meet here
around 11 o'clock in the morning?

We'll split and we'll all go out

and take a look at it together.

- Right on, right on.
(guests murmuring)

- I know, right?
- Then let's go on

with the party, come on.
(guests cheering)

(bright music)

- [Narrator] It is like
living in the silence

between the ticks of a clock

for Mark to see all of this again.

Remember childhood,
innocence, and freedom?

Remember it.

For it is gone now.

If he fails to make the ranch pay,

it goes to the caretaker,
Solomon, who lives on the land.

He is part of the land.

Part of everything that happens.

Solomon is always here.

Yes.

You might well say ghost town.

But even the spirits
have left it to the wind

and the rain and the dust.

Is there time to even try for repairs?

A Saturday and a holiday.

A few tourists.

But even the curious arrive only rarely.

Jim, the justice of the peace,

still narrates the
Saturday afternoon shows.

People have forgotten the murder.

That was 1928.

A distant eternity for the memory.

- Oh, look at the size of that guy.

- Too much.

He must weight 350 or something like that.

- Oh.

(bright music)

(crowd applauding)

- You know, I don't know how in the hell

we're gonna make a go
of this place, honey.

Look at all this property.

- Well, I'm sure we can get some revenue

or some business from it just
by leaving it the way it is.

(bright music)

- Honey, Uncle Callahan
had a hard enough time

making taxes made on this joint.

- But you know how he is.

He had a terrible time
with businesses and stuff.

- [Narrator] The boys are
the sons of the first men

who staged the gun fights here.

That was before it happened.

- [Mark] I don't know, baby, I don't know.

There's a lot of problems here.

- Well, if we can't think of anything,

maybe we should ask the other kids.

Maybe they can think of something.

- Okay.

After the show, then we'll
all get together this evening

and talk about it, and maybe somebody

will come up with something.

- [Narrator] Before Uncle Callahan,

before Mark, it's all beginning again.

- Oh.
- Ain't that a blast?

(crowd applauding)
(bright music)

- Do you think these
stunt guys would work here

for a little, you know, cheaper price?

I know Uncle gave 'em, you
know, a few dollars every day.

But...

(dramatic music)

Hi there.

My name is Mark.

I'm the new proprietor here.
- Howdy, Mr. Mark.

My name's Sandy Ray.
- Hi, Sandy.

Sandy, this is my fiancee, Brenda.

- Howdy, ma'am.

- Hey, that was some show you guys put on.

- Yeah, we like working here on weekends.

- Hey well look, just because
I'm taking over the place,

there's no sign you have
to stop doing your show.

- That's not the main thing.

We need to keep in shape here.

- Well, I can't pay you too much,

but I'll do the best I can.

- How about I help you get started?

- Hey, I'd really appreciate it, Sandy.

Hey, why don't you come
over and I'll introduce you

to the rest of the gang?

Groovy.

Come on, honey.

Hey, hold it down, guys.

Say hi to Sandy. He's gonna
give us a hand around here.

- Oh, hi, how you doing?
- How you doing there?

- Hi, Sandy.
- Looks like we're gonna-

- You're on the ranch, now.

You're gonna need ranch-
- Oh come on, guys.

Here we see a real live American cowboy.

- Hoo, ha.

- We're gonna need some help.

- Let's check out this mobile jungle

and see if there's
anything worthwhile, huh?

- All right.
(all murmuring)

- Let's go, shall we?
- Certainly.

- Alrighty.

(bright music)

- [Narrator] Enjoy the sunshine.

Relax.

Wander about.

Soon, it will be night.

There will be a moon.

A special moon.

(door creaking)

(Lydia grunting)

- [Lydia] No.

- Hey, Bob, hey, is that
a real covered wagon?

- Yes, Stanley, it's a real covered wagon.

- Hey, this place is groovy.

Hey, how come all the telephone poles...

(acoustic guitar music)

♪ Clouds so swift, the rain won't lift ♪

♪ Gate won't close 'cause
the railings froze ♪

♪ Get your mind off of wintertime ♪

♪ You ain't going nowhere ♪

♪ Ooh wee, ride me high ♪

♪ Tomorrow's the day my man's gonna come ♪

♪ Oh, are we gonna fly ♪

♪ Down in the easy chair ♪

♪ Well I don't care how
many letters they sent ♪

♪ 'Cause morning came, then morning went ♪

♪ Pack your money and pack your tent ♪

♪ You ain't going nowhere ♪

♪ Ooh wee, ride me high ♪

♪ Tomorrow's the day my man's gonna come ♪

♪ Ooh, are we gonna fly ♪

♪ Down in the easy chair ♪

♪ Well, Genghis Khan,
now he could not keep ♪

♪ All his men supplied with sleep ♪

♪ Climb that mountain
no matter how steep ♪

♪ You ain't going nowhere ♪

♪ Ooh wee, ride me high ♪

♪ Tomorrow's the day my man's gonna come ♪

♪ Ooh, are we gonna fly ♪

♪ Down in the easy chair ♪

♪ Ooh wee, ride me high ♪

♪ Tomorrow's the day my man's gonna come ♪

♪ Ooh, are we gonna fly ♪

♪ Down in the easy chair ♪

♪ Down in that easy chair ♪

(insects chirping)

- Hey, Lorielie.
- Hi.

- Sit down.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- How are you?
- Okay.

- Has he asked you to marry him yet?

- Well, you know, we were planning on it.

But now that the inheritance
is just this and no money,

I don't know what we're going to do.

It'll probably take about
six months, if not longer.

- Oh, that's too bad.
- Yeah, I know.

- I know what I'll do. I'll
speak to the gods for you.

(Brenda laughing)

- Oh, really?

- Yes.

I often speak to the gods for my friends.

- Well, does it work?

- Of course it does.

I'm part Indian, you know?

- Oh, well then it's gotta work.

(both laughing)

Okay.

(both laughing)

- Come on, let's go get something to eat.

- Okay.
- Come on.

- Hi, Beck, hi, Yo-Yo.
- Hi, Neil.

- Hi, Neil.
- Where you been?

- Oh, up in the mountains.

It's really beautiful.

There's some nice caves
and stuff up there.

- Yeah, we went inside,
you know, and poked around.

- Yeah, I was poking around inside,

and they got this far out
stage and auditorium in there.

- Oh wow.

Wait until Grace and Alice
Enterprises hear about that.

- Really.

- Oh wow, a stage.

Gee, guys, sit down.

Just a second.

Whoa.

Timmy, come here.

I got an idea.
- Far out.

Oh yeah, I got it.

- Got it?

Super help.
- Okay.

- Far out.

- Grace and Alice Enterprise
present "A Hard Day at Work".

(all booing)

(person clapping)

Oh, this is really a drag.

Every day, the same thing.

- Every day.

- Summer, man, it really brings me down.

That's why I hate cruising
junior high schools.

These girls will look pretty.

Just go.

Oh, I saw, Roger.
- Roger?

- Yeah.
- Oh boy.

- Guess what I got.
- I know, I know, I know.

You don't have to tell me.

- He's got this new stuff, man.

- Really?

- All he got are road stuff.

This is from like South
America or something like that.

It's really far out.

You got a match?
- Yeah, hold on.

(all laughing)

- Watch your driving, man.

Be careful, be safe.
- Don't get paranoid.

Here.

- I'm not paranoid, man.

I just don't want to get busted.

- Don't worry about it.
- Oh god.

Hey, we're gonna get really stoned.

- Off of that little thing?

- Mm-hmm.
- Shit.

You gotta be kidding.

You got a clip?

- Nah, man, I don't need one.

I'm flying.

And be cool.

Watch your driving, man.

Rookie.

Could you pass the joint, please?

(Randy coughing)

Did you see the ass on that one?

- God.

Where did you get that stuff from?

- Some freak from South America.

Honest, man.

I swear, it's just the whole drag

is having to work and do this, you know.

- In fact, I wasn't-
- Is it my turn yet?

- Huh?

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm not trying to rip you off.

I'm a friend.

- Far out.

(Tim whistling)

- Did you see that guy?

God, he was speeding.

Hey, let's get that dude.

We don't need none of that stuff.

(mimicking police siren)

(all booing)

Oh well.

♪ Da da da da da da da ♪

(all booing)

♪ Da da da da da da da da da
da da da da da da da da da da ♪

- Boo, boo.
- Hey.

- Come on, guys.
- Thank you, thank you.

It was wonderful, yeah.
- Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

It's quite an opportunity to be here,

but like, we found somebody better.

- Hopefully.
- No, not better.

We found somebody just as good.

- Grace and Alice Enterprises

would like to introduce for
your entertainment tonight,

Lee, he's our wandering minstrel.

Come on out, Lee, and play.
- That?

(acoustic guitar music)
(audience applauding)

(Lee humming)

- [Guest] You gonna play
a little something for us?

- [Randy] How'd you happen
to write the song, Lee?

- It's like when you're
way out on the prairie,

you know, and working cattle
and horses and all that.

That's what the song is about.

Would you care to hear it?
- Sure.

- Yeah.
(audience applauding)

(acoustic guitar music)

♪ All saddled now ♪

♪ We're out of ground to cover ♪

♪ All saddled down ♪

♪ In any kind of weather ♪

♪ When the latter days are over ♪

♪ I'll make you recover ♪

♪ All saddled up now ♪

♪ When I hear the giant railroad ♪

- Mark?

- Hm?

- What is that expression that they use

when inflation sets in?

- What?

- Penny for your thoughts?

- The old man up there,
the one that's singing.

- Who is he?

- He's one of Uncle
Callahan's old cronies, honey.

They've been coming
around here for years now.

- Why?

What for?

- Well, they're the last of
the old time cowpokes, honey.

They've been meeting in this place for,

lord, I don't know how long now.

They collect these old relics.

The horseshoes and the
wagon wheels and stuff.

You might say this place is,
well, it's like a part of him.

- It's kind their thing.

(Lee yodeling)

♪ Last night in cold ♪

♪ A cloud the cattle lay on ♪

♪ All saddled up now ♪

- If there was a way to make
this place go, I'd go for it.

But I just don't know what it is.

I just don't know, honey.

♪ On my saddlebags ♪

♪ I dream of a heaven blue ♪

♪ I'm dreaming of my buddy ♪

♪ Up there in the blue ♪

♪ Oh, saddle up now ♪

♪ Carry me home ♪

♪ Carry me home ♪

(all applauding)

- Well, folks, that's the end

of the Looney Tunes and Mary Bunny.

You paid your money, but
you can't get it back.

(all laughing)

Wait a minute.

- What?
- That's it.

- That's what?

- If we laughed that hard
at them on this stage,

why can't we do that?
- Do what?

- We got talent.

Why can't we do that for the people?

(all chattering)

- Make 'em do plenty of 'em.

We could live here.
- Right.

(all chattering)

- Do you guys really think we could do it?

- Yeah.
- Sure.

- [Friend] What do you think?

- Well, if you're willing
to give it a try, I am, man.

- All right.
(all cheering)

- No!
(woman shrieking)

- Cool it, cool it.

It's just Solomon, the night caretaker.

(tense music)

- This is the time of year again.

The time when he rides.

It's the time of year
when his silver blade

slashes in the moonlight.

Eight men had planned his death,

and eight men were
doomed to die in return.

Endlessly and aimlessly, he
searched the entire west,

guided only by the haunted moon.

It was in this valley he
believed he found the eight.

But they were foolishly
playing the games of death.

Still, the rider saw in them
the spirits of his murderers

and summoned them with
the curse of the Ta Mau.

Eight foolish men playing their wars

were condemned to reality.

(guns firing)
(man grunting)

In the manner of their prepense.

Forevermore, those who
played the roles of violence

are safe in this valley only if they leave

before the Ta Mau Moon.

Staying, you will be marked by the rider

to serve his unending need for revenge.

- And revenge is mine, sayeth the Lord.

- Amen, brother.
- Amen to you too, brother.

- Hey, what do you think

of the old man's ghost stories, huh?

It was inspiring he could
even think of anything,

watching him and everything.

- Come on now.
- Come on what?

- As a fact, in the early 20s,

someone put a real bullet in their gun.

- What happened?
- Seven people got killed.

- Oh god.
- Wow, man.

Hey, what do you guys think
about moving out there,

you know-
- No, I think it's great.

I think it's great for Mark and-

- Really.
- Oh no.

- Really.
- Wishing.

I'm wishing.

- Well, honey, I hope
we're not all just wishing.

- Oh no, there's a lot
here to work with, honey.

We can do a lot with this place.

- I hope so.

Let's go make sure all the
gang is bedded down, okay?

- Okay.

- Hey, John.
- Yeah?

- I'm sorry about earlier.

Well, it's just that there
you were and there we were.

And there she was.

And, well, I'm just sorry.

- What do you mean sorry, man?

She dug it.
(all chuckling)

- [Narrator] How innocently
he chooses the silence

of the moonlight.

(hooves clopping)

- What is it?
(Headless Horseman chuckling)

God, watch, look out.

(blade whooshing)
(Headless Horseman chuckling)

What, are you crazy?
(Headless Horseman chuckling)

(hooves clopping)

(insects chirping)

This is blood.

This is blood.

No.

No, no.

No.

I can live with the snorers.

Ha, ha, ha.

- Ha, cut yourself shaving, huh?

- No, the ketchup got
out of hand at dinner.

- Oh wow.

Man-eating tomatoes.

Yeah, you gotta watch 'em.

- Which one of you guys is the funny one?

- What?

- Look at this.

Tell me what that is.

- That's tie-dye.

Look at it.

- Somebody threw some blood at me

and I wanna know who did it.

- I don't know.

- Come on, man, what are you getting at?

- No, man.

There was some guy outside
running around on a horse.

- A horse?
- He almost ran me over

and he threw this all over me.

- A horse, of course.

- You guys don't believe me, do you?

- No.
- No.

- Where is Mark?

I wanna talk to him.
- Forget Mark. He's in love.

- You gotta watch this, buddy.
He thinks he can figure us.

- It's probably some nut

from around here overplaying a bad joke.

Now come on, let's get some sleep.

It's gonna be a bright,
beautiful day tomorrow.

- You bet your blinking
belt buckle, Barney.

- Yeah, I got a really neat
place outside I'm gonna sleep.

Just in case any of you
decide you're gonna snore.

- Snore?

We got a buzzsaw back there.

Thanks for warming the place for me.

- Huh?

(acoustic guitar music)

♪ Yellow is the color
of my true love's hair ♪

♪ In the morning ♪

♪ When we rise ♪

(rooster crowing)

♪ In the morning ♪

♪ When we rise ♪

♪ That's the time ♪

♪ That's the time ♪

♪ I love the best ♪

♪ Green is the color
of the sparkling corn ♪

♪ In the morning ♪

♪ When we rise ♪

♪ In the morning ♪

♪ When we rise ♪

♪ That's the time ♪

♪ That's the time ♪

♪ I love the best ♪

♪ Blue is the color of the sky ♪

♪ In the morning ♪

♪ When we rise ♪

- Say, Yo-Yo.
- Yeah?

What'd you do to it?

- Big joke.

Dummy clown.

I tried to wash it out with water, but-

- Hey, it looks like blood stains.

- I don't know what it is.

Some joker last night

thought he'd do shtick
on the old man's story.

- Oh, the Ta Mau Moon.

- Yeah.

(Yo-Yo laughing)

- Well, I'll try and do something with it.

Maybe presoak?
- Gee, thanks.

- Okay.

- Hey, Randy, come on.
- Okay, guys.

- Let's get with the Wild West bit, huh?

- Okay, let me get a shirt.
- All right.

(acoustic guitar music)

(harmonica music)

♪ Tell me, what were their names ♪

♪ Tell me what were their names ♪

♪ Did you have a friend
on the good Reuben James ♪

♪ Tell me, what were their names ♪

♪ Tell me, what were their names ♪

♪ Did you have a friend
on the good Reuben James ♪

- [Singer] Chorus again.

♪ Tell me, what were their names ♪

♪ Tell me, what were their names ♪

♪ Did you have a friend
on the good Reuben James ♪

♪ Tell me, what were their names ♪

♪ Tell me, what were their names ♪

- Why don't you guys have
a quick draw contest?

- No sweat.

- On three, okay?

One.

- Two.

- Three.

(all chuckling)

- Some day, you might be good.
- Mm-hmm.

Thanks a lot, thanks a lot.

- But remember, never point
a gun towards the stomach

or towards a man.

Point it to your right or the left.

- All right.
- What about the blanks?

Can they hurt somebody?

- They can put somebody's
eyes out, the wadding can.

- Oh wow.
- They can give you

powder burns with black powder.

- Wait a minute, wait a
minute, wait a minute.

You think you're pretty
quick, don't you, Sandy?

- That's right.
- I think I can beat you.

- Come on.

- Okay, give me your gun, Tom.

Somebody count.

- All right, y'all set?

(ominous music)

One.

Two.

Three.

(gun firing)

(both laughing)

- Oh, look at that.

Natural born ham.

(ominous music)

Wait a minute.

- He's not kidding.
- Something's wrong.

- Randy.
- He's really bleeding.

- Randy!
(distorted music)

- He's been shot.

Somebody give me a hand here.

Get him inside.

- Is he really hurt?

- Take it easy now.
(distorted music)

- Somebody get the OC.
(distorted music)

- There you go, man.

You're as good as new.

- Sure.

One shirt dirty and now
another one all ripped up.

- Look, just remember this.

It's all right to rip up your arm.

But don't mess up your clothes, man.

Hey look, when you have time,

you better get a sling for that arm.

- Oh yeah.
- Well, just

for a couple of days until I
have time to check it again.

- Okay.

- Oh wow.

I just thought about something.

I've got to make a report on this.

- You can't do that.

- Look, it's the law.

You've gotta make a report
on any gunshot wound

no matter how you get it.

- Mark.

The kids.

Everybody.

They put their hearts
into this thing for you.

They're raring to go.

I mean, it's a place to live.

- Well, what does that have
to do about filing a report?

- Plenty.

What if the papers get the story?

- Well, that's what everybody's
been complaining about

around here.

They want more publicity.

- That kind of publicity
we can do without.

- Why?

- What do you mean why?

A real bullet gets put in one
of the guns that is fired.

Would you bring your wife and kids

to a place that let that happen?

- You've got a point there.

- You can't file the report.

- But it's the law.

I've gotta file a report
about any gunshot wounds.

- Okay, it wasn't a gunshot.

- Well, what was it, a
low-flying jet or something?

- Look, Sandy told us we
should always aim to miss.

The wad from the blank
fired out of the cartridge.

That's what it was.

That's what I got.

- Is that right?

- You can't file the report.

You can't do it.

- Well, if everybody plays it
cool and goes along with it,

yeah, yeah, okay, it was an accident.

- Accident.

I don't know, man.

That old man and that
spooky story last night

and that nut running around.

I just wonder.

- How is he?
- I don't know.

He looks all right.

He's sitting up.

- Oh man, after that story last night,

and then Randy actually believing it.

- Yeah.
- Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Let's not get everybody all shook up

over some silly superstition.

Who loaded the gun?
- Let's ask Mark.

- Hey, he's coming now.
(ominous music)

- He's gonna be all right.

It was just a slight accident.
- Accident?

- Well, how did the real
bullet get in the gun anyway?

- I don't know, man.

It was in the storeroom
with the rest of them.

- Hey, I saw the old man
hanging around there.

- Solomon?
- Yeah.

- Bob, let's go have a talk with Solomon.

- Yeah, let's go do that little thing.

- That's a little more Wild
West than I bargained for.

- No kidding.

(eerie music)

- Hey, Solomon, we wanna talk to you.

- What about?

- Someone put a live
shell in one of the guns.

You wouldn't know anything
about that, now would you?

Well?

It's just like it was
in that story of yours.

- Come on, you old creep,
somebody could've been killed,

and it could've been my brother or me.

(eerie music)

- Today was the first day.

The Ta Mau Moon.

- [Tom] Don't start that
superstition stuff again.

- That was a real bullet
and a guy is hurt.

- Tomorrow.

And tomorrow is the second day.

- Come on, this old guy's nuts.

- All right.

- Go ahead.

Go ahead and play your
games and prance and strut.

For your tourists.

(eerie music)

- [Narrator] The curious

no longer come to see Solomon's land.

Solomon, who is part of
everything, remembers.

But the curious have forgotten.

- Hey, everybody.

There's tourists.

Rich tourists.

- Wa-hoo, wow.
- Tourists, hey.

- Hey, everybody.

(bell ringing)

Tourists.

- Our recreational facilities
are at your disposal, madam.

Please pleasure yourselves accordingly.

- What a lovely, lovely place you have.

It seems so relaxing and
it's just so beautiful.

It looks like paradise, doesn't it?

- Yes, it's very nice here.

- You're too kind.

Would you care to tour our facilities?

- Yes, I would love to see
every inch of the land.

- Come.

- What a sweet and durable place.

It's very magical.

Have you any lucky animals?

- Not to my knowledge.

However, it is said that those who pass

through these portals return
with a greater fortune.

- May I look around?

- Please do.

- [Rich Woman] Yes, Beckie
told me about him, Roger.

- Yes, he was a country philosopher.

He came from Oklahoma.

He was a spokesman of political satire.

- You know, I am really mad about this.

There's plenty of acreage.

This is a sauna house.

- Well, the Klondike pioneers
would've been very happy

if it were.

- Oh, this place is just so
(speaking in foreign language).

(speaking in foreign language)

It reminds me of Pompeii.

It has the same fabled character.

Yes, I'd like to see the owner.

- Of course.

Might I ask your name?

- Baron Isabelle Collin Dufresne.

- I'll send him right in.

- Darling, come and sit here.

Well here, we can be happy.

Romantic.

Erotic.

This place is for us.

- I'm glad you like it here.

- It's just heaven.

- It is.

It is nice.

- Oh, it's better than nice.

I'll turn it into paradise.

- It's quite a lot of work, you know?

- No, you know I'm magical.

You know I drink blood for br-

- Baroness, this is the
owner, Mark Callahan,

his fiancee, Brenda.

Kids, this is the Baroness-

- Isabelle Collin Dufresne.

(speaking in foreign language)
- How do you do, Baroness?

How may I help you?

- I love you property, and
I would like to buy it.

- Well, I really haven't
thought about selling it.

- Just name the price.

Any price.

- Well, it's not exactly
a question of money.

You see, my uncle left this
place to me in his will

on the stipulation that
I prove to the executors

of the estate that I can
make it a paying proposition

within six months.

- You mean you don't own it?

- Well, not exactly.

(Isabelle screaming)

- What is that?

- That's Solomon.

He's our night caretaker.

He's all right.

- Oh.

Darling, I think we should go, please.

- Come back and see us, Baroness.

(piano music)

- What?

- Oh, that French broad, she's too much.

- She's quite a character, isn't she?

- Takes all kinds, honey.

She is the richest burlesque
queen in the world.

- You know, she is.
- Hm?

- You read about her all the time.

She's worth millions.

- Are you serious?

- You know, that's what I was thinking.

We've really placed our bets, haven't we?

- How do you mean, honey?

- Well, maybe she could've
advanced us enough

to satisfy the lawyers.

And we could've sold the place to her.

- No.

No, I couldn't do that.

- Well, we had our chance, and we blew it.

We made our bed, so I guess we'll have to-

- Yes, dear, you were saying?

(piano music)

(Mark laughing)

Oh, great.

- One tourist all day

and she doesn't want to stay for the show.

- Lord love a duck, what a beginning.

- Well, if I may be so bold,
my comrades, I happen to know

of a quaint little pub
located not far down the road

where we may unparch our thirst.

- Yeah, I'll drink to that.

Maybe we can bring somebody back to-

- Oh hold it, loves.

If we go, we'll leave the place deserted.

Now come on.

- Look about you, pumpkin.

The place is deserted.

(speaking in foreign language)

- Wait for me.

(harmonica music)
(plane whirring)

(wind howling)

(folksy music)

- It's gold.

Hey.

(folksy music)

Uh-uh.

Hey.

No, man, this is mine.

Yeah, mine, baby.

- Not mine, honey, ours.

- Oh, Mark, do you mean it?

- You know I do.

We're gonna make this place go.

It's shaping up already.

And just as soon as we
do, we're getting married

at that little church right back there,

and make everything legal and beautiful.

- Oh, here?

- It's okay?

- Oh.

- I love you, Brenda.

- I love you.

(insects chirping)
(wolf howling)

- [John] Hey, Mark. Hey come
here a minute, will you?

- Yeah, John?

- Hey, listen.

I came into some bread, man.

And I think I can take this
dog off your hands, baby.

I mean, after all, what's a
doctor what with a junk place

like this, man?

- Hey, John, I don't even own it yet.

- Listen, man, I can get some bread

and take this right off your hands,

and you can go on with your...

What's that, man?

- Look, I got six months to go

before this is legally mine.

Why don't you talk to me
about it then, John? Really.

I'm busy right now.
- Hey listen, Mark.

Hey, baby.

(wood creaking)
(insects chirping)

(hooves clopping)

(hooves clopping)

(wood creaking)
(insects chirping)

(hooves clopping)

(horse neighing)

(insects chirping)

(hooves clopping)

(horse whinnying)
(hooves clopping)

(woman screaming)

(head whooshing)

(Headless Horseman laughing)
(distorted music)

(hooves clopping)

(distorted music)

(hooves clopping)

(hooves clopping)

(distorted music)

(woman screaming)

(woman screaming)

(tires screeching)

(woman screaming)

(car thudding)

(woman groaning)

- [Narrator] Mark tried to reach her.

He ran through darkness
in the special moonlight.

It was all happening again.

(woman sobbing)

- Where is Mark?

He probably could've saved her.

- It wouldn't have done any good.

She was smashed up bad.

You know, something really scared her.

She was running around like she was crazy.

And she had blood smeared
all over her face.

And then, she just ran right
in front of that truck.

I couldn't stop her.

- [Man] Blood all over her?

The same thing happened to Randy.

- It looks like murder.
- I still think that old man

is up to something.

- All right now, is everybody here?

- [Stanley] Where's John?

- He's all right.

He's with Lydia.

They'll be here in a minute.

- Okay, now listen up, gang.

I've gotta go downtown
and file a report on this.

I want you all to stay here
and stay close together.

Don't go out wandering
around outside anywhere.

You got it?

I'll be back as soon as I can.
- Mark, let me go with you.

- No, honey, you stay here, please.

- [Narrator] Watch everyone, Mark.

Everyone.

You must watch everyone,
for it is beginning again.

- Come on.

Come on.

What?

- Mark doesn't want us
to wander away anyplace.

- Mark's not here, come on.
- No.

- Come on, I got something to show you.

Come on.

(both grunting)
(percussive music)

- [Lydia] No.

(percussive music)

Oh.

(horse neighing)

(ominous music)

(hooves clopping)

(fence clacking)

(hooves clopping)

(fence clacking)

(Lydia moaning)
(distorted music)

(hooves clopping)

(distorted music)

(hooves clopping)

(distorted music)

(hooves clopping)

(distorted music)

(hooves clopping)

(distorted music)

(blood whooshing)

(Headless Horseman laughing)
(distorted music)

(hooves clopping)

- [Narrator] Try as he
did to save her life,

he could only fail.

She spoke of strange things.

Of visions and horrors she had seen.

But they thought them only nightmares.

Now, she sleeps forever.

(eerie music)

(soft music)
(clock ticking)

- Watch them running around down there.

Do you see 'em, Sandy?

Watch them sway and play in the dream.

Shooting each other
with their toy pistols.

Bleeding toy blood.

While the moon stays up,

they keep running around having fun.

Pretty soon, there won't
even be nobody left.

Won't even be nobody to say bang, bang.

You're dead.

(Solomon laughing)

- Boy, it sure isn't a game anymore.

- Look at the old geezer
just sitting up there

glaring at us, Stan.

- I think he wants to get rid of us.

- Yeah, it's a super generation gap.

- Yeah but, you know what, Tom
and Bob watched him all night

and he never left his shack.

- Oh yeah, well what does that mean?

He could've had one of his
old friends do it for him.

Maybe the Indian with the whip maybe.

- It could've been any
of those old-timers, man.

For all we know, they
may all be in on this.

- Wow, you really know how to ease

the tension around here, don't you?

- Hey, somebody has to take
inventory or something.

- Oh come on.

- Yeah, some of the kids already left.

Besides, who do we have
to shoot the thing?

Hey, where's John?

- Listen, that was his chick.

- Oh, I didn't even think.
- The last time I saw him,

he was up walking around the
hills looking like a lost dog.

Kind of blames himself.

He was the one that gave her the acid.

- Yeah, I know.

- So, we'll forget about
the errands for the night

and take up positions around here

and keep an eye out for whoever

or whatever that thing is out there, okay?

- Yeah, you're right.

- All right, we've all agreed then.

We're gonna stay out here all night

until we catch this character.

One man's been shot.

An accident maybe, I don't know.

But he did cause a girl to
die, and we're gonna get him.

Sandy, you stay up there.

Lucky, you get in the wagon.

And you'll be in the Indian hut.

- Got it.

- And please try to stay awake.

Bob, you come with me.

(insects chirping)

You guys all set?
- We're ready.

- Okay, you go up there by the saloon.

You get up there on the hill.

Joe, you go around there by the fence.

And you go with him and make
sure he doesn't go to sleep.

Follow me, Bob.

(whistling music)
(insects chirping)

(hooves clopping)

- [Headless Horseman]
Dare play the game here?

Under the Ta Mau Moon?

- Now get down off that horse.

(whip cracking)

Stay right there.

Hold it.

Would you look at this?

Look at what we got here, kiddies.

Do you like the place?

Don't move.

Just try to stay still.

Now, take this off.

Get it off.

Good old Johnny, huh?

Artie, go call the police.

Tom, see if you can find a
place where we can keep him.

And, Bob, see if you can
tell the girls about it, huh?

We got the Headless Horseman.

- That was it, man.

Who cares?

Turn around, idiot.

(tense music)

You know, man, it was
you that made my baby

trip out on that acid.

It was you, wasn't it, huh?

I'll cut your throat.

(John grunting)

(whip cracking)

(Solomon screaming)

(John panting)

(whip cracking)
(John grunting)

(whip cracking)
(John grunting)

- Get him!
- Get him, he's getting away.

- Get him.
- Let's get him.

(John panting)

(John grunting)

- Get off!
- Get him.

(fists thudding)

- [Tom] Pick him up.

Drag him back down.

- Yeah, you're gonna be all right, man.

No concussion.

Just take a couple of aspirin
and get some sleep tonight.

- That stuff better do some good.

- Hey, how'd you all get
into that scuffle out there?

- I was holding a gun on him, man.

I got too close, and oh.

Grabbed it, got it, pow.

- No, man, on the floor.

- On the floor.
- On the floor!

And you better stay there,
'cause I owe you one, baby.

- [John] All right, all right.

- Good lord, what are you doing?

What is happening now?

- We found him, our Headless Horseman.

- John?
- What the devil?

- It wasn't me.

It was that crazy old caretaker dude.

He got my chick ripped off on acid.

He's going around
killing all these people.

He's running around in the hills at night

spooking people with his head off, man.

And you know why?

Because there's gold here.

- Gold, here?
- You're so full of it.

- There's gold, I'm telling you.

I found it.
- John, he tells that

all the time, man.

It's been attracting a lot of tourists

around here.
- Mark, I saw.

I found it.

- Well, there were some locations

of some pretty rich gold
ore deposits in this area.

- That's because they
used to salt this property

and sell it to the people from back east

that didn't know any better.

- Mark, I'm sharper than that.

I'm telling you, it's real gold, man.

- I don't understand any of you.

People have been hurt.

People have been killed.

And the police are on their way.

And you're talking about gold.

- Gold.

Oh, Mark, wouldn't it be
great if we could find gold?

- And diamonds and emeralds and pearls.

- Oh, and then if we're rich,

well, then the lawyers will be happy.

- No such luck, honey.

- Well, why not?

If we find gold, then that
proves the place is a success.

- Yeah, you'd think so, but
I'm afraid the attorneys

interpret it just a
little bit differently.

It states in my uncle's
will that this place

must make a profit as
a tourist attraction.

There's nothing in it
about mineral rights.

Hey, how would you like to
go to town with me tomorrow?

- Where to, darling?

- The courthouse.

- About John?

- No, to see about a license I need.

Now, honey, I know this
sounds morbid to you,

but now that John's been arrested

and we've finally seen an end to all this,

this place is gonna be front headlines.

It's gonna draw a whole flock of tourists.

You know, the kind that want to see

where the body was laid at
and how the guy was killed.

- I know, I know, how awful.

- I know it's awful, but it's true.

And that would mean that
we've made it, honey.

And then we can finally
get that marriage license.

- Oh, Mark.

Do you mean it?

- Now would I kid a nice kid like you?

(birds chirping)
- Get ready.

Here they come.

Of course, I'm the best man
ever had to stand outside

a church for a wedding.

- Thank you, Reverend.

Thank you.

(pleasant music)
(guests cheering)

(dog barking)

- [Tom] I'm sure glad
Mark and Brenda got back.

- [Sandy] Yeah, wait for a couple hours,

man, when this place starts
filling up with tourists.

Watch 'em flip.

- We ought to tell 'em about
that cooky old rich lady

that came back.
- The one that wanted us

to do a show re-enacting
the murders up there?

- Yeah, that's the one.

- Oh, the valley, it is a
paradise of the macabre.

- On second thought, maybe
we ought not to tell them.

- Hey, where are them old
married couple anyway?

- Well, Brenda's out back somewhere

and Mark's off talking to Randy.

- They want me to testify.

- Well, you had to expect that.

- Yeah, I know, but I can't
testify against a buddy.

I mean, John's a really
weird dude and all that,

but I've never known him to
deliberately hurt anyone.

- I know, Randy, but they caught him

in that horseman outfit.

- They did, but he says he
found the horse wandering

around in the hills.

And you gotta believe that 'cause,

well, where else would John get a horse?

- John's got all sorts
of connections, man.

You know that.

What about when he thought
he found the gold here?

He tried to buy the place from me.

- Oh yeah?

Well, anyways, I just gotta
say I recognize the horse,

but I can't say it was John.

- And you can't say that it wasn't.

- Look, Doc, what am I gonna do?

I don't wanna be the one to hang him.

- Of course you don't,

man, but there's only
one thing you can do.

You've got to answer
all of their questions.

You've got to.

(tense music)
(clock ticking)

- The thing that bothers me.

The first night we saw the horseman,

well, Randy saw him, remember?
- Yeah, I remember.

- Well, John was bedded
down with us that night.

So it couldn't be him.

- That's right.

And remember what John said
about there being gold here?

- Yeah.
- Well,

just suppose there really
was gold on this property.

And that would give
someone a very good reason

to do almost anything to get
his hands on it, wouldn't it?

- Like publicity.

Like Mark was saying the other day

about all the curiosity-seekers

or the morbid types that'll be pouring

into this place on weekends.

- And they have.

You know, something's very wrong here.

- Yeah.

You know, when all the others were found,

they had blood splattered on them.

But when John was caught,
there was no blood.

- But hang on, let's figure
all the angles first,

and then we'll check with Mark, all right?

- Yeah.

Come on, Tom.

(tense music)

- Hi, Mark.
- Hi, Sandy.

- I just wanted to check with you.

I'm going up in the canyon
to check for rattlesnakes.

- Okay, okay, good, good.

Hey, let me take a look
at that six-shooter.

- No, it's loaded for snakes, Mark.

- Loaded?

Okay.

- [Tom] Hey, Mark, we wanna talk to you.

- Yeah.

- The night Lydia was killed, you took off

and left us in that old saloon.

Where did you go?

- Well, I told you, I went
with the authorities into town.

- I called to talk to you.

You were never there.

- Well, I didn't exactly go all
the way into town with them.

- Then what about the night
Randy saw the horseman?

He was looking all over for
you to tell you about it.

You never did explain where
you were at that time.

- It sounds like you all are saying that-

- We just want to know, man.

- What about this business about the gold?

You told us you grew up here.

If there were any gold around here,

you'd probably know about it.

- Gold here?

Hey, whoever heard of gold
in Southern California?

- The United States Assay Office.

85% of the gold deposits discovered here

are still under the ground.

- The night Lydia was run over,

there was a lot of excitement around here.

People yelling, running
around, looking for you, Mark.

Thinking she might still be alive.

Thinking you might be able to help.

It was at least 15 minutes
before you showed up.

Now, where were you?

- Now I told you-
- No, you didn't tell us.

- Now, wait a minute.

It sounds like you're trying to accuse me.

- Should we?
- No.

Now just cut it out,
man, before I do get mad.

You know, I don't have to put up

with any of you bums around here.

- Oh, is that what we are?

- Well, just stay out of my way, okay?

- Are we in your way, Mark?

How are we in your way?

- Stop it.
- Stop what?

- Just cut it out and get out of here.

- Mark, all of these
people have been splattered

with real blood.

Now who but a doctor would
have access to so much blood?

- Now give us some answers, Mark.

- Okay.

Okay, yeah, there is gold around here.

There's a lot of gold around here.

I found it when I was a kid.

And I've been waiting.

Waiting a long time for
that old man to die.

Watching all those old
cronies hanging around here.

You know some of them
used to be prospectors?

I was always waiting.

Worrying if whether
they would find my gold

before the old man kicked off.

- Oh, Mark.

Three people are dead.

Why?

- I had to have this place.

I went through hell waiting
for that old man to die.

- By killing people?

- I didn't mean to kill 'em.

They were all just accidents, man.

It happened that way.

- They were killed, Mark.

They were killed.

- It wasn't supposed to happen that way.

They were just accidents.

- I'm going to the police.

- No, stop.

Hey.

I said stop.

(gun firing)

Leave me alone!
- Mark!

- I gotta get another gun.

- He killed my brother.

I'll get mine with no blanks.

(tense music)

(gun firing)

(tense music)

- Oh, Bob.

What happened?

Another accident?

- It's Mark.

He shot him.

He's gone mad.
- Mark?

Mark?
- No.

(gun firing)
Don't go out there.

- No.

(tense music)

No!

Mark!
- Please, don't.

Come on.
- No, leave me alone.

Let me go.

Mark.

- You gotta believe us.

We want to help you.

(tense music)
(Brenda screaming)

(gun firing)

(gun firing)

(gun firing)

(gun firing)

- What's the matter with him?
- Get down.

- What's the matter with him?
(gun firing)

(tense music)

Mark.

It's Stanley, Mark.

We're your friends.

I'm your friend.

Mark.

Put down the gun.

(Stanley sobbing)

Give me the gun, Mark.

Everything's gonna be all right.

If you just give me the-

(gun firing)

He killed me.

(guns firing)

(clock bell ringing)
(clock ticking)

- [Narrator] It may now begin again.

Mark will ride with the horseman,

and the curse will begin again,

when next the Ta Mau Moon rises.

They will speak of this as a ghost town

that is offered for sale.

The curious will come to
see where it all happened,

and there is a buyer anxious
to greet the paying customers.

He will walk in the moonlight.

It will begin again.
(horse neighing)

It will begin again.
(Headless Horseman laughing)

It will begin again.

It will begin again.

It will begin again.

It will begin again.

(Headless Horseman laughing)

(pleasant music)