Hammer House of Horror (1980): Season 1, Episode 1 - Witching Time - full transcript

At the isolated Woodstock Farm in rural England, workaholic composer David Winter is depressed because he feels that his wife, actress Mary, is unfaithful. In a dark and stormy night, ...

3-4-0.

David?

Merry?

Where are you?

Darling, I'm at the flat.

Still?

Darling, I'm sorry, I'm not going to
make it home tonight.

I'll have to stay up.
I've still got half a dozen shots to do.

Well get them tomorrow?

Well' they're not sure.

Freddie's trying to juggle the schedule.
He wants me on stand-by.



I see.

I'm sorry' David. It can't be helped.

- Can't it?
- Listen!

Oh, never mind!

Shall we expect you tomorrow?

I'll call you.

Yes, you do that.

Look' could you see to Muffin?

Make sure the stable doc-Rs
properly locked and bolted.

I don't want him kicking it open again.

- He won't, not now it's been strengthened.
- Good. How's the work going?

OK.

How far have you got?

I'm just about to come up to your
death scene, dear



Oh. Well...

that should be some consolation to you.

Mary, we've got...

I'll call you tomorrow. Night.

Good night, boy.

It's all right, boy. M's only thunder.

Looks like we're in for a bit of a storm.

It's all right, Bill. It's over now.

Ifs all over.

I said it's over, Billy!

Billy, come over here. Come on.

Bill!

What's the matter'?

Do you want to go out, then?

Come on.

Bill'?

Billy!

Billy?

Billy!

Billy?

Who are you?

What are you doing in here?

Who are you?

I did it.

I did it!

I did it.

- Did what?
- I escaped them, that's what I did.

Where's this place?

Woodstock Farm.

Woodstock Farm, is it?

Who be you?

David Winter.

I live here.

Live here? You live here now.

Look' what is this?

Tell me, David Winter,

who be on the throne of England now'?

- Now, listen...
- Who'?!

Queen Elizabeth, of course.

Elizabeth? When came she to the throne?

Which Elizabeth?

Elizabeth II.

- She was crowned in 195...
-19...

My lord and master be praised.

I'm free.

Come on, my beauties.

Where be your fire now, then?

Where be all of you?

Dead!

Dead' dead, the lot of you!

Look, who are you
and where are you from?

Who am I? I'm Lucinda.

Lucinda Jess-op, and please you.

Where I come from? I come from here -
Woodstock Farm. Where else?

My, how nice you've got the old place.
There's a change.

Look, I don't seem to be
understanding you too well.

Did you live here once?

Aye, I lived here. I was born here.

Ah, I see.

I was born in this house in the year 1627.

16...?

- Don't be ridiculous, that's more than...
- Aye, more than 300 years since-.

Tell me, David Winter,
what do you do with witches in these times'?

Witches?

Nothing.

- You don't hum them?
- No.

You don't get poxy witch finders to swim 'em
and hang 'em and burn 'em?

- No, we don't.
- That's good.

That's very good, David Winter,
because I be a witch.

Oh... now, listen.

I don't know what your game is,
but I don't go in for that sort of thing.

What sort of thing would that be,
my lovely David?

Black magic.

Fooling around on Halloween
and that sort of nonsense.

They wanted to put me to the test.

They tried to swim me.
And they would have burnt me.

They had their fire burning already
in that yard.

- Bull showed 'em my powers.
- Who?

Amos Franklyn

and Joshua Smith and their Puritan gang.

But I escaped their fire like I escaped
their water, and here I am.

Yes, yes, of course you are.

Like a ghost.

Oh' I be no ghost.

I be a living woman, David Winter.

Listen, wouldn't you like to lie down?

Rest for a while. You look rather tired.

- Would you like a drink of something?
- Oh, you want to poison me?

You won't get rid of your poor Lucinda
that way.

No, no, of course not.

Aargh!

It's all right.

It's just the power coming on again.

Take it away. Take the power away!

Now' then, come on.

It's only the lights.

Here' look.

It won't hurt you.

And...

And again.

So.

You see? Do you want to try?

Come on.

Give me your hand.

Now. And...

up.

And... down.

Not in there.

What's the matter'?

The cellar.

- Yes?
- Close the door.

(Nose the door.

They imprisoned me in the cellar down there
before they dragged me out to the fire.

Power. Where's the power'?

This is the bathroom...

in which we are fortunate enough to have
a bath, a washbasin and a toilet.

It's only water.

Here.

Hold that.

This is the shower.

Argh!

There's nothing to be afraid of.

Now' the other rooms are quite ordinary.

Just bedrooms.

Bedchambers?

Yes' that's all.

LOOK.

This used to be my room.

There, you see?

Why don't you have a little rest?

You must be rather fatigued
after travelling for 300 years.

Let me out!

- You swore you would not harm me!
- I won't.

Just stay there and rest.
I won't let anything hurt you.

Let me out!

Open this door, David Winter!

Just you let me out or it'll be
the worse for you!

Let me out, do you hear me?

Let me out of here!

Do you hear me? Let me out!

Let me out of this room!

- 3-4-7?
- Oh, Charles? It's David Winter.

I'm sorry to disturb you at this time of
the night, but I've got a bit of a problem.

Charles' thanks for coming.

Sorry to drag you out at this hour,
but I didn't know what else to do.

That's all right. I'd only just
got in, actually.

I've been up in London at a conference.

Well' thank God for that. Come on.

Billy!

So' David, what's it all about, then?

Well' I discovered this young woman

hiding in the barn after that
terrible storm we had.

You had a storm?

I'll say we had. Anyway, when it had
finished, I went out to calm Mary's horse.

And there was this creature.
She said she was a witch'

and that she was going to be drowned, or
burnt, or both, back in 16... something.

And that she'd managed to escape
by transporting herself through time.

That's very clever of her.

- Did she try and put a spell on you'?
- No, thank God.

Where is she?

Upstairs.

She's in here.

It used to be the nursery,
so there's bars on the window.

Lucinda'?

Lucinda, I've brought someone...

Lucinda'?

But I locked her in myself.

The door was still locked.

I had the key, you saw me.

Well' she's obviously not here now.

Lucinda!

Lucinda!

Mary not home?

No, she's been filming up in London.

Oh. Working late?

So she says.

You don't believe her'?

I think she's got a lover.

Mary?

YES' Mary!

I tell you, Charles, she...

It's that bloody director, I'll bet.

She's with him right now.

Now, come on, David.

Don't be ridiculous.

What's ridiculous?
Mary's a very attractive woman.

Well' of course she is.

But you mustn't let fears become
suspicions.

Now' what evidence have you got?

Well' nothing firm.

Well' there you are.

So stop getting paranoid.

Charles,

you don't think I'm going off my head,
do you?

Well, I think that you've been
working very hard and you're very Wed,

and that you could do with
a good long rest.

You do think I'm crazy!

Now, listen, David.

I've been treating you for nervous exhaustion
and you insist on going on working.

I've also told you not to drink
on top of the drugs I've prescribed,

- and what do you do?
- I know. I'm sorry.

If you start to hallucinate,
don'! blame me, OK?

OK.

Good.

Now' physically, you'll survive.

But you've got to take things easy.

I'm going to give you a shot.

It should help you relax and
sleep tonight.

What do you want?

You betrayed me' David Winter.

Leave me alone.

- Get out of here!
- You lied to me.

You want to be rid of me.

But I wanted to help you.

- You called the witchfinder.
- Stop it! I won't listen!

You want me to burn.

You're not real.

I know you only exist in my imagination.

Go away!

Is that the body of a ghost?

Is that real, David Winter?

Tell me.

Hello, 3-7-5-9.

Mary? Charles.

- Charles? Where are you'?
- I'm at home.

Oh' is something wrong?

Well, it's David.

What?

He called me over just now
and I think he was hallucinating.

Oh, my God.

Why?

How?

Probably just strain.

Plus the fact that he'd been drinking
on top of the

pills that I gave him.

Oh. Typical!

What do you want me to do about it?

I don't think that he should be left alone
more than can be helped.

- I see.
- He should be all right tonight,

because I've given him a shot.

- But if...
- OK, I'll drive back first thing in the morning.

Sorry, but I do think that you should.

David!

I'm home, darling!

David?

David?

Are you all right?

Charles phoned me.

Oh.

- Charles?
- Last night.

Last night?

- Oh, yeah.
- What happened?

Didn't Charles tell you'?

Not a great deal.

He said you were hallucinating,
or something.

There was a girl here.

Oh?

And she was real.

I know she was real.

She was solid,

flesh and blood.

But when Charles came,

she wasn't here any more.

Well, I'm here now.

Do you want some breakfast?

Oh, yes.

Yes' I'm starving.

I'm absolutely ravenous.

What did you have last night...

apart from Scotch'?

I don't remember.

OK.

You stay up here. I'll get you something.

Mary...

she was here.

She said she was a witch.

Lucinda Jessop, she called herself.

She was here.

Well... she doesn't seem to be here now.

No.

Come on. Lie down.

I'll get you some breakfast.

Your back!

What?

My“!

How did you do this?

Oh!

I don't know.

Charles,

I'm worried about him.

I think he really is going out of his mind.

No, he isn't.

- It'll be all right.
- But his back.

It's absolutely covered in scratches.

Deep, deep scratches.

I mean, what kind of man
would do that to himself

if he was in his right mind?

It's simply the result of stress.

- Overwork.
- And the drugs you're giving him?

Not on their own, no.

- Could it be dangerous?
- I don't think so.

I mean, could he turn violent or anything?

No, of course not.

You know that I wouldn't let you be
exposed to any kind of threat.

Are you sure?

You were with him last night.
What was he like then?

Disturbed.

He kept on insisting that you
have a lover.

Hello.

Listen, I saw Charles In the village.

Yes. I thought you might.

Oh?

What did he say?

He gave me some more pills for you.
Something a bit... different.

Stronger?

No, just different.

In case the other ones had something
to do with what happened last night.

I told you, the girl was real.

I didn't imagine it!

Oh, listen, David,
why don't you give yourself a day off'?

We could relax.

We could go for a walk.

(He sighs}

Oh... all right.

Good.

I'll pop upstairs and change.

Mary!

What'! What? What?

You... you are insane!

It's only just dead.

LOOK!

- How could I have done it?
- I don't know.

Why? Why should I?

I think I'm going to be sick.

Lucinda...

Lucinda...

Lucinda!

Lucinda!

David?

David,

are you there?

David!

David!

David, I know you're there somewhere.

David!

(Tape plays Lucinda's laughter}

Mary...

What are you doing?

I've been out looking for Billy.

Oh' yes. Was he upstairs, then?

What?

I can put up with your fantasies... just.

But when it comes to trying to kill me...

Kill you?

Don't be ridiculous.

You just keep away from me.

That thing. You pushed it.

No...

No, I didn't.

No?

What about this, then?

That's her!

Oh, yes.

I recorded it this afternoon
to prove that I wasn't imagining things.

You always were a lousy liar.
Get out of my way.

- What are you doing?
- I'm leaving, David. We had enough.

- You can't leave me now.
- Get away from me. Leave me alone!

You can“!

Oh, David.

Oh, my darling...

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Forgive me.

Please. Please forgive me.

Did you miss me last night,
my love?

No.

Go away.

Did you miss me, David' while you
lay with her'?

- She's my wife!
- She's unfaithful to you.

She's a worthless strumpet and
you know it.

Leave me alone, damn you!

Leave you, my love? Never.

You're mine, David Winter.

I've put my mark on you for
ever and ever. Amen.

Get rid of her' David.

You must get rid of that strumpet whore.
She must be destroyed.

Do you hear me?

You belong to Lucinda Jessop.

It sounds like a classic case
of poltergeist activity.

Ghosts?

A mischievous spirit.

Could you perform an exorcism?

Well' I'd have to talk to the bishop.

Yes, but could you?
I mean' would that get rid of it? Her.

Possibly. Possibly not.

One theory about poltergeists is that
they could be a manifestation of telekinesis

caused by someone living in the house.

Telekinesis, that's some form of
telepathy'?

Sort of.

Some people appear to have the ability

to move quite large objects
and cause all sorts of physical upsets

just by the power of thought.

But things do actually happen?

For real'?

Oh, indeed, yes.

It's nothing new either.

It happened to John Wesley's family,
you know.

In his father's rectory.

What about our witch?
Did she really exist?

Well, there was certainly a spate
of witch-hunting in the mid-17th century.

You see this fellow here?

Amos Franklyn?

He was the local witchfinder.

There was a craze for it
in various pans of the country at that time.

- M's very interesting...
- Yes. I'm sure, but...

Our Master Franklyn was a real fanatic.

Hysterical Puritanism' you know.

Terrible thing.

What about our Mistress Jessop?

Oh-Oh!

The usual method of trial, it seems,
was by water'

even though trial by ordeal
had been illegal for centuries.

But the witchfinders claimed that
Satan's disciples did not deserve fair trial.

So they drowned them.

- Only the innocent ones.
- And the others they burned alive'?

Not always alive. Sometimes
they strangled them first, with a rope.

- I suppose they thought that was being merciful.
- No doubt.

Ah! Here we are.

1652.

There were several trials that year.

May I see?

One poor woman managed to escape.

They raised a hue and cry, but
never found her.

- Where?
- There.

Mistress Lucinda Jessop.

Of Woodstock Farm.

Come back here to me, David Winter.

I haven't finished with you yet.

Charles' you've got to be there.
I need you!

Look, I don't want anything to do with it.

I can'! take the risk

of being involved.

But you are involved.

YES.

But I'm not seen to be.

Oh' listen, Charles.

Lean'! take much more of this.

I've got to stand by him

- until all this gets sorted out. but then...
- Mary...

you're my patient. I can't.

Won't.

I can't!

I'd be struck off.

You bastard.

- Mary, darling, I'm sorry...
- So am I.

Pm just beginning to realise
how lime I really mean to you.

- Mary, please...
- A little bit on the side.

Convenient. Safe.

- But when the going gets rough...
- You've always known the situation.

It's over, Charles.

Finished.

You just stay away from me,

or so help me, I'M blow it to
every newspaper in the country.

No, don't. Don't.

No.

Lucinda...

No...

No, no!

Aargh! No!

- No visitors again?
- No.

My husband isn't very well.

I see. Still, isn't there anyone else
you'd like us to contact?

No. Thank you.

- When can I go home?
- When the doctors say so.

Maybe tomorrow.

You see, I'm worried about my husband.

I've been here three days already.

How are you feeling now?

Well, apart from these pains,
I feel absolutely fine.

The pains are still there?
In your arms and legs?

Mm. And in my side.

Here.

Oh!

I'll get you something for them.

Sister-..

If there's nothing broken,
I want to go home.

Give it another day. Enjoy the rest.

What can happen to your husband
in one more day?

David?

You've come back.

YES.

Are you all right now?

Yes. I'm all right.

But you...

I'm sorry about Muffin.

You know they had to... put him down.

You mum come.

I wanted to.

I wanted to, Megs,

but she wouldn't let me.

She?

Lucinda.

She wouldn't let me.

Oh' David, you have got to fight!

I can't!

David, you must. You must not give in!

You mustn't give in, you must fight it.

You must. You must fight. Oh!

David...

help me, please.

Oh!

David, are you listening to me?

David,

all this has got to stop.

We're going to have an exorcism,

David, do you hear me?

An exorcism, to get rid of her.

Oh. no'..

David...

David, where are you?

David?

David, are you down there?

David!

David! Let me out, David!

Let me out! David!

David!

There.

WM that do?

Oh, my God.

No.

Is Dr Henderson there, please?

Oh, no.
Do you know where I can get hold of him'?

Yes' it is urgent.

It's very, very urgent.

Please. I need help.

Strumpet!

It's you they should have burned.

No.

Whore!

You!

He's mine, Mistress Mary, all mine.

'Nu!
was'!

You don't exist.

You made this?

Aye, mistress.

Well' I'm going to remake it.

Now...

Now it's you!

It's Lucinda.

And she's going to burn!

Do you think I'll be afeared of
the flames' then?

Don'! you know that fire is my
master's element?

Let me out! Let me out!

He'll burn to death!

Then he'll be mine for evermore!

- No!
- Let me out!

Water.

So that's what you can't take.

I should have known!

Aaargh! Aaargh!

No! No!

Aaargh!

Let me out!

She's dead, darling. You're free.

Dead?

Yes. Look.

Gone.