We yield to death through weakness of will.
It banishes our souls into the great emptiness.
...and whatever lies beyond.
But what if one human spirit could draw upon the power of another...
...and live for all eternity?
You look clean.
Miracle soap and water, I guess.
Wanna get dirty again?
Many of the important writers and poets the late 18th and early 19th century...
...I name Byron, Keats, Poe,
as they have most influenced my work,
shared a passion for the macabre.
They also had another thing in common:
their quest to find...
...absolute beauty.
A thing of beauty...
...is a joy forever.
Its loveliness increases...
...it will never pass into nothingness.'
Keats also wrote:
Thou is not born for death, immortal bird.
No hungry generations tred thee down.'
But I...
I won't tred this generation down with a longer lecture, let's go to lunch!
Thank you.
Thanks.
That's it.
Nice job. Thanks man.
Wish I knew how to get that kind of enthusiasm out of 'em.
Can I ask you something? Um-You see the girl, still in here, with all black on?
Mhm... What about her?
She's been to at least six of my lectures, long well over 200 miles away from here.
Do you know her?
Yeah, she's one of ours.
Grad student in comparative religion.
Grad student?
What, did you think she was an undergrad groupie?
Yeah...
Well, what's her name?
Ligeia Romanova.
'Ligeia?' That's exotic.
Yeah, quite fetching, huh?
You forgot that I'm engaged?
- Everybody should be so cursed. - You cynical old man!
See you both at the faculty party tomorrow night?
Hell yeah, of course.
- All right. - See ya, Len.
Miss? Miss? Uh, excuse me. 'Scuse me, miss?
Hey, I've been seeing a lot of you lately, huh?
Are you following me?
Well, your books fascinate me.
You seem to read poetry on a higher level, like it was a form of energy.
It is... It's an interesting assessment.
So, uh, you study comparative religion? - Now who's the stalker?
No, no, uh, chancellor Burris told me.
Mysticism, really. That's my true passion.
Really?
So, am I going to see you at the faculty party tomorrow night?
Are you inviting me?
Uh, no, no, I'm, uh...
Regreting your decision already?
No, what? No.
So in that case, I'm gonna wear... something sexy.
Take my card, Professor Merrick.
You'll need it.
- Lemme get that outta your way.
Are you having a good time, George?
I have some mixed feelings.
Listen, put it this way, you get my beautiful Row, and...
...all I'm gonna have is a magnificent hangover.
Aww, dad...
Jonathan, my boy.
I, um, apologize, and I thank you for paying for the wedding.
Don't worry, that's no problem.
I was born with a silver spoon.
Well, as long as you brought it up...
...your rich, dead parents, I mean...
- Dad, Stop! - Oh!?
I can relieve you of some of the burden of you and your spoon.
Wait, that's not funny!
By the Alpha and Omega...
...beginning and end...
Show yourself.
Thank you very much.
Ahem.
Ahem...
Of course.
- Dad, we'll come check on you after the faculty party tomorrow night.
Okay?
I'm not a baby, Row.
What's happening?
Is he dead?
The formula; It needs more work.
Ligeia, how am I supposed to get rid of it...
Chancellor!?
My doctoral research. - I think not.
What do you have there?
Proof. - Of What?
Proof that the spirit...
...can be contained...
...and controlled.
Proof of survival.
What the fuck?
Miss Romanova
I'm not falling for your little hoax!
This is an institution for serious studies. Not witchcraft.
I assure you it's quite real.
You can forget about getting a degree from this school.
...and I'm going to revoke your scholarship privileges.
Chancellor...
That's not what you promised me when you were fucking me on your wife's bed.
Now, get out of here.
If he pulls your scholarship, this experiment is through.
I hope you know what you are doing with Professor Merrick.
Jonathan...
Hear me, Jonathan.
Jonathan...
Jonathan!
Desire me, Jonathan...
Jonathan...
Worship me, Jonathan...
Come to me.
I'm glad you decided to come.
As you can see, I too, like the macabre.
Drink this.
That tastes like grain alcohol and licorice.
Absinthe.
The stuff that makes people go crazy?
Some people say that.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Van Gogh
cut off his ear in an absinthe delirium?
But he was already certifiable.
Na Zdorovie.
Now I can show you life looking back at you.
Look.
I call it my 'Soul Mirror.'
There...
Do you see it?
What the hell?
Jesus!
Now, let's see yours.
You're vibrating with so much sexual energy.
You're not sure you belong with her.
You don't know me.
Don't I?
I can wait.
Professor Merrick.
- Hi!
Congratulations on your new book, Jonathan.
- Thanks, Mrs. Burris.
Hey, Len.
Hey Jon, I'm glad you could make it.
- Here's our songbird. - Beautiful as ever.
Thank you, nice to see you, Len.
Yeah, thanks... oh!
Are you okay?
Let's get away from the bar.
Should probably be mixing more than I'm drinking,
but I feel alright.
So, Rowena, Jonathan tells me that you'll be ready for center stage real soon.
Oh, God, no! He's exaggerating, but thank you!
I might actually be doing a musical that's touring Europe and Russia...
Really?
Yeah, I've been an understudy for so long, I'm hoping this works out.
- They like musicals in Russia?
- They do! I might just be in Moscow in a few months.
But, we'll see.
- Oh, great. Excuse me.
- This is a private affair. - I'm on the guest list.
- I'm going out for a smoke.
- I thought you gave 'em up? - I did.
- Hey. - Hi.
Aren't you going to introduce us?
Yeah, uhm, Rowena, this is Ligeia.
Jonathan's told me so much about you.
- He has, has he?
Do you want a drink? Would you like a drink?
- I don't suppose you have any absinthe?
No, we have martinis. - It'll do.
Wine?
Ligeia is a very interesting name.
It is Russian.
Hmm! Russian is a beautiful language.
What does that mean?
I'll never tell.
- Here we go.
- It was very nice to meet you. - Oh, yes. Likewise.
Really nice.
Ahem!
What? - What?
'I'm on ze guest list.' What the hell was that?
No, it's not what your thinking.
Not to sound modest, but...
I'm a pretty good lecturer. I can't help it if some
impressionable young woman develops a weird crush.
Of course not.
'Cus she's incredibly beautiful.
Uh-oh...
Are you jealous?
No...
Yes.
You see, life falls away, unless you fight for it.
You really don't get it, do you?
You know, when you first came to this university,
I had such high hopes for your research.
Tomorrow I'm cutting off your university funding.
Honestly, I would just rather you not talk to her.
Like, ever!
- Ok.
You don't think I'm being petty, do you?
No.
You sure there's no way I can change your mind?
I don't want to do anything to worry you.
I'm sorry that...
...this is the way it has to be.
I love you.
Len?
Jesus, man! Your eyes!
No, no, no!
Somebody help!
- I'll call you from the hospital. - Bye.
'Scuse me. I'd like to ride along.
- Are you family? - No.
Well, then your gonna have to meet us at the hospital.
- He was bleeding from the eyes. Have you ever seen that before?
- We will take good care of him.
It's ok, Jonathan. We'll see you at the hospital.
Need a ride?
She doesn't have to know.
You know, I know; We both feel it.
It's like something burning under your skin.
Chemistry doesn't mean acting on every impulse.
Sometimes giving in to an impulse...
...is as simple as surrendering to music.
- Good morning, honey. - Good morning.
- Is Jonathan still at the hospital?
- Yeah.
- Did you get any sleep? - Yeah, why?
Well, some fool called in the middle of the night.
Who was it?
- I don't know, I didn't pick it up.
I let it go to the machine.
Message one;
Rowena, I'm advising you about your fiancé. He is fucking another woman.
At the Ransford. Apartment 700.
Open the fucking door.
Please, come in.
Where is he?
We were just having a shower.
Would you like to join us?
God...
Row.
Ligeia. Come on, let's go.
Mrs. Burris?
Hello, Jonathan.
I'm so sorry.
If there's anything I can do...
Thank you.
- What's the problem?
- My compensation. - We already talked about it.
What if Jonathan found out I called his fiancé?
Don't blackmail me, you little shit.
I will destroy you.
Do you miss me?
My dear, sweet Eddie...
I will always have a place for you in my heart.
It isn't getting better.
I'm fine.
I'll be ok.
She's dead. What makes you think this will be any different?
She only left the apartment twice a month for years.
Her spirit will be close.
By the Alpha and Omega...
...beginning and end...
Show yourself.
There it is.
You have no idea how long I worked on this formula.
I hope it's worth it.
Oh, it will be...
...in the end.
I don't know what going on, Len.
I just sort of fell into her.
She's bringing out this darkness in me.
Let's have some absinthe.
You must be Jonathan.
Yes.
There is no-one else quite like her. I hope you know that.
- You didn't tell me how sick you were. - I was afraid.
I knew you'd bring me here. And I can't work in the hospital.
What I can do?
How I can help, Ligeia?
Do you mean it?
I'll do anything.
If I could go home where I was born: Romanova Manor.
We'll just get on a plane as soon as the doctors say it's safe to fly.
But my family lost the manor years ago.
I'll buy it. I'll pay any price.
I love you.
- By the bonds of love in darkness and light...
Don't worry about it...
I love you, I can't stand to see you this way.
Ligeia, let me introduce you.
I am Vaslov. - Dentombre.
Vaslov is the caretaker. He's gonna watch the place for us.
I hope this place will feel like home to you too.
And this is... Lorelei?
- Who is Vaslovs' niece? My niece, yes.
Hi, Lorelei.
- Dentombre.
She is, uh, can't speak so much. Some bad things happen.
So now she is with me.
My grandfather designed it.
For metaphysical experiments.
So, what do you think?
It's rather unusual.
I wish we could have been married in this room.
The child will bring some life back to this place.
To bring life back... Interesting.
Sweet dreams, Len.
You and your mother have the same name?
We were close...
...so close.
I could see her spirit when it was sucked into the great emptiness.
My spirit, Jonathan, will go where I will it to.
You... you shouldn't talk like that.
You should be in bed. Take your medicine.
- If you want me to feel better,
get me some wine from the cellar.
Something old.
So close now.
The experiment is almost finished.
- I want to do what no one in history has accomplished.
Not with magic nor science, but a combination of both.
I have extracted the essence of the human soul...
...and contained them.
With the black magic of my ancestors, I will bind them to my own soul.
They will make my spirit powerful enough to go where I will it.
Since the dawn of man,
death has claimed every mortal soul, like I saw it did my mothers'.
I will not share her fate,
but I must work quickly.
As the disease within me grows stronger,
My hold on Jonathan is weakening.
Hello, hey.
Congratulations. I always knew you could make it.
What are you doing here?
I need to see you.
How did you even get back here?
You forget I have money? Your father never did.
- I'm sure you didn't fly all the way here just to insult me?
Have dinner with me tonight.
I read the notice in the Times, about your performance.
I figured it would be the last chance I'd get to talk to you.
What happened to you, Jonathan?
I don't know. I honestly don't.
Rowena, you look...
...beautiful.
You look...
...different.
I didn't know how much I missed you, until I saw you tonight.
I don't...
I don't want to hurt you.
Row...
Hear me, Jonathan.
Come back to me.
I can't, Rowena.
God, I'm so stupid.
Good morning, doctor.
Good morning.
Actually, it's Professer.
But, please, call me Jonathan.
You're not a doctor?
No, I have a Ph.D, but in literature.
I just thought that...
Thought what?
I assumed you were a doctor, what with...
...all experiments in the basement.
I'm sorry.
- I've set Len free.
But I can't give him his life back.
None of it matters in the end, Jonathan.
It's the end. I promise you that.
No, Jonathan. My work isn't just for me.
Tell me something,
Why did you marry me?
Because I love you.
Bullshit.
You married me for my money.
I could support your work if the university failed you.
- I know. - No, Jonathan, you have to believe me.
I'll set you up at the hospital. They can take care of you,
I'll pay for everything.
Stay with me, Jonathan.
What did you do to me? What did you do? Did you control my mind?
You took my life away! You took everything!
Obey me, Jonathan.
You're weak.
You don't control me anymore.
- I'm leaving you. - For her?
She's nothing.
Goodbye.
I am and I will be...
For the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end...
Bind yourselves to me!
Bind yourselves to me...
Hey. You really should rake the leaves out here.
Yeah..
Listen...
There's, uhm...
...somebody here to see you.
Who?
Well trust me, I think he has something important that you need to hear.
Do I know you?
We need to talk.
She's dead.
I know.
Row, what do you want?
I just want to help you.
Look at her. She's so sweet.
I really want to do something for her.
Are you alright, Lorelei?
Lorelei, how would you feel about you and your uncle coming to America with us?
Can I have deep-dish pizza?
What?
I now pronounce you man and wife.
You may kiss the bride.
Congratulations.
Lorelei...
Hey, Rowena.
I think we made a mistake.
What, Dad?
I think we made a big mistake!
About what?
About being here, in this house. We made a mistake.
It's like she's still here, in this Godamned... castle!
And it's creeping me out, Row, alright?
This place is making me crazy.
Listen, I know you think I'm a drunk. Don't you?
'Cos I don't blame you. But that ain't it right now.
That ain't what's happening, ok?
I wish you would just wait.
- For what? - For me, we'll go as soon as I can.
It's not gonna be long, I don't want to be here either.
Ok?
- Ok.
I am...
...and I will be.
The bagpipes are calling...
...from glen to glen...
I can't stand being here.
How much longer? I just, I feel like, I almost feel like she's...
If you come when the flowers are dying...
- I'm getting some more of that!
Guess dad's drunk again.
That what you get for living in a house with wine cellar.
This is all bullshit.
'Cos I'm gonna take Rowena, tomorrow, and I'm gonna leave!
- Not yet.
Sorry, what was that? What did you say?
I better go see if Lorelei's ok. Dad's probably scared her half to death.
Lorelei?
Lorelei, are you in there?
Lorelei, what are you doing in here?
- I can't sleep.
Me neither.
You're not going to drink that, are you?
- Uncle says it helps make me sleepy.
He tells you that? Your uncle said that?
Well...
...maybe this will help me get sleepy,
but I think that milk and cookies might work better for you.
Tell you what...
Let's go back upstairs, and I will lay with you until you fall asleep.
And then tomorrow...
Jonathan and I have a huge surprise for you, ok?
A surprise for you.
God, I feel really dizzy.
Where are we going?
Lorelei, this is the wrong way.
Come, I show you.
- Rowena!
Row, Row.
Call an ambulance.
Lorelei, you hear me?
Lorelei, get Vaslov. Go!
Jonathan...
Are you ok?
What happened to me? - You fainted.
I'm going to take you to a hospital.
Rowena...
...your dad...
...he fell.
He's dead.
I can't believe there's nothing wrong with you.
- I told you!
So now we go home? - No.
What?
I don't understand.
I just don't want to let this place defeat me.
So now you want to stay? - Yes.
Well, Lorelei, I guess we're staying.
Lorelei, sweetie, do you think you can go play outside for a minute?
I need to talk to Jonathan.
Thank you.
We can't take care of her.
- But you just said you wanted to take her home with us.
Well, I was wrong. It was a noble idea, but, no.
- Rowena, she doesn't have anybody. We don't even know where Vaslov is.
- Well, find someone to take care of her, Jonathan!
- I'm surprised you wanted to come here, Row.
It's a different side of me.
It really is a beautiful estate, isn't it, Jonathan?
It just feels so alive.
- As requested: a fine old brandy.
Rowena...
What?
Something bothering you?
Yes.
It's the way you dismissed Lorelei like that.
Look, it wasn't just a rash decision. I'd thought about it
- It just seemed so...
What?
What are you gonna say?
'Cold'?
Do I seem cold to you now?
Do I feel cold?
Rowena?
What?
I just wanted to say your name.
Help me.
Help me, Lorelei.
First, It was how quick you got over your dad dying.
You know, I figured, when you sent the girl away,
It was the way you did it.
I don't know what you're talking about.
And the way you dress now...
Really, Jonathan, you're not making any sense.
But really, it was the way you feel...
You died...
...in my arms...
Ligeia.
I so wanted you to know that it was me.
I could not keep it to myself any longer.
Answer me.
What did you do with Rowena?
She's gone!
Did that excite you, Jonathan?
I have something to tell you.
Is that you?
Yes! I have much to tell you.
You look beautiful.
I couldn't stay away.
It doesn't matter whose body it is, isn't that right, Jonathan?
You know, you will always have a special place in my heart.
Who did that feel like?
That was definitely Ligeia.
I am not going to die, no matter what I have to do.
Someday we must die.
No.
Listen, we will never have to pay that price.
We can live forever.
Let some other fools take our place and die.
But you must commit, Jonathan.
Oh, I am committed.
Drink to a new life.
Jonathan...
No!
Die, Jonathan, die!
Row, wake up.
Wake up.
Jonathan...
Is it you, Row? Is it you?
We did it.
Yeah, we did it. Yeah, we did.
Lo! 'tis a gala night Within the lonesome latter years!
An angel throng, bewinged, bedight In veils, and drowned in tears,
Sit in a theatre, to see A play of hopes and fears,
While the orchestra breathes fitfully The music of the spheres.
Mimes, in the form of God on high,
Mutter and mumble low, And hither and thither fly-
Mere puppets they, who come and go At bidding of vast formless things
That shift the scenery to and fro,
Flapping from out their Condor wings Invisible Woe!
That motley drama-oh, be sure It shall not be forgot!
With its Phantom chased for evermore, by a crowd that seize it not,
Through a circle that ever returneth in To the self-same spot,
And much of Madness, and more of Sin, And Horror the soul of the plot.
It writhes!- it writhes!- with mortal pangs
Out-out are the lights-out all!
And, over each quivering form, The curtain, a funeral pall,
Comes down with the rush of a storm,
While the angels, all pallid and wan, Uprising, unveiling, affirm
That the play is the tragedy, "Man," And its hero...
The Conqueror Worm.