France, mid-15th century.
Superstition and ignorance rule all over Europe.
Men and women, accused of witchcraft,
are burnt at the stake,
hanged or beheaded.
The plague, the most devastating infestations,
and war, with its consequence of many calamities,
are not as much feared as the dark power of Satan
and his sinister cohort of demons and sorcerers.
Alaric de Marnac, you are about to know all the misdeeds
why this fair Court of Carcassonne sentenced you.
You drank human blood,
you ate dead and alive human flesh.
You attended the Black Mass, with bloody sacrifices
of newborns and maidens,
you worshipped Satan, and both of you attended the Sabbath,
you are vampires and lycanthropes.
For all of this, you shall be beheaded
and your head and body
shall be buried in places apart, so they cannot ever be together.
I curse you, Armand de Marnac, my despicable brother,
and you, Andre Roland,
and your progeny. You shall pay, because I shall return.
I shall return.
Cursed. Cursed forever.
Kill our bodies, but our spirits will haunt you forever.
You, Andre Roland,
and you, Armand de Marnac,
who disowned your own blood.
You and your progeny will suffer the greatest misfortunes
and we will get our revenge with one of your lineage.
You decide, and...
We will return to take revenge.
Damned. Damn all of you.
- Hugo, I didn't hear you. - What's wrong, Bohemian?
It's almost two weeks without hearing from you.
I don't know. I spend the days in front of the canvas.
Trying to do something new, different... Without success.
Although it's just a sketch, it's different to your style.
Yes. I'm haunted by a strange image
I can't understand.
I just see a pair of black eyes,
penetrating, staring intensely.
If you have fallen for those black eyes,
there's no point in my visit.
Always joking.
Anyway, tell me why you came, apart from drinking my whiskey.
- Paula is here. - Where is she?
At Sylvie's.
- They are waiting for us. - I'll change my clothes.
What took you so long? We were about to leave already.
Traffic, you know.
We were even fined because we jumped a light.
It has been a wonderful afternoon.
We kept walking and everything seemed new to me.
Paris is so unique.
Love transforms everything,
-isn't that right, Maurice? - Indeed.
Although mine is a hopeless love.
The newspaper is more important to Paula than I am.
How many times have I asked you to marry me, Paula?
Soon, they'll relocate me to Paris.
Resigning from my job in Germany would be difficult.
I can't be replaced until Demark returns from Pakistan.
- Then... - Well, Maurice,
don't be upset, we can be together.
I don't know for how long I've been trying to marry Hugo.
Look, Sylvie. I'm an unbearable, selfish and possessive man.
You're devoted to your patients. If you married me,
you'd have to spend all your time with me.
Honestly, I can't see you playing that role.
And what do you know about the roles I can play?
It's Odil and Yann, they told me they'd come.
Oh man, those bores. I didn't know they were coming.
If I had known...
- She is a wonderful medium... - With great talent.
She has all the skills required and does everything.
Reincarnation, direct exploration, aura...
Yesterday, they took us to Père-Lachaise Cemetery
and we touched the nape of Allan Kardec's bust.
In that circle, that's a privilege.
We have a meeting tomorrow.
I've never been to a séance. I'd like to go.
Me too.
Then come with us, I'll talk to the circle members.
Now, don't tell me you believe in such rubbish.
Spiritualism is a fantasy invented by swindlers
to rip off people, believe me.
You shouldn't say that. If you go...
To the séance, you'll change your mind,
rest assured.
Then I'll go, and we'll see.
And I have an idea, Maurice.
I'll ask Alaric de Marnac to show himself.
According to the legend, they buried his head somewhere
next to the monastery ruins, in my property.
I'll ask him to tell me the place, and we may find it.
Try it.
I'd like to summon Mabille de Lancrè.
- Mabille de Lancrè?
She was Alaric's partner, and also found guilty.
She was executed after being tortured.
Her tomb is also supposed to be somewhere in Marnac's land.
Isn't it so, Hugo?
The good Alaric will clarify that.
You should know that if you want the séance to be successful,
you should go there with an open mind.
I'm sure that Hugo will lose all his...
...let's say humour,
when he meets Madame Irina Komarova, our medium.
Then, it's settled. We'll all go.
- Don't count on me. - But Maurice...
It's useless. Don't insist, because I won't go, Paula.
Well, I will. It's an experience I don't want to miss.
Alaric de Marnac, is that you?
Yes, it's me. What do you want from me?
I want to know where you rest, Alaric de Marnac.
There shall be no rest for me
as long as my mutilated head is not joined to my body.
Where were you buried, Alaric de Marnac?
My executioners condemned me to wander in the shadows,
by burying my head in the Cloister of Beheaded
and my body in the monastery crypt, next to my loyal Mabille.
I command you... Show yourself.
I'll say it again, Alaric.
If the moment is propitious, please show yourself.
It was all a fraud.
Tricks, and besides, old ones.
The voice was recorded.
The candelabra and the table were moved,
perhaps with threads, I don't know.
What's more, she was near enough to manipulate it.
And what about those marks on the medium's neck?
They were finger marks, as if someone had choked her.
Make up, perhaps.
Also, did you see how quickly she was taken out of the room?
They didn't even let Sylvie examine her.
I find Hugo's explanation plausable.
It was all a fraud, probably.
Our own auto-suggestion played a decisive part,
but I don't entirely reject a parapsychological event.
If it was all a fraud, how did Irina Komarova know
that the cloister and the monastery exist?
Aren't those places located in your property?
They are, but someone could have told her.
It's unbelievable.
You're like two scared and superstitious old ladies.
Everything that happened was quite strange.
I know what we will do. We'll visit Villas de Sade.
We'll look in the old cloister ruins,
then we'll know.
- What do you think? - It's a great idea.
You'll be able to rest. I assume you're coming?
Indeed.
What happened to change your mind so quickly?
You wouldn't believe me if I told you.
To be honest, I need a vacation.
I'm sick and tired of the clinic and Paris.
Be ready to be uncomfortable.
People from these mountains live like two centuries ago.
How long since you last came here?
Years, but the gatekeeper writes from time to time.
I hope the chalet my dad built is still habitable.
- Watch out!
You both remain here.
What happened?
He must be hurt. It's awful.
- Don't move.
Let go!
- How do you feel? - I'm fine.
- Oh, my God. That was frightful. - I don't have any broken bones.
The car is the one injured.
It's the radiator. We can't keep going.
Gerard has been caught,
with Uber's shotgun. He never misses.
That one already paid for his crimes.
It's his turn. Should we hang him here or in the village?
Here. The sooner we eliminate the scoundrels, the better.
My name is Andrè Govar.
I guess you got lost in this godforsaken place.
We haven't seen foreigners in these mounts in a long time.
You were unlucky to run into these two.
We were headed to Villas de Sade when they attacked us.
They are two criminals trying to escape.
Killed a family to rob them. The parents and four children.
The youngest was two months old.
They're going to get what they deserve.
Come on.
I hit him right in the forehead. He didn't say a word.
Best shotgun in the village.
This Uber... He always hits the nail on the head.
We would like to continue our journey.
Could you provide us with another vehicle?
Bring a Citröen from the town.
Coming!
I'll give this to Lissette. It'll be a nice souvenir.
You all know what he did to her.
They'll be here in half an hour.
Meanwhile, we'll discuss the price of the car.
How much do you want for it?
Let's say... 3000.
It's difficult to get a vehicle around here, you know.
Alright, fair enough.
Fine, now let's hang the fellow.
I'm sorry to offer you such a scene,
but sometimes, things have to be like this.
What are you going to do? You have no authority.
Is this not enough authority for you?
You're a bit ungrateful, sir.
- After what I did to help you.
This is outrageous and absurd.
How is it possible that these things happen?
We ended up in the middle of a feud.
Count yourselves lucky that we lost only money and a car.
But those people... We should report them.
The authorities have to know this.
One cannot kill with impunity, just like that.
That man deserved it, probably.
- I thought they'd kill us. - Me too.
That's why I say count yourselves lucky.
All the same, they should be reported.
People here protect each other,
and the law of silence is sacred.
Gastone, we'll go to the cloister this afternoon
and tomorrow we'll explore the monastery galleries.
Sir, I'd rather not go to the monastery.
Why not? I don't understand.
You haven't been here for years. You don't know what's happening.
What's happening?
This is a bad place, sir.
Several people went underground, but they never... came back.
They say they went there looking for a buried treasure,
but nobody dares to go any more.
The Devil...
wanders around there. - Stop talking nonsense.
Nobody hurt those people who went to the ruins.
They simply got lost in the maze of galleries and crypts.
But I've brought an exact map.
Very well, sir. I'll do as you say.
And try to get some men to help us,
the area I want excavated is quite vast.
I'll go to the town and ask, but it won't be easy.
Because, you know, all that land surrounding the monastery...
I know, Devil is on the loose. But everything has a price.
Offer what it takes, but bring them.
- And for this afternoon.
Hugo, why don't we leave it as it is and go back home?
Why do you say that? After travelling here?
Imagine we find the treasure that the villagers talk about.
And you...
I hope you are not backing out.
It's not like that.
But I'd rather stop, too.
Now, do you really believe we'll find the damn head?
- Perhaps. - Fine, I'll go by myself.
- I don't need you at all. - We'll go with you.
We all embarked on this idiotic adventure,
and we'll all finish it together.
Gastone, if we find the treasure, I'll marry your daughter Elvire.
I'll keep Chantal, she's curvier.
They say there's a lot of gold buried.
I suppose it's for all of us. Is that right, old man?
There's no treasure here,
and if you keep talking rubbish, I'll hit your head with a pick-axe.
- Any problem, Gastone? - Nothing, just chatting.
It would be pretty hard to find something buried centuries ago.
Here, help me!
Come on, dig in here.
"My food will be the human heart,
red, beating and ignoble."
"1454."
Let's open it.
It's impossible. Let's take it.
We'll look for a blow-lamp tomorrow.
Alright, let's take it to the car.
We'll try to fix the electricity tomorrow,
- I don't like candles. - We may not be able to,
it's been unused for a long time.
Hugo, why don't we put the chest back to where we found it?
I can't help this bad feeling I have.
Enough, Maurice.
You're acting like a frighted child.
We'll open it tomorrow.
Whatever it contains, nothing will happen.
Come on, open the door. Be quiet.
Old Gastone has a good ear,
and his house is nearby.
- Come on. - Wait.
- Open the door. - Ready.
- Let's trick them. - Trick?
We will go into the girls' rooms covered with a sheet.
No, I can see that's not funny.
That's it.
Help me with this.
Let's see.
Now we have it.
"Asta... Astarothe."
I know you would come, dirty thieves.
Gastone, you don't think we wanted to steal this, do you?
We've always been friends.
I don't think something like that is worth it.
If it had been the treasure, we'd have shared it with you.
- Rest assured.
You... killed... him.
Open the door!
My father...
He killed him...
I woke up and he wasn't in his room,
so I went in and his shotgun was missing.
I looked for him...
I found him in the shed...
-...dead. - Let's go.
There's another dead man, mutilated.
He's one of the men who dug up the chest.
- The chest... - It's gone.
Unbelievable.
I cannot understand how this can happen nowadays.
Come on, Maurice. Calm down.
I tried to speak with the mayor. He didn't even see me,
neither the doctor nor the police officer.
All the villagers appear to be deaf and dumb.
Even the children welcomed me with insults.
In the telephone office they gave me
an explanation that sounded like a threat.
The storm knocked down the posts and there is no cable.
- You can imagine. - There have been two murders!
We had to get rid of the corpses.
We need to leave and report this.
We're directly involved.
You didn't seem to care much about settling the feud.
and it was as serious as this.
It's not the time to argue, but to leave.
How? We don't have any petrol
or any chances of getting it.
This is a trap, Hugo.
The swamp and the mountains are blocking any way out.
And there's another thing...
I gave some coins to the village drunk, Claude.
He told me something.
Gastone was already an outcast.
It was enough that he was living in the Marnac property.
That alone made him suspect.
Things changed when he said that his master was here.
That's why he could only find the two thieves.
Nobody else wanted to come with him.
- The legend... - Exactly.
The villagers think our arrival will bring awful misfortunes.
They may try to kill us.
Perhaps.
Our only choice is to cross the mountains on foot.
We could starve to death.
We barely have supplies for four days.
We'll find a solution.
Curse the day when we started this adventure.
- Do you need any help? - No, thank you. I'm fine.
- See you tomorrow, then.
Chantal, are you there?
- How's Elvire? - She's fine.
Resting. She took a sedative.
It's awful.
Paula is missing,
and Chantal... Only a monster can do something like that.
It's your fault. You took us into this hell.
Are you insane? We should be more united than ever.
- Stop! - Let go off me.
Oh, my God, what would have they done to you?
No, don't come closer.
This blood...
Clean away that blood.
I'm alone.
Completely alone.
You still have me, Elvire.
I'm afraid.
You were afraid when we were children, too.
You looked for my protection.
You love her so much, right?
I have only loved one woman.
Maurice.
Come.
Come to me.
- How's Elvire? Is she calmed? - She's sleeping.
Where is Maurice?
I don't know. I think he went out.
I'm going to find him.
It's late. Anything can happen.
Poor thing, he's devastated.
Hugo went to look for you. He's very concerned.
You, Maurice Roland,
carrier of my enemies, blood,
will serve me and help me to fulfil my revenge.
Tonight, my loyal partner,
Mabille de Lancrè,
will return.
After seven full moons,
when the astral conjunction favours us,
our power will be at its maximum
and we will exterminate all those carriers
of our executors, blood.
Then, our hate will be infinite
and humanity will tremble with fear.
They are all missing.
Probably dead. And I suspect
there's a terrible danger threatening us, too.
Now, I clearly see that I'm the one to blame.
This place is cursed, all the province is.
I told my father many times: "We must leave."
But he never listened.
He loved all of this, after all.
- He loved it too much.
You have to save yourself.
No one in the town can help you? A friend, a relative...
Nobody.
Nobody wanted to see us or talk to us.
I've no-one who cares.
You'll return my body.
It's been apart from me for centuries,
and my soul had to wander through a world of shadows.
Lift the stone that covers it.
Mabille, my loyal partner, you'll come back to me
and we shall be avenged.
You'll serve us throughout the day,
and after seven full moons, the rite will be celebrated
and you'll be a feast for our lord, Satan.
My father kept something that, according to him,
will defend us from the creature
that rises from the grave to destroy us.
Something evil and powerful that will try to attack us.
Do you know where it is?
I think...
- I think he kept it on the well. - Let us find it.
Thor's hammers.
My ancestors owned them for centuries.
How did your father obtain them?
I don't know. He never said.
According to the legend,
this talisman was used to defend themselves
from the Devil and the evil spirits.
Wear it, it may protect you.
In the middle of this nonsense, anything can happen.
My child...
Open up...
Don't open. Stop!
- Father!
Elvire, a log!
From the fireplace! A log!
Hurry, Elvire!
A lamp, hurry!
Maurice! What happened to you?
It's been awful.
I've been roaming hours and hours, lost.
Luckily, I could take shelter in a cave last night.
I thought I couldn't come back, when I saw the chalet.
But why? Why did you do it?
I was desperate.
Paula's disappearance changed me completely.
I decided to go to the village and look for her.
It's them who took her, I'm sure. But I lost my way.
Lots of things happened. Unexplainable and awful things.
I want you to come with me to the swamp.
You'll see things you won't accept,
but they are as real as you and me.
I'll explain later. First, we'll find an axe.
We need firewood.
You don't need to come. It'll be unpleasant.
It's daytime, so you'll be safe even though you're alone.
We'll burn them as soon as I find them.
Here they are.
Come here, help me get them out.
We need to destroy them so they don't come back.
Have you heard?
Maurice, what are you doing?
What happened?
Where's Hugo?
That monster controlled me.
It turned me into my best friend's murderer.
I don't know what else I did under its control.
I vaguely remember terrible things.
Grotesque.
Hugo is dead...
It was that monster.
I swear I'll give my life to destroy it.
Listen, Elvire. That talisman is effective.
It freed me from its influence and it fled.
We'll go to his den and try to destroy it.
You loved Hugo.
And your dad and sister were also murdered by this monster.
Help me.
We have to finish him,
or many innocent people will suffer,
infinitely worse than death itself.
We need to get to its den during the day, but how?
We'll never find it in that gallery maze.
The map! Hugo had a map. It must be in his bedroom.
If Thor's talisman
is placed over the forehead of a reincarnated evil spirit,
this will definitely destroy it.
During the day, these foul beings lack power.
When the reincarnated sorcerer is female,
these charms have no power on it.
It will be destroyed if a woman of pure soul is willing to give
her life, stabs its heart with a silver needle.
A silver needle.
We have to find something we can use.
First, we need to destroy the corpses of the swamp.
We'll get the needle after.
Stop! Not yet!
I'm hungry. I want her heart.
We'll sacrifice her and the rest the day of the great rite.
- Just that day. - Hurry then.
Let's search for our life's nourishment.
We shouldn't be here. That fellow said...
He's a drunkard, how can you believe him?
He'd sell his soul to the Devil before getting close to here.
Tomorrow we'll be rich. Didn't you notice?
When that chap paid what I asked for that rubbish,
I saw he was carrying a huge wad.
Then, why didn't we kill him back then in the woods?
It'd have been easy to get rid of them without leaving a trace.
What's done, is done. Listen.
Do you know what we'll find in that house?
Jewellery, silver, and who knows what else.
- They are filthy rich. - Are you sure?
Of course. Let's go.
No. Wait for the night. We shouldn't go during the day
We shouldn't? Are you afraid?
Has anything ever happened to you while you were with me?
It's almost dawn and they haven't attacked.
There must be some reason.
They're keeping us for something important for them.
Yes, I remember something.
After seven full moons, the final rite.
We should have tried yesterday.
We wouldn't have had time.
Night would have falled too soon.
Today is our chance.
They have an infernal power.
We won't be able to beat them here.
Elvire, let's not give up. We must fight through the end.
There must be a chance.
They'll attack any time soon.
We have the talisman and the silver needle.
Good always rules over evil, Maurice.
We have faith. We'll defeat them.
Seven full moons have passed.
We'll catch them today.
I want them to be prepared enough
for the sacrifice when the supreme day comes.
Maurice, my love.
Whatever you do, don't go out.
Here, take it with you.
I have to go. She needs me.
What have I done?