"THE LADY VAMPIRE (Onna kyuketsuki)" "A Mitsugu Okura Production" "Based on the Story by Sotoo Tachibana" "Art Director Haruyasu Kurosawa" "Shigeru Amachi Keinosuke Wada" "Junko Ikeuchi Yoko Mihara Torahiko Nakamura" "Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa" "The Toyo Times" "Go faster, will you?" "I'm late for a party." "I hit her!" "What?" "!" "There's no one here!" "I was sure I'd hit someone..." "Itsuko!" "Stop watching the clock!" "But it's awful Tamio's so late!" "You'll regret marrying him." "Reporters are busy people." "So they all say!" "Anyway, should we start?" "All right." "Gather round!" "We're going to cut Itsuko's birthday cake." "Shouldn't we wait for Tamio?" "But father, we don't know when he'll get here." "That's true." "As punishment, we won't leave any for him!" "Happy birthday!" "Thank you." "Now, if you'd do the honors... where are the bandages?" "Wada, bring a bandage." "Yes, miss." "Does it hurt?" "No, I'm fine." "Your wife had cut her finger, too, when she disappeared." "Yes...a question of blood, perhaps..." "Sorry I'm late." "You'll never guess what happened!" "You always say that!" "But it won't work tonight!" "No, it's true!" "My car hit a woman, who vanished." "Then I saw her again outside this house, in the garden!" "Really?" "!" "Has anyone been here?" "No, no one." "Sorry to mention it on your birthday, but that's why I'm late." "That's so strange!" "But if that's your reason, I'll forgive you." "Itsuko, I'm disappointed in you!" "Happy birthday." "Thank you!" "Especially coming from you." "What's wrong with your finger?" "I hurt it cutting the cake." "Is it okay?" "Hey, hey, hey!" "Whatever can that be?" "I hate power failures!" "Cleaning up is all the harder." "That's why I hate parties." "Some candles for the living room... that's the closed-up room on the second floor!" "But that room hasn't been opened in 20 years!" "Miwako!" "It's you!" "Miwako!" "Where's your father?" "Hmm..." "Miwako, what happened to you?" "!" "Don't you know me?" "It's me Shigekatsu!" "Miwako!" "This is uncanny...my wife Miwako, who vanished 20 years ago... but she looks so young unchanged in 20 years... she'd be 40 now, but still it's her." "This is eerie...perhaps I'm dreaming." "No." "This is no dream." "This must be the curse on those of Amakusa blood... she's done nothing but sleep like that." "Is such a thing possible?" "Her heartbeat and vital signs are fine." "But the amazing thing is that her organs, skin and musculature are those of someone 20 years old." "Are you sure this is your wife, Mr. Matsumura?" "Yes." "It couldn't be anyone else." "This is something beyond modern medical science." "They say that shock or great fear can delay natural processes... up to a point." "But medical science has never proved that." "I'll be going." "Thank you." "This is an intriguing case." "I'll come and see her again." "Let me know if there's any change." "We will." "My best to your mother." "Wait, Tamio!" "Are you going to write about this for your paper?" "No." "But a woman reappearing unchanged after 20 years is big news." "Please don't." "Dr. Sakakibara said this is medically impossible!" "It'll be an embarrassment..." "like a deformity or a disease!" "I can't see how it'd hurt your family." "Please!" "Promise me you won't." "You win." "A fine reporter I am!" "Anyway, don't worry about it." "She'll be fine in a few days." "I'm sorry my party caused you all this trouble." "Forget it." "Let's go see the art competition display in Ueno." "Someone nobody's ever heard of won the Jury Prize." "All right." "It's just like her!" "Who?" "My mother!" "Yes!" "It's the exact image of her!" "The eyes, the mouth..." "as if she were the model!" "Wait here... who did the Jury Prize picture?" "Sorry..." "I'm a reporter." "The picture's signed "Shiro Sofue"." "But when they awarded the prize, people said there was no such person." "Then why did the competition accept the painting?" "That I wouldn't know." "Miss... you seem to be taken with this picture." "Yes...somehow it reminds me of my mother." "Your mother?" "I see... sorry." "I thought I'd ask who the model is, but no luck." "Who was that?" "I don't know." "Oh?" "Thank you." "Give everyone my regards." "Goodbye." "Matsumura" "here you are." ""Unknown artist wins Jury Prize"" ""The mystery masterpiece"!" "Did everything go well?" "And no one saw you?" "Tiny!" "Close the curtain!" "Move!" "The other side!" "Quick!" "The moon!" "Are you all right, sir?" "I'll open a window." "Yeah, it's me." "A murder?" "Where?" "We'll be right there." "Oki!" "A murder!" "Where?" "Get going." "Fujii!" "Right!" "Any suspects?" "We're looking." "What was the weapon?" "Look, I'm busy..." "You're the hotel manager?" "Who's the girl?" "How old was she?" "What time was it?" "Did she scream?" "Hey!" "Horrific scratch marks!" "Woman employee murdered!" "Mystery killing of hotel waitress!" "Tanigawa speaking." "What?" "Stolen?" "Okay, I'll switch you to arts." "A story?" "What is it?" "Another murder?" "Hell, no!" "You know that prize-winning painting in Ueno?" "Last night someone stole it." "That painting?" "!" "Look at you!" "What's so special about that picture?" "Uh, nothing..." "What, your reporter's sixth sense again?" "We've got a murder to work on." "I passed them on to arts." "What's all this about?" "You didn't see who brought it?" "Someone just left it inside the front gate." "It's strange no one saw anybody open the gate, though." "Look!" "It seems to have been sent to you, father." "Do you know a Shiro Sofue?" "Shiro Sofue?" "Never heard of him." "Well, let's open it up." "Yes, sir." "Someone's at the door." "I'll get it." "Hello!" "You've come at just the right time!" "Hello." "How's Mrs. Matsumura?" "She's still unconscious." "What does the doctor say?" "He doesn't understand it." "I'm delighted she's come back, but I wish she'd wake up." "I see... that's... what's this doing here?" "Someone sent it to me." "I've no idea who." "This is the stolen masterpiece!" "Stolen?" "It vanished from the art museum last night!" "And it's... yes, father!" "It's the picture I told you about..." "the one that looks just like mother!" "I'm scared!" "Forgive me!" "Miwako!" "What's wrong?" "Mother!" "Mother!" "Mother!" "Mother!" "Mother!" "You're awake!" "It's me!" "It's me, Shigekatsu!" "Miwako!" "Do you recognize me?" "Who...?" "Who are you?" "Shigekatsu!" "You're awake!" "That's wonderful!" "Miwako, this is our daughter, Itsuko." "Miwako, this is our daughter, Itsuko." "Look at how she's grown up in the 20 years you've been gone!" "Tamio." "This is Mr. Oki, Itsuko's fiancé." "Tamio, I want to tell you something." "You too, Itsuko." "I haven't spoken of this before, but it's time I told you the story of the Matsumura family." "You've heard of Shiro Amakusa?" "Of the Shimabara Uprising?" "He led the Christians Iemitsu Tokugawa slaughtered at Shimabara in the 17th century." "Yes." "He and his followers were killed but the Matsumuras are his descendants." "I married Miwako and took her name but the blood of Shiro Amakusa flows in her veins." "Twenty years ago we thought we'd visit her ancestors' grave so we went down south, to Shimabara, in Kyushu." "Honey!" "It's ready!" "It's time to eat?" "Miwako?" "Miwako!" "Miwako!" "I looked and looked but Miwako never returned." "I was wandering along, as if drawn by some invisible force." "That's a wonderful painting... you've finally come." "I've waited." "Waited?" "Yes." "With the scent of this flower I have drawn you to me." "It smells so nice..." "I love you." "Accept my love, and you will live forever in unfailing, eternal youth." "My blood, unaged in centuries, will flow in your veins." "Be glad, Miwako." "Now you will become the true princess of my heart Princess of Kisaragi Castle." "I loved Princess Katsu, daughter of Shiro Amakusa with all my heart." "More than Deus, god of the Christians and more than St. Mary herself, I loved Princess Katsu." "But the armies of the shogun came for her as well bringing with them the time of resolve." "Your highness!" "The time has come." "The moon is rising." "It joins my doom with that of Kisaragi Castle." "How hateful is the moon, how unkind..." "Takenaka...honor me with your sword." "I will." "Out of love for the Princess, I drank of her blood." "But having drunk her life-blood, I cannot die, though die I would." "I must live forever seeking the blood of maidens, the blood of my Princess." "No!" "I can't paint you!" "There's hatred in your eyes!" "Hatred for me!" "Do you not accept my love?" "Miwako...smile!" "For me!" "For the painting!" "Smile!" "Would you betray me?" "!" "Look!" "Betray my love and you will bear that gold cross and stand among the statues of my display!" "For years I waited for my chance." "And then one day I finally managed to escape." "Once out of the cave I ran, in a daze." "I have no memory of how I managed to get here." "The first thing I remember was a bright, bright moon shining like it is tonight." "Then I felt safe, and forgot everything." "He won't come when the moon's out." "He's terribly afraid of moonlight." "Moonlight?" "Why?" "What's wrong, Miwako?" "Are you tired?" "Mother?" "Mother!" "Police department" "Mr. Matsumura?" "This way, please." "Hey, who's that guy?" "Mr. Matsumura?" "Sorry to keep you waiting." "We're very busy with this... how can I help you?" "Someone I've never heard of sent me something." "Sent you what?" "A stolen picture." "That picture?" "!" "Kanto hotel homicide investigation unit" "excuse me... will I have to wait much longer?" "No." "You're the next witness on the list." "I've been here quite a while." "Could I come back tomorrow?" "I have an important engagement this evening." "It won't be much longer." "Mr. Takenaka...you're in room 516, aren't you?" "Yes, as I've said before." "The murder in the hotel last night took place in the hall outside of your room." "Your evidence will be very important in this case." "We're told the murder took place about 8 p.m." "Where were you then?" "The moon!" "Good evening." "What are you doing up there?" "!" "Get down!" "You'll hurt someone!" "The moon!" "That dreadful moonlight!" "Are you all right?" "Are you all right?" "Six women slashed in Ginza horror!" "Monster wreaks havoc, kills six!" "Madman or monster?" "Ah, Miwako..." "I'm feeling a little better today." "Another two or three days and you'll be fine." "What's wrong?" "!" "Mother!" "That picture!" "What about it?" "I'm going to die!" "The gold cross is coming for me!" "The gold cross?" "Who put that cross there?" "!" "Wada!" "Where are you?" "!" "Yes, sir?" "Who put that thing there?" "!" "I know who!" "The master of the cave is coming for me!" "Don't worry, Miwako." "You'll be safe here with me." "Perhaps you should rest... come on, mother... mother!" "Wada, I asked the police to come and get this painting yesterday." "The sooner it's gone the better." "Call them again." "Someone's at the door." "Maybe it's Tamio." "Isn't that strange!" "I'm sure I heard the buzzer." "Did you hear it?" "Yes." "That's why I came to the door." "Isn't that strange!" "Oh, dear!" "Wada!" "Wada!" "Father... could I see you a moment?" "Oh..." "I'll be right back." "Don't leave me!" "It's all right." "I won't be long." "Miwako why did you flee?" "I've come all this way for you... why don't you answer?" "Come back to the cave with me..." "No!" "I won't!" "Miwako!" "Just saying how strange it is won't accomplish anything." "Search the entire house." "And put this away somewhere." "Who are you?" "!" "Father!" "Call the police!" "Miwako's in danger!" "Sir!" "Mother!" "Mother!" "Mother!" "It's me." "The Matsumuras'?" "!" "Right!" "Let's go!" "Itsuko!" "Is your mother still missing?" "Yes." "They haven't found her." "What should we do, Tamio?" "!" "Chief..." "Here!" "That weird signature's the same!" "It is?" "He's the killer!" "He must be!" "That room's empty right now, sir." "Empty?" "!" "A Mr. Nobutaka Takenaka, from Kyushu." "Was this the first time he'd stayed here?" "Yes." "He was here ten days." "He checked out this morning?" "Yes, sir." "It's him!" "He must have gone back to Shimabara!" "Let's go after him!" "Where are you going?" "Nagoya." "License, please." "Sorry to bother you." "Shimabara, Kyushu" "So this Takenaka's come down here to Kyushu?" "Is that his real name?" "A criminal wouldn't just sign in at a hotel." "I thought so, too but this signature's our proof." "It matches the one on the painting that was slashed." "I see..." "This is just like a suspense novel!" "It's more than suspense." "It's right out of this world!" "It'd sure make a great story!" "Hello?" "Yeah, it's me." "What?" "They caught him?" "Where?" "Okay." "What?" "The money's gone?" "Yeah...yeah..." "Thanks." "They got him?" "What an idiot!" "He says he went to bury the 3 million yen in the mountains and he saw this castle with monsters in it!" "So he dropped the money and ran straight to the police!" "A likely story!" "He hid it somewhere." "What's this about castles and monsters?" "There was a 3 million yen robbery not long ago." "That's what the guy they caught says." "That just might be it!" "The place I'm looking for!" "Can you lend me a car?" "Just thinking about it gives me the shakes!" "Enough of this nonsense!" "It doesn't make sense!" "Monsters, in this day and age!" "But it's true, officer." "From a great big bald one to a tiny one." "I saw them!" "It's true!" "We're wasting our time here." "Let's go have a look." "This is the way, isn't it?" "Uh, yeah..." "I think this is right..." "I was kind of in a fog." "It's true, officer!" "All right, keep going." "Mr. Oki are you sure that fool isn't taking us for a ride?" "Well, let's stick to our guns." "It's legwork that makes stories, I guess..." "Itsuko!" "Tamio!" "Are you okay?" "Yes." "Why don't you wait down below?" "No." "We've got to help mother!" "You're all right?" "That's strange...where did they go?" "Look out!" "You stay here!" "Hey!" "Pull back!" "Hello." "Tamio!" "Tamio!" "Itsuko!" "Itsuko!" "Itsuko!" "What do you want?" "!" "No!" "Where's my mother?" "!" "Give her back!" "I'll give you what I gave her." "Wouldn't you like to live, eternally young, forever?" "Look at me." "I have lived for centuries." "And now I will baptize you so you may do the same." "Milord beware the mother and child who would be faithless in their turn." "Bear in mind the laws of the great god of the Amakusa family." "Silence!" "Milord may so bid me but should we violate his laws the wrath of god will fall upon this Kisaragi Castle." "Enough!" "I want the blood of this girl!" "She has Amakusa blood!" "What?" "!" "Milord!" "This will bring down the wrath of god!" "It will be the end of Kisaragi Castle!" "What?" "!" "Itsuko!" "Tamio!" "No one defiles this underground castle and lives!" "Know the wrath of the Amakusa curse!" "Itsuko!" "Run!" "Itsuko!" "Hurry!" "There it is!" "There's a cave between those rocks." "You're sure?" "Right!" "This way!" "What did I tell you?" "Proceed with caution!" "Why do you hate the Matsumura family?" "!" "I bear them no hate." "I loved Miwako." "In her runs the blood of Shiro Amakusa." "I love her just as centuries ago I loved the Princess Katsu." "Fool!" "No one lives for centuries!" "I have." "You see before you a body that will never die!" "Liar!" "Fraud!" "A fraud, am I?" "Stay back!" "I do not die." "With Amakusa blood, I live forever!" "The money!" "3 million yen!" "It was around here... here it is!" "Here it is!" "Miwako, my Princess!" "The time has come for this cursed Amakusa blood to meet its end." "Watch now as immortality makes its last stand." "Tamio!" "Itsuko!" "Mother!" "Mother!" "Mother!" "I should have got a picture!" "Nobody'd believe it anyway..." "just like we didn't believe that thief." "But we saw it with our own eyes!" "Tamio... mother's in there..." "She'll be happier there... this is the land of her ancestors." "Be brave." "The curse is lifted at last." "The End"