Original subtitles

[music playing]

Some people, a very unlucky few,

find themselves victims ofthe worst disease of them

all, emptiness.

They suffer from a sort of emotional paralysis,

a sheer inability to care.

Without passion, we are truly lost.

Any feeling is better than none at all.

Pain, jealousy, rage, anythingthat gets the blood racing

and the heart pumping.

Anything that will reallythrill you must be sought out.

After all, you only live once.

[engine revving]

[birds chirping, dog yelping]

ALEXANDER: It's so ooh, ah, but an old house.

ELIZABETH: It's your house.

ALEXANDER: No, it's not.

It's my mother's. ELIZABETH: Yeah.

That too. Come on.

Show me your room.

ALEXANDER: It's kind of messy.

Alexander, I want to know all your secrets.

You already know more than anyone ever has.

Aw, that's sweet.

ALEXANDER: Except my mother.

Well, she's not home, so youhave nothing to worry about.

ALEXANDER: Not worried.

Good.

Is that it?

Can we just-- go to yourown place like we usually do?

What's with you?

Whoa.

ALEXANDER: Yeah.

Cool.

[chuckles]

You like black.

ALEXANDER: Yeah.

ELIZABETH: Alexander.

ALEXANDER: Oh, it's- no, it's- it's a keychain,

um, it's nothing.

It's- stuff I'm learning, it's nothing.

It's just stuff.

[nervous chuckle]

ELIZABETH: My book!

Did you read it?

I, well, I started it.

ELIZABETH: What is this stuff?

Well, it's the seasons.

It's--

Hmm.

ALEXANDER: Oh, gee.

What's with you?

Pardon me?

Please don't.

Don't.

Don't.

Please.

[sighs]

ALEXANDER: It's because I wanted you.

Oh.

Did you take these?

I said, did you take these pictures?

Who the hell are you?

Huh?

[traffic noise]

[piano playing]

"Elizabeth, I've never seen somuch contempt as on your face.

I never want to be lookedat like that, by anyone."

ALEXANDER [VOICEOVER]: "Whenyou read this, I shall be dead.

Alexander."

"I shall be dead.

Alexander."

[children screaming]

WOMAN: You're Elizabeth, aren't you?

Come.

Please.

Come on.

Why did you do it?

Do what?

Seduced my son when youfelt such contempt for him.

I didn't seduce him.

He- he was more than willing.

Have you looked in his room?

What is all that stuff?

His beliefs.

No.

Those aren't beliefs.

That's--

What would you call them, then?

That's sick.

Then I must be sick as well.

Those are our family's beliefs.

I was just beginning to teach him.

He spied on me.

He took a picture.

To make you desire him.

What?

It worked.

You saw him the way he wished to be seen.

No.

Looks can be deceiving.

Can they?

Well, depending on how you feel about somebody.

I thought he looked- Ithought he looked handsome.

And then?

Then he was pathetic.

For that, you killed him.

He's dead?

Oh yes.

He's dead.

No.

He hanged himself.

No.

No, he wouldn't.

No, he didn't. He didn't.

He wouldn't. - Come look at him.

You left him hanging?

For you.

No.

No.

No.

[children screaming]

ELIZABETH: [heavy breathing]

Who is he?

Excuse me.

[gasps]

Oh.

Are you OK?

Are you--

No, I'm uh-- I'm fine, thanks.

All right.

Thanks.

Be careful.

ELIZABETH [VOICEOVER]: Itwas absurd, ridiculous,

perhaps a lie.

Boys didn't kill themselves for love.

Not at the very end of the 20th century.

Lisa wasn't even sure if she'd ever

been attracted to Alexander.

[phone rings]

Yeah?

No Dad, I'm just working.

No, they're not smutty.

It's real.

I don't know.

Hey look-- if I lived the way you did,

I would never learn anything at all, Dad.

And happily, the reviewersdidn't share your opinion.

No Dad, it's called research, OK,

and I'm going to be here until I'm finished, OK.

So I'll call you next week, I promise-- Mm-hm.

OK.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, OK.

Yeah, no, yeah, everything's fine.

OK.

I'll call you next week, bye.

Hey!

It's you again.

I see we picked the same jogging times, huh?

I'm not jogging.

No.

You're not.

But you are feeling better.

Yeah.

If the park bothers youthat much, why do you come?

No, I like the park.

I don't let it scare me.

Good.

Hey, uh-- would you like to get a drink?

Sure.

Yeah.

Good.

ELIZABETH: Oh no, I really lovethat one scene when the, um-

the heroine just stands up on the table,

and she gives her lover that look,

just daring him to follow.

Her married lover.

Oh yeah, with his wife knowing all about it.

Mm-hm.

I thought that woman was you.

No.

I'm afraid that my charactersare a lot bolder than I am.

Well, we're just going to have to give you

experiences of your own, huh?

[chuckles] That's why I left home.

'Cause I didn't have experiences there.

Then have you had any experiences of your own?

Yes.

Not what I expected.

Care to share?

Not yet.

I understand.

Something unpleasant.

No, let's just say that I liketo put it through the filter

of fiction first.

Why is that?

I don't know.

Just how I am.

But you'd like to be as bold as your characters.

Yeah.

Yes, I would.

And you want moreexperience, direct experience.

Much more.

Um, Bradley, I-- think I'll just

move to your side of the bar.

[laughter]

[moaning]

What about you?

I'm fine.

I have to go.

[chatter]

Hey!

Hey.

[singsong voice] Da-da-da-da!

Look what I got!

JAMES: Ah.

Here you go, Bradley.

Trade you one of those fora glass of red, please.

Nice.

So uh, what?

Is this a big deal, or what?

It is to me.

I keep telling her the movie deal is next.

Nice!

ELIZABETH: Hey, this is enough, OK?

All right.

You've got to give yourselfmore credit than that.

What I need to do is write my next book.

I want to be something morethan a promising young novelist.

Yeah, so what's wrong with that?

Nothing.

Only they say this is the real test,

see if you have more than one book in you.

[kisses] School's out, darling.

You're not being tested anymore.

Here you go.

I feel like I am all the time.

Ah, so you had that kind of mother.

No, it wasn't my mother.

Yeah, I don't know.

Sometimes I wish someone hadpushed me a bit, you know?

Maybe I'd be more than a bartender today.

Great, then we'd have no place to hang out.

[sighs]

So why can't you stay?

Because I can't.

Come on.

I- I'm not ashamed to have you here.

Let the neighbors think what they like.

Neighbors don't worry aboutthis kind of thing anymore.

Oh yeah?

Tell that to my father.

Ah.

He's the one, hmm?

He's the one who pushed you.

[sighs]

You want to tell me about him?

Nothing to tell.

You write so beautifullyabout strangers.

Could you imagine what you coulddo with someone you know best?

No one would want to read that book.

[chuckles] That bad, huh?

Well, maybe if I'm very, very lucky,

you'll write about this someday.

Hmm? [kissing]

Mmm.

[laughter]

Ooh, ooh.

Hey, you don't seem afraid anymore.

No.

I'm not.

I wouldn't come here alone at night.

But you're with me.

[wolf howling]

What- what's wrong?

[sighs] Nothing.

You sure this is the right way?

Oh yes, I'm sure.

[shivering]

[laughs] Right here.

Yeah.

James!

Not here.

Oh, it's all right.

No.

There's nobody around.

No!

Yes.

[panting]

Hmm, hmm?

[moaning]

Alexander.

I knew him.

Oh, who?

Was it someone special?

No.

No, he's nothing at all.

Why did you--

Hmm?

No.

No!

No!

Stop it!

Stop it!

You don't understand, do you?

Oh, I see.

I see.

He was the one, wasn't he?

He's the experience younever wanted to talk about.

Hmm?

You want to talk about it now?

Maybe if you stay with me tonight, I will.

I can't.

[sighs]

[door shuts]

[gasps]

Where the hell have you been?

I bet you really made some progress

on that novel, didn't you?

How did you know that?

[laughs] Because I know you, Elizabeth.

I know you very well.

I need to talk to you.

Good night.

I'll come tonight.

OK.

[doorbell ringing]

Hmm.

[doorbell rings]

James?

Is that you?

[buzzer]

[heavy breathing]

You look like you've seen a ghost.

- Oh. - Hmm?

- I did. - Yeah?

I was so afraid.

I'm not- there's somethingI've got to tell you

about something I'm ashamed of.

Responsible for, maybe, but not to blame.

Later.

No!

No, I've gotta talk to you.

Come here.

Sit down.

Right there.

I need to tell you.

Go on.

Aren't you gonna write about this?

Huh?

Yeah?

Isn't this going to be one of your stories?

Yeah.

It is.

What are you afraid of?

[gasps] My shadow.

I'll be right here.

All the time.

What is this thing?

[maniacal laughter]

James?

Not James, dear.

Mrs. James.

Now you know what it feelslike to have your body used.

And now you know how Alexander felt.

Alexander was only a novice.

But tonight, you will see what I can do.

Come forth, ye living, dancing [inaudible]

out of your darkness!

I can't wait to read the novel.

Cast your shadows over thisplace, in answer to my call.

Come, my dear.

ALEXANDER: A suicide, a coffin.

I'm so proud of you.

Take your reward.

The search for passion, feeling, love.

[car crashes]

It'll get you every time.

[music playing]

Love.

Obsession.

Power.

And possession.

Hunger!