I hate television.
Gives me headaches.
I heard there's so many magnetic waves traveling through the air,
because of TV and telephones,
that we're losing like ten times as many brain cells as we're supposed to.
Like, all the molecules in our heads are all unstable.
All the companies know about it, but they're not doing anything about it.
It's a big conspiracy.
You can pick something. I don't care.
You have any idea how many electro-rays
are traveling through our head every second?
I got a better one.
Have you heard about this videotape that kills you when you watch it?
- What kind of tape? - A tape, a regular tape.
People rent it, I don't know. You start to play it...
And it's like somebody's nightmare.
Then suddenly, this woman comes on...
Smiling at you, right?
Seeing you...
Through the screen.
And as soon as it's over,
your phone rings.
Someone knows you've watched it.
And what they say is...
You will die in seven days.
And exactly seven days later...
Who told you that?
- Somebody from Revere. I don't... - Who told you?
What's your problem?
I've watched it.
- It's a story, Katie. - Me and Josh, we saw it last weekend.
I thought you were with your parents.
- I wanted to tell... - You were with Josh all weekend?
Some of his friends got this place up in the mountains.
They were trying to record a football game.
- I guess the reception was so bad... - What're you talking about?
Listen to me!
When we played the tape, the game wasn't there. It was...
What? What was it?
It was something else.
We thought it was some kind of sick joke.
And then the phone rang.
It was a week ago.
A week ago tonight.
You're just trying to scare me.
Oh, my God, Katie! Are you okay?
Oh, my...
You freak!
- You totally fell for it! - No.
So did you guys, you know, do anything?
Like what?
Oh, my God, you totally did! You a ho!
- Tell me now! - No.
There really is a tape?
- This is so lame. - Wait, don't!
Embry residence.
Hello.
Hi, Mom.
Yeah, that was Becca. My mom says hi. She's glad you're here.
Ask her where she keeps the Vicodin.
Yeah, we're about to go to sleep.
Okay. Yeah, I will.
Okay! Okay! Yeah, yeah, I will!
No, I won't.
Bye, Mom.
Becca, quit being a bitch. Where's the remote?
Becca, quit it!
Becca, can you hear me?
Don't tell me what to write!
That asshole's screaming for my attention
and I'm not gonna give it to him.
I am being objective!
Listen, Harvey, you punctilious prick,
you touch my column, and I'm coming down there
and poking your eye out
with that little red pencil you like so much!
Harvey?
Shit!
Hey.
Sorry I'm late.
No worries.
I'll wait in the car.
Have you got a moment, Miss Keller?
Sure.
- Call me Rachel. - Please, sit down.
He certainly is very independent, isn't he?
Yeah, he sure is.
I never have to tell him to do anything.
Well, if that's a problem, you'd be the first teacher in history to say so.
- Miss Keller... - Rachel.
I know that Aidan recently lost his cousin...
Yes. I'm doing what I can to find some good daycare.
No, that's not what I meant. By all means, take your time.
I know they were very close, Aidan and his cousin.
They spent a few nights a week together.
Did he talk to you about her death?
Well, like you said, he's not the talkative type.
That doesn't mean he has nothing to say.
He knows I'm there.
Yes, I'm sure he does.
But he may be expressing himself in...
Other ways.
I'd like to show you something.
That's his cousin.
That's Katie.
Miss Keller,
I'm bothered by these drawings.
Listen, I appreciate your concern.
But my son lost his best friend three nights ago.
- He's trying to deal with it. - I understand, but these pictures...
Are Aidan's way of working it out, of expressing himself, like you said.
He'll be okay.
You say she died three nights ago.
Yeah, that's right.
Aidan drew these last week.
What?
Nothing.
- Shall we read something? - I'm kind of tired.
Okay.
Sweet dreams.
We don't have enough time.
Oh, honey, I know I've been working a lot.
And I'm sorry, but I promise you, I'm gonna make it up to you.
I'm not talking about that.
I'm talking about time before we die.
You have lots of time.
So you know when I'm going to die?
No. No one does.
But I know you don't have to worry about it.
Katie knew. She told me.
Katie told you she was going to die?
She said she didn't have enough time.
Good night, Rachel.
Oh, shit!
Aidan!
God damn it!
Honey, have you seen my black dress?
Aidan?
Have you seen my black...
Dress?
It's a little wrinkled.
It's fine.
Thank you.
Kids don't have strokes. Unless they're on drugs.
So then, why the closed coffin?
Ruthie.
I'm so sorry.
You all right, Dave?
Yeah, I'm fine.
How are you?
He sleeps all day.
He doesn't move.
It's too much for him.
It doesn't make any sense, Rachel.
I spent four hours on the Internet and I couldn't find one single case
of a 16-year-old girl's heart just stopping.
I spoke to three different doctors and not one of them
could tell me exactly what happened to my daughter.
She was close...
With you.
And Aidan.
But she confided in you.
Yeah, but she never said anything.
Nothing that would explain what happened.
You could find out.
It's what you do, isn't it? Ask questions?
Rachel, please.
I saw her face.
I knew Becca.
I mean, she was a little intense, but she wasn't crazy.
They don't put you in booties and a straight jacket
if you're just freaked out.
Something scared the shit out of her.
Hi.
So who's in the mental hospital?
Becca. Katie's friend.
- Oh, right. She was the one who was... - There when it happened.
So what do you think they were doing up there?
Oh, thanks.
I remember I was that age.
Me and my girlfriend used to sneak up to my room, get high.
- Do you think maybe she was into... - It's not about that.
It's about the tape.
Kellen, don't even...
What tape?
The one that kills you when you watch it.
Oh, please!
What was on the tape?
I haven't seen it, obviously.
But Katie told you she saw this tape?
Not Katie. I heard it from her boy...
You heard it from who?
She was dating this guy, Josh.
He goes to Revere.
- It was kind of a secret. - Kind of?
Where is he? Josh. Is he here?
Josh is dead.
What?
And what happened?
Supposedly he killed himself.
The same night that Katie died.
Aidan...
What are you doing in here?
Come on. We shouldn't be in her room.
It's not her room anymore.
10:00 p.m.
Time of death, Wade. That's all I want to know.
The name's Katie Embry. Pull the report, read the time.
No, that's okay, I'll hold.
Punctilious prick?
Nice alliteration, huh?
- You're fired. - No, I'm not.
Yes, you are.
No, I'm not.
I'm cooking too good a story.
- What is it? - Yeah, I'm still here.
Okay, so what's the time of death?
- Hi, I was wondering... - Pick a card, any card.
Go ahead.
Put it back.
Don't let me see it.
That your card?
No.
Damn.
I was wondering if you'd remember someone from a week ago.
Was there a problem?
It's my niece.
She sort of ran out on her parents.
No.
I have some photos here. That's her and her friends.
I think they stayed here a night or so.
Yeah.
They were in Cabin 12.
They didn't pay.
They had a number of complaints. About the TV mainly.
Reception's never good here.
That's why we bought tape players for videos.
Quite a selection.
Mostly they're hand-me-downs left by other guests.
Anyway, they didn't pay.
And kids like that sometimes don't.
Miss?
You know, I'm kind of tired.
I'm thinking I might take a nap before I drive back.
I'll take Cabin 12.
Hey.
This is your card, right?
That's it.
Seven days.
I'm going to school!
What do you think?
Well, it's a pretty cool effect.
What does this have to do with the tape?
Take my picture.
Are you going to look at me at least?
This the same camera?
No. Scan the rest.
So, what do you think?
Look, I thought you said this was about a tape.
I'm thinking maybe you shouldn't see it.
No, I should know more about it first.
Well, isn't that why I'm here? So you can benefit from my wisdom?
Four kids are dead, Noah.
Not from watching a videotape.
Come on, show it to me.
Roll credits.
That was very student film.
I'm sure it's a lot scarier at night.
You going to get that?
So, you been working a lot?
I'm not tired, Noah.
- Okay. - That tape didn't scare you?
- No, not really. Sorry. - Four people are dead.
Yeah. But, as I said, not from watching...
Four people who watched it.
Come on. We watched it. We're hanging.
It takes a week.
Right.
I'm just going to go downtown.
I got to pick up some cameras from this guy.
And then I got to prep this thing I may do next week.
Noah...
- Would you say that I'm gullible? - No.
- Easily rattled? - Definitely not.
You're a little highly-strung maybe.
You ain't much of a dresser.
Who made it? Where did it come from?
All right. Make me a copy. I'll see what I can do.
Thanks.
Yeah.
You sure this is a copy?
Yeah, why?
The numbers are all screwed up.
The same problem got copied, I guess.
That's impossible.
The numbers are the control track.
They're put on the tape whenever it's recorded.
Which means, theoretically, there shouldn't be any images.
Hey, Noah.
Can you pretend for one minute that I don't read Video Geek Magazine?
Okay, when you record a tape,
the makeup of the tracks is like a signature
for whatever did the recording, like a camcorder, VCR, whatever.
So the control track could tell us where it came from.
But to not have one...
That's like being born without fingerprints.
Then how did this get recorded?
I don't know.
But I'm going to find out.
Take a look.
You should be able to see the camera here in the reflection.
The angle's straight on, but you don't.
What's that?
Looks like she's walking away, whoever she is.
No, I mean up there at the top.
Oh, no. That's just the tracking. I can fix that.
What? Sorry.
Wait, go back. There's something there.
- You're right. - There's more picture.
Hold on. I'm going to stretch the alignment.
- Yeah, it's working. Okay, keep going. - It won't go any further.
- No, no, no. Let me do it! - Wait, wait, wait!
- Come on. - It won't go any further!
- Get your... - Let me do it! Shit!
Noah, I picked up the cameras. They're in really good shape.
Did you see the reprints I did of that Guatemala stuff?
They came out kind of...
Overexposed.
- You working? - This is a friend, Rachel Keller.
She writes for the PI. Rachel, this is Beth, my assistant.
Well, I prefer partner in crime.
She's a journalism student at Kirkland, actually.
Well, I'll stay out of your way. I'm not even here.
Rachel's researching a story.
It's this video hoax. It's sort of interesting. You know video.
Why don't you come take a look at this thing with the tracking?
I'm late. I really should go.
- Yeah, but why are you taking the... - I got to go. Good to meet you.
- You're taking the tape? - I don't want her to see it.
You don't want her to see it? What about me seeing it?
- You had no problem showing it to me. - I did have a problem.
- You're angry. - I'm not angry.
- Oh, no? What are you then? - In a hurry.
I'm sorry, but I'm not going to get all worked up
over some high school rumor.
What are you thinking?
I'm thinking this is the part where I say
you're a flake, never finishes anything.
Then you say I'm an obsessive bitch, needs to lighten up.
Then I storm out, all pissed off,
kicking myself for ever thinking that you could just...
Grow up.
So why don't we just cut to that part right now
and save ourselves a lot of grief?
All right.
Bye.
Watch out, missy. Bad luck. You don't need that.
Becca?
Becca...
We're almost there.
Do you remember anything about that night?
That night with Katie?
Do you remember...
How she died?
Becca?
She told you about a videotape, didn't she?
She was afraid, wasn't she?
Something was happening to her.
Becca...
How did she die?
Please.
I need to know.
And you will.
She'll show you.
Who?
Who will show me?
Not now.
Four days.
Yeah, well, your home VCRs will give you a tracking window,
but they won't let you stretch it.
No point, really, unless you're talking restoration.
Archives will come in here with these crummy old tapes sometimes,
tracks totally shot, servos can't line them up.
But the big box here's a warhorse. Totally analog,
she'll read to the very edge of your tape.
Just don't force her, or she'll get pissy with you.
Your tracking, your monitor, your printer, if you need it.
So, what are we watching? Home movies or something?
I'd really rather watch it alone.
Really.
Whatever.
Come on.
Lighthouse.
Shit!
Hello? Somebody?
Dang.
Something you needed help with?
Hey, you got a...
- Well, this seems to be the lot of it. - Thank you.
Moesko Island.
Oh, my God.
Investigators search for answers after second horse drowning.
Anna Morgan.
Suffered from hallucinations.
What happened to you, Anna?
Pack of Double Lights. Thanks.
$15.33.
You're going to die.
My cousin was two packs a day.
Used the patch, never looked back.
All right. Well, I'll keep that in mind.
- Have a nice day. - You too.
- Hi. - Sorry I'm late.
No. No problem.
Everything okay?
Oh, yeah. He was an angel.
I went in to tell him that it was bedtime,
and he was already under the covers. And then he read me a bedtime story.
He learned the word conundrum.
- Really? - And then he drew my picture.
Well, here you go.
- Thanks. - Sure.
Hey, Ruthie, it's me.
I'm sorry to call so late, but I need a favor.
I have to go upstate to do this story, and I need you to watch Aidan for me.
Oh, Rachel, I don't know.
How long will you be gone?
It's just for two days, I promise.
This isn't the best time for me.
- Rachel? Rachel, are you there? - Hold on a sec.
Sorry.
Rachel,
is this about Katie?
Ruthie...
Aidan?
No!
Why, baby, why? Why?
I couldn't sleep.
Who is she, Rachel?
Leave him alone!
Rachel?
Noah...
Listen to me, Rachel...
I need to talk to you, okay?
I believe you.
Rachel, are you there?
He watched the tape.
Who watched it?
Our son.
You take my picture.
I've seen you.
When I'm in the yard at school.
You're there.
Do you wish I was around more?
No.
Do you want to be around more?
- Rachel and I were... - Young.
Mom's told me that story.
The thing is...
I don't think I'd make a good father.
Maybe it was because my own was...
Such a disappointment.
Thing is, I don't want anyone else to do it either.
Be your father.
It's a conundrum.
Yeah, it is.
- Time to go, mister. - I'm not finished.
Noah said to make one for you.
You could almost draw a line through her life.
On one side there's this happy woman
who spends her time with her husband, riding horses.
Everything sheltered, protected and comfortable.
Her face, there's light.
There's pride.
And then one day something happens...
And she takes this hard corner and the light goes out.
And then she ends up at Eola County Psychiatric,
all alone.
What happened to her?
I don't know yet.
But I think it has something to do with the horses.
I think we should go to the island together.
It's Tuesday, Noah.
I only have one day left.
I need you to go to the hospital and find out
as much as you can about Anna.
The images on the tape are leading us somewhere.
Katie saw them all too.
I think...
Before you die, you see the ring.
Shit!
Hey, Rach! Wait!
A daughter?
Hey, you.
It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you.
Easy, boy.
That's it.
Hey, boy. I'm not going to hurt you.
It's okay. Calm down.
Somebody!
Jesus Christ.
Somebody help!
Daddy, my horse!
He's going out!
I need to see the records for a patient named Anna Morgan.
Are you a relative?
Well, no.
I'm sorry, sir.
We're a mental health facility. Our records are private.
Well, she's been dead 24 years. I don't think she'll mind.
I'm sorry. It's impossible.
Look...
I've seen them before. I've been up there.
Nice try. The record rooms are downstairs, guy.
You win.
Jerk-off.
You in here, Anna?
Hello?
Excuse me, Mr. Morgan.
I was wondering if you'd have a moment to speak with me?
My name's Rachel Keller. I'm a writer with the Seattle PI.
You want to know about the horses.
I didn't mean to... It's just...
I wasn't able to find a number to reach you...
Every now and then, a writer comes along...
Heard about what happened.
What's left to write about though, I don't know.
I was hoping you had just a few minutes.
Well, work never ends around here, really.
But I guess I got a few.
So, what is it you're writing, miss?
About horses in general or just those that go strange?
I read you had to put so many down.
Most put themselves down. They drowned.
How'd they get out?
They just broke through the fences and ran to the shore.
- So, they went crazy? - It would seem so, yes.
Or maybe they just sense things before we do.
So, where are your horses now?
I don't breed anymore.
I guess you wouldn't. Not after what happened.
That must have been hard. On both of you.
You and your wife.
I'm sorry, miss. What's your name again?
- Rachel. - Well, Rachel...
You want to tell me what's really on your mind?
Do you know what this is?
I think it's a message from your wife.
Anna's on this tape. She's right there in that room.
You can see the lighthouse, the horses...
- Where did you get that? - Shelter Mountain Inn.
Is that the only one?
I made a copy.
I've got a lot of work to do today.
A lot of acres out there.
Minute I think I'm done with one thing...
Another thing needs fixing.
You don't want to see this tape? You're not even curious?
Curious?
No. I don't think so.
- Mr. Morgan... - I can't help you.
Where's your daughter?
- Maybe she could help... - I don't have a daughter.
- Excuse me? - What is it with reporters?
You take one person's tragedy and force the world to experience it.
You spread it like sickness.
- Mr. Morgan... - Tell me, miss...
What is it you think you know?
Then leave it alone.
Anna Morgan's hallucinations.
What's wrong with you?
Conceived, '65. Miscarriage, '66.
Conceived, '66. Miscarriage.
Christ, she wouldn't give up.
See Video Record SM0015.
Aidan, it's your mom.
- Hi, Mom. - Honey, the house you drew for me...
Where did you see it?
Did you see it in your head? Is that why you drew it?
In my head?
Aidan, why did you draw that house?
'Cause she told me to.
Who?
Who told you to?
The little girl.
She talks to you?
No.
She shows me things.
Did she show you the horses?
She doesn't like it in the barn.
The horses keep her up at night.
So she still lives there?
No.
She lives in a dark place now.
You're getting a little old to be crabbing out there, Cal.
Your body's about outlived its warranty, you know.
You ain't exactly the catch of the day.
- Let's see you catch one better. - Oh, yeah.
Afternoon. I'm Dr. Grasnik.
I think he was here before me.
Darby? Darby's always here.
Aren't you, Darby?
He's my son's boy. Come over on the ferry, did you?
Yes.
Have you lived here long?
Born and raised. Only doctor on the island.
Then you know the Morgans and their daughter.
- Do you know their daughter? - Do you know their daughter?
What's this about?
Look, I'm sorry. I don't know how to say this,
but I'm seeing things in my head. Images.
And so is my son.
My son, that's why I'm here.
And somehow, I don't know how, but...
It's because of that girl.
Haven't heard anybody say that in a long time.
She wanted a child more than anything. Poor Anna.
They tried hard for years, but sometimes it's just not meant to be.
Then one winter they went away.
When they came back, it was with Samara.
Adopted, they said. Never did say from where.
Said the mother had died of complications.
But they had their baby, they had their horses,
everything was fine.
Until Anna started coming to see me.
Said she was suffering visions. Seeing things.
Horrible things.
Like they'd been burned inside her.
That it only happened around Samara.
That the girl put them there.
Were you Samara's doctor too?
Was there anything wrong with her?
You mean, medically?
I mean whatever you mean.
When Darby there was born,
we knew something wasn't right with him.
But we loved him anyway.
Takes work, you know. Some people have limits.
So what happened to her?
I referred them to Eola Psychiatric on the mainland.
I assume she's still there.
You don't know?
How can you not know?
We've been through a lot of hard years out here.
Mean winters...
Small hauls, no fish.
And that was long before the horses.
See, when you live on an island, you catch a cold, it's everybody's cold.
No offense, ma'am, but what the hell does that mean?
It means ever since that girl's been gone,
things have been better.
1978.
Man, we're really going back in time here.
Yeah, the lady at reception said it should still be here.
Should be.
You say you're the patient's father, right?
Yep. Richard Morgan, that's me.
- What is your secret? - Diet and exercise, man.
No shit!
Yeah. That's all it takes.
You know, I'm not an idiot.
You try and walk out of here with my file
and I'll be on you like white on rice, understand?
No, man. I just want to watch it.
I'm responsible for every file tape in here.
I have a system.
And I don't want anyone disarranging it.
I'd never disarrange...
Long as we understand each other.
Okay, now I'm mad.
Does it say who was the last person to watch it?
Yeah.
It was you.
Come on. Come on!
The mobile unit you've called is not responding
or is outside the coverage area.
You piece of shit.
Come on, Rachel.
Hello?
Mr. Morgan?
This is SM0015, Samara Morgan, hour 14.
Be good. Very good.
So, what is it that's keeping you awake?
You must sleep sometime.
Do you dream about something?
Samara?
Let's talk about the pictures.
How did you make them?
Samara?
How did you make these pictures?
I don't
make them.
I see them, and then...
They just...
Are.
Samara, I need you to start telling me the truth, okay?
Can I see my mommy?
No, Samara. Not until we understand what's wrong with you.
- I love my mommy. - Yes, you do.
But you don't want to hurt her anymore, now, do you?
You don't want to hurt anyone.
But I do. And I'm sorry.
It won't stop.
Well, that's why you're here.
So that I can help you to make it stop.
He's going to leave me here.
Who?
Daddy.
They just want to help you.
Not Daddy.
Your daddy loves you.
Daddy loves the horses.
He wants me to go away.
No, he doesn't.
But he doesn't know.
He doesn't know what?
Samara?
She's never gonna whisper in my freaking ear ever again!
What did you do to her?
She was your daughter!
You killed Samara, didn't you?
You killed her and when your wife...
My wife was not supposed to have a child!
Mr. Morgan...
- What are you doing? - The whispers...
You could hear them all the time. At night, in your sleep.
Even the damn horses.
- Mr. Morgan, come out of there. - And those pictures...
Oh, Christ! The things she'd show you.
She's still showing them.
And she'll never stop.
You coming here proves that.
Where is she? Please.
I have to stop her. If I don't, my son will die.
Oh, yes. He will.
- She never sleeps. - Wait.
No! No!
Rachel! It's all right!
It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.
You're okay.
You okay?
Oh, Jesus.
She doesn't like the barn.
The horses keep her up at night.
She doesn't like the barn.
What?
The horses keep her awake.
Samara.
He kept her here.
Her mother was going crazy.
Morgan blamed the child.
So he kept her here.
Alone.
Not alone.
Rachel.
There's something under here.
It looks like it's etched into the wood.
Or burned.
I've seen this tree before.
Yeah, it was on the tape.
No.
I've been there.
Shelter Mountain.
The sun came through the leaves, lit them up like it was on fire.
Right at sunset.
Right when I watched the tape.
That was a week ago.
We're back to where we started from.
Something led us here. The tree, the drawing on the wall...
It doesn't matter.
We're too late.
You have to help him.
What are you talking about?
Aidan.
It's up to you now. Just use the time you have and figure something out.
We're gonna figure this out together right now!
It's too late, Noah!
Stop it! Okay? There's a reason that we're here.
- What? - I don't know. Okay?
But it's something in this room! It's in this phone!
It's in this television!
Come on! Call us now, why don't you!
Noah...
Look.
Oh, Jesus.
How far down do you think it goes?
I can't see anything.
Now we should drop something.
You think she's down there?
Rachel!
I'm here!
I'm all right.
I think.
I'll go find something to get you out!
Hurry!
Noah?
Noah!
No!
Round we go
The world is spinning
When it stops
It's just beginning
Isn't it beautiful here, Samara?
So peaceful.
I know things will get better.
All I ever wanted was you.
She was still alive.
It's okay now.
It's okay.
Rachel!
Rachel, the sun's set!
The sun has set! It's past sunset. Do you hear me?
It's past sunset.
Rachel...
Rachel, are you there?
I'm here.
They're going to bury her next week.
It's over.
You okay?
She wanted that child more than anything in the world.
How could she have done that?
She just wanted to be heard.
Sometimes children
yell or cry or draw pictures.
I want to go home.
I can't imagine being stuck down a well all alone like that.
How long could you survive?
Seven days.
You could survive for seven days.
You just call me sometime?
Unless you're renting a movie.
Call me tomorrow.
And the day after that.
Rachel?
What time is it?
It's either really late or really early, depending on how you look at it.
Don't you have to be at work?
Not today.
What happened to the girl?
Samara?
Is that her name?
Is she still in the dark place?
No.
We set her free.
You helped her?
Yeah.
Why did you do that?
What's wrong, honey?
You weren't supposed to help her.
It's okay now. She's not going to hurt you.
She...
Don't you understand, Rachel?
She never sleeps.
Pick up the phone, Noah.
Come on, pick up.
Come on, Noah! Pick up the goddamn phone!
Come on!
Go to your room!
Now!
What do you want? What do you want?
What do you want from me?
Why not me?
What did I do that he didn't?
She just wanted to be heard.
He wants me to go away.
My wife was not supposed to have a child!
All I ever wanted was you.
Don't you understand, Rachel?
But he doesn't know.
She never sleeps.
You take one person's tragedy
and force the world to experience it.
You spread it like sickness.
You don't want to hurt anyone.
But I do.
And I'm sorry.
It won't stop.
I made a copy.
Push it in.
Play.
Push.
It's going to keep killing, isn't it?
She'll never stop.
Don't worry, sweetie.
You're going to be okay.
What about the person we show it to?
What happens to them?