Original subtitles

There are legends of people born with the gift of making music so true,

it can pierce the veil between life and death,

conjuring spirits from the past and the future.

In ancient Ireland, they were called Philly.

In Choctaw Land, they called them firekeepers.

And in West Africa,

They're called griots.

This gift can bring healing to their communities, but it also

attracts evil.

Come on, son.

It's okay.

My son has felt the call of sin.

But the good Lord calls upon us to be fishers of men who sin

and show them the way.

I want you to swear to me and before this congregation to leave those sinning

ways where they lie.

I want you to promise right now.

Drop the guitar, Samuel.

In the name of God.

Let it go, Samuel.

Good morning, Miss Beatrice.

You going to tell me what you're playing on? I'm going to have to hear through

the grapevine.

You have a good one, Beatrice.

I see you at service tomorrow morning.

Guess the grapevine it is.

Morning, ma.

Morning, baby.

Don't put that on your body, Sammy.

It'll dry you out.

Put this on while it's still wet.

Boy, you ain't got the sense God gave a goose.

Hey, mama said, get up.

You hog wood?

You boys twins?

Nah, we cousins.

Well,

there she is.

He moved a ton of timber a month back in his heyday.

Workers lived upstairs.

Hey,

what are you fellas planning on doing with the place?

Y 'all wash these floors?

Yeah. What was on them?

I thought y 'all was dead set on buying the place.

More time I spend with y 'all, the less sure I am. You boys are serious about

it.

Ain't no boys here.

I just grown men.

We're grown men money and grown men bullets.

I didn't mean nothing by it.

Just the way we talk down here.

We'll take it.

The mill, the equipment, and the land that it's standing on.

Well, damn. Now, understand, it's the last diamond we're ever going to see

us. And if we see you or any one of your clan buddies cross our property line,

we're going to kill them right where they stand.

Shit.

Clan don't exist no more.

Morning, Pop.

You're up off early, son.

Like you say, jump on the work.

Don't let the work jump on you.

What's that?

Finish my quota for the day.

Yeah, I brought it in here.

I want you to help me give my sermon tomorrow.

1 Corinthians 10, 13.

Read.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.

God is faithful.

He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you're tempted, you will also provide a way out so that you can endure

it.

Now, Papa, if you don't mind, I'm going to be late.

Late for what, boy?

Where you got to be that's more important than being in the house of

I've been working all week, Pop.

I want to be free of all this for a day.

To play music.

For drunkards.

Philanderers who shirk their responsibilities to their families so

sweat all over each other.

I'll be back in town for service in the morning.

Son?

You keep dancing with the devil, one day it's going to follow you home.

Hey, little cousin, come on out.

Got $2 out here waiting on a dime.

Family.

Oh, don't you worry now, Uncle Jake.

We're going to get them back to you in one piece.

Well, how you been?

Daddy doing right by you?

Say he not putting his hands on you, is he? Nah, man.

Nothing too much.

What about them little ones?

Only when they deserve it.

Well, Ma usually hands out the whoopings.

Good.

Well, Uncle Jed always been good. Yeah.

Say, tell me about Chicago.

I heard they ain't got Jim Clark there.

Black man can go where he wants.

I said, boy, you can't be believing anything that you hear.

Time to fill your head up for this make -believe. With me and your cousin, we

don't give it to you straight.

This doggone ain't shit from Mississippi with tall buildings to the plantation.

And that's why we came back home.

Figured we might as well deal with the devil we know.

How about you leave that trip to us?

Cracker showing up, they already got us behind schedule.

I'm thinking we just set up tonight.

Open up next weekend. Nah, fuck that.

Sky be tonight.

Grand opening. Start this shit with a bang. Or we start with a misfire.

Look at that, Sky.

That's a mighty fine day to be free, ain't it?

Our own juke joint.

For us and by us.

Just like we always wanted.

Only chance we got if we split up.

Well, who gonna watch the truck when I'm in there talking to the child? Nigga,

just let him see it's you. We've been gone a long time, Stack. Seven years

long enough to forget about us.

All right.

Watch this fool, make sure he don't get in no trouble.

You big enough to take me now, huh?

I'll do what I can.

No, you'll do what you told.

You keep your eyes open for anybody staring too long.

This nigga don't know how to watch his own back.

Love you. Love you, too.

Be careful.

I will.

All night long.

Hello, girl.

Where you from?

Shelby.

You heard of the Smokestack Twins?

Of course.

Good. I'm Smoke.

No, no, no, no, no. You're not in no trouble.

See, I'm trying to put some money in your pocket.

See, I'm going to need you to come sit in this truck right here.

When somebody comes and looks a little too long, I want you to lean on this

home, all right?

Can you do that for me?

Can you tell time?

And I'm going to pay you 10 cents for every minute that I'm gone.

Would that work for you?

Yes, sir.

No, ma 'am.

See, we talking numbers now.

And numbers always got to be in conversation with each other.

You understand?

You got to negotiate.

Now,

10 cents just won't work for you.

Talk another number back to me.

50 cents. 20 cents.

Best I can do.

We got a deal.

Good. Jump in.

Rumble. They on that home.

You're

not

little Lisa, is you?

Guilty as charged.

Your daddy here?

Daddy?

What? Old child.

Look at the damn cat dragged in.

What can I do for you? We throwing a big event tonight.

What you need? I need catfish for a hundred people. Y 'all do good up in

Chicago? I heard about some of them casinos up there. Y 'all hit a big?

We hit.

Just not the way you're thinking.

What kind of way?

What the

hell

are you trying to boost my truck?

It's your truck

I ain't know it was your truck. I swear, Smoke. Bullshit!

I told you it was his.

Wait, wait, Smoke. I thought she was lying.

Y 'all supposed to be in Chicago working for Capone.

Yeah, we back now.

Can't hear some nigga talking about how he almost robbed the twins.

Not without a limp show for it. Who gonna pass me up?

I ain't got no money.

What if I get sepsis or some shit now? Y 'all scoot on out the street.

Put some pressure on them.

Get up, boy.

Dr. Eddie, see what you want here?

Yeah. I just shot a couple niggas outside.

They're going to live.

They're going to need some patching up.

Yeah, we can take care of that.

Anything else?

Yeah, we're going to need a sign, too.

You think Grace will be up to making us one?

When would you need it done?

Tonight.

Lisa, go get your mama.

Y 'all gonna have food, drink, music, or is y 'all gonna be playing?

What's up?

Cards, dice, you can gotta remit.

Mama, Daddy wants you.

Thank you.

You know, two men out there look like they've been shot.

That be my doing.

I done already gave Bo the money to get him patched up.

Why you got to come here bringing trouble?

Trouble ain't all he bringing.

Jesus.

How are you paying for this?

And he wants to make a sign for him. Russ job.

Gonna cost you.

I don't listen.

Twenty. Fifteen for the front door sign and five for the menu.

Ten. Seven for the front door sign. Three for the menu.

Sixteen. Fifteen.

Done.

Oh, we only got one color, by the way.

What color you got?

Red.

Thirteen. Fourteen -fifty.

Fourteen. Throw all these flowers right here.

And we got a deal.

Done.

Where's Dad?

All right, listen.

Every cool's got a button on it towards the top.

And you want to keep a woman.

You find it?

Lick that.

Not too hard, not too soft, either.

You ever had a scoop of that ice cream from downtown?

Uh -huh.

About the same pressure you put on that.

Like it tastes good, but you don't want it gone too quick, you understand?

How fast does this thing dry?

Too damn fast.

Why you want to dry? Come on, you know I want to dry.

Later.

On the way back. All right, all right.

You always said you were telling me what happened to your daddy when I got

older.

Well, I guess I'm older.

Y 'all ready to kill him?

Nah, we ain't kill him.

Smoke did.

Our daddy knocked me unconscious.

By the time I came to, Smoke was halfway done burning.

You used to beat y 'all?

Me mostly.

He ain't been.

See, you've been taking good care of that thing.

Yeah, I can't thank y 'all enough for this.

The play is so right.

Where'd I get this from, anyway?

Yeah, that's, uh,

Charlie Patton's guitar.

Me and my brother wanted off when we were in the car game. Lord, is that?

You mean you tell me I had Charlie Patton's guitar this whole time?

Sweat, old guy, in your hands. Nah.

Now, let's see if you can play like it.

Right here? Yeah, right now. Come on. All right, come on.

Watch this.

We gonna

make

some money.

We gonna make some money.

Yeah, thank you for your generosity.

I guess that's Chicago win.

You know your black ass is back down there, huh?

Little boy.

This is my little cousin, preacher boy Sammy.

Happens to be the finest blues player in all the deals.

I got socks holding this here, boy.

What the hell you know about the blues?

I can show you better than I can tell you. We're up now.

Put that motherfucker that way.

Now, this here my patch right here.

Now, you wasn't his cousin and a young pup to boot. I'll cut your ass too thin

to fry.

And you threaten him again. I'm going to make your drunk -ass swat out of that

harmonica.

Still nice with them keys?

Depending on who you ask.

I'll give you $20 to come play at our juke tonight.

Yeah, I wish I could.

I'm going to be a mess in this tonight.

Same as I am there every Saturday night.

What they pay?

Well, gangster, you sure ask a lot of questions.

They ain't paying you $20 a night, I know that.

You ain't paying no $20 a night.

You paying $20 maybe tonight.

I ain't never heard of your juke.

Maybe it's here tonight.

Is it here tomorrow night?

The week after that?

Nah.

I've been a messenger every Saturday night for the last 10 years.

Mez is going to be there another 10 years after that, at least.

Shit.

There's probably more time than I got left on this earth stacked.

I play, and I get as much corn liquor as I can drink.

Sounding like, man, I can't ask for more than that.

Little Slim, I'll drink today.

What you got there, boy?

Oh, this?

It's an Irish beer.

Straight from the north side of Chicago.

Huh? Oh.

You saying that's beer?

When they bring us down here, empty -handed.

I got 500 more bottles just like that.

Ice cold.

Say we pay you $40 a night and all the beer that you can drink.

After that, no strings.

You act now, I even let you finish that bottle in your hand.

These two gonna be playing down at the old sawmill.

The grand opening of our new joint, Club Beauty.

We're going to have us a battle of the blues.

It's going to be a real ring -a -ding -ding, just for us.

Y 'all ready to eat?

Y 'all ready to drink?

Yes. Y 'all ready to sweat till y 'all stink?

Yes.

All right.

You gonna get funky like a Mississippi donkey, y 'all.

Get a drink on the twins when you get there.

I seen you somewhere before.

Maybe.

Same, don't you?

Time to time.

Mm -hmm.

I'm preaching, boy.

I'm married, by the way.

Happily?

Careful, boy.

You're gonna bite off more than you can chew.

Maybe I'll see you tonight.

So why he won't stand at you?

Shit.

You sure she white?

She walking over here right now.

Excuse me, boy.

This here smoke?

Or is this stack?

Don't look at her.

Just over there and keep playing.

Yeah, it's okay.

You know I waited for you. Shit, well, I don't know how in the hell you gonna do

that. Because you told me you loved me. Well, I told you to stay the fuck away

from me, too, but I guess you didn't hear that part, huh? No, I heard you.

I heard you loud and clear, but then you stuck your tongue in my coos and fucked

me so hard, I figured you changed your mind. Keep your voice down now.

It's not exactly how I remember it. Oh, it ain't.

Remember falling asleep with your head on my chest?

Leaving in the middle of the night without a fucking word?

The hell are you doing back here, Mary?

I buried my mama yesterday, Stack.

Figured I might see you in smoke there as much she looked after you both. But I

guess y 'all love lasted as long as y 'all could get something out of her.

You're right.

That's all she was.

Fool.

I won't be.

Rotten hell, Stack.

Yeah, I will.

Save your trap when there's a room.

You're right next to me.

Where you staying?

Maybe shame why boys get to getting come on slim still got one more stop tonight

Hey, you lose some of them?

All of them.

Whatever.

Me and my buddy, right?

They're hustling back and forth up the Delta.

We get busted for babies.

And white sheriffs sit down in jailhouse.

It's empty.

Self -assured, they're going to kill us that night.

They give us our instruments back. They tell us to play.

Stack, we play.

Preach of work, we play. You hear me?

Music was coming out the windows.

People's on the street was stopping to come on in.

They say, one of them sheriffs, they get the bright idea, they're going to take

us on the road now.

They cover us, throw us in the paddy wagon.

They take us to this big alley.

I mean, it's full of white folks.

Pass around, they happen to have us to play.

See, these white folks who were playing for?

They're real money.

And y 'all playing them old ragtime songs. That sure was.

We're playing a fair amount of blues, too.

See, white folks, they like the blues just fine. They just don't like the

who make you.

Them Pekka Woods was nodding their heads, stomping their feet.

Some of them was almost on the rhythm.

And then Rice made me change it up, confuse them.

What did I do with the money?

I drank it.

Rice said he was going to take that money, going out to Little Rock, start

little church.

Did he?

That's a damn fool.

He took out all his money to pay for the $2 train ticket.

Train conductor saw him.

Clank got a hold to him.

Search his pockets, found all that money.

Made up a story about him killing some white man for it and raping that white

man's wife.

And they're lynching right there in the railroad station.

You know they cut off a manhood.

Got that guitar in your hand, don't you, boy? Mm -hmm.

This is my wife, Therese.

Nice to meet you, Therese.

Likewise.

Need you to give us a moment.

Men got business to discuss.

No, uh -uh.

I ain't got time for your scheming, Stack.

Behind on my quota.

Man, fuck your quota.

This is my wife right here now.

I'm gonna need you to show some respect.

Man, well, fuck your wife, too.

What's that?

I said she was really going to let you fuck her when she find out how much

you about to get from this job I'm offering.

And none of that nice and slow shit she probably giving you now.

Shit, she might even let you put your pecker in her mouth.

Well, you should have stayed gone, because I'm about to beat the black off

you. Come on now. I don't want no trouble.

Hey.

Well, how much money are you talking about paying him?

Oh, that's a good woman.

Come on.

We'll be back.

Papa's here.

Papa's here.

How you been?

No miseries worth complaining about.

We come along.

Yeah, stack one on the other side, Tom.

Come back four.

We bought that old saw, ma 'am.

Yeah, we gonna patch it up, make it into a juke joint.

A juke joint?

Is one of the stacks I did?

Yeah, you figure tonight gonna be a grand opening?

I thought y 'all was done with the death.

Last I heard y 'all were northern men.

No, we threw with Chicago.

Chicago threw with y 'all.

What you asking?

Who you in fact robbed to get enough money for them crackers to sell you a

meal.

Just this, Miss Annie.

And a pinch of hydrant.

All right.

Now,

don't sell nothing that's on the way home.

I don't want your mama coming at me crazy later.

Yes, ma 'am.

Thank you.

I can't believe you taking this make -believe shit. Smoke, give me my money,

I'll cut your black ass. You're gonna put that blade up, woman.

I'll trade you. I don't want your money. Don't be stupid now. I ain't stupid.

Your money come with blood. All money come with blood, baby. Not like yours.

This shit won't even spend nowhere else. I ain't going nowhere else. I don't

need that curse money you got.

You know, woman, I've been all over this world.

Cars.

Ships.

Trains.

I've seen men die ways I didn't even know was possible.

I ain't never saw no roots,

no demons, no ghosts, no magic.

Just power.

And only money can give you that.

You fool.

All that war and whatever the hell you been doing in Chicago,

are you back here in front of me?

Two arms, two legs, two eyes, and a brain that work.

How you know I ain't pray?

I work every route my grandmama taught me to keep you and that crazy brother,

you're safe.

Every day since you've been gone.

So why those roots ain't work on our baby then?

the mojo bag

Soil of my soil, bone of my bone, blood of my blood. I bless you.

I say.

Why you here, Smoke?

What you want with me?

We was hoping to serve food to you tonight.

We want you to cook for us.

Elijah.

You want to make me say it?

It still hurts coming back here.

But I love you.

And I'll miss you.

Blah.

Back up.

Yeah, I gotta help.

I thought I could trust them, but they're trying to kill me. Slow down.

trying to kill you? Choctaw. Sure wasn't just some fair -skinned niggers.

Ain't no engines around here for miles.

Oh, God.

They took my wife.

Oh, God.

I'm a coward, ain't I?

I got golf.

Them dirty engines meant to rob me.

They ain't get all of it. Y 'all can have it.

Just don't let them hurt me no more.

Evening, ma 'am.

We're in pursuit of someone.

Very dangerous.

He might have come onto your property.

Have you seen anyone recently?

No.

Bert! Is he in there with you, ma 'am?

He's not what he seems.

God forbid you let him into your home.

And if so, we need to act now.

What's wrong with

you?

Oh, he's just resting.

He's all better now.

Hey, baby.

Don't fall now.

To the right.

A little more.

Right this way, lady.

Come on in.

Welcome to Club Juke.

You ought to get it popping like fish grease, boy.

We got whiskey, Irish beer, I tell him why.

Y 'all some classy niggas, ain't you?

Too fancy for me.

Mamma, I don't need no Irish nothing.

Corn liquor do.

That'll be 50 cents.

Damn, I just got 30.

But these are good down at the Maybel General store.

You like that coal, right? I certainly do.

Come right up.

I thank you kindly.

Let me holler at y 'all right quick.

Good evening.

Evening. You look mighty nice.

Thank you.

You made it.

This ain't no house party.

And it damn sure ain't no charity.

We taking cash. U .S. motherfucking dollars.

This ain't Chicago slope.

The fuck that mean? That old nigga worked his ass off for them wood and

See, these niggas been working in the field all day.

When they show up here, let them enjoy themselves.

They gotta feel wanted if you want this here to work.

This place wants to feel like it's Floreno. Right this way.

Uh -huh.

Uh,

excuse me, ma 'am.

You sure you're at the right place?

That's a damn good question, cornbread.

Little Mary?

Not so little no more, huh?

Little Mary.

Oh. When did they turn this place into a Jew?

We did it today.

My cousin's on it.

You know the twins.

My condolences about your mother.

We'd have made the repass, but, uh...

Me and Therese had to wait.

It's all right.

Now let me get on in here and get a drink before I start tearing up. Don't

worry, enjoy yourself.

You got my $2?

Huh?

You was selling ass out in Little Rock.

You ever let John pay with a goddamn promissory note?

Hell no.

But see, I wasn't selling ass in the Delta.

You gonna pay?

You gonna shine?

We'll see where the night takes us.

Your husband coming?

Hold on.

Excuse me, ma 'am.

I don't think you should be here, you see. I'm with the twins. With the twins?

Boy, if you don't get the fuck out of my face. I am with them, ma 'am.

We met earlier at the train station.

I'm their little cousin.

Little cousin.

I think you should leave before they see you.

Wait, you not a little semi.

The guitar.

You old enough to drink now.

Come on, let me buy you a drink.

Hey, Mary.

Good to see you.

Two whiskeys, please.

Sure. I don't know who do, and I can't talk slick, but I know business.

And this is bad for business.

It's opening night.

Besides. There's only be a few of them like this.

I need a goddamn cigarette.

Come right up.

So you play that guitar that left you?

Yeah. That's good.

You making any money with that thing?

Not really.

Not yet.

Leave.

I tell you it didn't matter as long as you love it, but that'll be horseshit

advice.

What are you?

What am I?

I'm a human being.

Oh, that ain't what I meant. I meant more like... I know what you meant.

My mama's daddy was half black.

Very sure to keep the clan from killing her.

You know my mama delivered the twins.

Really? They stacked life after you got stuck in the mama.

And after she died, my mama left them like they was her own.

And they had enough money to buy this whole mill, and they ain't even sent

flowers to a funeral.

We sent your mama flowers.

Plenty of them.

All while she's still allowed to smell them.

Smoke. Mary?

Let's go check in on Slim.

See if he don't need backup.

Take care of a raw wheel. No, no, I'm going to handle it. I got it.

All right, go on.

Come on, let's go.

I'm not here for you.

Then why are you here then?

I come to hear the blues.

Oh, no, they play the blues just fine in Arkansas.

Come on. Come on, Brad.

Let's get her a car. What's it going to take?

How much to get you to get the fuck on? You can't pay me off.

Fine. I'll pay one of these field bitches in here to drag your ass out for

Oh, shit, you taught me how to fight.

I'll beat up every bitch in there, and you know it. I taught you how to walk

away when the money is up, too.

Got you a rich white husband.

Got you a farm. Now go home to it. I ain't asked for none of that.

All that shit was your idea. I ain't want no white man. I didn't want to be

white. I wanted to be with you.

All it'd take is the wrong person in here to see you or get back to them

crackers, and they're going to try to kill you. What have mattered to you?

Somebody out there, they put their hands on you.

If they hurt you, me and my brother gonna come kill them all.

So you'll kill for me?

That's right.

But you still won't tell me the truth.

I was young enough to believe you were coming back.

I waited.

I waited a long time.

But I'm grown now, Stack.

And I know you never planned to stay.

Say what?

I love you.

I think about you every day.

I just want to keep you someplace safe.

And I was never going to be here.

Never gonna be with me.

I've been hearing about this one particular young man all day.

Supposed to be a bad blues man.

Preezy boy, where you at?

Come over here, man.

My little cousin, y 'all. Watch this.

Oh, hold up, hold up, hold up.

Tell who you are.

Wait for long.

I'm Sammy Moore.

I'm a sharecropper from Sunflower Plantation.

They called me Preacher Boy, counted my daddy being a pastor.

I wrote this song for him.

Something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time.

It might hurt you.

Hope you don't lose your mind.

Well, I was just a boy about eight years old.

Threw me a Bible on that Mississippi road.

See, I love you, Papa.

You did all you could do.

And they say the truth hurts.

So I lied to you.

Yes, I lied to you.

I love the blues.

All right.

Somebody take me in your arms tonight.

Yeah, yeah.

Somebody take me in your arms tonight. Blues,

you weren't forced on us like that religion.

Ah, so we brought this with us.

It's magic what we do.

It's sacred.

It'll be.

There are legends of people born with the gift of making music so true

it can pierce the veil between life and death.

Conjuring spirits from the past. Somebody take me.

And the future.

tonight.

I can't.

Oh, no.

Super!

We heal our people.

We be free.

Keep your foot on it, Elise.

Hold on.

I want to try something.

Wait.

Preacher boy.

I'm going to wash your purse and walk to you.

You're beautiful.

I just want to taste you.

How y 'all doing?

Good? Got no drink?

All right, man.

Oh, shit.

I hate you, boy.

Boy found that button, didn't he? Hey.

Smoke wants you. Check out my little cousin.

He called himself telling me about the cotton.

I said she is.

That boy telling no nothing.

Get the twins.

Go on, get them.

I tallied the teal.

And what's the count?

Now that top figure, that's plantation money.

That bottom figure, that's real dollars.

So what's the projection?

Two months, and we got a fresh cash.

Hey there.

Edina,

how may I help you folks?

Oh, we heard tale of a party.

Drink, food, blues music, and the like.

You did?

We like to drink.

They happen to be musicians, and we walked here, so...

We hungry as dogs.

Woof, woof.

You wouldn't mind us coming in now, would you?

I think y 'all are at the wrong place.

Let me say that.

You fellas must be the owners of this establishment.

That's right.

And you are?

Name's Ramek.

This here's Joan and Bert.

It's not y 'all all right?

Oh, and you.

Must be that voice I heard from out here.

Oh, it was beautiful.

Goddamn beautiful voice. Even through these walls.

Where y 'all from?

Just down the road.

And how far is that?

North Carolina.

Y 'all clan?

Sir.

Well, we believe in equality and music.

We just came here to play.

Spend some money. Have a good time.

Here, I'll show you.

I pick for I've been clean.

Pick for I've been clean.

I pick his head. I pick his feet.

I would have picked his body, but it wasn't fatigue. I pick for I've been

Pick for I've been clean.

And I'll be satisfied.

Having family.

That ain't bad.

Lord, didn't that jaybird laugh?

When I picked four, I've been clean.

Four, I've been clean.

I picked four, I've been clean.

Lord, didn't that jaybird laugh? When I picked four, I've been clean. Hold on,

hold on, hold on. Just a minute.

It's just about to get good.

No, I believe you.

But this here is a juke joint. Blues music?

We got money, and we ready to spend it with y 'all. You're sounding damn near

perfect, and you're saying we ain't welcome. No, I'm saying you get down

road, you get back into town.

Plenty of white barrel houses down there.

Oh,

this is because we're... All right.

How'd she get in?

Is she here?

Because she's family.

Family.

Can't we just, for one night...

Just all be family.

You don't need to do that, sir.

We'll be on our way.

But we're gonna walk real slow.

Just in case y 'all change your mind.

Y 'all have a nice night.

They gave me the willies.

Yeah, well, Craig, if at nighttime we'll do that, too.

Wanda Thang.

You think they bought company?

I doubt it.

But we got enough pepper on us if they did.

Shit, we forgot the trunk.

Man, why ain't you remind me? Fool, I told you to remind me.

I don't need the trunk.

There was just three of them.

Now, listen to me.

What if they just came insane?

And what if somebody spilled something on them?

Step on they shoe.

Look at they woman a bit too long. We gonna have a bigger problem than just a

fight. Sure do.

Don't let them in.

They said you want to talk.

Yeah. Seen your performance down there.

Pretty damn good.

Can't thank you enough for this.

I mean, y 'all the ones who put that guitar in my hand.

Now this.

You got the talent, that's for certain.

But all this ain't no life for nobody.

I know plenty of musicians I ain't never met a happy one.

Yeah, it's cute now, but it get old.

That rambling.

I mean, being with y 'all today.

Smoke, I feel like I'm flying.

For today's settlement,

I'm heading off on my own.

Where you going?

I don't know.

Maybe Chicago.

What's wrong with that?

We underwater.

How?

All the plantations down there paying with credits.

What about them crackers?

What about them? I can go feel them out before they're too far gone.

I can feel them out myself.

They'll tell me more than they'll tell you.

I can find out what they really have. And what happens if they from Little

They ain't.

One day our daddy beat Stack real bad.

So we get in our minds that we need to run away.

See, me, I wanted to go to the next plantation over.

But Stack,

you figure we get to Mount Bayou.

Small town, right here in Mississippi.

Find about free slaves and everything.

It's black on.

That sound like a crock. Yeah, well, I've seen it.

Why y 'all ain't stay?

That mayor knew who our daddy was.

Knew he was an evil man.

Figured there was no way that he ain't passed that evil down to us.

Let me go get this money for us.

I know y 'all need it.

And what's that supposed to make?

See, your daddy a preacher.

You can go and do that.

You like making music?

Make church music.

You want to leave, go down Mount Bayou.

Live with the proper black folks.

Leave all this here and proper shit to us.

Irish beer.

Italian wine.

You brought both sides.

Let them blame each other while you and Smoke come down here and set up shop.

You gonna need every dime you can get when they put two and two together.

But they won't.

They might.

Well, I ain't going to Mount Bayou.

My daddy a reverend.

But I'm your cousin, too.

And a lot more people know the Smokestack Twins than they know my

Yeah.

Well, you better enjoy the rest of the night, because this your last juke.

You ain't in no position to tell me how to live my life. Let me go talk to them

and see about putting something real on the tail.

Come on.

Come tomorrow, I'll find out about you playing in one of these.

Boy, I'll kill you myself.

Look, I'm leaving that plantation just like y 'all did.

And if that's a problem for you, kill me now.

What's the matter?

I'm a soldier, boy.

And you just gave me a command.

Are you looking for some fresh air?

I just come to see if y 'all was good people.

Oh, darling, that's so sweet of you.

So sweet. We most surely are.

And y 'all got money to spend?

Oh, yeah.

Plenty money.

You want to see?

Yeah, I want to see.

What type of money is this? It's all the gold kind, darling.

Yeah.

Where's this from?

It's from a different place and a different time.

But it spends just the same.

You can have it.

But it's no good to you. It's no good to her. Mm -mm.

And what makes you say that?

Because you're in some deep, deep pain that money can't fix.

Am I right?

You came over here for fellowship and love.

Fellowship and love.

My mother... She just packed.

Oh, that's awful.

Oh, that's awful.

Just awful.

Losing a mother's a hurting feeling. Mm -hmm.

I wish in my heart that we'd have met sooner.

I would have liked to have saved her mother from her fate.

I can still save you from yours.

Oh, now you must have me confused.

I'm sad as all, but I don't need no saving.

Yes.

Yes, you do.

You all do.

I'm gonna head back now, and I think y 'all should too.

Back to wherever y 'all came from.

That's what I said.

Man, it's out in there, boy.

Hey, watch the dough for me. I got to piss.

Hold on, hold on.

Why you can't piss right here? Boy, you ain't shit, you old fool.

Watch the dough.

Hello.

Hi.

Hi.

So what happened?

Hell yeah.

Would they want a drink with this or something?

You sure?

Okay. Go out there and tell them to do something.

You're scared.

Nah.

It's just that you somebody else's.

So you robbed chains and banks.

But you can't steal this pussy for a night.

Best you put that blade down. Can't do that, twin.

Told him not to put his hands on me. So you gonna cut me, too?

If I have to, I just want to be allowed to lead.

Come check his pockets.

It's a dirty -ass head at my party!

Easy, boy.

Take care of his

food.

Yeah, you're gonna need some stitches.

Gonna get my brother.

Hey, Slim.

You seen Stack?

Oh, yeah, he in the back. In the back there.

Hey, you can go. Go ahead.

Hey, Stack, Smoke looking for you.

Oh, shit.

Oh, he busy, huh?

You go get him?

No.

Then why the hell no?

He was getting some nookie.

I don't give a fuck what he doing. I told you to go get him, didn't I?

I ain't doing that by myself.

Hey, where the hell's cornbread?

Riley building you in the outhouse.

Nigga left to take a piss two damn days ago.

And he left you to wash the door.

You think I can't handle it?

Shit. Y 'all get decent. I'm coming in.

Y 'all ain't here laying around somewhere.

Look.

It's not what it looks like.

last one, are you?

What

happened?

Come forward to the business.

Slim,

keep everybody out.

Hey, Slim, what the fuck are you doing? Y 'all don't bring the music back. What

the hell with the music? Slim, is Sammy in there? Yeah, yeah, Sammy out

directly.

The part is over, y 'all.

No! Y 'all got the rope.

Who is she?

All right, all right, here's the man.

Go on, go on.

Thank you for coming.

We really appreciate y 'all.

Go on. Oh, I mean that.

All right, thank you.

See you soon.

We got a good problem, y 'all.

I could have stopped it.

Don't do that.

I thought they was making love.

I thought... Sammy, this is not your fault.

It's not really... Did she say anything?

She said we gonna kill all of you.

We...

She said we...

Smoke.

We got to move his body outside just for now.

Don't touch him.

Nobody moved him.

You shot her, and she kept running like nothing happened.

There's a hate we're dealing with, Smoke, or worse.

We gotta keep everybody inside and the dead body out. There ain't no dead body.

Just stay.

Stay in here with me.

You got any magic to bring my brother back?

Got a mojo back for him?

I can't. Please.

I can't. I'm sorry.

He gone.

No.

Better thing about me is him.

We got to go.

What? We got to get out of here. Man has lost his body.

Look, we came here to help him with the party, not this.

We gotta go home, okay?

Okay. Lisa's waiting.

Yeah. Okay? Yeah.

Let's go home.

Yeah. Go get the car. All right,

I'll get the car. Okay.

I'll get the car. Okay.

Yeah.

Watch over him.

Where the hell you been at, man?

Huh?

To go see a man about a dog, like I told you, you old drunk.

Turns out I need to take a shit, too.

God, dog! What happened to you, Smoke?

Stagged dead.

Nigga, what the fuck happened to you?

I'm sorry.

All right, well, let me in so I can help.

Hold on.

What y 'all doing?

Just step aside and let me own in now.

Why you need him to do that?

You big and strong enough to push past him?

Well, that wouldn't be too polite now, would it, Miss Annie?

I don't know why I'm talking to you anyway.

Probably your fish sandwich messed up my guts in the first place.

Use an old stale grease. I ain't never used stale grease, and you know it. Shut

up, Annie.

Smoke. Don't talk to him. You talking to me right now.

Why you can't just walk your big ass up in here without an invite, huh?

Go ahead.

Admit to it.

Admit to what?

That you dead.

That one of them white folks out there killed you, and you a hate now.

Smoke, you... You listening to this?

Woman, this man showed me kindness.

Employed me.

Grabbed me out the field.

Now, he say his brother been killed. The man needs comfort.

Now, you filling up his mind with that old Louisiana Bayou bullshit you on.

Now, now, we out here playing games, telling ghost stories in place of doing

what we ought to do.

Now, what is it we supposed to be doing?

to one another and being polite now we is one people and we shouldn't go in

barging into other folks places uninvited so you've

been in and out of here all day ain't never need an invite then yeah something

ain't adding up shit stack was my ride up here i'm supposed to walk back that

ain't my problem

I thought you was better than that, but you just like the white man.

Can I at least get my money? Oh, you did such a banger job.

Now you want to get paid for what you ain't did? Ain't nobody talking to you,

you old drunk. Shut your mouth. You shut the fuck up.

Don't give him shit, Smoke. Don't give him nothing.

What the fuck? What the fuck?

What the fuck? Did he get you?

I'm alive. I'm alive. I'm alive. I'm alive.

Hey.

Hey.

Yo, Samaritan.

No.

I think I shot myself.

How the hell did you get up?

I don't know.

I think I made it.

There's someone in there.

Smoke. Smoke.

Smoke.

Go on here.

Open up this door and let me on out of here.

Stay.

You mean that's you?

Nah, fool, it's Jim Crow.

Nigga, of course it's me. Open the door.

Stay.

How you feeling?

Boy, you lost a lot of blood.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

It was scary, huh? I'm doing much better now.

I swear.

I'm Mama Gray.

I thought you said he was dead.

He was.

I checked his pulse.

Then what the fuck is he doing talking to us?

This is good, right?

He's okay.

Smoke.

That ain't your brother.

Smoke, what that witch out there talking about?

You gonna let her get in between us again?

What we been through.

German trenches, nigga.

Chicago gangways.

Alright. Y 'all niggas gonna pay for this shit.

Locking this pimple in the closet.

Huh? Huh? Open that door, Smoke!

Let me the fuck out or I swear I forgot. I'm laying all you sons of bitches

down. One by one.

Talk.

Come on, man.

Open the door with me.

You know I don't like this shit, man.

Please, Smoke, let me out of this room.

Smoke, please.

Hey, give me the key.

What's that?

Pickle garlic.

These ain't hapes.

They're vampires.

Bo's out there.

We gotta go get him.

I'm the one who sent him out there. He didn't let you do that. He needs my

Bo know how to handle himself.

How he got in that car and got someplace safe. Y 'all ain't gonna keep me from

my husband. Great.

We're trying to keep you alive right now. We just gotta hold up till sunrise.

Okay?

Now we need garlic,

wood,

silver, and holy water.

You might not kill him, but it's long there.

How could it move and sound like stack if it ain't stack?

I only ever heard stories.

I ain't never come across them myself.

What stories you heard?

How hangs work.

They switch places with the soul of a man.

But vampires is different.

Maybe the worst kind.

The soul gets stuck in the body.

Can't rejoin the ancestors.

Cursed to live here with all this hate.

Can't even feel the warmth of a sunrise.

Okay, can we bring them back?

Maybe if I kill the ones that made them this way. Smoke.

They have a connection, but they live on.

Even if the one that made them is killed.

The best thing we can do for him is free his spirit from this curse.

They got to be killed one by one. How the hell do we do that?

Sunlight.

I wouldn't stick to the heart.

Hell, Annie.

I kept that boy safe all these years.

All over this world.

Why tonight?

It was because of me.

My daddy told me.

Said the devil was coming on account of my music. You know I had a gal once, a

vampire?

She was light -skinned, too.

A gal bit me everywhere above my neck.

Sammy,

you don't worry about a thing, yeah?

The devil done came for me plenty of times.

If he'd come knocking tonight, he gonna have to go through his old friend Delta

Slam before he get to you.

That go for everybody in here.

If I get bit by one of them,

promise me right now that you'll free me, so I turn.

What you waiting for you?

I got somebody on the other side waiting for me.

They waiting on you, too.

You understand?

I don't care about what that shit say.

I'm going to make sure you get a home safe.

Sammy! Smoke!

Who did this? Was it Stack or Mary?

No.

They ran straight out. You saw them.

Well, who bit him then?

We got to get him out before he wakes up.

Come on.

You don't hear that?

They're playing music.

Hey,

hey.

Let's get back inside.

Come on.

One, two, three, four, five, here.

Well, in the merry month of May, from me home, I started, left the girls of

June, were nearly broken -hearted, saluted, father, dear. Kiss me, darling,

mother, drank a pint of beer, my grief and tears, but mother then off to reap

the corn, leave where I was born, cut a stout, flat corn to vanish, ghosting

goblins, brand new pair of goats, rattling over the fog, frightened all

dogs. On the rocky road, the double -in -one, two, three, four, five.

eat this clove of garlic.

I don't much like the taste of it.

Ain't no one saying you gotta like it.

We just gotta figure out if any of us left is one of them.

You don't get none of the pickled ones?

This is ridiculous.

Smoke, put the gun down. Shut up.

Eat or I'll shoot.

Put the gun down. Smoke, she ain't no damn vampire. How the hell do you know

that? Eat the damn garlic, girl.

Smoke!

Trying to keep you alive, boy. You ain't the question of me.

You evil man.

No wonder the devil come for us.

Slim, what's going on, man?

Slim?

What's going on, Slim?

I drank too much.

Goddamn beer from Chicago.

I mean, there's all fucked up smoke.

You sure that was blood?

Hey.

Hey, Smoke, let me in, man.

Look here smoke smoke. Let me smoke. I swear I pay my time man. That's what

about

Come on outside. I got the car started. Let's go.

What is it, Grace?

Oh,

you talking about that?

I don't worry about cornbread.

You're just a little hungry, that's all.

Let's go.

Come on.

Come on and go. We got the car all warmed up.

let me back in there.

I'll come in and grab other things and head home.

Don't listen to them. Grace, we're going to find a way out of this, I promise. I

am your way out.

This world already left you for dead.

Won't let you build.

Won't let you fellowship.

We will do just that.

Together.

Forever.

It's better this way, baby.

So why don't you go ahead and invite us in?

You should listen to him, Grace.

Or listen to me.

Because I know everything he knows now.

And I want you to let us in there.

Or we're going to go to the grocery store. We're going to pay little Lisa a

visit. No, no, no. Don't you fucking dare.

Oh, yeah, Grace. I know everything now.

This can't be real.

You're the devil,

ain't you?

Sammy.

You're the one I came for.

I sensed you.

I want to see my people again. I'm trapped here.

But your gifts can bring them to me.

Y 'all give them to me now. Just give me a little Sammy. We'll let y 'all live.

You can't have him.

He belongs to us. He belongs with us.

And I ain't gonna let that happen. You can't save him. Smoke no more than you

could save your brother.

You ain't safe here.

No matter how many guns or how much money, they gonna take it from you when

want. You built something here tonight, and it was beautiful that it was built

on a lie.

Hogwood, he's the grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan.

That's his motherfucking nephew.

They was always gonna kill you.

I just happened to show up at the right place at the right time.

You tell him the truth, Smoke.

I can see his memories.

Smoke, that ain't your brother.

This wasn't no juke joint, no club.

This is a slaughterhouse.

It's a goddamn killing floor. But what Uncle Hogwood don't know is we're going

to start ourselves a new clamp based on love.

Now that we got numbers, we'll probably go to that old bigot and rectify him,

too. Why can't y 'all just go?

Because we're not leaving without y 'all.

We're family.

Ain't that right?

I know it sounds crazy, but after we kill y 'all, we're going to have heaven

right here on Earth.

Oh.

Hi there.

Come on.

Welcome.

Look at me.

Hey, let me tell you something.

Let me tell you goddamn something, nigga.

The stack I know ain't fellowshipping with no goddamn devil.

Fuck you, nigga. It is me.

Elias Moore.

And I'm talking to my big brother right now, Slim, so I'm going to kindly ask

you to shut the fuck up.

Who's never going to be free?

They've been running around everywhere looking for freedom.

You know, damn well, he was never going to find it.

Until this.

This is the way.

Together.

Forever.

And I ain't doing this shit without you.

There is no me without you.

What's it going to be?

No, no.

Closing the door.

No, man.

No vision.

He said he was going to take our daughter.

You can't believe him. He was just trying to get you to let him in. He

threatening your children. You just got to stay through the night.

And what?

Let him kill my family.

Kill the whole town.

Turn everybody to monsters.

That white devil spoke Chinese.

He got to blow his mind.

We got to stop them, Smoke.

We got to get them before they get away. Give me a second to think.

Ain't you a soldier?

Yeah.

Didn't you just shoot two men for touching your truck?

They killed your brother.

Made stack one of them.

My beau.

Said they was gonna kill Lisa.

If now ain't go time, then I don't know what is.

We supposed to wait the night while they take more of her loved ones?

Make them demons?

You don't look like they leaving Greece. Oh, shut your drunk ass up, Slim.

I ain't drunk right now.

You need to watch your mouth, woman.

What you doing?

Stop that. Come on.

Y 'all hear that?

This is the song they were singing.

No, no.

no no no

What the vaccine is not here. Come on. Smoke.

Come on.

I'm out.

Go ahead. I'm out.

I'm out too.

Let's go. Let's go.

Let's go. Come on.

Go. Go. Go.

Go. Go.

Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go.

Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go.

Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go.

Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go.

Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go.

Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go.

Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go.

Go.

I want your stories.

And I want your songs.

And you're going to have mine.

Our Father,

which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done.

As it is in heaven.

Long ago, the man who stole my father's land forced these words upon earth. I

hated those men, but the words still bring me comfort.

themselves man like her they told stories of a god above

and the devil below and lies of a dominion of man over beast and earth

Don't be sorry.

You always be.

We are earth and beast. Thank God. We are woman and man. We are connected.

You and I.

To everything.

Music together.

I heard that fucking guitar.

I can't.

It's Charlie Patton's.

What?

What you told you there?

It's that.

Said y 'all want it over.

Lion's son, bitch.

That's our daddy guitar.

Come on.

Be strong. Him?

Him?

I got some business to handle.

Be strong.

And if we see you on one of your clan buddies across our property now,

we're going to kill them right with this thing.

Clan don't exist no more.

Club

Duke,

huh?

Grand opening, grand closing.

Let's do it. Open it up.

Come, son.

Door's locked.

Try the front.

Drop the guitar, Samuel.

This one is too.

Drop the guitar, Samuel.

Put it down.

In the name of God,

you tell them my heart, my

voice,

my soul belongeth to the Lord.

You got a cigarette?

You go to hell, nigger.

Elijah,

you put that figure out, you can hold her.

I don't want any of that smoke to get on.

Hey,

I got money, huh?

Probably here.

Hey, boss.

I got two out there. I told them we closed, but they offered a couple

bucks. That okay with you?

That don't bother me, no.

Come on in.

Vampires are different, maybe the worst kind.

But they live on, even if the one that made them is killed.

They gotta be killed one by one.

I'll have whatever the old man have me.

How?

I guess I was one person he just couldn't kill.

He made me promise to stay away from you.

That you live out your life.

It won't be long for you, huh?

I can make it so you can stick around.

Keep touring.

Keep living.

No pain.

I think I've seen enough of this place.

Hmm.

You know, we got every single one of your records.

I don't like that electric sheet as much as the real.

Man,

I miss the real.

Recording some back then sound like a pile of dog shit.

How about it, Sammy?

Still got the real aim.

I don't know why in the hell I'm here.

I don't know why in the hell I'm

here.

You know she really she really don't care

Take

care little Sammy

You know something?

Maybe once a week, I wake up paralyzed,

reliving that night.

But before the sun went down,

I think that was the best day of my life.

Was it like that for you?

No doubt about it.

Last time I seen my brother.

I love you.

Last time I seen the sun.

Just for a few hours.

It was free.

Cause I can see the dawning

It's not so far

away And all my life I've been waiting For a day like

today Though

I'll live like it's the last time

For a long time At the wrong time When's the right time? Is it my

turn?

my soul a rock and roll daddy told me everything that be glitter and gold tell

me how am i gonna write my wrongs i'd rather write my songs excuse me mouse i

think it confused i was promised for the acres and muse them i feel like a fool

forget the rules what the fine prince say my great great granddaddy probably

turning his grave i was a slave to the state go tell him i ain't afraid of

ghosts vampires whips and chains crazy contracts

Should it all be the same?

Money, sex, cigarettes, champagne.

We ex -cocaine to the brain.

Stay afloat, maintain.

And so much came with the fortunate fame. A driver, young, humble nigga in

Devil riding his back like the tires on the new Cadillac.

And I'm waiting my turn for that.

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine.