Original subtitles

[blues music]

"Midnight Special" ♪ Yonder comes Miss Rosie How in the world do you know? ♪

[buzzer] ♪ Well, I know her by the apron And the dress she wore ♪

♪ Umbrella on her shoulder Piece of paper in her hand ♪

[keys jingle]

♪ Well, I'm going And ask the governor... ♪

[man] OK. [music continues]

[man chuckles] Boy I win.

[steel door closes]

♪ L et the midnight special Shine a light on me ♪

My life has been drab...

[indistinct chatter]

♪ ...shine a light on me ♪

♪ Let the midnight special... ♪

[intercom clicks]

Mr. Thomas!

Lincoln Groome. Thank you for taking my visit.

If you came all the way from Baton Rouge

I can walk down the hall to hear you talk.

[Lincoln chuckles]

I work for the Placon County Department of Public Administration.

[metallic echoing]

OK.

Now...

Frequently, when a person in our community in our passes on,

has no close friends or relatives,

no will and testament,

no expression... of his or her desires.

So...

it's my job to investigate their lives

and first of all...

find out if they have any assets

that can be used to reimburse the county for the funeral.

[sniggers]

[uncontrolled laughing]

And if they have remaining assets...

I make the determination about their disbursement.

You've got assets, you want to disperse my way?

[Lincoln] Hmm hmm.

Six weeks ago a man died.

Jumped through a six story window

with a sheet tied round his neck!

His name was Ray Walker.

Does that name mean anything to you?

I think you know the answer to that question.

[Lincoln] Why, he didn't leave much behind

and no one came to claim the body.

Very sad.

But he did have a climate control storage locker,

filled with old vinyl records...

thousands of them!

Now, I'm a little sketchy to the terrible tragedy

that led you to be incarcerated in this facility, Mr. Thomas?

And I'm not here to put you on trial again!

Why don't you tell me why exactly

it is you are here?

OK, now as I was saying...

I am in possession of this storage locker.

Now as I piece together the puzzle,

I can deduce that there was something

in that pile of records that you wanted!

And I'm here to ask you the question,

how badly do you still want it?

[jazz music]

[girl sighs]

I can't decide if I want something sweet or salty?

[music continues]

Maybe you should get one of each.

Maybe I should...

[wrapper crinkles]

Thanks.

Ever wonder how you find yourself

in the middle of frigging nowhere?

[funky guitar music]

♪ My my, won't you Be my friend ♪

♪ My, my, my Won't you be my friend ♪

You thinking of selling my guitar?

I was, but I was going to wait until you were asleep

to make it less obvious.

Well, you won't get much for it.

I've had it since I was 15.

I've been making money with it since I was 18.

So, you are a musician?

Let me guess, going south

to make all your dreams come true?

Yeah, something like that.

You play?

No... no, just a fan.

What does that mean?

Just a fan, like of the music?

Or... isn't everybody? [chuckles]

I used to collect records.

Mmm.

OK, so a...

something like this.

You probably old enough to remember this one.

[clears throat]

♪ At first I was afraid I was petrified ♪

♪ Keep thinking I could never live ♪

♪ Without you by my side ♪

♪ But then I spent So many nights ♪

♪ Thinking how you do me wrong ♪

♪ And I grew strong ♪

♪ And I learned how To get along ♪

[applause]

Oh my god.

Thank you.

I'm Alan.

Vanessa.

[acoustic guitar]

What's like the best record you've ever had in your collection?

[radio playing] [cutlery clinking]

-Best record I've ever had... -Mmm.

Like... musically, sentimentally

or most valuable, what?

OK. Different question.

Um...

If you could have any record in the world...

what would it be?

[Alan exhales]

[Vanessa] What?

OK.

I'm gonna tell you a really good story.

[acoustic guitar music]

...just give me a holler whenever you can.

My number is 311-811-25-1

This is where you can get me.

All right I hope you good, dude? [phone clicks]

[phone buzzes]

[phone clicks]

[answering machine]

Oh hey uh, this is Tim over at Cable Vision.

Is this Alan?

Hey, when I did your installation a couple of months back,

you said I should call you about what I heard about

a place that had, like, a shitload of records.

There is this lady down in Hyde park,

this old deaf lady and um...

she's got like a fuck load of records...

so... I was thinking, if you want to head down there and check it out?

Ah, I believe you mentioned a finders fee of some kind,

so I'd love to discuss that. But with further... [music drowns message]

Um...

[blues music]

[music stops]

Now, as that song I got, the "Prohibition Blues"

demonstrates...

that discontent felt by regular people

began to make its way into the music of the time.

[reading lyrics] I am so thirsty that I'm blue,

old friend blues I long for you.

I never knew that I'd miss you...

the way I do... boo hoo.

Boo hoo.

Boo hoo hoo.

[bell rings]

[teacher laughs]

Hey Alan.

I think I know the answer to this all ready,

because we quickly reaching a consensus here, right?

If you had to do a special home tutoring special session,

with just one student from the sophomore class,

which one would it be?

If you're implying what I think you're implying,

I want no part of this conversation.

We just giving voice to thoughts we've all had!

Even Ms. Lindsey's had them.

That's sick.

Whoa, not like now!

It's kinda like...

it's kinda like corn futures you know,

you betting on what

what the crop will look like in three years.

Huh!

Alan?

It's a mental exercise, Alan.

Fucking buffoons!

[teacher] Maybe it's a boy?

[phone rings] [Tim speaks indistinctly]

[video game noises]

...start one

Stop one.

Hello.

Oh hi Tim, this is Tim?

This is Alan Thomas,

you called about some records

you found down Hyde Park.

Oh hey, yes... uh.

Just give me a--

I am going to locate the address in my files here.

[paper rustles]

Yeah, you won't believe how many records this lady has?

It's like unbelievable.

Hey, you sound as though you are a little bit older,

are you into Led Zeppelin at all?

I am more into Lead belly .

Ah, right on!

Absolutely.

[video game sounds] Yeah, uh... actually who, what's that?

[car radio music] [Alan humming]

Lisa! "Back door man",

that's my song right there.

[door chimes] Put that on...

[wrapper rustles] [Paul mumbles]

-[buyer] Thanks. -[Paul] Have a good one, man.

[door chimes]

Hmm,

at it again on a Saturday.

I take it the teacher's out scavenging again.

The only reason your white arse is coming to this side of town.

I call it collecting Paul,

unlike what you do.

Besides I was just in the neighborhood,

visiting a friend. I thought I'd just pop by

and see what worthless crap

you overcharging for today!

Really?

-It's a fair price. -[Alan scoffs]

I got something you might be interested by?

This I got to see.

[exhales]

Mary [indistinct] 1943,

prior to her work with Specialty Records.

Very rare.

Mmm.

Used to be,

until they found a stack of others

about a yay high in a Clearwater warehouse last August.

Find the original sleeve then we can talk.

This is the people's music, Teach.

A blues snob is an oxymoron.

A white Blues snob is just a moron.

You know what the problem with your store is, Paul?

Tell me my problem.

If that record was actually worth anything

you wouldn't want to sell it to me.

So, any record that you'd want me to have

is, by definition, not worth having.

That's the problem with your store.

But I'm a hell a lot more honest than you!

Oh really.

What are you really doing down here today?

Or did you scour the old obituaries

and find some poor kid whose old man died

and left him a bunch of shellac!

-Yeah. -Yeah, you see...

you not a collector,

you a garbage man!

Do you even listen to all those records you have?

See, you hate the fact

that you can't feel the music,

so you try own the music instead!

That's bad for the soul Teach,

bad for the soul!

Enjoy the [indistinct].

I will!

Because I can feel that shit!

All this here I love it because I live it.

[door closes]

[traffic sounds]

[door buzzer]

[old lady] Yeah?

-Yes, Mrs. Walker, my name is-- - Hello?

Um, Mrs. Walker, I wanted to ask you about the--

Hello? Is anybody there?

Hello?

[door buzzer]

[Mrs. Walker] Hello?

Yes, Hi. Mrs. Walker, my name is Alan Thomas

I called you earlier about the--

Shh.

Son, you can't holler up the stair case.

My mama say, "Nobody so poor, they can't keep their voice down."

Yes ma'am.

Sorry 'bout that. My name is Alan.

Hmm... nice to meet you Alan.

You have got an honest shake.

-Yeah, how you like this heat? -Not much.

Not much, yeah.

Um, I can't remember if I told you

I'm a high school teacher by day?

Oh a teacher huh.

We had the nicest teacher live right downstairs,

a handsome man.

I don't mind telling you I had a little crush on him,

but that's after my husband died, of course.

He was white too.

I mean, the teacher now

not my husband.

Oh lord!

[door opens]

[door closes]

Oh lord...

I am so sorry, Alan.

Well, welcome to my home,

no lying, no cussing.

[lady grunts]

Oh!

So would you like some sweet tea?

Alan?

Yes, and...

yes.

Thank you.

[radio playing]

[floorboards creak]

Holy shi--

Shit.

[paper rustling]

[cutlery rattling] [Alan exhales]

[cutlery rattling]

[floorboards creak]

You look like you just caught

sight of the devil in a bathrobe.

[laughs]

May I use your bathroom?

Yes.

It's here, second door to the left.

I put your sweet tea over here.

OK, thank you so much.

[floorboards creaking]

[whispers] Oh my god!

Oh my god.

[Alan] August 1938.

A Mississippi cook named Jimmy Kane Baldwin

walks into the Chicago offices of Cicero Records

and demands an audition.

He has no money and only three fingers

on his fret hand.

But, Cicero had already made an improbable start

with two other walk-ins.

So Martin Pounder, the sound engineer

decides to let him play a few bars there in the lobby.

Just for kicks.

He doesn't let him pick around for more than half a minute,

before he brings in Irving Dunn,

the infamous founder and president of Cicero Records.

See what you got, Kid?

Pounder would later say he had goosebumps that day.

"This what it must have been like to discover Robert Johnson

or Sun House," he said.

He recorded Jimmy that very afternoon.

Dunn wanted to release the record

before the summer was out.

He was already on the phone boasting about his latest discovery

while Pounder arranged things in the studio,

with a couple of Cicero regulars called in, to back Jimmy up

on piano and horn.

Jimmy was in a hurry too.

See, what Jimmy hadn't told anybody

was the reason he traveled

all the way to Chicago to cut this record,

was that he was a wanted man

in Lafayette County, Mississippi.

[Vanessa] For what?

For murder of his girlfriend, Betty Sharper.

Stabbed her in the chest 37 times with a boning knife.

Damn!

Jimmy and the studio band played their song four times,

and Marvin thought that even the first take was acceptable.

He wrote "Death Take One" on the first.

On the others, he wrote "Death Take Two"

"Death Take Three"

and "Death Take four".

Jimmy was itching to leave

but Irving Dunn was taking his time,

pulling the cash from his safe

or the bank or wherever he needed to get it.

So Jimmy stuck around and listened,

as Marvin played back "Death where is thy sting"

for the first time.

And that's when things get spooky.

The screams began at the end of the first verse

like she was joining in early for the chorus.

Jimmy became agitated

while the Cicero man searched for the origins of the sound.

Marvin still couldn't hear anything,

so he brings in Dunn and the receptionist,

who was just about out of theories,

When Jimmy suddenly began to whisper

[Jimmy] Betty, Betty, Betty.

Marvin asked who Betty was?

but Jimmy kept repeating: Betty, Betty, Betty.

You are a damn witch.

Marvin sent for Chesterfields and whiskey

to calm Jimmy Kane down.

But he wouldn't have any of it,

and he lunged for one of the masters

and he smashed it!

Then he ran out on Cicero Avenue.

As far as Blues aficionados are concerned

that is the last time anyone saw Jimmy Kane Baldwin.

[Vanessa] How come some people could hear and others couldn't?

The legend is that only people

with murder in their hearts,

can hear Betty Sharper dying.

And what about the other copies?

The other takes?

The secretary...

who Irving had done with sleeping with...

by the way,

told him that he could never release those recordings.

And she heard the devil on that disc.

So Dunne, who never believed any of it

told Marvin Pounder the record was unreleasable.

So Marvin kept the best tape for himself

and gave the other two masters to the musicians...

as a memento of

the oddest, eeriest day of their professional lives.

And?

Within a week...

the piano player and the bugler were both dead.

One went from too much morphine...

the other jumped from a roof onto State Street.

[loud thud then screams] [car alarm sounding]

Marvin thought it was the record that drove them mad.

He was sure they'd listened to the recording

again and again

until it made them crazy and destroyed them.

So Marvin smashed his copy into a million pieces.

[smashing]

And then there were two copies left!

Pounder tried to track down the other copies

but the musicians said they had no idea what he was talking about.

What like, lost forever?

[cup clatters]

It's a myth!

According to most people.

Nonsense.

Just a tall tale made up by Marvin Pounder.

So what makes you a believer then?

I believe it because...

I once held that record in my hands.

[Alan exhales]

[floorboards creaking]

Well!

Ah...

these kinds of records,

you know, aren't really worth much anymore.

Everything switching over to compact discs.

The sound of CD's is so much better digital.

Digital is the... future.

You know it feels like...

[chuckles]

you in the room with the musicians.

It's incredible!

Plus, uh...

I hear the CD's...

they'll last forever.

Yeah, a hundred years from now...

still have the... same CD's you buy today.

So!

-Don't sit on the arm! -Sorry.

Let me tell you...

those records belonged to my husband.

I watch TV now.

OK, I got my stories.

I look at Falcon Crest and Matlock,

I love 227 and Amen.

[laughs] My girlfriend she looks at LA Law,

but they have too much sex for me,

I don't think that's normal.

You know, I could take them off your hands for ya.

That is if you wanted...

Mrs. Walker?

You know, it will really open this room up

and... let the light in.

Oh, the light is fine with me.

Yeah... you need more light?

No, the light is fine,

the light is-- lovely light.

You OK.

I kinda like you.

-You like me? -I kinda like you. [laughs]

I kinda like you!

[Mrs. Walker chuckles]

Listen... if it was up to me

I would have you take

every one of those things out of here.

Right now...really.

But...

I've got to check with my son first

cause I can't get rid of

none of his daddy's things, without going through him.

-You understand? -Of course.

Right.

Now my son Raymond,

he lives right outside of Baton Rouge.

Placamin...

Louisiana.

So listen I'll call him tonight.

[sighs]

Just come back tomorrow...

OK?

-Tomorrow? -Tomorrow.

-I can come back tomorrow -OK.

-OK. -All right.

[Mrs. Walker laughs]

[inhales sharply]

[mumbles in hushed voice]

[phone rings]

In a little old lady's apartment.

Bullshit!

I'm calling bullshit.

-Call that bullshit Daddy... -Shut it, arse wipe.

You're just going batshit crazy

in that Chicago humility, that's all.

No... no, no, no.

No I am not!

Jimmy Kane Baldwin "Death where is thy Sting"

was in his very grips, just today, man

I'm telling you!

[Dan chuckles] OK. So what it sound like?

I'll tell you what,

I'll make you a bet.

This time tomorrow...

I will play you

"Death where is thy Sting?" over this very phone.

You'll be [indistinct].

[blues music]

[phone clicks]

Fuck me.

[gospel Capella]

[door handle clicks]

[floorboards creak]

[faint laughing]

[Alan knocking]

[door unlocking]

Alan!

Is it hot enough for you?

[whispers] I've got a surprise.

We've got a new friend!

Mmm hmm.

Paul this my new friend, Alan.

[ice clinks]

Hi Alan.

Yeah.

Alan...

Paul...

likes old records too.

How about that?

-You don't say. -Yeah!

He has that record shop right around the corner...

you know?

We were just talking.

I told him how nice this neighborhood has gotten,

since Mayor Washington is in office.

-Right? -Hallelujah.

Yeah, yeah.

You know what?

I forgot to get your sweet tea,

just one minute.

-Oh yeah. -yeah.

-Thank you for that. -OK.

[whispers] What you doing here?

I knew you were up to something.

I'm not up to anything!

I got a call from Diamond Dog Dan the other day,

he told me you found some good records!

-Oh, the arsehole. -I agree.

Bad.

So... after you parked across from the store,

I followed you.

And after you left,

I called on Mrs. Walker myself.

She's a lovely lady.

Although she's not entirely loco.

[laughs] If you get my drift?

And I think that you do,

because you were here

trying to steal all these beautiful records from her.

From me... from my community.

What are you talking about? I'm not stealing anything.

And from you? What's that about?

You want to own all the records in Hyde Park now?

What.. not that community!

My community,

the black community!

Oh my god! The black community!

Are you kidding me?

Are you finished?

Yeah, I guess.

See, that's what I'm talking about.

White people trying to come in, after the fact

and steal the intellectual property

of black people.

Taking advantage of the circumstances.

trying to possess what they can't create!

What you trying to do to this woman,

it's a fucking metaphor, is what it is.

I'll tell you something--

Oh here Alan, here's your sweet tea.

-Oh yes, thank you. -Yes.

-Thank you. -All right.

-Oh, I forgot the Milano's. -[Paul] Oh no!

And I love...

-Pepper-- -Oh yes!

-You too? -Oh, I love them.

Oh, I've got some for you.

-All right. -Hold on, let me find them.

[floorboards creak]

OK.

I take your point.

I didn't come here for a fight.

There are plenty of records for both of us,

and besides, she hasn't even actually given me permission to take them yet.

-She's got to talk to the son. -Exactly.

She'll talk to the son,

we'll split them 50/50.

All right.

I get to pick the first one and you can pick the next five.

That is not going to work for me.

You son of a bitch.

Jimmy Kane fucking Baldwin "Death where is thy Sting".

You are not taking that record from me Teach!

So help me in the name of the Lord above.

You wouldn't even know it was here if Dan hadn't ratted me out.

-You are a poacher! -You are a parasite--

[Mrs. Walker] The other Milano!

-Aha. -[Paul and Alan chuckle]

Whew. [farts]

[knocking on door]

-[man] Mrs. Walker. -[Mrs. Walker sighs]

Mr. Epstein, hello.

Someone at the door.

Oh!

That's my landlord.

Ah, baby, could you be a dear

go open the door for me, please, Alan.

That's you.

Yes I know.

Get the door boy.

The fucking door.

Ah Mr. Epstein,

what a pleasant surprise!

Yes.

These two nice young gentlemen are my new guests.

We waiting for a call from Raymond

and you know Raymond.

Yeah.

We were about to sit down

and have some sweet tea and Milano's.

You had better come and join us.

No thank you.

Heat advisory issued,

checking to make sure you okay.

Oh...

I bought you a new flashlight

in case there is another blackout.

[groans]

Alan, please take the flashlight.

Yes... well...

you are a minch.

[laughs]

Listen, as long as the air conditioning

holds out in my bedroom

I'll hold on.

OK!

Yes,

and they say dimming the light and drawing the blinds

helps with the heat.

let me know if you need anything?

You got my number.

You know I got your number.

But I've these two young men who'll look after me, right?

That's right.

Yeah.

[laughs]

-Bye Mrs. Walker. -Oh goodbye Mr. Epstein.

You take care. Thank you.

Oh eh...I almost forgot.

I spoke to Raymond last night...

I told him about you two

and the records.

And he started bringing up stories

about him and the father.

He was getting so upset I told me to go to sleep.

Call me tomorrow.

So...

it looks like you might have to come back tomorrow,

if that's not a problem?

No, it's not a problem for me.

Great.

It'll be like a party.

Mmm.

[all laugh]

Oh, you two are crazy!

[Mrs. Walker continues laughing]

May I use your restroom?

Oh...

of course, you know where it is.

Yeah.

[Mrs. Walker chuckles]

[laughs]

[sighs]

[groans]

[groans again]

[creaking]

[inhales]

[snoring]

[paper rustling]

[exhales]

Oh shit!

What the fuck?

Well Teach...

it looks like you and I face a similar dilemma.

You know if I wasn't here you'd take this record and run.

But I am here,

and I'm standing over you.

You know, that old lady wouldn't even miss it.

You'd probably even leave ten bucks on the table

to assuage your white guilt.

Get up!

[paper rustles]

Not ideal but we can share it.

And how would that arrangement work exactly?

Do we shuttle the record back and forth

between apartments like a toddler trapped

between parents in a nasty divorce.

Oh, I got it.

Maybe we can meet at the Rock 'n Roll McDonalds one Saturday

to make the transfer.

I am just thinking out loud here.

You don't have to think out loud

because I know what you thinking.

I know who you are, Teach!

You don't collect something just to possess it.

You collect to keep other people from having it.

A good record is like a woman, right!

It's only worth having if it's yours alone!

And you said the other day,

any record I want you to have is not worth having.

Well...

I don't want you to have this one.

And the only real pleasure you would really get

out of owning "Death where is Thy Sting"

is because I will envy you for it.

[snoring]

So?

I guess that means we better get comfortable.

[acoustic guitar music]

[softly] Alan?

Alan?

[Vanessa groans]

Hey!

Yeah, um...

I think, like, we are in Kansas or something?

Tennessee whatever.

Yeah, he said um... we should be making it on time.

So...

Uh huh.

Yeah!

Yeah, no problems really.

Yeah, I got it.

Love you, talk to you soon.

Goodbye.

Those fucking cell phones

changed everything, didn't they?

[Vanessa] Jesus!

I thought you were asleep?

I was...

for a while.

Call that the study hall snooze.

Old trick I developed teaching high school.

It's half restful, but...

also helps to know what you students will do

when they think you're not looking.

I bet that would be a handy skill

to have in prison too, huh?

I suppose.

Excuse me.

♪ How all of my dreams ♪

♪ How they gonna tell on me ♪

♪ How all of my dreams ♪

♪ How they gonna tell on me ♪

♪ And I don't want ♪

♪ I don't want To sleep tonight ♪

♪ And I don't want ♪

♪ I don't want To sleep tonight ♪

♪ All right ♪

[music continues]

[music ends]

[snoring]

Uncomfortable?

Why don't you take another piss?

I'll keep an eye on things.

Yeah, right!

Why don't you just go home?

I'm just fine, thank you.

[knocking on door]

Mrs. Walker?

Mrs. Walker? It's Mr. Epstein.

The heat looks like it's going to get worse.

I'm headed for the store, if you need anything?

[woman groans in her sleep]

[knocking on door]

[sighs]

[Alan] Shit, I got to call in sick.

[Paul laughs]

That's the beauty of being self-employed.

I got a sign on my building that says, 'Back in five minutes,'

but you can stand in for me.

In fact, it gives me a distinct advantage I'd say!

Oh yeah! There's no one who would care if you just disappeared?

[hums]

[paper rustling]

[Alan] Hi. Yes, this Mr. Thomas

I won't be able... [indistinct]

Terrible...[indistinct] [paper rustling loudly]

...I don't know... heat stroke or dehydration.

I'm really parched right now.

Ssh ssh!

[Alan] ...my throat is so sore, and...

[Alan continues speaking]

[Alan] ...thank you so much for that.

[Alan] OK, thank you.

What you doing?

Just admiring.

No you not.

You son of a bitch.

That's a good record right there.

"99 Blues" by Blind Joe Reynolds

Flip side: "Cold Woman Blues".

But even you will admit, it's extremely rare!

[laughs] If we hadn't found Jimmy Kane,

we probably be fighting over this one.

It's worth thousands, I bet.

A wholesome Mr. Salary.

Take it right now and go. She'll never know.

-I won't say a word. -Shut up.

-Mmm. -Shut up!

[whispering] First off,

we didn't find it, I found it.

And second... fuck you, Paul!

Which, which we came all the way...

That's the best offer you gonna get, Teach

because I can outlast you.

The second you go to sleep or the commode

me and Jimmy Kane are out of here.

I'll call the cops.

They'll come to your store

arrest you for theft!

Oh really?

Because I'll deny it.

Nobody else even believes the record is real.

The old lady doesn't even know she has it.

How can I be arrested for something that doesn't exist?

Oh, you!

You'll never be able to sell it, not as long as I live.

Who says I want to sell it?

Maybe I just want to keep you from having it.

-Shit. -Yeah

Actually no.

Piss!

I haven't peed in a day and a half, so...

if you will excuse me.

[chuckles]

[snoring]

What are you doing?

You put them back on the shelves!

I know you did.

I'll just go through them.

I'll pull them out, one by one.

Then go ahead. [chuckles]

Ah.

Uhh...

that's so good when it comes out.

Hmm.

Hmm!

Whoa!

I guess I must have dozed off there, huh?

Oh my goodness,

it's still hot!

[sighs]

Would you boys like some more sweet tea?

No--

I'd love some.

OK.

What do I have refreshing?

Why don't you let me help you.

Yes, thank you darling.

It's hotter than a pig's balls...

in a mud bath!

[Paul laughs]

Here you go.

Why don't you try this, this might help?

-Oh... -It's cold.

You're taking care of me, huh.

It's somewhere in here.

[Mrs. Walker groans]

You are something. Thank you darling. Thank you.

[zipper opens]

[Alan urinating]

[groans]

That's disgusting.

Go ahead Paul,

take the record now, I dare ya!

[Mrs. Walker] Alan!

-[Alan] Hmm? -Come over here and join us.

Oh, just enjoying your view.

Oh.

-Oh yes. -[Alan continues urinating]

This is a fine neighborhood.

We've been lucky.

You know you can choose your home

Boy, you can't choose your neighbors.

-[laughs] -[Paul] No you can't.

Ah ah.

[Mrs. Walker] Woo!

What are my pillows doing there?

Pick those up for me honey.

You pick those up.

Oh!

Yeah.

Take those off.

This one too.

That one too.

[instrumental music]

So what the hell does your black music lily white arse do,

to get thrown in prison?

What you talking about?

Oh.

You have numbers on the jacket

and Calvin Klein jeans.

So?

That along with the fact you have no phone

and no iPad,

tells me that you have been out...

out of circulation for a little while.

Or maybe I'm an unfashionable Luddite!

Hmm.

I mean, it's no big deal,

my old man's in the joint, so um...

I'm on my way to see him actually.

And...

I dunno, you've just got that look.

-I look like that? -A little bit.

Little bit.

[chuckles]

Doesn't matter because I didn't do it.

Do what?

What they said I did.

[all laughing]

Well...

everything is just delicious, Mrs. Walker.

-Oh. -Just delicious.

Thank you.

[whispers] Kiss arse!

[Alan speaks loudly] What was that Paul?

I didn't quite catch that?

Were you implying that the food

that Mrs. Walker made for us is not delicious?

No...

in fact...

this is the best baby beef liver casserole

I have ever had.

[Mrs. Walker chuckling]

You put your foot into this.

I know for a fact that this the best

baby beef liver beef casserole you've ever had,

because it's the only

baby beef liver casserole you've ever had!

[Mrs. Walker] Now boys. [chuckling]

You two...

have so much in common,

you could be brothers.

If I close my eyes!

[all laugh]

Unlike Howard and his brother,

they were the complete opposite.

Except...

they both loved music.

Oh god, Howard... Howard used to say...

music...

is the language of the world.

Hmm.

Yes!

My brother in law, he could play...

oh my god, he played the trumpet.

He used to call himself The Buglar!

[chuckling]

He's over there

on a lot of those records

that they used to record at Cicero.

Mmm hmm.

Yeah and I...

just hate to tell you this part, but...

mmm!

My brother in law...

he um... got a taste...

for the devil's candy.

They said, he killed himself.

But Howard never believed it.

He said, no matter how bad

his brother was, he would never have done nothing like that.

It's very sad.

[groans]

[Mrs. Walker sighs]

Now, what I get up for?

Oh!

Sweet tea.

[groans]

OK...

I know you want some more

Oh yeah.

[Mrs. Walker chuckles]

Nothing like a home cooked meal.

Ohh.

Yes.

Eat up!

A buglar!

The trumpet player and the recording...

that's her brother in law!

Holy shit! It's the real thing.

No shit it's the real thing.

If it was a fake,

I would have let you walk out with it,

and I would not be on day three and no sleep, would I?

Like you would even know a fake, if you saw it.

I mean, I knew it was real.

But it's just hitting me now.

[laughs]

Well...

what are we going to do?

Because...

I'm pretty sure she's even not called her son.

I think she likes having us here.

So, what's the solution, because

I-- I can't keep this up,

I can't keep doing this?

Exactly.

[laughing on TV]

Jesus!

What?

I can't believe that we haven't even tried it?

Tried what?

The record.

All this craziness, all this fighting.

This heat!

We haven't even tried to listen to it, yet.

[both laugh]

-[Paul exhales] -[Alan chuckles]

That means I'll have to get the record off the shelf?

That would be a logical next step in listening to it.

Turn around and I'll get it.

I'm not turning around.

What the hell difference does it make?

I was just such a good hiding spot.

Dammit... [mumbles]

[sighs]

[laughing on TV]

Ahh.

Fuck me.

Ssh.

Ssh.

It was so easy.

-Careful. -Ssh!

Are you worried about it, at all?

About screams and shit?

I don't know if I believe in it?

Makes for a good story.

Some people hearing it, some people not.

It's possible, you know.

I mean, you can hear it

freak out and jump out that window,

while I don't hear a thing, sit back

-with a pot of Mrs. Walkers tea. -[Mrs. Walker snoring]

Or vice versa!

What's the fuck wrong with you?

Ssh, ssh, ssh. Wait!

[Mrs. Walker groans]

There is no needle,

The stylus, it's broken.

You'll ruin it.

-Damn! -Phew!

Oh my god.

[soft laid back music]

So, what exactly are you doing

about Baton Rouge anyway?

Remember that Jimmy Kane Baldwin record I was telling you?

Mm hmm.

I'm going to Louisiana to get it.

You're taking a bus all the way to Louisiana

for a record?

It looks that way, doesn't it.

I just--

You just got out of jail

and... you're...

just going for a record, I don't--

That's weird?

Have you got any better ideas?

Yeah, like five or six.

I mean what, do you have a girl

over there or something?

Ya, is she there?

I saw it.

The guy who wants to sell to me...

will only do it in person.

He's down there.

Hey, how long were you in the tank?

Long enough to know I don't want to talk about it.

Can I ask you one more question?

You can ask...

but, I'm pretty sure, if it's about prison...

I won't have much to say.

Why?

Because there's really nothing to talk about.

Did it change you?

Change me how?

I don't know.

It's like in prison...

it makes you turn into the guy the system thinks you are.

What I mean is you said

that you didn't do the thing.

The thing they put you in prison for.

That's right.

Could you do it, now?

I hope not.

Here's an idea.

Teach?

Teach?

Oh! God dammit!

-Are you going somewhere? -Are you a Ninja?

Yes!

Listen!

I've got to listen to this.

Screaming or no screaming.

No.

Well come with me.

To the store.

Are you crazy?

The temperature must be up to a 100 right now!

So what.

This is Jimmy Kane Baldwin.

[snoring]

What about Mrs. Walker?

We'll wedge open a door!

Borrow a key!

We'll be back before she wakes up.

[loud explosion] Shit!

[dog barks]

What's that?

Something exploded.

[dog barking] [snoring]

Yes... thank you.

It must have been a generator.

We'll go to Blues Island,

we listen, we come back.

You want to hear this as much as I do.

[snoring]

We listen once...

once...

We listen once.

What's this for?

Put it in the door, stupid.

Try not to get your sweat all over with the shellac.

Hey?

Hey, shellac this.

[laughs]

You son of a bitch.

You mother fucker.

You can't keep up with me--

[explosion]

[car alarms wailing]

Oh?

[Paul moans]

[dogs barking] [car alarms continue wailing]

[Alan] Ah shit.

[Alan groans]

Betis?

Hey? Betis?

Paul?

What the fuck, bro?

Are you all right?

I was until I saw you were about to eat my face.

I'm going back to the apartment.

I'm waiting for Mrs. Walker to wake up.

If one of us is leaving with this record,

We gotta do it with some goddam self-respect.

I'm trying to listen to you, bro

but all I can smell is baby beef liver casserole.

[Alan groans]

[Paul moans]

Oh shit.

Damn car alarms!

Oh!

[door opens]

Grab that flashlight.

[moans]

What the hell are you doing?

I can't take it anymore

I've got to some air on my balls.

Whatever, dude.

-Wait. -What?

-Do you hear that? -What?

She's stopped snoring.

She never stops snoring?

She's awake.

She's moving around in the dark.

Ssh, ssh, ssh.

[floorboards creaking]

She's not in here.

What should we do. Should we check her bedroom?

No!

What if she she's not OK?

Exactly! What if?

Shit.

[floor boards creak]

This is fucked up.

[door squeaks]

Oh shit!

Holy god.

Oh!

She's bleeding, from her head or something.

-Oh shit. -Huh!

Oh my god.

Is she dead?

Oh my god, how did this happen?

[Paul sighs]

Oh! The heat!

She had so much sweet tea...

she had to piss.

But it didn't help?

She was calling for you and

you ditched her, because you didn't trust me

to listen to the album by myself.

So you decided to leave her alone.

She got disorientated from the blackout

and fainted from calling for you.

And she fell over,

straight off her feet

and busted her head on that table over there.

Nice try Magnum PI,

but this was wasn't my fault.

I'm just saying.

Maybe you killed her!

What, me , when?

When I was asleep!

You weren't asleep!

When I was asleep

you came in here and killed her

and then you were going to make off with the record

and leave me to clean up the mess.

What!

Maybe you were even going to call the cops and frame me for it, huh!

That's ridiculous.

You put this shit down.

Well, we'll just have to wait to see what the autopsy says?

What!

Wait, wait, wait. We can't call the cops!

We have to, she's dead!

This looks very bad!

For both of us!

We didn't kill her.

Er, it was an accident, she died.

But, how's this going to look to the people

who... don't know what this record means?

What it represents?

We've been in her house for four days, Teach.

-Sssh. -Out of touch with our friends,

family, co-workers...

Mr. Asian. He heard on our bullshit story.

They gonna say, it's about the money!

And once they get that in their heads,

they gonna call it murder.

You can put that in the bank.

I mean, we can't tell anyone

why we are here.

Fuck you, Ray!

No-one can ever know about the record,

it's far too valuable.

It's a fucking motive, is what it is.

All right.

We gonna go, we gonna go right now.

We gonna call the police

from a pay phone.

We going go home and we'll never speak of this again.

Who keeps the record?

The record stays here!

Bullshit! We can't leave that record behind.

We'll never get the chance to listen to it, if we do that.

This is a once in a lifetime chance, Teach.

Well, we can't just leave her here,

she's going to start to smell.

Let's take her to the bathtub.

Ever done this before?

Yeah.

We trained as little black boys,

how to cover up someone's death.

Grab her feet!

Why do I have to grab her feet?

You by her feet, you grab her feet.

I don't do feet.

-I had a bad-- -What?

...with a good--

Look, I don't want to talk about it!

Find the feet.

For the record, I don't like feet either!

I called first. Fuck you.

Oh!

-Shit! -What happened, what happened?

She's only got one leg!

Oh, damn!

Jesus!

Turn.

-Turn. -Which way?

To my right.

-To your right? -Yeah.

All right, come on.

We going to need some ice to pack her in.

Oh sure.

We'll just go door to door collecting ice,

on the hottest day in the history of mankind.

Well, we gotta do something.

-You ready? -What?

Watch your head.

-OK, let's go. -OK.

Oh shit!

I said, watch your head.

[both groaning]

[heavy breathing]

We can fill the tub with water.

Why would we do that?

Contain the smell.

Make it looked like she drowned.

What?

Hallelujah.

Are you serious right now?

[Alan sighing]

Thank you, for letting me be a part

of your personal grooming moment.

By the way, feel free

to put your pants back on at any time.

Oh, oh, oh! yes.

Thank you, Mrs. Walker.

What's that?

Activater.

What's activater?

It's like, it's like mouse for black people.

Oh.

Jesus.

OK, well, maybe we can just spray perfume and air freshener

all over the place and that will mask the smell.

Fine.

I'll go find the air freshener,

you stay here and find the perfume.

Whoa! I'm not leaving you alone.

See, your problem is, you don't trust me

because I'm black.

There's some deep physiological issues.

I don't trust you because you are you.

If you don't get your hands off my--

He touched his balls with this!

Why does the record mean so fucking much to us?

What?

Paul...

how did we get here?

Think about it.

Why is that record so important, anyway?

That poor women is dead.

We can't even do the right thing.

We can't call the police.

We can't call an ambulance.

[sighs] I can't explain how that record...

that allegedly cursed by the devil record,

which I haven't even heard yet,

made me do something as crazy

as moving into a doddering old stranger's apartment.

I can't explain why?

I haven't slept.

Why, I've dropped out of my life entirely.

And I'm not even over yet.

I mean, there's a body in the bathtub.

There's a body in the bathtub.

And I can't stop thing about that goddam record.

[knocking on door]

[Mr. Epstein] Mrs. Walker?

Mrs. Walker. Just a well-being check,

making sure you OK.

Mrs. Walker?

Those gentlemen from the yesterday...

friends of your son.

Are they still here?

[keys jingling]

Mrs. Walker?

Mrs. Walker, this is Mr. Epstein!

[sniffs]

What is that odor Mrs. Walker?

And why is your door chained?

[floor boards creaking]

[door closes]

Well!

They'll be coming now...

the cops I imagine.

Yeah, we can't wait forever.

All right.

What do we do?

Do we stay here and try and explain it to them?

Or do we make a run for it?

-Behind the back stairs... -Yeah.

...through the alley and hope nobody sees us.

I'll be right back.

OK.

Wait, where you going?

Hey, you know what I was thinking?

[both shouting]

[light guitar blues]

[Alan] Wait, wait, wait.

You feel that? That's the blues!

-[Alan choking] -Take this!

-Take it! [grunting] -[Alan choking]

[police sirens wailing]

[music ends]

[police radio chatter]

[acoustic guitar plays]

[Bus driver] Welcome to Baton Rouge, folks.

Triple Trailways, 1359 has concluded.

For those of you continuing on to Placamin

that bus will be leaving at 11:05.

Are you getting off?

How far it from here to Placamin?

Um, like 16 or 17 miles.

Jesus Christ!

So...

I have to wait two hours

for a bus that's going to drive me 17 miles!

That's great, I'm never going to make it in time.

You should rent a car?

I should.

I will.

Can I do that here?

Well, you'll probably need a valid driving license.

When did yours expire?

Like 1989?

Do you, um...

do you need some company?

Seriously?

Yeah, well you going to buy this famous record, right?

The one with the ghost of murdered woman screaming on it?

I suddenly have the urge to hear it.

Is that is OK?

Yeah. OK.

-Yeah. -Yeah.

Mmm, sure, why not.

-Um-- -Cool.

I have to meet somebody first.

You have friends?

[jazz music]

Oh, Alan.

Hey!

Ah!

It's great to see you.

I'm so glad you're out.

Look ah, I know I said it on the phone...

but I got to tell you

about how goddam sorry I am about this whole business.

If I hadn't blabbed to Paul that day

maybe things would have turned out different.

It's all right Dan, it wasn't your fault.

I thought about it every day.

And I never said a word to anybody.

I mean... since about you-know-what.

Twenty years, I kept my mouth shut.

I appreciate that.

And I took care of that business, you know, it's the least I can do.

Thank you.

Oh, sorry this is Vanessa.

Vanessa, the Diamond Dan.

-Hi. -Hey, yeah...

-Just Dan. -Oh Dan, nice to meet you.

So...

how long have you known Alan?

-Um... -We are--

Like 19 hours or something like that.

-Nice. -Yeah.

Oh!

Hey man! [laughs]

Good luck to you.

I'll-- I'll call you.

OK.

Take care.

-OK. -All right.

Bye.

Bye.

[door chimes]

What's in the bag?

Closure.

[acoustic guitar music]

Now what?

We early.

Hmm.

Funny place to have a business meeting?

You still haven't...

told me about this guy?

How did he get the record?

And that ah...

that bag has a lot of resolution in it.

How much does he want for it?

You know I'm starting to wonder why

I brought you along?

Because you're an old man who just got out of prison.

And I'm a young woman

whom you have been fantasizing about

from the moment that you have been staring at my ass

at the bus station.

I couldn't buy this record off somebody who knew he had it.

You came all the way down here

to hustle it from some unsuspecting loser?

Actually, this guy thinks he's the hustler.

Oh!

Nice.

So, we going to con a conman.

Something like that.

You see, this particular guy

recently came into temporary possession

of a large number of records.

He'd like to sell a few of them...

before they no longer in his possession.

So...

I'm going to tell him which four records I want,

one of them being Jimmy Kane Baldwin

which he has most likely never heard of...

then I'm going to drop you, wherever it is you're heading.

Then I'm gonna...

go home.

Which is... where... nowadays?

Still trying to figure that out.

This our guy?

That is the worst suit I've ever seen.

Yeah.

[acoustic guitar music]

Mr. Groome?

Yes.

I'm not sure how well these records are organized,

but it may take me quite some time

to find the vinyl I'm looking for?

Oh...

I think you'll find it

much easier than you think!

♪ Ain't no body ♪

♪ Dirty business ♪

♪ How my baby treat me ♪

♪ Nobody business but mine ♪

♪ Ain't nobody crazy business ♪

♪ How my baby treat me ♪

[brakes squeak]

Here we are.

[song fades]

Mother fucker.

I don't believe this.

[Paul] He invited you too?

I got out two days before you did,

how'd you beat me here?

I took a plane.

Gentlemen...

Gentlemen!

I asked both of you here in good faith.

Now, it was clear to me

from the records of your trials

some years ago, you both...

had a keen interest in this collection.

And I made both of you the same offer.

Select five records from among the thousands.

Now Raymond Walker,

he didn't do an inventory.

That task is up to me.

So ten records could easily slip away from this collection.

Nobody would ever notice.

But it got me to thinking?

You each offered such an extravagant sum

for the opportunity.

Well...

maybe it wasn't five records you were interested in?

Perhaps you were you interested in one record?

Yes.

Possibly...

this one?

Mother fucker!

[Paul laughs]

You met some young piece of tail,

on whatever godforsaken train

or whatever the hell it is that brought you out here

and it never enters your thick white skull,

for one second that a woman that looks like... that...

wouldn't have shit to do with you if she didn't want something?

Are you that goddam stupid?

Now Paul, settle down.

Alan, I'm sorry for the deception.

But don't blame Vanessa.

She was just paying back a debt owed by her incarcerated father.

Now!

We have a transaction to do.

Y'all brought cash?

Twenty thousand dollars.

The deal is off now.

Oh?

Alan, do you feel the same way?

If I don't leave here with that record,

you don't leave here with my 20 000.

Uh huh.

Well, perhaps we need some more clarification.

You see, I did some poking around on my own.

And I find out this record doesn't even exist.

But, if it did exist...

it would be worth a whole lot more

than 20 000 dollars.

So!

I've decided to keep it.

-Come on! -[Paul] Arsehole.

[Lincoln laughs hysterically]

Twenty years in prison... for nothing!

Now wait a minute, what if we turn you in for...

-Stealing or embezzlement or-- -Yeah.

...misappropriation of public property or something.

Well... I don't think officer Frye

would allow that to happen.

Given he could find cause... to arrest two convicted

murderers out of state...

for a... well...

I dunno... whatever he wanted to, I suppose.

Whatever the fuck I want!

The cash.

[bag jangling]

OK!

I think that about wraps things up.

Pleasure doing business with you gentlemen.

Enjoy Placamin.

[Vanessa] Wait, um Lincoln I think you should have really,

really listen to that record.

I mean, you gotta make sure that it's real?

Vanessa, what the hell are you talking about?

Where am I gonna find a record player in this mess?

There's guaranteed to be a turntable

among these 100 boxes.

Yeah.

I think I saw a couple in a box, over there.

Probably fucked up, though.

Mr. Groome?

Hmm?

If you gonna take our money

at least let us hear the record.

It's the least you can do for fucking us over.

All right, fine!

Officer Frye, find a record player.

Vanessa find an outlet.

Let's make it quick!

[Vanessa] There's one right here.

I dunno?

It looks real to me.

What the hell do you know?

Oh Jesus, be careful!

Shut up, arsehole.

If you-- a good trip to--

[mechanical humming]

It don't work.

[indistinct chatter]

-Sixty cycle hum. -The platers locked too.

Move.

[humming continues]

I'd feel more comfortable if he wasn't holding that.

Because I might make a run for it?

-Vanessa, could you hand me my bag. -Yeah.

I think the motor deck has secured in transit mode.

OK.

See how easy that was.

-You ready Bettis? -Let's do it Teach.

[scratching]

[music starts]

[laughing]

♪ Love me ♪

♪ Oh man she's got ♪

♪ A little love doll ♪

♪ That doesn't die ♪

What's that noise?

♪ Happy well a man can be ♪

What's that noise?

Make it stop!

-Stop the fucking music. -Make it stop!

[shouting] Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!

-Make it stop! -No!

Make it stop!

[screaming hysterically]

[gunshot]

Make it stop!

[gunshot]

[Vanessa screams]

[Alan] Groome!

Make it stop!

Make it stop! [crying] Make it stop!

Make it stop!

Make it stop.

Make it stop.

Make it stop.

[Alan] Oh shit!

Make it stop-- [gunshot]

[loud thud]

[heavy breathing]

Jesus!

Holy shit.

This is fucked up.

We need to call someone?

Fuck that!

I'm grabbing my bag and getting the fuck up out of here.

You staying?

Shit.

[scoffs]

[door opens and closes]

What the fuck just happened?

I'm not...

I'm really sorry about this, like...

I don't...

I get it.

Come on.

[brakes squeak]

[knocking on window]

-[Vanessa] Shit! -Hey man, let me get a ride.

It's open.

You scared the shit out of me.

Jesus, Paul!

Just...

take shot gun.

Just get in.

[sighs]

[grunts]

You better be one the way?

On the way?

Yeah!

We in bubble-fuck-Louisiana!

Everything is on the goddam way.

Hey...

which half you want?

The bigger half, huh.

You better believe it. I'll never stop. [laughs]

[Vanessa plays her guitar]

Are you relieved?

What do you mean?

I dunno know, just...

the whole thing is over.

I guess?

If you call leaving a couple of dead guys

in a storage locker

and coming away with half a broken vinyl

after 20 years of relief.

Yeah, but I mean...

at least we got to hear it.

Even though the shellac is busted in two

we're not chasing it, anymore.

The chase was all I had.

Yeah, me too.

She's good.

Hmm.

If you like that kind of music.

All right.

Groome was a...

greedy fucking bastard.

I would smother his grandma with a pillow.

Just for five dollars and a scrambled egg.

You're a good person, Alan.

No.

No... I really haven't been.

Maybe now I finally can be, you know?

Why?

Why what? Be a good person?

Why now.

Oh, why you thinking about that,

I'm going to wash this shit off my bag.

Oh... um...

can you hold onto this for me, though.

I just don't want to really get it wet.

While I wash my bag off.

Oh, do you want some like, skittles or...

soda or anything?

[ending music]