Vier Sieben

The Curse
Vier Sieben is a Polish Gypsy folk tale which was said to be cursed. "Vier sieben" is German for "four seven." It is unclear why a Polish folk tale had a German title. A film was started based on the tale some time in the past, but the filmmakers discovered "something inside the story," and both leads ended up murdered before the film could be finished. On High in Blue Tomorrows is a remake of that unfinished film. Soon, Nikki finds herself trapped in world of the film as Sue.

The tale presumably involved an affair between two married people, as this seems to be the central storyline in On High in Blue Tomorrows. The curse and the tale seem related to the Phantom. After being cheated on by his wife, the Phantom uses his powers to force his wife's lover to relive the story over and over in the place of the cuckolded husband, while other innocent people are drawn into the Phantom's web to play the other roles, always ending in murder and tragedy. It is likely that the folk tale preexisted the Phantom, who appeared to live in late nineteenth or early twentieth century. It is possible that he simply commandeered the existing curse, or assumed the mantle of "the Phantom" from someone else.

Other Folk Tales
The First Visitor, a Polish woman, tells Nikki "an old tale" and "a variation."

The Old Tale:"A little boy went out to play. When he opened his door, he saw the world. As he passed through the doorway, he caused a reflection. Evil was born. Evil was born and followed the boy."The Variation:"A little girl went out to play. Lost in the marketplace, as if half-born. Then, not through the marketplace — you see that, don’t you? — but through the alley behind the marketplace ... this is the way to the palace. But it isn’t something you remember."

Room 47
The Rabbits' home is accessible through a door numbered "47." While this is clearly a reference to "Vier Sieben" (four seven), the German word for "forty seven" is actually "siebenundvierzig" (seven and forty).

Analysis
Mr. Zydowicz calls Nikki, "A half..." possibly referencing the girl "lost in the marketplace, as if half-born" in the Visitor's variation. Nikki/Sue does pass through a door in "the alley behind the marketplace." This leads her back in time to Stage 4, and then to becoming completely trapped in the world of On High in Blue Tomorrows.