Plan 9 from Outer Space [TITLE: "Criswell Predicts..."] CRISWELL Greetings, my friend. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future. You are interested in the unknown, the mysterious, the unexplainable. That is why you are here. And now, for the first time, we are bringing to you the full story of what happened on that fateful day. We are giving you all the evidence, based only on the secret testimonies of the miserable souls who survived this terrifying ordeal. The incidents, the places, my friend we cannot keep this a secret any longer. Let us punish the guilty, let us reward the innocent. My friend, can your heart stand the shocking facts about grave robbers from outer space? [TITLE SEQUENCE] [SMALL FUNERAL, EVERYONE COMPLETELY SILENT] CRISWELL All of us on this earth, know that there is a time to live, and that there is a time to die, yet death is always a shock to those left behind. It is even more of a shock, when death, the proud brother, comes suddenly without warning. Just at sundown, a small group, gathered in silent prayer around the newly-opened grave of the beloved wife of an elderly man. Sundown of the day, yet also the sundown of the old man's heart, for the shadows of grief clouded his very reason. The funeral over, the saddened group left the graveside. It was when the gravediggers started their task that strange things began to take place. [INSIDE COCKPIT OF AIRPLANE, TWO PILOTS] DANNY Fifteen to four. Yup, right on schedule. There's the ol' San Fernando Valley out there now. JEFF You better radio in for landing instructions, Danny. DANNY Right, Jeff. Burbank Tower, this is American Flight 812, over. Wouldn't surprise me any if he's asleep this time of the morning. OPERATOR American Flight 812, this is Burbank Tower. If I were asleep you'd never get on the ground! Your case maybe you'd be up there for good. Over. DANNY You got me that time, Mac. This American Flight 812 requesting - [COCKPIT SHAKES, PILOTS LOOK OUT WINDOW TO SEE A FLYING SAUCER] OPERATOR Burbank Tower to American Flight 812, over. Burbank Tower to American Flight 812, over. DANNY Holy mackeral. OPERATOR Burbank Tower to American Flight 812, are you in trouble? [ENTER FLIGHT ATTENDANT] EDITH Trouble? DANNY Take a look for yourself. EDITH What in the world... DANNY That's nothing from this world. OPERATOR Burbank Tower to American Flight 812, are you in trouble? Are you in trouble? DANNY Mayday, mayday. Stand by, Burbank Tower. JEFF Do you suppose the passengers saw it? EDITH I doubt it. Most of them are asleep. But it was quite a jolt, Jeff. I'll check. JEFF Good. We'll get them ready for landing. Keep it quiet until we get instructions. EDITH Right. JEFF Okay Danny. DANNY American Flight 812 reporting to Burbank Tower, over. [SHOT OF FLYING SAUCER] [CEMETERY, TWO GRAVEDIGGERS] GRAVEDIGGER #1 D'you hear anything GRAVEDIGGER #2 I thought I did. GRAVEDIGGER #1 Don't like hearin' noises. 'Specially when there ain't s'posed to be any. GRAVEDIGGER #2 Yeah, sorta spooky-like. GRAVEDIGGER #1 Maybe we're getting' old. GRAVEDIGGER #2 Whatever it is it's gone now. GRAVEDIGGER #1 That's the best thing for us too. Gone. GRAVEDIGGER #2 Yeah, let's go. [THEY BEGIN TO WALK AWAY, ARE GREETED BY VAMPIRA, WHO SOMEHOW MANAGES TO KILL THEM BOTH FROM TEN FEET AWAY] GRAVEDIGGER #1 & 2 Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! [EXTERNAL SHOT OF HOUSE, OLD MAN WALKS OUT] CRISWELL The grief of his wife's death became greater and greater agony. The home they had so long shared together, became a tomb. A sweet memory of her joyous living. The sky to which she had once looked, was now only a covering for her dead body. The ever-beautiful flowers she had planted with her own hand, became nothing more than the lost roses of her cheeks. Confused by his great loss, the old man left that home, never to return again. [MAN WALKS OFF-SCREEN AND IS IT HIT BY A CAR] [CEMETERY, NIGHTTIME] CRISWELL At the funeral of the old man, unknown to his mourners, his dead wife was watching. WOMAN MOURNER First his wife, then he. MAN MOURNER Tragic. WOMAN MOURNER Tell me something. Why was his wife buried in the ground, and he sealed in a crypt? MAN MOURNER Something to do with family tradition. A superstition of some sort. WOMAN MOURNER Oh. MAN MOURNER Well, it's getting' dark. We'd best be on our way. CRISWELL Then, as two of his mourners left his final resting place. [WOMAN DISCOVERS THE BODIES OF THE GRAVEDIGGERS] WOMAN MOURNER Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Look!! [OUTSIDE OF POLICE STATION, MEN GETTING INTO CAR] [BACK TO CEMETERY] CRISWELL Minutes later, the police, lead by Inspector Daniel Clay, arrived at the scene. CLAY Who found him? PATROLMAN LARRY The man and girl. CLAY Medical, uh, examiner been 'round yet? PATROLMAN LARRY Just left. The morgue wagon oughta be along most any time. CLAY You get their statement? PATROLMAN LARRY Yeah, much as we could. They're pretty scared. CLAY Finding a mess like this oughta make anyone frightened. Have one of the boys take the guy and the girl back to town. You take charge. LIEUTENANT HARPER Okay Inspector. What're you gonna do? CLAY Look around a little. LT. HARPER Once you get beyond those lights you won't be able to see your hand in front of your face. CLAY I will get one of the flashlights from the patrol car. LT. HARPER You be careful Clay. CLAY I'm a big boy now, Johnny. [CLAY WALKS THROUGH GRAVEYARD] [BACK TO CRIME SCENE] LT. HARPER Looks like a bobcat tore through them. PATROLMAN LARRY Say Lieutenant, d'you get that funny odour? LT. HARPER How could I miss it? [SIREN] Oh, that'll be the morgue wagon now. [OUTSIDE THE TRENT HOUSE, PAULA AND JEFF TRENT ARE SITTING ON THE PATIO] PAULA That's the fifth siren in the last hour. JEFF Oh, something's happened down at the cemetery. A lot of police cars and lights. I stopped but I didn't see anything. Oh well, whatever it is, the morning paper will carry the whole story. PAULA You seem to still be up there somewhere. JEFF Maybe I am. PAULA I don't think I've ever seen you in this mood before. JEFF I guess it's because I've never been in this mood before. PAULA Something about your flight? JEFF Yeah. PAULA What happened, Jeff? JEFF I saw a flying saucer. PAULA A saucer? You mean the kind from up there? JEFF Yeah, or its counterpart. I was shaped like a huge cigar. Dan [something] saw it too. When it passed over, the whole compartment lighted up with a blinding glare. Then there was a tremendous wind that practically knocked us off our course. PAULA Well did you report it? JEFF Yeah, radioed in immediately and they said well keep it quiet until you land. Then as soon as we landed, big army brass grabbed us and made us swear to secrecy about the whole thing. Oh, it burns me up. These things have been seen for years. They're here, it's a fact. And the public oughta know about it. PAULA There must be something more you can do about it. JEFF Oh no there isn't. Oh, but what's the point of making a fuss. Last night I saw a flying object that couldn't possibly have been from this planet. But I can't say a word. I'm muzzled by army brass! I can't even admit I saw the thing! [BACK TO GRAVEYARD, CLAY IS ATTACKED BY GHOUL MAN AND VAMPIRA, FIRES A FEW SHOTS, AND IS ULTIMATELY SNUFFED, AS WE SAY] [BACK TO CRIME SCENE] LT. HARPER Sounds like Clay's in trouble. PATROLMAN LARRY Bet that apparition we saw had something to do with it. LT. HARPER Come on. [THEY RUN OFF-SCREEN AND EVENTUALLY FIND CLAY. LARRY CHECKS HIS PULSE] Is he dead? PATROLMAN LARRY Yeah. He's messed up as bad as those two back there. S'pose that saucer or whatever it was had something to do with this? LT. HARPER Your guess is as good as mine, Larry. But one thing's sure. Inspector Clay is dead...murdered...and somebody's responsible! LARRY You're in charge now, Lieutenant. LT. HARPER Yeah, guess I am. Kelton. KELTON Yes Sir? LT. HARPER Get back up to the car and get on the radio. Tell the coroner he's gotta make another trip out here. KELTON Well how 'bout the lab boys? LT. HARPER Well who do you think we left back at the car, boy scouts? Come on, Larry. [CLAY'S FUNERAL] REV. LYNN LEMON Greater love hath no man, than to lay down his life for another. It is always difficult to have last words over the grave of a friend. And Inspector Daniel Clay was a friend. A dear friend to me and to all of us. The bell has rung upon his great career. Now we lay him to rest. A rest well deserved, but so premature. [SEQUENCE IN WHICH UFOs FLY OVER HOLLYWOOD, AND PEOPLE GET SCARED. THEN WE GO TO WASHINGTON, WHERE COL. EDWARDSONEL EDWARDS LOOKS THROUGH HIS BINOCULARS AS STOCK FOOTAGE FROM WWII SHOWS MEN FIRING LARGE ROCKETS THAT WHEN FIRED AT THE UFOs SEEM TO BE NO MORE THAN FIRECRACKERS. ALL THE WHILE CRISWELL IS GIVING ONE OF HIS SPEECHES.] CRISWELL People turning south from the freeway were startled when they saw three flying saucers high over Hollywood Boulevard. A woman, startled by the sight in the sky, telephones the police. There comes a time in each man's life, when he can't even believe his own eyes. Saucers seen over Hollywood! Flying saucers seen over Washington D.C. The army convoy moved into the field. Rockets were quickly set up. COL. EDWARDSonel Tom Edwards, in charge of saucer field activities, was to make the greatest decision of his career. He made that decision. COL. EDWARDSonel Edwards gave the signal to fire. Then as swiftly as they had come, they were gone. Even to the piercing eye of radar and the speeding jet fighters. ARMY GUY Quite a sight, wasn't it Sir. EDWARDS A sight I'd rather not be seeing. ARMY GUY Are you worried about them Sir? EDWARDS Well, they must have a reason for their visits. ARMY GUY Visits? Well that would indicate visitors! Are big guns the usual way of welcoming visitors? EDWARDS We haven't always fired at them. ARMY GUY Oh? EDWARDS For a time we tried to contact them by radio, but no response. Then they attacked a town. A small town, I'll admit. But nevertheless a town of people. People who died. ARMY GUY I never heard about that Sir. EDWARDS Well, it was covered up by the higher echelon. Take any fire, any earthquake, any major disaster, then wonder. Flying saucers, Captain, are still a rumour. Officially. CAPTAIN Looks like we beat them off again Sir. EDWARDS What do they want...where are they from...where are they going... CAPTAIN They, Sir? Who? Oh, this is a training manoeuver, Sir. We only did a little practice firing at the clouds. EDWARDS Yeah. I wonder what their next move will be. CRISWELL What will their next move be? [INSIDE SPACESHIP, TWO MEN...er- TWO "ALIENS", ONE SITTING] MESSENGER Your space commander has returned from Earth. RULER Send him in. [ENTER EROS AND TANNA] RULER You have your report? EROS We had to pull in here to Space Station 7 for regeneration. We're returning to the planet Earth immediately thereafter. RULER What progress has been made? EROS We contacted government officials. They refuse over existence. RULER What plan will you follow now? EROS Plan 9. It's been absolutely impossible to work through these Earth creatures. Their soul is too controlled. RULER Plan 9...ah yes. Plan 9 deals with the resurrection of the dead. Long-distance electrodes shot into the pinion pituitary glands of recent dead. Have you attempted any of this plan as yet? EROS Yes Excellency. RULER How successful has it been? EROS We have risen two so far. We shall be just as successful on more. RULER The living...they have no suspicion of your movements? EROS We had to dispose of one policeman. However, none of those risen have been seen. At least, not by anyone who still remains alive. RULER It's too bad it must be handled this way. However it must. Those who take from the grave will lead the way for our other operations. EROS Yes, Excellency. RULER Continue on. Report to me in two Earth days. [JUST OUTSIDE FIRST ROOM] TANNA I feared His Excellency wouldn't take our report this well. EROS Well had he been dealing with our own people his reaction would have been completely different. He understands the difficulties of the Earth race. TANNA What do you think will be the next obstacle the Earth people will put in our way? EROS Well, as long as they can think we'll have our problems. But those whom we're using cannot think. They are the dead. Brought to a simulated life by our electrode guns. You know, it's an interesting think when you consider...the Earth people, who can think, are so frightened by those who cannot: the dead. Well our ship should be regenerated. We better get started. [OUTSIDE TRENT HOUSE] JEFF I still think you oughta go in town and stay with your mother until I get back. PAULA This is our home and nothing's going to take me from it. Besides, most men try and keep their wives from going home to Momma. JEFF That's not the point. PAULA That's all the point there's going to be. Now toddle off and fly your flying machine, Darling. But if you see any more flying saucers, will you tell them to pick another house to buzz? Don't worry about me. JEFF Oh you're the only thing I do worry about. Oh forget about the flying saucers. They're up there. But there's something in that cemetery, and that's too close for comfort. PAULA The saucers are up there. And the cemetery's out there. But I'll be locked up in there. Now off to your wild blue yonders. JEFF You promise you'll lock the doors immediately? PAULA I promise. Besides, I'll be in bed before half an hour is gone, with your pillow beside me. JEFF My pillow? PAULA Well, I have to have something to keep me company while you're away. Sometimes in the night when it does get a little lonely, I reach over and touch it, then it doesn't seem so lonely anymore. JEFF A crazy kid. I do love you, Darlin'. See you Thursday. PAULA Goodbye, Honey. JEFF You know I'm not leaving here until you're locked safely inside. PAULA All right, Darling. If you're especially nice I may even lock the side door. JEFF And be sure you keep the yard lights on. [COCKPIT, SAME AS BEFORE] DANNY You're mighty silent this trip, Jeff. JEFF Huh? DANNY You haven't spoken ten words since takeoff. JEFF I guess I'm preoccupied, Danny. DANNY We've got thirty-three passengers back there that have time to be preoccupied. Flying this flybird doesn't give you that opportunity. JEFF I guess you're right, Danny. DANNY Paula? JEFF Yeah. DANNY There's nothing wrong between you two? JEFF Oh no, nothing like that. Just that I'm worried, she being there alone and those strange things flying over the house and those incidents in the graveyard the past few days. It's just got me worried. DANNY Well, I haven't figured out those crazy skybirds yet but I give you fifty to one odds the police have figured out that cemetery thing by now. [ENTER EDITH] JEFF I hope so. EDITH If you're really that worried Jeff why don't you radio in and find out? Mac should be on duty at the field by now. He could call Paula and relay the message to you. DANNY Hi Edith. EDITH Hi Silents. I haven't heard a word from this end of the plane since we left the field. DANNY Jeff's been giving me and himself a study in silence. EDITH You boys are feudin'? JEFF Oh no Edie, nothing like that. DANNY Hey Edie, how about you and me balling [bawling?] it up in Albuquerque? EDITH Albuquerque? Have you read that flight schedule Boy? DANNY What about it? EDITH We land in Albuquerque at 4 am. That's strictly a nine o'clock town. DANNY Well I know a friend that'll help us -- EDITH Let's have a problem first, huh Danny. [?] DANNY Ah he's worried about Paula. EDITH I read about that cemetery business. I tried to get you kids to not buy too near one of those things. We get there soon enough as it is. DANNY He thought it'd be quiet and peaceful there. EDITH No doubt about that. It's quiet alright, like a tomb. I'm sorry Jeff, that was a bad joke. Say., I almost forgot what I came in here for. How's the coffee situation? DANNY Mmmm that's for me. JEFF That sure wouldn't hurt anything, Edie. EDITH Okay, I'll be right back. And say Jeff, make that call to your wife. DANNY Huh, not only will she throw water on my Albuquerque plan but now she's repeating herself. How 'bout that Albuquerque ball? EDITH I can't resist your charm, Danny Boy. [LIGHTNING, THEN WE GO TO A CEMETERY AND A MAN WALKS OUT...THE FAMOUS BELA FOOTAGE] CRISWELL Residents near the cemetery paid little attention to the blast of thunder and the flash of lightning. But from the blast, arose the moving figure of the dead old man. [INSIDE MRS. TRENT'S BEDROOM] PAULA Hello? Who? Mac? Well, hi Mac! Sure I'm all right. I just fell asleep. Tell Jeff I'm all right. Okay Mac. Thanks for calling. Goodnight. [SEQUENCE DURING WHICH BELA AND HIS "DOUBLE" ENTER THE TRENT HOUSE AND CHASE PAULA INTO THE GRAVEYARD, WHERE WE SEE CLAY CLIMB OUT OF HIS GRAVE AND THEN ATTACK PAULA, WITH VAMPIRA AT HIS SIDE. EVENTUALLY, PAULA FINDS HER WAY OUT OF THE GRAVEYARD, AND MUST HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME SORT OF A TIME VORTEX BECAUSE IT IS NOW DAYTIME. A FARMER COMES TO HER AID] FARMER Mrs. Trent! Mrs. Trent! What's wrong? [FARMER PICKS HER UP, PUTS HER IN HIS CAR, STARTS IT UP AND DRIVES AWAY] [INSIDE SMALLER SHIP] EROS They'll be at the hatch in a moment. You can open it now, Tanna. Turn off the electrodes quickly. They can't tell us from anyone else. [CEMETERY, TWO POLICEMEN] JAMIE It's tough to find something when you don't know what you're looking for. KELTON I don't think the Lieutenant does either. JAMIE Then what're doing out here? I was off duty an hour ago. KELTON Ah don't ask me any questions. I'm just a hardhand [hat? head?] just like you. [DIFFERENT PART OF CEMETERY] LARRY What do you suppose that noise was? LT. HARPER Whatever it was it's no more strange than the other things happening around this cemetery. LARRY Spirits like Old Farmer Caulder talked about. LT. HARPER Heh. Maybe. LARRY The only spirits he saw tonight were those I smelled on his breath. LT. HARPER Well don't forget Mrs. Trent claims to have seen them too. She didn't have anything on her breath. LARRY She was hysterical. LT. HARPER Well true, she was frightened, and in a state of shock. But, don't forget that torn nightgown and the scratched feet. LARRY Yeah I hadn't thought of that. I guess that's why you're a detective lieutenant and I'm still a uniformed cop. LT. HARPER Sometimes it's only the breaks, Larry. In the meantime let's get- [KELTON AND JAMIE COME RUNNING IN] KELTON Lieutenant, Lieutenant! Did you hear that? LARRY How could we help it? POLICEMAN It sure was strange. KELTON Know what it was? LT. HARPER No more than you do. POLICEMAN If it weren't for orders I'd get out of here right now. LT. HARPER It was a saucer. POLICEMAN A flying saucer? LARRY What makes you say that? LT. HARPER You remember the noise we heard the other night? LARRY We were knocked to the ground, how could I forget? LT. HARPER Exactly, but you're not remembering that sound. LARRY There you're wrong, Lieutenant. I'm with a fact the sound is similar, but what about the blinding light? LT. HARPER Well haven't you heard? Many times a saucer hasn't had a glow, or a light of any kind for that matter. LARRY That proves it. What next Lietenant? KELTON Maybe this doesn't mean much, but uh Jamie and me found a grave that looks like it's been busting into. LT. HARPER What? Where? KELTON Why uh why... LT. HARPER Come on man out with it, we haven't got all day to waste. KELTON Uh, just over there beyond the crypt. LT. HARPER All right, show us the way! [CLAY'S GRAVE] KELTON Look, here it is Lieutenant. LT. HARPER Ah it's been broken into all right. LARRY Strange. If someone had broken in, the dirt should be piled up here somewhere. It looks like it's fallen in into the grave. LT. HARPER Larry you'll be out of that uniform before you know it. LARRY Do we have the right to look down there Lieutenant? LT. HARPER Ah, technically no. LARRY No? LT. HARPER Well, this spot looks familiar, though. We shouldn't investigate any further without the permission of next of kin. KELTON Let's go get it! LT. HARPER How? LARRY I see what you mean, the gravestone's down there. LT. HARPER Well, let's go down and find out who's grave it is. KELTON How? LT. HARPER By going down and finding out! KELTON Are you sure you mean that Lieutenant? LT. HARPER If I didn't mean it I wouldn't have said it. LARRY Scared? KELTON Well, why do I always get hooked up with these spook details? Monsters, graves, bodies,...oooh all right. [ENTERS GRAVE] Casket's here, but nobody's in it. LT. HARPER Can you read the name on the casket? KELTON It's too dark. Give me a flashlight. LT. HARPER How 'bout a match? KELTON We sure could try it. Let me have them! It's Inspector Clay's grave! Be he ain't in it! [AERIAL SHOT OF PENTAGON] CRISWELL But meanwhile, in the Pentagon, in Washington DC... [INSIDE AN OFFICE, MAN SITTING BEHIND DESK] GENERAL ROBERTS Try G2...[KNOCK AT DOOR]...come in! Yes of course, I'll keep in touch. Come in, COL. EDWARDSonel Edwards. Close the door. At ease, COL. EDWARDSonel. COL. EDWARDS. EDWARDS Thank you, Sir. GENERAL ROBERTS Sit down. I understand, COL. EDWARDSonel, you've been on tap for many of our saucer attacks. COL. EDWARDS. EDWARDS I'm in charge of field operations, Sir. GENERAL ROBERTS You believe there are such things as flying saucers, COL. EDWARDSonel? COL. EDWARDS. EDWARDS Yessir. GENERAL ROBERTS You've seen them? COL. EDWARDS. EDWARDS Yessir. GENERAL ROBERTS You realize there's a government directive stating that there is no such thing as a flying saucer? COL. EDWARDS. EDWARDS Yessir. GENERAL ROBERTS Do you stand by your statement that you've seen flying saucers? COL. EDWARDS. EDWARDS Well, uh, yessir. GENERAL ROBERTS This could mean a court marshall. Admitting this against direct orders. COL. EDWARDS. EDWARDS General Roberts, may I speak freely? GENERAL ROBERTS You may. COL. EDWARDS How could I hope to hold down my command if I didn't believe in what I saw and shot at? GENERAL ROBERTS I, uh, like you Colonel. COL. EDWARDS Thank you, Sir. GENERAL ROBERTS There are flying saucers. There's no doubt they are in our skies. They've been there for some time. COL. EDWARDS What're we going to do about them? GENERAL ROBERTS Who knows? COL. EDWARDS Then, uh, they really are there? GENERAL ROBERTS I thought you were convinced of that! COL. EDWARDS I am. GENERAL ROBERTS We've had contact with them. COL. EDWARDS Contact? How? GENERAL ROBERTS Radio. COL. EDWARDS They speak our language? GENERAL ROBERTS Well not quite. We received messages from their space ships. For a while it came in as just a lot of jumbled noise. COL. EDWARDS And now, Sir? GENERAL ROBERTS Well since they first uh tried contact with us by radio, we've developed a language computer. A machine that breaks down any language to our own. COL. EDWARDS General, uh, what's this all got to do with me? GENERAL ROBERTS Well you've been in charge of saucer field activity for a long while. I think it's about time you heard these recordings. Do you mind? COL. EDWARDS Mind? Huh, I'm anxious! [GENERAL ROBERTS PLAYS THE RECORDING] VOICE ON RECORDING This is Eros, a space soldier from a planet of your galaxy. I fully realize our language differences, however I also know you finally have perfected the dictorobitary, or as you on Earth put it, the language computer. So you can now understand that which I speak. Since the beginning of your time, we have been far beyond your planet. It has taken you centuries to even grasp what we developed eons of your years ago. Do you still believe it impossible we exist? You didn't actually think you were the only inhabited planet in the universe? How can any race be so stupid? Permit me to set your mind at ease. We do not want to conquer your planet. Only save it. We could have destroyed it long ago, if that had been our aim. Our principal purpose is friendly. I admit, we have had to take certain means which you might refer to as criminal, but that is because of your big guns which have destroyed some of our representatives. If you persist in denying us our landings, then we must only accept that you do not want us on friendly terms. We then have no alternative but to destroy you before you destroy us. With your ancient, juvenile minds, you have developed explosives too fast for your minds to conceive what you were doing. You are on the verge of destroying the entire universe. We are part of that universe. This is our last - GENERAL ROBERTS That's the end of that one. Atmospheric conditions in outer space often interfere with transmitting. COL. EDWARDS How many of these recordings do you have General? GENERAL ROBERTS An even dozen up to now. This was the last one. We received it over a month ago. COL. EDWARDS Do you think they mean business? GENERAL ROBERTS We can't afford to take any chances. Come over here. You ever been to Hollywood? COL. EDWARDS Oh a couple of times. A few years ago. GENERAL ROBERTS You're going to be there in the morning. Just a few minutes from Hollywood, in the town of San Fernando, reports have come in of saucers flying so low the exhaust knocked people to the ground. There have even been stated claims of saucer landings. Major Carlson will replace you while you're out there. You're the best man for the job of attempting to contact them. Find them, Colonel. See what in hell it is they want! COL. EDWARDS All right, Sir. GENERAL ROBERTS These are confidential reports, Colonel. Read them over carefully on the plane, turn them over to intelligence when you get to Los Angeles. They'll have further orders for disposition. COL. EDWARDS Yessir. GENERAL ROBERTS Colonel Edwards? COL. EDWARDS Yessir? GENERAL ROBERTS Good luck. COL. EDWARDS Thank you, Sir. [INSIDE MOTHER SHIP] EROS We are ready to report, Excellency. RULER You are many days late. EROS It was unavoidable. We tried to transmit via televisor, but atmospheric conditions made transmission impossible. RULER You should have transmitted as soon as conditions permitted. EROS I thought time was of the essence. Suspicion has fallen upon our movements. Our ships have been viewed near the point of operations. RULER And what has this extra time gained, Eros? EROS We have successfully risen three of the dead ones. RULER Permit me to see one. EROS [TO TANNA] Bring in the big one. Use your small electrode gun. RULER I have taken two ships from your command. EROS But...that will leave only my ship! RULER It is necessary that you continue your mission alone. I have need of your other ships elsewhere. Even though you have risen three of the Earth dead, the plan is far from successful, and you Eros, must prove it an operational success before more time, energy, and ships, may be spent on it. EROS We will not fail. Everything is on our side. RULER Not everything! You do not have the live Earth people! You report that your ship was viewed at scene of your present operations? EROS That is correct. RULER They have been viewed many times, but not at the scene of operations. Something must be done about that. [TANNA BRINGS IN CLAY, WHO IMMEDIATELY STARTS AFTER EROS] EROS Stop him Tanna! He's close enough! Turn off your electrode gun! No! No! Stop him Tanna! TANNA I can't get it, it's jammed! EROS Stop him you fool! RULER Drop the gun to the floor, Tanna! The metal will break contact! EROS [Gasping] That was too close! RULER Yes. Bring the giant here that I may get a better look at him. Yes, he's a fine specimen. Are they all this powerful on planet Earth? EROS This one is an exception, Excellency. RULER What are the other two like? EROS One is a woman, the other an old man. RULER An old man, you say? EROS Yes, Excellency. RULER This gives me a plan. Put the big one away. EROS Pick up your electrode gun. Make sure it's in working order before pointing it at him. TANNA Whatever made it jam must have been cleared by the fall. EROS Take him back to the ship. RULER The old one must be sacrificed. Re-land on Earth. Send the old one to enter a dwelling. Then cut off the electrokinetic and turn on your ship's decomposure ray. The result will astound those watching. Astound them enough to delay their attention until you have gained your other recruits from the cemetery. EROS Yes, Excellency. It'll be done. RULER Report to me when this has been accomplished. Eros, the Earth people are getting to that which we fear. Since they will not listen or respect our existence, they cannot help but believe our powers when they see their own dead walking 'round again, brought about by our advancement in such things. As soon as you have enough of the dead recruits, march them on the capitals of the Earth, let nothing stand in your way. Their own dead will be used to make them accept our existence, and believe in that fact. [OUTSIDE TRENT HOUSE CAR PULLS UP WITH LT. HARPER, KELTON, AND COLONEL EDWARDS] LT. HARPER Mr. and Mrs. Trent...this is Colonel Edwards from Washington DC. PAULA Good evening, Colonel. JEFF Hello Colonel. LT. HARPER Colonel would like to ask you a few questions. JEFF Questions? What about, Colonel? COL. EDWARDS May I, uh, sit down? PAULA Oh, I'm sorry, please do. COL. EDWARDS I want to ask you about your strange experience the other night, when you saw the flying saucer. [SHOT OF FLYING SAUCER, BASICALLY SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HEAR WHAT HAPPENED AGAIN] PAULA After that the police brought me home. I hope I never see such a sight again. COL. EDWARDS Well after your description I don't think I'd want to see it either. One thing more...after you were forced to the ground by that blast of wind, was it a hot or cold blast? JEFF It's kind of hard to explain. It wasn't hot, wasn't cold, it was just a terrific force. We-we couldn't get off the ground. PAULA The light blinded me so badly I couldn't see a thing. We could only feel the pressure of the wind, until it was gone.When the glare left us, we could see a glowing ball disappearing off in the distance. COL. EDWARDS Which way? PAULA Toward the cemetery. COL. EDWARDS This is the most fantastic story I've ever heard. JEFF And every word of it's true, too. COL. EDWARDS That's the fantastic part of it. LT. HARPER We found a lot of suspicious things out in that cemetery. Then again, didn't find anything to base a fact or suspicion on. Hey, do you hear anything. You see anything out there Kelton? KELTON Too dark, Lieutenant. But something's started stinking awful bad. JEFF There's something out there. [OLD MAN WALKS OUT, THEY SHOOT AT IT. THE SHIP TURNS ON ITS DECOMPOSURE RAY, AND THE GHOUL IS REDUCED TO A PILE OF BONES] COL. EDWARDS What do you make of that? LT. HARPER You got me! It didn't look that way a minute ago. Oh, in the excitement I forgot all about Kelton. Oh, he'll be all right in a few minutes. KELTON Did you see that thing? Did you get it? LT. HARPER We got it. KELTON What was it? It didn't fall...I fired every bullet I had. LT. HARPER So did I. I don't know what it was or what happened, but unless that bag of bones can reassemble itself, it's out of the running now. [BACK AT CEMETERY] LT. HARPER Colonel I've been out here so often you'd think I'd taken a lease on this place. COL. EDWARDS Not a long lease, I hope. LT. HARPER I see what you mean. But you know, I can't help but feel the answer's out here somewhere. COL. EDWARDS Is the uh girl safe? LT. HARPER Mrs. Trent you'd better stay with the car. MRS Stay here alone? Not on your life. LT. HARPER Modern women... COL. EDWARDS Yeah, they been that way all down through the ages. Especially in a spot like this. LT. HARPER Kelton! KELTON Yessir? LT. HARPER Stay with Mrs. Trent. KELTON All right, Lieutenant. JEFF Now you stay close to the officer, Honey. PAULA I'd feel safer with you. JEFF Now the Lieutenant knows best. PAULA Oh I don't like it, but I guess there isn't much I can do about it. LT. HARPER [TO JEFF] You have a gun? JEFF No. LT. HARPER Know how to use one? JEFF After four years in the Marine Corps? LT. HARPER Here. JEFF You think we'll need these? LT. HARPER You can never tell. Let's get going. JEFF What do you expect to find out here? LT. HARPER Well there's only one answer to that Mr. Trent, we'll know when we find it. Inspector Clay's grave is right over here. COL. EDWARDS Is that the one you told me was broken into? LT. HARPER Yes. COL. EDWARDS This it? LT. HARPER Yeah. COL. EDWARDS Looks to me like someone had broken out instead of in. LT. HARPER I figured that, but that's impossible! COL. EDWARDS I wonder. LT. HARPER Look, Colonel, some things just can't happen. COL. EDWARDS Yeah well after that apparition that was draped across Mr. Trent's patio, I would say we should keep our minds open to anything. LT. HARPER Look, Colonel, I'm a policeman. I've got to deal in facts. But, I guess I'll have to go along with you. You know I bet my badge right now we haven't seen the last of those weirdies. [SPACESHIP] EROS They'll discover our ship soon. TANNA You going to let them find us? EROS It's the only way. These are the same men who have been so close so often. They must be halted before they can inform others about us. TANNA But there were others in the car! EROS They'll be taken too. Send the big one to get the girl and the policeman. I'll turn on the dictorobitary so we may converse with them. [CLAY'S GRAVE] JEFF You know, maybe we're barking up the wrong tree. LT. HARPER One thing a policeman learns, Mr. Trent, is patience. COL. EDWARDS Where the burn spot you mentioned. LT. HARPER Right over the - look! [SHOT OF SOMETHING GLOWING BEHIND TREES] LT. HARPER We'll investigate, but move carefully. [BACK AT THE CAR, KELTON IS ATTACKED BY CLAY] KELTON Ahh...ahhhhhhhh! [CLAY WALKS OVER TO CAR] PAULA Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh! [SPACESHIP] EROS (Looking out window) A moment or two more, and you will be the first live Earth people ever to enter a celestial ship. [OUTSIDE SHIP] LT. HARPER Wow...boy, how could anything that big hide for so long a time? COL. EDWARDS Never heard metal sound like that before. What do you see? LT. HARPER Only my reflection. Must be some kind of one-way glass. COL. EDWARDS How do you get into this thing? JEFF I'm not sure I want to find out. [SHIP] EROS They're just outside. You can open the outer hatch now. [OUTSIDE] LT. HARPER Look out! JEFF You goin' in that thing? COL. EDWARDS That's what we're here for. JEFF I don't know, the way these things speed around we might just get in there and pft! Off it goes. COL. EDWARDS That's a chance we take. LT. HARPER Well, I took a chance on those earlier airplanes. Might just as well see what the inside of one of these looks like. Got your guns ready? JEFF I tell you one thing, if a little green man jumps out at me I'm shooting first and asking questions later. [SHIP] TANNA They're in the outer chamber now. Eros, do we have to kill them? EROS Yes. TANNA It seems such a waste. EROS Well wouldn't it be better to kill a few now than, with their meddling, permit them to destroy the entire universe? TANNA You're always right, Eros. EROS Of course. But those are not my words, those are the words of the Ruler. [THE THREE MEN ENTER THE ROOM, GUNS READY] LT. HARPER Now you two stay right where you're at. EROS We will do as you command. For the moment. LT. HARPER No for the moment about it. You just do as I tell you. EROS You do not need guns. They would be of no use to you now. LT. HARPER They've been mighty useful before on flesh and blood, and you two look like you've got a lot of both. EROS True, they would be effective upon us. If you were to have the opportunity to use them... JEFF Mister, if you don't get away from that control board I'll show you just how effective they can be. EROS Shall we talk now, or wait?`Your friends will be here shortly. LT. HARPER What friends? EROS Those you left at the vehicle. JEFF If you've done anything to Paula...! COL. EDWARDS Take it easy Mr. Trent. EROS Oh I assure you, no harm has come to her. Would you like to see? [JEFF SHOOTS THE CONTROL BOARD] JEFF Next time you try that I won't aim at the board. EROS You're a headstrong young man. I was only going to turn on the televisor so you could see her movements. LT. HARPER Go ahead, my friend, but move very carefully. EROS She's only fainted. JEFF You fiend! EROS I? A fiend? I am a soldier of our planet! I? A fiend? We did not come here as enemies. We came only with friendly intentions. To talk. To ask your aid. COL. EDWARDS Our aid? EROS Yes. Your aid for the whole universe. But your governments of Eath refused even to accept our existence. Even though you've seen us, heard our messages, you still refused to accept us. COL. EDWARDS Why is it so important that you want to contact the governments of our Earth? EROS Because of death. Because all you of Earth are idiots! JEFF Now you just hold on, Buster. EROS No you hold on. First was your firecracker, a harmless explosive. Then your handgrenade. They began to kill your own people a few at a time. Then the bomb, then a larger bomb. Many people are killed at one time. Then your scientists stumbled upon the atom bomb. Split the atom. Then the hydrogen bomb, where you actually explode the air itself. Now you [audio jump] brings the destruction of the entire universe, served by our sun. The only explosion left is the solaronite. COL. EDWARDS Why there's no such thing. EROS Perhaps to you. But we've known it for centuries. Your scientists will stumble upon it as they have all the others. But the juvenile minds you possess will not comprehend its strength, until it's too late. COL. EDWARDS You're way above our heads. EROS The solaronite is a way to explode the actual particles of sunlight. COL. EDWARDS Why that's impossible. EROS Even now, your scientists are working on a way to harness the sun's rays. The rays of sunlight are minute particles. Is it so far from your imagination they cannot do as I have suggested? COL. EDWARDS Why a particle of sunlight can't even be seen or measured. EROS Can you see or measure an atom? Yet you can explode one. A ray of sunlight is made up many atoms. JEFF So what if we do developed this solaronite bomb? We'd be even a stronger nation than now. EROS Stronger. You see? You see? Your stupid minds...stupid! Stupid!! JEFF That's all I'm taking from you! [JEFF LEAPS AT EROS] LT. HARPER Get back here you jerk! Let him finish. EROS It's because of men like you that all must be destroyed. Headstrong, violent! No use of the mind God gave you. JEFF You talk of God? EROS You also think it impossible that we, too, might think of God? You, [TO COL. EDWARDS] who wear the uniform of your country. You see, I wear the uniform of my country. Yes, we've had to use drastic means to get to you, but you left us no alternative. When you have the solaronite, you have nothing. Nor, does the universe. COL. EDWARDS You speak of solaronite, but just what is it? EROS Take a can of your gasoline. Say this can of gasoline is the sun. Now you spread a thin a line of it to a ball, representing the Earth. Now, the gasoline represents the sunlight, the sun particles. Here we saturate the ball with the gasoline, the sunlight. Then we put a flame to the ball. The flame will speedily travel around the Earth, back along the line of gasoline to can, or the sun itself. It will explode this source, and spread to every place that gasoline, or sunlight, touches. Explode the sunlight here, Gentlemen, and you explode the universe. Explode the sunlight here, and a chain reaction will occur, direct to the sun itself. And to all the planets that sunlight touches. To every planet in the universe. This why you must be stopped. This is why any means must be used to stop you. In a friendly manner, or as it seems, you want it. LT. HARPER He's mad. TANNA Mad? Is it mad that you destroy other people to save yourselves? You have done this. Is it mad that one country must destroy another to save themselves? You have also done this. How then is it mad that one planet must destroy another that threatens the very existence- EROS That's enough!! In my land, women are for advancing the race, not for fighting man's battles. Life is not so expansive on my planet. We don't cling to it like you do. Our entire aim is for the development of our planet. [BACK AT THE CAR, KELTON NOW INSIDE IT. LARRY PULLS UP BESIDE HIM] LARRY What happened to you? KELTON How come you're all alone? I asked for lots of help! LARRY You sounded drunk or something on the radio. KELTON If I didn't see it with my own eyes I would never have believed it! LARRY Believed what? KELTON It was horrible! And he almost broke my shoulder! LARRY Look, what are you trying to say? If you don't make sense we'll never get to the bottom of this. Now who slugged you? KELTON Inspector Clay. LARRY What? KELTON It was Clay all right, only not like we remembered him. Well his grave was busted into, wasn't it? LARRY Next you'll tell me you saw skeletons. KELTON We did, earlier. LARRY Now I know you're off your rocker. KELTON All of us saw, the Lieutenant, the COL. EDWARDSonel, everybody! LARRY Where's the Lieutenant now? KELTON We've gotta find them. Mrs. Trent is gone! I was left here to guard her. Then Clay showed up and put me out of the running. And the second time tonight and I'm getting darned tired of it! LARRY Which way were they going? KELTON Oh, that way. LARRY Come on! [BACK IN SHIP, EROS LOOKING OUT WINDOW, STILL GOING ON...] EROS Then one day it could all be gone, in one big puff of smoke and ball of fire. All that out there, the stars, the planets, all just an empty void. LT. HARPER You two had better come along with us. EROS Come with you? Where? LT. HARPER The police station. EROS Aaaaahahahahahahahahaha! So it seems you think you have the upper hand. Look out there. LT. HARPER Jeff. [WINDOW REVEALS CLAY HOLDING PAULA] EROS She is unharmed, but he would kill in seconds if I so choose. [LARRY AND KELTON APPROACH SHIP] LARRY Holy cow! Look there. It's Clay all right, there's no mistaking that. KELTON And he's got Mrs. Trent! LARRY Get your gun ready. KELTON From all I've seen tonight guns won't do any good. Clay is dead, and we buried him. How are we going to kill somebody that's already dead? Dead! And yet there he stands! That other one earlier I emptied a full clip into him . LARRY I'm seeing it, that's the only reason I'm listening to you. Look, I've got an idea. Hurt him or not, we've got to try something. I'm going to sneak up behind him and whop him over the head. That oughta make him move. Follow me. Even when Clay was alive he couldn't run fast enough to catch me, so when he does, you grab Mrs. Trent and run like lightning in the opposite direction. KELTON Oh, you think it will work? LARRY Know anything else to try? [THEY DO SO, CLAY FALLS AND DROPS PAULA. SHE COMES TO.] PAULA Oh, I'll be all right. Take care of the others. [SHIP] EROS Your men have felled the big one. This could only happen because the electrode ray is off. He'll walk again when I turn it on. LT. HARPER Hold it, right there. [FIGHT BREAKS OUT] [OUTSIDE] LARRY Suppose the Lieutenant and the others are in that thing! KELTON Well suppose there are martians or something in there! [SHIP, FIGHT STILL GOING ON] LT. HARPER Come on, let's go. [OUTSIDE] LARRY Open up in there, open up! COL. EDWARDS Get that door open. LT. HARPER Colonel I wouldn't know one switch from another. TANNA Hold on Eros, I'll have the ship in the air in a minute! [COL. EDWARDS EVENTUALLY OPENS THE DOOR] COL. EDWARDS Get out of here, Jeff! The ship's on fire! [THE MEN RUN OUT OF THE SHIP] TANNA Eros! Eros everything's on fire! Hurry, wake up Eros! Eros, Eros, wake up, wake up! Eros! Eros wake up, Eros! God wake up! [OUTSIDE] LT. HARPER Oh, I wonder if that's the last we'll see of them? COL. EDWARDS Perhaps, but sooner or later there'll be other. LARRY Look! PAULA Have they caught that woman, that thing yet? LT. HARPER Hey that's right, there's another ghoul running loose. COL. EDWARDS And it's my guess that she'll look like him. With the ship and the ray gun gone, they have no control. We got to hand it to them though, they're far ahead from us. [SHIP] TANNA Fire! Eros! Aaaaaaaaah! [SHIP BLOWS UP] [BACK TO CRISWELL] CRISWELL My friend, you have seen this incident based on sworn testimony. Can you prove that it didn't happen? Perhaps on your way home, you will pass someone in the dark, and you will never know it, for they will be from outer space. Many scientists believe that another world is watching us this moment. We once laughed at the horseless carriage, the aeroplane, the telephone, the electric light, vitamins, radio, and even television! And now some of us laugh at outer space. God help us... in the future. The End