The Manitou (1977) Movie Script

[man] Patient is a female Caucasian,
28 years of age,
no previous record of tumorous growth,
either benign or malignant.
[man #2] Rate of maturation?
[man #1] 7.3 millimeters per hour.
[man #2] Per hour?
[man #1] Mm-hmm.
Calcinous growth, ligamental development,
tissue genesis, seminal palpation.
What's your diagnosis?
I can give you 3 dozen reasons why
it's impossible, why it can't happen.
I'm supposed to be the expert,
and I can do better than that.
Where's your patient?
Karen, this is Dr. Hughes.
I've asked him to help us.
It's nice to meet you.
Would you lean forward a bit, please?
Let me take a look at that.
- Yeah.
How long have you had this?
About, uh... 3 days.
You sure?
- Mm-hmm.
Uh, today is Friday, isn't it?
And I first felt it when I woke
up on Tuesday morning.
Any pain?
- No, no pain, but...
No, no pain.
What were you going to say?
Well, it... it...
kind of moves sometimes.
It... It almost shifts,
as if, uh...
Well, it's as if someone were trying to
turn over and get comfortable in bed.
How often does that happen?
- Maybe 4 or 5 times a day.
Is it something important?
I don't think it's anything serious,
Miss Tandy,
but we want to be sure, of course, you understand.
Dr. McEvoy, could I see you for a minute, please?
- Sure.
Karen, you're gonna have to
excuse his abruptness...
Now, he's a specialist.
I'll be right back.
Carol, would you see how soon
Dr. Snaith could have space
available for surgery?
Yes, tumor. Malignant.
No, that's it. Thank you.
"Malignant"? How do you know?
I don't, but until I do...
I wish I knew what the hell
we were dealing with here.
You know, I've been through
every tumor book I can find...
Bob, I wrote the books, and I
don't know what the hell it is.
Well, until we do, I'd just assume
this thing stayed with us, Jack.
Why?
- "Why"?
You remember old Doc Michaels?
You remember the rule he laid
down to us when we were interning?
"Be a thief, be a lawyer,
"even if you must, be a doctor,
but whatever you do,
[together] don't be an administrator."
Right, well, I worried if this
thing gets out before we can
explain it, the press and the
television people...
It's really crazy.
[exhales] Yeah, it's crazy.
But you've got to admit it looks a
hell of a lot like what's in those X-rays.
It just isn't possible.
That's right.
It isn't possible.
[man] The cards, my dear,
are harbingers of the future.
They can tell you what you want to know
the good and the bad.
Monday, I see an accident.
Nothing serious. Just an accident.
Some heavy object will probably
fall upon your foot.
Pain...
anguish.
Tuesday,
- [woman] That's my bridge day.
[man] someone will cheat you.
[woman] No!
- mmm
[man] Wednesday
seems rather intriguing.
I, uh... I see or hear... a...
rather peculiar phone call,
probably obscene.
[woman] Oh, heavens.
- mmm
That's rather interesting.
Thursday, gas, indigestion.
Probably something that you're going to eat.
- Oh, no!
Well, all in all, not a good week,
but you must remember, Mrs. Winconis,
that in trial, there is patience;
in tears, resolution;
in heartache, wisdom;
and in joy...
charity.
Oh, yeah
Ohh...
- Mr. Erskine, I want you to know
you're worth every penny.
Oh, you're too kind, too kind.
Mrs. Winconis...
Ah... shall we take a moment?
Oh!
When you're good to the spirits, you know,
the spirits are always good to you.
There! Reality.
Your coat, my dear.
- oh!
There you are.
Thank you, Mr. Erskine. - My pleasure.
I just don't know how to tell you
how much I appreciate you.
Oh, you're too kind.
- You do so much for me.
I'm so pleased.
- I will see you next week, won't I?
Yes, next week,same time, same place.
- All right.
Goodbye.
- Bye...
Oh!... didn't we forget something?
Well, no, here's your purse and wrap...
- ... My mystic motto!
Your mystic motto?
Oh, of course, the mystic motto... yes.
The mystic motto shall be,
"Guard well the pips,
and the fruit shall grow without let."
Ohhh, that's beautiful.
Guard well the pips,
and the fruit shall grow without let.
Ohhhh, it's so beautiful.
I'll say it every morning
when I wake up. Every morning.
Yes, please.
Is it the pips that grow...?
- It's "guard well the fruit for
the pips will grow again." yes, yes, yes
- "Guard well..."
Yes, every morning... without fail...
Oh, God, Harry, that routine is getting
cornier every day.
I heard yours last week. Yours is too.
Bye.
I'm home.
Erskine speaking, reader of Tarot.
Harry, this is Karen.
- Are... are you busy?
No, no... Not at all.
Just, you caught me by surprise.
Harry...
can I see you?
Please...?
Where?
Hi.
- Hi.
You haven't changed.
Well, don't judge by covers.
How are you?
How've you been?
- Oh, great. Just really great.
Still living with your aunt?
- Mm-hmm.
How is she?
Well, you know, she's a little
flighty at times, but she's fine.
Like to take a walk?
- I'd love to.
I appreciate your seeing me.
- That's okay... What's it about?
Well, I'm not sure, really.
I... I just knew that
you were the only person I wanted
to talk to.
But... uhh
I feel like such a hypocrite
calling you again after such a long time.
Yeah.
- But I've been...so concerned...
and so worried... and...
frightened.
About what?
About 3 days ago,
I started to feel a kind of an...
irritation,
a lump right here, at the back
of my neck,
and it started getting larger,
so I was worried
and I went to the Sisters of Jerusalem
to have them take a look at it.
They said it wasn't anything, but...
uhhh... they're operating tomorrow.
That's okay. Probably nothing. Don't worry.
Is that what's concerning you?
Yes, that's part of it.
Oh, call it women's intuition,
but I have the feeling that there's
more to it than they're telling me.
Now, look, you're gonna have
the operation tomorrow,
there'll be no lump,
and everything will be fine.
Are you sure?
Believe me. My predictions are infallible.
Yes, your predictions.
I know you and your predictions.
Yeah.
Oh, Harry, I mean, it's just such a...
it's such a waste.
It's so phony. You have so much
and you just throw it all away.
Look, kid, you used to push the buttons
and you used to pull the levers, remember?
But I did it for fun, and it went on and
on, and it wasn't coming to anything.
Karen, don't try to change me.
"Pick a potion" Erskine-- that's me.
Harry's the name and Tarot's the game.
You know, Harry, it's good to see you.
It is really good.
That's what they all say.
We're going downhill.
- Oh, really?
[man] Cracked crab.
Nice, cold beer. Shrimp cocktail.
What have you been doing
since Independence Day?
"Independence Day"?
It was closer to slave labor.
Right.
She hasn't sold you
down the river yet, huh?
What river?
Any river.
Have you been seeing
anyone interesting?
Oh, yeah. I've had a couple
of wood nymphs,
I've had one banshee, 3 mermaids,
and you know something, Karen...?
I've missed you.
I've missed you too.
Harry, could you open this for me?
Thank you. Place looks nice.
Glad you like it.
- It's so neat.
It's been a long time.
Yeah.
You know, I think, uh,
I ought to see what those Tarot cards
have to say about us.
Harry? Harry, let's not do the cards.
I don't even believe in that.
Come on. Just one time.
Just once.
- Right. Let's just do it once.
Okay, here we go.
Hmm. Hmm.
That was just a practice.
Let me do it again.
There, that's better. I know what I've
got to do. You've got to cut them. Once.
Like that?
Now let's go.
Well, what... what does that mean?
How would I know what it means?
If I did, I wouldn't be doing it.
Tell you what.
Let's forget about the cards.
I'll tell you one thing: I'm gonna
see to it that everything is all right.
Tonight.
Matter of fact, in a couple of seconds.
Pana... wichy... salatoo...
[Karen] I'll call you as soon
as they let me, all right?
[Harry] You know, I can wait around here.
I've got nothing to do today.
No, listen, what would Mrs. Herz
do without you?
She wouldn't be able to get her foot
out the front door.
I'm gonna be all right. - Right..
You told me so. - Mm-hmm.
Karen, what does... "pana...
witchy salatoo" mean?
I don't know. I never heard it before. Why?
You said it in your sleep last night.
Must be words of love.
In Swahili?
- Hindustani.
Oh. It's love.
- Yeah.
We're ready. You can go ahead.
Skin knife! - Try that.
[man] What are you doing
to yourself there?
Oh, my God, he's gonna cut himself.
Stop him! Get him out of here!
All personnel stand by.
[Harry] Coming!.
Oh, excuse me for taking so long, Mrs. Herz.
Please, won't you come in, my dear?
- oohhh... ohhh
- There you are.
I'm telling you, Mr. Erskine,
Yes?
- I can tell when the weather's
getting bad a week in advance.
oohhh... This arthritis will kill me yet.
Yes, well, don't you worry about it.
You'd think with all my money,
- Yes.
I could... buy a... new set of legs.
Vibrations are good today, believe me.
Here you are, my dear. Touch the cards.
Let them feel you and know you.
Beautiful, beautiful.
Now, tell me, Mrs. Herz, how are you?
Oh...
Shh!
How would you like to be
the Queen of Swords this time?
I don't blame you. Little harsh.
Ah, yes, the Queen of Cups?
No?
Queen of Wands.
Exquisite.
Excellent!.
Here we go, my dear.
Oh, so far, so good.
Excellent.
Yes, the signs are very, very nice.
Calm, consoling,wonderful.
The week so far is excellent. Perfect.
Oh, perhaps... a little cloudiness.
Nothing too serious.
Very nice. Look at that.
And for you personally,
I see some...
Well, actually, the week...
Mrs. Herz.
Mrs. Herz?
Oh, my God.
Mrs. Herz.
Oh, don't tell me.
Mrs. Herz, dear, are you all right?
Oh, you certainly are.
Let me get back to Tuesday.
We'll start again. Perhaps the...
Mrs. Herz, what's the matter?
Are you all right? You don't look too good.
What is it, my dear?
- Mani...
What?
- Mani...
Now, Mrs. Herz...
Now-Now stop, Mrs. Herz. Don't do that,
or I'll call an ambulance.
Mrs. Herz, I'm going to the phone
and going to call an ambulance.
Here is the operator, and I'm going to
ask for an ambulance.
I want an ambulance.
What? Where?
Yeah, but... hold on a minute, please.
Oh, Mrs. Herz, will you sit down?
You're having some kind of a seizure.
Just calm down.
Shh. You're gonna be all right. Shh.
Operator, I'm at 705 Hillside.
Yes, please. The name is Erskine.
You must send an ambulance.
I know you're an operator, but you call
the hospital. Would you hold a minute, please?
Mrs. Herz, please.
- Mani...! Mani...!
I need it in a hurry. Send it right away.
- Maniii... Wichiii... salatooo...
Yes, I need it... I don't know where...
I haven't got time to talk! Listen!
You call the hospital!
Wait just a minute!
Mrs. Herz, Mrs. Herz!
will you just... Mrs. Herz.
Maaaniii!!!
Maaaniii!!!
- Mrs. Herz!
Mrs. Herz...
Mrs. Herz...
Harry: Dr. Hughes
Dr. Hughes: Mr. Erskine... Have a seat.
Harry: Thanks.
Dr. Hughes: Well, Mr. Erskine,
a... patient of mine is
a close friend of yours,
and you have something to tell me
concerning her condition?
Yes, Karen Tandy told me
yesterday about this lump on her neck.
Um,... she's scared to death.
People often get very upset
at the idea of surgery, Mr. Erskine.
Yeah, well, I've been there, Doctor.
I know.
But she seems to think that there's
something more than just physical with it.
Last night,
in her sleep, she uttered a phrase,
"Pana... witchy... salatoo."
When she woke up this morning, she
couldn't remember it.
Go on.
- And a client of mine this morning
in one of our sessions
in the middle of nowhere uttered
"panawitchy salatoo."
What's all this got to do with
Miss Tandy's condition, Mr. Erskine?
I think her life is in danger.
- Now, just a moment...
Now, just a minute yourself, Doctor.
This client of mine threw herself
down a flight of stairs... threw!!
for no rhyme or reason,
and now you're telling me
that there's been a complication in
Karen's operation.
Look, Mr. Erskine,
I'm sorry to hear about your client,
but all this has nothing to do with the...
medical aspects of this case.
Would you like a drink?
- Please.
I'm a tumor specialist, not a psychiatrist
or a psychologist or... any of that.
I don't deal in the spirit world or
the occult world as you do.
Now, why are you telling me all of this?
Who am I gonna tell it to, Doctor?
Karen Tandy's life is in danger,
and I don't know
where to turn or what to do,
so I've come to you for some help.
I'm providing all the help I'm capable of.
Is she all right?
Her condition is, let's say, uh,
stabilized at the moment.
Stabilized?
Is that all you've got to tell me?
"Stabilized"?
Mr. Erskine, she's stabilized.
For now you'll have to be satisfied with that.
What happened in the operation?
It, uh...
- What?
It wasn't successful. I, uh...
I was about to remove the growth when
her pulse rate rose
and her respiration dropped so drastically
we had to discontinue.
What does all that mean?
I've dealt with tumors for 20 years.
I'm the best there is. Top of the line.
I have a million-dollar research facility
and a couple of Cadillacs to prove it,
and very honestly,
Karen Tandy's got me stumped.
Stumped?
- Yes.
Without going into too much detail,
her tumor doesn't have any of the usual
characteristics of tumorous tissue.
What Karen has is a...
a fast-growing swelling
made up of flesh and bone.
You might almost describe it.. uhh
as a fetus.
On her neck?
And incredible as that is, Mr. Erskine,
even more astounding is its rate of growth.
It's absolutely unprecedented.
Doctor, do you believe in black magic?
Mr. Erskine...
- Neither do I.
I'm a seller, not a buyer, and there's
only a couple of things I believe in.
But, uh, this is, uh...
- Yes.
I mean, it's as if somebody or something
was trying to control Karen.
Mr. Erskine, are you trying to tell me
she's possessed?
I didn't say that, and I don't believe it.
I do believe, though,
that one person can dominate
another one's mind.
I feel that somebody,
something, someone,
is transmitting signals to her,
and these signals are
causing Karen's condition.
Well, don't look at me.
All right, all right.
Suppose, just suppose that, uh,
someone or something is transmitting
signals, images to Karen.
Why? What?
Who?
I don't know,
but why don't we ask Karen?
She's very weak, Mr. Erskine.
Keep it brief, please.
Karen?
Karen?
Hi.
Hi, Harry Erskine.
- You all right?
I feel a little weak.
Karen, I want to ask you something.
Do you remember, um,
"panawitchy salatoo"?
Paaanaaaaaa!
Haven't you learned to
play that thing yet?
Well, the Amazing Erskine.
How are the ladies, Amazing?
You're looking bad, MacKenzie.
Ah, thank you very much.
The name's MacArthur.
You're still looking bad, MacArthur.
- Is that right?
[woman] Is that Harry Erskine?
[Harry] Amelia, baby.
Harry.
Oh, Harry, this is fantastic.
It's so good to see you.
- Thanks a lot.
Why didn't you come to our wedding?
Where the hell have you been?
Oh, well, I've been scaring up a ghost
or 2, I guess.
Oh, I guess... the kind that are soft and say,
"Oh, Harry, stop!"
Amy...
- Yes?
I need your help.
Well, that's it.
Karen's in trouble,
she's scared, and I want to help her.
But spiritual help?
- What else have I got, Amelia?
I can't. I promised Mac, not anymore.
Amelia, you're the best.
You taught me everything I know.
Harry Erskine,
there's only one student I ever had
who's worse than you,
and he's a plumber.
Look, this place ain't Bloomingdale's,
but Mac and me get by just fine.
- Amelia...
Please.
Look, if what you've told me
about Karen is true,
readings won't help anyway.
What am I going to do?
Okay.
We need a seance, Harry,
in the place where she lives.
I only pray, Harry, that what we're doing
won't make things worse for Karen.
Things couldn't be any worse for Karen.
Yes, this will do very well.
Thank you, darling.
Mac, would you remove these, please?
I think we should begin right away.
Harry, douse the lights, please.
Shall we join hands?
Now let us concentrate.
Concentrate our minds
on the spirits
who occupy this room.
Think of them.
Think of their souls
wandering through the ether.
Try and imagine them
as they float around us
on their spiritual errands.
I am calling on any spirit
who can help us.
I am calling on any spirit
who can guide us.
Kalim estradim
econim
purista.
Enora, enora,
optu luminare.
Spirita alastem
Enora suyim
calim
estradim
econa purista
Enora.
Are you here?
I can see your signs.
Are you here?
Talk. Speak.
Tell us who you are.
Pana...
witchy...
salitoo.
Pana...
witchy...
salitoo.
Panawitchy
salitoo.
Who are you?
What do you want with Karen Tandy?
What are you looking for?
Harry, put the lights on, please.
You okay?
- Yes, are you?
Yeah.
Oh, my God, what happened?
You okay, baby?
Yeah, and you?
- I'm fine, but I've had it.
From now on, we just
sell this stuff. We don't do it.
I promise.
Are you all right, Mrs. Karmann?
I had a vision, a face...
Yes, I know. We all saw it.
It was a spirit,
an evil spirit.
What we're dealing with here is...
black magic.
Whoever could do this
had a vast knowledge
of the occult while he was alive.
That face...
it reminded me of something or somebody.
It-It reminded me...
of a wooden Indian statue...
you know, the kind that stand outside
those old-time saloons.
Yeah, but a wooden Indian with magic powers?
An Indian medicine man.
[Harry] I don't get the connection.
Tumors, strange languages,
Tarot cards,
Mrs. Herz.
I spoke to Dr. Hughes.
He said they did a series of new tests
this afternoon,
and he's convinced that if they try
to remove that fetus surgically,
why, Karen will die.
Hey, you two, come here.
I think I found something.
Listen to this.
"Medicine men were often powerful magicians
"who were said to be capable of
extraordinary supernatural acts.
"They were believed to be immortal,
and if threatened,
"their Manitou, or immortal spirit,
"could be reborn at any time or
place in the future or past
"by impregnating themselves in the body
of a man, woman, or animal."
Is that all it says?
- From there it goes into rain dances.
That means Karen is about to...
give birth...
What can we do?
If we only had some authority.
How about Dr. Ernest Snow, Berkeley Press?
- Who's he?
Guy who wrote the book.
Here it is...
Dr. Ernest Snow, Sausalito.
[Amelia]
So, Harry, what did the professor say?
[Harry]
Change "bullshit" to a 15-syllable word,
and you got an idea what he had in mind.
You should stop telling people
what you do for a living.
Hey, I'm proud of what I do.
Dr. Snow spoke with Dr. Hughes
and confirmed the facts about Karen,
and he's agreed to meet with us
this morning.
How is she this morning?
The tumor's doubled in size. Jesus.
[Harry] Dr. Snow?
- Yes?
Professor Snow, I'm Harry Erskine.
- Oh, come in.
Hello, Professor. I'm Amelia Caruso.
MacArthur.
- Come in, come in.
Erskine...
You're a mystic.
- Yes.
You should see him in his Mr. Wizard outfit.
Really? Yes. Excuse me.
Now, why did you come see me?
You know, I'm a doctor of anthropology.
Yes, Professor, but when we spoke
on the phone...
No, what you told me was
that you had somebody
in San Francisco who was harboring
a reincarnated medicine man.
Now, for that, you do not need
an anthropologist.
You know, what you need, probably,
is a psychologist.
Please sit down. Thank you.
And there's a very good one 3 doors down.
Professor, Dr. Hughes called you
and told you
that the tumor on her neck
is definitely a fetus.
Now, all I want from you,
sir, is some kind of an explanation.
No, you're talking about my book.
Now, what I wrote in my book--
pardon me...
uh, was, uh, purely a...
Oh, it's not here. It was purely a legend.
It was a legend about a medicine man
who was reborn in 1851
in the upper Missouri
among the Hidatsa tribe.
It is a case with very little
documentation,
but it had to do
with a young Indian girl
who developed a swelling
on her arm, you see?
Which enlarged itself so progressively
that it overwhelmed her and she died,
and then there emerged, so goes the legend,
there emerged from this swelling
a fully developed medicine man.
You know, he'd been with the tribe,
he'd died some 50 years before.
But I... Be careful with this.
But, um, I assure you
that this is purely folklore
and purely a legend, that's all.
You mean you don't believe us?
- Well, now,
let's just say that I'm cautious.
After all, your own doctor... what's his name...
- Hughes? Hughes.
Why, he doesn't support your theory,
and I will not make any statement, you see,
until I'm secure in my own position.
There's a girl whose life's in danger,
and all you're worried about
is your reputation.
Yes. Yes, of course. Well, now.
just assume for a moment, sir,
that this woman - is it a young woman?
- Yeah, a young woman.
Just assume that she has a problem.
Now assume also this problem has to do
with Indian magic.
Well, my God, son, you do have one hell
of a problem.
Well, Professor, I'll tell you what...
You assume what you like, okay?
Yes?
- But these are the facts:
Karen Tandy has something
growing on her back
that's killing her.
Well, well...
let's go up in the attic.
The attic?
- Yes.
Now, I don't go up there very often
because I'm too busy.
It's very dusty. I want you to watch your
step, if you don't mind.
Watch your step.
- Professor, excuse me.
Have you ever heard the expression
or the phrase,
"panawitchy salitoo"?
Where'd you hear that?
Karen said that in her sleep,
and a client of mine said it
before she threw herself
down a flight of stairs.
You, uh... happen to know what it means?
Well, I can't...
I'll have this place cleaned...
I can't give you an exact translation.
What was the title?
"Panawitchy salatoo."
Well, I don't know,
but it sounds to me like the language
of the Piscatkawa tribe, you know?
They lived in northern California.
They died out
some, I think, 400 years ago.
I've got a book about them somewhere,
if I could just find the damn thing.
It doesn't tell much, of course, because,
as I stated, you see,
they died out before the white man
got this far west.
Now, the only information we have,
do you know?
comes from stories handed down
from other tribes.
Well, what's that... "Pana"...?
"Witchy salatoo."
- Wait, wait, wait.
Panawitchy...
Salatoo.
- Salatoo.
Sala...
Oh, ho-ho-ho-ho.
That could mean
something like, oh,
"My death foretells my return."
"My death foret..."
Dr. Snow, is there any way
to stop this-this medicine man
or whatever it is, before it kills her?
Well, you know, what you have to
understand is
that the magic of ancient Indian tribes
was very, very powerful.
They were, in fact, one of the great
magical societies of modern times.
Pure ethnic occult art.
And they were, uh...
Ugh, this is a mess. They were undiluted
with European conceptions
and preconceptions.
The whole concept-- with the Indians--
the whole concept of life
and death and inner space
was rolled up in the Indians' demon,
the equivalent demon.
That demon would be possessed
of monstrous, monstrous power.
Then what you're saying, Doc, is,
we're out of luck?
Ah, I've got it! Yes, yes, you're right.
Here it is.
You're right, you're right, you're right.
And if this medicine man of yours is really
400 years old, he comes from a time
when the magic of the Indians was
amazingly, amazingly strong.
What the hell does he want? I mean,
why would he want to be reborn in Karen?
I assume he didn't choose her deliberately.
I think she just probably
happened to be at the right place
at the wrong time.
Professor, if this guy was so powerful,
how are we gonna fight him?
You know, why do you want to fight him?
Why do you want to fight him,
for heaven's sakes?
Within 2 or 3 days, we could actually
meet and Indian medicine man
from a time far back in America's past.
It seems to me criminal, sir,
to even think of destroying him.
What about Karen?
- Yeah, she didn't exactly invite him to move in.
I know.
Well, then, there is only one way that
you could conceivably save her.
How?
Well, you've heard of "fighting fire with fire"?
You mean, another medicine man?
Yes... there's 1 or 2 still living
on the reservations in South Dakota.
How are we gonna pay him?
- Oh, my dear children!
My dear children... Indians have their
own values of...
of time and honor and friendship.
They'd fight to the death, some of
them, just on a casual promise,
and then, you see, then they
would refuse to cross the street
for all the tea in China.
I think, of course, that your biggest
problem here
is in persuading one of these people
into risking his life, you see?
That's what I think.
So best of luck, and forgive me.
Just try to make yourself at home,
will you?
Just... help yourself to anything.
I've got to go.
"Best of luck."
"Help yourself to anything."
[Dr. Hughes]
Mr. Erskine, you can't be serious.
No medicine man is coming into this
hospital, whether her aunt pays for it or not.
Doctor, what am I asking you to do?
I'm just asking you to give it a try.
You and I have something in common--
Karen Tandy--
and the least you could do
is try to save her life.
Well, we'll see whether the operation
works out or not.
What operation?
- The one that's in progress right now.
We're trying to remove the growth
with optical laser.
Are you out of your mind?
Didn't you tell me...
that if you tried to operate on her again,
you'd kill her?
Like you said, we've got to try everything.
This was the decision of a team of
experts, including myself, to try the laser.
Without it, she'd die anyway.
- Oh, I'm relieved! You know,
for a minute there, I was gonna get angry.
Listen to me, Hughes!
I'm gonna take you and your staff,
and I'm gonna take it out in the alley!
Now, you listen to me, Mr. Erskine...
- And I'm telling you... I'm holding you
I'm doing everything's that possible
personally... for her condition!
- Hughes!
What???
Let us through! Please! What's going on?
We were going to make the incision, and
the damn thing just whipped out of Tom's hand
started spinning back and forth
across the room.
Where's Karen?
Don't go near that laser beam,
whatever you do.
She's there. Now, go on in.
[man] Wolf! Turn off the power!
Wolf!
[Harry] We've got to stop her
or she'll kill herself.
I mean it.
Come on, Karen. You know me.
He says... you must...
not... touch him!
Karen... we want to help you... please!
You must not touch him!
If we don't care for you,
he won't survive either.
He does not believe you!!
We only want to help him!
He is in pain.
In pain?
- Please!
- Why is he in pain?
It hurts him. He is hurt.
What hurts? What hurt him?
It was... the light.
The light? What light?
He will...
kill...
you...
all...
Help me get her on the table!
- Nooo! Nooo!
Quickly!
- Over here!
- Nooo! Nooo!
Easy, easy. That's it.
Karen's medicine man is in pain.
He didn't know why. Said it was the light.
When a human being is X-rayed, cells die.
Every time.
In a tiny fetus, one cell destroyed
may mean a toe, finger,
even and arm or a leg may never develop.
That's why he wouldn't let us near
him with that laser.
He was terrified of it.
Why would a laser
terrify him?
We pumped him with enough X-ray
to see through Fort Knox.
We've created a monster.
Hi. Um, I'm Harry Erskine,
and I'm looking for John Singing Rock.
He's out back.
- Thank you.
John Singing Rock?
John Singing Rock?
You the fella looking to find
himself a medicine man?
That's right. I'm Harry Erskine, uh
Word sure gets around, doesn't it?
Hard not to.
You've been to 5 different
medicine men already.
- Right.
Know anything about herbs, Mr. Erskine?
Just the oregano that I use in my salad.
Shame. Amazing things, herbs.
They can tell the future,
bring good luck.
What does a white man want
with Indian magic?
There's a 400-year-old medicine man
that's taking the way of the oil
on the neck of a...
a woman that I know.
How well do you know this woman?
Uh, quite well.
Well, that should help.
Love is one of the strongest
medicines there is.
Can you help me?
Mr. Erskine, have you ever heard
of "Gitche Manitou"?
No.
Well, Gitche Manitou is
a great spirit among Indians,
a bit like your Jesus or Jehovah.
Bad weeds this year.
S-So...
What you're dealing with
is the Manitou, or spirit,
of a great medicine man,
possibly in his fourth or fifth reincarnation.
Is that bad?
- For you, yes.
Each time a Manitou lives,
he gains in strength.
By the eighth reincarnation, he can
join Gitche Manitou as a permanent spirit.
Until then, the more lives lived,
the more powerful.
Five lives.
Well.. how... how do you stop it?
- You don't... You don't hold it,
you don't slow it down.
Each Manitou has its own momentum.
All you can do is avert the spell
and send it back from whence it came.
But that would take lots of power,
to force a Manitou
to make a 180-degree turn,
and so powerful a medicine man,
you might have to wait until
he leaves the woman's body.
That would kill her!
It would kill her body,
but her spirit would live in the medicine man.
"Spirit would live"... Great.
There's only one thing I know that might stop him.
- What's that?
Evoke the powers of other spirits.
Well... Well, how would I do that?
Well, Mountain is good.
Try Wind. It's one of my favorites.
Tell him John Singing Rock sent you.
Why won't you help me?
Mr. Erskine,
you see this valley?
From where we stand, there's over
a half million acres of land,
some of the richest farmland in the world.
200 years ago, my ancestors owned
all of this land.
Now it's under title to the Missouri
Holding Company.
I don't want your pleas for help,
Mr. White Man.
I don't need your money.
Wait a minute!
John!
Look, please.
Would you, if you were me?
No, I guess I wouldn't.
Mr. Erskine!
Normally I wait 3 risings of the sun
before I take on a job.
My fee will be $100,000 to the
Indian Educational Foundation.
And you?
Well, I need some tobacco.
I'm running a little low.
[Dr. Hughes] What do you think?
Well, to quote a hackneyed line,
Dr. Hughes,
this is heap powerful medicine.
What's next?
Next, we'll have to be ready
by tomorrow at the latest.
And I mean the latest.
I'm gonna have to draw
a circle around this bed.
If it works, maybe you can hold him long
enough for me to send him back
with my own medicine.
You, uh, don't sound very hopeful.
Dr. Hughes, "hope" is for saints and fools.
I'm just a South Dakota Indian
with a bag of tricks.
Well, I'd better get started.
Is there anything you need?
- No, I brought everything I need.
Harry, help me with this thing. I can't
work with it on.
And I want you all to understand
that once I make this circle,
it can't be broken.
You can step over it, but if you smudge it
or break it,
then all this becomes useless.
Everybody stand back, and I'll begin working.
Gitche Manitou, hear me.
Hear me and protect me.
John, look!
Who are you? Where do you come from?
I...
am mightier than you.
Your medicine
is of no consequence.
What is your name?
In life,
Misquamacus.
Leave the whites, little brother
from the plains.
Do not help them, or die.
John, what's the matter? what...
What'd he said?
It's... Misquamacus,
the greatest medicine man of all.
He turned rivers, made storms.
Mountains rose at his command.
No spirit ignored him; no demon denied him.
- My God...
Your God won't help you.
Nothing in your Christian world will help...
not prayers, not holy water,
not the weight of a thousand
of your churches.
What about that circle of sand?
He's sure to break it.
And I only hope it holds him long
enough for me to fight him.
Oh, great.
You're gonna play king of the mountain
with that Mixmaster. What about Karen?
Harry...
if I win... she lives.
If I lose, believe me,
she'll feel less pain than any of us.
He wants revenge, you heard him...
especially against me for helping you.
With his power,
once he gathers it,
once he directs it,
once he's strong...
You all right, Mr. Erskine?
- Oh, yeah, I'm fine, fine.
Hi.
- Hi, how are you tonight, Mr. Erskine?
Okay. Little nervous, that's all.
- Tension...
Yeah, really.
Uh, can I offer you something?
Well, maybe something for the tension.
What have you got in mind?
I'll see what I can find.
- Good.
This ought to do it.
- Oh, swell. Thanks.
Could I have another glass of water?
- Another glass? - Yes, please...
I always find I've got to need
two glasses of water with these.
Thanks... Yeah!
Guess this just isn't your day.
Think they'd give you some instructions.
Uh... thanks anyway.
Sorry, Mr. Erskine.
Joooohn!
John! John!
What's happened?
- Look, a face!
God, he's almost out.
Misquamacus invoked the spirit of the body
and stripped him of his skin.
Noooo!
Spirit of the Eagle, give me strength.
Spirit of the Wind, give me power.
Spirit of Rock, take my hand.
aaahh.. ! Nooo! aaahhh..
Get Dr. Hughes, quick!
Harry, go on!
Mountain Manitou...
hold Misquamacus.
Hold him in the circle of charms.
Chain him... lock him!.
Manitou, Bear Manitou,
hold Misquamacus... hold him!
Storm Manitou, hold Misquamacus.
Hold the circle.
River Manitou, help your brother!
hold Misquamacus... hold him!
Dr. Hughes, please, what happened?
Nurse, please, just stay at your station.
What's going on now?
Well... now we wait.
Could it break the circle?
- No, not yet.
But once he gains his strength,
I don't know.
Wolf, go and get something to cover
Michael with.
Do you still seriously think that
Karen can be saved?
According to Indian law, yes.
- I'm calling the police.
For a boy wonder, Hughes, you know
you ought to get your head examined.
Erskine, I have had it with you!
Oh, yeah? Then do something about it!
- Doctor!
It does no good to call the police.
Now, everything has a spirit or Manitous...
trees, wind, rain...
I don't need lectures about tree spirits.
Now, I suffered your presence here, and
there's your result... a man is dead.
Now, that's nothing. As I said, everything
has a Manitou
not only trees but man-made things as well.
- Oh, please...
The police will come with guns. Their guns
have Manitous.
Misquamacus will turn the guns against the
police and kill them with their own weapons!
Just like a scalpel was turned against you!
Now, you hired me to do a job. Why don't you
run with me?
First thing you can do is clear this floor.
It's an operating floor. Karen is the only
patient up here.
Well, that's good.
Here we are, living in a world
run by computers and technology,
and some creature from 400 years
ago is scaring the hell out of us.
What's even more frightening, Dr. Hughes,
is what could happen if we don't stop
the medicine man.
What could happen?
Absolute devastation.
Now tell us the bad news, huh?
Storm Manitou, take him and kill him!
[John] Wolf, get back.
She's still alive.
- No!
It's Misquamacus. He's using her.
But that's impossible. He's nowhere near her!
"Possible" Doctor? Is that your science?
You have...
defied me.
You have hurt me.
I feel... pain...
I will...
destroy you.
Singing Rock! he's breaking it!
Mountain... Wind...!
Rain...! Storm Manitous!
hold Misquamacus... hold him!
Hold him! Hold him!
Wolf, get a flashlight, quick.
What do you want?
Stay by the phone!
[Dr Hughes] What's he doing?
- He's summoning an Indian demon.
One of the ancient ones.
I don't know which one.
What is it?
- It's the demon we call the Lizard of the Trees.
What the hell is the matter with him?
- Looks for the doctor.
What?
- Because he tried to kill him
on the operating table!
Hughes! Fight it! No, fight it!
What happened?
- It faded. It's gone!
I just don't know what spirit Misquamacus
will come up with next.
There are far worse demons than that.
I've got to get Hughes out of here.
- Yeah, but hurry up! I'll need you.
Bring him into the office!
Get me an antiseptic solution, several
pressure bandages.
and um... get me a tourniquet too.
Put him on the couch.
Easy, Jack. Easy, easy.
Easy... there you go...
Jack, we're all going down there to help.
You're not going anywhere.
- Take your hands off me.
Innocent people will get killed out there
- You've got no authority...!
Bob! Bob, don't go.
He knows what he's doing.
- Thanks.
I tried to stop him.
Who?
- Misquamacus.
I tried everything...
everything I knew...
What happened?
- He gave me a face full
of surgical instruments.
And then he disappeared.
- I'm getting you out of here, get that
face looked at.
Stop the bleeding, then we'll go after
him again. - Come on.
[Harry] What happened down here?
What caused all this ice?
[John] It's a demon we call the Star Beast,
the Spirit of the North Wind.
Afraid he's preparing the way for some
greater demon.
Wind Manitous,
other Manitous, help us!
Harry!
Harry!
You're out of your goddamned mind.
Well, it worked, didn't it?
- Maybe it worked.
Come on.
All right, Erskine, now we call the police.
Will you get serious, McEvoy?
The police?
What good will the police do?
Look what it's done to his hand!
Harry, maybe the doctor's right.
What are you talking about?
- Harry, face it. We're beaten!
Well, what about Karen?
- Well, I'm sorry about Karen,
but I've tried calling every spirit...
Mountain, Wind, Rain...
What about what's-his-name, Gitche, uh...
Gitche Manitou? Harry, you don't call
Gitche Manitou, he...
Oh, yeah? - Well, he's gonna get a person-to-person call
from me!
Collect!
[Wolf] What's happening?
Look out!
John, I don't believe it!
That was one hell of an earthquake.
That was no earthquake.
It's what I was afraid of. It's why we can't win.
Why not?
Misquamacus just called the Great Old One.
Who the hell is he?
- Devil, Lucifer, Satan... What does it matter?
It's coming through the portal right now.
- Can't we stop him? - No...
Well, I did once!
When?
- When I threw that typewriter at him.
Harry, that was a machine's Manitou,
that's all.
Misquamacus was unprepared.
This time he will be.
John! We just can't lie here like...
Wait a minute. Manit...
Dr. Hughes...? how much of this...
kind of equipment do you have through
the hospital?
What kind? What are you talking about?
This kind... this complicated kind
of computerized stuff
that means a lot of electricity feed-in...
you know, voltage.
We've got lots of research equipment,
X-ray, computers, whatever.
We've got the... energy output of a small city.
What are you getting at?
Can you turn it on all at once?
- Yeah.
Right from that console over there.
- What the hell are you gonna
do with my computers?
John, didn't you say that
a machine has its own Manitou?
- Yeah.
Suppose we took the Manitou
of all the machinery in this hospital,
turned it on all at once, and directed that
energy toward the Mixmaster?
Erskine, wait a minute. You can't...
- Hold on, Bob.
Well, it could work. What do you think, John?
Might work. Just might work. There's only one thing...
- What's that?
Well, machines Manitous could turn against us.
But John, we've got to take a chance!
We've got nothing else!
You've got to try it, Harry.
Bob...
Okay.
All right.
All right, you give me exactly five minutes...
five minutes!
Harry, you still got room for a South
Dakota Indian with a bag of tricks?
John Singing Rock, it's not your problem anymore.
- Yes, it is.
Come on.
Once we get there, there's got to be
something or someone
to focus all the machines Manitous.
Like who?
- Like me.
Bob, I want you to clear the... uh
control rooms and power rooms, okay?
Yeah. I still don't like it, Jack.
Hey, Doctor, remember,
don't be [together] an administrator.
I'll see you later.
- Okay.
Wolf, clear the floor, all the patients and
personnel, anybody that's left.
Remember, Harry, the Great Old One is
master of illusion.
John, what happens if we don't beat it?
Well... there's another name for
the Great Old One.
Yeah, what is that?
- The Great Devourer.
What?
- Here, wear this.
What's this for?
- Protection.
Well, I thought it was seasoning.
Go ahead.
Ready?
- Okay.
What?
It's an illusion.
My God, what's behind him?
That, Harry, is the Great Old One.
Our 5 minutes are up.
Now.
Manitous of machines, hear me.
Kill Misquamacus, kill Misquamacus.
Send his spirit back. Send him back.
Send him back from where he came.
Kill Misquamacus... kill him!
Machine Manitous, hear me.
Kill Misquamacus!
Kill him! Send him back!
Send Misquamacus back!
Take my pain!
Take my load! Send him back!
Kill him! Listen to my words!
Send him back!
Send the spirit back!
Send Misquamacus back!
Machine Manitous,
direct your power to me!
Kill him! Kill him!
No!
I can't, Harry. I can't do it.
They won't come. The machines Manitous
won't come.
It's white man's medicine.
Harry, they won't come.
All right, Misquamacus, I've had enough of this!
Who do you think you are?
We're not gonna scream
anymore at each other!
Misquamacus, you listen!
Harry, it won't help! It won't do any good!
- It will, goddammit! It has to!
Harry,
machines Manitous are focusing their
power through Karen!
cause of your love they're coming through her!
[Karen] Harry?
Sure you don't want me
to take you to the airport?
No, you've got some catching-up to do.
- Well, I'm a little sad.
About what?
- Misquamacus.
I mean, I wish I had a chance to talk to him.
If I could call one Indian a friend...
Well, maybe we'll meet him again someday.
What are you talking about? He's dead.
- The body's dead.
Manitou lives on, remember?
Goodbye, John Singing Rock.
Goodbye, Harry Erskine.
Oh, wait a minute.
Your tobacco.