Quatermass (1979) s01e03 Episode Script

1 [THAMES IDENT.]
[THEME MUSIC.]
[RADIO STATIC.]
God! We're going to lose the lot.
Wait, Tommy! We're being swamped.
- It's over.
- What? Look - coming back.
Oh.
For a second, I really thought-—- It's okay.
The cut-out's held.
But what the hell?! Frank! Those new units.
I've checked every one.
Yes, but whatever it was, I mean it--- It came from outside.
"Huffity puffity, Ringstone Round.
" "if you lose your hat it will never be found.
" "So pull up your bri" what's "britches"? Pants.
"Right up to your chin.
" Let me! Let me! "And fasten your cloak" "with a bright new pin.
" "And when we are ready, then we can begin.
" "H uffity puffity puff.
" "H uffity puffity puff.
" I don't believe it.
Let's go.
[HISSING NOISE.]
God, you can hear the earth! [CRASH.]
Must have been how many do you reckon were here? Hundreds.
They did it! They got away! They've all gone! [SHOUTING.]
Not quite all of 'em.
Look.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Those didn't make it.
They were destroyed.
They were unlucky.
Like an accident.
You always get accidents.
What about the rest of 'em? Have they got away? They went to the Planet- all of 'em! Nothing you can do to bring 'em back.
They've gone!!! [CROWD SHOUTING.]
Gone! And we'll go soon! [CROWD SHOUTING.]
Next time! It must be soon! [CROWD CHANTING.]
Soon.
Soon.
Soon.
You just went on ahead.
We're coming too! Yes, they went on ahead.
Make the land ready till we get there! Make it ready! Leh! Leh! Leh! I don't understand.
I don't want to understand.
They knew it would happen.
And it did.
[CHANTING IN THE DISTANCE.]
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Somethings still alive! [GASP.]
Get a blanket.
'N.
I~~ Clare.
[LOUD WEEPING.]
She was outside it.
You're all right.
- Tom? - You're safe now.
What happened, Torn? She can't hear you.
I can't see out of my eyes! My eyes! GODS! They shouldn't have been here.
They weren't meant.
And them.
I know them.
On that road - they talked to us.
Asking things.
Science man.
What are they doing? They've got somebody! [CROWD CHANTING.]
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
What are you doing now?! She's hurt.
Well, leave her! I want to find out how.
For your science - that's what you want her for.
I want to help her.
- Stop trying to know things! - Look, give her here.
[CROWD SHOUTING.]
Leave her alone.
Tom? What happened, Torn? He must have gone.
- She can't hear or see you.
- Keep out of it, you! He's gone! They've all gone! - All gone.
- Yes! I got left.
It was the lightning.
I never meant to be scared.
It was lovely lightning.
[CROWD CHANTING.]
Lovely lightning.
Lovely lightning.
You'll go soon.
[CROWD CHANTING SOFTLY.]
Yes.
Yes.
Soon.
Soon.
I can't see! Stay with us! We can go together! We'll take you! Yes, we will.
We'll look after you.
It'll come again.
It'll take us, too! [CHANTING.]
Soon.
Soon.
We're waiting.
We won't be long! We're coming out of all the blackness of this world! Soon! Soon! Soon! [CROWD CHANTING.]
Get in! Quickly! Go! Let her go! She's ours! Get outta here! Get off! Give her here! She's ours! You're always interfering, you science men! You think you know! But you DON'T know! [CROWD SCREAMING AND SHOUTING.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Hold on tight! You stopped me! You took my chance! I could'a gone to the Planet! - They want her! - They want us! Keep down! Heads down! [MACHINE GUN FIRING.]
[SCREAMING.]
Look.
Dog Dish nearly there.
[RADIO STATIC.]
In position and locking on.
What's your favourite programme? It's better.
Not much.
Right.
Commencing wide-angle sweep.
Both dishes, reflector mode.
Filter and intensify to cut the local interference of unknown source.
Well, why say "unknown"? All right.
"Undefined".
"Unidentified"? It comes from that big splatter.
The near one.
It's an effect! Massive.
That doesn't mean near.
- I know it was near! - Right.
Oh! These dishes! We can see across the universe but we can't--- Tommy - if you don't mind, I'll just go outside for a few minutes.
And get some air.
There's no night or day in here.
You can't tell.
Go to the house - send Alison over.
I've got to have somebody up--- Frank, did you hear me? How many have you got? I don't know.
How many have you got? I don't know.
[GROWLING.]
- Hello, boy.
- Hello, Frank.
Hello.
Where's Alison? She's gone.
Where? She just went.
She said Puppy would look after us.
And he did.
I love Puppy.
When I'm older I'm going to marry him.
[ETHEREAL MUSIC.]
[CHANTING.]
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
Joe'? - Yes? - Alison's gone.
- What? - She just set off! - What about the kids? - Oh, they're all right.
But Joe! Who's she? What happened? Clare.
You go in first.
Did you see Ringstone Round? Yes.
Now, listen.
We've brought someone with us and she's ill.
So I want you to clear your plates and put them in the sink.
All right? Yes, Mummy.
Very quickly.
There we are.
But I I haven't finished.
Never mind.
We can can eat it later.
Now, straight off into the garden, all right? Yes, Mummy.
Bring her this way.
I'll just move Debbie in with Sarah.
It'll be all right.
But that leg! I'll manage.
- A hospital.
- What hospital? [GROAN.]
I'll manage.
I've had a lot of practical expeflence.
My own children.
Seeing them through childhood illnesses.
You're safe.
I know what to do.
You saw it happen.
I think we saw it too.
What, you? The dishes picked it up.
Massive overload.
It nearly beat the failsafe.
We could have lost the lot.
Okay.
We'll run everything.
Heuristic mode, start up a few guesses.
There's a lot of data wiped out.
The sheer weight did that.
We need something to build on.
That's all we need.
Oh, we've got that.
Frank - get back to one of the earliest.
No, wait a minute.
I know the best approach.
Pull in last night's data? - Only back to a certain point.
- For comparison? Yeah, but only now where's that other--- Joe.
Oh, Bernard - they got it all here.
I think you ought to get home.
No, I'm all right.
I can carry on.
I don't mean that.
I think you ought to.
Of course! It's just come to me.
Last night - the Space Lab smash-up.
That could have been the same thing.
Loss of communication.
Sudden overload.
Total malfunction.
Suppose all that was merely a a side effect.
Like ours - here, today? More, Tommy.
Well, suppose the Space Lab had received a a side-swipe from whatever this is.
And all the time the the real the real target was somewhere on the surface of the Earth.
Do you see? Another Ringstone Round? Yes, somewhere.
God knows what part of the world! That was what was being hit.
- Last night? - Could have been.
I mean, it's an idea.
That's all it is, but well--- But, there there'd be reports.
There have to be.
Well, they'd have to say something.
[RADIO STATIC.]
[ELECTRONIC WHINE.]
I'll get back up as soon as I can.
There's so much to work through.
Candles.
She's got the candles out.
We're not very religious, but every once in a while--- Yes.
Tonight.
Now, where is she? Clare? Darling! - Mummy! Daddy's here.
- She won't listen.
The old Jewish thing.
Always concentrated on the home.
A bit of cosy ritual to make everything safe.
There should be wine set ready.
My old man was always a stickler for the details.
I'm afraid it's only some of the stuff I made, but--- I keep forgetting.
Just for a moment, it's like dropping asleep and then waking up.
And remembering it.
- Do you do that? - Joe.
- Why won't Mummy say? - What? She always says about things.
But she won't.
- Did the wind blow? - Yes.
- Like in the rhyme? - Yes.
Good! Everything's all right, for the moment.
I think.
Urn sit-sit down.
Sit down.
- "Huffity puffity---" - Shh shh shh.
And now we eat.
Leh.
Leh.
Leh [SCREAM.]
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Leh! Leh! Leh! Leh! [CHANTING.]
Leh.
Leh.
For her sake.
I had to.
[CHANTING.]
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
[DOG BARKING.]
What is it? Planet People.
Well, call him off.
Don't let him hurt them.
[WHISTLING.]
[DOG BARKING.]
How is she? She's alive.
She didn't sleep.
You didn't, either.
Puppy! Come on! [CAR HORN BEEPING.]
It's Annie! Come on, PUPPY! Annie? Dr Kapp! Joe, did you see that?! I nearly ran them down.
Two of them.
They're half mad, these kids.
I've been on the road since dawn and a-a dozen times "get out - get out of the way", and pray to God they will.
They're everywhere.
What is the matter with them? [CHILDREN SHOUTING HELLO.]
Oh, look who's here! Hello, my loves.
Oh, you're not going to be like that when you grow up, hmm? You mustn't turn foolish.
You promise me? - Yes.
- Yes.
I've come to ask your Daddy Joe! The phones! Well, they're always bad but since yesterday, I just gave up! It's something different this time.
But even the radio! Oh, it's impossible to tell what's going on any more.
And then I got something on my hot-line well, that still works.
As far as anything works.
So I came rushing up here.
- Well, Annie--- - On the way up--- What? This is Professor Quatermass.
Well! District Commissioner Anne Morgan.
- How do you do? - Oh, what a relief! Oh, they wanted me to find him.
They thought he might be here.
I'm in trouble? I don't think so.
Mm, yesterday I landed myself in in official hot water.
Must be water under the bridge by now.
This is something else.
They want your help.
And they want you, Joe.
They want your machinery - your antennae, there.
L-I've got some figures here.
You'll probably be able to make more sense out of them than I--- What happened at Ringstone Round? Sarah? Why don't you take Debbie in? Look, go and feed Nannie.
Nannie's feeding herself, though.
Well, pick something she can't reach.
Give her a treat.
Go on.
I drove past there, just now.
And it's all blasted.
You wouldn't believe it, but the stones are broken.
And there's a sort of debris I've never seen before.
Have you any idea? We were there.
- What? - Shh! Come on, kids.
It was terrifying.
But what happened? [QUIETLY.]
It was an appalling sight.
[snuenue.]
"Huffity puffity Ringstone Round.
" "if you lose your hat, it'll never be found.
" "So pull up your britches, right up to your chin.
" I want to ask you something.
It's quite important.
We saw some bodies.
Or more exactly parts of bodies.
Did you see any? No.
When you were there? Well, how far did you go? Up towards the stones? Nothing? Well, perhaps the others took them away.
Or perhaps--- There was one survivor.
We brought her with us.
Hello, Annie.
Oh, my dear! Oh, dear, oh! You'd better come and see her.
[PANTING.]
You can't treat that! I can.
I'm willing her.
Oh, God - let me think.
There's no hospital within fifty miles of here that makes any sense.
So many closed down.
I think it's the whole nervous system.
Shh! She can't hear you.
Poor little creature.
She's a lucky one.
Or unlucky.
If you see it their way.
They wanted something to come and take them.
And something did.
30$.
! She sure about this? It's not a normal configuration.
Annie, these figures? Well, I did my best, Joe.
I'm not an expert.
We'll try them anyway.
Okay, Frank? I thought I knew about trouble.
But this! You're, urn District Commissioner? Yes.
Sounds like something from the days of Empire.
Evening dress in the jungle and putting down the natives! Yes, that's what we were for - "putting down the natives.
" Our own! Joe - I'm getting a signal.
Okay.
Let's have it.
That's the satellite.
[RADIOI INDISTINCT FOREIGN LANGUAGE.]
- What's that? - Spanish? I don't think so, no.
Chuck! That was Chuck Marshall, wasn't it? Yes.
Chuck! Well, come on! Sound! Have we any contact yet? I'm trying for Dr Joseph Kapp.
Chuck - Joe Kapp here.
I'm with you.
We've got your picture, you can't see us.
A matter of facilities.
Okay, fine.
First of all - a warning.
It is possible that we're attracting attention.
We just don't know.
But be ready to cut - and cut fast! That's why we're on this configuration.
Now can you locate Bernard Quatermass? - Well, he's here.
- What? You mean he's with you? That's great! Put him on.
Hello, Bernard? Hello, Chuck.
Chuck, urn I'm sorry about the last time.
Oh, please - forget that.
Listen.
What we have here now is so urgent an-and so frightful it demands immediate action, so--— - You heard about it? - Heard about it? I'm going to show it to you.
I want you to watch this, Bernard.
I need your opinion.
Okay, run it.
But ho-how can he poss--- I don't think he means--- We just got this in from Brazil.
State of Sao Paulo.
Some place known as oh, what the hell O Papoes.
Some thirty hours ago when we were so occupied with our disaster in space what was really going on was there! I knew it.
I knew it! Some kind of youth gathering.
Twelve or thirteen thousand kids.
Nobody knows how many because they were wiped out! Obliterated without trace! Bernard, do you believe me? Yes.
I believe you.
Bernard way in the past with your Rocket Group y-you tangled with some dire, hellish powers.
Does anything about this remind you--- Is it anything you recognise? Recognise? Yes.
You do? Not from any past experience.
No, but um--- Tell him.
From yesterday, Chuck.
Yesterday.
- Go on, quick.
- It happened here! The same thing.
[RADIO STATIC.]
- Hold him, can't you? - It's a low orbit.
Chuck! It was here too! Here, in England! At Ringstone Round! [RADIO STATIC.]
[CROWD CHANTING.]
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
It's all right.
It's all right.
Shh, shh, shh.
Please.
Please! - Please! - Shh! It's all right! IsabeH Can't you get them back? No.
Not till the next pass.
So Ringstone Round wasn't the first.
I said so.
Didn't I say? You've no idea what this is! A-and the Americans haven't either.
And they were desperate enough to take the risk.
I want to get that girl to London.
She's the only evidence we've got.
The only specimen.
The proof of what this does to human tissue and possibly how.
I want her under expert examination today.
Use her? Yes.
Annie.
What's your badge worth? Can you get us through? I'll try my best.
Right, Joe? Yes.
Do it.
Clare might, uh--- No.
I want that kid out! Don't touch her! Leave her alone! All right, darling.
You'll be all right.
- No! - It's got to be done! I'm taking her to hospital.
You'll do what they said! - You'll experiment on her! - A hospital.
You'll kill her! - Isabel! - Darling! She told me her name.
She said her name.
That's MY blanket.
Mind out, kids.
Mummy! That's my blanket! She's got my blanket.
She's sick, darling.
She's sick.
I didn't like her.
Joe'? I'll get through to you tonight.
One way or another.
Take care.
Daddy.
The old man - he's stopped looking so old.
[GUNSHOT.]
[GUNSHOT.]
I mean it, y'see! Now get away from here or I'll give you a real taste! [SCREAMING BABY.]
Don't think I'm frightened of scum like you, 'cos I'm bloomin' well not! He's scared stiff.
You got food in there? I got nothin'! People who hole up have always got food! They make sure! Now, come on.
Give us a bit.
I told you.
Leave me be! My baby's hungry! Lift it up and let him see it.
No! What are you doing? No! [GUNSHOT.]
Stop it! [BABY SCREAMING.]
Get out, the lot of yer! I'm not bluffin' I'll shoot to kill! Come on, now.
Open up! I mean it - I've got more guns here.
A lot of guns.
Already loaded.
You haven't got a chance.
All right then.
You win.
Just give us a bit for the kids.
Just one tin of food.
Beans, anything You mean that? You'll go? Bible oath, mister.
All right, then.
[BABY SCREAMING.]
'Ere y'are.
[MACHINE GUN FIRING.]
[SCREAMING.]
- Car comin'! - Cops! We must get away - quick! [MACHINE GUN FIRING.]
It was gunfire.
When you hear it, just keep going.
That's the best rule.
Keep going faster.
If they jump up in front of you, drive at them.
You do that? I've done it.
Poor little wretch.
If she can just last out.
Poor all of them.
That's what I used to feel, when I still had feelings.
All those lost children, wandering the roads dragging their children - their babies.
Sometimes I've seen them and I've just wanted to gather them all up in my arms and hold them tight and love them.
Even the gangs - would you believe? The Badders and the Blue Brigade.
So long as they didn't come after me, I could feel for them all.
I could.
I'm a mess.
Steady, District Commissioner.
[VOICE ON THE RADIO.]
Dr Joseph Kapp.
Dr Kapp.
Do we have any contact yet? Joe Kapp here.
You're fairly rough.
It'll have to do.
Listen.
We did get that, last time.
The incident Quatermass told about.
Is he there? He's left - on the track of something.
Okay, never mind.
How many were in it? Casualties? I don't know.
Hundreds.
Right.
Joe'? We're plotting others, now.
Sketchy first reports.
Stuff about explosions lightning bolts mass casualties.
Where? One in Indonesia one in Brittany, France.
We could be mistaken - because the times are crazy! They were almost simultaneous.
Within two minutes of each other.
Yeah, okay.
Joe, we're leaving now.
Out.
[RADIO STATIC.]
Do you think they wanted to involve us? Start a search - radar mode.
Risky.
Two minutes apart.
Across a third of the Earth's surface.
I mean, any conceivable orbit even allowing time for--- The velocity would have--- - So it's more than one? - No.
Must be.
Not necessarily.
- Tommy, it's plural.
- Doesn't have to be.
I can imagine--- Tommy.
What's up there? Getting near London.
Pay Cops? They don't show their noses far afield.
I hate them.
You remember the good old bobbies? Good morning, officer - can you help me? My kitten's got stuck up a tree.
And they would help.
But we lost them.
What went wrong? And what happened? Was it the kids? Oh, Professor - Bernard - what got into them all? I mean, the blind rage - in every land.
As if we had to have it.
Oh, when I was a girl--- That was years.
It really was different then.
Well, you could walk in the open and not be afraid.
You didn't have to hide your face from strangers.
- All these years.
- Dreadful years.
It could have been on its way.
From smashing things to smashing people.
Tried to find explanations and all we found were excuses.
The faults of the system - the contradictions of society.
- Homing in.
- What? And these years would be nothing.
Just a final stage that came far enough.
Locating, probing, beaming.
What was that you said just now? "What got into them?" Well, supposing it was "that"? Whatever it is.
Caused it? Is that what you're saying? Immense power approaching through decades.
Decades to us! A few seconds - in some different inconceivable timescale.
I don't want to believe it.
It's even worse! Don't believe it.
Just suppose .
“suppose“.
and the most vulnerable of human organisms always the most recently formed.
The youngest.
The things they kept saying to us.
"You don't understand us", they said As if they sensed, what we didn't.
And then and they'd get angrier because we couldn't.
Look.
Isn't it there in the eyes? All there to see.
All the time.
The strangeness? And I couldn't read it! - Who is she? - She's mine.
My granddaughter.
Oh, God - I'm too old! My brain's drying.
If I could miss that what else am I missing now? All the rage of the world.
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
Hold her.
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
Isabel? She's only just alive.
But she can still scent it.
And she wants it.
[CROWD CHANTING.]
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
A radar search has to be out.
A: The thing's not detectable.
And, B: if it is - and we hit it--- All right, we'll play safe.
Stick to Reflector Mode.
Can we increase the spread? - Dog Dish? - No.
Dog Dish has to remain on the Americans, if they come through.
That's essential.
Frank - the outer units.
Status? Well, West's okay.
East's still out.
Very efficient vandals.
I thought you were going over? No chance - you've had the wagon.
- Much to do? - It's a mess.
Perhaps I could manage a lash-up? Frank - get the emergency pack.
And, Torn calibrate West and Cat Dish.
And don't do anything I wouldn't do! When you're back we'll talk concepts.
Thought some up? They're nasty! Oh, Joe - take the gun.
Thanks, Frank.
It's all there.
Good luck.
What's all that for? I thought I'd go to the mound.
What? Now?! I've got all my gear out.
I could start a dig.
I always meant to.
Listen, bubeleh I want you to go back and stay with the kids.
Put them away.
It's not a good time - you know that.
Okay? I'll be back soon.
- Where are you going? - One of the outer units.
I've got to.
I'll only be an hour.
Soon.
Promise.
Soon.
[CROWD CHANTING.]
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
These great gatherings.
They're another freak of our time.
Huge assemblies.
Mindless - enormous.
Supposedly to listen to some leader or pop star, but really just to just to crowd together.
- Or to fight.
- Yes.
More and more.
It all fits the pattern.
This dreadful pattern.
- Do you know any Portuguese? - Mm? It's what they speak in Brazil.
I've been trying and trying that place where it happened - O Papoes.
Wouldn't that mean the "Giants" or "Ogres", or something? "Stones".
Yes, it could be couldn't it? Can we go back? We're too late - we're nearly there.
[CROWD CHANTING.]
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
[WAGON ENGINE SPLUTTERING.]
[SINISTER MUSIC.]
[RADIO STATIC.]
Yanks are giving it a miss, this time.
I hope that's all.
[PRINTING AND TAPPING NOISES.]
[CROWD CHANTING.]
Leh.
Leh.
Leh.
Stop! They're mad! What do you think? - There's Alison! - What? There! Over there! Frank! I want my Mummy! I want my Daddy! He'll come soon.
He'll come! [BARKING AND CHILDREN SHOUTING.]
Puppy, come back! Come back! [UNEARTHLY HIGH-PITCHED NOISE.]
[RADIO NEWSREADER.]
Lasfly“.
an official denial of rumours concerning the stone monument of Ringstone Round that some form of electric storm caused casualties among people visiting the spot.
No such weather conditions have been reported.
Now - tomorrow's power cuts.
Eastern England--- [RADIO TURNED OFF.]
They know.
This isn't going to be easy.
I'm counting on you.
Rule One.
The District Commissioner stays in her district.
Never mind.
Roadblock! Get your ID ready.
No, it's not - it's Badders! It's a gang fight! Hold on!!! [AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE.]
Oh, my God!!! Blue Brigade.
They're the worst! Oh, they're on the car! Hold on.
Hold on! [SHOUTING AND GUNFIRE.]
Get you--- Hold on! Sorry! 0h, my God!!! [TYRES SCREECHING.]
[MORE GUNFIRE.]
CLARE!!! CLARE!!! Children? Children?! [SOBBING.]
[END THEME MUSIC.]