The Dreaming (1988) - full transcript

G'day.

Follow me please.

What happened?

A whole live chain were wider
than a head of the crane

just beyond the entrance.

When we reached it, we found
that it had been sealed ahead.

The aborigines sealed it?

Yeah, well it fits the timeframe.

But look, there's something that's just...

Here, you better have a look at it first.

I don't wanna tally up
perceptions, professor.



You've got something
here about wall paintings.

- What's the story?
- That's right.

Well we found some in sector
b of the grand chamber.

They're very corrupt, very recent.

How recent?

Well quite frankly,
professor, recent enough

for me to believe that
this should be classified

in anthropology department dig.

What?

No, no, no.

This is not an anthropology department dig.

This is my dig.

Hey Bob.

Thank you.



Anthropology department.

- Good morning.
- Morning.

Well there it is.

Where?

On the far wall.

It's so obvious.

I'm surprised we missed it.

Okay.

All right, professor.

Is he really coming?

C'mon!

Hey!

Hey you, hold it right there.

Put it down, girly.

Just put it down.

Put it down.

That's all right.

She's big and strong.

What happened to her?

No one knows.

She was unconscious when they found her.

Who's they?

Police.

There was a break-in at the university.

She broke in?

Yeah, that's what it looks like.

She may need to be intubated.

Right.

Is there a police report?

Think so.

Right.

The question is was she unconscious

before they found her or after?

I wouldn't know.

This one's something to do

with the boys in blue, isn't it?

A suicide?

I'm ordering x-rays

cervical spine through to lumber.

Listen, we need to expedite
this one fairly quickly.

You just check her over and
I'll handle the papennork.

Look at her injuries, John.

How could she do that to herself?

Well few cuts and bruises.

So?

Hey listen, Cathy.

Don't make too many waves.

I want those x-rays fast.

Right.

-All right, we'll handle
it your way: The hard way.

Thanks, John.

So professor, what exactly is missing?

Few artifacts.

In money terms, they mean nothing.

Inspector, I'd appreciate it

if you could keep this as quiet as possible

and you realize how sensitive
these things can be.

Hate the press to get hold of it.

- Certainly.
- Excuse me.

Bernard,

what on earth are you doing here?

I thought you were in
Singapore or somewhere.

Mexico.

What?

Mexico.

Well it's happened.

When I closed down the dig,

I told you how sensitive this stuff was.

Yes, I remember.

So

Having problems, are we, Eric?

Problems?

No.

A group of black activists
breaks into the museum,

steals the artifact.

And in the course of that,

a young woman gets beaten half to death

by our security guards.

But problems?

No.

Nothing I can't handle, Bernard.

I'm quite sure you'll handle everything

in your usual bureaucratic fashion, Eric.

In my usual bureaucratic fashion,

I closed down the dig.

Now I'm putting the whole island off-limit.

You can't do that.

I'm the head of the department.

I'm on the university council.

I have friends in very high places.

You consider it done, Bernard.

Well there's nothing much to see here.

Maybe the witch doctor pointed the At her.

Hold her still.

Sister.

What's going on?

Look at the ecg.

Hold her down.

She's in vt, come on.

Leave that. Get the Diazepam.

- Yes, doctor.
- 10 mils.

Come on, girl.

Keep her still.

Keep her still.

God, she's arrested.

Finish up here please, sister.

And take her to base six
when you've tidied up.

I want an autopsy.

Well we can leave it to the coroner.

But if we-

- I won't sweep it under the mat.

I won't.

Okay.

It's your privilege.

But from now on, it's all your papennork

and your funeral.

Look at her.

There was a gash.

Hey, it's nice to know you're human.

Look, if there's anything worrying you.

Problems with Geoff?

If you don't mind my saying so,

perhaps you should go and
have a chat with old Morrison.

You know, maybe your instinct
and your ego are out to lunch.

I do mind your saying so

and I don't need a chat
with the resident shrink.

I know what I saw.

Yes, are you sure she's
not around somewhere?

Thank you.

Probably stopped off
somewhere on the way home.

Thank you very much.

Hi.

And where the hell have you been, darling?

It's eight o'clock.

We're having dinner with
the maoists tonight.

I told you last week, remember?

Oh no, I completely forgot.

I'm sorry.

I've had a hell of a day.

Well it's gonna be a hell of
a night unless you hurry up.

Come on, I got your clothes
laid out on the bed for you.

I had the strangest experience today.

An aboriginal girl's-

- yes, tell me about it in the car.

Oh, do you mind if I don't go?

Yes, I would mind.

I just don't feel like sitting around

talking about yacht fittings
and Porsche spare parts.

We're talking about my career.

You don't need me at this yuppie wankin'.

You know, you're getting
just like your father.

What's that supposed to mean?

Nothing. Look, I'm sorry.

Can we just go?

No, no, no, no.

Tell me what you mean.

Okay.

Okay.

You're just as selfish.

You're just as arrogant.

I don't need this right now.

Oh, you don't need anything right now.

Why don't you go and live with your father?

Hello?

Geoff?

That aboriginal girl that died yesterday,

who brought her in?

Let's see.

The police as I remember it.

Yes, I know that.

But who brought her in?

I mean which ambulance?

We're not allowed to tell you that.

Only the ambulance section
is authorized to admin six.

Is this obstruction purely bureaucratic

or we tryin' not to rock the police boat?

I don't know what you're talking about.

You'll have to check in admin six yourself.

Well I'm sure no one around here's

gonna show me their
apathy and to look formal.

Hey, wait.

Hello, Catherine Thornton.

Cathy, it's me.

Where've you been?

Away.

Away where?

Just away.

What do you want?

Calling about your mother.

What about my mother?

She died this morning at eight o'clock.

Cathy?

You all right?

Yes, I'm all right.

Did you see her?

Yes, I was with her when she died.

What time did she die?

This morning at eight o'clock.

Where's the funeral?

West Harris
cemetery on Thursday at 10:00.

All right.

Thanks.

You will be there?

Dad?

He ieadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul.

He ieadeth me in the paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Yea though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me

in the presence of mine enemies.

Thou anointest my head with oil.

My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life

and I will dwell in the
house of the lord forever.

Amen.

Amen.

Thanks very much, father.

Thanks.

You look wonderful.

You look tired.

All she wanted was to see
you from time to time.

I know, but I couldn't.

You are selfish.

That's really hard, Cathy.

Geoff.

Bernard.

Maybe we'll see more of you now.

Maybe.

Look after yourself.

You too.

I hate him.

Do you know something?

No, what?

Hardly ever went to see her.

You went as often as you could.

You're a busy girl.

Another shot?

No thanks.

Listen, you go.

I'll walk to work.

No, I'll drive you.

It's still raining.

No, go.

Feel like walking.

Need some time to myself before work

and it stopped raining.

See you tonight?

Okay.

I love you,

okay?

Just wanna talk to you.

I do not want to talk to you.

- Piss off!
- I'll talk to you now.

You're one of the people
who broke into the museum.

Well my advice to you is

put those things back where they belong.

They don't belong in museums.

They belong to us.

They do not belong to you.

They belong to everybody there.

Old, they're history.

They're relics and they belong in museums!

They're not relics.

They're alive. They're part of us.

When we buried the dead, their
spirits go back to the earth.

You disturb their bones
and they cannot rest.

And we will not rest until
they go back where they belong.

Listen, you people do not understand.

No, you people don't understand.

How would you feel if we
ripped up your woman's bones?

If you want to talk, talk.

But I will not listen

to any more of this offensive nonsense.

Where you found them
was the isle of the dead

and it's been the isle of the
dead for thousands of years.

So stop messing around with
the bones of my ancestors.

Bullshit.

They're dead

and that's what you'll
be if you keep meddling!

Look, lady. Leave me alone.

I just wanna ask you some questions.

What I took was ours.

It belonged to my people.

You know what it means, don't you?

It's the Mark from that bracelet, isn't it?

Fuck!

You people won't even leave the dead alone!

Just tell me what it means!

Dad?

Dad?

Hello.

Catherine Thornton.

Is Bernard there please?

It's professor Richards.

Could I speak to him immediately please?

It's urgent.

Well he's not in the house at the moment.

Is it important?

I just heard a rumor that
he's gone back to the island.

What island?

The aboriginal site
he's so concerned about.

Well I don't think so.

It was my mother's funeral this morning.

I didn't know.

I'm extremely sorry.

Look, I don't want to bother
him at a time like this.

But could you tell him to ring me

as soon as he gets in please?

Yes, all right.

Thank you.

Goodbye.

Sorry I'm late.

The damage is not
irredeemable, Mr. Douglas.

But time is of the essence.

Yeah, I'm sorry. Look,
it won't happen again.

You're beeping, Mr. Douglas.

Yes, yes.

Go on, go on, go on.

Thanks very much. I won't be long.

Hello, Douglas here.

I was with her this morning.

Well you know her mother died.

Yes, naturally she's upset.

Well she said she was
going straight to work.

Why, is she not there?

No, I don't know where she is.

Yeah, look.

Yeah, okay. Goodbye.

I didn't hear you.

I was wondering if you had a room.

You want a room here?

Yes.

One night, was it?

Yes and I'll need a boat.

A boat?

To get to the island in the morning.

Why do you wanna go there for?

Can you arrange it or can't you?

It'll cost you.

Up the stairs, down the corridor.

Room 10, okay?

Thank you.

Oi.

Oi!

Get her.

Hello?

Dad?

Now what in the devil are you doing here?

More to the point, what are you doing here?

Chopping wood.

I need to talk to you.

Did you come alone?

Yup.

Tea, cofiee?

Coffee.

You can sit down.

I went to the house yesterday.

Professor Richards telephoned.

His duty, what did he want?

He seemed a bit perturbed
that you might be here.

Mr. Richards is very unhappy.

Why?

Because he has some idiot
idea that in being here

I'm treading on delicate
political and ethnic ground.

But I'm here and I'm not leaving.

I don't give a stuff what that idiot thinks

or anybody else for that matter.

Is that what you need to talk to me about?

No.

Not Geoff, eh?

No.

Then what?

I don't know.

Lots of peculiar things have been going on

and I don't understand them.

Been seeing things and
haven't been seeing things

and I've been seeing things,

drawings and pictures.

And I don't understand and I'm scared

and I don't know what to do

because I don't understand what's going on.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Sounds to me

as if you've been working too hard.

What are you really doing here?

I'm looking for something.

What?

Don't know.

I think she's with her father somewhere.

Do you have any idea where he might be?

He's not at his apartment.

Knowing Bernard as I do,

I'd say he's returned to the dig.

On the island?

Mr. Douglas, you're a lawyer.

You understand how politically
sensitive things can be.

If he is at the dig, try to
get him to return, would you?

Now that the site's been closed,

he is trespassing, you understand?

I understand.

He's a very brilliant man, Mr. Douglas.

A very difficult one too.

Well if that's the case,
he's just like his daughter.

Thanks for your help.

- Cathy, it's me.
- You're not alive.

- It's Geoff.
- You're dead.

You're dead. I saw it.

I saw it in my dream.

- It was a dream.
- You're dead.

I saw it.

Stop treating me like a child!

I know what I saw.

You're dead like the sea.

You're dead.

"20th July, 1856,

whale spouts seen at 10:00 and
before noon and gave chase.

Launched the longboat and were among them.

One large male turned back

to his intent on defending his flock.

He took the harpoon in his flank

and drew us away from the herd.

The blood was a red tide
bubbling and seething in a wake,

while jet after jet of white
smoke shot from his spout.

He tied."

Geoff?

"Tied to a longboat,

he drenched us all in his thickening blood.

But we laughed at the spray of it

knowing it was good cash we washed in.

Our sharp blades sliced
his flesh with Clay."

Our hoax went into it to haul in the poor

where the fires raged,

eager to render his body into oil.

Two years at sea and no
woman to call my own.

My love dried up.

My soul

bartered for the black flesh

of the women of the Ritual.

Geoff!

Geoff!

Geoff!

Geoff!

Geoff!

Geoff!

What?

No.

No.

Did you think I was going to hurt you?

Did you?

- Yes.
- No.

I wouldn't hurt you, darling.

Because I love you

and you love me,

don't you?

Don't you?

Don't you?

Dad!