984: Prisoner of the Future (1982) - full transcript

A corporate executive is taken prisoner by an underground organization known as The Movement, and is turned over to a ruthless interrogator.

(Eerie Music)

don't you understand? i want to 
end this just as much as you do

i have a report here! it confirms your association 
with michael rowland he visited your home on april

7th. what does that prove? it proves you lied 
all along that's what it proves mr weston

i didn't even know there was an organization 
until until michael roland got you involved

now we're making some progress for once

(Eerie Music)

(Coughing)

(Dramatic Music)

I remember... i remember you as if it were yesterday 
i remember the promenade and the cool warmth of

that summer's night you flaunted yourself i can 
still hear you laugh i laughed too now i decay



all these things are bound up inside me 
i have to let them out before i go insane

insane? i wonder if i am not

i see them shadows they aren't merely nightmares 
what do they want from me? why me? at first

i thought they were interested in classified 
information but not anything it doesn't really

matter time here has stopped still i don't know 
what year it is all i know is that it has been an

eternity since i last saw it breathe the air 
around i tell them i know nothing i tell them i

don't care about politics and all the wretchedness 
that goes with it that they won't listen to

believe make him believe still 
there's been a mistake a mistake

(Large Door Closes)

lloyd

lloyd armstrong

tom tom weston from general research that's the 
division right i remember now been a few years

i guess it's useless to ask what happened to you 
i am as much in the dark as you are how long have

you been here six hours when these clowns 
bust in i was in the middle of a poker game



well anyway they bust in armed with the teeth 
said it was a raid what have we done tom

we haven't done anything nothing they 
wouldn't have done in our positions

that's what they want isn't 
it to be in our position

what do you make of him i'm 
afraid there's not much to make

that's what i mean there's 
only a couple of them 20 of us

maybe he likes what we're saying maybe he'd 
like to take part in the riot we're planning

sure you help us out we'll go real easy on you

come the revolution

i've been no certain this god for 
taking hold where the hell are we anyway

explanations will be in order shortly

a few days ago i wouldn't believed i'd be 
standing in front of such a distinguished group

please i know that most of you think this is 
merely a game and that someone will eventually

come up to you and say abracadabra this has been 
a practical joke well i'm afraid that isn't so

reality is a trifle more cruel than that gentleman 
this is a modern world whether you like it or not

now there's no need to worry we don't treat 
our adversaries the way you did all i want

to know is what i have to do to get out of here 
you'll find it's not a matter of doing but being

but hasn't that always been the case 
punishment in the name of rehabilitation

you champs have always been able to avoid this 
sort of thing up until now but unfortunately

for you things have changed haven't they no 
judges to bribe no team of lawyers to hire

gentlemen welcome to tomorrow

your trials were all played out yesterday your 
guilt is one of the foundations of our new order

you find it boring with your crimes against 
humanity i don't know about anybody else

but i find my crimes a source of personal 
satisfaction the way you tell it it's no

fun at all gentlemen what i'm trying to 
do i don't care what you're trying to do

what i want to know is what we're guilty of 
what about our families is there guilt automatic

oh by the way before you're shown to your 
quarters each one of you will be issued a

personnel number we want you to use it at 
all times there's a new world out there

and we want you to act accordingly 
answer my question in due time 1170

prisoner 984 sir sit down 984 my name 
is weston i said sit down nine eight

for four sake jeffrey release him but sir

i'm only going to play this 
jailer nonsense so far release him

my apologies mr weston the official protocol

the numbers the handcuffs the uniforms and all 
it gets a bit silly doesn't it oh come off it

i beg your pardon standard interrogation technique

treat him with kindness and 
an attentive ear and you'll

hand over the information without much bother 
you have information mr weston no but you're

acting as if i do oh please don't worry mr weston 
will not have to break you at least not just yet

dr fontaine himself asked me to look out for you 
fontaine yes he remembers you from his term at the

university look warden why am i here surely you 
realize there's been a misunderstanding oh there's

been no misunderstanding just answer the questions 
did you not find dr fontan's lectures interesting

once you start programming people pretty soon 
you can't tell them apart from the machines

i see you don't quite understand the movement

why don't you believe me warden this is 
all a mistake i've done nothing but you are

thomas r weston of uh 14 evermore drive yes 
but i had your best friend was michael roland

michael romero oh come now you're not going 
to tell me that you don't know michael roland

no yes i mean yes i of course i know 
him i just don't see how this is

i can tell from your tone that 
roland hasn't done anything

yet you remember michael roland

himself asked me to look out for you there's been 
no misunderstanding just answer the questions

answer the questions

tom i'm gonna stop working soon

when i finish uh about how long

uh about an hour i wonder who that could be

at this time of the night don't move i'll 
get it you keep working i need help screaming

is tom come quickly it's 
michael he's been hurt come on

got stuck in the rain don't be silly

take it easy listen are you up to talking 
about this yeah i'm dave who did this to

you a young zealot in whittaker's uh so-called 
communications group this is how they communicate

well it's uh it's more the subject than the style 
thanks man i was uh i was at one of their meetings

the usual thursday night get togethers what 
happened no matter what the problem was whitaker

kept pointing the finger our way the sky's at 
the top so to speak so when whitaker suggested

they all joined this movement led by dr fontaine 
i addressed him directly and called him a fraud

suddenly i found myself being 
pummeled by this young hothead

thanks margaret

michaela i can't help but get the 
feeling that you think these people are

a major threat to us all maybe they are tom

if you'd come tonight you know what i mean 
there's so much resentment frustration

i tell you tom i'm not going to stand for it much 
longer what are you going to do i'll let you know

when i find out there are others who feel the same 
way as i do they feel the movement's going too far

i better get home before sally starts to 
worry we'll take you home thanks margaret

we need a man who needs me beyond politics 
who will get action on the issues that count

we need braxton fontaine we need the movement we 
need a better tomorrow vote fontaine boat movement

we are building a better world

that's me that's ernie i 
don't know anything i swear

plenty of time to get to the bottom of

this

how much do you think he knows it's quite 
likely he may know nothing it may be true

nevertheless i want you to 
give him a full treatment

a current situation is potentially explosive any 
additional information any will be vitally useful

is it that serious doctor 
we're not playing games anymore

anything can happen you do want to win don't you

i'm not sure if it means well i do

keeper 6 increase monitor function 
on prisoner 9 8 four are you okay

all right look you seemed in rough shape yesterday 
what's the warden up to anyway he wants blood

he doesn't seem to be convinced of my conversion 
he doesn't see how everything has come full circle

he doesn't care if i don't know anything he 
only wants some confessions something like that

1170 is acting up again you must have really 
been out of it not to have heard him last night

there's not much left of him he just screams about 
video screens and x-rays what do you think he sees

they're taking 1170 away

so

lloyd good to see you again how 
they've been treating you numbers 1170

don't you follow the rules huh keeps 
the mind sharp you know what i mean

ah damn i wonder how long we're gonna 
have to keep this up conditioning is

good for you that's just it i think we're 
being conditioned in more ways than one

all right you're not falling for 
the wardens rigmarole are you

you do want to be free don't you yes 
and you have to believe in the new world

come on lloyd you're putting 
me on i feel sorry for you 984

it seems you'll have a long tenure

those who don't believe will eventually 
perish from their own horrific visions

wait what's the matter with you

you have been seeing visions haven't you i 
feel sorry for you 984 i sincerely hope you

see the light louie what have they done to you 
prisoners assemble in the center of the yard

all except you

you're lucky you've been chosen 
they'll help you readjust

984 i got it all figured out do you hear me

i hear you you got what all figured out the 
reason 1170 said all those crazy things last night

and the reason they are putting him away 
why he mentioned something about the room

a big room where they help you readjust what else

what else

i think he's seen the outside

ah

ah

readjustment readjustment i want to 
change i want to i'm ready now take me

take me to the warden take me

then you'll regret you ever met me this is

congratulations that little 
outburst over armstrong

makes me think that you're coming along just fine

where are you sympathy for the fool

where is he he's a free man you can't 
bear the thought i've changed warden

you know i have fine performance fine just fine

you've been in jail all this time 
and you still play your games

i was i want to tell you that i've 
stopped playing games well i think

that would be a most unusual development don't 
you jeffries you think i can't remember the room

sit down please

please

now go on what about the room i remember 
being left alone the exercise yard one day

god knows how long ago i remember being led 
down a hallway by a guard and we entered in

an elevator it went down down down i remember 
thinking to myself how huge this place must be

what else do you remember you're bluffing western 
there was no room i think armstrong faked it

now what do you remember nothing i tire of you

no i swear there's nothing to remember i was only 
bluffing perhaps this will freshen your memory

come on what else do you remember i 
remember thinking how big this place is

this wasn't built just to hold prisoners 
was it please weston your memories

you will find out how big it was later

we entered a room there was a technician

he strapped me into a chair you're on the right 
track now let's not wander my hands were gloved

they must have been wired because i could feel 
a current what did you see nothing at first

then there were pictures then what happened i 
looked at them and i received a shock to my hands

what happened another picture was projected and 
came into the shop the next picture was with me

there was no shock next picture was

of a girl what was the girl's name i didn't say 
that charges conspiracy against dr fontaine again

i don't know are you

sure was the shaking what's 
shaking there was a tremor

just silence and darkness 
and i don't know i don't know

i don't know i don't know

and you don't remember anything else no

good very good mr weston has a very very very 
vivid imagination wouldn't you say so jefferies

well now that you've calmed down maybe we can 
continue do we really have to well i wouldn't

want to inconvenience mr weston by dragging 
him off to his cell and then dragging him

back again for our daily interrogation my 
god how many times do i have to tell you

i'm innocent how many times 
until you feel it from within

don't you miss the outside world

don't you wish you could see your 
friends they're waiting for you out there

don't you ever think about your wife or better 
still don't you ever think about your mistress

my dear mr weston

i'm sorry but there's no mistake

no

well i don't invent these 
figures i just analyzed them

well i can't tell you what to do but i can 
suggest a few options based on the probabilities

in the end you have to make the

decisions okay bye-bye

tom you haven't forgotten about 
the meeting have you no i haven't

good good it'll be worth your 
while trust me i'll see you

moment is then ladies and gentlemen

and remember when you vote for action 
fontaine you not only vote for me

what's the matter boys haven't 
had lunch well honey mr weston

wouldn't by any chance like to 
join up sure show me the clubhouse

i don't think i could stand the initiation you 
know i can't stand the taste of blood you'd take

this very lightly but when the social balance 
tips in favor of the world steps in favor of the

average man he will unite become the strongest 
individual the world has ever known i know

spare me the quotations i read content but 
that's one of the weaker parts by the way

surely

together

hello what are you doing i'm sitting 
in your car where can i let you off

i said where can i let you up i heard 
you i'm going wherever you're going

maybe i'm slow or something now correct me if 
i'm wrong but uh are you propositioning me of

course not obscurity is politically incorrect it 
takes energy away from far more important things

did you get that from the little manual you 
have there you should know you've read it you

haven't changed much have you never afraid to 
say things people don't want to hear you on the

other hand always say the expected it's always 
in the book stop it mr weston i expected that

look if you're trying to shock me you're wasting 
your time what is she like other than possessive

who are you talking about you would i'll 
say it again if you're trying to shock me

look i've decided not to talk about it what are 
you trying to find out anyway don't you have all

the answers in that little book there's still some 
questions i'm on the other side that's all you

need to know but look see no uh electro's embedded 
in the skull no faint hum of hidden machinery

nothing metallic to the skin i know 
what your hands feel like well well what

well this is where you get out

you seem preoccupied

perhaps i hit a nerve face it ward it's not 
much different out there than it ever was

what do you take me for some kind of an 
eccentric who's housed all of you here

for over 10 years in order to generate a few 
maniacal thrills who do you think i am a mirage

a stinking mirage on the country

you're going to find i'm very real

very real why don't you just 
kill me now once and for all

no no no no no

i simply want you to sign this 
confession what's this one say

you admit to everything and i've done nothing

now look weston

someone has to take the blame for all this

you've committed a crime a crime 
against all mankind renounce your past

make it worthwhile please please believe me 
there's a better world outside a far better world

sign you can be a part of it

all you want there's a signature there you have it

if you want something more

this isn't the way to do it

you're up to your old tricks again

it's very funny

you leave me no alternative but to 
introduce you to a new level of pain

got to get to the bottom of this somehow

you're taking this very calmly tom

fontaine for this top secret mission you won't 
be disappointed i swear these people are really

concerned they really are and they're willing 
to do something about it roland michael 8873-588

your friend thomas

well i've got some important 
people coming this afternoon

please be seated mr baxter you're in this surprise 
cloak and dagger never struck me as your style

it isn't but circumstances dictate differently 
michael next item is for you roland things at

our end are proceeding as planned those parts 
should be moving through your company sometimes

how many uh 25 identification uh x-ray machine 
guys good no chance of uh an accident oh no

they're not unfunctional and they'll stay that 
way until we get mr yamato's remote triggers

uh i hate to break this up but what 
the hell are you people talking about

oh haven't you i really had time mr weston uh 
tom as you are well aware i'm sure we face a

crisis point with our illustrious mr fontaine 
having gained such incredible ground we see a

move to disrupt uh the way things would be the 
way things ought to be this is strictly your

opinion mr weston we speak for all civilized 
interests we must take action immediately uh

before it's too late what kind of action well as 
you can see for yourself on the screen uh what

we're talking about just now uh the minotaur 
uh familiar with the portable nuclear device

still experimentalists at least as far as i 
thought you don't intend oh we don't intend

to do anything unless it's absolutely necessary 
our governments seem reluctant to be involved

which makes me question whom they really serve 
you know conflict of interest they don't want

to be caught in embarrassing situation it's all 
it's all left up to us you people are kidding

aren't you terrorism condoned by the 
government mr baxter you are joking

but you weren't playing with toys you could 
inadvertently start something far worse than what

you intend to stop reliable sources inside sources 
reports that dr fontaine and his starry-eyed

followers are entertaining the same idea tom 
we're reasonable men we're prepared to negotiate

but these people in the movement 
are not willing to step aside

we don't want to let this thing get out of hand 
and that's where you come in we need a man we can

trust now we have the equipment and the personnel 
but we need advice on the fine points oh yes like

where to put the damn things or where they can be 
strategically placed to make the best impact where

it can make the best impression you see western 
we want to end this damn thing before it begins

why are you so sure i can be trusted

your record speaks for itself

and we have witnesses

mr weston we are a determined group of 
individuals think about what this means

huh

but i suppose it was all in the line 
of duty don't misunderstand me i'm

not completely naive i just can't figure 
out how you can move in a bunch of idiots

like that i don't care about them 
i care about you okay a little more

i just want to straighten things out between us 
let me straighten you up i happen to love my wife

now return to reality and stop bouncing my mother 
sleep on it tom no need to make a hasty decision

we can talk about it tomorrow i just 
want to say that nothing has changed

tom is that what you want 
to tell me that you love me

yes tom what has gotten into you

i don't know i guess i thought this 
was the appropriate time to tell you

what a fool i can be something you're a person 
you're allowed to make mistakes look i'm not

perfect either but hey look that's not why we're 
together is it i mean because we thought we were

perfect

it's a crazy world

tell them i'm busy

no need to get up mr weston i don't 
believe i've had the pleasure mr uh back

i'm the new head of the personnel division 
i've been instructed to inform you of the new

regulations you see the company is undergoing 
some changes new regulations you're joking

please leave now before i 
throw you out i sure will

i came here to offer you the opportunity to make 
this work but you're taking it ever too lightly

tomorrow you may regret this move

who are you mary who is this man answer me

dr fontaine's personnel manager

call mr baxter for me he'll 
get to the bottom of this

okay

wake up

wake up wake up

i'm not finished with you not 
just yet wake up mr weston

what's going to happen to me

the same thing that happens to lloyd

go to hell don't you understand i want 
to end this just as much as you do

i have a report here it confirms your association 
with michael rowland he visited your home on april

7. what does that prove it proves you lied 
all along that's what it proves mr weston

i didn't even know there was an organization 
until until michael roland got you involved

now we're making some progress for once

just to be fair perhaps we should 
invite your old friend mr roland

to join our enlightening conversation 
and tell his side of the story

mr roland

well

it can't be

is it really you michael i'm so happy 
to see you have you seen margaret

i can't believe it's you how is how is it on 
the outside are you happy is everyone happy

michael tell him tell him i have nothing to do 
with the organization please mr roland i want

you to tell the truth who committed the crime 
who instigated who destroyed who is the enemy

i oh

this is insane

please tell them the truth

i don't understand

warden why is this happening to me

what

ugh

me

did you find anything

a thumb lock is jammed in section two 
we'll have to find spare parts but where

look warden shouldn't we 
tell weston about all this

maybe we can find others and start all over again

there are more important things to do than sitting 
around here beating him to death shut up we will

not shirk our responsibilities if we do all this 
becomes meaningless is that all you brought me

here copies of his latest entries

good

but it ends here

look you can tell by the scratch 
marks on the papers run out of ink

make a note to get him a new pen

what are you looking for

i'm waiting for the day that he admits 
admits to himself so you're certain that

he committed crimes against the movement 
don't be a fool he didn't commit anything

look at him he's frightened 
and confused lost the game

and why continue to play

because without the game what is there 
but a set of empty memories and dreams

but sir

we have won have we yes of course 
we have so why spoil the fun

it's a real education watching a 
man like him rise to the challenge

do you understand the challenge

i'm not sure i do no of course you don't

westin does

he understands

confessions denials torture i'm weary 
of the warden's limited repertoire

he distorts the truth until reality becomes 
so twisted that one doubts every thought

every memory i keep telling myself that i'm 
innocent but with each night come the nightmares

and with each morning comes doubt how many 
more times are we going to rake through my

past and then have him say i'm lying or 
hallucinating lies hallucinations truths

they don't exist anymore i haven't 
the strength to play anymore

all i want is to be with you alive 
in the world beyond these walls

goodbye

the bastard knew all along

he knew we were one step ahead of him

that's what kept him going

it's over weston

for all of us what do you mean

you figure it out

i'm not very good at explanations

what's going on you'll do one of your tricks

no no more tricks i promise

the camera is broken

you can't see us anymore

if you want to make a break 
for it you better do it now

watch out for the keepers he controls

them he controls everything

(Eerie Music)

(Loudspeaker Announcements)

(Dramatic Music)

(Dramatic Music)

(Room Hum)

a free man. you can't bear the thought. you're lucky. you've been chosen.

find out how big it was later

(Dramatic Music)

No

he's taken this for too long

984, i've got it all figured out 
i think he's seen the outside

(Crying)

I've got it figured out

coming home i'm coming home

i'm coming home i'm coming home

(Commotion)

jeffries i have a great idea why 
don't we phone a couple of ladies and...

don't be a fool you'll never survive

please listen to me jeffrey i i didn't 
mean to i there was no other way

he would have gone mad

it was the humane thing to do

jeffreys why don't we make some new 
tapes we'll have a parade tomorrow

the men will like that. everyone loves

a parade.

(Marching Band Music)

don't you miss the outside world my dear mr weston

(Wind)

(Dramatic Music)