Creature of the Walking Dead (1965) - full transcript

The insurmountable

quest of scientists

has been to answer

the unanswerable.

Question the unknowable and

delve into the black regions

of darkness which surround the

mysteries that make up the small

world within man's limited

perception.

Is the world real? The thought

essentially a true reflection

or merely an illusion, brought

about by a mind separate

from the ultimate reality?

Thus, is the question of man.

In the year of discovery, 1881,

when science had found the first

leaves in the great volumes that

were to follow, Dr. John Malthus

my father's father, had not only

sired a son, but had undertaken

of himself the fleeting dream of

medical men, from his day and

before, down to my own. That of

producing everlasting life.

In a dark house and laboratory,

that would one day be inherited

by me, Dr. Malthus pondered

through the long hours of night

over beakers containing the

fluid of life.

Life, that to him, indicated one

thought alone, that it should be

continuous... and never ending.

(scream and dog barking)

(dogs barking)

(moaning)

(loud knocking at door)

Take a lot of abuse to whittle

that down very much. (Laughs)

My friend, you'll never know the

amount of abuse undertaken to

get it there in the first place

(laughs)

He's right, Inspector. That's,

uh, some kapoosis you've got

there. It's a good thing it

wasn't you instead of Dr.

Malthus up on the gallows. I

doubt if they'd of found a rope

large enough to carry out the

job.

Your humor overwhelms me, Mr.

Sims. I hope you can put it to

use in your own behalf the next

time your wife requests one of

my sergeants deliver you from

the floor of one of your

- favorite taverns.

- But your sergeant and I see

eye to eye, Inspector. Don't

forget, a policeman can't have

- too many friends.

- I won't forget.

Now that it's over, have you any

regrets? I mean in the way you

- handled the case.

- I never have any regrets when

justice is served. Justice is

part of my job. Even if it gets

- distasteful, ever so often.

- Well, it was short and sweet.

The slate looks clean. However,

I think the doctor was

responsible for a lot more

crimes than many of you

officials gave him credit for.

Hmmph, but you can only hang a

a man once. In his case, the

penalty happened to be too light.

Tell us, Mr. Detective, what you

might have uncovered that the.

- Inspector here didn't?

- Well, take my sister-in-law

for instance. Those gifts she

was receiving in the post,

the smelling water and the silk

things. Oh, she swore she didn't

know who was sending them and I

believe her.

- So.

- Well, just what would you make

- of it.

- Well, did you encourage her to

- keep these things?

- Certainly not. They're the

type of articles you'd find in

a brothel.

How exactly would you identify

your sister-in-law? In relation

to women? That is, women

connected with a brothel.

(laughs) I wouldn't identify her

at all in that respect.

But you automatically identified

Dr. Malthus with the whole

- business. On what grounds?

- I know what you're thinking.

It's a bit of a temptress in

every women and I suppose you're

right, but, well it takes a

certain caliber of man to bring

it out. And there's only one, uh

correction, there was only one

- of that kind around here.

- I take it you hold Malthus

responsible for about every

crime we've had lately.

Well, what about those

incidences that happened in.

Holmbly a couple of years ago,

involving three different women?

Now they never did come up with

anything in the way of evidence,

- did they?

- Mr. Sims, how many crimes were

written off long ago, as due to

a physical cause and nothing

more? Never should have been

referred to as crimes at all.

Aah, but the deaths were

attributed to something other

than 'natural' causes, weren't

they? I'll bet they didn't even

bother to find if they had any

blood left in them. We're just a

- bit late for that now.

- It's a bit late to pin it on

- the doctor, too.

- Oh, as I said, you can only

- hang him once.

- Ha, ha. Sounds like you'd like

to have a hanging once a week.

Ha, ha.

Eh, you know Inspector, I've

somehow had the feeling that you

sympathize with Malthus. I still

feel that way.

Don't confuse sympathy, Mr.

Sims, with fear. That's right,

I said fear. The insecurity of

those who come in contact with

something they cannot

rationally understand.

I imagine the scars go deep for

those on the inside of it.

Aah, it's always difficult to

keep a proper perspective when

dealing with a basic criminal

mind. However, there is little

difference in the prosecution

of one who seeks to destroy.

Whether it be physically or in a

more subtle manner.

Are you referring to a state of

mind or the realm beyond our

- comprehension?

- In my opinion, the two are

inseparable. Only that the

degree of comprehending the

so-called mysteries of life,

varies in each individual.

Surely, you don't believe a man

can possess supernatural powers?

I'd say that one could have a

superior understanding of what

is. He therefore, is capable of

exercising many things.

You know something that never

came out in the papers and got

my curiosity aroused, was the,

the length of time. That is,

how long was he actually

involved with these experiments?

Why I know of three or four

people who were going to his

office right up to the time of

his arrest.

Uh, we don't know when he

actually started. A lot of us

would like to.

It's a pity, I'd say, that a man

like Dr. Malthus got into such

deep water in the first place.

He was a good doctor. Seemed

dedicated, too. Many's the time

that he came at midnight and

even later when Jenny was

ailing.

Well, maybe she didn't have the

type of blood he was looking for.

Well, all the same, he's going

to be difficult to replace.

- Even though he did go balmy.

- Ah, it's a good question to be

raised about the extent of his

condition.

- Do you think he wasn't insane?

- Well, he refused to be

examined by all the court

physicians. Perhaps that's, uh,

- explanation in itself, hmm?

- Well, here's one, imagine he

wanted to be hanged. Now, no man

would ask for that, crazy or not.

He made no effort whatsoever,

to do anything about his guilt.

- Could be his conscience.

- Ha. Oh, that's one thing we

established quite firmly. Dr.

Malthus didn't feel himself

guilty at all. He believed

himself absolutely justified

- in everything he carried out.

- You still question the fact

whether he was balmy or not. Ho,

ho, Inspector, I'm surprised.

Oh, to be honest, I'm a little

surprised myself. So it seems

were many others. All those that

involved themselves to the

extent of seeing really inside

the case. There was much to be

observed once you got beneath

the surface. How old do you

- think Dr. Malthus was?

- Oh, I don't know. Thirty,

- thirty-three maybe.

- We uncovered the fact that it

was twenty-seven years ago that

he graduated from medical school.

Now that means he'd been

practicing here for at least

twelve. Matter of fact, I was

still a sergeant when he first

- lanced a carbuncle on my neck.

- You know, my wife Jenny used

to say the doctor always looked

so young. You, you're turning

into an old man but the doctor

looks so young.

Hmmph, she wasn't the only one

to notice.

And you honestly believe that

these, his experiments with

bloodlines gave him some sort of

a fountain of youth?

Well, I don't know what's

possible and what isn't.

A policeman looks for facts and

lets the experts do the uh,

analyzing. In the case of Dr.

Malthus, why, uh, the facts

unfortunately, are still in that

laboratory somewhere.

The reports and his notes and

such haven't been seen by any

of us. His family absolutely

refuses to let anybody in the

house and we have no legal

right to search it.

I'd say a lot of those doctors

would like to take a look.

Hmm, you can bet on it. They all

agree on one thing. Malthus was

a most unusual man. He had

secrets that perhaps none of us

could believe possible. Whether

or not there was any good in

them, is a question for the

scientists. And it will take the

best of them. Ha, ha. As far as

I'm concerned, it's a question

that even the best of them,

probably, will never be able to

answer.

Thank you.

(phone rings) Oh, I'll get it.

Hello, Beth. This is Janie at

the office. Doctor's been

completely tied up with

appointments since morning and

it looks like a full house for

the rest of the day. He asked

me if I'd please call his

fiancee for him and explain

that due to his heavy schedule,

which you'd surely understand,

he can't make dinner at your

house tonight.

(laughs) Yes, yes. How well I

know. But you'd better get used

to it if you want to marry a

doctor. Actually, the papers

just came through on the house

he inherited. His aunt's

attorney recorded the deed

yesterday and he plans to look

over the rooms tonight, right

after he makes a house call.

Don't ask me. He wants to see it

tonight.

The feeling of a cold, deathless

wave of something unnatural

seemed to reach out from the

very beginning.

This, the house of Malthus, was

his house. And his presence in

it was unmistakable.

(thunder claps)

(police whistle)

(moan of pain)

- It's not possible.

- Possible.

Fool. Miser. Coward.

You haven't the

strength to take life.

I'll teach you of it. Mine, you

see is immortal.

- (sigh) Where is he?

- I'm sorry miss. I don't know

when the doctor will be back. If

he wasn't expecting you, perhaps

it would be best to leave a

message. He went after blood

plasma or something like that, I

think.

Beth had become concerned over

my behavior of secrecy and I

knew an explanation to her was

something I had to face up to.

She was greatly disturbed with

my sudden attitude of aloofness,

as she put it. And wanted a

precise answer to her flat

accusation that I was no longer

interested in her and our plans

for marriage. In realizing that

a woman's concept of any unusual

circumstances is generally ruled

by the emotional scream of

reaction, and in Beth's case,

would be considerably more than

average. I knew it would be

asking for unnecessary problems

and possible disastrous

complications if I would reveal

any inkling of the situation I

have become involved in.

Beth's reasoning, that I had

gotten myself preoccupied

to the degree that I had

forgotten my social obligations

to her family, as well as to

herself, was valid enough.

And I found it most difficult

to explain away my actions in

such a way as to be convincing.

And at the same time, find the

real nature of what had been

consuming the majority of my

hours inside the laboratory,

that only I knew existed beyond

the upstairs library. The fact

that I had begun to act in this

mysterious manner, since moving

into the house, was interpreted

by Beth as a bad omen. Not only

for the present but in regard to

our life together after

marriage. She felt assured that,

in some way, the house itself

was to blame and could never

become a place of happiness.

I've merely pointed out that in

the years that were to come,

all talk of omens, good or bad,

would long be forgotten.

Dr. Malthus had found himself in

an environment, that to him,

would, without doubt, bring

about the final, complete

success of his long-awaited

experiments. His delight over

modern day apparatus had brought

such optimism that he flatly

stated that the time was fast

approaching in which he would

have the answer to his problem

of blood separation. And soon

would provide a continuous

supply of cells that inherently

would never break down within

the body, no matter what the

circumstances. These would, in

turn, provide each organ with

the necessary nourishment to

regrow themselves perpetually.

As a scientist, I was of course,

greatly intrigued.

Beth had assumed a new attitude,

and somehow convinced herself

that a doctor involved deeply in

the many problems of research

should be viewed with a great

emphasis upon patience and

understanding. Even to her

mother, who was beginning to

doubt the sincerity of my

intentions. Beth persisted in

the defense of that in which,

even though she knew nothing of

the details, she felt was a

legitimate and necessay part

of my medical probings. As fate

would have it, the time arrived

when the first real clue to my

actions would be heard

first-hand.

The visitor was a colleague of

mine, Dr. Clinton Bernard, who

had for years worked side by

side with me at the hospital in

which we both devoted two days a

week to the charity patients.

Dr. Bernard felt uneasy about

his visit and wanted to

apologize in advance for

bringing news that was not only

unpleasant but perhaps, a breach

of faith that is held so highly

by those in our profession. In

coming to Beth at this time,

Dr. Bernard hoped that the two

of them could, in some way,

derive upon a plan that would

influence me to the realization

that my entire medical career

was in jeopardy via the

circumstances he had become

aware of.

He told Beth, quite frankly,

that I have been observed on

two occasions inside the

hospital lab, during the hours

in which everything is normally

dark and such entrance is

strictly forbidden by anyone

in the hospital employ.

It was found that several vials

of rarest drug combinations

were missing from the shelf. And

also a great amount of plasma.

And pure blood had been taken

from the refrigerated vaults in

in which very few individuals

had access to.

But Beth was conservative in

her evaluation of what she heard

and was relieved that Dr.

Bernard had come to her instead

of the authorities.

Her faith in me was admired by

Dr. Bernard but unfortunately

not shared. As one who had not,

himself, actually seen the act

of theft taking place, there

was little doubt in his mind as

to who was responsible.

Beth promised that she would

take definate action at the

earliest possibility in

relieving all suspicion, that to

her mind were not at all

justified.

Don't turn on the light.

- What's wrong?

- I've begun to age. You weren't

fast enough with the blood

supply.

- I have it.

- Your plasma compounds are no

use to me. Did you get it in

the natural state?

- No.

- Idiot. Poor, weak fool.

I should let you die.

( Car honking)

Doctor, Doctor. Doctor, wake up,

Doctor, Doctor.

Malthus. Malthus.

(screaming)

(knock at door)

(knock at door)

- So what do you make of it, Ed?

- I don't know.

Could be a simple case of

elopement. Could be those people

reported it to the police,

overplayed everything.

Then again, all this hullabaloo

in the papers could be legit.

Ah, but the trouble with the

papers, they always play every

story to the hilt. Always go the

same route.

Well, I double-checked every

crank call that came in last

night. Especially those out of

the Hancock Park area. Nothing.

Did get one though that kind of

made me sit up and do a double-

- take.

- Oh.

Well, it's the kind of a thing

you'd throw me out of the office

- for.

- Well come on, let's hear it.

Look Ed, I don't want to wake

your ulcer this early in the

morning. Ed, it probably has

nothing to do with the

disappearance of the Benson

girl anyway, even if it did turn

- out to be more than a crank.

- Sergeant, I've been running

this office for a long time.

When someone digs into the

crank file, I know what to

expect. Now let's hear it.

All right. I got a call from a

woman. Now she claimed that she

saw some character drag a girl

off, down the street. The time

was exactly right and it was

smack in the center of Hancock.

- Park.

- And you call this a crank call?

Right. Because that's not the

whole story.

- Oh.

- Well Ed, she claimed that,

she claimed the guy didn't look

human somehow. She claimed he

was some sort of a monster, a

vampire.

- A vampire.

- Ed, I told you...

All right, Sergeant, all right.

I asked for it and I got it.

Boy, the trouble with this job

is ya grab at straws and you

come up with broken fingernails.

So what did you come up with at

the house? Any leads on her

- parents? A boyfriend maybe.

- Well, we located the employer

through her paycheck. I sent

Richards over there to check out

some of the girls who might

have worked with her.

(phone rings)

Lieutenant Jamison. Yeah,

Richards. Uh, huh.

Right. Ok, I got it. Yeah, you

stay with her. Bye.

- So.

- Well, there was no particular

boyfriend, so that rules out the

elopement angle. But, uh, I want

to talk to that woman. The one

who claims she saw that vampire.

Bring her in. I want to talk to

her.

- Why, what did he turn up?

- Well, one of the girlfriends

from work went to church with

her last night and before they

went home in opposite

directions, she claims she saw a

figure behind some trees. But

she thought it was a teenage

prank because of the face mask.

You know, one of those monster

- faces.

- What time was that?

About 10:15. What time did you

make it?

- Right around 10:30.

- Uh, huh.

You know, Ed, it sounds as if,

it sounds as if he'd almost gone

- there to wait for her.

- Who were the officers who made

- the call?

- Delaney and Fisk.

Now they ran a patrol around the

entire circumference of Hancock.

Park between 10:40 and 11:00.

They double-checked with the

patrolman on duty on the

grounds. He'd just gone on his

shift but he told them that the

man before him had reported

everything was quiet. You know

there's no possible place to

park around there. There's none

permitted. None for miles around.

Now that would pretty well rule

out the possibility that uh, she

was dragged off in a car,

wouldn't it?

Then maybe she's still in the

neighborhood.

What, in a house a few blocks

from her own apartment? You'd

have to be a nut to pulll a

stunt like that.

Well, who else would wear a

face mask?

Well, anyway you look at it,

kidnapping isn't what the well

balanced citizen would

participate in for sport.

- Right. (Phone rings)

- Lieutenant Jamison.

Well, how long's she been

waiting?

All right, all right. Send her

in. I'll talk to her.

No, stick around. Let's see

what this one has to say.

Come in.

Uh, won't you have a chair,

Miss...

- I'm Mrs. Vernon.

- Mrs. Vernon.

- Mrs. Roger Vernon.

- Well, Mrs. Vernon, what uh,

- what can I do for you?

- Well, I really didn't want to

bother you and I still don't

know if my coming here might not

be in haste. But, after reading

the morning paper about this

poor Benson girl's disappearance

well, I thought it would be best

- under the circumstances.

- You uh, know something about

- the Benson girl?

- No, I'm afraid not. It's just

that it touched off a wave of

fear about my maid.

Well, what is it you fear about

your maid?

Well, it seems she's also

disappeared. You see, she's been

missing for several days. And

at first I told myself that

whatever she did was her own

business. And except for my

being without help, well, I

shouldn't interfere in her

private doings. Even if I did

feel they were a little strange.

- Strange.

- Well, I thought it was

somewhat unusual when several

nights ago, she told me she was

going to see a doctor she knew

to donate blood for some kind of

transfusion. Well, it sounded

odd but then she seemed to know

him quite well and had been

doing part-time work for him in

exchange for medical bills or

something.

Now don't misunderstand me. I

don't in any way believe the

doctor has done something wrong

or anything like that. It's just

that, I'm frankly concerned that

she may not have gotten there.

You see, she left late at night

without even changing into her

street clothes.

And didn't she uh, pack

anything, a suitcase?

Well, I've told you. She was

wearing the uniform she works in.

She put on a coat and went out

the door.

I see. Well, we'll look into it

for you, Mrs. Vernon. Uh, uh,

just give me the name of the

doctor she went to see uh,

- please.

- Well, I, I wish I knew. If I

did, I would have called him

myself.

Hmmph. All right then uh, will

you kindly give us some

information about her, name,

age, family. We'll start with

the address. So, I assume that

she had a room with you.

Yes, she did. Our address is 409

Elmwood Lane, north center of

the Hancock Park district.

Give it up, Malthus. Malthus,

you can't get away with it.

Malthus, listen to me. I know

what you plan to do. I've read

your notes. But what you have

in mind will never work.

Sure, you have three people now

and you require a total of four,

so you think. But the blood

types won't mix the way you

think they will. Malthus, you

can't just lock people up as if

they were animals. When are you

going to stop? You monster! You

monster! Monster!

Taking over my identity had

provided everything necessary.

And every facility to ensure the

successful propagation of his

continued fortune.

A ready made life was his to

step inside of.

When a definate date had

actually been made for the

wedding, even Beth's mother was

happier than she had been in

years. Everything seemed in

perfect order until Beth

wondered why a scarf should be

worn indoors.

Martin, what is it!

Let us touch our hands lightly

upon the table. And concentrate

fully on the forces that will

bring help to each individual

present this evening.

Let us pool our strength and

our vibrations so that each one

may concentrate his mind

completely and without

reservation into the one channel

of harmony that will lead us

into the realms of ether.

Let us put our minds into the

one channel and our bodily

vibrations into one unified

force.

Let us concentrate with our

being. With all our thought

power.

Until it is directed toward the

one point of combined strength

and harmony that will allow us

penetration into the realms

beyond.

I believe the current is forming

in which our minds may travel

upon.

May we have the first question

please?

I'd like to know if it's

possible to locate three missing

documents pertaining to the

estate of my uncle? It seems he

was the only one who knew where

the documents were hidden. Can I

- have some information on this?

- We will try.

Something is wrong with our

channel. I don't get anything

- at all.

- Maybe I'm trying too hard.

No, it's not you. But we're

being blocked.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't hear

you come in.

We'll have to start again in a

few moments.

- I'm glad you came.

- I had a radio call to come.

But, I didn't expect anything

quite like this. Frankly, I'm a

- bit surprised.

- Won't you sit down?

- Thank you.

- I telephoned your captain and

explained what we're doing here.

Have you had a talk with him

- about it?

- No, I tried to call him a few

minutes ago but he wasn't in.

The desk clerk at the hotel told

me where I'd find you and he

gave me a message from the

- captain. You mind?

- No, go right ahead.

Tell me, do you have any new

information on your maid?

- Not yet.

- Well then, why did you call?

Well, aren't you curious about

what you've seen here?

Mrs. Vernon, when I'm told to go

to a place, I go. I've seen a

lot of peculiar things in my

life but, I try not to let my

personal opinions interfere with

the job.

What is your opinion of this

group here tonight?

Well, I really don't think

that's important, do you?

I've only been doing this sort

of thing a short time.

I attended a few sessions as a

sitter and one of the best

mediums in the country, told me

that I would be able to do

exactly the same as herself,

if I'd work at it. Now, I

certainly don't claim to know

everything there is to know

about it. But, I've already met

with a certain degree of success.

Well I'm very glad to hear that,

Mrs. Vernon.

I was able to get a vision of

Freda. Now it was only

fragmentary but I saw her locked

up, behind bars of steel.

Now Mrs. Vernon, I'd think we'd

know if she was in jail

- somewhere, vision or no vision.

- Well I didn't say I saw her in

jail. But, definately inside

some kind of cage or cell.

Well, it was Freda I saw, I'm

certain of it.

Now, I don't know how you saw

what you say you saw. Or if in

fact, you saw anything at all.

I think some kind of a scientist

would be better qualified to

discuss that with you anyway.

What I am interested in is some

information on your maid.

Some information based in fact

and some information that I can

follow up on an intelligent

basis.

Are you familiar with the work

being done in Europe by mediums

connected with police

departments?

Yes, I've heard a little about

it.

Well, there was a case in

Holland where the criminal was

found within ten hours after the

search began.

Yes, you're talking about the

uh, Sebastian murder. Yes, there

was a good deal of noise about

that.

I'm also aware that the wire

services tend to pick up a story

like that and capitalize on it

if they can. Unfortunately, they

tend to play up those items that

are hottest in news value and to

play down the routine matters

that are a little bit dull by

comparison.

I'm not completely familiar with

the Dutch police or all of their

procedures. But, I'm sure that

this medium was not the only

factor that brought the killer

in.

Well, I think you'd find it

interesting if you went a little

deeper into what actually

happened.

You see, the police had only

one clue to go on. A button that

was torn off the shirt of the

murderer.

Yes, and then the medium went

into some kind of a trance and

- described the murderer, right?

- A full and factual description.

It was unusual because the man

was something of a giant,

- 6 foot, 7 or so.

- Now they have mug books over

there, the same as we have over

here. And how long do you think

it would take any police

department to filter out all of

the suspects that are 6 foot 7?

If you remember the case, that

man turned out to have a

criminal record as long as your

- arm.

- So you'll just admit it, it

was really based upon the

medium's work and nothing else.

Well how could they know to look

for a man of those proportions

- without the information?

- I don't know Mrs. Vernon,

I've told you I'm only vaguely

familiar with the case.

I'm really not interested in it.

What I am interested in

is some information on your

maid. Now do you have some for

- me or don't you?

- Well I told you I haven't,

- not yet.

- Then that's the way I'll

write it in my report.

Miss. Wake up.

Wake up! You're the only one

who can reach the keys.

Try it.

- I need you now.

- All right.

(scream)

Life. Life.

Life. Life. Life. Life.

You fools. Eternal, never-ending

life. Life. I have the answer.

Eternal life. Eternal life. I

have the answer. Life. Life...