Zombie (1979) - full transcript

These subtitles are intended for the
1h31m49s / 23.976 fps version of the video

The boat can leave now.

Tell the crew.

Chopper 1 to Headquarters.

Chopper 1 to Headquarters.
We got a sailboat on a collision course...

with just about every boat in the harbor.

Where's it at, chopper 1?
- Just off Staten Island.

It was almost run down by the ferry.

We can't raise anyone on board.

Okay, Chopper 1.
We'll send out a patrol boat.

- That must be it, Bill.
- Okay. We'll take a look at her.



Chopper 1 to Headquarters.

The Harbor Patrol's coming
alongside the sailboat now.

Ahoy there! This is the Harbor Patrol.

Anyone on board?

Hey, Sarge, that boat's abandoned.

Yeah, she looks abandoned.

The only question is, why?

Hey, if she is, Marty,

we stand to make a nice little bonus
when we bring her in.

Yeah. Let's get over there and check.

Bring her up alongside.

Chopper 1 to Headquarters.
Chopper 1 to Headquarters.

This is Headquarters. Come in, Chopper 1.

The Harbor Patrol is about to board now.
Still no sign of life.



Skipper of that craft
must be a real turkey.

Hey, watch out for the sail!

Huh? What?

What the hell's going on?

I'm sorry. The winch is broken.

I'll fix the sail.

You go below and look around.
- Okay.

Don't move.

Stay where you are, mister.
Throw your hands on the deck there.

I told you not to move!

I mean it!

One more step, and I'm gonna blast you.
Now, freeze where you are.

Don't move, I said.

Don't move!

Yeah. Yeah.
Where did they find this abandoned boat?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, I'll put someone on it.
The boys in blue been there yet?

Thanks for the information.
You're a sweetheart.

Get West in here.

I didn't see- Hello, Jeff.
- Peter, the chief wants you.

Right. Thanks. See ya.
Uh-huh. Okay.

What can I do for you, Chief?
Sit down.

Are you busy now, limey?
- Uh- That depends.

I'm giving you an assignment.

Get over to- What did she say? Ah.

Pier 15.There's a story there.

Is it something big?

Hmm. Boat without anyone on it. Cop killed.

Poke around a bit.
See what you can find. You know.

Okay. I'll let you know.

Uh, West.

Keep the British out of your prose, huh?

Don't take advantage of the fact
your uncle bought the paper.

As if I would.

The Harbor Patrol launch is leaving now.

All right, folks, there's nothing to see.
- What about the body?

It's down to the chief medical
examiner's office for the autopsy.

Lady, step back, will you, please?

All right, back, back!
You there, back over there.

Come on! Back through the gate.
There's nothing to see.

Well, Miss Bowles, we're waiting.

Yes. It's my father's boat.

Where's your father now?

I don't know.
Actually, I was hoping you could tell me.

I haven't heard from him in over a month.

I see.

And how long since you last spoke to him?

Uh, three months.

When he set sail for the Antilles
to join some friends.

The Antilles?

Will someone please tell me
what the hell's going on?

We already have.

Man hiding on his boat- which was adrift-
killed a member of the Coast Guard.

Yeah, but... my father, where is he?

I mean, what's happened to him?

That's just what we'd
like to know, Miss Bowles.

Sorry to get you
down here at this hour.

I really can't understand
why they're in such a hurry.

I really can't understand myself.

The D.A.'s office phoned twice
before you arrived, Doc.

Well, let's get it over with.

Have you-
Have you already examined him?

Yeah. I made one or two notes.

In my opinion, the death of the poor bastard
was caused by a massive hemorrhage...

due to a huge laceration of the jugular.

Hmm.

Do you have a hypothesis
for the cause of this injury?

Take a look at these edges.

To me it's quite obvious
what caused it.

There appear to be clear indications
of one or more bites.

Look carefully.

Pass me the scalpel.

I wouldn't be able to cut my way
through tissue paper with that,

let alone Carly out an autopsy.

Take better care
of your instruments, James.

Yes, Doctor.

Don't scream. Don't scream.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

My name is Peter West, and I'm a reporter.

I'm gonna take my hand away,
and you're not gonna scream, okay?

Mm-hmm.
- Okay.

I'm sorry if I frightened you.

But if I hadn't done that,
you'd have screamed for sure,

and our friend up there
would have been onto both of us.

Who are you, and what are you
doing on my father's boat?

I've already told you.
My name's West, and I'm a reporter.

I've been following you all afternoon.

How clever. Professional curiosity?

Well, the police version
doesn't convince me,

and I guess it doesn't
convince you either.

Otherwise you wouldn't be here.

What, uh-
What were you looking for?

You've got a hell of a nerve,
you know that?

You're not so bad yourself.

Oh, please.
Let me put it this way.

I've got some information.
You've got some information.

So why don't we just throw it together
and see what we can come up with?

'Cause I think I've already found
what you're looking for.

What do we do now?

Well, I've got an idea,
but, uh, I'm gonna need your help.

Unless, of course, you want
to be explaining to some judge...

what you were doing on board your
father's boat in the middle of the night.

Now, just do what I tell you, okay?

Okay.
Good. Come on.

Hey, what the hell's go-

Oh! Oh.

Oh.

Don't give me
the same old story.

Well, actually, Officer,
uh- Same old story, huh?

This is all your fault.
You realize that, don't you?

It was his idea, not mine.

Well, listen to her, Miss
Goody Two-shoes.

It wasn't her fault.
It was all my idea.

Well, whose idea was it to have
a romantic setting down by the water?

I'd have settled for an empty boxcar.

Oh, no. Never again.
Not another boxcar.

Yeah, well, she takes after her mother.
They're both bananas.

You leave my mother out of this!

She's crazy, and you know it.
- Enough of this.

- Both of you, get out of here.
- Okay, Officer. Okay. Anything you say.

Come on, sweetie pie.

Good night, Officer.

Yeah. Out of my sight.

Good night.

“To my daughter Anne,
in case anything should happen to me.

Due to my morbid curiosity, I have
managed to contract a strange disease,

and they're taking care of me
as if I were some sort of guinea pig.

But I know I'll never leave this
island again, at least not alive.

I haven't been a good father, but I have
always loved you. One last kiss from Dad. ”.

Matool. And it's dated 15 September.

Listen, Chief. You know, I'm sure there's
some connection that ties this all together.

Well, her father, the disease he mentions,

the boat and the guy
that got killed as well.

Yeah, well, it's her idea to go.

Okay, Chief, fine.

Oh, yeah, and, Chief,
you'll, um- you'll fix the tickets, okay?

Thanks. You're beautiful.

I think it's three hours.
- Yeah.

If it's on schedule,
we should arrive in St. Thomas-

Flight 782-
- Was that us?

For St. Thomas and the Dominican Republic.
Passengers have time to-

Let's go.

No, no, no, no, no. I'll do it.

You lead the way, hmm?

Transit service to Colorado
Springs, Denver and Kansas City...

is now ready for immediate
departure at Gate 4-B.

All aboard please. This is your final call.

John Berry, dial 228. John Berry, dial 228.

Do you wanna check on the boat first
or shall we go straight to the hotel?

I don't know. Whatever you think.

Senator, do you know anyone
who can rent us a boat?

Boat, senator?

I'm sorry.
Not easy here to find boat.

We want to go to Matool.
It's very important.

I'm willing to pay whatever it costs.

Just now
I remember something, señor.

This morning,
a friend of mine, he say...

two Americans,
they cruise the islands.

That's his boat.

Last one at edge of jetty.

Maybe they take you. You ask.

Fine.
- Gracias.

Thanks.

Pedro not help you good, señor?

Oh, sure. Yes.

There you are. Thanks again.
- Gracias Gracias.

Extra water. Store it in the galley.

Aye, aye, sir.

Ahoy there.

Hi.

Hi yourself.
Hi. How you doing?

I am Peter West, and this is Anne Bowles.

Susan Barrett.

And you're talking to Brian Hull.

You wouldn't be looking for a boat ride?

We would. We hear you're going
on a tour of the islands.

Yeah, a little cruise.
Two months of fishing, bathing and sunshine.

Well, we have to go to Matool.

We're trying to locate Anne's father.

She hasn't heard from him for some time.

Matool.

That's not a cool place to head.

Natives claim it's cursed.
They avoid it like the plague.

We have to go there all the same.

And you want a ride from us.

If that's possible.

Any experience with boats?

Uh-huh.

And the lady?

I was born on a boat.

Okay, Peter.

We'll have to load more supplies.
You pay your share.

Deal?
A deal.

Step on board. Here.

Look, I'll warn you right now.

Don't expect us to come sightseeing
once we get there.

I found it never pays to ignore
native superstitions.

This is Matool, calling Guadalupa 1.

Matool calling Guadalupa 1.

Come in, Guadalupa.

This is Dr. Menard calling Guadalupa 1.

Menard calling Guadalupa 1.

Come in, Guadalupa 1.

Still no luck?

No. I-

I'm afraid it's useless to go on trying.

Then we're cut off
from the rest of the world.

Well, not hardly.

No, darling, I wouldn't say that.

I want to leave this damn island,
right now.

Well, you can't right now.

The radio isn't working.

How convenient for you.

I wouldn't be surprised
if you broke it on purpose.

You're tired.

Go to hell!

David.

Are you going out?
I have to go to the hospital.

Have they found another one?

They have, haven't they?

Tell the truth.
Now, calm down.

Where did they find it this time?

You really mustn't drink
so much, my darling.

I asked you a question.

They're on the other side of the island.

When will they reach this side? Tell me.

Now I really think you ought to rest.
We'll talk about it later.

There's really no need
to agitate yourself so much.

I hate you.

No.

You don't know what you're saying.

Oh, you'd like to be able
to pass me off as crazy.

Apart from- from a handful
of superstitious natives,

I'm the only one
who knows what you're doing.

And don't think
I'm going to keep my mouth shut.

I'm going to tell everyone...

that you're the one who's crazy,

demented, cruel, evil-

I'll be at the hospital.

Hospital.

You still see yourself as the scientist
you once were, don't you?

Well, you're-you're not.

You're no better than one
of their witch doctors.

Just stop it!

My research is-
- Research!

You call fooling around with superstitions
and voodoo rites research?

You know perfectly well
that the work I'm doing is very important.

And I wouldn't be here ifit wasn't!
- I don't give a damn!

I don't want to stay
on this island one more hour.

Yet you won't be happy
until I meet one of your zombies.

Now, look,

as soon as I've understood
the phenomenon, we'll leave.

I don't believe you.

I don't believe anything you say anymore!

Miguel.

Miguel.

Si, senator?
- I have to go to the hospital.

So make sure nobody comes
near the house, all right?

Si senator.
Miguel guard. Doctor no worry.

Nobody.
- Si, senator.

We sure were lucky to find you two.
You can say that.

We're sure not having the same kind of
luck trying to find your island for you.

We should be somewhere around here, right?
- More or less, yeah.

But according to the map,

there are no islands for the next 50 miles.
Not necessarily true.

So many islands around here,
that a lot have never even been charted.

Like the last couple we saw.
They're not on any chart. It's all hit-and-miss.

We could spend a month out here.
- Like looking for a needle in a haystack.

- You don't want to go back, do you?
- No, no, no.

No, we'll find Matool. That's a promise.

Hey, now, look,
don't go counting on us forever.

Don't forget. We're on vacation.

Brian.

Let's stop for a while.
I wanna take some shots. How about it?

Come on.
It looks fantastic down below.

Okay.

Look! Over there.

See?

Yeah. That's another island.

Maybe we're in luck at last.

Who's to say that that isn't Matool?

Brian, help!

There's a shark! Help!

Christ! It's gonna attack her.
Hurry!

I'm going back down!

- There was a man down there.
- What?

- There was a man.
- A man?

He's over here, Doctor.

I don't think he'll last till the morning.

What shall I do?

Take him into the sacristy.

I don't want the others to see him.
There's no need to alarm them.

Tie him down securely.

Doctor! Doc!

Doctor, everybody-
everybody leaving now.

Quiet. Quiet, please.

Nurse, look after that patient.

Doctor, the natives leaving village.

Everybody go. What do we do?

Huh?

Talk about it outside.

Well, what happened?
- I don't know.

Here in village is
great trouble and commotion.

It's the juju man. The new one.

He's speaking plenty. He seem to be
possessed by all the devils in hell.

How ridiculous.

Doctor, the natives are plain crazy.

They run all over village.

They pick up their possessions.
They disappear.

Where did they go?

They're going inland.

They're making voodoo, I think.
- Voodoo.

Voodoo won't solve anything.
- But, Doctor-

They're afraid.
They are much afraid, these people.

You too.

You're afraid, aren't you, Lucas?

This is all right, Brian.

Give her two or three feet
of slack and then tie her up.

Doctor. Dr. Menard.

What?

What's wrong?

Matthias.

Matthias? Matthias what?

He's-

He's-

Oh, why don't you say it.
You afraid to say it? Huh?

It's not that. I don't believe in voodoo.

No, I don't believe in voodoo either,
but the natives around here do, so-

So we investigate
the phenomena, right?

I've seen them,
and you've seen them.

Now Matthias,
he's one of them, is he?

Yeah. Huh.

Well, we have to help him.
We have to try to help him.

So we go to the hospital.
Come on.

The driveshaft's cracked.
It must have been the shark when he hit us.

- Is it serious?
- Well, we have two possibilities.

Either we go ashore and walk around
until we come to the local repair shop, or-

Or?

Or we remain here,
fire off a few flares...

and hope that somebody
will come and help us.

We'll have a tough time
making it to the next island...

if we don't get that shaft fixed.

Poor Matthias.

Let's go.

Doctor. Doctor.

What is it, Lucas?
Rockets.

There's somebody firing rockets.

Rockets?
I seen them, man.

Do you know
where they come from?

Yes. They're comin' from Catfish Bay.

I'd better go and investigate.

Take care of him for me, Nurse.

Who is it? The devil?

We'll know soon enough.
Come on. Let's get this over with.

Bury them now, missy?

No, not yet. There are two more
who are going to die soon.

Help me.

Mío Manuel.

Manuell!

Mí corazón.

I buried you. But I see you walking.

I met your father about three years ago...

when he first came out
to these islands.

Whenever he could, he would come and
stay for a few weeks here with me on-

on Matool.

When he...

became a victim of the disease,

he insisted upon staying,
in spite of everything I said to him.

I insisted that he should leave,
but he wouldn't.

He felt that he could,
in some way, become a guinea pig.

That he could help in discovering...

what was causing the horrors
that were destroying our island,

transforming it
into a wasteland of terror.

Extremely courageous man.

I remember the day
when my assistant came to tell me...

that your father was dying.

Doctor, your friend. Quickly.

David, closer.

Finished.

I feel I'm about to die. I had a good life.

But I never thought it would end this way.

But I've got two things to ask.
Listen carefully.

They're very important, my friend.

I've written to my dear child.

And the letter, see that it gets to her.

And make sure that-

my soul rests in everlasting peace.

I spent the day watching over his body.

But I knew that eventually I would have
to find the courage to release him.

The boat can leave now.

Tell the crew.

What exactly did my father
die of, Dr. Menard?

And the boat's crew? What happened to them?
- Yes, Doctor.

What is all this about the dead
coming back to life again...

and having to be killed
a second time?

I mean,
what the hell's going on here?

You ever heard of voodoo?
Voodoo?

Doctor, you got to be joking.
That's kid's stuff.

I mean, voodoo is just plain
superstitious horseshit.

Basically, it's a mixture
of two religions.

One- Catholicism, brought here
by the Spanish conquistadores...

and two- African tribal rites
that were brought here by the slave trade.

Well, whatever it is,
it makes the dead stand up and walk.

I've seen it with my own eyes.

That's impossible.

I know it's impossible!

It's happening. I've seen it.

The natives say it's...
something to do with voodoo.

Some evil witch doctor
who creates these zombies.

But I'm sure tnere's a natural explanation.
And I'm determined to find it.

Doctor. Doctor, somethings happened to Mr. Fritz.
- Oh, what happened to him?

No one told me.

Missy, she take a look.

Go inside.

Bad news?

Oh. Fritz, a friend of mine,

who happens to be
the only other white man on the island,

he's- he's had an accident.

Oh, we've got him at the hospital.
I'm sure he'll be all right.

Well, is there anything that we can do?
No, no. Thank you.

Uh, well- well, yes.

My wife's alone at the- at the cottage.

We've only got our manservant
to look after her.

And I'd be very grateful
if you'd call on her.

It's only seven or eight miles up the trail.
You can't miss it.

Well, I'll see you later.

Doctor, I thought it
was more advisable to bring him here.

You did right.

What happened to your arm, Fritz?

One of the living dead.

Too late.

I saw it too late.

Where? Where did you see this?

In the village-

I saw it.

Oh. Oh, my god.
In this village?

Ja.

Tell Lucas to lock all the doors.
- It's no use.

It's a waste of time
to lock the doors.

They'll be here soon...

to destroy us all.

We must have driven eight miles by now.

Yes, more than that.

Why don't we just take a chance...

and sail for the nearest place
where we know there's a shipyard.

After we've seen the doctor's wife.
- Look, Peter. Is that it?

Nice layout.

Ah, the doctor's doing
all right by the look of it.

Yeah, but there's
something fishy about him.

Mrs. Menard!

Mrs. Menard?

It doesn't seem like anybody's at home.
What do we do now?

Might as well go inside.

Is there anybody here?

Oh.

Aah!

Come on! Come on!
Get out of here! Come on!

Brian, you drive!

Quick, Brian! Hurry!

Get us out of here, please!
Get us out!

My god! Did my father
become one of those?

No, he didn't, Anne.
You heard the doctor.

Let's just find that hospital and get
the hell out of here as quickly as we can.

Hey, look out!

Damn it.

The radiator's had it.

Yeah, well, I think my ankle
has gone the same way.

Great. We're gonna have to walk now.
You think you can make it?

We don't have
much choice, do we?

Well, come on. Let's get
to that hospital before dark.

Drums.

Getting closer.

I hate it! Damn you, you bastards!

I can't take it!

Come on.
They're laying a little voodoo on us.

It's got a sound all of its own.

Yes. Well, anyway, let's hurry up.

It's gonna be dark soon.

Lucas?

You know
what is the cause of all this?

Is it voodoo?

Lucas not know nothing, man.

The father- My father always say...

when the earth
spit out the dead,

they will come back to suck
the blood from the living.

That's nonsense.
That's just a stupid superstition.

Yes, you are right, Doctor.
You know many more things than Lucas.

I don't believe that voodoo
can bring the dead back to life.

And Lucas not believe...
that the dead be dead.

No, it's no good.
I- I can't go any further.

I gotta rest up for a bit.

Okay, Peter.
We'll take a quick five here.

We've got to be close to
that damn hospital now.

Look, why don't you two rest here,
and we'll take a look up ahead, right?

Hey, how about this?

What is it?
- It's a helmet.

It must be all of 400 years old.

This must have been a cemetery
for the Spanish conquistadores.

Ohh.
Thanks.

I'm sorry I dragged you into all this.

It's my father
we came looking for, isn't it?

You know,
when we get back to New York-

Uh-uh.
You don't have to say anything now.

It's just...

I'm so scared we're
not gonna make it off this island.

Ow!

Susan.

Susan.

Susan.

Come on.
Let's go, before it's too late.

We can't leave her here all alone.
- She's dead.

Brian, don't you understand?
She's dead.

Look, there's nothing
that you can do here.

Come on, man. Let's go.

Ohh!
Brian!

It's no good. I can't-
- You can't stay here.

Leave me here.
Come on. Get up.

Oh, no! They're coming.
Save yourselves. Just leave me.

Get up! Man, you can make it.

Ohh.
- Come on. I've got you.

That the church?
The doctor's hospital. We've done it.

Come on, man. Come on, Peter.

We've done it.

He's fading rapidly.

Shall I continue
with the transfusion?

No, it's useless.
He's gonna die anyway.

Dr. Menard!

They're right behind us! Open the door!

Come on, Doctor! Open the damn door!
Doctor, open up!

Dr. Menard! For Christ's sake!

What took you so long?
Oh, thank god!

Out there, they're coming back to life.
They're everywhere!

What about my wife?

Thank you.

What the hell are they, Doctor?

I don't know.

It all started
about three months ago.

One of the fishermen said he'd seen his
wife walking in the village at night.

Only she'd been dead for two days.

Well, at the time,
nobody believed the story.

In these islands, fantastic legends-

voodooism, zombies-

have been rife for centuries.

As a man of science,
I don't believe in voodooism.

But the phenomenon
defies logical explanation.

I've attempted to apply
the disciplines of bacteriology,

virology, even of radiology.

We've performed tests-

epilepsy and for catalepsy.

Nothing fits!

Will that hold them?
What do you think? Not a chance.

How can we stop them?
Here. Take this.

I've got another gun in my office.

There's two-
two drums of kerosene in the sacristy.

Right, Doc. You two stay where you are.
Watch those windows.

Nurse, come with me.

We've got to get some empty bottles.
All you can find.

Dr. Menard. Dr. Menard.

No!

No! No!

Oh. Ohh!

No. No!

You bring some too.
Come on!

Go get some more bottles.

Brian, two more.

Let's get out of here! Go!

Shoot her, West!

Shoot her!
What are you waiting for?

Come on, Brian.
Let's get to the boat. You can make it.

Can't we go any faster?

The driveshaft could go any second.

We'll make for San Cristóbal.

There's a yard there that we can fix-

What is it?
Brian.

I feel so cold. So cold.

I don't want to become like-

Take me home, Peter.

Save me.

Save me.

Susan.

He's dead.

What do we do now?

Lock him in the bilge.
Take him back with us to the States.

Someone there
might be able to do something.

But we can't risk it.
You know what he might turn into.

Well, I'll make sure that he's safe.

We've got to take him back with us.

He's the only proof we've got
that this all happened.

And we will need proof unfortunately.

Otherwise, they'll just
think that we're crazy.

I don't care.

I feel dead myself.

Take the wheel.

Let's see if we can find something
more cheerful on the radio.

The latest news-

The situation here in New York City
since the discovery of the first zombie...

is getting worse by the hour.

There's chaos in the streets.

The National Guard
cannot control the situation.

In every borough of the city from Brooklyn
to Manhattan, from Harlem to Queen,

the zombies are taking over.

The governor has declared
a state of national emergency..

And has asked the president
for immediate assistance.

The zombies are everywhere.
There seems to be no way to stop them.

The city is at their mercy.

According to latest reports from
police headquarters-

the inhuman creatures are
gathering-

and seem to be heading
towards Central Park.

Barricades have been thrown up
throughout Manhattan.

General Steiner of the National Guard
says missiles will be used if necessary.

I've just been informed
that zombies have entered the building.

The're at the door! They're coming in!

[Prolonged scream]