Zombie 5: Killing Birds (1987) - full transcript

Oh, thanks.

Woo!

Yeah!

Woo, all right!

Hey, Paul.

Hey, Paul.

Hey, Paul.

Hi, Steve.

Hey.

Take a look at this.

Ooh.



Holy shit, this is fantastic.

Right.

We got everything we asked for.

We got the grant, thesis credit,

the equipment, everything.

- And have you
heard from your pal

in the Scientific American?

- Well, I didn't want to
say anything 'til this,

but they'll publish
the paper if we find

the ivory-billed woodpecker.

God, I'm gonna faint.

- Do you think
you can handle it?

- Do you think I can handle
it? Do bears shit in the woods?

Oh, I know, I know.



I'm sorry I asked.

- I can't wait to see Mary
Brad's face, she'll die.

About Mary-

- I can't go without
my camera assistant.

Mary Brad is essential.

Well, essential is essential.

Why all the sudden interest

in the Ivory-billed woodpecker?

Dr. Green, I didn't hear you.

- I know, you were busy
with the Ivory bill.

Well?

- Sir, it seems that not a
single sighting of the bird

has been reported in
the last 20 years,

and if somebody
doesn't find it fast,

it's gonna be declared extinct.

Fast?

Well, by 1992.

- I understand the
science department

is financing an expedition
to look for your-

Ivory bill, sir.

Ivory bill, of course.

I believe Steve Porter is
leading the expedition.

You know him, don't you?

We're still friends.

Good.

Because we're thinking
of sending someone

to cover the story
for The Witness.

Well, why not me?

Why not?

- You will if you want
to stay on The Witness.

- I told you, I
have to do a piece

on the library building fund.

- Fuck the library
building fund!

This is a matter
of life or death.

- Okay, okay,
whatever you say, sir.

That's more like it.

Now, dig up whatever you
can on Frederick Brown,

Sarah Willis, and Arthur Nolan.

On my desk by 4.

Very funny.

Hi.

Hope I'm not
interrupting anything.

Hi, Anne.

- Hi, Anne. Did you
have a nice summer?

Best ever, you?

Can't complain.

I should hope not.

I hear they approved
your project.

Congratulations.

Thanks, Anne.

Well, I guess I'll be seeing ya.

I guess so.

The Witness is sending me
to cover the expedition.

Over my dead body.

- Steve, I didn't
think you still cared.

Anne, this is serious.

I was kidding.

Okay, take it easy.

- Not about the
expedition though.

Forget it.

- By the way, I've tracked
down the last few persons

to see the Ivory bill.

Rob, we got the grant.

I'm still working on it.

I just can't get
it to look real.

- So this is what
you do for fun, huh?

Not for fun, son, for money.

If I could just get
it to work right.

We got the grant.

And faculty credit?

Well, that's great!

No senior seminar.

You all set?

- I've been working
all summer on it.

I'll bet.

Well, maybe not all summer.

- You know, it's nice not
to have any senior seminar.

Hm?

Hi, everybody!

- Hi.
- How you doin'?

I think ya'll know Anne,

she'll be covering the
expedition for The Witness.

Jesus, Steve, she'll scoop us!

Do you think the
Scientific American's

gonna want our stuff after
it appears in The Witness?

- Neither nor rain nor
slow nor sleet nor hail.

- Anne's not
covering the results,

she's covering us.

And Steve's covering Anne.

- Okay, I see we're
gonna have to discuss

some guidelines here.

Anne.

A journalist's work
is done with patience

and quiet determination.

What?

Well, it's about time.

Let's have it.

- Well, Brown was
an instructor at LSU

before he went to Vietnam.

It says here he's blind.

Was that Vietnam?

Nah uh, that was later.

Poor bastard.

A blind bird watcher.

Keep reading.

Hi.

Yeah, that'll be great.

We can handle the rest.

- Oh, the state says
I gotta go along.

Keep an eye on things,
take care of the motor.

Anything happens, you know.

Well, I'm sure we can manage.

- Whether you can or
can't, camper goes with me.

Call me Brian.

Right, Steve.

Pretty piece of tail.

- You better not let
Paul hear you say that.

Oh yeah?

Who's Paul?

Look, can we just go?

I'm tired of this parking lot.

Everything in?

Yeah.

Hey everybody, this is Brian.

- Hey, Brian.
- Hey, Brian.

Hey, Brian.

I think that's fair enough.

IfAnne lets us read the article

before she submits
it, where's the beef?

- Well, what if we don't
like what she writes?

- Just don't do
anything you don't want

in the papers, dear.

Steve.

Come on, Mary.

Anne's just teasing.

Don't give her the satisfaction.

- And Professor
Simon will arbitrate

any differences of opinion.

- And I don't have to submit
my material to The Witness.

Whoa, just a second.

Anne did give us the names
of the last three people

who'd seen the Ivory
bill, didn't she?

Yeah, but one of them is dead.

That's not my fault.

- And another one
lives in California.

- Yeah, but Frederick
Brown still lives

right here in Louisiana.

Thanks, Anne.

- What's that
guy doing back there?

He's filling in some data

on some possible
observation points.

Slow down, that must be it.

This must be the place.

Maybe I better go in alone.

I mean, we don't have an
appointment or anything.

Come on!

I'm coming too.

After all, you wouldn't be
here if it weren't for me.

Mr. Brown?

Anybody home?

Anne, Anne.

We shouldn't be doing this.

Is anyone home?

- What are you
doing in my house?

I meant to frighten
you, and I'm glad I did.

No, I don't need
your help, missy.

I'm not afraid of the dark.

May I?

As you may.

Make yourself at home.

Now Steven Porter, Wells.

Let me have a look at you.

- I'm from the
Wells Witness, sir.

May I take notes?

How interesting.

So you record bird song and...

- And I compare the
variations that occur

within a species under
different circumstances.

For instance...

That call is only heard
when the humidity exceeds

92.5 relative to the temperature

of the time of day, of course.

- Isn't the location
of the bird essential?

Naturally.

That's why the compass is here.

Is someone else out there?

How did you find
me, Steven Porter?

He didn't, I did, sir.

You actually saw the
Ivory bill, didn't you?

What's wrong, Steven?

Cat got your tongue?

Yes, sir.

No, no, sir.

- Why don't you tell
me why you came here

in the first place, Steven.

- Anything that
would help us find

the Ivory bill again, sir.

Any notes, any suggestions.

- You don't know what it
would mean to us, Mr. Brown.

Our whole senior
year depends on it.

No, there's nothing left.

- Well, in that case,
I guess we better be going.

Wait.

There is one thing.

Is that your-

Is that my what?

Nothing, sir.

We can talk about
it later, Anne.

I don't know why I kept it.

I got rid of all of
the other papers.

This is fantastic.

Well, it may or may not be.

Nevertheless, you can have it.

What is it?

- I don't know why I
kept it all these years.

Little missy's full of
questions, isn't she?

It's my job, I'm a reporter.

I guess we better be going.

Anne.

Steven.

Sir?

- I hope you find whatever
it is you're looking for.

Thank you, sir.

- Thanks, pal. I thought you
were supposed to go in there,

introduce yourself, and call us.

Yeah, Steve.

This is our project too.

I just couldn't.

I mean, there was no way.

- Is that how you
want it written up?

In those very words?

Give Steve a break, Jen.

Fred Brown is
very, very strange.

If you ask me, you're lucky
you didn't go in there.

I didn't ask you!

Sorry, Anne.

I didn't mean that.

It's just that you're
not a scientist.

Okay.

Brown did give us
something though.

Brian, do you have a
detailed map of Louisiana?

Does a bear shit in the woods?

- Why did you shut
me up in there?

That photograph was important.

What photograph?

The family photograph.

For god's sake, Steve.

Brown's whole family disappeared

right after he came
back from Vietnam.

So, what does that have to do

with the Ivory-billed
woodpecker?

- Don't be so provincial,
it's a human interest story!

If I only could
get a handle on it,

I might be able to
sell it to a big paper.

Look.

You're here to cover the
expedition for The Witness, period.

- I'm glad to hear that,
I was beginning to wonder.

Do you mind?

- I thought you guys
had worked all that out.

Who asked you?

- Well, I can't shoot
anymore, not with this fog.

- You think we oughta
get back to the camper

before it gets dark?

- Oh God no, not
with Brian here.

I don't know these woods,

I usually work in Shreveport.

- The fog is really,
really thick.

- Take it easy,
I got my compass.

Hey, look over there.

Let's go!

Get out of here, come on!

Come on!

Let's get out of here, come on!

Poor bastard.

- We gotta keep going, or else
we'll end up the same way.

- How come nobody
else found that guy

before we did?

Nobody comes down this way.

So that's why we have
to find the camper fast.

We're in luck.

It's a house.

- Let's hope it's not
a gingerbread house.

- Everything's a joke
to you, isn't it?

There's no one here.

- And hasn't been for
a long, long time.

Beautiful!

Look at this, Brian.

Let's do it.

Let's check it out.

Come on.

Wow.

It's a generator.

- I bet it hasn't been
used for centuries.

- My God, there are
millions of them.

I've never seen so many
birds in my whole life.

- We're probably right in
their migration flightpath.

Oh, that's why they built
this house out here,

right in the middle of nowhere.

Hey, look.

March 29th, 1965.

Take it easy, girl.

Take it easy yourself.

What a fabulous idea.

This must've been an aviary.

An ornithologist
must've lived here.

- I know you must feel
like Schliemann at Troy,

but let's get back
to the others.

Where's Steve?

Anne?

Paul?

Rob?

Anne?

Stevie?

Your bottle's ready, boy.

It's getting dark.

We oughta spend the night here.

I don't know.

I don't think we should.

- I'm sure not going out
in that swamp at night.

- We found an old
generator under the house.

I'll see if I
can't get it going.

You need some help?

Steve, are you all right?

Is something wrong?

It's this house.

I don't know, I'm getting
these strange vibrations.

It's like a bad dream.

Do you want to talk about it?

No, it's okay.

It's okay.

Is that it?

Yeah, that's all I found.

- What wouldn't I do
for a cup of coffee?

You'll be fine, dear.

- As soon as it's light,
I'll find the camper

and get the police.

I saw a man in the swamp.

Well, I've had it for one day.

You coming, Mary?

Where's our room?

- Goodnight, everybody.
- Night.

I'm ready to turn in too.

Jennifer, shall the younger
females share a room?

I'm not sleepy yet.

- Well, if you
have other plans...

Well, it is getting late.

Whoa.

I was just inputting the law.

- Maybe it needs a
good night's sleep.

- Steve, this
system's designed to-

I was just kidding.

I'm the one who needs
a good night's sleep.

Paul.

Paul.

What?

What?

Paul.

Wake up, Paul.

What is it?

- Something's
happened to Jennifer.

What?

Why?
- I saw her go into the porch

but she never came out.

So?

I don't know.

Come on, give me a break.

Let me sleep.
- Paul, wake up!

Wake up.

Wake up.

- She's been
having hallucinations,

you know the fog.

It's real dark.

Are you sure it was Jennifer?

- Of course I'm sure
it was Jennifer.

I saw her from the window.

- What's all this
about Jennifer?

- Mary thinks she saw
her go into the porch.

I did!

- Well, maybe she
couldn't sleep.

What's this, a party?

I don't want to miss anything.

Yeah, some party.

I couldn't sleep either.

I don't know.

Something about this place.

You see?

- Well, why don't
we go look for her?

Then we can all get some sleep.

Come on.

Jennifer?

Jennifer?

- She's probably back
in the house by now.

Feeling better?

No.

- I wish she'd of
wandered in here.

I'd have given her
something to help her sleep.

Jennifer?

Why not?

I didn't say anything about
turning the lights on, did I?

I didn't mean that. I just
didn't think she was your type.

Type?

What's type got to do with it?

Well?

Maybe she went for a walk.

Was something bothering her?

Steve?

Not that I know of.

I think we better
go look for her.

We'll all split up,

the first one to
find her, whistle.

Okay?

Okay.

Shit!

Jennifer?

Jennifer?

Shit.

Jennifer?

Jennifer?

Jennifer?

Jennifer?

- Oh, you scared
the shit outta me.

- Well, why didn't
you turn on the light?

I did, the bulb blew out.

- Why don't we just
go check outside?

Yeah, that's good.

You coming?

Yeah.

- We'll check around
front, you take the back.

Hey, Steve.

Yeah?

Nothin'.

Shit.

Jennifer?

Jennifer?

Jennifer?

Brian, Brian!

What happened?

How did it happen?

He wouldn't stop.

We couldn't help him.

Poor Brian.

- Let's just find Jennifer
and get the hell out of here.

Let's get out of here, please!

There's something
evil about this place!

All right.

We find Jennifer and we go.

- Rob and I will check
around back, okay, Steve?

Good.

I'll take another
look around the porch.

I'm coming with you.

You better go with them.

Jennifer?

Jennifer!

- Rob, maybe you
better stay back.

- I don't just wear this
compass for decoration.

Jennifer!

Jennifer!

Wait a minute.

Don't you see
something over there?

It's the camper!

That's Mary!

Paul!

We've gotta get out of here!

Take me home!

We found Jennifer, she's dead.

What?

Somebody killed her.

Oh my God.

- We've gotta get
out of here, fast.

Whoever did that to her
could do the same to us.

Well, we found the camper.

It's just a couple hundred
yards from the house.

- We're getting out
of here, come on.

Wait a minute.

My computer!

I can't just leave it here.

To hell with your computer.

- Oh, you
don't understand.

You just don't understand!

Come on, Rob!

Christ, Brian had the keys!

Yeah, this is no problem.

There's no problem.

What the hell's
taking them so long?

What the hell's
taking them so long?

Where the hell are they?

Hey, it's okay.

What's the big idea?

You almost scared
the hell out of me.

We're sorry, Rob.

We waited for you, you
just didn't see us.

- We should go, Mary and
Paul have gone ahead.

Paul?

Paul?

- What took you guys so long?
I thought you were lost.

Brian had the keys!

Can you manage then?

I can.

Look!

Hurry up, Rob.

- We're gonna get
the hell outta here.

Oh my God!

Oh my God!

Mary!

Mary, please!

Oh my God, oh no!

Oh God, please help me.

Oh my God!

Oh my God.

Easy, Rob.

You can do it.

Oh my God!

Hurry up, God damn it!

- Maybe it's got
some suggestions.

- I wish I could fool
around at a time like this.

- I'm not fooling around!
It might be able to tell us

how to get the hell outta here!

Well?

- It might take a minute,
but it will be worth it.

I know my shit.

- I can tell you
what our chances are

without the fuckin' computer!

Easy, Paul!

None!

We're fucked!

All we can do is hole up here,

and wait for morning
if we live that long.

Those things from the swamp.

But how can anyone
live in the swamp?

Live?

Maybe they're not really alive.

- You mean lost souls
who can find no peace?

There's no such thing.

Oh, yeah?

You tell that to
Jennifer, or Mary.

I'll go check the generator.

Paul.

Are you in?

It's leaking.

Let me see what I can do.

- I wish I had been
nicer to Jennifer.

We can't tell what's
already happened, can we?

No, we can't.

It's not much but-

It's better than nothing.

Let's go.

Okay.

Come on.

What does it mean?

What could it mean?

They got him.

They got Rob.

He's dead.

He's dead.

They're coming.

They're coming.

- Find something
to block the door.

Steve!

Steve!

Steve!

No, no!

No, no, no, not this way.

Come on, up, up, up!

Up, up!

It's a trap.

It's a trap, we're fucked.

It's a trap, we're fucked.

No!

- It's like I killed
him with my own hands.

- There was nothing
you could do.

Nothing.

Well, we can't
stay here forever.

Let's go.

Mr. Brown.

- I'm glad I got
here in time, son.

There's no need to be afraid.

You're out of danger.

It's me they want.

Why?

They feed on fear.

It animates them and
gives them strength.

It was fear that
killed your friends.

They hold no power on me.

How can you be afraid when
you live in eternal darkness?

The real darkness is
inside of me, it is me.

You're Steve's father.

- I'm here now, and they
shall have their revenge.

And go now, away.

Go!

Come on.