The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985–1992): Season 1, Episode 3 - The Crowd - full transcript
After leaving a party late night, Joe Spelliner drives high speed through the empty streets and has a car accident. A couple of seconds later, he is surrounded by a crowd until an ambulance arrives with the paramedic at 2:00 AM. Twenty-four hours later he is discharged by the hospital and he is intrigued from where that crowd arrived. He meets his friend and colleague Morgan to celebrate and they witness another car accident. In twenty-one seconds, the victim is surrounded by a crowd and Joe recognizes many of the persons from his own accident. Joe asks Morgan to retrieve surveillance tapes of car accidents and he discloses that the same persons are present in the other accidents; further, all of them are victims of car accidents. Morgan asks Joe to forget the discovery, but the reluctant friend wishes to investigate further with tragic consequences.
[theme music]
BRADBURY [VOICEOVER]:
People ask,
"where do you get your ideas?"
Well, right here.
All this is my
martian landscape.
Somewhere in this room
is an African veldt.
Just beyond, perhaps, is a small
Illinois town where I grew up.
And I'm surrounded on every
side by my magician's toy shop.
I'll never starve here.
I just look around, find
what I need, and begin.
I'm Ray Bradbury, and this is--
Well, then, right
now, what shall it be?
Out of all this, what do
I choose to make a story?
I never know where
the next will take me.
And the trip, exactly
one half exhilaration,
exactly one half terror.
[chattering]
[music playing]
[bell tolling]
My God, how did he do that?
Is there somebody
else in there?
No, he's all alone.
[chattering]
Somebody give me a hand.
Here, come on.
Let's do it now.
Come on, the ambulance
will be here soon.
We've got to move out.
Give him some air.
Leave him.
Now just stand back.
Come on, he needs air.
Don't crowd him.
Hey, look.
You could kill him.
You don't know
what you're doing.
Leave him alone.
Let's take his arms.
[siren wailing]
Mind your backs.
Mind your backs, please.
Mind your backs.
Thank God.
"Thank God?"
What about me?
You all right with that?
Yeah, I got it.
I got it.
It's OK.
Good.
Now let's go.
What-- what--
what time is it?
2:00, five after, maybe.
Where-- where--
where did they all come from?
Wheel.
MAN: What wheel?
Car wheel.
It was-- it was
still spinning when--
When what?
What?
How long have I been here?
24 hours.
Welcome back.
You're gonna be all right.
What was that about a wheel?
When the car wrecked,
turned upside down,
how long would it take
for a spinning front wheel
to stop spinning?
10 seconds?
20?
I don't know.
Why?
The crowd got there
before it stopped.
The crowd?
How did they get there so
fast in the middle of the night?
It was probably
three or four minutes.
You got quite a knock.
A minute can seem like
just a few seconds.
Yeah, but the
street was empty.
Really empty.
Yeah?
When do I get out of here?
[music playing]
I don't believe it.
What the hell are you doing?
You're supposed to be resting!
They wanted the
job done yesterday.
Ah, come on!
They always want it yesterday.
Come on, New Year's.
How come they let you out?
No news on New Year's day?
No, [inaudible] even gave the
bloody terrorists the day off.
Where are the glasses?
Come on!
Glasses.
Let's go.
[laughter]
Now I know you're OK.
[car honks and tires screech]
Accidents, they're
following you around.
I'm gonna call the police.
21 seconds.
What?
It only took 'em 21
seconds to get there.
Who?
Them, the crowd.
Yes, I wanna
report an accident.
Joe!
- Give her some air.
- Is she dead?
We should make her
more comfortable.
Give her some air.
- We should.
Joe, what are you doing?
[chattering]
Warren, do you see her?
Who?
Damn it, she's gone.
[chattering]
The kid with the
blond hair and freckles.
No, you're not
supposed to move her.
You don't know
what you're doing.
You don't go and move her.
What's wrong with these people?
Stand back.
You could kill
her if you move her.
Just put a blanket on her.
Let's give her some air.
Get away from her.
OK, come on, then.
Wait for a minute.
- Hey, who you shoving, buddy?
- Joe, Joe!
Sorry.
Don't move her.
Don't move her!
She's fine.
She'll be all right.
She'll be fine.
Christ, I shouldn't
have done that.
Done what?
Killed her.
I killed--
Take it easy.
Take it easy.
No one killed anyone.
Did you see them, the woman
with the red hair, the old man.
Didn't you see them?
No.
I saw them four nights
ago at my accident.
Hey.
Hey, kid.
I wanna talk to you
about your photographs.
BOY: You from a newspaper?
JOE: No, no.
I'm just interested.
I'm interested in
talking to you.
I wanna buy some of
your photographs.
These people were
at my accident.
The same people, Morgan.
It was 2:00 in the morning.
How did they know
about my accident?
Where did they come from?
One minute not there, the
next-- bang-- a crowd.
I've got to know
more about them.
You can help me.
You shoot the news.
You can get me tapes
of accidents, crowds.
Joe, this isn't funny anymore.
They used up all my air.
Don't you see?
They tried to move
me, to kill me,
like they did to that woman.
Kill me.
[horn blows]
[bell tolls]
News, current affairs,
the whole works.
Now.
Thanks.
What do you say going--
aren't you at least
gonna buy me a drink?
Take me to Metro
TV and wait for me.
Joe, I mean, looking
at accidents, I--
I get enough of this
at work, you know.
11 accidents, 11
different locations.
2, 3, 5 miles apart.
There.
The kid.
There, the red-haired woman.
The old man.
There he is again.
The man with the raincoat
right in the middle.
MORGAN: It's the old man.
There she is again.
There's the kid.
Remember?
You shot this three months ago.
There they are.
Those people up
there on the bridge,
who do you think they are?
I think that's them.
My God.
There, that one.
Strange.
I could never make out the face.
It was hidden.
Six different accidents,
six different locations,
same clothes, months apart.
But I can never see the face.
So who are these people,
and why are they doing this?
Where'd you get these?
The morgue.
The morgue?
They're dead.
They're all dead.
Car accidents in the past year.
But if they're dead, how--
I'm convinced they
come back to haunt
the place as accidents happen.
They're waiting for more
accidents to happen.
I think they're waiting there.
They move people that
shouldn't be moved,
to breathe the air other
people need so they die.
And they become
part of the crowd.
No!
No, there's gotta be
some sane explanation.
Think there's some
kind of bus tour,
takes people around
to see accidents?
Same people pay, day after
day, night after night,
to make the tour.
So what are you gonna do?
Go to the police?
Turn it off.
No.
I'm gonna try and meet them.
Joe, please just forget it.
I mean, erase the tapes
and burn the pictures.
What?
Burn the pictures, Joe.
Just forget it.
Christ, it's cold in here.
I'm shaking.
Those people, those things
out there, they're killers.
Let it go.
Joe, just let it go.
I can't.
I've gotta know.
What happens
when they find out
that you know what they are?
I don't care.
I've gotta find them.
Joe, this is crazy.
You didn't have to come.
OK, let me out.
I'll walk.
No, no.
It's OK.
[chattering]
Stop the car.
What are you doing here?
Wait!
No, I have to talk to him.
No!
I gotta.
I'll go around the
building and cut him off.
[engine sputters]
[chattering]
Stop!
[honking]
No, no.
Get away!
[inaudible]
Get away, don't move!
Come back, please.
Come back!
Don't move.
Get away from him!
Morgan, Morgan!
Morgan.
Is he dead?
Yes, he's dead.
He'll be comfortable now.
Yes.
Yes, he's fine.
He's fine.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yes.
[music playing]
BRADBURY [VOICEOVER]:
People ask,
"where do you get your ideas?"
Well, right here.
All this is my
martian landscape.
Somewhere in this room
is an African veldt.
Just beyond, perhaps, is a small
Illinois town where I grew up.
And I'm surrounded on every
side by my magician's toy shop.
I'll never starve here.
I just look around, find
what I need, and begin.
I'm Ray Bradbury, and this is--
Well, then, right
now, what shall it be?
Out of all this, what do
I choose to make a story?
I never know where
the next will take me.
And the trip, exactly
one half exhilaration,
exactly one half terror.
[chattering]
[music playing]
[bell tolling]
My God, how did he do that?
Is there somebody
else in there?
No, he's all alone.
[chattering]
Somebody give me a hand.
Here, come on.
Let's do it now.
Come on, the ambulance
will be here soon.
We've got to move out.
Give him some air.
Leave him.
Now just stand back.
Come on, he needs air.
Don't crowd him.
Hey, look.
You could kill him.
You don't know
what you're doing.
Leave him alone.
Let's take his arms.
[siren wailing]
Mind your backs.
Mind your backs, please.
Mind your backs.
Thank God.
"Thank God?"
What about me?
You all right with that?
Yeah, I got it.
I got it.
It's OK.
Good.
Now let's go.
What-- what--
what time is it?
2:00, five after, maybe.
Where-- where--
where did they all come from?
Wheel.
MAN: What wheel?
Car wheel.
It was-- it was
still spinning when--
When what?
What?
How long have I been here?
24 hours.
Welcome back.
You're gonna be all right.
What was that about a wheel?
When the car wrecked,
turned upside down,
how long would it take
for a spinning front wheel
to stop spinning?
10 seconds?
20?
I don't know.
Why?
The crowd got there
before it stopped.
The crowd?
How did they get there so
fast in the middle of the night?
It was probably
three or four minutes.
You got quite a knock.
A minute can seem like
just a few seconds.
Yeah, but the
street was empty.
Really empty.
Yeah?
When do I get out of here?
[music playing]
I don't believe it.
What the hell are you doing?
You're supposed to be resting!
They wanted the
job done yesterday.
Ah, come on!
They always want it yesterday.
Come on, New Year's.
How come they let you out?
No news on New Year's day?
No, [inaudible] even gave the
bloody terrorists the day off.
Where are the glasses?
Come on!
Glasses.
Let's go.
[laughter]
Now I know you're OK.
[car honks and tires screech]
Accidents, they're
following you around.
I'm gonna call the police.
21 seconds.
What?
It only took 'em 21
seconds to get there.
Who?
Them, the crowd.
Yes, I wanna
report an accident.
Joe!
- Give her some air.
- Is she dead?
We should make her
more comfortable.
Give her some air.
- We should.
Joe, what are you doing?
[chattering]
Warren, do you see her?
Who?
Damn it, she's gone.
[chattering]
The kid with the
blond hair and freckles.
No, you're not
supposed to move her.
You don't know
what you're doing.
You don't go and move her.
What's wrong with these people?
Stand back.
You could kill
her if you move her.
Just put a blanket on her.
Let's give her some air.
Get away from her.
OK, come on, then.
Wait for a minute.
- Hey, who you shoving, buddy?
- Joe, Joe!
Sorry.
Don't move her.
Don't move her!
She's fine.
She'll be all right.
She'll be fine.
Christ, I shouldn't
have done that.
Done what?
Killed her.
I killed--
Take it easy.
Take it easy.
No one killed anyone.
Did you see them, the woman
with the red hair, the old man.
Didn't you see them?
No.
I saw them four nights
ago at my accident.
Hey.
Hey, kid.
I wanna talk to you
about your photographs.
BOY: You from a newspaper?
JOE: No, no.
I'm just interested.
I'm interested in
talking to you.
I wanna buy some of
your photographs.
These people were
at my accident.
The same people, Morgan.
It was 2:00 in the morning.
How did they know
about my accident?
Where did they come from?
One minute not there, the
next-- bang-- a crowd.
I've got to know
more about them.
You can help me.
You shoot the news.
You can get me tapes
of accidents, crowds.
Joe, this isn't funny anymore.
They used up all my air.
Don't you see?
They tried to move
me, to kill me,
like they did to that woman.
Kill me.
[horn blows]
[bell tolls]
News, current affairs,
the whole works.
Now.
Thanks.
What do you say going--
aren't you at least
gonna buy me a drink?
Take me to Metro
TV and wait for me.
Joe, I mean, looking
at accidents, I--
I get enough of this
at work, you know.
11 accidents, 11
different locations.
2, 3, 5 miles apart.
There.
The kid.
There, the red-haired woman.
The old man.
There he is again.
The man with the raincoat
right in the middle.
MORGAN: It's the old man.
There she is again.
There's the kid.
Remember?
You shot this three months ago.
There they are.
Those people up
there on the bridge,
who do you think they are?
I think that's them.
My God.
There, that one.
Strange.
I could never make out the face.
It was hidden.
Six different accidents,
six different locations,
same clothes, months apart.
But I can never see the face.
So who are these people,
and why are they doing this?
Where'd you get these?
The morgue.
The morgue?
They're dead.
They're all dead.
Car accidents in the past year.
But if they're dead, how--
I'm convinced they
come back to haunt
the place as accidents happen.
They're waiting for more
accidents to happen.
I think they're waiting there.
They move people that
shouldn't be moved,
to breathe the air other
people need so they die.
And they become
part of the crowd.
No!
No, there's gotta be
some sane explanation.
Think there's some
kind of bus tour,
takes people around
to see accidents?
Same people pay, day after
day, night after night,
to make the tour.
So what are you gonna do?
Go to the police?
Turn it off.
No.
I'm gonna try and meet them.
Joe, please just forget it.
I mean, erase the tapes
and burn the pictures.
What?
Burn the pictures, Joe.
Just forget it.
Christ, it's cold in here.
I'm shaking.
Those people, those things
out there, they're killers.
Let it go.
Joe, just let it go.
I can't.
I've gotta know.
What happens
when they find out
that you know what they are?
I don't care.
I've gotta find them.
Joe, this is crazy.
You didn't have to come.
OK, let me out.
I'll walk.
No, no.
It's OK.
[chattering]
Stop the car.
What are you doing here?
Wait!
No, I have to talk to him.
No!
I gotta.
I'll go around the
building and cut him off.
[engine sputters]
[chattering]
Stop!
[honking]
No, no.
Get away!
[inaudible]
Get away, don't move!
Come back, please.
Come back!
Don't move.
Get away from him!
Morgan, Morgan!
Morgan.
Is he dead?
Yes, he's dead.
He'll be comfortable now.
Yes.
Yes, he's fine.
He's fine.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yes.
[music playing]