Invasion of the Animal People (1959)

[bunniefuu]

- The main functions of science

can be termed as primarily

comprehension and control.

The comprehension is sometimes

merely that of the physical,

but more often it deals

with a universal force

that affects the lives of each one of us.

We know that the vast spaces

surrounding our planet

are teeming with

micro-meteors and radiation

that originate from the stars

and the distant galaxies.

Strange, little-understood phenomena

have been observed in

the depths of our oceans

and deep within the mass

that underlies the crust

of this globe upon which we live.

With the help of instruments

and the accepted natural

mathematical laws,

we have been able to

expand our comprehension

but to a small degree.

Man has learned that life is everywhere,

and although we are part of it,

it seems the thing we

understand the least.

The great mysteries we seek to unlock

could be no more manifest

than within our own being.

Actually our quest for comprehension

is perhaps most complicated

by the failure to discover reality

within ourselves.

If we're unable to see the

woods because of the threes,

if we fail first truly to comprehend,

then it follows

that there can be no chance


for any type of control.

(suspenseful music)

Today we are groping out into space,

preparing to invade the

incomprehensible universe

which has held its many

secrets since the beginning.

The beginning?

We're not at all sure that


that term or any other

can actually relate to transitions such as

gases solidifying to form a planet

which would eventually

support living inhabitants.

What we view as the beginning

or the end of something

is clouded by the limitations


of the mind machine itself.

Now if that mind machine had the power

to conceive properly of the

additional dimension of time,

our measurements of it would cease.

Man would see the Earth,

the stars, the whole

cosmic void as timeless.

Limitless.

When deeper comprehension is brought about

by evolutionary processes,

man's limitations in


space will thus vanish.

You will easily be able to travel

from one planet to another,

from one galaxy to another.

The stream of knowledge evolution produces

will become a powerful force,

one easily able to conquer time itself

and the immeasurable distances of space.

(eerie music)

- [Narrator] Diane Wilson,


average American girl

living in a suburban community.

She had never been

known to be mentally ill

or behave in the erratic manner in which

the police patrol found her.

Chief of Police Arnold

Johnson had been accustomed

to dealing with the many


and varied situations

that often called for extensive

professional assistance.

In this case he called upon

the best qualified man he knew.

Dr. Ian Sabiri, MD and

specialist in psychiatry.

The doctor had known Miss Wilson

throughout most of her years,

and was very much disturbed

upon hearing of her present condition.

It was agreed he would

leave at once for an attempt

to determine the cause of her unorthodox

and very sudden seizure.

(suspenseful music)

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

- [Clerk] Miss Wilson,

this is the desk clerk.

I was told to call if you received a wire

from your uncle in Zurich.

- That's right.

- [Clerk] The telegram

just came in, Miss Wilson.

It reads "glad you arrived Langsford okay.

"Come Zurich to see your favorite uncle

"as soon as you can."

- Thank you.

Goodbye.

(light music)

- [Narrator] Some miles to the north,

another skier was rapidly

covering the distance

between the frozen wasteland

and the nearest spot of civilization,

only this excursion was not for pleasure.

A mission of desperate

urgency was the driving force.

The native Laplanders had witnessed

something evil in the sky.

(eerie music)

(suspenseful music)

Reaching the desolate

communications shack,

the messenger hurried to

reach the telegraph operator

and tell him of what had

been seen in the North.

A story that was relayed to the city

and ultimately the entire world.

(typing)

In Zurich, Dr. Frederick Wilson,

Diane's uncle and world-famous geologist,

was summoned from his

laboratory to report immediately

to a quickly formed group

of outstanding personnel

presently available to expedite requests

by the Air Force command

of the local area.

The second man called

was Dr. Erik Engstrom,

also a geologist, and

noted throughout Europe

as an outstanding leader in the past work

of dangerous glacier penetrations.

The plan was to investigate

the area of the Lap village

under controlled conditions 24 hours a day

by a team composed of both scientific

and military personnel.

Doctors Engstrom and

Wilson had not previously

had occasion to work

together, but had for years

mutually respected the

contributions provided by both.

Three would be expected to

locate fragments of the meteor,

which due to reports of heavy avalanches

was assumed to have fallen in the vicinity

of the Lap village of Canoerly.

A plane was scheduled to take

them immediately to Langsford,

which would represent

their point of embarkation.

(airplane engine roaring)

- Lucky for us you were

in Switzerland, Doctor.

- Well, I think I'm the lucky one, Erik.

You know I've been chasing

these things for 30 years.

The thrill of analyzing a

fragment from another planet

gets more interesting each time.

I've been watching those boats

down there, what are they?

- Ore boats from the Canoerly mine.

- You think that the magnetic

attraction of the mines

could have any bearing on

the meteor falling there?

- Come on, Doctor.

- Who said it had to be a meteor?

(suspenseful music)

(speaking foreign language)

- Are you the group

from the Royal Academy?

- That's right.

- Colonel Bottiger's been

assigned to your party.

He and the others are

interrogating some Laps.

- How soon can we see the colonel?

- He asked me to take you

directly to the flight office.

I have a staff car standing by, sir.

- Thank you.

(speaking foreign language)

- Never has the village lost

a larger head of reindeer.

He says they ran off

as chased by the devil.

He is sure something of great

size caused the avalanche.

- At this time of year,

every snow pack in the area

is probably cracked.

The slightest vibration

can start an avalanche.

- They know that, but they

are convinced this one

has some connection with the meteor.

- Ask him if he actually

witnessed the meteor.

(speaking foreign language)

- He says it passed

right over his village.

- How large was it?

(speaking foreign language)

- He says the object

came with a great roar,

a fireball as large as a mountain.

- Well how accurate would you

say his estimate of size is?

- He's one of their elders,

I'm sure he is trustworthy.

- Colonel, the the plane

is ready on the lake

with all the photographic

equipment on board, sir.

We can take off anytime.

- Very good, Sergeant.

I thought we would

attempt to locate the site

before landing at Rick's Jarvey.

We leave as soon as you

change your clothes.

- Fine.

If we can get some good pictures

it'll eliminate a lot of guesswork.

(suspenseful music)

(light music)

(applauding)

- We'll leave your bags in

the lobby and come back here

as soon as the pictures have developed.

- Fine.

I hope you and the Sergeant

can join us for dinner.

- We'll be glad to.

- I think our young geologist

has made a discovery.

- Yeah.

Wait till he finds out his

discovery is my niece, Diane.

- Now there's championship form,

with our without skates.

(applauding)

- Scientific observation, no doubt.

- Hello darling!

- She knows me!

- That so?

- Isn't that funny?

Usually I never forget a pretty face.

- Or a pair of pretty legs.

(laughs)

- Scientific observation, no doubt.

- Mhmm.

- I better hurry, Doctor,

if I want to get some

skiing before dinner.

- Right.

Well.

- Uncle Fred, gee I'm glad to see you.

- Surprised, are you?

- As a matter of fact, no.

After what's been happening up here,

I've been half expecting you.

- Oh.

- I'm glad too.

- He?

- Come on, Uncle Fred.

- Oh, he.

Well, his name is Erik.

Erik Engstrom.

- What was he doing with you,

and why didn't you introduce me?

- Wait a minute now, hold it.

One, he's a geologist in my party,

and two, I didn't want to see

my favorite niece get hurt.

- Oh, dangerous, huh?

- Not dangerous, deadly.

You can believe your old uncle,

that lad has left a string of

broken hearts all over Europe.

- Well, maybe an American

could (mumbling).

Is he coming back?

- He said something about going skiing.

- See you.

- Hey!

Remember, I warned you.

(light music)

(speaking foreign language)

- That better be an

apology, Mr. Erik Engstrom.

- You do know me, don't you?

- Huh, know you?

Your reputation's the

talk of the United States.

- It is?

- Certainly.

They're even thinking of

passing a law against you.

(chuckles)

- Tell me, are all American

girls as crazy as you?

- Worse.

Some of us even like wolves.

- Perhaps you'll give this wolf

the pleasure of walking back with me.

- That'll take longer than skiing.

- Exactly.

- Well, if you insist.

- Hey!

(comical music)

(light music)

- I better have my key.

- Certainly sir.

- Would you please hurry?

We're all waiting dinner for you.

- She is crazy.

- Sir?

- That girl.

Who is she?

- Why, that's Diane

Wilson, the Olympic star.

- Huh?

- Her uncle, Dr. Wilson,

is in your party, yeah?

- Yeah.

Yeah.

(playing xylophone)

- Too bad you're so tired, Erik.

Diane's missing out on

a lot of lovely music.

- Oh, I see, I should ask her to dance.

- Don't force yourself.

- Oh no.

It's an honor.

(jazz music)

(singing in foreign language)

- What's it called, Erik?

- The Midnight Sun.

It's based on an old Swedish melody.

- About love?

- Because I love you,

I am alone.

No one is there,

no one to share,

the midnight sun.

My arms,

waiting patiently,

for you

to come to me.

The night

will not be lonely

for we

will be as one.

While sharing love,

the beauty of

the midnight sun.

(suspenseful music)

Hey, what's going on?

- Come on Erik, we'll tell you on the way.

- Good, I'll get my coat.

- Well you're not coming.

Come on, Hendrik.

(engine roaring)

- Sorry I had to interrupt

your dinner, Doctor,

but I thought you should see this at once.

- Well I'm very glad you did, Captain.

How far away are we?

- Less than an hour's ride.

- Isn't anyone gonna talk to me?

- No.

At least we promised not

to make you walk home.

(wind howling)

(speaking foreign language)

- This way, sir.

- Right.

Oh no, young lady.

You stay right here.

(dramatic music)

Good heavens.

What kind of animals could have done this?

- I'm not sure it's any

animal that we've ever seen.

Look at this bone.

Not broken, it's splintered.

- You're right.

(bird cawing)

(eerie music)

- Uncle Fred!

There.

- Well, whatever creature made this

has to be at least 20 feet tall.

(airplane engine roaring)

(suspenseful music)

- That's the Lap village

that reported the avalanche.

- The meteor should be

one of those deep valleys.

Let's go down and take a closer look.

There it is, Doctor.

(suspenseful music)

- Yep.

Just as the report said.

Hit it for miles across the valley floor.

- Must be an enormous fragment.

An object that side should've

stopped where it hit.

Magnetic attraction certainly

couldn't cause that.

- Doing any good back there?

- Yes sir, I'm taking a

whole role on this run, sir.

- After this pass we'll head back.

Come here early in the morning.

- Well, there seems to be nothing here

that we didn't see with our naked eye.

Area looks exactly the same as it did

when we flew over it this afternoon.

Not a footprint in sight.

- Why should whatever

it is leave footprints

near the crater?

- She's right.

There's no real reason to believe

in a connection between

this ranger business

and what's probably a

perfectly ordinary meteor.

- I have my doubts about that.

Reports of the meteor

traveling horizontally.

Skidmarks, small size of the crater.

All this seems to indicate

not so much a normal impact

as some kind of a...

- Landing.

- Don't you think we're

letting our imaginations

run a little wild?

We won't really know anything

till we get there, will we?

- We?

- Well aren't I invited?

- Oh no, not this trip.

You just stay here and look

pretty till we come back.

- Colonel, how soon can we take off?

- [Colonel] I'd like to get

underway as soon as it's light.

Let's plan on leaving the

airstip no later than 6:00.

- Okay.

(engine sputtering)

(light music)

- I'll go get my camera equipment.

(suspenseful music)

(screams)

- Good morning.

- What a (audio cuts out) thing to do.

- Diane!

You shouldn't have done this.

We don't know what we're liable to find.

- That's just why I came.

(suspenseful music)

- Look at the steam coming off that thing.

- Can we get in close?

- Surface down there is full of crevices.

We better play it safe.

There's a level area back there.

We'll be gone most of the morning.

Keep in touch with air base, will you?

- Yes sir.

- This is one place we

don't want to be stranded.

- All right, let's go.

- All right, Professor.

(wind howling)

(mischievous music)

- Now, where do you think you're going?

- Please, I'm sorry.

But now that I'm here, you

know I'm an expert skier,

I can handle myself as well as any of you.

- Well, she's your niece, Doctor.

- Well, it's your expedition.

- It was my expedition.

(light music)

- Still cooling off.

- Let's go down and take a closer look.

(wind howling)

- We'll just make a preliminary

investigation of it.

You mind staying here with Diane?

- No.

- He doesn't have to babysit.

- We'll be right back.

- Are you ready, Doctor?

- Let's go.

(suspenseful music)

(eerie music)

- Doctor, do you realize

what this has to be?

- Colonel, no human

technology has produced

anything like this.

- The outer layer must be a shell

of some heat-resistant material.

- Don't touch it!

- Come on, let's get out of here.

(suspenseful music)

(g*n firing)

- The fool, he'll start an avalanche.

(suspenseful music)

- Poor man.

He must've been buried alive.

- Erik, look!

(eerie music)

- So that's what he was sh**ting at.

- Erik.

- Yeah?

- That mapped village

between here Rick's Jarvey.

Could you and Diane ski there before dark?

- Yeah, but how about you?

- No no, you two could have help back in

before we got halfway.

- All right.

If we're not back by morning though,

you better start following our trail.

Come on, Diane.

- Calling SR332, aircraft SR332,

please come in if you read us, over.

- Try it again.

- SR332, aircraft SR332,

please come in if you read us, over.

- How long has it been?

- Too long, I'm afraid.

We haven't heard a thing since Canoerly.

The captain said that Dr. Wilson

would call us by radio himself

when they reached the site of the meteor.

- Is it possible they landed the plane,

and with the antenna close to the ground,

the signals don't carry?

- Not very likely.

Do you see that, Tony,

that's from 3000 to 5000 feet

at the lowest point.

Now their antenna has sufficient altitude

to carry from 300 to 400

miles, perhaps even farther.

- The only thing I can think of

is they may have landed the plane,

perhaps several miles away from the site

because of the snow conditions,

and they had to carry on by foot.

Now, that would account

for a considerable delay

in their being in a

position to contact us.

- Is that the only thing you can think of?

- Well look, let's not say it's

the only thing I can think of.

Let's just say that it's

the only explanation

I want to consider right now.

Time comes to paint a darker picture,

you can bet your bottom dollar

I'll think of something.

But right now it's too early

to push the tiny button.

All right, go on, keep trying.

- Calling SR332, aircraft

SR332, please come in,

we're standing by waiting

for your message, over.

(suspenseful music)

(chuckles)

- Are we almost there?

- Are you tired?

- A little.

- We'll stop soon, I promise.

(suspenseful music)

(wind howling)

- Ow, my knee!

- Oh.

Do you feel a sharp pain?

- Ow, yes.

- We're standing by, over.

- [Man On Radio] Hello there spotter.

I'm afraid I haven't been

able to pick up anything

from Dr. Wilson.

I've been monitoring your

call ever since you started,

and it looks to me like

either a crash landing

or a possible freak weather condition.

And I'm picking up a

strange kind of static

intermittently all day.

I never heard anything like it before.

Over.

- Hello Canoerly.

Can you tell us your precise

weather condition right now?

Over.

- [Man On Radio] It looks as

if we may be in for a storm.

But this static I've been

hearing doesn't sound in any way

like the usual storm interference.

Over.

- Keep listening and give us

a shout if there's any change.

This is Langsford out.

- Do you know offhand how

many planes would be available

that can fly at low altitude?

- I imagine there's five or six.

What about that storm?

- I'm hoping it doesn't materialize.

If it does we'll just have to wait it out.

- Here you go, fellas.

- Oh boy, thank you.

- Anything come in?

- Well, only a report from Canoerly

they're expecting a storm.

- A big one?

- He didn't say.

- You know, the more I think about it,

the more I'm concerned about that static.

He said ti wasn't due

to the storm in any way,

or any way familiar.

Maybe it's some kind of a

message from Dr. Wilson.

- Sounds feasible.

If his radio was out,

he would probably try to set up

some makeshift static transformer.

- Hmm.

- What do you think?

- It's worth following through.

Yeah.

Get back to Canoerly.

Tell him to make a tape of

what he's picking up up there,

then feed it into his transmitter

so that we can read it here.

- Right.

(wind howling)

- I'll go back to the crater

and bring our equipment.

- Right.

(eerie music)

(suspenseful music)

(clattering)

(wind howling)

(light music)

- [Narrator] The Laps, being

forced to migrate south

out of fear of avalanches

that had been reported

still commencing at points

near and around them,

were taken to groups

covering various routes

to the village of Canoerly.

Fortunately for Dr. Wilson

and the remaining airman,

these nomads would

provide a welcome escort.

(eerie music)

(suspenseful music)

- Langsford, calling Langsford WJ,

Canoerly 97 calling Langsford WJ.

Come in Langsford.

- [Man On Radio] Canoerly 97,

this is Langsford reading you.

- Langsford WJ, Canoerly 97.

Your plane arrived okay.

It's on the landing field now.

Over.

- [Commander] Hello Canoerly,

this is Commander Simpson speaking.

I have some thing for Dr. Wilson.

Is he there with you at present?

Over.

- Langsford WJ, Dr. Wilson

is outside right now, but--

(crashing)

(suspenseful music)

- [Commander] Canoerly, hello Canoerly?

I don't get your transmission.

Is anything wrong?

- I don't know.

(growling)

- [Commander] Hello Canoerly,

Canoerly 97, come in please.

(suspenseful music)

- A rescue cabin.

There'll be food and supplies inside.

- You were right, I had

no business coming along.

- Oh come on, forget it.

We can rest down there.

There should be a lantern.

Yeah, here it is.

(light music)

Ah, let me help you.

- Oh, I can take these off.

You start a fire.

- Okay.

You might as well get

out of those wet things

while you're at it.

- Into what?

- Oh, there's a blanket on the bar.

I want to get some hot compresses

on that sprain of yours

before I leave.

- 10 years on skis, and I

have to pick a time like this

to wrench my knee.

Where shall I change?

- Don't worry, I'll keep my back turned.

If I make it to the Lap village by dawn,

they should have me around

to Rick's Jarvey by noon.

- [Diane] What about Uncle Fred?

- Well, I'll send a search

party back to the crater.

They'll find 'em.

- I hope they're all right.

Erik.

- [Erik] Yeah.

- If that object is like

one of our satellites,

then couldn't the creature

be one of their animals?

- Don't worry about the creature.

What you need now is some

hot compresses on that knee.

I'll melt some snow.

(wind howling)

Now, let me see that knee.

(light music)

- Ow.

- Hurt much?

- No, not too bad.

- Well.

This will do it good.

Feel better?

- Mhmm.

Erik.

You better get going.

- Yeah.

I'll be back first thing in the morning.

(suspenseful music)

- Erik?

Erik, is that you?

(dramatic music)

(gasps)

(screams)

(suspenseful music)

(whimpering)

- What happened?

What happened?!

- The creature, it's out there!

- I'm getting you out of here.

Sit down!

(crashing)

(suspenseful music)

Diane, is she all right?

- Take it easy, lad.

You've had a bad night.

- Where is Diane?

- Wish we knew.

We found a trail leading

away from the cabin,

but lost it when the wind started.

- She's still out there?

- Erik, the Laps are looking for her.

They'll find her.

- How did you get here?

- A party of Laps arrived

about an hour after you and Diane left.

- Where are Hendrik and Bottiger?

- Well, Bottiger's plane should

be landing in a few minutes.

- [Erik] And Hendrik?

- Erik, Hendrik met with an accident.

- What?

- He went back to the

crater for the equipment.

We found his body at the

bottom of the trench.

- Creatures.

- Yeah, where?

- Diane saw him at the cabin.

He caused the avalanche.

(dramatic music)

(wind howling)

(eerie music)

(screams)

(chattering)

(light music)

(dramatic music)

(shouting)

(barking)

(wind howling)

(eerie music)

(suspenseful music)

(steady beeping)

(suspenseful music)

(screams)

(screams)

(airplane engine roaring)

(speaking foreign language)

- They have seen the creature.

It invaded their campsite.

- What about Diane, have they seen her?

(speaking foreign language)

- The creature was carrying

something in his arms.

Could have been a woman.

- Uh huh.

Think you can fly me to the

spot where they were camped?

- I could try.

- Good.

(screams)

(suspenseful music)

(g*n fires)

(dogs barking)

Doctor.

That thing must've come from the crater.

(g*n firing)

(dogs barking)

(g*n firing)

Your plane, we've got to get it out.

(crashing)

(exploding)

Come on, Doctor!

That's Diane's scarf.

Let's get out of here.

(crashing)

(growling)

- Colonel, could you organize a Lap party

to help us follow him?

- I sent a skier down to Rick's Jarvy.

- Well I'm not gonna wait.

If Diane's still alive, I want

to reach her before he does.

(chattering)

(growls)

(shouting)

(growls)

(screams)

(screaming)

(suspenseful music)

(shouting)

- Doctor, Doctor!

Doctor, you've got to stop them!

- After what he did to

their village, how can I?

Look at them!

- But he's got Diane!

- Colonel, see what you can do.

(shouts in foreign language)

(suspenseful music)

(shouting)

(eerie music)

- Now I wonder if they found

out what they wanted to know.

Well, let's hope for better luck

when we set foot on some other world.

- [Narrator] The time involved

in the journey from our world

back to theirs could

only be known by them.

If we searched deeply enough into this,

perhaps we'd find an omen.

Memories are diminished

as the passing of time

provides a past.

It equally brings to us the future,

and without a future,

there would be no present.

(suspenseful music)

(dramatic music)