q*eer (2024)

[bunniefuu]

[ALL APOLOGIES BY
SINEAD O'CONNOR PLAYING]

[MUSIC FADES]

- [INDISTINCT CHATTER]
- [MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

You're not q*eer.

Usually, if I get this
far with an American kid,

I can get the rest of the way,
but with you there's some...

obstacle.

Your mother wouldn't like it.

I had a friend, um,

a h*m* Jewish friend
who lived in Oklahoma City.

I asked him, "Why
do you live here?

"You have enough money,

"you could live
wherever you like."

You know what he told me?

[IN DEEP VOICE] "It would k*ll
my mother if I moved away."

[LAUGHS HEARTILY]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

- [WHISTLE BLOWS]
- [TRAM BELL DINGS]

Good luck, Lee.

[MAN SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[SIGHS HEAVILY]

[VEHICLES PASS BY]

[NOISES FADE OUT TO SILENCE]

- [VEHICLE HONKS]
- [DOG BARKS DISTANTLY]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

[SERENE MUSIC PLAYING]

- LEE: Gracias.
- Gracias.

[STATIC NOISE]

Everything in this
country falls apart.

Wouldn't surprise me

if I picked up a boy in
the Alameda and his...

Someone stole my typewriter.

It was that Brazilian,
or whatever he is.

You know him. Maurice.

The wrestler?

You mean the gym
instructor, Louie?

No, no, no. That's
another one.

No, Louie has decided

all that sort of
thing is very wrong,

and he tells me that I
am going to burn in hell

but he is going to heaven.

- Serious?
- Mm-hmm.

No, Maurice is as q*eer as I am.

If not queerer...
[BELCHES] Excuse me.

But he won't accept it.

I think stealing my typewriter

is a way he takes
to demonstrate to me

and to himself that he is
just in it for all he can get.

Uh-huh.

As a matter of
fact, he's so q*eer

I've lost interest in him.

Not completely though...

[CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY]

[NOISES FADE OUT]

[STATIC NOISE GROWS LOUDER]

[CLOCK TICKING]

[TICKING GETS LOUDER]

[FLIES BUZZING]

[STATIC NOISE]

[DISTORTED FEELING]

Hello.

Nazis.

I'll probably invite
him back to my apartment

instead of beating
the sh*t out of him

like I should.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

LEE: think how much
it would cost you

to sh**t a major in
the Mexican Army!

You know what? I'm
going to get a bottle.

Well, um, no.

You see, we're hoping
to work on the plans

for this boat we're
going to build.

A boat?

MOOR: Yes. At Zihuatanejo.

All right. Well, how about
meeting me for a drink

tomorrow at the Rathskeller?
Say around five?

I expect I'll be busy tomorrow.

Yes, but you have to eat
and drink. [CHUCKLES]

Well, you see, this boat
is more important to me

than anything right now.

It will take up all my time.

Suit yourself.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Thanks for running
interference, Tom.

I hope he got the idea.

I like the guy, but I can't
stand to be alone with him.

He keeps trying to
go to bed with me.

That's what I don't
like about q*eers.

You can't keep it on
the basis of friendship.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[COME AS YOU ARE
BY NIRVANA PLAYING]

[CHEERING AND
SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY]

[SQUAWKING]

[COME AS YOU ARE
CONTINUES PLAYING]

[SONG FADES OUT]

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

One absinthe.

BARTENDER: Hola, Lee.

[INHALES SHARPLY]

[GIGGLES]

[MAN LAUGHS]

f*ck you, Tom!

MAN: So touchy!

I don't take it personally.

[CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY]

- [INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]
- [WOMAN LAUGHS]

Yup.

[DOOR OPENS]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[CHIMU BAR ARTISTS
SING LA MALAGUENA]

- Mezcal!
- BARTENDER: Si, senor.

[BARTENDER IN SPANISH]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[CROWD CHEERING]

[LAUGHTER]

[IN SPANISH] Why so sad?

[SPEAKS SPANISH] I'm not sad.

Not really.

I'm okay.

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[IN ENGLISH] You
been aqui before? Mm?

- Yeah, of course, you have.
- I've been aqui.

[DOOR CLOSES]

[SPEAKS SPANISH] Do
you carry a p*stol?

LEE: [IN ENGLISH]
Yes, I carry a p*stol.

[CLEARS THROAT]

[SOMBER MUSIC CONTINUES]

[CHUCKLES]

[MAN MOANS]

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]

[SPEAKS SPANISH] I have to go.

There's a brawl
out of the Chimu.

I'm going there to
drink something.

[LEE CLEARS THROAT]

- Adios.
- Adios.

LEE: [IN ENGLISH]
Get a load of this.

"After he k*lled his
wife and three children,

"he takes a razor and
puts on a suicide act,

"but resulted only in scratches

"that did not require medical
attention." [CHUCKLES]

What a slobbish performance!

And on the subject of
m*rder, I'm going...

Sit down on your a*s!

[SIGHS]

Or what's left of it after
four years in the Navy.

[SCOFFS]

Lee.

I gotta go.

What are you, henpecked?

Yeah, no kidding.

I've been out too
much lately, Lee.

Lola's, Ship Ahoy,

the other places...

My old lady says

I gotta be home for
dinner every night.

f*ck, Jim!

JIM: Lee, wait...

LEE: Hi!

Hi.

I just... Uh, I just wanted
to tell you that, um...

Mary was in Lola's
a little while ago.

And she asked me to tell you

that she'd be in the
Ship Ahoy later on,

around five.

- Oh.
- [CLEARS THROAT]

Thank you.

- Will you be around tonight?
- Yes, um...

I think so, yeah.

[AND THE ANGELS SING BY BENNY
GOODMAN PLAYS OVER SPEAKERS]

- Who is he?
- [SCOFFS]

I have no idea.

- Tequila. [CLEARS THROAT]
- BARTENDER: Yeah.

[MARY CHUCKLES]

[SPEAKS SPANISH] Another.

Another.

[MARY CHUCKLES]

[BARTENDER IN SPANISH] You're
drinking so fast, Mr. Lee!

[SATURDAY NIGHT FISH FRY
BY LOUIS JORDAN PLAYING]

ALLERTON: [IN ENGLISH]
Two rum and cokes.

[BARTENDER IN SPANISH]

[COINS CLINKING]

[CHUCKLES]

[CLEARS THROAT]

[CONVERSES IN SPANISH]

[IN ENGLISH] Come sit
with us over there.

[IN ENGLISH] How did
you check the accuracy

of your information?
That... That doesn't...

- Actually, uh, we didn't.
- What?

So the Counter-Intelligence
Corps got sucked in

on a lot of phony deals
when I was in Germany.

And, of course, we cross-checked

all information with
the other informants,

and we had our own
agents in the field.

Now, most of our informants,

they would come back with
some phony information,

but this one character,
he made it all up.

[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]

I mean, he had our agents
out looking out in the field

for a whole fictitious network
of Russian spies, right?

So, finally, reports came
back from Frankfurt...

- it's all a load of crap!
- Oh.

- But instead of clearing...
- [BOTH CHUCKLE]

Instead of clearing out of town

before the information
could be checked,

- he came back with more.
- Oh.

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

[VOICES FADE OUT]

[CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY]

You're here?

[ALLERTON GRUNTS]

Yeah, I have a sack here.

LEE: Uh-huh.

Good night.

[LEE LAUGHS]

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

- Good night.
- Night.

[GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[MUSIC FADES OUT]

[CLOCK ALARM RINGS]

[SIGHS]

- There she is!
- Yes.

The trouble with me is, I
like the type that robs me.

Where you make your mistake is,

bringing them back
to your apartment.

That's what hotels are for.

Well, you're right
there, but half the time

I don't have money for a hotel.

- [LEE CLEARS THROAT]
- Besides, I like someone

around to cook breakfast
and sweep the place out.

Uh. You mean clean
the place out!

I don't mind the
watch and the radio,

but it really hurts
losing those boots.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

They were a thing of
beauty and joy forever.

[LAUGHS HYSTERICALLY]

I don't know whether I ought
to say things like this

in front of Junior here.

- Go ahead.
- [BELCHES] No offense, kid.

Did I tell you how I
made the cop on the beat?

[INHALES AND EXHALES SHARPLY]

He's a vigilante, the
watchman out where I live.

Every time he sees the
light on in my room,

he comes in for a shot of rum.

About five nights ago,

he caught me when I
was drunk, and stoned,

and horny.

Well, one thing led to another

and I ended up showing
him how the, uh...

cow ate the cabbage.

[LAUGHS]

JOE: The night
after I make him,

I'm walking by the beer
joint on the corner.

He comes out borracho
and says, "Have a drink."

I said, "I don't
want a drink."

So he takes out his pistola
and says, "Have a drink."

I proceeded to take his
pistola away from him.

He goes back into the beer joint

to phone for reinforcements.

So I had to go in and rip
the phone off the wall.

Now, they're charging
me for the phone.

So, I get back to my room,
which is on the ground floor.

He'd written "El Puto Gringo"
on the window with soap.

[LEE CHUCKLING]

I didn't wipe it off.

I left it there.

It pays to advertise.

[LAUGHING]

[IN SPANISH] Would
you like more?

[LAUGHS, RESPONDS
IN SPANISH] Yes.

[IN ENGLISH] Excuse me.

You think he's q*eer?

Now I've been seeing
him for a few weeks.

- Seeing him?
- Yeah, spending time with him.

Like... I can't tell.

You could always just ask.

No, no, no, no, no! No!

Well, he must be q*eer
if he's talking to him.

Dume's part of that
little clique of q*eers

who go to that beer
joint on Campeche,

- The Green Lantern.
- I know who he is.

He's the only one of
those Green Lantern boys

who'd be welcome in
a place like this.

The rest of them are just
a bunch of screaming f*gs.

Would you excuse me?

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

Hey. Tequila.

How do you like this character?

He comes over and asks,

"I thought you were one of
the Green Lantern Boys."

I said, "Well, yes, I am."

[LAUGHS]

He wants me to take him around

to some of the g*y places here.

Hmm.

Truth be told, I don't
take people to the Lantern.

I mean, either you're
going there or you're not.

Something about
the way he asked,

I just couldn't say no.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

- You don't know him, do you?
- Mm?

He's always in here,
playing chess with the girl.

- Mary.
- Mary! That's right, yeah.

- She seems nice.
- I wouldn't know.

DUME: Supposing
she's his girlfriend,

then she's in for a bit
of a surprise. Right?

[LAUGHS]

- What?
- Are you all right, Lee?

Yes, I'm fine.

Well, I just asked
if you knew the boy

and I'm still
waiting on an answer.

I... Yes, I...

I mean, no.

A little.

Thank you as always

for the enlightening
conversation.

- Oh, Tom, darling.
- Yes, my dear.

Let's talk Puerto Vallarta.

- It's very nice.
- Okay.

A few of us are
thinking about going.

It's on the west coast,
there's a gorgeous climate.

- Yeah.
- Beautiful men.

[CHARACTERS SPEAKING SPANISH]

[MYSTICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[COIN CLATTERS]

[CLICKS]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[MARIGOLD BY NIRVANA
PLAYS ON JUKEBOX]

[CLEARS THROAT]

[LEE CHUCKLES]

I presume Dume told you
about my proclivities.

Yes.

A curse... [CHUCKLES]

Been in our family
for generations.

The Lees have always
been perverts. [CHUCKLES]

I shall never forget
the unspeakable horror

that froze the
lymph in my glands,

the lymph glands
that is, of course,

when that baneful word
seared my reeling brain.

h*m*!

[CHUCKLES]

I thought of the painted,
simpering female impersonators

I had seen in a
Baltimore night club.

Could it be that I was one
of those subhuman things?

I walked the street in a daze,

like a man with a
light concussion.

I might well have
destroyed myself,

ending an existence
which seemed to offer

nothing but grotesque
misery and humiliation.

"Nobler," I thought,

"to die a man than to live
on a sex monster." [SCOFFS]

[MARIGOLD CONTINUES PLAYING]

It was...

It was a wise old queen,

Bobo, we called her,

who taught me that
I had a duty to live

and to bear my burden
proudly for all to see,

you know, to conquer ignorance
and prejudice and hate

with knowledge, and sincerity...

and love.

ALLERTON: Hmm.

Bobo's words came back
to me from the tomb,

the sibilants cracking gently.

[MIMICKING BOBO] "No one
is ever really alone.

"You are part of
everything that is alive."

[IN NORMAL VOICE] The
difficulty is to convince

someone else he is
really part of you.

So what the hell?

Us "parts" ought to
work together. Reet?

What I mean is, Allerton, is...

[SIGHS]

We're all parts of
a tremendous whole.

There's no use fighting it.

The q*eer bars
here don't compare

to the Stateside q*eer joints.

- I mean, that is depressing.
- Uh, I wouldn't know.

I've never been to
any q*eer joints

except those Dume took me to.

I guess there's kicks and kicks.

You haven't? Really?

No.

Never.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

[17 DAYS [PIANO & A MICROPHONE


there's a gorilla in a cage...

After you.

Masturbating, and, um...

Should we go back to my place?

I've got some Napoleon brandy.

- All right.
- Hmm.

- Hello! [LAUGHS]
- Hola.

[IN SPANISH] Good evening.

Insurgentes,
Monterrey. Three pesos.

- Four pesos.
- [IN ENGLISH] Oh. f*ck off.

[IN SPANISH] You f*cking
gringo, son of a b*tch!

Get in the car, f*cking gringo!

Son of a b*tch!

[IN ENGLISH] I'm sorry,
I can't hear you.

[IN ENGLISH] f*ck you, man!

sh*t! [GRUNTS]

f*ck, man.

Sometimes I think
they don't like us.

Oh?

Let's walk, come on.

[BOTH LAUGH]

[17 DAYS CONTINUES PLAYING]

Welcome. Welcome.

- ALLERTON: Oh.
- Yes! Yeah. [CLEARS THROAT]

[SONG STOPS ABRUPTLY]

[KEYS CLATTERING]

[LEE EXHALES]

Well, uh, welcome. It's a...

I'll fix you a drink.

[BOTTLES CLINKING]

[SHELVES OPENING AND CLOSING]

LEE: Ta-da! [CHUCKLES]

[POURS DRINK]

[GLASSES CLINKING]

[SNIFFS]

ALLERTON: Mm.

[COUGHS]

[LAUGHS]

ALLERTON: Oh, good Lord!

Napoleon must have
pissed in this one.

Oh, I was...

I was afraid of that,
an untutored palate!

Your generation has never
learned the pleasures

that a trained palate confers
on the disciplined few.

[CHUCKLING]

[COUGHS AND LAUGHS]
It is godawful.

Still, it's better than
a California brandy.

It does have a suggestion
of a cognac taste.

[SIGHS]

Oh, yeah. [CHUCKLES]

[ALLERTON GRUNTS]

Can I... [CLEARS THROAT]
show you over the house?

This is the, uh...

bedroom. [CHUCKLES]

I'll... I'll get you
some more brandy.

- [EXHALES]
- [CHUCKLES]

[CLEARS THROAT]

[GRUNTS]

Oh, this is... [LAUGHS]

Sweet stuff, dearie.

This wasn't made in Mexico.

- No, I bought it in Scotland.
- [CHUCKLES]

- [GAGS]
- Are you...

[RETCHING]

[GROANS]

[FLUSHES TOILET]

[TURNS TAP ON]

[RINSES MOUTH]

I wonder what the
matter could be.

You didn't...

You didn't drink that much.

- Are you okay now?
- Yes, I think so.

[SIGHS WEARILY]

[GROANS]

[ALLERTON GROANS SOFTLY]

[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]

[BREATHES HEAVILY]

- Let's get this sweater off.
- Okay.

That rib's broken.

[GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[KISSES]

[MUSIC FADES OUT]

Do I smell like vomit?

No.

[GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[MOANING]

[MOANING IN PLEASURE]

[GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[GRUNTS]

[ALLERTON BREATHING HEAVILY]

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[EXHALING]

[BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY]

ALLERTON: Wait, wait, wait.

[MUSIC FADES OUT]

[CHUCKLES]

[LEE LAUGHS]

[GENTLE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[LEE BREATHING HEAVILY]

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

[LEE MOANING IN PLEASURE]

[GROANS AND BREATHES HEAVILY]

f*ck!

[MUSIC FADES OUT]

[ALLERTON SIGHS]

[LEE BREATHES HARD]

LEE: I know telepathy
to be a fact

since I've
experienced it myself.

What interests me is how
I can use it, you know?

In South America,

at the headwaters of the Amazon,

grows a plant called "yage"

which is supposed to increase
telepathic sensitivity.

Medicine men use
it in their work

and a Columbian scientist,
whose, um, name escapes me,

isolated from yage a drug
he calls "telepathine".

I read all this in
a magazine article.

Later, I see in another article

the Russians are using yage

in experiments on sl*ve labor.

It seems they want to induce
states of automatic obedience

and ultimately, of
course, thought control.

[LAUGHS]

How about the T-bone
steak for two?

[IN SPANISH] We're closing.

[IN ENGLISH] That's fine.

Oh, they list baked Alaska.

- Ever eat it?
- No.

Real good.

It's hot on the outside

and cold inside.

That's why they call it
"baked Alaska," I imagine.

You know... [CLEARS THROAT]
I got an idea for a new dish.

You take a live pig and you
throw it into a very hot oven

so the pig is roasted outside

and when you cut into it,

it's still alive and
twitching inside.

Or, if we run a dramatic joint,

a screaming pig covered
with burning brandy

runs out of the kitchen...

[IMITATES PIG SQUEALING]

- And dies right by the chair.
- [LAUGHS]

You just reach down,

you pull off the crispy,
crackly ears and...

eat them with your c*ck.

Well, if you insist...

[ALLERTON BRUSHES TEETH]

[LEE CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

- I want a rum and coke.
- Sure. Why not?

Let's go to the
Ship Ahoy. Come on.

Oh, yes.

[17 DAYS BY PRINCE PLAYING]

[PEOPLE LAUGHING]

MAN: I was treated, you know,
by the therapist in the Army.

JOE: What did he say?

He said I'm an Oedipus
and I love my mother.

f*ck.

Everybody loves
their mother, son.

I mean, I love her physically.

[LEE COUGHS]

I don't believe that, son.

Lee, did you hear Jim Cochran
has gone back to the States?

- Mm-hmm.
- He plans to work in Alaska.

LEE: Oh, thank God
I am a gentleman

of independent means

and do not have to expose myself

to the inclemencies of
near-Arctic conditions.

But never mind...

I've got bigger fish to fry.

What? [LAUGHING]

"Bigger fish" is right.

Cold...

slippery...

hard to catch.

[IN SPANISH]

How about dinner?

I think I'll work tonight.

Like the Wallace administration,

I subsidize non-production.

I will pay you 20 pesos
not to work tonight.

Need a drink?

No, not now.

Anyway, I have to go.

Um...

I'll see you tomorrow.
[CLEARS THROAT]

Yes, good night.

Eugene...

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[SUI GHIACCIAI BY
VERDENA PLAYING]

[SONG STOPS ABRUPTLY]

[ZIPPER UNZIPS]

[DO I WORRY? BY THE
INK SPOTS PLAYING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

WOMAN: There you are.

- LEE: Oh.
- Darling!

[LAUGHS] Look at that!

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

Oh. [EXCLAIMS]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

JOE: Tall, handsome,
blissfully stupid...

Guys like us have to
look out for one another.

[WOMEN TALKING AND LAUGHING]

[LAUGHING]

- [MARY SHOOTS TOY g*n]
- WOMAN: Yes!

[LAUGHS]

[CONTINUES sh**ting g*n]

- [WOMEN SCREAM]
- WOMAN: Careful!

[LEE MUMBLES]

Apologies. [CLEARS THROAT]

- You guys all right?
- [LEE CLEARS THROAT]

Yes. Yeah.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

I want to talk to you.

Without speaking.

And I wanna touch you...

like... like...
like the Russians...

Yeah.

Like the Mayans...

TOM: All right, Bill,
let's take it easy, huh?

Hey. Hey, Tom.

- TOM: Come on. Yeah.
- [LEE GIGGLES]

- You got a drink, Tom? Mm?
- Yeah.

- I could use a couple.
- A cup of water, maybe.

[THUDS]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[SQUEAKING SOUND
INCREASES GRADUALLY]

[SQUEAKING SOUND CONTINUES]

[BABY'S CRY ECHOING
IN DISTANCE]

[TENSE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[MUSIC ENDS ABRUPTLY]

[LEE BREATHING HEAVILY]

[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[CHUCKLES]

Aren't you q*eer?

LEE: I'm not q*eer.

I'm disembodied.

[LAUGHS]

[EERIE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[DOGS BARKING DISTANTLY]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

How are you?

[YAWNS]

Sleepy. I just got up.

See you.

[SLOW DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

- [LAUGHING]
- [INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]

I was thinking about going down

to South America soon.

[GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC PLAYING]

Why don't you come with me?

Won't cost you a cent.

Perhaps not in money.

[SCOFFS]

I'm not a difficult
man to get along with.

We could reach some
satisfactory arrangement. Mm.

What you got to lose?

Independence.

Who's going to cut
into your independence?

ALLERTON: Mm.

You can lay all the
women in South America,

if you want to.

All I'm asking is, um...

to be nice to me, say...

twice a week?

That isn't too excessive, is it?

Besides, I'll, um...

I'll buy you a round-trip ticket

so you can leave
at your discretion.

[GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC CONTINUES]

I'll think it over.

This newspaper job I'm
doing runs ten days more.

So, uh, I will give
you a definite answer

when the job folds.

Your job is...

[SIGHS]

All right.

- [CHUCKLES]
- MARY: Hello.

[SMACKS LIPS] Oh!

Well, it's in the wrong place.

[BLOWS]

[EXHALES]

[LEAVE ME ALONE BY
NEW ORDER PLAYING]

[LEAVE ME ALONE
CONTINUES PLAYING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

LEE: How was your
trip to Morelia?

ALLERTON: Oh...

It was all right.

You know, I'm thinking about

buying a half interest
in this place.

- [CLEARS THROAT]
- Hmm.

You exist on credit here, right?

Tom says you owe 400 pesos.

Maybe, if I was half
owner of the joint,

you wouldn't be in a
position to ignore me.

[ALLERTON SIGHS]

So how about this
trip to South America?

It's always nice to see places
you haven't seen before.

Can you leave anytime?

Anytime.

[RIDERS IN THE SKY BY
VAUGHN MONROE PLAYING]

LEE: Come on, come on!

[RIDERS IN THE SKY
CONTINUES PLAYING]

What did you say it was

that you are looking
for down here?

No, not here. In Ecuador.

Yage.

Never heard of that.

- You heard of H and C, right?
- Hmm.

[WHISPERS] Heroin and cocaine.

- Ah. [LAUGHS]
- [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]

You can get those in the city.

- Oh. Oh, okay.
- In Canal.

Adios.

Gracias, adios.

[MUSICOLOGY BY PRINCE PLAYING]

[EXHALES]

- Oh!
- [WHISTLES]

[YELLS]

[IN ENGLISH] f*ck you!

f*ck you!

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

[MUSICOLOGY CONTINUES PLAYING]

[TREMBLING]

[WIND HOWLING]

[SHIVERS]

[MUTTERING]

[CHURCH BELLS RINGING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SOBBING]

[GROANS]

ALLERTON: It's not that
much further, all right?

Just a little bit up the road.

[SLOW DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[LEE SHIVERING]

Are you awake, Gene?

Hmm?

Yes.

LEE: Cold? You cold?

No.

Can I... Can I come over...
over there with you?

All right.

[LEE GRUNTING]

You're twitching all over.

Yeah. [SHUDDERS]

Christ almighty,
your hands are cold!

[BREATH TREMBLING]

[SLOW DRAMATIC
MUSIC CONTINUES]

[LEE GRUNTS SOFTLY]

LEE: Love is...

[ALLERTON BREATHING DEEPLY]

[LEE MURMURING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[GRUNTS]

f*cking stairs!

ALLERTON: Stairs are
fine, Lee. They're fine.

- DOCTOR: Take a seat.
- Thank you.

Just over here.

[GROANS] Oh, God...

Dysentery?

LEE: Mm-hmm.

Can you describe
me your symptoms?

Uh...

Bloody diarrhea, cramps,
and, um, vomiting...

ALLERTON: High temperature.

LEE: Yeah, right,
high temperature.

Please.

LEE: Yeah, the,
the... [CLEARS THROAT]

The prescription
that works best is...

[CLEARS THROAT]
Paregoric with bismuth.

[CHUCKLES]

Tell the truth now.

Um, are you addicted to opiates?

[LEE SIGHS]

Better you tell me
or I cannot help you.

[SIGHING]

Yes.

Uh-huh.

And how long has this
addiction lasted?

Oh, just too long,
sir, too long.

Um... It's why I
left the States.

Um, my condition makes
me a criminal there.

You must stop this habit.

Better you should suffer
now than lose your life.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
I want to stop.

It's just... [SIGHS]

I... I need to get some sleep.

I'm going to the coast
tomorrow, to Manta, so I...

You must stop this habit.

I know.

Here.

[CHUCKLES]

Thank you.

LEE: Three CCs?

What the f*ck am I supposed
to do with three CCs?

ALLERTON: Maybe
we'll convince them

to give you something
else at the pharmacy.

LEE: Yes, those ladies are so
nice, they'll understand...

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC PLAYING]

- [GROANS]
- [SPITS]

[COUGHS]

[BIRDS SQUAWKING]

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]

[GROANS SOFTLY]

[GRUNTS]

[GROANS]

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

[GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC CONTINUES]

LEE: Should we grab a drink?

ALLERTON: Um... No, I'd rather
stay here and take pictures.

[ALLERTON SNORING SOFTLY]

[GROANS]

[CLEARS THROAT]

[SERENE INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC PLAYING]

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

[LEE BREATHING HEAVILY]

What's the matter?

I thought you were going to
run your hand down my ribs.

I wouldn't do that.

You think I'm
q*eer or something?

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Frankly, yes.

[BOTH LAUGH]

LEE: Scooch over.

[SERENE INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC CONTINUES]

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

[KISSES]

[BOTH MOANING IN PLEASURE]

[KISSING]

[BOTH MOANING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[BOTH MOANING]

[BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY]

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Do you...

Do you mind it?

Not terribly.

But you do...

enjoy it sometimes?

Hmm?

The whole deal, I mean.

Oh, yes.

Oh, yes.

[SERENE INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC CONTINUES]

[OBJECTS CLATTERING]

[LEE CHUCKLING]

LEE: Christ! f*ck!

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have tried
so soon after last time.

[CLEARS THROAT]

It was a breach of contract.

I don't like people who
apologize at breakfast.

Really?

Hmm?

Aren't you taking
unfair advantage?

Hmm? Like someone was, um...

Like someone was
junk sick and...

I don't use junk,

and I say, "Sick? Really?

"Why do you tell me about
your disgusting condition?

"You might at least
have the decency

"to keep it to yourself.

"You must realize
how distasteful it is

"to see you... you sneezing,
and coughing, and retching.

"Why don't you take
it someplace else

"so I don't have to
look at it? You know?

"I mean, have you any
idea how tiresome you are,

"or how repulsive?

"I mean, have you no pride?"

That is not fair at all.

Well, it isn't
supposed to be fair.

It's just a routine
for your amusement,

containing a modicum of truth.

Can you hurry up and
finish your breakfast

so you don't miss
the Salinas bus?

You're not coming?

No. I'm going to
Quito, remember?

Oh... Oh, right.

DR. HERNANDEZ: Yage?

And why would you say

you were interested in
this plant, Mister...

Lee. I... I read about it

in a magazine.

It said that Yage increases
telepathic sensitivity and...

You know, the
Russians are using it

in thought control
experiments and...

And yeah, probably
by the CIA as well.

- Are you with the CIA?
- [CHUCKLING] No.

And then why would
you be interested

in thought control experiments?

I'm not. I'm not.

I'm interested in telepathy.

- Telepathy? Why?
- Hmm.

Oh, I...

[SIGHS]

I suspected that it was
only a matter of time

before North Americans
like yourself

would start coming to
Ecuador seeking out Yage.

Well, yeah, yes...

You think it can
fix things for you.

It is not a drug in the
sense you understand it.

It is not recreational
like cocaine or heroin.

LEE: There is nothing
recreational about heroin.

My point is that Yage does
not provide a pleasant "trip."

It is not something
to be done casually,

without the proper supervision.

Well, can you provide me
with that supervision?

Do I look like an
Indian in the jungle?

[LAUGHS] No, but...

I'm sorry. I can't help you.

How much would I have
to pay you for a map?

I think you misunderstand
the nature of the telepathy

that can be achieved with Yage.

LEE: Communication
without speaking,

on the level of
intuition, it's...

Who is it that you're trying

so desperately to
communicate with?

Your wife?

No.

DR. HERNANDEZ: There
is an American botanist

living a few hours outside
of Puyo, deep in the jungle.

Her name is Cotter.

She's mad like you,

trying to develop some medicine.

Perhaps if you pay her a
visit, she can help you.

I warn you, though.

Yage is not a portal
to some other place.

It is a mirror.

And when you look into it,
you may not like what you see.

By the time you realize
you are not ready,

it may be too late.

Come, I'll draw you the map.

[PSYCHEDELIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[GRUNTING]

Careful, careful!

[PANTING]

[GRUNTING, PANTING]

Hello?

[PANTING]

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Hello?

[HISSING]

You hear that?

[BIRD CHIRPING]

Hello?

[HISSING]

[CLEARS THROAT]

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

[HISSING CONTINUES]

Hello?

- [HISSES]
- [BOTH SCREAM]

[SCREAMING]

Help! Help!

- [HISSES]
- For the love of God, help us!

Announce yourselves,

or prepare to
suffer a fate worse

than whatever that viper
was gonna give you.

Right, I'm...

- Right there is fine.
- [g*n c*ck]

My name is, uh, William
Lee. This is, uh, um...

Get up! Get up.

Eugene Allerton.

We've come a long
way to talk to you.

Doctor Cotter...

I presume.

Mmm.

Mmm.

[CHUCKLES]

My apologies about the viper.

Oh, please, it was
just... No, no...

It is there for
security, of course.

Security? Why...
Why would you...

[CLEARS THROAT]

From prowlers.

Oh.

Coming after my research.

LEE: Hmm.

Why did you say you
boys came out here?

[INHALES DEEPLY, CHUCKLES]

Oh, we wanted to ask
you about the, um...

The... The vegetation
in the area, um...

- The... [WHEEZES]
- [LEE CHUCKLES]

The vegetation?

[ALL LAUGHING]

I would be the right
person to ask about that.

[LAUGHS]

[DR. COTTER SIGHS]

Uh-huh, yeah...

Those are all gifts
from the Shuar people.

LEE: Mmm.

My "tribe," so to speak.

LEE: Can I... Can I ask
you about the bowls?

DR. COTTER: Yeah.

They're for a healing ceremony.

- LEE: Right. Mmm-hmm.
- Yeah.

[LEE CLEARS THROAT]

Involving a brew

that's made from one of
the plants in the area.

Yage.

Maybe...

Maybe out here, it's,
um, it's called, um,

Ayahuasca?

I hear the... [CHUCKLES]

The Russians and the Americans

are using it for
different experiments.

The truth is...

That's why we came out here.

I want to explore the
properties of this drug.

I'd be willing to take some.

As an experiment, you know?

We both would.

Yage...

is connected to brujeria.

Right.

- Witchcraft.
- Uh-huh.

[CHUCKLES]

To get some,

you'd have to develop
a relationship

with the local brujo.

- Yeah?
- Right. [CLEARS THROAT]

It'd take years...

to gain his confidence.

Do you have that confidence?

[CHUCKLES]

[BOTH LAUGHING]

Come here! Come here.

[CONTINUES LAUGHING]

I've been out here

- a long time.
- Oh.

[BOTH CONTINUE LAUGHING]

LEE: Yeah...

I think the boys
must be tired, no?

Yeah.

I expect they are!

Thank you again
for the supplies.

Oh, that's just... It's a...

[CHUCKLES]

Come on!

Yeah, come on, let me show
you where you'll sleep.

Okay.

- Thank you.
- Good night.

[VOICES FADE]

[MUMBLES INCOHERENTLY]

Mmm!

Your friend's already up
having coffee with hubby.

Here!

- Why don't you take this...
- [YELPS]

and explore the area today?

Try and k*ll us something
we can eat tonight.

Huh?

[GRUNTING SOFTLY]

[GROANS]

I'm all right. Ah.

[GRUNTING SOFTLY]

Cotter says... [EXHALES]

Cotter says the
Indians have cleared

most of the game
out of the area.

They all have shotguns
from the money they made

- working for Annexia.
- Shh!

[ANIMAL GRUNTING]

[WHISPERS] What's that?

[g*n c*ck]

I'm gonna go try and sh**t it.

[DISTANT RUSTLING]

- ALLERTON: What is it?
- What?

- What is it?
- How should I know?

It's alive, isn't it?

[DISTANT RUSTLING]

- No! Oh, sh*t!
- [g*nsh*t]

- [KNIFE THUDS]
- Gene! Gene!

Tell the truth now.

You boys really
here for the Yage?

I mean, I appreciate the
supplies you brought,

but if I find you trying to
run off with my research,

I'll k*ll you,

- and dump you in the jungle.
- [CHUCKLES]

No one will miss you out here.

[CHUCKLES]

Doc...

Doc, I... Ouch!
[CLEARS THROAT]

With, with... [SIGHS]

With all due respect,

I couldn't give two shits
about your research.

I've already
forgotten everything

you told me about it.

You know it doesn't
get you high, right?

Not like you're used to.

I'm a medical doctor.

I can spot a junkie
from a mile away.

I'm not interested
in getting high.

DR. COTTER: Mmm. What
are you interested in?

Telepathy.

HUSBAND: He likes
you. ALLERTON: Yeah?

- Usually, he bites.
- HUSBAND: Hmm.

Hmm.

[DR. COTTER SIGHS]

I'll help you.

You know where I can find it?

[WHEEZES]

It's everywhere!

You tripped over it in
the jungle this afternoon.

Yeah.

Banisteriopsis caapi.

The Indians call it...

Yage.

[EXHALES]

[SNIFFS]

[EXHALES]

[INHALES, EXHALES]

[ETHEREAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[DR. COTTER CHANTING IN SHUAR]

[INHALES]

[DR. COTTER
CONTINUES CHANTING]

[ALLERTON CHUCKLES]

[CHUCKLES]

[ALLERTON SIGHS]

LEE: Mmm.

You feel anything?

No. [SIGHS]

- You?
- No. [CHUCKLES]

[SIGHS]

I think we just drank a
bunch of leaves and twigs

- from the ground.
- [LAUGHS]

[GRUNTS SOFTLY]

[MUFFLED RETCHING]

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

[MUFFLED RETCHING]

[THUMPING]

[LEE GROANS]

DR. COTTER: There they are.

Come on over, boys!

There you go. I've got you.

LEE: Mmm.

- Easy.
- [LEE GRUNTS]

[INSECTS CHIRPING]

[DARK MUSIC PLAYING]

ALLERTON: I'm not q*eer.

Lee...

I'm not q*eer.

LEE: I know.

ALLERTON: I'm disembodied.

[CRACKLING]

[INAUDIBLE]

[INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[HEART BEATING]

[INSECTS TRILLING]

Gene...

Gene...

Go to sleep.

[PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING]

You boys should stay
a couple more days.

For most people,

the first time's
just an introduction,

the opening of a door.

But for you two...

it was something else.

It'd be a shame not to see
where it might take you.

I need to be getting back.

What are you so afraid of?

Hmm?

Door's already open.
Can't close it now.

All you can do is look away.

But why would you?

[SOFTLY] You should have
seen yourself last night.

Yeah.

[MUG CLATTERS SOFTLY]

[SNIFFLES]

[BIRD SCREECHING]

[GRUNTS]

[SCREECHING]

[HISSES]

[UPBEAT SONG PLAYING]

[GRUNTS]

[SONG STOPS ABRUPTLY]

Lee?

Hi, Joe.

Anybody else you'd
like to ask me about?

Mmm-mmm.

No one?

- A kid named Allerton, maybe?
- [GRUNTS]

It's why you came
back, isn't it?

- I was getting around to it.
- Hmm.

He went down to South
America or some place.

With an army colonel.

How long ago?

About six months.

Allerton went along as guide.

They were going to sell
the car in Guatemala.

A '48 Cadillac.

I felt there was something

not quite right about the deal,

but Allerton never
said anything definite.

- You know how he is.
- Hmm.

No one's heard from
him since he left.

He said something about
joining you down there.

He never said anything
to you about it?

[CHUCKLES]

When did you get this?

Oh, you know... You know...

You know what happened
to my camera, right?

- Stolen.
- Stolen by this

Colombian kid I was getting
acquainted with. [SCOFFS]

Took a bunch of my socks
too, the little b*stard!

So what's the story?

You making it with
anyone these days?

[SIGHS]

Chimu's still here.

Why don't we go check
out the local nightlife?

- Please...
- Yes, I'm not really

- feeling up for it either.
- [CHUCKLES]

Green Lantern?

[CHUCKLING] Those
guys are still here?

All of them, if
you can believe it.

- All except Dume.
- Mmm.

He's, uh... He's gone.

- He died?
- Mmm.

No, he had to go
back to Virginia

to take care of his mother.

- Oh. [CHUCKLES]
- [SIGHS DEEPLY]

It's funny thinking of
him having a mother.

Yes. Well, he doesn't
anymore. She died.

Right...

You look good, Lee.

- I do?
- No.

But it's good to see you.

- Yeah.
- Hmm.

You too.

Yeah.

[INAUDIBLE]

[UPBEAT INSTRUMENTAL
ROCK SONG PLAYING]

[SNIFFLES]

[WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY]

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

[BREATHING DEEPLY]

[SIGHS]

[KEYS JANGLE]

[ETHEREAL MUSIC PLAYING]

[g*n c*ck]

[g*n CLATTERS]

[LEE BREATHING HEAVILY]

[WINDOW CLATTERS]

ALLERTON: Lee...

[ETHEREAL MUSIC CONTINUES]

[FAINT CLICKING]

[ VASTER THAN EMPIRES
BY TRENT REZNOR PLAYING]

[FAINT WHOOSHING]