Original subtitles

Hi there, and welcome to our show.

Tonight we've got... Now wait a second. What's wrong with you?

What's wrong?

You look scared.

Can a lion possibly be frightened of me?

That? Why, that's just a devil.

Now this is one of a series of devils that we made for an episode of The

Storyteller.

It's here tonight because I wanted to tell you about the place where it was

built. You see, a few years ago, we opened a studio in England called The

Creature Shop, and it specializes in building creatures and monsters for

picture and television, like the characters from The Dark Crystal,

Dream Child, The Storyteller, The Witches. All those were built there.

And because we have this place called The Creature Shop in London, we thought

was quite a coincidence when we discovered a novel by Nicholas Fisk.

It's about this studio in London that builds creatures for the movies.

And a 14 -year -old boy... who dreams of entering that magical world of the

monster.

Why don't you believe in me?

I do, I do.

Look as close as you like.

You're not dreaming now.

Look!

It's a good story. So coming up next, Monster Maker.

It's devilishly clever.

dear mr bello my name is matthew banting i'm fourteen years old and i want to be

like you the greatest monster maker in the world

I live at the Tudor Garage, London Road, with my mum, who watches TV all day,

and my dad, who only thinks about making money.

They don't really know me anymore.

No one does.

I have become a creature maker, and so naturally you are my hero.

You have hundreds of years of experience compared to me.

Experience I could use.

It's great that of all the places in the world, you chose to set up your

workshops in my hometown.

It must be destiny.

That's why I'm writing.

I need your help.

Anything.

This is the sixth letter I've sent you, and you've sent no reply.

So you can see, I don't give up, do I?

All I want is to meet you and show you my work.

unless you give me the chance to learn from you i will have no hope and that

hope is all i live for yours sincerely

yours hopefully

Right. Hang on.

Matt! Get down here to Marsbridge, will you?

Can't complain.

Matt's back for school tomorrow, thank God.

Do him good for getting the real world for a change.

Yes.

Only done 8 ,000 miles.

Would I like to my brother -in -law?

Yes

Do you have any paint thinner?

Do you have any paint thinner?

This is turning into the worst morning of my entire life. That?

Never mind, never mind.

I didn't see any, so I assume you are stuck.

What do you want?

Mr. Bellow left his credit card at my dad's garage this morning.

I was wondering if... He's busy right now. You can give it to me.

Well, I'd like to give it to him myself, actually. Like I said, he's busy.

I've got something else to show him.

They're not much, but they work.

Look, I made them myself.

I know they're a bit crude, but I thought you might be interested.

Hey!

Come back!

Give me my legs back!

The tension keeps them rooted to the board and then operates the leg in turn.

Not too difficult once you get the hang of it.

It's good. Very good. Keep up the good work.

I was hoping you could show me around your workshops.

No, no, I don't have time. I'm sorry.

Chancy, they're nice. Really nice.

Nice? Now, that's the highest Dr. Lave coming from Ben. He usually reserves

exclusively for his own work.

Pete aren't right.

What do you expect? He's young.

You could never have made these at his age.

Well, you know, you weren't around when I was his age.

Well, I... Just a minute. Just meant I should show him around.

No. It means you're jealous, Chunky.

Why would I be jealous?

When I was his age, I was chasing after Dolly Flanagan's mammary glands and

having a great time.

I know you.

Yeah. You came in my dad's garage this morning.

And you didn't know where the paint dinner was, did you?

And I was rude to you. I was in a foul mood.

This is a good mood.

Will you lighten up, Perry Winkle? I'm trying to be nice.

Chauncey, the slurks.

What about the slurks?

Well, this could be the way the slurks walk.

I know you're right.

You think you can hold on a job?

Oh, yeah, yeah, sure.

How old are you?

Sixteen. And a bit.

Now, you're going to be telling me the truth. I don't want to break any labor

laws.

Hey, gang.

There's so many things I want to ask.

Take a look at this.

Slugs, right? Right.

The bane of my life. 96 banes, to be exact.

See?

See the eyes?

The quality of this latex?

That's what makes them come alive.

It's fantastic.

Right.

But they can't walk.

Originally, they were supposed to be seen packed tightly in this kind of net.

But now they've got to run around.

The heads are going to be radio -controlled, but the rest of it needs a

mechanical system.

That's where you come in.

You think you can help?

Shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Good. Start tomorrow.

This is a dream come true.

No, it isn't.

Let's have a closer look.

Altagorgon.

Right here.

How? It'll do that again in 56 seconds.

What do you think?

That mouth.

The mouth.

I create the universe and you talk about the mouth.

No, no.

It's all brilliant.

I just don't know what to say.

Well, you're right about the mouth. Except I didn't do it.

Periwinkle did.

I worked for weeks on it, drawing after drawing.

One day, Periwinkle came in, leaned over my shoulder, snatched the brush out of

my hand, and said, no, darling, not like that, like this.

And with one swipe of the brush, she got it right, solved it.

Got that little curl in the corner, kind of sneer, with the promise of horror

and the worst to come.

So you have to get the essence of life. You have to draw from life itself. You

can't just copy it.

If you copy it, you get a monster with no beauty and no life to it.

But this is full of life.

Exactly.

Sometimes it looks kind of sad, too.

If you're going to make creatures, you've got to make them so that you show

people their own humanity, their own reality.

That's the responsibility of an artist to show people themselves

They

go

down

What are you going to use them for?

We left it a bit late.

I used to do that.

Did you?

Dad?

What would you say if I got a part -time job working for Chancey Bellow?

Not much.

You could work for me if you want to learn how to make things.

I wouldn't waste me time if I were you.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Well, you ought to concentrate more on your schoolwork, ma 'am. Making puppets

is all right as a hobby. I suppose you might learn a bit of welding.

It's a science.

Smithen, will you?

You're a genius compared to what I was.

So if I was you, I'd get as many useful qualifications as I could.

Well, he's not you, is he?

Will you just keep out of this, Jan?

I know.

Why don't we move the TV in here?

Then I'll go and work in the lounge.

Because this place is a mess.

That's why.

Well, I like it that way.

Dad!

Now do you see why I don't want both of you up here?

You know the trouble with you?

Tell me.

You're selfish.

We don't start till ten.

No one told me.

Come on.

The security here is like Fort Knox. I designed it myself and I'm practically

the only person that can twitch it all off.

You wouldn't believe how valuable some of the materials we use are.

That's Chansey. He's already in.

I've seen all his films, you know.

That's more than he has.

Pete, we don't want to be here till dawn.

Why don't you come with us next time, Pete?

I'm in enough trouble already.

What are you doing up?

I just want... Shh!

I just wanted a drink of milk.

What's going on, Mum?

How much did you hear?

Enough.

They're all friends, are they?

They sounded dead friendly. Shh!

What's going on?

Midnight feast.

You working late, son?

What?

School. We hardly see you these days.

Oh, yeah. That's right, Dad.

You should eat with the others.

Why?

Why?

Because we're a team, that's why.

What are you, some kind of lone ranger?

I like it that way.

You know, I don't need people much either.

It's worked out pretty well for me.

I know.

By the time you were 25, you'd made your first film.

I have to make mine before I'm 20.

You want to be the greatest, huh?

Yeah.

If you'll let me.

Well, I'm not going to stand in your way.

You know, I... I was just remembering something that happened to me when I was

six years old.

I lived with my mom and daddy and my two little brothers in the hills of North

Carolina.

And there was this neighbor girl. She was real beautiful.

And I was in love with her.

You might think it's a little strange, but she was 18 years old.

I didn't tell anybody about it.

horse is my secret but my little brothers knew naturally

so one night we're having dinner

and one of my little brothers I don't know which one it

was Archie around said

chances in love with Thelma

There was a big silence.

And my mother said, well, she's old enough to be your mother, Chanty.

And they all laughed about it.

And I started crying.

I ran away from the table and ran upstairs to my room and lay there and

cried for a long time.

I decided then that I was never going to let anybody

hurt me again.

So who hurt you?

No one.

No one.

Don't you know what I'm talking about?

You don't.

Not yet.

Yes, I do.

Chancey?

Chancey!

You working late tonight?

No problem.

I'm just going out for a pizza. Do you want anything?

Chomps you back yet? No, not yet.

Do you want something then?

Yeah, okay.

Da da da.

Da da da.

Very funny, Ben.

Where are you?

Can't see.

I have many names.

I have many faces.

Yours too, Matthew Banting.

What do you mean?

You dreamed of me.

And I know what you want.

You do?

Yes, yes.

Come closer.

Why don't you believe in me?

I do, I do.

Look as close as you like.

You're not dreaming now.

Look!

Chance, you didn't create me. You did.

How? In your dreams, you've got the talent.

It's a gift.

It marks you out.

Does it?

Yes. You're different, special.

You don't need other people.

What have they ever done for you, eh?

Well... Nothing!

Forget your family.

Forget your friends.

That's the only way to find success.

Well, I don't know about that.

Deny the world, and I will give you infinite glory.

No!

Oops.

Sorry.

What do you say?

Don't you want to be rich?

Famous. The best.

I know that's really all he wants.

I know all about you.

I don't believe you.

You're just like me.

I'm nothing like you.

You know you are.

Admit it.

Deny the world.

No!

Believe me. It doesn't stink. It does.

It's not even switched on. It's alive.

Matt. It knows everything about me.

I'll tell you what. I'll give you a lift home. No, Matt.

When are you going to wake up?

The school rang your mother. We know what you've been doing.

I doubt that you'd... Oh, shut up!

Watch the school tomorrow. I'll drive you there myself.

You don't understand anything, do you? You're a useless, stupid man.

I hate you.

As far as I can see it, you've been exploiting my son.

Mr. Barney...

I thought he'd left school. He assured me that he was 16 years old.

Well, he isn't.

He's 14 years old.

Well, I'm sorry.

I mean, what more can I say?

Well, you're lucky I don't go to the police.

You do what you have to do.

And have you paid him, then?

Paid him?

Paid, yeah, you know, money.

Oh, he'll get his check at the end of the month like everybody else.

Oh, yeah.

As a matter of fact, I'll personally see that the check is sent to him.

Oi, hey.

You don't get rid of me that easily.

Mr. Branning, the way I see it is, I gave your son, your talented son, some

experience and something that he loves.

Now, I didn't know that he was lying to me, and... I do think it's important

that you, as his father, should talk to him and ask him why he lied.

Just pay me his money.

Cash, I assume.

Cash.

And if my son ever bothers you again, send him away.

Well, you might need more than that foxy alarm system to protect this place.

Are you threatening me?

I'm telling you.

500 bahts.

You are mad.

So what does Chaucer mean here?

Banting. Will you give the class the benefit of your attentive insight?

And truth... shall deliver.

It is no dread.

They're beautiful just great

Ready

Shut

up

sick

I have to talk to you.

There's nothing to talk about, Matt. Your father said it all. No, about the

Ultra Gorgon. Matt, you're not even supposed to be here. No, listen.

I want to work for you nights after school, but I have to see it again.

When you've graduated, you come back, and your job will be waiting for you.

No, it's alive. The Ultra Gorgon's alive.

Didn't Ben tell you?

Of course it's alive.

Now go, please.

Poor boy looked demented.

I should have told him.

No, no, not now. I don't want him to forget.

Besides, he's a bright boy. He'll figure it out.

Come out!

Come out here!

What, are you afraid?

Growing up, Matt.

And about time, too.

If it means growing up like you, I'd rather die now.

now listen it's called chance effect matt worked there for a couple of weeks

i'm telling you they are loaded they're chucking it about it's in the front

office next to the alarm system

chance effect.

No one can come to the phone right now, but if you leave a message, we'll get

back to you as soon as we can.

Chelsea, Ben, listen.

Are you still there?

I know the workshops are going to be hit tonight.

Where's he gone?

I don't know.

They're dangerous!

Night, Chauncey.

Night, Ben.

huh huh

Please, please, if you've any life in you, help me.

You think you can get it going?

Yeah, there must be a loading of the one.

Maybe if we brought the van round the back.

I reckon if we broke this monster up... Yeah.

Do that again, Paul. What?

I didn't do anything.

That's enough, Chancey.

What do you want me to do with him, then?

Hmm?

Leave him alone.

But I thought you hated him.

Put him down.

He came here to help me.

Why should I?

He's my dad.

I'm sorry, Tim.

May I give you guys a lift?

Giving the illusion of life to inanimate objects.

That's one of the things we spend a lot of time trying to do. And you know, it's

very, very hard.

Because sometimes we go to the zoo and watch animals to see how they move.

We watch their expression and attitude.

And then we come back to the shop and try to build creatures that have that

amount of life.

Now the truth is, we never really completely succeed.

We don't even come close.

But sometimes using all of the tricks and techniques of puppetry and of film

television, we can make it seem like these bits of plastic and metal and

are alive.

Remember how the Ultra Gorgon and Monster Maker seemed to move all by

run by computers and machines?

Well, if you read the credits for Monster Maker carefully, you'll see it

nine performers to give that character its life.

My son Brian was sitting in a chair in the neck of the Ultra Gorgon, operating

the head with levers like this.

So no matter how fancy the technology gets, it's always human performers using

their own personalities to give life to the characters.

Isn't that so, Kermit?

Yes. Yes, actually, you do indeed speak the truth.

Well, that's all for tonight. We hope you enjoyed Monster Maker.

Yeah, actually, I did. Thank you.

Okay. We'll see you next time.

Hey, roll the credits, would you?