All language subtitles for Wide.Awake.2007.720p.WEBRip.x264.AAC-[YTS.MX]

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Narrator:
EINSTEIN DREAM,
TAKE ONE.

THERE WAS
A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN

TO FIND THE CURE
FOR JET LAG

AND ALL OF HISTORY'S
GREATEST-- NO, WAIT,
STOP STOP STOP.

I LOST MY PLACE.
( chuckles )

THESE MORNING SHOOTS
ARE KILLING ME,

KILLING ME.
( chuckles )

ALL RIGHT.
ONE MORE TIME.

EINSTEIN DREAM,
TAKE TWO.

THERE WAS
A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN

TO FIND THE CURE
FOR JET LAG

AND ALL OF HISTORY'S
GREATEST SCIENTISTS
WERE WORKING ON IT--

NEWTON,

EINSTEIN, COPERNICUS,

EDISON,
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL,

EVEN JONAS SALK.

AND THEY WERE GATHERED
AT A CONVENTION

IN ALEXANDRIA,
EGYPT.

THERE WERE
LOTS OF CAMERAS
AND REPORTERS AROUND

FROM ALL OVER
THE WORLD

AND EVERYONE
WAS ESPECIALLY EXCITED
TO HEAR FROM EINSTEIN

WHO WAS SCHEDULED
TO SPEAK LAST.

NOW SOMEHOW I WAS
IN THE AUDIENCE TOO.

MY GRANDFATHER--
MY MOTHER'S FATHER--

SOMEHOW USED
HIS CONNECTIONS
TO GET ME IN--

AT LEAST
I THINK SO.

FINALLY, EINSTEIN
GOT UP ON THE STAGE
AND SAID,

"THERE IS
NO CURE FOR JET LAG.
YOU JUST SUFFER."

NOW I DON'T KNOW
WHAT GOT INTO ME,

BUT I STOOD UP
FROM THE BACK ROW
AND SCREAMED,

"BUT PROFESSOR EINSTEIN,
WHAT ABOUT SOMEONE

WHO FEELS JET-LAGGED
IN THEIR OWN TIME ZONE?"

AND HE SAID,
"ALAN--"

AND I WAS SHOCKED.
HOW DID HE KNOW MY NAME?

HE SAID, "ALAN,
SCIENCE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW

WHY WE SLEEP.

NOW GET OUT OF HERE!
GO HOME AND WORK
ON YOUR FILM!"

OH, I DON'T WANNA
GO TO BED YET.

IT'S BEDTIME
AND SLEEP TIME.

NOW PUT THESE
THINGS DOWN.

NOW GET UNDER THE COVERS
AND OUT WITH THE LIGHTS.

MOM, I'M ALWAYS
AWAKE FOR AGES AFTER
THE LIGHTS ARE OUT.

OH, DON'T WORRY.
YOU'LL FALL ASLEEP
RIGHT AWAY.

( kisses )

YOU'LL BE ASLEEP
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.

YOU'LL BE ASLEEP BEFORE
YOU KNOW IT.

YOU'LL BE ASLEEP
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.

- BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.
- ( switch clicking
repeatedly )

( clicking continues )

GOOD NIGHT, SON.

( clock ticking )

Alan: INHALE.
( inhales )

EXHALE.
( exhales )

I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE.
GO TO SLEEP.

FORGET IT.
THINK PLEASANT THOUGHTS.

THINK PLEASANT THOUGHTS.

INHALE.
( inhales )

EXHALE.
( exhales )

- ( ticking continues )
- THE BABY IS COMING
IN TWO MONTHS.

I'D NEVER CHANGED
A DIAPER IN MY LIFE.

DO I WATCH THE BIRTH
OR FILM THE BIRTH?

SHOOTING IT WOULD BE
BETTER FOR THE FILM,

BUT HOW CAN I WATCH
THE BIRTH OF MY CHILD
THROUGH A LENS?

JUST RELAX.
I'M TOO TIRED
TO RELAX.

I'M GONNA BE A ZOMBIE
TOMORROW.

I FEEL LIKE A ZOMBIE
RIGHT NOW.

WHAT WAS I SAYING?

WHAT IF HE WANTS
TO BE AN ECONOMIST
LIKE SHARI?

WHAT IF HE BECOMES A DOCTOR?
THAT WOULD BE OKAY.

HE COULD GET ME
THE LATEST SLEEPING PILLS.

STOP IT, STOP IT.
JUST RELAX!

HE'S NOT
EVEN BORN YET.

HE'S GOTTA GO
TO NURSERY SCHOOL FIRST.

THAT REMINDS ME,

WE HAVE TO GET
THE APPLICATIONS EARLY.

NEW YORK CITY
NURSERY SCHOOLS
ARE REALLY COMPETITIVE.

INHALE.
( inhales )

EXHALE.

( crows )

- ( alarm ringing )
- Alan: OKAY, EVERYBODY,

- RISE AND SHINE.
UP AND AT 'EM, TIGER.
- ( crowing continues )

- ( alarms ringing )
- EARLY BIRD GETS
THE WORM.

( crowing, ringing
continues )

EARLY TO BED,
EARLY TO RISE,

MAKES EACH OF US
HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WISE.

THAT'S A BUNCH OF CRAP.

THIS IS W.T.I.R.E.D. RADIO
IN NEW YORK.

- YOU TALK TO ME
IN THE MORNING...
- ( pop rock music plays )

...I'LL TELL YOU
HOW TIRED I AM.

THE SOUND OF MY VOICE
IN THE MORNING USUALLY
GIVES IT AWAY--

I'M A TERRIBLE
SLEEPER.

EITHER I HAVE TROUBLE
FALLING ASLEEP

OR I WAKE UP TOO EARLY
AND CAN'T GET BACK
TO SLEEP.

THE END RESULT
IS THAT I WALK AROUND
TIRED ALL DAY.

IT'S LIKE HAVING
A PERMANENT COLD,

ONLY WITHOUT
THE COUGHING, SNEEZING

AND THE RUNNY NOSE...

( singing along )

( '50s rock music plays )

UNTIL THE NIGHT COMES,
THAT IS.

THAT'S WHEN
I COME ALIVE,

WHEN I DO
MY BEST WORK.

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH,
EVERY FILM I'VE
EVER MADE,

I'VE MADE AT NIGHT.

YOU MIGHT SAY
I'M TRAPPED

BETWEEN THE PART OF ME
THAT DOESN'T GET
ENOUGH SLEEP

AND THE PART OF ME
THAT'S TOO BUSY TO WORRY
ABOUT IT.

HOW MANY HOURS OF SLEEP
DID YOU GET LAST NIGHT?

EIGHT? SEVEN?

SIX? FIVE?

FOUR? THREE?

TWO? ONE?

NONE?

THE DOCTOR
WILL SEE YOU NOW.

- HOW OLD ARE YOU?
- I'M 47--

- 48. I'M 48.
I'M SORRY, I FORGOT.
- 48.

I'M 48.
I JUST TURNED 48
TWO MONTHS AGO.

AND YOU'RE MARRIED
AND YOU'RE EXPECTING
YOUR FIRST CHILD?

- IN APRIL.
- AND HOW'S
YOUR WIFE DOING?

- KNOCK ON WOOD--
SHE'S DOING FINE.
- GREAT.

THE BIRTH
OF YOUR CHILD WILL BE
A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE.

- SMOKING?
- NEVER BOUGHT A PACK OF
CIGARETTES MY WHOLE LIFE.

- HOW ABOUT ALCOHOL?
- ONE OR TWO GLASSES,

- THREE OR FOUR TIMES A WEEK.
- DO YOU EXERCISE?

- I JUMP ROPE, ACTUALLY.
- FOR HOW LONG? THAT'S
HARD TO DO.

MINIMUM OF HALF HOUR
EVERY TIME I GO.

- WHAT IS YOUR BEST
TIME IN THE DAY?
- THE NIGHT.

Doctor #2:
AND YOU AND YOUR WIFE
ARE ON THE SAME SCHEDULE

- OR IS SHE TO BED EARLIER?
- I PUT HER TO BED.

I TUCK HER IN,
KISS HER GOOD NIGHT.

YOU DON'T WORK
IN YOUR BEDROOM,

- YOU DON'T EAT
IN YOUR BEDROOM?
- NO.

Doctor #4:
I HOPE YOU DON'T
HAVE TV IN YOUR BEDROOM.

- Alan: I DO, BUT
I HARDLY EVER WATCH IT.
- YOUR BEDROOM SHOULD BE

JUST FOR SLEEP AND SEX,
NOTHING ELSE.

Doctor #3:
DO YOU WAKEN MUCH
AT NIGHT TO URINATE?

Alan:
I'VE LEARNED
NOT TO DRINK ANYTHING

A FEW HOURS
BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP.

- DO YOU HAVE NIGHTMARES?
- HAVEN'T HAD A NIGHTMARE
IN A LONG TIME.

DOES ANYBODY EVER TELL YOU
YOU LOOK TIRED?

EVERYBODY TELLS ME
ALL THE TIME.

Doctor #4:
BACK PAIN OR NECK PAIN
OR SHOULDER,

OR ANY OTHER
MEDICAL CONDITION

- WHICH MIGHT
ACCOUNT FOR THIS?
- NO.

Doctor #3: HAVE YOU EVER
INJURED YOURSELF OR OTHERS
IN YOUR SLEEP,

- ACTED OUT A DREAM,
THAT YOU KNOW OF?
- NEVER, THAT I KNOW OF.

- ...NEVER BEEN HOSPITALIZED
AND NEVER HAD A SUICIDAL--
- NEVER.

- NEVER NEVER.
- DO YOU EVER FALL ASLEEP
IN THE DAYTIME

- WITHOUT WANTING TO?
- ONLY MAYBE IN MOVIE
THEATERS.

- Doctor #3: DO YOU WALK
IN YOUR SLEEP?
- NO.

- DO YOU SNORE?
- YES.

Doctor #3: HAVE YOU EVER
AWAKENED YOURSELF AT NIGHT
GASPING FOR AIR?

Alan:
NO, BUT I HAVE
WOKEN UP SUDDENLY.

Doctor #2:
WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE
YOURSELF AS A WORRIER?

- DEFINITELY.
- STAND CLOSE
TO THE CHAIR.

Doctor #2:
SO, IS THERE SOMETHING
I HAVEN'T ASKED

THAT WOULD BE ILLUMINATING,
THAT'D BE IMPORTANT
FOR ME TO KNOW?

Alan: IF YOU SAID, "I CAN
TURN YOU FROM A NIGHT PERSON
INTO A MORNING PERSON,"

I'M NOT SURE
THAT I WOULD WANT
TO DO IT.

I'M NOT SURE
I'D BE ABLE TO DO IT.

I WONDER
IF I'M TOO FAR GONE,

IF I'M WIRED THIS WAY
BECAUSE--

- Doctor #2: OH,
SO YOU'RE A HOPELESS CASE?
- Alan: I DON'T KNOW.

Doctor #2:
SO YOU'RE WONDERING.

Alan:
I'M WONDERING,
I'M WONDERING.

Alan:
THOSE ELECTRODES ARE
MONITORING MY BRAINWAVES,

MY EYE MOVEMENT,
MY HEARTBEAT,
MY BREATHING,

THE OXYGEN IN MY BLOOD,
THE MUSCLE TONE IN MY CHIN,

MY LEG MOVEMENT.

NOT ONLY THAT,
BUT THERE'S A CAMERA
ON THE WALL

AND A MICROPHONE
HANGING FROM THE CEILING.

THE ONLY THING
THEY CAN'T RECORD

IS WHAT'S GOING ON
INSIDE MY HEAD.

EVERY NIGHT,
WHEN I PUT MY HEAD
TO THE PILLOW,

IT'S LIKE
AN ADVENTURE.

I NEVER KNOW
HOW LONG IT'S GONNA
TAKE ME TO SLEEP,

IF I CAN FALL ASLEEP.

BUT WHAT ALWAYS
HAPPENS IS THAT MY MIND
STARTS TO RACE...

UNCONTROLLABLY.

I DON'T SHUT OFF.

MY BRAIN DOESN'T
SHUT OFF

AND I CAN'T CONTROL
WHERE IT GOES

OR FOR HOW LONG.

( ballad playing )

SOMETIMES,
AS SOON AS MY HEAD
HITS THE PILLOW,

I START
HEARING MUSIC.

- ( acoustic guitar playing )
- IN SOME CASES,
IT'S A SONG

I HEARD THAT DAY
ON THE RADIO.

IN SOME CASES,
IT'S A SONG I HEARD
A MONTH AGO.

- ( various songs play )
- IN OTHER CASES,
IT'S A SONG

I HEARD A YEAR AGO.

AND IN SOME CASES
IT'S A SONG

I NEVER
EVEN THOUGHT I KNEW.

AND THINGS
JUST START LOOPING
AND LOOPING,

AND THE SONG
JUST KEEPS GOING
IN MY HEAD

OVER AND OVER
AND OVER AGAIN.

AND I CAN'T GET IT
OUT OF MY HEAD.

IN FACT,
THERE ARE SOME SONGS--

EVEN SOME ALBUMS--
THAT I'M ACTUALLY
AFRAID OF,

BECAUSE I KNOW
IF I LISTEN TO THEM
DURING THE DAY,

THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK
AT NIGHT TO HAUNT ME.

( ballad playing )

THERE'S
A SONG, FOR INSTANCE,
BY LEONARD COHEN,

"IN MY SECRET LIFE"--

IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE NIGHT,
ALL I KEEP THINKING

IN THE SAME RHYTHM,
IN THE SAME MELODY--

"IN MY SLEEPLESS
NIGHT..."

IT JUST REPEATS OVER
AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN--

"IN MY SLEEPLESS
NIGHT."

WHAT IS--
WHAT'S GOING ON?

Doctor #5:
THAT'S A RUMINATION--

CHEWING ON SOMETHING
AND BEING UNABLE
TO LET IT GO.

Alan:
HOW DO I SHUT
ALL THAT OFF?

WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING
IS BASICALLY A ROUTINE
THAT YOU'VE LEARNED

AND IT'S PROBABLY
TAKEN A LONG TIME

TO DEVELOP
TO THIS PARTICULAR STATE.

SO WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
ABOUT THAT IS, THERE CAN BE
AN "OFF" SWITCH,

BUT YOU GOTTA LEARN
HOW TO TURN IT OFF.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN
JUST GIVE YOU ONE AND SAY,

"THERE IT IS ON THE WALL.
FLIP THIS SWITCH.
YOU'RE OFF TONIGHT."

Alan: OVER THE YEARS,
I'VE TRIED TO CRY MYSELF
TO SLEEP,

TO DRINK MYSELF TO SLEEP,
AROMATHERAPY,

CHANGING MATTRESSES,
CHANGING PILLOWS,

LAVENDER BEADS,
MASSAGE THERAPY,

WHITE NOISE, MEDITATION,
COUNTING SHEEP.

- DID THE SHEEP WORK?
- NO. NO, I LOSE INTEREST
AFTER A COUPLE OF HUNDRED.

A COUPLE OF HUNDRED?

Alan:
MELATONIN,
VALERIAN ROOT,

ACUPUNCTURE, ACUPRESSURE,
CHAMOMILE TEA,

WARM MILK,
HYPNOSIS EVEN,

YOGA,
HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES,
MARIJUANA,

- LOTS OF SEX
BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP--
- HAVE YOU MENTIONED HOT BATHS?

- HOT BATHS.
- WAKE ME WHEN HE'S DONE.

- ( mother laughs )
- HERBAL TEAS,

- BIOFEEDBACK--
- OKAY, SO NOTHING WORKED,
NOTHING WORKED.

I'VE BEEN TIRED
MY WHOLE LIFE.

MAYBE SOME OF MY INSOMNIA
IS RELATED

TO BAD SLEEP HABITS
FROM INFANCY.

- Lynn: MAYBE.
- OH, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE
WHO HAVE HAD BAD SLEEP HABITS

IN INFANCY AND
END UP SLEEPING WELL.

I THINK SO MUCH OF IT
HAS TO DO WITH...

HOW LONG HE'S BEEN
MAKING FILMS

AND MAKING THEM
AT FUNKY HOURS OF THE NIGHT.

Mother:
I REMEMBER, ALAN--
4:00 IN THE MORNING

- AND YOU USED TO GO
UPSTAIRS TO GO TO SLEEP.
- AND IT'S OVER 20 YEARS.

- RIGHT.
- AND WE COULDN'T CALL IN
UNTIL 11:00 OR 12:00.

- SO WHAT IS THAT? DO YOU
THINK THAT'S NORMAL?
- Lynn: RIGHT.

EVEN BY YOUR STANDARDS
OF NORMAL?

( mother laughs )

- SO I JUST WANT
TO ASK YOU--
- Mother: HMM?

WHAT KIND OF SLEEPER
WAS I AS A BABY?

- WOULD YOU SAY
I WAS A GOOD SLEEPER?
- Lynn: CAN YOU REMEMBER?

- I'M NOT THAT OLD, LYNN.
- OKAY.

- OF COURSE I CAN REMEMBER.
- Alan: DID YOU READ BOOKS
ABOUT SLEEP?

Mother:
NO, I DIDN'T THINK
I HAD A PROBLEM WITH YOU.

Lynn:
ALAN, MOST PEOPLE
DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS.

I USED TO COME
AND SING YOU A LULLABY--

A FRENCH SONG--
RUB YOUR BACK

AND THE NEXT THING
I KNEW, YOU WERE
SLEEPING.

WHAT WAS THE LULLABY
YOU SANG ME?

( singing in French )

- THAT'S THE ONE.
- THAT'S ONLY TWO LINES.

- ( Lynn chuckles )
- ALAN, YOU DIDN'T BRING ME
HERE FOR SINGING.

Alan:
I HAVE A QUESTION--
DO YOU COUNT SHEEP?

- NO, NEVER.
- Alan: YOU'VE NEVER COUNTED
SHEEP IN YOUR WHOLE LIFE?

I DID, BUT YOU TOLD ME
I WAS DOING SOMETHING WRONG.

- Alan: WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
- YOU SAID I SHOULD SAY
"SHEEP"

AFTER EACH ONE--
"ONE SHEEP," "TWO SHEEP,"

- AND I--
- THAT'S HOW I DO IT.

NO. AND I JUST COUNTED
AND I SEE THEM GOING

- UP A PRAIRIE, YOU KNOW...
- ( Alan chuckles )

- ...JUMPING.
- SO YOU SAY "ONE"

- AND THEN IMAGINE
THE SHEEP JUMPING.
- Mother: RIGHT.

- THEN YOU SAY "TWO" AND
VISUALIZE THE SHEEP--
- RIGHT.

- Lynn: YOU TOLD HER SHE WAS
DOING IT INCORRECTLY.
- Mother: YES.

Lynn:
HOW CAN YOU COUNT
SHEEP INCORRECTLY?

- Woman: YOU COULD
BE COUNTING ANYTHING.
- Lynn: BUT SHE VISUALIZED IT.

- WHAT DIFFERENCE DID IT MAKE?
- WHICH IS THE RIGHT WAY
TO DO IT?

- BOTH.
- Alan's voice:
ONE, TWO...

Doctor #5: IT WORKS
BECAUSE IT GETS YOU FOCUSED
ON SOMETHING MENTALLY,

- BESIDES THE WORRY
OR THE OTHER STUFF.
- ( continues counting )

SO WHETHER IT'S JUST
THE NUMBERS

OR THERE'S AN IMAGE
ASSOCIATED WITH IT,

YOU'RE FOCUSING
ON SOMETHING PARTICULAR.

- Alan: WHY SHEEP?
- Doctor #5: I DON'T KNOW
WHERE THE SHEEP CAME FROM,

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
IF SOMETHING ELSE
WORKS FOR YOU,

THAT'S GOOD TOO.

Alan's voice:
...142, 143, 144...

173, 174,

175, 176...

225, 226, 227...

- 289, 290...
- ( Alan mimicking
pounding )

Alan:
SOME NIGHTS WHEN
I HIT THE PILLOW,

- ALL I HEAR IS POUNDING.
- Alan's voice: 293...

( continues mimicking )

Doctor #5:
YOU'RE POUNDING, SURE.

SOMETIMES IT FEELS
LIKE THERE IS A WOODPECKER
UNDER MY PILLOW.

- Doctor #3: THAT'S COOL.
- Alan: IT'S NOT SO COOL.
IT DRIVES ME CRAZY.

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS?
THE CAROTID ARTERY

HAS-- HAS--
IT'S JUST REAL NEAR
THE EAR THERE.

AND THAT'S
ALL YOU'RE DOING, IS YOU'RE
HEARING YOUR OWN PULSE.

IT'S VERY VERY NORMAL.
IT'S NOT ABNORMAL.

WELL, WHY DON'T YOU HEAR
YOUR CAROTID ARTERY?

I DO. I JUST DON'T
PAY ATTENTION TO IT.

Alan:
HOW LONG SHOULD IT TAKE ME
TO FALL ASLEEP, IDEALLY?

Doctor #3:
MOST PEOPLE FALL ASLEEP
IN 15 MINUTES OR LESS.

Alan: AND WHAT SHOULD
BE GOING THROUGH MY MIND
WHEN MY HEAD HITS THE PILLOW?

Doctor #3:
THAT YOU LOVE THE WAY
THAT PILLOW FEELS,

THAT YOU LOVE
THE WAY THAT BED FEELS,

THAT YOU'VE NEVER FELT
MORE COMFORTABLE
IN YOUR LIFE,

AND THE NEXT THING IS--
NOTHING.

YOU JUST LIE THERE
ENJOYING HOW WONDERFUL
IT FEELS

JUST TO BE IN THIS BED.

- Alan: THAT SOUNDS
LIKE SCIENCE FICTION.
- Doctor #2: NO, THAT'S--

YOU ASKED ME
WHAT YOU SHOULD FEEL.

THAT'S IT.

IF EVERY NIGHT,
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT
AFTER NIGHT,

YOU DON'T SLEEP WELL,
THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS

THE BEDROOM ITSELF,
THE SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT,

- THE WHOLE IDEA OF SLEEP...
- Alan: ...FOR ME BECOMES
A BATTLEFIELD.

Doctor #3:
GOOD SLEEPERS DON'T VIEW SLEEP
AS A BATTLEFIELD AT ALL.

GOOD SLEEPERS--

THAT'S THE ESCAPE
FROM THE BATTLEFIELD.

Doctor #2:
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEARN
HOW TO SLEEP.

IT'S BUILT
INTO THE BRAIN

TO EVERY 24 HOURS
GO TO SLEEP.

IT'S NATURAL
AND EASY AND...

- Alan: ...AND I CAN'T DO IT.
- ...AND YOU CAN'T DO IT.

Woman in film:
Why can't I go to sleep?

Man on tape:
Our subject this evening
is sleep, going to sleep.

YOU'RE ALL TIED UP
IN KNOTS.

DON'T FIGHT SO HARD.

Man on radio:
...begin by asking you
to find

as comfortable a position
as you can.

Breathe out the clocks
and the calendars.

Breathe out the tensions,

and breathe in
the cool comfort.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Breathe in,
breathe out.

Now...

walk with me
down the stairs.

Gonna walk out
into a beautiful garden.

Take one step down,

and then two,

then four--

halfway-- five,

six, seven--

we can almost see
that door--

eight, nine.

And then
stepping down,

turning a little
till we see the door.

( bangs on door )

( dog barks )

Radio announcer:
When you can't sleep
because tension has you

all... wound... up,

your active mind
remembers the pressures

- and the problems
of the day.
- ( various radio chatter )

You see, active minds
bring on

nagging, sleep-robbing
thoughts that create
sleep static.

WHEN IS YOUR USUAL TIME
RETIRING TO BED?

Alan:
AS EARLY AS 2:00,
AS LATE AS 5:00. IT DEPENDS.

DO YOU WORK
RIGHT UP TO THE TIME
YOU GO TO SLEEP?

ALL THE TIME.
( laughs )

Alan:
FIND OUT WHAT THE WORLD
RECORD IS FOR STAYING AWAKE.

- MAKE A LIST OF ALL IDIOMS...
- ( overlapping )
FIND OUT HOW MUCH

- PEOPLE SLEPT
IN THE VICTORIAN ERA...
- ...SLEEP FOUNDATION WEBSITE.

- MAKE A LIST
OF WRITERS, POETS...
- ...CLOCKS TICKING ALSO.

PAINTERS AND MUSICIANS
WHO WERE INSOMNIACS.

FIND OUT WHAT TIME OF THE DAY
THE THREE-MILE-ISLAND
ACCIDENT HAPPENED.

- SEARCH FOR OUTDOOR CLOCKS...
- IS IT TRUE THAT
LEONARDO DA VINCI

- ONLY SLEPT
15 MINUTES EVERY FEW HOURS?
- FIND OUT ABOUT MEGAN'S LAW...

RESEARCH SLEEP DEPRIVATION
AS A FORM OF TORTURE.

SEE IF THERE ARE ANY STUDIES
ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP

- BETWEEN SLEEP AND...
- MAKE A LIST OF HOW MUCH EVERY
ANIMAL SLEEPS AT NIGHT.

- ...IF SOME CULTURES
ARE BETTER SLEEPERS...
- MAKE A LIST OF EVERY SONG

- EVER WRITTEN ABOUT INSOMNIA.
- AND WHAT ABOUT PLANTS?

Doctor #2: YOU CAN'T JUST
GO FROM THIS HIGH-INTENSITY
THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING

AND IMMEDIATELY THINK
THAT YOU'RE GONNA
GO TO SLEEP.

DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY.

Cinema narrator:
The road to sleep
can be filled with detours.

Man's voice:
NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

Alan:
I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT
HOW TO FALL ASLEEP.

I FORGOT HOW TO
FUCKING FALL ASLEEP.

Man's voice echoing:
NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

Alan:
IT'S LIKE FORGETTING
HOW TO WALK OR BREATHE.

IT'S LIKE THE CLOCK
IS LAUGHING AT ME.

GET RID OF THE CLOCK.

ALL IT'S DOING IS FEEDING
THAT RUMINATION AND WORRY.

INSTITUTING A REGULAR
WIND-DOWN PERIOD,

WHERE YOU READ
NON-WORK-RELATED MATERIAL

THAT JUST ALLOWS YOU
TO RELAX

AND ENJOY
SOME OTHER PART OF LIFE

IS GONNA BE
AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS.

- ALAN, YOU WOKE ME UP AGAIN.
- Alan: I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY.

- I DROPPED A BOOK.
- WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ALAN,
YOU'RE FILMING ME. GO AWAY.

- SHARI, JUST GO-- I'M SORRY.
- ALAN, DON'T-- STOP
FILMING ME.

I CAN'T STAND BEING WOKEN UP
WITH A LIGHT IN MY EYE.

YOU WAKE ME UP
WITH A CAMERA IN MY FACE.

- IT'S NOT ON YOUR FACE.
- ALAN, PLEASE, ALAN!

- YOU'RE GONNA BREAK
THE CAMERA. STOP IT.
- TURN THE CAMERA OFF.

- GO BACK TO SLEEP.
- DON'T TELL ME TO GO
BACK TO SLEEP.

WHO'S GONNA GO BACK TO SLEEP
AFTER I'M PISSED OFF AT YOU?

( sighs )

Alan: WAKING UP AFTER
JUST A FEW HOURS OF SLEEP
DRIVES ME CRAZY.

Doctor:
IS THE AWAKENING ABRUPT?
ARE YOU FULLY ALERT

OR YOU JUST SLOWLY
COME TO?

Alan:
I WOULD SAY
I'M AWAKE INSTANTLY.

MY BIG PROBLEM
IS GETTING BACK TO SLEEP,

'CAUSE ONCE I'M UP,
I'M UP.

Doctor:
AND WHAT DO YOU DO?

I SIGH, BASICALLY.
( chuckles )

...AND THEN HEAD
FOR THE MEDICINE CABINET.

THE ONLY WAY I CAN
PUT THE DRAGON TO SLEEP

IS WITH A SLEEPING PILL.

THAT'S THE ONE THING
THAT WORKS CONSISTENTLY.

Doctor:
THE SLEEPING PILL
IS THE SWORD FOR YOUR DRAGON.

THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT.

AND WHAT'S INTERESTING
ABOUT THAT, OF COURSE,

IS YOUR PERCEPTION
THAT IT IS A DRAGON.

NOT A PUPPY,
IT'S A DRAGON.

IT'S PART
OF THIS BATTLE AGAIN.

THE DRAGON IS ME.
( chuckles )
YOU KNOW?

- THE DRAGON IS ME.
- Doctor: YES.

YOU SAID IT.
I DIDN'T.

Doctor:
INSIGHT DOESN'T ALWAYS LEAD
TO BEHAVIOR CHANGE, THOUGH.

WHAT YOU NEED
TO BE CONSIDERING

IS HOW NOT TO SLAY THE DRAGON
BUT TAME THE DRAGON.

Alan:
I HAVE A DIRTY LITTLE SECRET
I MIGHT AS WELL JUST TELL YOU.

I HAVE BEEN TAKING
A SLEEPING PILL

FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.

YOU READ THE BOTTLE,
IT SAYS,

"DON'T TAKE MORE THAN A WEEK
OR TWO OR THREE."

IT'S A SHORT-TERM THING.
I MEAN, I'M...

DON'T BE AFRAID.
SAY IT.

- YEARS.
- YEARS.

Alan:
WHAT EXACTLY
IS HAPPENING TO ME

WHEN I'M TAKING
THE SLEEPING PILL?

WHAT IS IT DOING TO ME?

Doctor:
NOBODY KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT
THESE COMPOUNDS ARE DOING.

HOW-- I'M TAKING
SOMETHING EVERY DAY,

AND NO ONE KNOWS
WHAT IT'S DOING?

OH, THERE ARE ALL KINDS
OF MEDICATIONS THEY DON'T KNOW

EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING,

BUT IT'S MORE SO, PROBABLY,

WITH SLEEP MEDICATIONS.

Announcer:
Medical science introduces
"Shut-Eye,"

a truly remarkable
new sleeping formula

made especially for people
with active minds,

minds too busy to sleep.

Doctor:
THEY TEND TO BE
CLASSES OF DRUGS

WHICH HAVE SOME EFFECT

ON A LOT OF BRAIN CELLS,

STIMULATING A LOT OF PLACES
IN THE BRAIN

THAT RELAX YOU,

ONES THAT
SHUT THE BRAIN OFF.

AND ONCE
YOUR BRAIN IS OFF,

- THEN YOUR REAL
SLEEPINESS TAKES OVER...
- ( snoring )

- ...AND YOU CAN FALL ASLEEP.
- ( continues snoring )

WHAT ARE YOU--
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Shari:
YOU'RE SNORING AGAIN.

I WAS JUST
TRYING TO MOVE YOU,
'CAUSE I CAN'T SLEEP.

- I WAS TRYING TO--
- I'M NOT SNORING THAT LOUD.

( laughs )
YES, YOU ARE.

WELL, NOW YOU'RE NOT.
SO IT WORKED.

( snoring )

- Alan: THAT'S WHAT
A LOUD SNORE LOOKS LIKE?
- Doctor: YEAH.

AND THEN YOU STOP,
AND YOU'RE SLOWING
YOUR BREATHING DOWN.

- AND THEN--
- ( Alan snoring )

( snoring continues )

Alan:
SO IS SNORING BAD FOR ME?

Doctor:
WE'RE NOT SURE
HOW BENIGN SNORING IS.

IT MAY INCREASE
BLOOD PRESSURE.

( snoring continues )

Alan:
IF I TOLD YOU THAT
THE SNORING'S GOTTEN WORSE

AS THE SLEEPING'S
GOTTEN WORSE, WOULD THAT
MAKE SENSE?

Doctor:
YES. AS PEOPLE
GET SLEEP-DEPRIVED,

THE MUSCLE STRENGTH
OF THE THROAT GETS WEAKER,

YOUR SNORING GETS WORSE.

IF YOU DRINK ALCOHOL,
WHICH WEAKENS THE MUSCLES
IN THE THROAT,

YOUR SNORING GETS WORSE.

( snoring )

Alan:
IT'S ONE THING
TO BE TOLD YOU SNORE.

IT'S SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY
TO ACTUALLY HEAR IT.

NOW I'M TERRIFIED
OF FALLING ASLEEP
IN PUBLIC PLACES.

I DON'T WANNA BE THE PERSON
SITTING NEXT TO YOU,
SNORING LOUDLY,

THE ONE YOU JUST WANNA
GRAB BY THE THROAT
AND SCREAM,

- "WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP!"
- ( alarms ringing, buzzing )

"WAKE UP."

( bell rings )

BUT IF YOU ARE SOMEONE
WHO SNORES HEAVILY,

YOU MIGHT HAVE A CONDITION
CALLED "SLEEP APNEA,"

WHICH CAN BE VERY SERIOUS,

AND YOU SHOULD SEE A DOCTOR.

( rooster crows )

( rooster crowing )

Doctor:
WHAT TIME DO YOU GET UP
IN THE MORNING?

Alan:
DEPENDS ON WHAT TIME
I WENT SO SLEEP,

DEPENDS ON IF I WOKE UP
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,

DEPENDS ON IF I TOOK
A SLEEPING PILL.

( radio news playing )

Doctor:
THE NUMBER ONE RULE
OF SLEEP HYGIENE--

GET OUT OF BED
AT THE VERY SAME TIME,

REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER YOU SLEPT
THE WHOLE NIGHT,

WHETHER YOU
WENT TO BED AT 4:00,

WHETHER YOU DIDN'T
SLEEP AT ALL.

Alan:
WHEN I WAKE UP
IN THE MORNING,

I NEVER REALLY
HAVE A FEELING

OF...

WELL, WHATEVER.
I DON'T HAVE THE "WHATEVER,"

THE SATISFACTION

OF FEELING WELL-RESTED.

OH BOY, WHAT A SLEEP.
( sighs )

IT IS OCTOBER 15, 1989.

IT'S ABOUT 3:25
IN THE MORNING.

I'M ALWAYS VERY TIRED.

THERE ARE PEOPLE
THAT TELL ME,

WHEN I--
"HOW ARE YA?"
I SAY I'M TIRED,

AND THEY SAY,
"ALAN, AS LONG AS
I'VE EVER KNOWN YOU,

THAT'S ALWAYS WHAT YOU SAY.
YOU'RE TIRED."

I GET IRRITABLE.
I LOSE MY APPETITE,

CAN'T CONCENTRATE.
I GET LISTLESS.

I SHY AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
I SENSE MY MOOD SHIFTS
CAN BE MORE VOLATILE.

I FEEL LIKE SHIT.
I YAWN ALL DAY.
I LOOK LIKE SHIT.

TOMORROW MORNING
MY EYES WILL BE BLOODSHOT,

MY VOICE WILL BE LOW,

MY SYNTAX WILL BE AWKWARD

AND MY THOUGHT PROCESSES,

IF THERE ARE ENOUGH
TO BE PLURAL,

WILL BE
SORT OF IN SLOW MOTION
A LITTLE BIT.

( sighs )
AND WHILE I'M AT IT,

I'D LIKE TO MAKE
A PUBLIC APOLOGY.

FOR THOSE PEOPLE
WHO DON'T KNOW ME VERY WELL,

MY INSOMNIA'S THE REASON

THAT I'VE NEVER RETURNED
YOUR PHONE CALL.

- IT'S THE REASON--
- ( scuffling )

THERE CAN'T BE
ANY MOVING AROUND.

I GOTTA JUST CONCENTRATE.
IT'S TOO DISTRACTING.

WHAT IS HE GETTING
THAT-- WHAT--

JUST SIT IN A PLACE
JUST FOR THIS LITTLE BIT.

I CAN'T--
I'M HAVING-- I'M HAVING
TROUBLE CONCENTRATING.

IF YOU HAVE TO GET SOMETHING,
JUST GET IT.

EVERYONE, SIT DOWN,
SIT DOWN. NO ONE--

JUST SIT DOWN.

SOMEONE REFERRED
TO SLEEP DEPRIVATION

IN A METAPHOR
THAT I THOUGHT

WAS REALLY CREEPY
BUT VERY POWERFUL.

THEY SAID,
"IF YOU BOIL A FROG SLOWLY,

THE FROG DOESN'T KNOW
ANYTHING'S WRONG."

( guffaws )

THAT'S KIND OF
AN INTERESTING THOUGHT.

THAT'S A GREAT METAPHOR

FOR WHAT SLEEP LOSS
DOES TO PEOPLE.

YOU LOSE SLEEP.
YOU'RE IN A FOG,

AND THE WORST PERSON TO SAY
"HOW'RE YOU FEELING?"

IS THE PERSON IN THE FOG.

AND UNTIL YOU COME
OUT OF THE FOG,

YOU DON'T REALIZE
HOW BAD OFF YOU REALLY WERE.

SOMETIMES
WHEN I'M ON THE STREET,
RUNNING ERRANDS,

I FORGET EXACTLY
WHAT ERRANDS IT IS
I'M RUNNING.

TWO MONTHS AGO
I FORGOT TO BRING
THE VIDEOTAPE OF MY FILM

TO THE SCREENING
OF MY FILM.

News anchor:
In New York witnesses say
it felt like an earthquake

and sounded like the world
was coming to an end.

Without warning,
pedestrians on 56th Street

looked up to find themselves
under a downpour

of rock, glass and metal,
as a crane collapsed.

Alan:
I START TO THINK THAT THIS
EXPRESSION, "HUMAN ERROR,"

JUST MEANS "FATIGUE,"
"SLEEPINESS."

SOMEONE WAS TOO TIRED
AND DID THE WRONG THING,

SAID THE WRONG THING,
PUSHED THE WRONG BUTTON.

Doctor:
WE JUST CAN'T FUNCTION WELL

WHEN OUR BODY'S
NOT PREPARED TO BE AWAKE.

Alan:
SO ILL-SLEPT LEADERS
AND PRESIDENTS

COULD MAKE
VERY POOR DECISIONS...

LIKE LEADING
A COUNTRY TO WAR.

Doctor:
ABSOLUTELY.

PRESIDENT CLINTON,
IN AN INTERVIEW IN "U.S. NEWS
AND WORLD REPORT,"

ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGED
THAT EVERY MAJOR ERROR
HE MADE IN HIS LIFE

HE MADE
WHEN HE WAS TIRED.

Alan:
THEN IT'S NOT
SO FAR-FETCHED TO THINK

THAT SOMETHING LIKE
THE WORLD SERIES

COULD BE WON OR LOST
BASED ON WHETHER A KEY PLAYER
GOT A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP.

Doctor: IN FOOTBALL,
BASEBALL AND BASKETBALL,
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN

THAT JUST THE DIRECTION
YOU FLY AND THE JET LAG

CAN AFFECT
WHO WINS THE GAME.

Alan: BY THE WAY,
THIS MUSIC THAT I KEEP PLAYING
OVER AND OVER AGAIN

COMES FROM A FILM CALLED
"THAT UNCERTAIN FEELING,"

DIRECTED BY ERNST LUBITSCH
IN 1941.

IT PLAYS OVER THE SHOT
OF A WOMAN WHO CAN'T SLEEP,

PACING HER BEDROOM
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

CRITICS CALLED IT
LUBITSCH'S WORST FILM.

THE SCORE, HOWEVER,
WAS NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR.

I KNOW IT'S SUPPOSED
TO MAKE ME FEEL STRESSFUL,

BUT FOR SOME REASON
I FIND IT ODDLY SOOTHING.

Doctor:
THE RAPID EYE MOVEMENTS--

HERE'S A BIG ONE.

HERE'S A NICE ONE.

YOU'RE IN SOLID REM SLEEP.

- Alan: I'M DREAMING.
- Doctor: YOU'RE DREAMING.

Alan:
I FIND MYSELF
WALKING AROUND THE CITY

ALL NIGHT, LOOKING
TO FIND SOMEONE
WHO CAN TELL ME

WHY EVERYONE ELSE
KNOWS HOW TO SLEEP

EXCEPT ME.

WHEN MORNING CAME,
I FOUND MYSELF

IN A POLICE STATION,
LOOKING THROUGH MUG SHOTS.

I GO THROUGH
ALL THE MUG SHOTS,

AND THE PHOTOGRAPH
THAT I PULL OUT

IS A PHOTOGRAPH
OF MY GREAT GRANDFATHER,
SOLOMON ISAAC,

WHOM I NEVER MET, OBVIOUSLY,
WHO LIVED IN POLAND.

SOMEHOW I NEEDED
TO FIND HIM.

MY FATHER TOLD ME
THAT THE ONLY WAY
I COULD FIND HIM

WAS BY WEARING THIS HELMET,
THIS SCUBA HELMET.

THE NEXT THING I KNOW,
I'M SWIMMING WITH
A SCHOOL OF FISH.

WHICH KIND OF MADE SENSE,
BECAUSE I KNOW

THAT HE HAD BEEN
A TEACHER IN POLAND.

AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT I ASK HIM
HOW HE SLEPT.

THAT'S WHY I'VE COME
ALL THIS WAY--

TO ASK HIM
HOW HE SLEPT.

AND WHEN
I FINALLY FOUND HIM,

HE SMILED AT ME

AND SAID IN A REALLY STRONG
YIDDISH ACCENT,

"YOU GOT THE WRONG GUY.

I SLEEP WITH THE MOON

AND WAKE WITH THE SUN.

DON'T BLAME ME,
YOUNG MAN."

Doctor:
YOU DID SAY THAT
THERE ARE SOME RELATIVES

WITH SOME
INSOMNIA-TYPE PROBLEMS.

Alan:
YEAH. ON BOTH SIDES
OF MY FAMILY.

IN FACT,
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID
WHEN I STARTED THIS FILM

WAS TO LOOK THROUGH
ALL OF MY FAMILY HOME MOVIES

FOR SOME KIND
OF EVIDENCE OF INSOMNIA
OR SLEEPLESSNESS.

ALL I FOUND
WAS EVERYONE ACTING
FOR THE CAMERA

AS IF THEY'D JUST HAD
THREE CUPS OF COFFEE.

WITH ONE EXCEPTION--

A SHOT OF MY
GRANDPA JOE,

LOOKING REALLY
REALLY TIRED.

Doctor:
WAS HIS PROBLEM
STAYING UP LATE TOO?

Alan:
MY MOTHER AND MY UNCLES
NEVER FIGURED OUT

IF HE WAS A NIGHT OWL
BECAUSE HE COULDN'T SLEEP

OR WHETHER HE COULDN'T SLEEP
BECAUSE HE WAS A NIGHT OWL.

Man:
HERE'S A MAN WHO'S BEEN
TAKING PILLS FOR 20, 30 YEARS,

AND THE SIZE
OF THESE SLEEPING PILLS--
EVERY NIGHT.

Alan's mother:
MY FATHER TOOK A LOT
OF THINGS VERY PERSONAL--

THE EVENTS OF THE WORLD
ON HIS SHOULDERS.

Man #2:
WHY THERE ARE WARS,
WHY THERE'S FIGHTING,

WHY THERE'S ARGUING,
WHY CAN'T PEOPLE
LIVE IN PEACE...

Man #3:
HE JUST HAD SO MANY
THINGS ON HIS MIND...

HE COULDN'T RELAX.

Doctor:
AND YOUR FATHER,
IS HE LIVING?

Alan:
NO, HE DIED IN 2001.

- HOW OLD WAS HE WHEN HE DIED?
- JUST SHY OF 84. HE WAS 83.

Doctor:
DO YOU REMEMBER
IF HE WAS A GOOD SLEEPER?

- HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
- HUH?

- HOW YOU FEELING?
- I DIDN'T SLEEP LAST NIGHT.

WHY NOT?

SHOOT ME IN THE HEAD.
I DIDN'T SLEEP.

ALMOST ALL NIGHT,
I DIDN'T SLEEP.

SO I HAVE A LITTLE BIT
OF A HEADACHE.

Doctor:
THE MOST BASIC LEVEL--

THE AMOUNT OF SLEEP
AN INDIVIDUAL NEEDS

IS PROBABLY GENETICALLY
DETERMINED.

AND I SAY THAT
BECAUSE YOU NEED
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SLEEP,

AND IT'S NOT LIKE
YOU CAN CHANGE THAT.

Alan:
SO THE AMOUNT OF SLEEP
MY CHILD WILL NEED COULD BE...

( both )
GENETICALLY...

RELATED TO HOW MUCH SLEEP
I NEED?

YES. AND YOUR
GRANDFATHER, ET CETERA.

BUT, AS YOU KNOW
ABOUT GENETICS,

IT'S HOW THOSE GENES
ARE EXPRESSED

WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT.

( mother singing
French lullaby )

Alan: REMEMBER I TOLD YOU
I USED TO LISTEN TO YOU AND
MOMMY FIGHT EVERY NIGHT,

SO I KNEW YOU WERE
GOING TO GET DIVORCED
WAY BEFORE YOU EVER DID?

Father:
I-- I THOUGHT
YOU WERE ASLEEP.

I THOUGHT
YOU WERE ASLEEP.

- WHY AREN'T YOU IN BED?
- UH...

WHAT'S WRONG, BILLY?
IS SOMETHING THE MATTER?

Alan:
MY PARENTS
USED TO FIGHT A LOT.

WELL, LET ME
TELL YOU SOMETHING,
YOUNG LADY...

Alan:
I WOULD
GET OUT OF BED

AND HIDE BEHIND A WALL
AND LISTEN TO THEM.

I SHOULD HAVE BEEN
SLEEPING.

I COULDN'T TELL MY SISTER.
SHE WAS TOO YOUNG. I DIDN'T
WANT TO UPSET HER.

COULDN'T TELL
FAMILY MEMBERS.

BUT THE NIGHT
WAS THE TIME

WHEN I WOULD LISTEN...

Father:
I THOUGHT
YOU WERE ASLEEP.

Alan:
...SNEAK AROUND
THE HOUSE AND LISTEN...

( man and woman arguing )

...AND THEN LIE IN BED
AND DWELL ON IT.

Doctor:
HEARING THINGS AT NIGHT
THAT ARE UPSETTING

IS AN ACTIVATING
KIND OF TRAINING.

( arguing continues )

CLEARLY,
WHATEVER'S HAPPENED

HAS HAD AN EFFECT ON YOU
BEING A NIGHT OWL;

ON THE MENTAL RUMINATIONS
THAT GO ON AT NIGHT.

Woman yells:
WE'RE GETTING A DIVORCE!

Doctor: IT TOOK
A LONG TIME TO DEVELOP
THE PATTERN YOU NOW LIVE.

MOTHER! MOTHER!

Alan:
MORE THAN ONE
OF THE DOCTORS SAID

THAT THERE'S
A POSSIBILITY

THAT MY ASSOCIATION
WITH BEING UP AT NIGHT

AND NOT SLEEPING
AND HEARING YOU FIGHT

AND LISTENING
TO CONVERSATIONS
THAT YOU HAD

IS ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT MAYBE I MIGHT BE

NOT SUCH A GOOD SLEEPER,
THAT IT'S A DEEP MEMORY SET

- IN WHICH I ASSOCIATE THE NIGHT
WITH THAT KIND OF PAIN.
- Mother: ALL RIGHT.

- Lynn: BLAME THE MAMA.
BLAME THE MAMA
- ON THAT SAME--

Lynn: DO YOU THINK
IF THEY WEREN'T ARGUING
THAT YOU WOULD'VE SLEPT?

Alan: MAYBE THE TWO OF YOU
WERE FIGHTING SO MUCH YOU
WERE PREOCCUPIED.

WE WEREN'T FIGHTING
WHEN YOU WERE EIGHT OR NINE.

- OH, REALLY? ( laughing )
- Lynn: MOM, WHAT ARE YOU
SAYING?

I KNOW. YOU WERE FIGHTING
WHEN WE WERE TWO, THREE,
FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN.

Lynn:
RIGHT, YOU JUST STAYED MARRIED
WHEN WE WERE EIGHT, NINE, 10.

I MEAN, MA,
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?

A LITTLE REVISING
OF HISTORY HERE, I'D SAY.

BUT DO YOU THINK
THAT'S WHAT KEPT YOU UP?
CAN YOU ANALYZE THAT?

Alan:
IT COULD BE. AS SOON
AS I PICKED UP

ON WHAT WAS GOING ON
BETWEEN MY PARENTS,

I FIXATED ON THAT.
THAT'S WHY I'D STAY UP
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

TO WATCH YOU,
TO LISTEN, TO THE--

I WATCHED EVERYTHING.
THAT WAS MY BIG FASCINATION

MY WHOLE LIFE,
WAS WATCHING YOU AND OSCAR...

Lynn:
BATTLE IT OUT.

YEAH, BOTH PRIVATELY,
AND ALSO TO WATCH

HOW YOU FUNCTIONED
IN FAMILY SITUATIONS

- OR IN PARTIES, TO SEE--
- Mother: I THOUGHT I WAS
GREAT IN FAMILY SITUATIONS.

YOU MEAN, ACTING THAT YOU WERE
HAPPILY MARRIED TO HIM?

Mother:
I HAD TO.

- Lynn: NO, YOU DIDN'T.
- FOR 17 YEARS I PUT ON
A GREAT SHOW.

WELL, I WATCHED
THE PERFORMANCE.

- I WAS YOUR BEST AUDIENCE.
- OKAY. FAN, RIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT A FAN,
BUT I WAS YOUR
BEST AUDIENCE.

- OKAY, NOW--
- Alan: I WAS THE MOST
ATTENTIVE AUDIENCE.

AND ON SOME LEVEL,
THAT VERY WELL MAY BE
THE CAUSE OF ALL THIS.

- I'M NOT BLAMING YOU.
- RIGHT.

Mother:
OKAY, ARE WE
FINISHED WITH ME?

- LET'S GO BACK TO YOU, ALAN.
- Alan: TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT.

TURN AROUND.
KEEP TURNING AROUND.

- SHOW THE BELLY
ONE MORE TIME.
- NOT NOW. GOODBYE.

- SHOW THE BELLY
ONE MORE TIME.
- NO, GO AWAY.

IT'S HIS BELLY,
IT'S NOT EVEN YOURS.

GO AWAY.
BYE, ALAN.

- Alan: SHARON?
- ALAN, I SAID NOT TO.
COME ON.

( water running )

HOW'S HE
GONNA KNOW HIS MOMMY?

HE'LL KNOW HIS MOMMY.
ALAN, STOP IT.

- ALAN, STOP IT.
- ( Alan chuckles )

I LIKE THIS WIPE
THAT YOU'RE MAKING.
IT'S VERY VISUAL.

ALAN, COME ON.
WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME.

ONE MORE TIME.

- WHAT?
- ONE MORE TIME.

- SHOW THE BELLY
ONE MORE TIME.
- NO NO! NO.

- Alan: CAN I
TURN OUT THE LIGHT?
- YEAH, PLEASE.

- ( light switch clicking )
- ( distant thrumming )

( clicking continues )

( clicking quickening )

- ( woman squeals )
- ( baby crying )

Nurse: LET ME GET
THE LITTLE YELLOW CLAMP,
IF IT'S THERE.

( Alan laughing )
OH MY GOSH!

OH MY GOD.
OH MY GOD.

( baby crying )

OH MY GOD.

Alan:
THESE ARE THE VERY FIRST
RECORDED MOMENTS

IN THE LIFE
OF ELI OZ BERLINER,

BORN 9:24 A.M.,

APRIL 6, 2004.

Nurse #1: HOLD ON
TO YOUR BABY.

HE LOOKS
LIKE HE'S GONNA
PEE ON YOU.

Alan:
HE KEPT US WAITING
ALL NIGHT.

Nurse #2:
YEAH, HE PROBABLY WILL TOO.

HE'S LIKE,
"YOU'RE GONNA GET PEED ON."

Alan:
BEST SLEEPLESS NIGHT
I EVER HAD.

OH MY GOD.

Alan:
NOW CHECK OUT
ELI'S FIRST YAWN.

THERE.
NOT EVEN FIVE MINUTES OLD,

AND HE'S YAWNING.

Doctor: MOST PEOPLE THINK
YAWNING HAS TO DO WITH GETTING
A QUICK SHOT OF OXYGEN.

KIND OF GIVES YOU
A WAKE-UP.

STUDIES SHOW--
MAYBE, MAYBE NOT.

BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION
THAT IT SEEMS TO BE ASSOCIATED
WITH DROWSINESS

AND THAT IT'S INFECTIOUS.

Alan: SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
IF I CREATED A SEQUENCE
IN MY FILM,

OF SEVERAL PEOPLE
IN A ROW YAWNING?

Doctor:
YOU'RE GONNA GET
PROBABLY 90% OF THE AUDIENCE

YAWNING WITH YOU.

Alan:
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN SO TIRED
THAT I'VE YAWNED

AFTER JUST READING
THE WORD "YAWN"

HOW ABOUT
THIS LITTLE FACTOID:

GOING WITHOUT SLEEP
FOR 24 HOURS

GIVES YOU
THE SAME REACTION TIME

AS SOMEONE
WHO WOULD BE CONSIDERED

LEGALLY DRUNK.

WILL THERE EVER BE
A SO-CALLED "SLEEPALYZER,"

LIKE THERE'S
A BREATHALYZER,

LIKE WE CAN TAKE BLOOD
AND MEASURE CHOLESTEROL?

Doctor:
I HOPE SO.

PEOPLE ARE
SEARCHING FOR IT,

THEY'RE WORKING ON IT,

AND ITS APPLICATION
IS ENORMOUS.

( bell dings )

Announcer:
THE OBJECT IS TO NOTE
THE POSITION OF THE CLOCK HAND

- AT THE INSTANT
THE BELL SOUNDS.
- ( bell dings )

- 30.
- Announcer: THE MORE REST
AND RELAXATION WE GET,

THE GREATER
IS OUR MENTAL EFFICIENCY

AND THE MORE QUICKLY
WE REACT.

- ( bell dings )
- 50?

Narrator:
YOU CAN TRY
THIS TEST YOURSELF.

REMEMBER,
TRY TO TELL

WHERE THE HAND
OF THE CLOCK IS
WHEN THE BELL RINGS.

READY?

( bell dings )

DID YOU GET IT RIGHT--
20?

DON'T BLAME YOURSELF
IF YOU DIDN'T MAKE
A GOOD SCORE.

MAYBE YOU WERE UP
TOO LATE LAST NIGHT.

( bell dings )

NOW IN CASE YOU'RE ASKING,
IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING,

"WHY DOESN'T HE
JUST DRINK A CUP
OF COFFEE RIGHT NOW

AND PUT HIMSELF
OUT OF THIS MISERY?"

I HAVEN'T HAD
20 CUPS OF COFFEE
IN MY WHOLE LIFE.

- YOUR LIFE?
- LIFE.

I LEARNED A LONG TIME AGO
THAT CAFFEINE MADE ME...

- ...HYPER.
- HYPER.

- HYPER.
- ( growls )

AND I LEARNED
TO STAY AWAY FROM IT.

- COCA-COLA, PEPSI,
SOFT DRINKS?
- DON'T TOUCH IT.

- NO CAFFEINE AT ALL?
- NO CAFFEINE.

IF I DRANK COFFEE,

I WOULDN'T SLEEP
FOR DAYS.

FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS,
THAT'S BEEN MY MANTRA.

THE WAY THAT I WAKE UP...

IS BY TAKING A SHOWER.
A HOT SHOWER

FOR FIVE OR 10 MINUTES--

THAT JOLTS ME

INTO THE REAL WORLD.

I'VE BEEN GETTING
A LOT OF PRESSURE

FROM FRIENDS
AND FAMILY MEMBERS--

AND EVEN SOME PEOPLE
ON THE CREW, I MIGHT ADD--

TO TRY TAKING COFFEE.

SO, UM, OKAY.

I'M NOT GONNA TAKE
A SHOWER THIS MORNING.

I'M GONNA
GO OUT RIGHT NOW,

GET A CUP OF COFFEE,

AND I'LL BE BACK IN...

10 MINUTES.

( ticking )

- Attendant: YES, SIR.
WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?
- FILL HER UP.

( ticking continues )

Alan:
WHY CAN'T SLEEP BE LIKE
GOING TO THE GAS STATION?

( ticking continues )

WHY CAN'T I STAY UP
FOR AS LONG AS I WANT,

UNTIL I GET
ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED...

AND THEN JUST START
ALL OVER AGAIN?

( ticking continues )

Doctor:
THAT'S A GOOD ANALOGY
IF YOU WERE A CITY BUS.

THE BRAIN
DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

WE HAVE A GROUP OF CELLS
IN OUR BRAIN

THAT SORT OF ACT
LIKE A CLOCK,

AND THAT'S REALLY
WHAT DETERMINES

OUR SLEEP-WAKE SCHEDULE.

AND THAT CLOCK
IS PROGRAMMED

TO HAVE YOU BE
AWAKE DURING THE DAY,

AND SLEEP AT NIGHT.

IT CONTROLS EVERYTHING
IN YOUR BODY, ACTUALLY--

WHEN YOU GET HUNGRY,
WHEN YOU GO TO THE BATHROOM,

WHEN YOUR HORMONES
ARE SECRETED,

BODY TEMPERATURE,

WHEN YOUR PERFORMANCE
IS UP AND DOWN.

IT CONTROLS ALL OF THAT,

INCLUDING
WHEN YOU'RE AWAKE...

AND WHEN YOU'RE ASLEEP.

( clock ticking )

( ticking, chiming
continues )

( ticking stops )

Doctor:
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,
AT ABOUT 3:00 TO 5:00 A.M.,

3:00 TO 6:00 A.M. ROUGHLY--

THESE ARE TIMES
WHEN YOUR CLOCK HAS YOU
AT YOUR LOWEST POINT

FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE,
YOUR ALERTNESS, YOUR MOOD,

MANY OF YOUR HORMONES.
YOUR INTERNAL BODY
TEMPERATURE

IS AT ITS LOWEST POINT.

IT'S VERY POWERFUL.

THIS IS WHEN
YOU'RE SUPPOSED
TO BE ASLEEP.

YOU'RE PROGRAMMED
TO BE ASLEEP AND IN BED.

Alan:
WELL, IF THAT'S TRUE,
THEN MY BIOLOGICAL CLOCK

NEEDS TO GO
TO THE REPAIR SHOP,

'CAUSE EVEN AT THAT TIME
OF THE MORNING

I'M PRETTY MUCH
STILL COOKIN'.

IN THE OLD DAYS,
I'D SOMETIMES GO TO SLEEP

AFTER THE SUN
HAD COME UP,

BUT IT ALWAYS
MADE ME FEEL WEIRD.

EVER SINCE THEN,

AS LONG AS IT'S
STILL DARK OUT,

EVEN IF IT'S JUST
FIVE OR 10 MINUTES
BEFORE SUNRISE,

IT'S OKAY.

( clock ticking slowly )

SINCE I GO TO SLEEP
SO LATE,

I HAVE MOST OF MY FAMILY
AND FRIENDS TRAINED

NOT TO CALL ME BEFORE
11:00 IN THE MORNING.

BUT THERE'S ALWAYS
SOMETHING

THAT WAKES ME UP
TOO EARLY.

EITHER THE UPS
GUY RINGS THE BELL,
OR THE TELEPHONE RINGS,

OR THERE ARE HAMMERS
POUNDING FROM CONSTRUCTION

IN THE APARTMENT
NEXT DOOR,

OR I HAVE TO WAKE UP
EXTRA EARLY TO DO A SHOOT
FOR MY FILM.

- Doctor: THE DAY INTRUDES.
- Alan: LIFE INTRUDES.

AND SO THAT WHOLE DAY
I'M OPERATING

UNDER THE WEIGHT
OF MY FATIGUE.

BY THE TIME
THE LATE AFTERNOON
ROLLS AROUND,

I CAN BARELY
KEEP MY EYES OPEN.

Doctor:
AND IN FACT,
OUR BIOLOGICAL CLOCK

IS PROGRAMMED
TO HAVE US SLEEPY
DURING THIS TIME.

THAT'S PROBABLY WHY
SIESTA WAS CREATED.

PEOPLE GET SLEEPY
IN THAT AFTERNOON WINDOW.

IN GREAT BRITAIN,
WHEN DO YOU DRINK HIGH TEA?

4:00 P.M., YOU'RE DRINKING
CAFFEINE.

IN THE UNITED STATES,
WHAT DO WE DO?

WE PUSH THROUGH IT.
WE PRETEND IT DOESN'T EXIST
AND JUST KINDA KEEP GOING.

Alan:
ACTUALLY, OUR CONVERSATION
IS REMINDING ME

OF A FILM SCREENING
I HAD A FEW YEARS AGO.

I REMEMBER I HAD TO WAKE UP
EXTRA EARLY THAT DAY
TO CATCH A PLANE

IN ORDER TO BE THERE
BY 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

AND I REMEMBER
I HADN'T SLEPT WELL

FOR THE FEW DAYS
PRIOR TO THE SCREENING,
ESPECIALLY THE NIGHT BEFORE.

- ( applause )
- AND I WAS SORT OF NERVOUS

ABOUT SPEAKING
IN FRONT OF A LARGE
CROWD OF PEOPLE,

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE
I WAS SO TIRED.

BUT WHEN I GOT THERE,
THERE WERE HARDLY ANY PEOPLE
IN THE AUDIENCE.

- ( doctor laughs )
- AND IT WAS A BIG ROOM.

- THAT'S FUNNY.
- Alan: I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT HAPPENS

WHEN DOCTORS GIVE LECTURES,
BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S A BIG PART

OF THE LIFE OF
AN INDEPENDENT FILMMAKER.

BY THE WAY, I HAVE
THIS LITTLE CAMERA,

WHICH I'LL TAKE FROM YOU NOW.
THANKS A LOT.

DOES ANYONE MIND
IF I STAND

IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM
OR ON THE SIDE

AND TAKE SOME SHOTS
OF THE AUDIENCE IN THE DARK?

DOES ANYONE HAVE
ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT?

NO?
OKAY, THANKS.

- ( film playing )
- Alan: LOUDER.

Alan's voice:
BUT THAT'S NOT WHY
I'M TELLING YOU THIS STORY.

FOR SOME REASON I DECIDED
TO BRING MY CAMERA,

A LITTLE CAMERA
THAT SHOOTS INFRARED,
SO I COULD SEE IN THE DARK.

DIDN'T TAKE ME LONG
TO SEE

THAT FIVE OR SIX
PEOPLE IN THE ROOM
HAD FALLEN ASLEEP...

- Alan: What's the matter?
- Nothing.

Alan's voice:
...WERE LITERALLY ASLEEP

What happens now?

( bell chimes )

Doctor:
THE MOST SLEEP-DEPRIVED
GROUP IN OUR SOCIETY

ARE COLLEGE KIDS.

THEY ARE
GETTING SO LITTLE SLEEP,
THEY ARE TIRED ALL THE TIME.

SO THEY'RE SLEEPY
TO START WITH.

- ( bell chimes )
- THE OTHER IS 4:00
IN THE AFTERNOON.

YOU'RE IN THAT
WINDOW SIESTA TIME.

AND SO STAYING AWAKE'S
A PRETTY GOOD EFFORT,

'CAUSE YOU GOTTA
OVERRIDE THAT BIOLOGY.

IF YOU HAVEN'T
HAD ENOUGH SLEEP,

AND SO THERE'S
A PRESSURE FOR SLEEP,

WHATEVER YOU DO
THAT'S CONDUCIVE
TO FALLING ASLEEP--

LIKE PUT THE LIGHTS OUT,
MAKE IT WARM,

GET COMFY--
ALL THAT'S GONNA DO

IS LET
THE SLEEPINESS EMERGE

AND YOU'RE GONNA NOD OFF.

Man in film:
Means nothing to me.

You're making one mistake.
You're trying to put your
head on my shoulders,

and it won't work.

There's an old saying,
"You can't teach an old dog
new tricks,"

and I'm that old dog.

Doctor: A LOT OF TIME PEOPLE
SAY, "OH, IT WAS THE BORING
FILM THAT PUT ME TO SLEEP."

Alan: THANKS FOR NOT SAYING
THAT IT WAS MY FILM
THAT WAS BORING.

Doctor:
AND IT WASN'T. AND THAT'S
WHAT'S CRITICAL ABOUT THIS.

Man on film:
How do I know what
you're talking about?

Doctor:
IF PEOPLE HAD ENOUGH SLEEP,

AND YOU PUT 'EM
IN A BORING LECTURE,
OR A BORING FILM,

THEY'LL SIT THERE
AND BE BORED.

AND THEY'LL BE DOING
A CROSSWORD PUZZLE,

OR THEY'LL SAY
"WHY DID I COME TO THIS THING?"

OR, "GOD, THIS
IS REALLY HORRIBLE."

- Man: You're boring
the shit outta me...
- BUT THEY'LL BE AWAKE.

( bell dings )

Alan:
LET THE COFFEE
EXPERIMENT BEGIN.

CHEERS.

( clock ticking )

( inhales )
HMM.

IT FEELS
LIKE THE PRESENCE

OF SOMETHING DIFFERENT
IN MY BLOODSTREAM.

JUST A LITTLE
SOMETHING'S GOING ON.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

STARTING TO FEEL
SOMETHING HAPPENING
IN MY EXTREMITIES,

MY TOES ESPECIALLY.

FEELING IT IN MY ARMS

A LITTLE BIT.
I'M FEELING...

A SORT OF A TINGLING
IN MY ARMS.

AND I'M STARTING TO FEEL
SOME SWEAT IN MY ARMPITS.

IS COFFEE KNOWN
FOR MAKING PEOPLE SWEAT?

YES. YES. WOW.

MY EYES FEEL...

UM, MORE AWAKE,
MORE OPEN. MY EYES
FEEL MORE OPEN.

IT'S OFFICIAL.
I HAVE NOW HAD MY
FIRST CUP OF COFFEE

IN MORE THAN 31 YEARS.

FEELING QUITE ACTIVE--

ACTIVATED,
I SHOULD SAY.

NOW, UM-- ARE WE
IN A WIDE SHOT NOW?

NO?
HEAD AND SHOULDERS SHOT.

CAN WE MAKE IT
A WIDE SHOT? CAN WE
MAKE IT A WIDE SHOT?

DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO
TO MAKE IT A WIDE SHOT.
KEEP ROLLING.

WHILE THE CAMERA'S
RESETTING POSITIONS,

THINK BACK TO
WHAT I LOOKED LIKE THIS
MORNING WITHOUT COFFEE.

TESTING, ONE, TWO, THREE.
TESTING, ONE, TWO, THREE.

THIS IS WHAT I LOOK LIKE
WITH COFFEE.

- WE HAVE A WIDE SHOT NOW?
- Man: MM-HMM.

OKAY. NOW WHILE I HAVE
THIS MOMENT AND WHILE
I HAVE THE ENERGY,

YOU SEE THESE BOXES
BEHIND ME?

RED, ORANGE, YELLOW,
GREEN, BLUE, VIOLET--

THE COLORS
OF THE SPECTRUM.

THE RED BOXES,

THEY ARE
BLACK AND WHITE FILM--

OLD NEWSREELS,
EDUCATIONAL FILMS,

THINGS I GOT
FROM THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

THE ORANGE BOXES
ARE SOUND EFFECTS.

( loud scraping )

FOOTSTEPS ON BRUSH, CEMENT,
DIRTX@GRASS, GRAVEL,

GROUND, INTERIOR,
SNOW, WATER...
( sighs )

THE YELLOW
IS COLOR FILM.

FILMMAKERS ACTUALLY
GIVE ME THEIR OUTS,

BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT
I'LL STORE THEM AND PUT
THEM IN THE ARCHIVE.

THE GREEN BOXES ARE
AMERICAN FAMILY HOME MOVIES

FROM THE 1920s,
'30s AND '40s,

ALL ANONYMOUS.

IN A WAY,
SOMETIMES I THINK OF THIS

AS SORT OF AN ORPHANAGE
FOR LOST HOME MOVIES.

THIS IS SOME RARE FOOTAGE
FROM THE OLD NEGRO
BASEBALL LEAGUES.

- ( film reel rattling )
- ( no sound )

LOOKS LIKE SHE'S BEEN
DRINKING SOME COFFEE TOO.

THE BLUE BOXES CONTAIN
MY OWN FAMILY HOME MOVIES,

MOSTLY STUFF MY FATHER SHOT
WHEN I WAS A KID.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS STUFF
I'VE SHOT EVER SINCE.

THIS VIOLET BOXES--
REMEMBER, ROY G. BIV,
THE VIOLET.

VIOLET, THESE ARE
PHOTOGRAPHS THAT
I'VE COLLECTED

ALL OVER THE WORLD,
AGAIN ANONYMOUS.

PICK A BOX, ANY BOX.
OKAY, THIS ONE.

CAN YOU SEE HERE?
THESE ARE PORTRAITS.

I KNOW NONE
OF THESE PEOPLE.

IF YOU RECOGNIZE
ANYONE IN THIS BOX,

LET ME KNOW.
I'LL GIVE THEM
BACK THEIR PICTURE.

THE BLACK BOXES
CONTAIN PHOTOGRAPHS

I'VE BEEN CUTTING OUT
OF THE NEWSPAPER.

THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD
OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS

IS SOMEWHERE
IN THESE BOXES.

DID I MENTION
EVERYTHING'S ALPHABETICAL?
NATURALLY.

WHEN YOU SURROUND YOURSELF
WITH SO MUCH STUFF,

YOU HAVE TO BE
EXTREMELY ORGANIZED.

I NEED AN IMAGE--
I KNOW WHERE IT IS.

- I NEED A SOUND...
- ( rushing water )

THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT,
TO BE ABLE TO ACT AT
THE SPEED OF THOUGHT.

EVERY TIME I GET AN IDEA,
I WRITE IT DOWN

ON A SMALL PIECE
OF PAPER.

AFTER I ACT ON IT,
I PUT IT ON ONE
OF THESE THINGS

- YOU SEE
IN CHINESE RESTAURANTS.
- ( bell dings )

BY THE WAY, I AM REALLY
BUZZING RIGHT NOW.

OKAY, THIS SHELF
RIGHT HERE--

THESE ARE ALL FOUND
FAMILY PHOTO ALBUMS,

ORPHAN FAMILY
PHOTO ALBUMS.

I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND
HOW THEY COME TO BE.

CAN YOU IMAGINE
IF YOUR FAMILY PHOTO ALBUM

SOMEHOW ENDED UP
AT A GARAGE SALE

- OR A FLEA MARKET,
GOT LOST SOMEHOW?
- ( telephone rings )

OOPS, THAT'S THE PHONE.
THE PHONE'S RINGING DURING
THE COFFEE EXPERIMENT.

SAY SOMETHING TO THE FILM.
OKAY, HOLD ON, GO.

Mother:
Did you fall asleep
last night?

CAN'T REALLY TALK 'CAUSE
I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS.

THAT WAS MY MOTHER.
THIS IS A COLLECTION

OF GLASS NEGATIVES.

PEOPLE DRINK COFFEE EVERY DAY?
I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE.

THIS CABINET RIGHT HERE
CONTAINS EVERY PHOTOGRAPH

FROM MY ENTIRE LIFE.

MY MOTHER IS PREGNANT
WITH ME HERE.

MY SISTER'S BORN HERE.
IT'S OUR ENTIRE FAMILY

ALL THE WAY THROUGH
MY LIFE UP TO HERE.

MY MOTHER'S SIDE
OF THE FAMILY, MY FATHER'S
SIDE OF THE FAMILY,

MY FATHER'S ARMY PICTURES,
PARENTS' WEDDING PICTURES.

FOR BOTH SIDES OF MY FAMILY,
I AM THE KEEPER
OF THE MEMORY.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE
REALLY KNOWS.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE
REALLY CARES. OKAY.

I ALSO COLLECT OBJECTS,
DIFFERENT OBJECTS.

HERE'S A DRAWER
CALLED "SPHERES,"

"PYRAMIDS," "ALPHABET,"
"BELLS."

HERE'S A DRAWER
CALLED "FLIPBOOKS."

"TIME." THIS IS ONE
OF MY FAVORITE THINGS
IN THE WHOLE WORLD.

MINIATURE WATCH PARTS.

( clock ticking )

THIS IS A SOUND SCULPTURE
I ONCE MADE CALLED
"AUDIOFILE."

HERE'S A DRAWER CALLED
"NO TRESPASSING."

( dog barking )

( siren wailing )

( alarm bell ringing )

( banging )

Woman:
Good morning. If you'd
like to set your clocks,

WINS news time at the tone
will be exactly 11:30.

( barking )

"SLEEPLESS NIGHT."

( baby crying )

( baby crying )

CAN YOU GO AND SIT
WITH HIM, PLEASE?

I'M SO TIRED.

Alan: SHH!

( crying stops )

SHH!

( whispers)
GO TO SLEEP.

- ( click )
- ( baby crying )

- GO WITH THE FLOW, ALAN.
- Alan: HOW DO YOU GO
WITH THE FLOW

- WHEN HE WAKES UP AT 3:00
IN THE MORNING EVERY DAY?
- Shari: HE DOESN'T ANYMORE.

- ALL RIGHT,
SO IT'S A FEW MONTHS.
- Alan: 4:00 IN THE MORNING.

- HIS FIRST FEW MONTHS,
THAT'S NORMAL.
- CRYING CRYING CRYING.

- THAT'S NORMAL.
- SO YOU WAKE UP,
YOU BUM OUT,

AND YOU LET HIM CRY.
YOU DON'T WANT ELI

TO GROW UP LIKE HOW
YOU GREW UP, ALWAYS
ASKING YOUR FATHER,

"HOW ARE YOU?"
"I'M TIRED, AND I
HAVE A HEADACHE."

YOU DON'T WANNA BE
LIKE THAT.

Shari:
WELL, THE TRUTH IS THAT HE
IS VERY IRRITABLE THESE DAYS

BECAUSE HE'S NOT SLEEPING,
AND BECAUSE OF THAT

- HE'S BEEN ARGUING
WITH ME ALL THE TIME.
- Mother: UH-OH.

- Alan: BUT YOU'RE TIRED TOO.
- Shari: I'M NOT AS IRRITABLE.

HOW DO YOU KNOW?
HOW DO YOU KNOW?

I KNOW.
I SEE HOW I REACT.
I SEE HOW YOU REACT.

WHEN YOU GET TIRED,
YOU GET VERY IRRITABLE,

- Mother: I KNOW, I KNOW.
IT'S TERRIBLE.
- LET HIM TALK.

Alan:
WHEN ELI WAS AGE

ZERO TO THREE MONTHS,

I WAS THE ONLY ONE
IN OUR ENTIRE WORLD

THAT KNEW THAT HE HAD
TO SLEEP BETWEEN 16,
18 HOURS A DAY,

- AND I KNEW WHY.
- Shari: YOU SHOWED IT
TO ME 15 MILLION TIMES.

FINE, OKAY.
BECAUSE HIS BRAIN
WAS GROWING.

OKAY, EVERYBODY'S BRAIN
IS GROWING.

IT'S GONNA GROW.

WHEN THEY'RE SLEEPING!

A NEW BABY
IS GONNA SLEEP,

EVEN IF YOU WEREN'T
CONTROLLING IT.

EVEN IF IT'S NOT 16 HOURS,
HIS BRAIN WOULD GROW.

Lynn: MOST PARENTS AREN'T
CONTROLLING THEIR SLEEP.

I THINK ALAN
JUDGES HIS DAY

BY HOW MANY NAPS
ELI HAD.

"DID YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY?"
"WELL, ELI NAPPED THREE TIMES.
I HAD A GREAT DAY."

NO, THAT'S HIS SCALE
OF LIFE.

Mother: I MEAN, REALLY,
IT'S BECOMING...

AD NAUSEAM, REALLY.

- Lynn: IT IS.
- IT IS.

Mother: AND A MOTHER
CAN TELL YOU THAT.

A SISTER CAN
TELL YOU THAT.

BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT?
PEOPLE WILL LIE TO YOU,
NO PROBLEM.

- Alan: WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
- DID HE SLEEP?
YEAH, HE SLEPT.

HOW LONG DID HE SLEEP?
UHH...

SO WAIT WAIT.
WHEN I BRING HIM
TO YOUR HOUSE TO BABYSIT,

- YOU'RE LYING TO ME
ABOUT HOW LONG HE SLEEPS?
- Mother: NO, BUT WE MIGHT.

- BUT WE COULD.
- WE COULD, ABSOLUTELY.

WE WOULD.

- WE DON'T HAVE TO.
- TO GIVE YOU PEACE OF MIND.

Alan: SOMEONE HAS TO KNOW
WHAT THE STAKES ARE.

- I KNOW WHAT THE STAKES ARE.
- ALAN, STOP IT. WE ALL KNOW
WHAT THE STAKES ARE.

Lynn:
WHAT ARE THE STAKES?
WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?

( lullaby playing )

Alan:
I HAVE BECOME

THE PROTECTOR
OF HIS SLEEP.

I WANT HIM TO GO
TO SLEEP

AT THE SAME TIME
EVERY NIGHT.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT HE TAKES NAPS

TWO OR THREE TIMES
A DAY.

I WANNA MAKE SURE
THAT THIS LITTLE BOY
SLEEPS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

WHEN HE IS SLEEPING,

I AM AT PEACE.

I FILMED ELI SLEEPING

WHEN HE WAS ABOUT
TWO MONTHS OLD,

AND VERY SHORTLY
AFTER I PUT HIM TO SLEEP

HIS FACE WENT
INTO A SMILE.

Doctor:
BABIES ACTUALLY
SMILE IN SLEEP

BEFORE THEIR SMILE
IN WAKEFULNESS.

AND HE'S ACTUALLY
IN REM SLEEP

WHILE THIS IS
HAPPENING,

HE'S DREAMING.

SOMEHOW HIS BRAIN
IS PRACTICING

WHAT JUST MIGHT BE
THE MOST IMPORTANT
SURVIVAL SKILL OF ALL--

A SMILE,

SOMETHING THAT'S
GOING TO STRENGTHEN
THE BONDS OF LOVE

AND ATTACHMENT
WITH HIS PARENTS.

Alan:
AND IT WORKS.

Doctor:
AND IT'S ALSO NOT A BAD
SKILL FOR HIM TO LEARN

FOR LATER IN LIFE
AS WELL.

Lynn:
IT'S ALMOST
AS IF ELI HAS BECOME

LIKE ALAN'S
SCIENCE PROJECT.

DOES IT BOTHER YOU

THAT HE'S EATING A LOT?

- Alan: NO.
- THANK GOD.

( Lynn laughs )

AS LONG AS IT
DOESN'T INTERFERE
WITH HIS NAPPING.

( all laugh )

( rattles )

Alan:
I ACTUALLY THINK THAT

SLEEP COULD BE
THE "X" FACTOR.

HE WILL BE MORE RESPONSIVE
IN TERMS OF ALERTNESS,

LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
IF HE'S WELL-SLEPT.

I COULD SEE
HIS DISPOSITION IS BETTER,

HE'S NOT AS CRANKY,
HE EATS BETTER.

WHEN HE'S HAD HIS NAPS,

AND WHEN HE'S IN A GROOVE
WITH SLEEP...

- HEY, I'M OVER HERE.
- Alan's voice:
...HE'S BETTER.

- Alan: MMMMM!
- Lynn: I THINK
IN ALAN'S NEXT LIFE

HE SHOULD BE
A PEDIATRICIAN
AND SPECIALIZE IN SLEEP,

'CAUSE YOU SOUND
LIKE A TEXTBOOK.

Alan:
WHEN HE'S TIRED,
HE'S FUSSY.

Lynn: HE'S A BORE.
THIS IS WHAT HE'S
COME DOWN TO,

WORRYING ABOUT
THESE THINGS.

I'M UPSET
WITH YOUR OBSESSION.

- EXACTLY. I'M UPSET.
- Lynn: IS THERE ANY
CHANCE OF CHANGING,

- ANY ASPECT OF YOU?
- I'M UPSET THAT

- YOU ARE LIKE THAT, ALAN.
- YOU ARE POSSIBLY GIVING
YOUR CHILD

THE BEST GIFT YOU COULD
EVER GIVE HIM FOR HIS LIFE.

IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY
NOBODY PROTECTS SLEEP.

AND FOR YOU TO DO THAT
WITH YOUR CHILD

FROM THE BEGINNING
OF HIS LIFE...

HOLD THAT FOR ONE SECOND.
YOU SEE, SHARI?

YOU SEE, MOM?
YOU SEE, LYNN? SEE?

THERE GOTTA BE LIMITS,
'CAUSE YOU GOTTA BE CAREFUL

NOT TO GET TOO CRAZY
ABOUT IT.

OLDER FATHERS

- ARE THE MOST NEUROTIC.
- ( women chuckle )

( clock ticking )

Doctor:
YOU ARE REVVING

AT A HIGHER RATE
THAN OTHER PEOPLE.

YOU GET ACTIVATED
AT NIGHT.

YOU'RE ALERT
BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP,

AND REALLY THE TIME
YOU SHOULD BE SLEEPING,

IF YOU FOLLOW YOUR OWN
BIOLOGICAL CLOCK,

IS QUITE LATE.
SO YOUR CLOCK IS OFF.

( alarm ringing )

THAT IS
A PARTICULAR CONDITION.

IT'S CALLED DELAYED
SLEEP PHASE SYNDROME.

Alan:
WHAT WAS THAT?
SAY THAT AGAIN.

Doctor:
DELAYED SLEEP
PHASE SYNDROME,

WHICH IS OUR FANCY WORD
FOR NIGHT OWL.

YOU ARE A NIGHT OWL.

ANYTHING THAT I HAVE TO DO,
IF IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT,

I DO IT AT NIGHT.

I'M CINDERELLA
IN REVERSE.

Alan:
THE NIGHT
FOR ME HAS BECOME

A TOTAL HAVEN.

THERE IS A SENSE
OF BEING OUTSIDE OF TIME--

THE DARKNESS,
THE SILENCE,

THE PEACEFULNESS
OF IT.

FOOD TASTES BETTER.
MUSIC SOUNDS BETTER.

I'M SHARPER.

Doctor:
IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE
YOU ACTUALLY ENJOY

BEING AWAKE
MORE THAN YOU ENJOY SLEEP.

Alan:
SOMETIMES I THINK I'M
ADDICTED TO BEING AWAKE.

DOES THAT ALSO MEAN
I'M ADDICTED TO BEING TIRED?

BUT IF I'M NOT
GONNA SLEEP ANYWAY,

WHY TOSS AND TURN IN BED
AND MAKE MYSELF CRAZY?

IF MY CURSE HERE IS

TO HAVE THREE
EXTRA HOURS A NIGHT,

HEY, I'LL TAKE IT.

THAT'S 21 HOURS A WEEK.

THAT'S 90 HOURS
A MONTH.

THAT'S 45 DAYS A YEAR.

OVER A 40-YEAR PERIOD,

THAT'S 1,800 DAYS--

FIVE YEARS OF ALERT,
WAKING, PRODUCTIVE,

CREATIVE TIME THAT
I'M ADDING TO MY LIFE.

IS THERE A DRUG
OR A MAGIC POTION
OR SOMETHING

WHERE I COULD STILL BE
A NIGHT OWL,

GET FIVE
OR SIX HOURS' SLEEP

- AND FEEL GREAT?
- NO.

Alan:
I'VE HEARD
INSOMNIA DESCRIBED

AS THE LAST FRONTIER
OF IMAGINATION

AND INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM
BY A PHILOSOPHER NAMED
BLANCHOT,

WHOSE POINT WAS THAT TO GO
TO SLEEP WHEN EVERYONE
ELSE GOES TO SLEEP

IS A SORT OF CONFORMITY;
THAT TO WORK AND EMBRACE
THE NIGHT

AND STAY AWAKE
WHILE THE REST
OF THE WORLD IS SLEEPING--

IT'S A KIND
OF REBELLION.

( makes swishing sounds )

THERE WILL BE PLENTY
OF TIME TO SLEEP
AFTER I DIE.

NOW I NEED TO SAY THIS
REALLY IN A DEVILISH
KIND OF WAY.

AM I ENOUGH,
NOT ENOUGH, TOO MUCH?

HUH? NO, "AFTER I DIE" IS--
"ONCE I'M DEAD" IS
A LITTLE TOO--

LIKE THE WORD "DEAD"
IS TOO HARSH.

THERE WILL BE PLENTY
OF TIME TO SLEEP
AFTER I DIE.

THERE WILL BE
PLENTY OF TIME
TO SLEEP AFTER I DIE.

THERE WILL BE PLENTY
OF TIME TO SLEEP

AFTER I DIE,
THAT IS.

NO, THE "THAT IS" DOESN'T--
ONE MORE TIME.

THERE WILL BE PLENTY
OF TIME TO SLEEP
AFTER I DIE.

IT'S HARD TO GET THE--

YOU THINK I SAID IT
THE RIGHT WAY,
ONE OF THEM?

IT'S NOT AS THOUGH
I'M RACING AGAINST TIME,

YOU KNOW, LIKE TRYING
TO OUTRUN DEATH
OR SOMETHING,

ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES
IT FEELS THAT WAY.

( jazz music playing )

Alan:
YOU KNOW, IN SOME MYTHOLOGIES
THE GOD OF SLEEP

AND THE GOD OF DEATH
ARE BROTHERS.

Doctor:
SLEEP IS AS CLOSE
AS YOU GET TO DEATH

IN YOUR CURRENT LIFE
AS YOU PROBABLY EVER WILL.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
BEING TAUNTED EVERY DAY WITH--

"I DON'T WANT THAT.

I WANT BEING AWAKE.

I WANT LIFE,

THE JOY, THE PASSION,
THE PRODUCTIVITY."

AND ANYTHING THAT
DETRACTS FROM THAT,
LIKE SLEEP...

...WHICH IS BORING,
MONOTONOUS

AND A WASTE OF TIME--

Doctor:
--THAT'S THE BATTLE
THAT'S GOING ON.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH
MORE CREATIVE YOU MIGHT BE

IF YOU SLEPT
A LITTLE MORE.

YOU MAY NOT CARE ABOUT
AN EXTRA FILM OR TWO,

BUT YOU'D BE LIVING
YOUR LIFE BETTER.

Doctor #2: MAYBE YOU CAN'T
BECOME A BETTER FILMMAKER
THAN YOU ALREADY ARE.

Alan:
WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT,
BUT I'VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED

WORKING
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
TO BE MY SECRET WEAPON.

Doctor:
THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM
WITH CREATIVE PEOPLE--

IS A LOT OF THEM
ACTUALLY DO A LOT
OF THEIR BEST WORK

WHEN THEY SHOULD
BE SLEEPING.

THAT WAS
"NIGHT IN TUNISIA,"

FEATURING THE LATE,
GREAT CHARLIE PARKER
ON ALTO SAXOPHONE.

- All of a sudden--
- Woman: Obviously,
we don't all agree.

Doctor:
THERE ARE CERTAIN SITUATIONS
WHERE WE CAN QUANTIFY--

GET BETTER SLEEP,

GET A BETTER SCORE
ON THAT TEST.

IN THE CREATIVE REALM,
IT'S HARD TO KNOW.

Doctor #2:
CHARLIE PARKER WAS SUCH
A DAMN GOOD MUSICIAN

'CAUSE HE NEVER SLEPT
AND USED DRUGS.

HE WOULD HAVE BEEN 10 TIMES
THE MUSICIAN HE WAS

HAD HE SLEPT BETTER.

HE WAS ALREADY
A GREAT MUSICIAN.

YOU TAKE A GREAT PERSON,
GIVE THEM THE SLEEP THEY NEED,

AND YOU BECOME
EVEN GREATER.

Alan:
BUT PART OF WHAT
MADE HIM A GREAT MUSICIAN

IS THAT HE DIDN'T SLEEP,

AND THAT WAS HIS STORY.

NOW IF YOU
TOOK THAT AWAY,

HE'D BE A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT PERSON.

EINSTEIN SLEPT
10 HOURS A NIGHT.

NOW I DON'T KNOW
IF HE REALLY DID,

BUT THAT'S THE MYTHOLOGY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE THINK
OF EINSTEIN

AS THE MOST
BRILLIANT MIND EVER.

BUT THEN AGAIN,
EDISON DIDN'T SLEEP MORE
THAN FOUR HOURS A NIGHT.

SO HE SAID,

BUT HE BRAGGED ABOUT BEING
ABLE TO NAP INSTANTLY

ANY TIME OF THE DAY,

AND ONLY A VERY SLEEP-DEPRIVED
PERSON COULD DO THAT.

Alan:
MY FRIEND SPENCER
SUGGESTED THE OTHER DAY

THAT I TRY A NEWS FAST--

NO NEWSPAPERS,
NO RADIO,

NO TELEVISION,
NO INTERNET...

JUST SHUT IT DOWN
FOR A WEEK OR TWO.

MAYBE EVEN TAKE SHARI
AND ELI

AND GET OUT OF THE CITY
FOR A WHILE.

MAYBE THAT
WOULD RELAX ME,

CALM ME DOWN,

HELP ME SLEEP BETTER
AT NIGHT.

NO WAY.

I'M STARTING TO THINK
I MIGHT BE SUFFERING

FROM SOME KIND OF
URBAN DISEASE,

THE NEED TO FEEL
CONNECTED,

PLUGGED IN...

- Radio announcer: All news...
- Alan: ...ALL THE TIME.

This is 1010 WINS.
You give us 22 minutes,

- we'll give you the world.
- ( stations rapidly changing )

Doctor:
THIS IS PART
OF WHO YOU ARE.

AND IF WE CHANGE
THIS PART,

LIKE WE CHANGE
ANY OTHER PIECE OF YOU--

THAT YOU LIVE IN NEW YORK
OR THAT YOU HAVE
A YOUNG CHILD--

IF WE CHANGE ANY
OF THAT, FOR SOMEONE
WHO'S CREATIVE,

IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

DOESN'T MEAN YOU
SHOULD NOT PURSUE

"HOW DO I SLEEP BETTER?"

BECAUSE YOU CAN STILL BE
IN LOVE WITH THE NIGHT,

IMPROVE THE SLEEP

AND GET A DIFFERENT
WAKEFULNESS EXPERIENCE
AS WELL.

Shari:
ALAN, ALAN.

ALAN, ELI'S UP.

ALAN, SWEETIE,
ELI'S UP.

- ( Eli faintly crying )
- YOU SAID YOU'D GO
THIS MORNING.

SHARI, I THINK--
WHAT TIME IS IT?

- IT'S 6:20.
- OKAY, I WENT TO SLEEP
REALLY LATE.

BUT YOU SAID YOU'D
GO THIS MORNING.

I CAN'T. REALLY LATE.
JUST GIVE ME A BREAK
THIS MORNING.

WHAT? THIS MORNING?
YOU SAID THIS WAS
THE MORNING,

IF HE WAS CRYING--
COME ON, IT'S NOT FAIR.

DON'T WAKE ME UP.

ALAN, SWEETIE,
IT'S NOT FAIR.
HE'S CRYING.

I'M GONNA FIGURE IT OUT,
AND I CAN'T DO IT NOW.

- I'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
- FIGURE IT OUT WHEN?

WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?

PLEASE.

- YOU PROMISED ME.
- SHARI, I'M, LIKE,
ON THREE HOURS' SLEEP.

THREE HOURS, THREE HOURS.
DON'T WAKE ME UP.
DON'T WAKE ME UP.

- Shari: OKAY.
- ( Eli wailing )

Alan: THE GOOD NEWS
IS THAT ELI SLEEPS
THROUGH THE NIGHT NOW.

Shari: ELI,
GOOD MORNING, SWEETIE.

Alan:
HE GOES TO SLEEP
AROUND 8:00.

- Shari: HELLO.
- Alan: ACTUALLY, I SHOULD
SAY HE GOES TO SLEEP EXACTLY

- Alan: AT 8:00 EVERY NIGHT...
- Shari: ONE SECOND.
ONE SECOND.

...AND WAKES UP ANYWHERE
BETWEEN 6:00, 6:30,

SOMETIMES QUARTER TO 7:00
IN THE MORNING.

GOOD MORNING. YEAH.

THE BAD NEWS IS THAT
BECAUSE I GO TO SLEEP

AT 3:30 OR 4:00,

AND HE STARTS CRYING
AT 6:30,

I'VE GOTTEN TWO,
THREE HOURS' SLEEP.

I'M JUST OPENING
THE SHADE.

YOU KNOW I MISS
SEEING HIM IN THE MORNING.

Shari:
AND ELI MISSES YOU
IN THE MORNING.

IN THE MORNING, HE COMES
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR,
AND HE GOES,

"DADDY DADDY DADDY."
AND I HAVE TO PULL
HIM AWAY

AND GO, "SHH! SHH!
DADDY'S SLEEPING.
DADDY'S SLEEPING."

Alan:
ARE YOU MAD AT ME?

- DO YOU HATE ME?
- Shari: DO I HATE YOU? NO.

Alan: BECAUSE I HAVE TO
TELL YOU SOMETHING.
I FEEL GUILTY.

- I FEEL GUILTY.
- Shari: WELL, YOU SHOULD
FEEL GUILTY.

IT'S LIKE YOU LIVE
IN A DIFFERENT TIME ZONE
FROM ME AND ELI.

IT'S GONNA
HAVE TO CHANGE

BECAUSE I CAN'T GO ON
LIKE THIS ANYMORE.

Doctor: WELL, WHAT
SHOULD WE DO?

YOU TELL ME.

Doctor:
WE HAVE TO
RESET YOUR CLOCK.

( ticking )

SINCE YOU'RE SUCH
A NIGHT OWL,

I'D LIKE TO MOVE YOUR
SLEEP CYCLE EARLIER

BY HAVING YOU GET
LIGHT EXPOSURE
IN THE MORNING.

WHEN YOU WAKE UP,
THROW ON SOME CLOTHES

AND GO OUTDOORS
FOR AN HOUR.

I REALLY WANT LIGHT
TO GET INTO YOUR EYES,

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S
GONNA MOVE YOUR RHYTHM SO THAT
YOU CAN FALL ASLEEP EARLIER.

Doctor #2:
LIGHT IS ONE
OF THE MOST POWERFUL CUES

FOR YOUR INTERNAL CLOCK
TO KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS.

YOU SEE LIGHT, AND IT
TELLS YOU BE ACTIVE
DURING THE DAY,

SLEEP AT NIGHT.

Doctor #1:
PEOPLE WHO ARE NIGHT OWLS
DON'T LIKE THE LIGHT,

AVOID THE LIGHT
IN THE MORNING,
AND IN FACT

THAT'S THE IMPORTANT CUE
THAT KEEPS THEIR CLOCK
IN TRIM.

I'D LIKE YOU TO SPEND JUST
6 1/2 HOURS IN BED,

- GIVE YOU LESS TIME
IN BED THAN YOU WANT.
- ( buzzer sounds )

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT 2:30
TO 9:00 IN THE MORNING

WOULD BE A REASONABLE
WAY TO GO.

( alarm clock rings )

REDUCING
THE AMOUNT OF SLEEP
THAT PEOPLE HAVE

UNTIL THEY'RE
EXTREMELY EFFICIENT...

...IS GONNA MAKE YOU
ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED
IN THE DAYTIME.

( eerie music playing )

( whispers )
ZOMBIE TIME.

Doctor:
AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM
WITH THIS THERAPY--

IS THAT YOU WILL
BE A ZOMBIE.

BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN
IS EVENTUALLY

WE WILL BUILD
A SLEEP DEBT UP SO HIGH

THAT YOU WILL
START SLEEPING.

AND IF WE CAN SQUEEZE OUT
SOME OF THESE AWAKENINGS,

OR MAKE THEM SHORTER,

THAT MAY START
THE BALL ROLLING
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

LET'S TRY THIS
FOR A MONTH OR TWO.

A MONTH OR TWO?
A MONTH OR TWO?

YOU'RE GONNA HATE
IT THE FIRST WEEK.
I GUARANTEE YOU THAT,

SO I WANT YOU
TO PICK A TIME

WHERE THIS IS CONVENIENT
TO DO, WHERE YOU DON'T
HAVE LOTS OF DEADLINES,

'CAUSE YOU ARE
GONNA BE DYSFUNCTIONAL.

Alan:
TRY IT.
IT COULD TAKE MONTHS.

IT MIGHT NOT EVEN WORK.
LET'S TRY IT.

HOW CAN I MAKE A DECISION
LIKE THAT WHEN I'M IN
THE MIDDLE OF A FILM?

THAT'S BULLSHIT.
EVERYBODY HAS TO
MAKE TOUGH CHOICES.

IT'S NOT FAIR TO SHARI.
SHE KNEW I HAD A SLEEPING
PROBLEM WHEN SHE MARRIED ME.

THAT DOESN'T
MAKE IT RIGHT.

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO,
TAKE SLEEPING PILLS FOR
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

DON'T YOU SEE HOW HARD
THIS IS FOR ME?

STOP BEING SO DAMN STUBBORN
ALL THE TIME.

YOU SHOULD STOP TELLING
PEOPLE YOU'RE TIRED
ALL THE TIME.

YOU'RE SUCH A SCHMUCK.

- YOU DON'T WANNA BE HELD BACK.
- WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SCHMUCK?

Mother:
YOU DON'T.

- FINISH THIS FILM AND GET--
- Lynn: AND THEN MOVE ON!

--GET TO ANOTHER
SUBJECT, ALAN,

BECAUSE THIS FILM
RUINED YOU IN A WAY.

NOT ELI, THIS FILM.

- Lynn: IT TOOK
THE OBSESSION TO, LIKE...
- Mother: ...GREATER HEIGHTS.

Alan:
I TURNED ON
THE TELEVISION

AND SAW THAT ELI
WAS PLAYING

WITH THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES,

AND A PART OF ME
IS JEALOUS.

I SHOULD BE PLAYING
WITH ELI.

SO I GET IN A CAR

AND I DRIVE
AS FAST AS I CAN
TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

AND I'M ON THE HIGHWAY
LOOKING FOR AN EXIT

CALLED "O'DAY STREET,"

BUT THE BRAKES DON'T WORK
AND I CAN'T STOP THE CAR.

AND SO I MISSED
THE EXIT

CALLED O'DAY STREET.

NOW BECAUSE I'D MAKE
A FILM ABOUT NAMES
A FEW YEARS AGO,

I KNOW THAT THE LETTER "O"
PUT IN FRONT OF A WORD

IS WHAT'S CALLED
A PATRONYMIC.

IT MEANS "SON OF,"

SO WHEN THE SIGN SAID
"O'DAY,"

THAT MEANS
"SON OF DAY."

IT MEANS I'M MISSING
THE LIGHT.

I'M MISSING THE SUN.

I'M MISSING THE LIGHT
OF DAY,

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY,

S-O-N.

ELI--

HE'S MY "SON OF DAY."

I MISS MY SON.

I'M A NIGHT PERSON
AND YOU'RE A MORNING PERSON.

- WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?
- ( Shari laughs )

WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?

YOU WANT ME TO BECOME
A MORNING PERSON,

OR SHOULD YOU
BECOME A NIGHT PERSON?

DO YOU WANNA BECOME
A NIGHT PERSON TOO?

Shari: ELI, I DON'T THINK
YOUR DADDY WOULD LET YOU
BECOME A NIGHT PERSON.

- HE MAKES YOU
GO TO BED EARLY.
- THAT'S TRUE.

Alan:
WHAT AM I
GONNA DO, SHARI?

YOU'RE GONNA COME TO BED
EARLIER WITH ME,

WHICH WILL BE
REALLY NICE.

THEN WE'LL GET TO GO
TO BED TOGETHER.

AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA
BE ABLE TO WAKE UP EARLIER.

Alan:
WHAT ABOUT MY LIFE
AS A FILMMAKER?

Shari: YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
HOW TO MAKE FILMS

LIKE A NORMAL
HUMAN BEING,

NOT AT 4:00
OR 5:00 IN THE MORNING.

Alan:
WELL, RIGHT NOW
I CAN'T GIVE IT UP.

Shari:
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN
AFTER THIS FILM?

( Alan sighs )
IT'S JUST WE'RE
GOING AGAINST

40-PLUS YEARS

OF PATTERN,

REPETITION, HABIT

AND BIOLOGY.

Alan narrating:
I'VE ALWAYS ACCEPTED
MY GROGGY MORNINGS

BECAUSE THEY COME
WITH MY GLORIOUS NIGHTS.

THREE HOURS OF SLEEP.

IT'S THE PRICE
I'VE BEEN WILLING TO PAY.

THAT'S PART OF A COMMITMENT
I MADE TO MYSELF

A LONG LONG TIME AGO.

- I AM WHAT I AM.
- IT'S GONNA HAVE TO CHANGE.

OF COURSE, I ALSO MADE
A LIFELONG COMMITMENT

TO BE A GREAT PARTNER
TO SHARI.

AND I LOVE ELI
SO MUCH, IT HURTS.

NOW THAT THE FILM IS OVER,
I KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO.

THE QUESTION IS,

CAN I DO IT?

( pewriter bell dings )

LET'S DO A TAKE OF ME
THANKING EVERYONE ON CAMERA

IN CASE I DON'T USE
LOWER THIRDS

INSIDE THE FILM, OKAY?

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL
OF MY VERY SPECIAL GUESTS--

DR. WILLIAM DEMENT,

DR. LEONID KAYUMOV,

DR. MARK ROSEKIND,

DR. RICHARD SIMON,

DR. ART SPIELMAN,

AND OF COURSE,
MY MOTHER REGINA,

MY SISTER LYNN,

AND ESPECIALLY SHARI
FOR BEING SO GENEROUS,

SO PATIENT
AND SO UNDERSTANDING.

- THIS IS FOR ALL YOU
INSOMNIACS OUT THERE.
- ( rock music playing )

ROLL CREDITS.

OH, I FORGOT THE THING
ABOUT ELI.

THANK YOU, ELI.

OUR COLLABORATIONS
HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN.

( rock music playing )