Original subtitles

Heat. Heat.

Heat.

Heat.

Heat. Heat.

What the future will ring. No man can

say, but one fact is certain. Mankind

stands at the crucial crossroads of

history, the threshold of a new era, the

atomic age. For the people of the US,

skilled in the uses of science and

technology, the atomic age is profoundly

significant. Across a continent enormous

in its agricultural potential, Americans

have drawn from the earth a rich bounty,

have built great cities, have reared

towers into the sky, have spun intricate

networks of highways across the land. By

the application of science, industry has

grown increasingly productive, making

possible a good way of life. With

assurance, Americans look with an

abiding faith to the future. For many

citizen and scientists alike, atomic

energy means the promise of a more

abundant life. But for many another, the

atom is a threat, an evil promise, the

paralyzing panic of our time. Thus, to

answer the perplexing question of the

atom and its implications, the people

have turned their attention to the forum

of public affairs, have sought to search

out realities, to find the facts, or to

listen to men of science like Dr.

Jeremiah Moley, famed geologist, the

embattled founder of the now defunct

Society to Save Civilization. It was

Mley who told a Los Angeles audience

that

>> a series of atomic explosions, either

accidental or deliberate, could set off

a chain reaction to annihilate every

man, woman, and child on the face of the

earth. It could cause a death of every

living thing.

In a gloomy report, Mley took a dim view

of history, recalled the tragically

repetitious story, the decline and fall

of all past civilizations. Said Moley,

"Modern civilization could by the

phenomenon of atomic fishing be brought

to dust and ashes. For example, if an A-

bomb were detonated at the Empire State

Building, the area of total destruction

would cover an area of 2 miles.

Now, since the A- bomb is already

obsolete, consider the area of total

destruction of an Hbomb

and science has promised us bombs a

thousand times more powerful,

poisoning with radioactivity all the air

and water of this earth. This could mean

not only the end of our own

civilization, but the very possibility

of any future civilization. What are we

going to do about it? I'll tell you what

I'm going to do about it. I have a plan.

A plan to preserve human life on this

planet. I hope you will join with me in

carrying it out.

The response to Dr. Moley's appeal was

immediate and enthusiastic. The Society

to Save Civilization was set up. To its

headquarters flocked amateur dogooders

and professional scientists. From them

Morley chose a staff of experts. Dr. Max

A. Bower, eminent geoysicist ousted by

Hitler from the University of Munich in

1933.

Dr. James Paxton, metallurgical

engineer, twice winner of the McKenna

Scientific Award. June Lindsay, medical

doctor and ardent feminist, who for her

research in biochemistry was named

winner of the annual award by the

American Confederation of Women

Scientists.

Dr. George Coleman, authority on soil

conservation,

and Andrew Austinard, sandhog,

explosives expert, marine veteran of

World War II. It was this team,

qualified each in his own way, that

helped set in motion Morley's audacious

project, a daringly planned program,

which he took three months later, to the

board of directors of the Carlilele

Foundation. And so my colleagues and I

believe that humanity can escape

annihilation,

can find a temporary haven, a promise of

hope that come what may, life can be

sustained deep within the earth itself,

far below the surface, we shall seek a

natural, a geological shelter. We have a

team ready for the effort. All we lack

of funds. Can we get them from your

foundation?

>> Dr. Mley, I believe it would expedite

matters if I were to ask the questions.

We're a layman, you know.

First of all, isn't the inside of the

earth solid?

The interior of the earth is made up of

vast caverns and air pockets joined by

natural avenues leading from the

surface.

>> Natural avenues,

>> funnels, and fissures. Such a fissure

lies within the world's largest extinct

volcano at Mount Nelly. That is where we

intend to start our journey.

>> Well, these funnels, how far down do

they go?

>> Hundreds of miles, perhaps thousands, to

the very core of the earth.

>> But isn't the inside of the earth, the

very core, a molten fiery mass?

>> To the contrary,

the latest body of theory holds that the

inside of a sphere, such as the Earth,

is cooler than the temperature at its

surface.

And how would you traverse these

thousands of miles?

>> Dr. Coleman, the perspective drawing,

please.

>> This is a cyclran.

>> A what?

>> It's an amphibious conveyance based on

the principles of an ovoidal atmosphere.

>> A what?

>> Like a submarine with the mobility of a

tractor. Its head contains a burrowing

device and its walls can withstand

extremes of temperature and pressure.

But even with the cyclopram or the

bathosphere of the whatnot, how do you

know you'll be successful in finding

this on the ground haven?

>> We don't know, but we must try. There is

no other alternative, no other cost, no

other hope of keeping the spark of life

alive.

And uh the cost

that's a lot of money, Dr. Moley. Well,

surely you don't expect us.

>> But we do. I know you and your committee

mean well.

>> Meanwhile, next you'll be calling a

stareyed idealist.

>> Dr. Lindsay, you're out of order.

>> The whole world is out of order. And I

suppose you and your associates

consented, right?

>> We couldn't have said it wrong if we

tried.

>> The appropriation was denied. To carry

on his work, Dr. Moley issued repeated

appeals to the members of the

organization. It failed. And so last

week, the Society to Save Civilization

was itself extinct. and one of its

leaders of Professor Jeremiah Moley and

his enthusiastic colleagues. Where were

they headed after a year of devotion to

a lost but spectacular cause? To Newsre

reporters, Dr. Moley had only this to

say.

>> We have no plans.

We have no hope.

>> Better stand by, Frank. We may want to

run that again.

>> Well, gentlemen, what do you think?

>> It's like asking a man what he thinks of

his own obituary.

>> I thought you'd like to see it for its

release in case you had any objections.

Now he thinks of our objections. You've

been crucifying us for a year, Mr.

Thompson, in the newspapers you edit,

the magazines you publish, and the

syndicates you control.

>> And now this news reel. Just a minute,

gentlemen. You seem to have me confused

with my father. He dictates the policies

of our publications.

>> Like father, like son.

>> Nothing, Dr. Bower could be more

unscientific. As a matter of fact, my

father and I never see eye to eye on

anything.

>> So he's the villain of the piece, and

you are the hero.

>> Quite the contrary. My father has all

the virtues of our society. He makes the

money, I spend it.

Plans for the expedition are being

completed ahead of schedule,

and Molly is pleased with our progress.

The cycle nears completion. Adequate

nutrition in concentrated form has been

perfected. And for an auxiliary water

supply, the Sloan H2O condenser will be

used.

For the study of our laboratory animals

in a new environment, we expect to

gather important scientific data.

At last, the Cyclot is ready to be

loaded aboard the SS Aurora.

Our destination, the extinct volcano,

Mount Nlee, where the inside of the

earth begins. This was our base, a

lonely, desolate beach at the foot of

the extinct volcano.

Well,

let's go.

Heat. Heat.

What a place to spend our last night on

Earth. You sound like we'll all be dead

in the morning.

>> It's a possibility we stayed here.

Andy, take the controls.

Follow the ridge line. Keep out of the

ravines.

Ascend at an angle of not more than 33°.

Something's wrong.

Now try it.

>> Sustain 2,000 RPM.

Follow shot planful.

Check.

>> What's our elevation now?

>> Approaching 6,300 ft. Angle of ascent

19°.

>> Speed constant. 2100 RPM.

I wonder how long this iron lung is

going to hold up.

>> Can still dig out.

>> Ah, you can't get rid of me so easily.

>> Give me a reading on the forward

rotational unit.

>> We're up to 9,000, climbing at 24 mph,

angle 31°.

>> At that rate, we'll make the subage in 4

hours.

Dr. Mo, we are meeting some unstable

isotopes.

Increase the lateral units in 12,000.

>> Hey, this is getting rough.

We're approaching position R4.

>> Our computation show an error of less

than plus 0.14.

>> Good. We'll reach the summit in 30

minutes.

5 hours and 27 minutes.

>> Excellent. 33 minutes ahead of our

estimated schedule. We'll make a final

check of our position before we enter

the crater.

Sure glad the professor picked this

volcano for our expedition. Maybe this

one could come to life, too. Nah, not a

chance. No bet on it.

concerned.

>> There's no reason for us to wait till

dawn. We'll proceed into the crater now.

Just one last look at the earth.

>> Yeah,

what a way to remember it.

Follow the downward spiral. Keep the

inside ledges. Speed 1,200 RPM.

Brother, it's really black out there.

As we descend ever deeper into the

volcano, I've observed no unusual

physical symptoms. Paxton seems

withdrawn, irritable, but with such an

annoyance as Reich Thompson present. The

condition may not be considered

abnormal.

>> The descending ledges are getting

awfully narrow. We must be at position

R18.

>> Yes, we are. Cut the switches.

We'll be doing some hiking now. You

better have some breakfast.

Rise and shine.

Morning.

How can you tell? Breakfast is served.

Breakfast?

Well, I've always said there's nothing

like starting off a hard day's work than

with a good breakfast.

Hey, doc.

How would you know?

>> You don't like my kind of guy, do you?

>> Not very much, but I'll make an

exception of you. You I don't like a

lot.

>> Home and take the controls. We'll scout

the way on foot for you. Follow on down

along the widest lake.

Watch out at Lucy.

>> What's the matter?

>> I don't like it.

>> What did you expect him here? A Garden

of Eden.

>> I'm not talking about volcanoes. I mean,

Right, Thompson. He doesn't belong here.

>> None of us belongs here.

>> We're doing what has to be done.

>> He doesn't feel that responsibility.

He's just a useless piece of excess

baggage, a selfish thrillseker. But

without him there has been no

expedition. Pardon me.

>> Kind of deep down there, isn't it?

>> Nice. Friendly bunch of those

scientists.

>> Well, what's your trouble?

>> Oh, nothing. But don't they ever talk?

Not unless they got something to say.

That's the way it is with smart people.

Maybe they're not so smart. Maybe they

don't know what they're doing down here.

>> Listen, Buster. Each one of them has

taught us more colleges than you flunked

out. So, what are you doing down here

among all those brains?

I managed to make myself useful. It

might be well if you did the same thing.

Doing what? This.

You lead the way for a while.

Prevent lock.

>> Hello, Colen.

>> Colen, come in.

>> Go ahead.

>> We've reached the end of the channel.

Establish our position.

>> Our depth below means sea level 2.6 mi.

The Yankran Underground Geological

Expedition reached this point June 12th,

1938 and was unable to proceed further.

Why anyone who follows us should want to

go further, we do not know. But we

assume that they have good reason for

doing so.

Good luck.

>> If things were living today, you'd know

the reason.

>> The world has changed since 1938.

>> The world has changed since yesterday.

You better get to work.

Look,

>> that's pressure from the other volcano.

We'll have to work this side.

>> Yes, Dr. Moley.

>> Start making density readings on that

wall over there.

>> Yes, sir.

This is it. The point of beast

resistance.

>> Okay, Andy.

>> I'm ready.

>> We all go back to the cycle tram.

Fuses one and two set.

>> I wonder what we'll be running into.

>> There's only one way to find out.

Heat.

Heat.

We broken through.

Looks like a tunnel.

So far so good. Put on your gas masks

just in case. Coleman, we'll set the

pace. You follow along with the cyber

track.

The air is fresh and clear. You can take

your masks off.

pressure seems normal.

>> I wonder where it leads. That's exactly

what we're going to find out. Lead the

way, Henry.

How did it all pass?

Long time ago, the earth above was

covered with water.

>> When the sea vanished, it left great

limestone deposits behind. Was all this

limestone?

>> Yes. And then the water gathered in

underground streams and carved out the

soft limestone. Drop by drop. Year by

year, the water dissolved the stone.

Each drop carried a tiny particle of

sediment. That's what formed these

columns about an inch every thousand

years.

>> Well, how long did this whole process

take?

>> About 200 million years.

>> Hello, Coleman. Coleman, bring up the

tram. We'll proceed from here.

>> We're down 100 miles. You better pull

up.

It's funny. When we first got here, I

felt a sort of exaltation.

Now I feel depressed.

I don't know why.

>> The oxygen content is adequate.

>> I know, but I do feel

suffocated.

Maybe it's the unreality of this place.

>> You know, once when I was working in the

Holland Tunnel, I got cut off my crew

for 10 hours.

I felt this way then.

I think I know what it is.

It's loneliness.

It's a feeling of a person away from

people.

I felt it on the top of a mountain in

Tibet in a jungle on the Arabian desert.

It's like the last core tying you with

humanity that cut.

>> It's more than that.

People have dignity only in relation to

many other people. Alone and man is as

useless as any rock out there.

>> No, you're both talking nonsense. Nature

doesn't influence man. Man influences

nature. One man, one strong man can

change nature.

>> Ah, you're wrong, Dr. Paxton. It isn't

one man. It's many men working together.

>> Right, teacher?

>> Men together are no more than sheep. One

man standing alone leads the way. And

the sheep follow. Please, gentlemen,

>> honestly for all of you who call

yourself saddest, swayed by a

self-indulgent young fool.

>> I'm going ahead. I hope that by the time

you catch up with me, the atmosphere

will have cleared the cobwebs from your

brains.

>> I better go with him. It isn't safe for

a man to be alone down here.

>> Ah, he's all right. He's the leader

type.

>> I'll go with him anyway. It wouldn't be

leaders if there weren't sheep like me

to be led.

>> I still don't see any sign of Paxton

Coleman.

I'll keep going.

>> Gas. Gas.

>> They forgot their guns.

Dark call.

There they are.

range.

Digging a grave

110 miles under the earth.

must go on. It's too late to turn back

now.

I want to

thing like this enough to drive a man's

star crazy. It's no use. 240 mi inside

the earth.

>> Yeah. And no water

here. I've been sending it to the

animals.

Go ahead, enjoy yourself. It doesn't

descent.

>> Stop it. Andy,

>> this is ridiculous. We have something

larger at stake than your personal petty

feuding. Now, you two can come with us

or stay here and kill each other. I'm

going after the psych.

>> Never mind. I'll go get it.

there.

Why?

Sounds like running water.

But where where is it coming from?

>> It's behind the door.

>> It is burning water.

>> Why don't we go through the wall with a

psychopath? No, there is a stick such a

thing as just too much.

>> It could be an underground seed.

>> Andy, Andy, bring a couple of heavy

hammers.

What's up, professor?

>> We think there's one behind that wall.

Try breaking it in.

>> Sure.

I brought two hammers, you know.

Heat. Heat.

Come in here. Let's take care of that

arm.

>> The outside temperature is rising fast.

It's up 280° now.

>> It's as if it could go on forever. Hold

it out there.

How's the temperature? It's dropping

fast.

>> The outside pressure is dropping, too.

>> Good. Condensation will soon take place

>> there.

You're a pretty good doctor at that.

>> You're a pretty good patient at that.

>> Thanks.

>> Here, flip this off.

Water. Look.

Look at it. That's water.

The

John, are you all right?

Well,

what should we do now?

All right, I'll say it. I'll see what's

on all of our minds.

>> Don't try to read our minds, Thompson.

Just speak for yourself. Then I say,

"Let's go back."

>> And I say, "Go on." But look at Joe.

We've gotten nowhere. Deeper and deeper

into nowhere.

We've failed.

>> Would our failure be any less if we turn

back now?

>> Our chances of living would be greater.

>> If we go on, we're dead.

Death is Paxton and Coleman. That's a

chance we have to take.

>> The stakes are high, higher than our

lives. They involve the life and death

of all mankind. That's a great speech,

but I won't buy it.

>> All right, let's put it to a vote.

Thompson,

>> go back.

>> Andy,

>> go on.

>> Go back.

Go on.

seems to be a deadlock.

I suppose

none of us would like to reconsider.

>> Doesn't woman suffrage count here?

>> What do you say, John?

>> I say go on and let's not waste any more

time about it.

How are those burns coming along?

How are you done?

>> Oh, I'll get by.

>> Here.

>> What's it for?

>> Does it have to be for something? Does

everything have to be functional?

Good luck, Ray. Made my life into bed.

>> Here, take it. Why give it to me?

>> Haven't you ever been romanced before?

>> Not 900 miles below sea level.

>> Then it's about time. If there are any

flowers around here, I'd pick them for

you.

>> There's a highly scientific theory which

states that if any man and any woman are

cast away anywhere for any length of

time, sooner or later they seem in love.

That's what's happened to you.

>> If that theory has any value, it should

apply to you. Does it?

>> No.

>> Well, I guess I need a little more time.

We'll talk about it later.

Hey, how about pulling this jalapy le

for a minute? Just long enough for us to

get out of these trace jackets and

stretch.

How much longer is it going to be like

this?

>> All right. What difference does it make?

>> It's going to be like this the rest of

the way. Why go on? Why waste time?

>> That shouldn't make any difference to

you. You've never done anything but

waste.

>> Listen, you me just because you're a

sand hog that likes to go dropping

around the ground and you're a mountain

goat with his head in a cloud.

>> Stop it. Both of you.

>> I've had enough of this.

What happened?

>> I don't know.

water.

>> We are out of it.

>> This might be what we're looking for.

Let's make a landing and explore the

area.

It's got a high calcium content, but

it's drinkable.

>> Hey, look what I found.

>> They're cave pearls.

>> Cave pearls. How much they worth?

Calcium carbonate.

>> Calcium permanent.

Well, how about this sulfate of lime

plaster of Paris?

Professor, you take the romance out of

everything.

>> Here you are, Doc. Two souvenirs from

Haiti, vacation land of the underworld.

>> Thank you. Back home, I'll be the envy

of every kid on the block.

>> I'm not so sure. Chill. Take a cave

pearl into the sunlight. Turns gray and

darkly.

And the flower,

>> it'll crumble to dust.

>> Hey, brother. How about this fish? It's

a rare species. They're edible, though.

>> They have no eyes.

>> I think I'll stick to Phil.

>> They lost their eyes 10 million years

ago.

>> What kind of a place is it?

Flowers that tumble the dust in your

hands. Stones that look like pearls.

Fish without eyes. Nature sure a

practical joker.

>> I suppose you could have done better.

>> 10 million years. I couldn't have done

worse.

>> Mley believes this is the shelter we've

been searching for. A valley of shadows

where light can be sustained. A shelter

for humanity. And yet our morale is very

low.

What do we want? A ray or two of

sunshine, a change of seasons, starry

nights in this graveyard. Molly thinks

>> we can build a new life right here.

>> You mean this is what we're looking for?

>> You'll get used to it. Well, who wants

to get used to it?

>> Why don't we go on a little further?

>> But we've come already.

>> How can you measure what we've been

through in miles?

Well,

>> which way do we go?

I suppose we'll have to explore both

channels.

>> I'll take the right one. Right. You take

the other.

>> Why me?

>> I'll tell you why.

>> I'm sick of taking your orders.

>> That's the trouble of you, Thompson.

That's all you do is take. You never

give.

>> Without me, there wouldn't have been any

expedition.

>> Well, that's not enough. It's time you

gave something yourself and not your

pocketbook.

>> We might as well get started.

Help!

Help! Help! Help!

Help!

Hold

on.

Back.

I'll take it easy.

And it

Andy

You're supposed to be taking it easy.

Try to get some rest.

>> Listen to me, Ry. You've been like this

for days. How long can you keep it up?

>> He didn't like me any more than I liked

him. Yet, he saved my life.

>> It doesn't help rooting over it. But he

died saving my life.

>> He did what he believed was right.

>> My trouble was I never believed in

anything.

>> You can start now.

Murley wants to go back to that valley

of the shadows he liked so much.

>> Well, it it's better than this.

>> But it isn't good enough.

>> What do you want to do?

>> I too want to go back.

But all the way back

now that Andy's dead.

>> Now that Andy is dead, we've got to go

on. We've got to until we find what

we're after. If we fail, then we can

talk about going back.

Pull it there.

Good.

This must be a continuation of the other

river.

>> No, I think it's just a seepage plumber.

>> What's that?

>> Look,

>> it's like daylight.

Heat. Heat.

It's like a dream after a terrible

nightmare.

>> I think we found it.

promised land.

We have discovered a vast and radiant

cavern deep within the earth

along the shores of this incredible cave

by the great underground sea gathering

up the waters of the earth.

A strange sunless light is reflected

from the phosphorescent dome.

The growing peaks are weathered and

sharp and the gullies deep. The wind is

soft and the climate pleasant. Vapors

rise up into the bright dome forming

luminous clouds.

the area is rich in chemical resources.

That means power and industry according

to Bower. And Wright says a real estate

boom is on.

I got a mattress.

>> Sure. Sure.

>> How you coming?

>> Mhm.

Those rabbits, they eat like pigs. Small

wonder they're expecting in a couple of

weeks.

>> All of the rabbits?

>> No, silly. Just the lady rabbit.

>> Tell me more.

>> Here, make yourself useful. Get some

more water.

>> Explorations and surveys of the

surrounding area continue.

Molly and Thompson have set out toward

the southeast to investigate the land

and its potentialities.

This is a strange kind of sand.

>> That's no sand. Just volcanic ash. The

ash will make good fertilizer for our

crops.

>> Crops.

Let's face facts, Marley. This is a

desert. The very word means deserted by

life. And you talk about crops.

>> It can be irrigated. This country has

everything. Water, soil, air, heat.

Yeah, you were forgetting one thing

though. No sunlight.

>> Science can adjust that. Crops can

thrive without sunlight.

>> Perhaps, but can we

>> What sort of species is it?

>> It's a fossil remains of a species of

lungfish. He breathed by means of food

both lungs and gills. When he came out

of the sea 400 million years ago, he was

the ruler of the animal kingdom. With

his lungs, he was a pioneer.

A new way of life.

>> How did they become extinct?

>> Like some of us on Earth, they seem to

hurry the process of extinction.

What's that? You act like you saw a

canary for breakfast.

>> This is the day, right?

>> This is what day? The day we're

expecting the first litter of rabbits.

>> Well, who's going to pass the cigars

around?

>> You and Barry don't realize the

importance of it.

>> I'm sorry. By observing the rabbits,

we've already learned that they respond

to nature basically as we do, as any

mammal does. And from their young born

today, we can predict how our own young

will respond in the new world.

>> Dr. Moley, follow.

>> Come on, you go ahead. I'll get plenty

of hot water.

>> Well, how many boy rabbits and how many

girl rabbits? Huh?

What's the matter?

What's the matter?

>> They're dead. They're all born dead.

>> I can't understand it.

Why?

Why?

There must be some cause, some

biological reason.

>> We've been searching for causes. Our

investigations have been checked, tests

rechecked.

Examination of genetic tissue proves

that all experimental animals born here

are sterile.

You know what this means?

This new world,

a haven for the dead.

>> This is the end of the line.

>> Now we know that the human race could

not reproduce itself in this underworld

region.

>> It appears our mission is a failure.

Then we can't stay here. At least one

generation could. And after that, what?

The end of humanity.

>> That I won't accept.

>> Neither can you run away from facts.

I've always run away

climbing mountains trying to prove

something.

I don't know what.

I too ran away instead of fighting. And

now I've run away again.

>> And I was always afraid I couldn't

compete in a man's world. I think I want

to go back and try again.

>> Go back to what? To a world bent on

self-destruction. We can live the rest

of our lives here in peace.

>> Morty, you're wrong. This isn't peace.

This is a resting place for the living

dead. I don't believe it's the end of

the world. I don't believe it's the end

of mankind.

>> You're young. You don't know. I've lived

through the terrors of two great wars.

I've had enough.

INCOMING.

HEAT.

HEAT.

OH, BACK TO

Get ahead of WHICH

come back.

Take over.

Something's wrong.

Something is pulling us down.

We are lost.

We're in a blind alley.

Ever since we started, we've been in a

blind alley.

>> We can't bury ourselves in the earth and

expect to leave.

>> Maybe that's a secret. Molly understood

it.

>> Strange.

We didn't know it before.

I used to be afraid of death.

>> I was afraid of life.

Okay.

Okay.

Heat. Heat.

Look,

look, look, look, look, look.

That's strange.

How could it be?

We're above the level of the underground

sea.

We found a channel

to the upper ocean.

Looking

heat.

The universe is still in harmony.

There's life on that island. people.

>> I feel like I'll live for