Original subtitles

( Horn honking )

I'm Alex Mack.

I was just an average kid

until an accident changed my life.

And since then...

Nothing's been the same.

( Zapping )

My best friend Ray thinks it's cool.

My sister Annie thinks I'm a science project.

I can't let anyone else know.

Not even my parents.

I know the Chemical Plant wants to find me

and turn me into some experiment.

But you know something?

I guess I'm not so average anymore.

[Ray] Watch this bump.

Hey, one more house to go.

Good.

Raymond Alvarado

drives down the Lane

two seconds left, shoots...

And misses.

Okay, Alex, let's go.

Shouldn't you put that on the porch?

I don't go past the sidewalk at this house.

Ray, they won't be able to find it

there in the bushes.

People say poltergeists occupy this residence.

And they read Paradise Valley view?

All I know is, I deliver the paper one day

and the next it's gone.

And the bill is always paid

but I never see anyone come or go.

Ghosts don't pay bills, Ray.

Come on, go get it.

No way. If you want that paper moved, you do it yourself.

( Cat meowing )

Come on, let's go.

Let's go, come on.

Annie ( Laughing ): Raggedy Ann again.

Yeah. No one will notice.

So what are you doing tomorrow night?

Nothing. Mom and Dad are going to the Plant costume party

so I'm stuck here with candy duty.

( Sighing )

Somebody has to take care of the little darlings.

Hey, what's going on in here?

Are you wearing this again?

Yes.

Good night.

I thought you girls were asleep.

Bryce just called.

He said he'll be by tomorrow night at 7:00

to help you out.

( Kissing )

Good night. Sweet dreams.

Bryce?

Bryce?

Oh, Annie, I'm so sorry

you have to stay home alone with Bryce.

( Angry grunt )

Good night.

Turn off the lights, Alex.

( Zapping )

Annie?

I'm not talking to you.

You have to talk to me, you're my sister.

You know that old house on the edge of dearborn way?

Yeah, everybody knows about that place.

It was the first one built in Paradise Valley.

Well, Ray says that ghosts live there.

He should know, he's from another world himself.

Come on, Annie, be serious.

Well, I heard

a woman lived there a long time ago with her kids

and she started acting

really weird.

She wouldn't let them go to school or out to play.

Things like that.

Really?

People started complaining about strange noises

coming from the house.

So one day, they went over to the house

broke down the door

and took the kids away from her.

And for years, this woman would just

stand up at the top of the stairs and she would just

wait for the kids to come back.

The woman finally died and they found her body.

It wasn't pretty.

How did she die?

Nobody really knows for sure.

Some people say she went crazy and starved herself to death.

Other people say

that her ghost still wanders there

night after night

searching for her children.

It couldn't be true, could it?

Alex, you are so gullible!

It's just a story.

There are no such thing as ghosts.

Maybe some unexplained paranormal phenomenon

but no ghosts.

Good night.

'Night.

( Clock ticking )

Alex!

Mom?

Alex, I can't see you!

Alex!

Help!

Help!

Mom!

Mom, don't leave!

( Chuckling madly )

( Zapping weakly )

Alex! Help!

( Zapping weakly )

Alex, help!

Mom!

Mom, don't leave!

Alex, help!

( Chuckling )

Alex!

( Chuckling madly )

Alex! Help me!

Mom!

( Mad chuckling continues )

Mom!

Mom, come back.

[Annie] Alex, come on, wake up.

Let go of me! I want my mom!

Alex... Alex, wake up! Come on!

[Mrs. Mack] Alex, are you okay?

It was a nightmare.

[Mr. Mack] It's okay, honey.

Maybe it was something she ate?

I think it's all this Halloween stuff.

No, I was telling her this story

about that house on dearborn way.

The one with the crazy woman

who locked her husband and kids

in the basement?

George! Dad!

It's just a story, Alex.

There's nothing to worry about.

Everything's going to be okay.

( Doorbell rings )

[Louis] I know, I know, I'm awesome.

And check out my creation.

Annie, what are you dressed as?

A human?

You both look ridiculous.

Where did you get that outfit?

A promotional campaign

for my dad's new line of lab equipment.

He sells to all the labs.

Here's his business card.

Maybe I could get you a student discount.

[Ray] Alex -- the classic look.

It gets better with time.

Thanks, Ray. Hey, Louis.

Hey, Alex.

So elegantly grunge.

Annie, you're not wearing a costume?

No, I'm a little beyond that phase now.

Let's get organized.

Let's see now.

North, east, south, west.

120 seconds per house.

A total of three hours

allowing us food and rest breaks...

Hmm, we should hit 150 houses.

This could be a record-breaking season for us, Alex.

[Alex] Ray, that's a little intense.

Alex, I'm new to Paradise Valley

but where I come from, this is the big night.

We're going for it all.

( Doorbell ringing )

[Annie] I'll get it.

Hi.

Trick or treat.

How's it going?

Cool.

Alex, look at your sister.

Something happens when you get old.

All the fun goes away.

[Alex] You're right. Let's go.

Everyone ready?

Mrs. Mack, you don't look like a mom.

Well, thank you, Louis... I think.

Alex, are you sure those two belong to you?

Sometimes, Ray, I'm not too sure.

Come on, we're out of here.

[Mrs. Mack] So are we! See you later.

Bye.

Bye. See you. Be safe.

Good-bye, darling.

Have fun. Bye-bye, Dad.

Bye, honey. Bye-bye.

Bye.

( Laughing nervously )

So... where's your costume, Annie?

I... hmm...

I'll go put it on.

[Woman on TV] You boys be careful out there.

It's a big, scary planet.

[Man] Take a look at this...

The remnants of a lost civilization.

It's really been a slow year.

Yeah, Halloween seems to have this cyclical pattern.

I like that this year.

It's a little quiet.

I've never seen this movie before.

[Man] Holy cats! Look at the size of it!

Shoot it with the blaster!

You know, it's based on a true story.

( Screaming )

( Screaming )

Lift off! Go! ( Doorbell rings )

( Knocking on door )

( Sighing )

( Yelling )

Trick or treat!

( All talking simultaneously )

Hey, come on in here-- they got some great candy.

( All talking simultaneously )

[Annie] Oh, wow.

We're running behind.

Let's pick up the pace.

Come on, let's move out.

Ray, I'm tired.

We have enough candy to last us a year.

She's right, Ray.

The candy's collected.

It's time for ghosts.

There are no such thing as ghosts.

There are ghosts right here in Paradise Valley.

Come on, Ray.

I told her there were ghosts.

What about our record-breaking year?

You know that house down this block?

The woman that lived there was crazy

and locked her kids in the basement.

When other kids came over

she'd lock them up in little cages.

You should be locked up.

I know for a fact

that there are 231 short adults in that basement right now.

How do you know?

I am Louis Driscoll.

I have a need to know.

My cousin has a friend who used to live here

and his brother knew someone who actually saw the cages.

Louis, you're a nut.

Alex, that would explain the newspapers.

There's not much anyone can do but read if they're locked up.

What do you say, Alex?

Let's check it out.

Or are you too scared?

All right, Louis. Let's go.

( Sighing )

( Animal howling )

( Wind whistling )

( Bird screeching )

( Animal howling )

This is it...

The gateway

between our world... And theirs.

What do you mean, "theirs"?

He must mean the 231 short, caged adults.

Alex, I dare you to go up and knock on the door.

If you guys come with me.

I'm not going.

I have rules about this house.

Oh, come on, Ray, just say yes.

Alex will never go up to the door anyway.

How do you know?

Why don't you go up there, then?

This is stupid.

( Clucking like chicken )

Louis, you're an idiot.

( Sighing )

( Creaking )

( Knocking )

( Animal howling )

There, she knocked. Let's go.

Knock again, louder.

( Knocking louder )

Do you still believe in the ghost of Paradise Valley?

( Thunder cracking )

( Creaking, whooshing )

( Thunder cracking )

( Voice moaning faintly )

( Floor creaking )

( Creaking )

Hey!

( Laughing )

( Zapping )

( Laughing continues )

( Thunder cracking )

( Laughing continues )

( Laughing continues )

( Woman laughing )

( Thunder cracking )

( Stair creaking )

I've been expecting you.

( Chuckling softly )

My, my, my, aren't you

the interesting one?

All that melting and glowing.

Stay away from me.

( Zapping )

( Laughing )

Do you think this is a game?

Leave me alone.

You were knocking.

Don't you want to see me?

( Laughter echoing )

Please let me go!

Don't lock me up in the basement

with all those other kids!

What was that?

It was nothing, Ray, let's go.

Did you see that light?

Maybe it was an... Electrical problem.

We've got to go back and get her.

No. Let's go and call 9-1-1.

I'm not leaving my best friend alone.

You do what you want

but I'm going back.

Ray!

Raymond, wait up!

[Annie] Quit pushing.

There. Okay, okay.

Bryce, I'm going to go get some more.

( Children talking excitedly )

( Laughing )

[Bryce] Come on, Annie!

The mob's getting restless.

( All talking at once )

[Boy] That is disgusting.

[Girl] Mmm, this is good.

Bleah!

( All talking at once )

Louis ( Whining ): I don't want to be here.

Snap out of it!

We're going to get Alex, all right?

We'll see if someone's here.

Hello? Hello!

Good-bye!

[Alex] I don't want to be

a short adult.

Please don't lock me up.

Please don't hurt me.

Why would I do that?

People say you locked your children in the basement.

Oh! Every neighborhood

needs a haunted-house story.

Guess I'm Paradise Valley's.

Why won't you let me move?

Well...

We can't keep tossing the furniture about

all evening, now, can we?

I thought it was the light

that scared you.

I need things bright in here.

My eyes aren't that good.

So, where are your children?

Oh.

( Chuckles )

That's my granddaughter.

We raised her.

What a handful she was.

Was?

We haven't seen her in years.

She was a brilliant child.

A little bossy.

Loved numbers.

Where is she?

She went away to school.

She wasn't much older than you

but the universities wanted her.

People would call, or come by

to visit for the holidays

and I'd lie to them about where she was.

I couldn't bear to tell them

that our granddaughter wasn't speaking to us.

I'd say she was asleep, that she was out

that she'd be back soon.

Well, you do that long enough

and people soon stop asking.

Just because I wanted to keep it a secret.

That little secret started a lot of stories.

I've never told anyone before.

What would people think about someone

whose granddaughter doesn't want to talk to them anymore?

I think you're okay.

Thank you, Alex.

How do you know my name?

( Laughing )

I've been here a long time.

I've seen you grow up.

In fact, I've seen

all of Paradise Valley grow up.

By the way

those were some interesting little tricks

you were doing.

I loved that melting thing.

Oh, no, you can't tell anyone.

They'll fire my dad and they'll cut me up.

Oh, calm down, my dear.

Who could I possibly tell?

You know my secret.

Now I need you to tell me yours.

Well, it all started one day

when I was walking home from school...

It's definitely the end

of trick or treating for tonight.

I wish it wasn't.

I had a really good time.

Me too.

Thanks for helping out.

( Sneezes )

( Laughing )

I'm so sorry.

( Mr. Mack laughing in distance )

[Mrs. Mack] George, it's really late...

Second place!

( Laughing )

Lost to a triceratops and Barney.

Well, you know, trendy over the classic.

Little dark in here.

That's better.

Uh, did many kids

come by tonight?

Yeah. It was an amazing night.

George, it's really late.

Let's go upstairs.

Uh, you go ahead, honey.

I'm a little hungry.

Annie? Bryce? Sandwich?

Dad?

No, thanks, Mr. Mack.

I've got to be going.

Thanks for having me over.

Bye.

Bye.

Annie, salami or Turkey?

Annie says that the Plant

is doing everything it can to try and find me

and if that happens, we'll all be in trouble.

What's the matter?

You dear thing.

It's all my fault.

How could it be your fault?

I didn't even know you

until tonight.

After my husband passed away

I sold off all our land.

A company bought it and built that Chemical Plant

that's been giving you all that trouble.

It's not that bad.

Actually, it's kind of cool.

I mean, I was a total dork

before this happened to me.

You don't have to worry.

Ray and I can keep ahead of the Plant.

[Louis] Ray?

Are you sure this is a good idea?

Maybe we should come back tomorrow.

Louis, we're going to get Alex out.

Ready? One, two, three.

[Both] Whoa!

I think your friends are looking for you, Alex.

You'll keep my secret, won't you?

For as long as you like.

And remember, Alex, you were never a dork.

Your magic is inside of you.

Can I come visit you

again sometime?

( Laughing ): I'd love that.

But we'll see.

( Both yelling )

Thanks... for listening.

Somehow I feel better now that I've told someone.

So do I, Alex Mack, so do I.

Have a brilliant life, my dear.

Thanks.

Good-bye.

[Ray] Alex, I'm coming, hang on!

Ray, don't you think we should go?

One more time, come on.

One, two, charge!

[Both] Whoa!

Easy, guys.

[Ray] Alex, are you okay?

Alex, you should have seen Ray.

He was so scared.

Now, I was a little concerned myself

but I try and keep a cool head in this type of situation.

I thought you'd be locked in the basement by now.

No, that's just some silly rumor.

The lady that lives here is actually really nice.

Wait until you meet her.

Meet who, Alex?

Oh...

Nobody.

Let's just go home.

( Door creaking )

You're right, Ray.

I probably just imagined it all.

So you were just trying to scare us?

Well, Louis Driscoll doesn't scare that easily.

No, sir.

Now, Ray here

he does get a little frightened.

You sure you're okay, Alex?

Never better.

Let's go. Come on.

Captioned by Grant Brown