Original subtitles

(theme music playing)

NARRATOR: Man lives in the sunlit world

of what he believes to be reality.

But... there is,

unseen by most, an underworld.

A place that is just as real

but not as brightly lit.

A dark side.

(thunder rumbles)

(laughing)

(laughing)

(thunder rumbles)

The... atmosphere

is, uh, cheerless...

funereal.

There's neither... the...

neither the, uh...

(thunder rumbles)

...neither the tantalizing luridness

of the gypsy's wagon,

nor the somber mystery

of the medium's parlor.

(thunder cracks)

It is simply...

...uninteresting.

Hmm.

The last flickering flame

of showmanship.

And your own flame, sir?

(thunder rumbles)

Fires are the archenemy

of the circus, Mr. Bragg.

You know me.

Oh, I know you well.

From the articles you have written through the years,

I know you very well indeed.

Ah, but you've been cleverly invisible.

I couldn't find you.

Happily, my audiences don't seem to have that problem.

Yes.

People are, uh, diligent about throwing away their money

on such lurid fictions as you supply.

"Circus!

"Before your very eyes,

"man into werewolf.

"See the vampire rise from its coffin.

"Bring...

"the children.

Invest in a sense of wonder."

How much, exactly, is the investment, Dr. Nis?

I only require enough

to feed my troupe of performers.

(wheels creaking)

How is it that you came here today, Mr. Bragg?

Uh, on a back road near here,

my tires caught a berm.

My car went into a tree.

(chuckles)

More carelessness.

It seems chronic with you, Mr. Bragg.

Yes.

But this time, it brought me good fortune.

As a newspaperman,

I've always listened to rumors.

And there's been this crazy one.

Crazy but persistent.

(thunder rumbles)

Of a freak circus that never visited large cities,

but stopped, for one night only, at isolated villages.

I am pleased to know

that I have held such prominent stature in your devotions,

Mr. Bragg.

(chuckles)

Hardly.

You see, I'm not paid to debunk charlatans, Dr. Nis.

I'm paid to sell newspapers,

which I manage with awesome success.

Debunking charlatans-- well, that's a side benefit.

(thunder rumbles)

I pour out all my... disappointment,

disillusionment, disgust with the world...

...and just leave it on someone else's doorstep

with the morning milk.

It's a form of survival, Dr. Nis.

Keeps me from going mad.

(wheels creaking)

Will you stay for this evening's performance?

Or do you intend to write about it sight unseen?

I don't suppose your observations will vary,

one way or another.

You wouldn't consider

a private showing, perhaps--

some of the more

garish, sensational highlights of your show?

Not only will I consider it,

I will insist on it.

(laughing)

The natural world is full of prodigies,

for those who open their eyes and mind.

We begin with a vampire, Mr. Bragg.

(thunder rumbles)

(lid creaking)

(thunder cracks)

(hisses)

(gasps)

You're all right.

Everything is quite all right.

Nanoosh.

(lamb bleats)

(grunts)

(bleats)

(guttural hiss)

(lamb bleating)

Good Lord...

you're not going to...

(hisses)

Dr. Nis...

...this was no mere illusion.

You actually slaughtered that poor animal.

Your poster...

urges people to bring children.

Surely, not even you can feel this...

...is suitable for children.

We would never use a lamb for the general audience.

Particularly for the children.

For the performance, a snake, a rodent.

But these creatures supply a small quantity of blood.

So, in the early evening,

when the succubus first arises from sleep,

we offer it something more substantial

to slake its thirst.

It wouldn't do for it to be in need

when the audience arrives.

A very serious accident might happen.

By and large, it does what we want it to do.

But none of our performers

are 100% reliable.

Excellent makeup job.

I'll give you that.

Do the, uh, teeth

actually penetrate the animal's flesh,

or is there a hidden blade somewhere?

(hisses)

(dogs barking)

It's just the dogs, you see, Mr. Bragg.

They help keep us free of intruders.

(barking continues)

You seem interested in our finances, Mr. Bragg.

The vampire is the costliest of our troupe to keep fed.

Not like our dogs,

that make their supper from the little pests

that are always visitors in our tents.

Oh, dear.

We'll have to ask Nanoosh

to repair that before the performance.

(rat squeaking)

An unexpected expense.

(growls)

There is always the unexpected,

isn't there, Mr. Bragg?

(thunder rumbling, wind whistling)

(growls)

I wouldn't come too close.

Not at suppertime.

(growls)

(thunder crashes, rumbles)

Earlier, I accused you of a lack of showmanship, Doctor.

I retract that.

All this has been...

quite extraordinary.

Technically speaking, that is.

You're a tough customer, Mr. Bragg.

A tough customer, indeed.

(chuckles)

Come with me...

if you dare.

(laughs)

Normally, we allow our creatures to roam freely...

(hisses)

...but before

(hissing) each performance,

we invite the ticket holders for a visit backstage here--

a sort of sideshow.

But we feel that, when there is to be close contact, a cage

can discourage any unnecessary aggravation.

Like, uh, curious brats pulling at the beard of the werewolf?

(chuckles)

We haven't had that happen yet, but I'm sure it will someday.

(hisses)

Oh, speak of the devil.

Here is the werewolf, Mr. Bragg.

False advertising, Dr. Nis.

The poster says,

"Before your very eyes, man into werewolf."

That suggests the viewer may witness

the event itself.

(low, breathy snarling)

Yes, well,

it's so unpredictable.

Lycanthropy is not a condition that can be perfectly timed.

A logical disclaimer, Doctor,

but aren't your patrons-- however dull-witted--

somewhat disappointed?

(growls)

BRAGG: This is disgusting!

You appeal only to the basest, most vulgar mentality.

(yells)

(gasps)

(groaning)

NIS: Dear, dear,

if it's not one thing, it's another.

My reanimated corpse, Mr. Bragg.

A personal experiment of mine.

I'm afraid I wasn't as successful

as I'd like to have been.

(dog barking)

(groaning loudly)

(yells)

(reanimated corpse groaning, grunting)

(dog barking)

(dog sniffing)

When you corral him, Nanoosh, take him to the surgical wagon.

Will you, please?

(grunts)

BRAGG: This is a nightmare.

It's disgraceful to perform this sort of thing at all--

but in front of children?!

It's unpardonable!

This will not end

with a simple indictment in the Sunday edition,

Dr. Nis!

I will not rest

until this monstrous circus of yours is banned,

burned, eradicated!

(thunder rumbling)

Despite your professional skill at phrasemaking,

I think you will never find the words

to sufficiently express all that has been aroused in you today.

(thunder rumbles)

(thunder rumbling)

NIS: True believers only are safe here.

Those who doubt are advised to open their hearts.

Open their hearts...

to this... horror?

Horror, Mr. Bragg?

I deplore the term.

My life has been spent in trying to keep alive

the faith in the mystery of nature.

Listen...

if a man, who believes,

sees a ghost,

he's merely frightened.

A man who disbelieves

and comes face-to-face with what he denies...

...may well die of shock.

(guttural gasping)

So...

perhaps my circus does provide some useful service.

And as for the children,

what better time to develop a sense of wonder

than one's youth...

before it is too late.

NIS: Ladies and gentlemen...

(people chatting)

...children of all ages...

the circus!

Invest now...

in a sense of wonder!

Thrill to the majesty of the unknown.

See the creatures of myth and legend.

(growling, snarling) Lo, the wonder of the ancients!

Come face-to-face with the marvel of the experimental--

component parts of the dead imbued with life--

our reanimated corpse!

(guttural gasping)

NARRATOR: The dark side is always there.

Waiting for us to enter.

Waiting to enter us.

Until next time, try to enjoy the daylight.