Original subtitles

lights and candles or something, you know, make it a little more romantic

since this is a double date.

Ooh, that's a nice idea.

I'd like to keep the lights on.

And maybe we should, you know, move the party inside.

Why?

The home invasion?

There was another one last Sunday night. And the houses were dark when the home

invasions happened? I mean, that's why people broke in? I don't know, but I'm

assuming with the lights on, it's a deterrent.

A deterrent.

A deterrent. Whoever is doing it also steals people's pets.

Their cats, their dogs.

Uses them ritualistically.

Do you remember, Susan?

The school mascot on the first day of school.

Cole. Another girl is missing, too.

Who? Julie Selwyn from Marymount.

It's been almost eight weeks since she disappeared. Maybe she just ran away.

Okay, guys.

Let's stop trying to creep ourselves out.

I want to talk about the party.

The party?

Yeah.

I'm going to throw a party for Robert Mallory.

It's going to be at my house, and I think we should all throw it together,

the four of us, to welcome him. And we'll invite everyone in our senior

class. Totally awesome.

Cool. Fun.

Love it.

Wait, why?

Why throw him a party? I think we should make him feel welcome.

I think he had some hard times, and I think he needs to feel welcome.

Hard times?

What were the hard times?

I was in Principal Croft's office yesterday.

Dr.

Croft asked me to throw this party.

He said he was worried about Robert and that my responsibility as student body

president was to make everyone feel as welcome as possible.

I totally agree.

It seems that... What? Robert was...

Institutionalized. And an asylum.

You've got to be kidding me. Croft said it was more of a developmental center.

He was treated for depression and some other issues. Right. So the guy's been

locked away in a loony bin. That's a little dramatic, Brett.

You always embellish everything. I'm a writer. It's my job. Look, no biggie.

The guy went through some shit.

His parents divorced and whatnot.

His mother's death.

I feel sorry for him.

Robert Mallory needs a friend.

And I intend to be one. Me too.

Me three.

One, two, Tommy.

Well, thanks, Debs. I've got to get up early tomorrow to practice.

So that'll keep your body tight. I'm already tight. I'm keeping it tight. You

know what? I feel like some red wine.

Anyone for a nice cup?

Please. He's a liar, guys.

He lied about seeing me at the movie theater last summer during The Shining.

I do not trust him, and neither should you. Brett.

It's just a party. No, Susan. It's a validation. Hey, guys.

It's getting a little tense in here.

Maybe we should hot tub it.

Let's hot tub it.

Come on. Let's go to the hot tub. Okay? Come on. Come on.

With that, we'll tell her.

Red, please be some more wino.

You're so much more fun when you drink.

Okay, so we'll do a Saturday.

My house, Barber's Park. It's settled.

It's settled.

Settled. Settled.

Guys, just to state the fact, he followed me to the mall. That's funny

because he told me that you were the one following him.

No, he's talking.

You're important.

You're important. Come here.

You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me. It's what

you like to find.

You think you've changed your mind.

You'd better change.

Matt called.

Who? Matt.

From school.

What did he want?

Oh, you were so knocked out I didn't want to wake you.

He said to stop calling.

What's that supposed to mean?

No idea.

I'll see you tonight.

One of the hallmarks of the early 1980s for a young person in Los Angeles was

you had to survive things to become an adult.

Real-life boogeymen, known as serial killers, were a threat.

And so were cults.

The cult that terrorized Los Angeles in 1981, when I was a senior in high

school, was bloodthirsty, terrifying.

and had similar habits to the Trawler.

In fact, law enforcement would suspect that this cult was involved in the

Trawler murders, and that the vicious ritualist killings plaguing the city

were done not by one member, but by several.

The city had never truly recuperated from the Manson killings a decade

earlier.

And, like Charlie and the Manson girls, the riders of the afterlife, as they

called themselves,

reigned from Ojai to the San Fernando Valley.

This group of young, barely articulate hippies formed out in the Mojave,

acolytes of a leader only referred to as Bruce, who turned out to be a high

school English teacher from Lancaster.

fired due to sexual improprieties with female students.

The cult had drugged, acid, tranquilizers, and their activities

quickly accelerated that year as Bruce became more addictive and messianic.

Well, maybe I should ask for the recipe so that I can make it for you.

Penny?

Oh my god.

Is that blood?

Go inside and call the police.

Then came break-ins in Hancock Park and Silver Lake.

They wanted to unify through fear.

And then things got worse.

The home invasions escalated to violence.

The victims who survived those early attacks said the intruder wore a black

ski mask and matching jeans and turtleneck.

He was a terrifying shapeshifter.

throughout the city of Los Angeles to remain vigilant.

A gruesome discovery in Brentwood tonight after a home invasion turned

deadly. Between nightly news reports of the trawler murders, two other young

people went out missing, and then reports of the riders of the afterlife

attacks, the city was on edge.

And so was I.

Every night, I kept thinking I heard someone in the house.

I was at my desk working on my novel, and whenever I stopped typing, I would

feel a presence either lurking outside the house or somewhere within it.

A number of times I thought I heard the doorbell or the chiming that announced

the garage doors opening.

For weeks I crept through the house clutching a weapon.

But no one was there not yet

But I could tell they were coming

Mom? Mom!

That's my Lancome.

You're not allowed to wear eye shadow at school. I'm going out. I'm almost done.

I'm going to La Scala with Joey Carson and Jackie Collins.

Going out with Brett tonight again?

Yes, Mother, we're in love.

Being with each other whenever you can is what being in love looks like.

Remember? You want to look good for your man. I get it.

Oh, honey.

Men.

All your meaningless flirtations you think will get you somewhere and make

you happy. Just give me the compact and have another Chablis, Mom.

There's just so much you don't know about them. There's just so much you

don't know. I know. You're so cool and so clever and so naive about so many

things. And you're so jealous.

Jealous.

Jealous of the trainer at the stable.

That dumb guy your father cast in that absurd roller disco movie. And now,

Brett.

What's wrong with Brett? He's very aloof.

And Seymour interested in that book he's writing and coming to his girlfriend's

party and staying like a gentleman through the movie. Well, he came, didn't

he?

We had sex before he left.

And how was that?

A change of pace?

Just focus on getting Dad to want to touch you again.

If you keep this up, you're not going to be very happy.

Then I'll end up like you?

Look in the mirror.

You are me.

How

are we even

getting into this club? It's opening night. The IP list must be enormous.

My dad knew the owner. Duh.

Well, I'm excited about this. Me too.

Music videos are going to be like the new great art form.

They tell a narrative device in like under five minutes and take you inside

the mind of the musician.

Makes you understand in some cases what the song is really about.

Subtextually. Oh, Brad, you're so smart about stuff like the art.

You have an enthusiasm.

I'm like my father, he just wants to be rich.

You want something?

Uh, whatever you have.

Say hi to the owner, my dad's friend. I want to watch the video.

Meet me back here in five. This is all so cool, right?

Hey.

Bet you think I followed here, don't you?

Did you? No.

I wasn't invited.

By who?

By Debbie.

No, your girlfriend.

Tom's coming too. I think the whole gang wants to get to know me a little better

before the party you're throwing in my honor. Okay.

Go.

Hey, I'm sorry to hear about what happened with Matt.

He told me.

He told you what? He told me you guys had a falling out.

He told you that?

Yeah.

You talk to a lot of people, don't you, Robert?

Everybody needs someone to confide in.

Well, you misunderstood about Matt and I.

We didn't have a falling out now. I just have a girlfriend. We don't see each

other as much anymore.

Maybe you were too clingy.

You turned him off or something. Maybe you should go fuck yourself.

There he is.

That's my guy.

Is he coming?

No, it's just a study or something.

But I wish he was coming.

Do you guys ever date?

No.

Why not?

Because we were always just best friends since we were little.

But you never wanted to fuck her?

No. I don't.

I'd love to fuck her.

Taste her sweet little puffy.

Fuck her in the ass.

Make her scream.

Make her beg for it.

I remember thinking later.

that I should have stayed in the room with Robert and talked him through all

this so I could have a better inkling of what his plans for Susan Reynolds

actually were, because I knew he was going to act on them.

I also knew she was going to throw a party for him I could not stop.

She had found him electrified.

She was going to let herself get lost in his madness, and everything would get

ruined.

Why do you keep calling me? What are you talking about? Why do you keep calling

me? I'm not calling you. So you're telling me you're not calling and

breathing into the phone?

Nah. You've been rather insistent, Brett.

That isn't me.

Whoever the fuck is doing that isn't me.

It's been going on all week.

I know it's you. I swear, I was with Debbie when you called. I only called to

tell you to knock it off. To tell you that this isn't funny.

What you did here.

What did I do? You came into my house.

When I was gone and drained my fish tank and put this weird sign on my foreigner

poster.

I didn't do this. You did.

Did you ask your mother or housekeeper?

Matt, what did Robert Mallory talk to you about the other day in the parking

lot? He introduced himself to me.

He said my dad knew his aunt. What did you tell him about us? I didn't tell him

anything.

You're drunked out all the time.

You're disoriented about everything.

The fish, the phone calls.

You live in the guest house. You never see your parents. Does Robert Mallory

know something about us?

Because he asked a couple of interesting questions about you.

Like what?

answers to those questions.

I think you're making this all up.

I think you drained the aquarium because you got so stoned and you painted the

pentagram and you said things to Robert Mallory about me that you can't even

remember because you're always high as fuck.

I think there's something very wrong with him.

Why won't you tell me what he asked you about me?

About us?

Don't come over here anymore.

Don't. Don't ever do that again.

What? Try and kiss me.

This was never a serious thing.

Why are you doing this right now?

I'm upset.

And I didn't want to be alone.

So I drove over here to see you, man.

You know, I don't even know why you keep calling.

Keep showing it up here.

What?

Think we're going to be boyfriends or something?

Huh? Are you fucking crazy?

Huh? That's a legitimate question.

Get away from me!

Go!

Now!

I drove home carefully because I kept crying so hard.

Matt had never felt about me the way I'd felt about him, which would be a

recurring theme for the rest of my life.

But of course, I didn't know this on that hot September night in 1981, when I

was 18 and still navigated on home.

The fake ID that Debbie got us always came in handy. One vodka and grapefruit,

too. Coming up.

Hey, Brett.

Terry's over at Morton's just finishing up a deal.

He loves a dreary biopic.

He should be here shortly.

Oh. Okay.

Thanks, Stephen. You wore your school uniform just like I told you.

Very nice.

Terry will be pleased with that.

Terry really appreciates this.

And how kind you were when his wife threw her little alcoholic tirade at

Debbie's party the other night.

That one's a mess.

Liz.

Not Debbie.

I understand.

Liz has a problem and needs help.

I was just being nice to her. That's all.

Okay.

Well, I'll leave you to it.

One more thing, though.

I would be careful.

Pardon me?

Everyone has an agenda.

Sometimes these agendas don't connect with what we actually want or what we're

gonna get.

Right on cue.

I remember Terry Schaefer was wearing custom silk with a two-tone gold and

silver crocodile belt.

Hey, how you doing, Brett?

You look nice.

But you're 18. You always look nice at 18.

Our table's ready.

He smelled like Rive Gauche cologne by Yves Saint Laurent.

Every gesture was efficient and immaculate.

He was a professional.

An adult.

Something to emulate and aspire toward.

He was someone I wanted to be.

Hey Bruno, we'll have the salmon tartare and two white wines. Of course.

This restaurant is the only place on the entire west coast which serves salmon

tartare. I thought you'd like to try it.

I would, yeah.

Sounds amazing.

So, have you seen any movies you like lately?

Debbie tells me you're a movie buff.

Um, yeah, I love strides. Me too.

Huge Bill Murray fan. I'm meeting with him next week.

Alan! Oh, Perry!

I won't interrupt.

I just want to say hi. And I hate you for that hand. What'd you get?

From the sun, Alan.

Brett,

this is Alan Carr, a dear, dear friend.

Alan produced Grease.

And Saturday Night Fever, you bitch.

And you're about to start Grease 2, right?

Who's the lead? Lorna Loft.

Oh, God, I am so, I'm so excited.

So excited.

Anyways, you, uh, boys, enjoy lunch.

Jesus. He's as big as a house.

And he's into male hookers and pink cocaine.

You stay away from him, Brett. He will try and take advantage of you.

We'll have the lemon sorbet, two spoons.

Of course.

So, tell me about this book.

Would it make a good movie?

Yeah.

Yeah, I think so.

It's about a group of young people. Does it have sex in it?

Because movies need that nowadays to be popular.

Everything's about sex.

Everybody loves a coming-of-age story.

Yes, it's that, too.

Autobiographical?

I don't know.

It's complicated.

My story, it's kind of... Well, it's inspired by the work of

Joan Didion, in a way.

I've been reading a lot of Joan Didion. I know Joan and John very well.

When you're finished with this book, I think I'd like to option it.

Wait, really? Really.

So let me know when I can read the galleys. Wow.

Sure. Wow, great. Okay.

So, how are you and Debbie, Brett?

Are you serious about her?

Serious? Yeah,

I think we're pretty serious.

I'm just curious.

There's no reason to be alarmed or worried.

I just want to make sure that she is happy.

I understand.

I want her to be happy, too.

Do you like guys as well?

I'm sorry, what?

I think you heard me.

Do you swing both ways?

Well, I'm not... limited.

I mean, it depends.

What about Tom Wright?

You find him hot?

I mean, I'm jealous with the amount of time you could spend with him.

He's pretty fetching. Although I'm sure his tastes are more limited than yours.

What do you mean his tastes are more limited than mine? You can tell me.

Did you ever fool around with Tom?

You know, you get a little drunk, you get a little high, sleep over, you get

horny, you need to... No, that never happened. Not with Ryan or any of them?

I mean, you guys take showers together.

They're available, right? They're not available.

Okay.

Whatever you say. Terry, what does your wife think about conversations like

this? You having lunch with your daughter's boyfriend.

Does Liz know?

Well, you're smarter than that, Brett.

I'm under the impression that we have an understanding.

An arrangement.

What about Debbie?

Does she know about your proclivities?

I think I should be going.

He barely ate.

Though I heard you had a cocktail before I arrived at the bar.

So it probably dulled your appetite.

Listen, please don't say anything to Debbie about anything that we discussed

here today.

Wouldn't that be a little weird?

Isn't everything?

Don't say anything.

I don't think you will.

Thanks for lunch, Mr. Schaefer.

I'll have Stephen Collins set up a meeting so we can talk about that script

I want you to write for me.

I want us to start collaborating right away.

Okay.

Okay. I'd love that.

Did you guys hear that, Reena and Kalina?

I'm like, what are you doing?

John Paul, he fell.

Hey, Brett.

Oh, hi.

You know, Brett, if you're on the committee to throw me a welcoming party,

you should actually make a little bit of an effort to become my friend and

welcome me.

Or else what, Robert?

Brett. Brett, come on.

Or else we're going to have a very long and unpleasant senior year. I don't

think anyone wants that.

Are you okay?

Matt Kellner is missing.

Who?

School stoner.

Wait, what do you mean missing?

Well, I was just in Principal Croft's office, and he told me that later today

at assembly I have to read this kind of plea to the student body about Matt

Kellner.

Aren't you friends with him, Brett?

Friends? No, he told me pot a few times, I think.

Where did he go? Don't know.

And neither do his parents.

He's officially been missing for five days.

Apparently he lived in the back pool house. Real posh setup. Like a cool

bachelor pad kind of deal.

John and Sheila, those are his parents, told the police that Matt's schedule was

as routine that week as it had always been since he moved into the pool house

in 10th grade, which coincided with when he got his driver's license.

He'd get up early, swim some laps.

Sometimes they would hear reggae music coming from the pool house at that hour

when he was getting ready for school.

Wouldn't he go into the main house for breakfast or anything, get some food?

I guess not. He always ate at the McDonald's in Sherman Oaks.

Gross.

Matt wasn't involved in sports or any extracurricular activities, so he was

usually back at his pool before at the latest.

On some nights, Sheila Kellner would glimpse the guesthouse from the window

of the second-story bedroom, and the only light would be coming from the

aquarium, or the candles that Matt had lined up on one side of the pool.

Apparently, he liked to swim right before bed.

This story is the reason they made those creepy TV commercials.

Parents, it's 10 p.m. Do you know where your children are? Okay, you guys,

yesterday, John Kellner took Matt's 280Z in for a checkup.

And when he went to tell Matt, Matt wasn't in the pool house, and there was

no note.

So they called the school, and Principal Croft told them Matt hadn't been at

school for three days.

They hadn't seen any live sound in the pool house or heard any reggae music

since the Friday before.

And oddly, clearly, he left his car at home.

So, yeah, five days.

Isn't it so strange how his parents spent so little time with him?

Is it?

I mean, I haven't seen my father in like six months.

Brett, aren't your parents still in Europe?

Yeah. Yes, they are.

What are you supposed to say at assembly?

So please, if any of you have heard from Matt Kellner or seen him, please tell me

or Principal Croft or any teacher about his whereabouts.

Thank you.

Hi.

Hi.

How are you?

Oh, freaked out, man. Still missing.

Did you know him?

Bought weed from him.

I think... You think what? I think...

It's scary how young people in this town keep just going missing.

You think the cult did this?

That's one theory.

I think he could be something else. What, Matt just said, fuck it, I'm going

to go to Big Sur and open my Wii business?

I think he could be the trawler.

Who?

The serial killer. The serial killer that's hunting in our area.

Doesn't he only target girls? So far.

But who knows?

It's terrifying.

Snatched away in the dead of night.

Tortured. How did you know he was tortured?

They haven't even found him yet.

I don't.

I'm talking about the girls.

The girls that troll are tortured.

I'm glad we're talking.

I miss talking.

They found something. I just heard from Principal Croft.

His body?

His backpack.

A ranger found it in a parking lot in Crystal Cove State Park.

There was blood all over it, and it had a name and address tied to it on a small

ID tag that proved it belonged to Matt.

Does anyone know if Matt was with someone?

Does this lip gloss make me look fat?

Alright.

¶¶

These days, I feel my life just like a river running through

the air of the cat.

Like the moon and the sea, she comes in a sense and patchouli.

So you take her to find what's waiting in sight.

The ear of the cat.

off the cat.

I would stab someone for a drink right now.

It's a joke.

Guys, don't you think we should cancel the party if that's one of our last

mates, basically?

Well, it's what I want, and you're all coming.

Looking back, I realize that's the gift of you. You think you'll live forever.

I shouldn't have to beg my boyfriend to touch me. If you were my girlfriend, you

wouldn't have to beg me for anything.

Police suspect this brutal killing is the work of the trawler.

The suspect you should be looking at is a kid named Robert Mallory.

You're a little bit obsessed with me, aren't you, Brett? You would love that,

wouldn't you?

And we're live in four, three, two... Hit it!

This feels wrong.

No, this feels right.

What kind of game were you playing?

You know what they say about fellas who are nosy?

They lose their noses.