Original subtitles

[theme music]

RAY BRADBURY: People ask, where do you get your ideas?

Right here.

All of this is my magician's toy shop.

I'm Ray Bradbury, and this is--

[static]

MAN (ON RADIO): Mission three, all clear.

Good luck, guys, and good hunting.

[spaceship noises]

[suspenseful music]

Mars.

And air you can breathe.

No sign of the first two expeditions, Captain.

And we computed our landing for the same place.

Let's go down and find out what's happened.

No, no weapons.

They must have seen us land.

Still no sign of hostility.

But we don't even know what we're dealing with.

And what about the others, sir--

Captain York and his crew?

How do we know they haven't all been killed?

We don't.

We'll just have to find out.

Wait there.

We don't want to fight.

[motor sounds]

[knocking]

[motor stops]

[knocking]

Yeah?

Excuse me.

What have you done?

You speak English.

Uh, done?

I'm Captain Jonathan Williams.

Commander of Mars Mission Three from the planet Earth.

How do you know?

Telepathy.

What took you so long?

So long?

It's nearly 300 million miles from Earth to Mars.

If you want to use the proper name, this is the planet Terr.

Terr?

Ah, yes, Terr.

It's a fine name.

Well?

Well, um, as I said--

as you said, I'm Captain Williams, Commander of

the third mission from Earth.

There's been two expeditions before you,

and the men and their ships have vanished.

You know about the other expeditions.

She knows.

Listen, this is very important.

If you know where they--

- There are so many of you. - Uh, yes, this is--

Lieutenants Young, Rollins, and Wilson.

- Pleased to meet you, ma'am. - Hello.

Well, congratulations, Captain.

So many voices.

Oh my!

The illusion of the hour, the delusion of the day.

Delusion?

Delusion, I'm sorry, I--

I'm sorry.

I'm too busy, goodbye.

No, no, listen.

I don't think you understand.

Oh I understand completely.

It's your thoughts that disturb.

- We're from Earth. - I'm too busy.

There's work to do.

And look at those boots. Shoo!

Boots?

This is no time for trivialities.

This is an important moment-- - I think you need Mr. Ttt!

A historic moment--

Weird.

You think all martians are as batty as she is, Captain?

[yelling and pots slamming]

I don't know, could be.

I'm sorry, but Mr. Ttt is very busy,

but it's Mr. Aaa you want to see, the next farm over.

A note for Mr. Aaa.

He'll advise you want to do.

Go on.

Go.

Go, go, go!

Thank you, good Captain.

[suspenseful music]

WILSON: How do we know what's on that damn thing anyway?

It could be kill the messenger.

CAPTAIN WILLIAMS: Take it easy, Wilson.

WILSON: Whatever you say, Captain.

I'll take it easy.

You just explain we're from Earth.

Oh no, not again.

Are you Mr. Aaa?

I am.

Mr. Ttt sent us to see you.

That was very nice of him, I must say.

What do you think of a fella that does something like that?

Look, we are from Earth.

Earth?

He is way out of line, but he won't

get away with it this time.

18th April, 1999.

Safe blastoff, great ship--

journey of a lifetime, we face 85 days in space.

What are you doing, Wilson?

My personal log, sir.

This is reality, in case you've forgotten.

Just trying to keep myself sane, sir.

Put it away.

[laughing] No need for that.

This isn't for you.

I'm going to shoot Ttt dead.

Zap him and his wife good.

Is that the note from Ttt?

Yes.

Take it over there.

Tell Mr. Iii all about it.

Mr. Iii is the one you want to see, not me and not Mr. Ttt.

He's an idiot and he'll soon be a dead one.

Now go on, you're not in my line of work.

Line of work--

you have to be in some specific line of work

to welcome people from Earth?

Of course, now goodbye.

With the greatest respect, Captain,

I suggest we return to the ship, get those rockets firing,

and blast the hell out of whatever damn desert

we've landed on.

Negative, Lieutenant.

We've got responsibilities to the people

back on Earth, to the other expeditions.

We will find someone who'll listen to us.

What the hell do you think we've been trying to do?

These people are not the listening type.

That's enough.

Let's go.

Move it out.

MAN (ON RADIO): Come in, Mission Three.

Come in, guys.

What gives?

[suspenseful music]

Telepathy?

No, I'm just off to a lecture.

I'm Mr. Iii, can I help you?

I hope so, Mr. Iii, I certainly hope so.

Come in.

Uh, please, my men.

Well, if you must.

Now, if you can name your problem,

you can solve your problem.

Take a seat.

Come in.

Sit down.

Thanks.

Um, please listen.

If that will make you happy, proceed.

We are from Earth.

Now look, I know that may not be your name for our planet,

but listen.

If I-- if I concentrate and make mental images of our world--

Please do.

Tall glass and metal cities.

Blue seas.

Yes, that's very nice.

Please continue.

Instructions in spacecraft technology,

pictures of a ship lifting off, drifting

timelessly, days, months.

What's this?

Great red planet?

Circling and circling here.

Now you understand.

Clearly.

Now where did I put those forms?

Somewhere-- ah!

Here we are.

Now if you will just sign here.

Sign?

You say you're from Earth, don't you?

Yes.

Then you have to sign.

Just a formality.

Oh.

Do you, uh, you want the men to sign as well?

Your men sign?

How simply marvelous.

I must tell Mr. X.

What is so funny?

Now that's the provision for sleeping.

Mr. X will make the arrangements with you after your interview.

Now here we are.

The key.

Thank you.

No, no, your image is wrong.

It's not the key to the city, it's the key to the house.

Go down that corridor, unlock the big door,

go inside, and shut the door tight.

You may spend the night.

I will send Mr. X to see you.

What are you waiting for?

Oh yes, of course.

Congratulations, welcome, well done.

Thank you, thank you very much.

Well, let's, uh, use the key.

[suspenseful music]

Captain, look.

Welcome, I am Mr. Uuu.

Captain Jonathan Williams, New York City, Earth.

[applause and cheering]

Tell us about yourselves.

Look, you already know who I am.

Let the guys talk for themselves.

Lieutenant Lee Rollins, born Flint, Michigan, USA, Earth.

[applause]

Ship's navigator.

Uh, Pete Young, born 1970, Atlanta, ship's engineer.

[applause and cheering]

First Lieutenant Wilson, ship's

medic and anthropologist.

[applause]

Welcome, indeed.

Thank you, thank you very much.

It's good to meet another man from Earth.

Another-- you mean York and the others, they're here?

I mean, I am from Earth.

CROWD: [in unison] Earth.

Also.

I don't understand

Nevertheless, it's true.

How is that possible?

What country are you from?

Toyuron.

I came by the spirits.

CROWD: [in unison] Spirits.

[creepy music]

[hysterical laughter]

And I am from Earth also.

And I.

And I am from Earth.

Captain, what the hell is going on?

I'm not sure.

CROWD: --burning, burning, burning bright--

I come from Orie on Earth, a place of jungles, all green

forever.

And all the cities--

cities are silver.

Earth is water.

My planet is all water, with cities in the sea.

Earth is dust, desert.

We are friends.

[chanting]

[music intensifies]

Give me the damn key.

We can't get out.

Of course not.

They gave us the key to get in.

In where, sir?

An asylum.

A lunatic asylum.

[dramatic music]

CROWD: Spirits.

They think we're really insane, sir?

That's why there was no excitement,

no hullabaloo to welcome us.

Before this, they merely tolerated

what to them must be a constantly recurring

psychotic condition.

Paranoids, everyone, look at them.

Except the Martians are able to project their insanity.

For a minute, I thought we were getting a real reception.

And they think we're crazy too and we're projecting

our fantasies about Earth?

Yes, they think we need treatment.

That's what that thing was you put your fingerprint on.

You think there's a way out, sir?

I don't know.

Not the door.

Yes, the door.

CROWD: [in unison] Door.

The door.

Just open.

CROWD: [in unison] Open.

Open the door.

Locked from the outside.

Yes, to stop people getting in.

We got in.

With the key--

you don't need the key to get out.

You go to the door and open it.

With what?

Your mind.

What?

Concentrate.

CROWD: [in unison] Concentrate.

Concentrate.

Concentrate.

Concentrate.

Concentrate.

Concentrate.

Concentrate.

[music stops]

How pleasant to meet you, Captain Williams.

We're getting the hell out of this loony bin.

Loony bin, what a curious expression.

You think we are insane.

Well, we're not.

Inaccurate, I do not think that you are all insane, sir.

Just you, sir.

Your friends are primary and secondary hallucinations.

Captain, he thinks you imagined us.

He's dangerous, take him out.

That would get us nowhere.

Talking to your friends, Captain?

Natural, and believe me, treatable.

You are ill, Captain.

Your projections remain intact.

If you were well, they would vanish.

If my men are imaginary--

Cure him.

Cure him and make us vanish.

Not so easily accomplished, Captain Williams.

Could we have a word?

Uh--

In private.

Wait here.

Let us be frank, Captain Williams.

Your case is advanced, unique.

This recent outbreak in mass psychosis

seems to manifest in several stages.

The people in the house are simpler forms,

but your projections of Earth and Earth men

are fully auditory, optical, olfactory.

The most detailed hallucinatory complex I have ever observed.

Look, you can touch these men.

They're warm, solid, breathing human beings, not figments

of a hypnotized imagination.

How do I--

Rollins, get in here.

You can touch him.

Go on.

He's real, human, 100% American.

Go on, touch him.

Ah!

There, doesn't that prove something?

Yes.

I am afraid it does--

the extended ability of your condition.

How do I prove to you that I don't need curing.

The cry throughout the ages, a fascinating paradox, sir.

Paradox this, pal.

Oh, Wilson.

We need him.

We can get through.

Like York and the others?

He's our last chance--

and York's.

Rollins, Young, give me your weapons now

or there's a court martial waiting for both of you.

Congratulations, Captain Williams.

Your flair for the dramatic is quite remarkable-- saving me

from your own hallucinations.

These are not hallucinations.

These are real.

And there's something else that's real.

Sir, the lander, he's got to believe that.

The lander?

There.

A type two, 2DX lander, every rivet, every bolt.

Amazing, what a grand ship.

Congratulations, and it even--

it even hums.

That's the generators.

You said, Captain?

Lieutenant Young said the sound is the generators.

You say, the sound is the generators, amazing.

Never have I experienced such a complexity-- metal, rubber--

even the shadows on the ground.

CAPTAIN WILLIAMS: It's real.

Congratulations, Captain Williams,

you are a psychotic genius.

I shall write my greatest monograph on this.

You have signed the papers.

The papers?

What, the sleeping form.

So?

So now, I am afraid your mad dream must end.

Mr. Iii's information was accurate.

You are incurable, of course.

And we shall sleep you away.

Free your spirit from your diseased body.

It should be most engaging to watch

your imaginary projections disappear.

Imaginary projection?

I am Captain Jonathan Williams, Commander of Mars Mission III.

Yes!

Oh my, yes, dear Captain.

Sleep well.

[shot]

[shot]

[shot]

[shot]

Ah, ah, ah, ah--

still here.

No.

The ship-- impossible.

His dream in my mind.

Had you such power, psychotic genius--

could you make the atheists believe?

I refuse you!

The gun.

Real?

[shot]

MAN (ON RADIO): Mission III, what the hell's going on there?

Come on, guys, quit horsing around.

[end theme music]