Original subtitles

In 1953, Earth experienced a war of the worlds.

Common bacteria stopped the aliens,

but it didn't kill them.

Instead, the aliens lapsed into a state of deep hibernation.

Now the aliens have been resurrected,

more terrifying than before.

In 1953, aliens started taking over the world.

Today, they're taking over our bodies.

They sure don't die very pretty, do they?

Nothing more seems to be developing, General.

I'm beginning to feel cautiously optimistic.

Yes, sir, I couldn't agree with you more.

I'll speak to him right away.

Yes, yes, sir.

I'll keep you informed.

Mind some company?

Not at all.

Days like this, makes you wonder

what we're still doing here, don't they?

On the contrary, Colonel.

It inspires me to work all the harder.

Then you must be feeling very frustrated

right about now, Doctor.

Six weeks without any new sightings,

without any new radio intercepts.

Is there a hidden agenda to this conversation, Colonel?

Hardly. It just seems kind of obvious:

either the aliens are out there somewhere still pose a threat,

or they've been neutralized,

which means our purpose here is no longer valid.

The military's talent for reducing things

to their extremes never fails to amaze me.

Well, General Wilson feels the aliens have been neutralized.

So do I.

The general feels that we eliminated all of them

when we blew up their ships.

Well, that's a premature conclusion,

based on an insufficient number of facts.

The general's very proud

of the work that you've done, Doctor.

He doesn't feel that you or any of the others

should be kept from carrying on

with the rest of your lives.

Doesn't anybody understand?

There won't be a rest of our lives

if we give up too soon.

The general is just concerned

about the lack of activity, Doctor.

He wants to know what he's paying for.

Research. That's what he's paying for,

in case the aliens haven't been neutralized.

Norton is still trying to decipher their language.

Suzanne is trying to get a handle on their physiology.

And you?

I'm just trying to get in my morning run.

What is so all-fired important

you've just got to pull me away from Betty Jo on one

of the few mornings she's in the mood?

Can't tell you, Ted.

Got to show you.

Well, this better be good, Zeke.

This better be good.

Good?

Ain't nothing good about it.

Fact is, it's about the worst damned mess

I ever did see.

Zeke, if you drug me out here

'cause kids've been skinny- dipping in your pond again.

Yeah, I just wish.

Got another couple of dozen of 'em,

just like this one.

Coyotes maybe?

Just how many coyotes

you ever heard of can drain every single drop of blood

out of all these here steers?

And that's about the long and short of it, Claire.

Now you be a good girl and make sure my report

gets on the computer so it gets filed

with the national crime network.

Why, we might be on to one of them

statewide devil's cults or something here.

I'm out.

10-4.

That's it, Ted?

That's all you're gonna do?

What else can I do, Zeke?

Well, what in the hell am I supposed to do

with 25 slaughtered steers out here?

If I was you, maybe I'd get a few friends together

and have me a barbecue.

I have a difficult time accepting that the instrument

of our salvation could also become our damnation.

The concept is foreign.

But we cannot ignore the inevitable conclusion, comrades.

The radiation which gave us a second life is slowly killing us.

We seem to be faced with a most challenging dilemma.

Our analysis indicates the high level of radiation needed to protect us

from the indigenous bacteria of this planet

causes our metabolisms to heat to dangerous levels.

Our scientists seem to have a firm grasp

on the obvious.

Tell us something we don't already know!

Isn't there anything you can do to disperse the heat?

We are doing our best, Advocate.

As you have seen, the treatments are slowing

the degeneration process.

But not reversing it.

Unfortunately not.

This planet's natural resources

contain different elements than those on our planet.

The lower classes are all alike.

Excuses for every shortcoming.

But, Advocate,

it takes time for a species to adapt to a new environment.

We don't have time!

In our weakened state, our invasion will fail.

As it is,

we are already too weak

to separate from this decaying flesh.

Perhaps if you sought the guidance of the council...

No! Our leaders must be protected

from such negative news.

They must hear only of victory.

Since your medicines are proving inadequate,

you will find a more effective method

of dealing with this killing heat.

Solutions, not excuses.

As you wish, Advocate.

As we order, scientist!

That was an easy one.

Without tissue samples, most of this is just educated guessing.

But... I think I understand

how an alien blends with whomever happens to be

unfortunate enough to get in its way.

It's a combination of osmosis and cell-face matching.

Watch.

Through osmosis, alien cells invade a human body.

These cells then spread out,

seeking human cells that it can bond to.

This bonding allows all the genetic information

from the individual human cells

to communicate to the alien cells.

Killing the human cells in the process?

Yes, but apparently

not before it absorbs all of the intelligence

of the human victim.

We're talking Night of the Living Dead here, folks.

Not only do these guys get to pick our brains,

they also get to use our bodies as a perfect disguise.

I don't call open sores and radiation sickness

the perfect disguise.

I mean, it's not exactly difficult

to spot these things in a crowd.

For now, maybe.

But it's only a matter of time until they figure out

a better way to protect themselves...

and conceal themselves.

If any more of them are still around.

Let's send what you've done to General Wilson.

Let him see what he's getting for his money.

If I had tissue samples,

I know I could make more progress.

Life span... reproduction...

side effects of long-term exposure to radiation.

Side effects?

I thought the radiation was the thing that kept them going.

That may be only short-term.

I made you a little snack.

Well, Mrs. Pennyworth, thank you very much.

Perhaps Mr. Drake would like a sandwich as well.

I'm sure he would.

Dr. Forrester's notes indicate that the aliens

are just as susceptible to radiation poisoning as we are.

Why haven't you mentioned this before?

I hadn't realized you're that interested

in alien physiognomy, Colonel.

Dr. Forrester's notes

are terribly incomplete.

It's hardly more than speculation.

But maybe that's why we haven't heard any noise from the aliens.

Maybe they died... For good this time.

You're jumping to conclusions again, Colonel.

Am I, Doctor?

Or does this fall under the category of educated guessing?

Hi.

Uncle Hank!

Debi, dear!

Oh-ho-ho-ho!

Look at you.

You've grown into a beautiful young lady!

I'll be 12 next month.

Will you?

How come Mom didn't tell me you were coming?

Well, she didn't know.

It's a surprise.

Hello, Major.

Good to see you again.

And you, sir.

I've been out of uniform a long time, General.

Using my rank really isn't appropriate anymore.

Since when do majors tell generals

what's appropriate or not?

You've earned the rank, Major.

I'm proud to use it.

Thank you, sir.

Come on.

Let's go surprise Mom.

All right! Where is she, now?

In the kitchen.

In the kitchen, eh? I see. All right.

When, uh, Colonel Ironhorse told me

you were planning to send some of your research to me,

I thought

I'd use that excuse to drop by

and see how you folks were doing.

Yes... how very interesting, indeed.

Well thought out. Good.

Good work.

I don't see any mention about that amnesia theory

you told me about

a few weeks ago.

Oh, essentially that's the theory

that's made popular by people who believe in UFOs, General.

Which should,

all weird things being considered,

include all of us in this room.

Thank you, Norton.

General Wilson...

I'll get you the details as soon as I'm satisfied it's complete.

I see.

Uh, Harrison,

couldn't you give Uncle Hank just a few of the highlights?

Yes, Doctor.

Do you think you could manage to do that?

The theory holds

those people who have had contact

with extraterrestrials,

often are unable to remember this contact

without the aid of regressive hypnosis.

And why is that, Doctor?

There are two schools of thought on that.

I'd say the answer is probably a little of both.

One is that the aliens possess the means

to make us block out the incident.

And the other is that we block it out ourselves.

It has to do with selective memory,

the mind's ability to deeply submerge

into the subconscious things...

In this case the existence of aliens...

That it finds too disturbing

to deal with on a conscious level.

Sounds like

a lot of head shrink double-talk to me.

I'm not surprised.

I was a second lieutenant

in 1953.

I saw a hell of a lot of action during that war.

For the life of me, I can't seem to remember

a detail.

Exactly.

Is there anything else you wish to see, General?

What?

Uh, no, no.

I think I've been pretty well brought up to date...

except for a briefing by you, Colonel.

If you'll just follow me, please, sir.

You are staying to dinner, aren't you, Uncle Hank?

I wouldn't miss it.

Am I the only one who's suspicious

of the general's motives for surprising us

with this little visit, huh?

Come on, Norton.

It's just the way the military operates.

It's like a snap inspection.

I think the real surprise

is yet to come.

How does an entire graveyard shift...

12 men and women... Disappear without a trace?

You've got me, Lieutenant.

Here's the manager's list of what's missing.

Plastic tubing...

some kind of plastic fabric they make here,

and a truck... I guess to haul the stuff away.

No money? No drugs?

What do we got here?

She's the janitor, I think.

I found her hiding in the utility closet

out back. What's your name, ma'am?

Hey, Chin! Chin...

Get in here.

What do you need, Lieutenant?

A vacation.

I'll settle for a translator.

Uh, uh, my Chinese is a little rusty.

Oh, yeah? Guess what.

So's mine.

Go on, lady. Talk to the man.

She's saying something about monsters...

No, no, no... about dragons.

At least, I think it's dragons.

And the dragons disappeared...

and everybody got up

and left like nothing ever happened.

That's it.

Dragons, huh?

Why not ghosts or hobgoblins

or something I could understand?

Take her in and get a full statement.

Yes, sir.

This planet is getting weirder by the minute.

I want your report

filed ASAP.

And make sure it gets on the computer.

Want me to include that stuff about the dragons?

Why not?

Why should we be the only ones having all the fun?

Such progress is a positive sign.

We still...

We still have so much to do.

You have to stay strong.

The Advocacy will be severely weakened without the three of us.

Mrs. Pennyworth sets a wonderful table,

don't you think?

Yes. She and Mr. Kensington have made us all very comfortable.

You'd never know it,

but Mrs. Pennyworth was a very valuable asset

in the American section of Berlin

during the last war.

Her husband did the same thing with the Brits.

Rumor has it they met one night

when they were both trying to infiltrate

the Russian sector.

Oh, that woman has seen

a lot of history.

Even helped write some of it, too.

And this house has had its own share of history as well.

A few nuclear physicists

lived here in the early days of the Manhattan Project.

And just before you, we kept a KGB defector here.

I wonder who the next occupants will be.

Harrison,

does that sound

suspiciously like an eviction notice to you?

I wouldn't look at it that way, Mr. Drake.

All missions eventually come to an end.

And that's why I'm here.

To thank you all personally for a job well done.

I'm sorry, General, but the job isn't done.

Well I'm completely satisfied

with everything you've accomplished.

We've hardly accomplished a thing.

Uncle Hank, I can't believe you're cutting us off!

Suzanne,

your own research suggests the aliens were susceptible

to radiation poisoning.

How do you know that?

I haven't released that data yet!

I don't think

it takes a scientist to realize

that any of those creatures

that weren't blown up with their ships,

have died from radiation poisoning.

General, if you shut us down now,

you're going to be repeating the same mistake

that was made 35 years ago.

On the contrary.

The aliens are finished.

And now I suggest you all get on with the rest of your lives.

How much of this is your doing, Colonel?

The general asked me to make reports.

I make reports.

I'm just doing my job, Doctor.

I wish to God you would let me do mine.

Uncle Hank,

isn't there something you can do to delay closing us down?

It's all been decided.

I'm sorry, honey.

So am I.

Bye-bye.

Good morning.

Well?

I told you

the sentimental approach would not work.

At least it was worth a try.

What are you gonna do now?

I don't know.

I guess the new Pacific Institute makes the most sense.

Still have room for a microbiologist

on your staff?

Still willing to spend time with a nutcase?

Well, that depends...

on what the nutcase wants me to do.

Mm.

Well, if the general is right, and the aliens are dead...

then we just pick up where we left off.

And if he's wrong?

If he's wrong...

none of this matters anyway.

A few more boxes for you, Doctor.

Thank you, Mrs. Pennyworth.

I don't know what all the rush is about, though.

General Wilson said you could use as much time as you needed to move out.

Well, I guess I'm just one of those people

who doesn't like to stay where he's not wanted.

Gonna miss having you and the others around.

Hm, it's almost like having a real family.

I know.

You need a hand with anything in here?

No, thanks.

My daddy always used to tell me...

Never get so comfortable with a place... or a woman...

That you can't leave in five minutes flat.

That must have been a great comfort to your mother.

Well, my folks were married 42 years, had six kids.

Must have been doing something right.

What's that? Oh, a little something I rigged up

on the computer to let me know when it's on to something.

To work, Gertrude!

Well, well, well, well, well, what have we here?

One of the jobs I have this little baby performing is

constantly monitoring the National Crime Network computer

to see if there's any bizarre stuff we might be interested in.

Excuse me, but isn't tapping into that computer

just the tiniest bit against the law?

I don't know. I never asked.

Well, let's see

if there's something worth going to jail for.

Slaughtered cattle.

A few missing factory workers.

Stolen plastic products.

Why are you showing me this?

Because I think those incidences are connected.

First to the aliens, and then to each other.

And I think you're looking for imaginary dragons under imaginary rocks.

Where did you get this list?

Norton has his own way

of finding these things out.

Didn't Mr. Drake get the message?

Didn't any of you people get the message?

This operation is terminated.

You people are no longer in the alien-busting business.

You could bring this list to General Wilson,

Colonel, and you could ask him to give us more time.

Oh, really?

And what am I supposed to say to the general?

That the aliens are trying to take over the world

by cornering the market on plastic tubing?!

Give me a break, Doctor.

He's got a point, you know, Harrison.

What are the aliens up to?

I haven't got the faintest idea.

We still lack an adequate coolant.

Liquid nitrogen would be the ideal substance.

Why are you not producing the substance?

We have tried, Advocate.

This planet's atmosphere contains ample amounts of the nitrogen element,

but converting the nitrogen into a useful form

is beyond the scope of the materials we have on hand.

If you're incapable of manufacturing what we need,

then you will acquire it in another way.

And quickly, before permanent harm

comes to those of us still alive.

We cannot allow submersion into this rancid pool

to become our destiny as well.

Sorry, Harrison.

I've run this data through the computer a dozen different ways.

Now, as far as I can see, nothing we are trying

to lay on the aliens has any communications value.

Of course, when you get right down to it,

how can you tell with these guys?

I haven't been able to conjure up

any military applications, either.

So that brings us right back down to biological.

Mm, thank you.

You come up with anything? Well, unless

it's for nutritional value.

At the moment we don't know a thing

about the aliens' dietary needs.

I haven't got a clue what they'd be using bovine blood for.

Maybe it had

some sort of religious significance.

What if it does?

Where does that take us?

It takes us...

nowhere, is where it takes us.

What about the stolen plastic?

Uh, well, I did some checking.

This is what I found: the fabric that was stolen

had some pretty interesting properties.

It's a special plastic blend

woven to create microscopic vents

which allow the fabric to breathe.

Used one way,

the venting allows the escape of built-up gases,

but used another way,

it creates a near perfect shield for things

as small as most bacteria.

Like a contamination suit?

Yes, I guess it is.

Interesting.

Radio check, section three.

This is three. Go ahead, control.

Security breach, section 12, perimeter fence.

On our way.

Stop!

Hey! You!

Stop!

It must have been the description

of what was left of the body

that triggered the computer.

Forward, Gertrude.

But why would the aliens want rocket fuel?

They haven't any ships.

At least none that we know of.

It wouldn't matter anyway.

Alien ships were not designed to be propelled by liquid nitrogen.

Nah, they need it for something else.

Something. Something. I don't know what.

Think we should call the colonel in on this?

Sorry I asked.

After all this time, the suits are finally completed.

Completed, yes.

But completely useless without some form of coolant.

Our attempt to steal the liquid nitrogen from the rocket facility

was, at best, poorly conceived.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

My own body temperature has risen to untold levels.

So has mine.

If we cannot survive, who will assume the mantle of the Advocacy?

I fear there are not three worthy candidates from among our ranks.

Then pray that our current attempt

at the refrigeration plant meets with success.

To life immortal. To life immortal.

For once our scientists have accomplished

what is expected of them.

It will be interesting to see

if they will rise to the challenge of maintaining their success.

Our production of the liquid nitrogen

is exceeding your quotas, Advocates.

Then we will increase the quotas, Commander.

Now isn't the time to grow lazy or complacent.

Have your engineers double their output.

We've been away from battle far too long.

It will be good to resume.

Yes! Yes!

I can beat that.

Ha!

Yeah, yeah, yeah... All right!

Oh!

I gotcha!

You are getting too good for this game.

One more?

Okay.

As soon as

Bob finishes up. Morning, Bob.

Good to see you again, Mr. Drake.

Any problems to report?

Well, Bob, the computer is the only thing that isn't a problem.

That's what we like to hear, Mr. Drake.

I'll just recharge the coolant and be on my way.

If the computer never breaks,

why do you always have to get it serviced?

Well, to make sure that it doesn't break.

You see, it's just like having a little baby,

only instead of changing diapers, you have to change

the liquid nitrogen coolant.

Like with a car?

Mom's always putting that coolant stuff into the radiator.

Right, Mom?

That's right, sweetheart.

Listen, if my little angel here

starts wearing out her welcome,

don't be shy about kicking her out.

I enjoy the company.

Yes, Debi, you see it is exactly like

putting coolant into the car's radiator.

Because, you see, the computer works so fast

and generates so much heat, that without putting

the liquid nitrogen coolant in, it would overheat

and then you wouldn't be able to beat me at this stupid game.

Norton!

Rocket fuel!

It's mostly made of liquid nitrogen, right?

Right.

Right!

Liquid nitrogen isn't only a propellant, Colonel,

it's a coolant!

Why am I supposed to be interested

in such an exciting fact?

Because it could be

the coolant the aliens need to counteract the effects

of radiation on their metabolisms.

Okay, for the sake of argument,

I'll buy what you're saying.

But the aliens... if it really was the aliens...

They didn't get their hands

on any of the liquid nitrogen.

So what the hell's the problem?

You're the soldier, Colonel. You tell me.

Now just because you can't get your supplies from one source

doesn't mean you don't try raiding another source.

But these creatures are supposed to be so smart,

uh, why don't they just make their own?

Because they probably don't have the means.

That's why they're trying to steal what they need.

Okay.

Where do you propose they're going to strike next?

I thought he'd never ask.

Thought you'd never ask.

Now based on what the aliens have been doing so far...

What you assume the aliens have been doing.

Yes, assume.

We know that they've been operating

within a fairly limited area.

Norton did some checking.

He found there was only

one reasonable source of liquid nitrogen

in the same general area.

All right.

You've worn me down.

I'll go with you...

but...

you've got to promise me one thing.

If you're wrong, you're gonna get the hell out of my life

and stay out.

I won't even send you a Christmas card.

Good.

Where are we supposed to be going?

Let me.

You're in no condition.

I count 12, maybe one in the shadows.

I'm not sure I can take all of them

if things get ugly, Doctor.

Why would things get ugly, Colonel?

I thought you said all the aliens were dead.

Something I can help you with? Yes.

Department of Health and Safety.

I wasn't informed of any inspection.

Well, that's the way our department works,

especially when we conduct PCB tests.

PCBs? I don't know what you're talking about.

There aren't any PCBs here.

That's what they all say.

Look...

you can let us do our job

or we can come back with some sheriff's deputies

and a subpoena.

I don't think that's really necessary.

Do what you have to do.

What are PCBs?

You don't want to know.

Should we appropriate their bodies?

No.

It might attract unwanted attention

before we've accomplished our goal.

What are they doing?

Testing for PCBs.

Well, are you satisfied that this isn't

the stronghold of alien activity, Doctor?

We just got here.

You just hate to admit

when you've made a mistake, right?

Oh, my ego is healthy enough to admit mistakes.

Wait a minute.

Are you telling me mine isn't?

That's not for me to say, Colonel.

This is not a healthy area, my friend.

Worse than PCBs?

A lot worse.

I'm reading some very dangerous

radiation levels here.

Department of Health and Safety.

Your city working for you.

He's carrying enough radiation

he should have died days ago.

Maybe he did.

This has gone on long enough, Ralph!

Three days you haven't been home.

You don't call.

You don't return my calls.

I've been working.

You really expect me to believe that?

This is a factory, not a hospital.

I mean how important

could this be?

I've been working.

What's her name, Ralph?

You owe me that much.

Who is she?!

Why is he treating me like this?

He's been working.

Good.

Then he'll have plenty of money for a divorce lawyer.

Did you hear me,

Ralph?

I don't know whether or not

these guys are aliens, Doctor,

but they are definitely weird.

Weird is weird, Doctor.

Weird does not mean aliens.

But what about the radiation levels?

And the way the workers were acting?

It was like, like...

Like they were there and not there,

at the same time.

Thin.

Too thin to have allowed myself to be dragged here.

Colonel?

We've come this far, General.

I recommend we go just a little bit further.

What the hell do you mean by that?

Meaning, this will tell us

where they've taken all that liquid nitrogen.

General, if you'll stay here with Suzanne.

I can do this alone, Doctor.

I never said you couldn't, Colonel.

Shall we?

I'm getting too old for this.

What are they doing?

How should I know?

I'm as new to this stuff as you are.

Are you getting a good look at that one guy's face, Colonel?

Affirmative, Doctor.

You were right all along.

Okay, now let's just plant this transmitter

and get the hell out of here.

Now what?

It's called the strategic withdrawal, Doctor.

You don't belong here.

You're telling me.

We cannot let you interfere.

Look, buddy...

whatever you peop... things are doing,

you're not going to get away with it.

We have a mission.

Your guns cannot stop us.

You want to bet?

Let's get the hell out of here.

Maybe this wasn't a wild goose chase after all.

Uncle Hank,

are you sure about this?

If I'm wrong,

I'll apologize in the morning.

Sounds like the general is getting into the action.

Now you see what we're fighting, Uncle Hank.

They sure don't die very pretty, do they?

Go! Get out of here!

Watch the eyes, Colonel.

Mind if I join you, Doctor?

General!

Do you still feel the job is done?

The failure of our comrades

to maintain control of the refrigeration plant

is something of a setback.

Agreed.

But it's hardly cause for serious concern.

We have more than enough coolant

to see our invasion through to its victorious conclusion.

To life immortal.