Original subtitles

Theme music playing

Why should I? Why should I?

'Come on, find it, its real shape. Let's see it. Let's see it.'

let's see it!

Sapphire?

I'm sorry, I can't do any more. There's a... a barrier.

Look, I'm sorry.

You're sorry? What do you mean, you're sorry?

You almost had it. I mean, it was...

Well, at least we know what it is.

We haven't seen it yet, but we know what it is,

so let's try and find it. Come on.

Whatever you did, you certainly caused havoc.

In every photograph that ever was.

Well, who is he in this one? Him?

Him? Him?

No, they have their own faces.

The figure we're looking for will always be half seen.

Or turned away, like that one.

Or not even seen at all.

What about that one?

Could be behind the fence or in the street beyond.

Or in the next room.

But always in there somewhere? Yes.

So every photograph is a photograph of infinity.

Children laughing

Children laughing

laughter intensifies

See saw sacradown,

which is the way to London town?

'All irregularities will be handled

'by the forces controlling each dimension.

'Transuranic heavy elements may not be used where there is life.

'Medium atomic weights are available.

'Gold, Mercury, copper,

'jet, diamond, radium,

'sapphire, silver and steel.

'Sapphire and steel have been assigned.'

Paper bubbles.

Paper parasols.

Paper children?

Photograph...

'Look behind you.'

'not yet. Tell me what you see.'

'what I see? Well, I see the same as what you see.'

'describe his face.'

'well, it's a youngish face.

'Dark hair, narrow eyes, pointed chin.'

'it's not the face I'm looking at.

'Where are you going?'

'you stay there. Watch him. I'm going to take a closer look.'

'excuse me.

'Would you prefer us to communicate in this way?

'Only, it doesn't make much difference to me.

'So, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll let you choose.

'How's that?'

all right. Let's communicate like this, shall we?

Why not?

With our true voices. Fine.

And our true faces? These are ours.

The only ones we possess, I'm afraid.

How about you?

Me? Yes.

We'd like to see your true face. The real one.

He scoffs

I'm afraid this one will just have to do.

No, it won't. Not for us.

But then again, maybe you don't have a real face.

Not the human kind. Am I right?

I mean, you have millions to choose from, don't you?

But we'd really like to see what you look like...

..Before we send you back where you came from.

He scoffs that can't be done.

Oh, it can.

That's our job. That's why we're here.

Tell me about the children. Why do you need them?

Why have you brought them back with you?

And the people. People?

Yes, the man and the woman.

They belong in this time, in this period.

They don't belong in the photograph you've chosen for them.

So? So, before we get rid of you,

we'd like them returned.

Well, perhaps you could tell them that.

What? Yes.

When you join them.

What do you mean, join them?

Oh, you'll find out. Later.

Children: 'I'm the king of the castle, get down, you dirty rascal.'

He's here.

Now where? There.

He must be somewhere. Don't you mean anywhere?

I mean, if he can disappear into photographs

like some kind of tunnel system,

we can't follow him into that thing, can we?

What's wrong?

"When you join them." I wonder what he meant by that.

All right. We'll destroy every photograph in the place.

Why not? Remember the house?

It got into a picture, and we destroyed the picture.

We destroyed all the pictures. That was one painting in one house.

This is the whole process, the entire art of photography.

Do you have time to destroy

every photograph that exists in the world?

Upbeat music playing

Music stops

You still here? Elizabeth Owen?

How do you know that? Take a look at this.

I said, how did you know that?

That name? I haven't used that name for years.

Take a look at this photograph.

Liz dupree. That's my name.

That's been my name for the past... The photograph.

Yeah, well, what about it? It's just a photograph.

There's hundreds like it in this place.

And I'm late for work. Look closely at it.

She sighs yeah. Very nice.

Your friend, Ruth Phillips. Yeah, that's her name.

But I never told you. She shared a room with you?

Of course she shared a room with me. Until a few months ago?

Yes, I've already told you that.

Can you see her in the photograph?

See her in it? In that thing? How can I see her in that thing?

That thing must be a thousand years old.

87. What?

It's exactly 87 years old, give or take a week.

The building at the far end of the street.

The top floor in the window.

I'm not sure. I mean, it could be anybody.

Here.

All right, so it looks a bit like her.

Same shape face. It is Ruth.

If this picture's 80 years old... Look here.

..Then how the hell can it...? I said, look there.

So what am I looking for this time? Just look.

I don't believe it. Him?

Williamson. Yeah.

Your previous landlord. That's right, yeah.

Who disappeared about the same time as your friend Ruth? Yeah.

One, two.

Now, wait a minute. Anyone can play tricks with a photo, fake it.

They can, yes.

Especially if they know what they're doing.

If they're professional.

And he was. Mr Williamson was.

He probably did that. Faked that thing.

Why should he do that? Listen, would you mind...

Because it was his job, his hobby. All of it was. Everything.

Listen, I have to work... 'Sapphire.'

..to concentrate. So would you mind?

Would I what? Listen, you're not the only one who has to work.

Liz, will you come with me? I need your help.

Shutter clicks

is Ruth interested in photography? Oh, yeah.

She couldn't take a picture, though, to save her life.

She likes watching, though, seeing how it's done.

She used to spend hours in that darkroom with old Williamson.

Hours and hours, just watching the man as he worked.

He used to fascinate her.

It's only a cellar.

Have you finished with me yet?

Was Ruth in the darkroom that night?

What night? The night she disappeared.

Look, no-one's proved she's disappeared.

I don't know. I suppose she must have been.

I mean, she never took a coat, so I doubt she'd have gone out.

I suppose she must have been there.

Mr Williamson, what did he do?

Do? Yeah.

Well, he must have done something wrong.

Accidentally, yes.

So, what was it?

Something to do with his photography?

Yes. He let something in.

From where?

In the house? What? Just what are you talking about?

Well, we're hoping perhaps Ruth will be able to tell us

when we talk to her.

Keys jangling

if you reckon that Ruth is stuck in some picture,

then how are you going to talk to her?

You'll see.

Nobody can talk to a photograph and get an answer.

It's not locked, just jammed.

Something I do happen to know.

I've spent half my lifetime making quick exits.

How about you?

Back yard. Ok?

Here, that's funny.

Where's the kids?

Oh, they must have gone.

Oh, what a shame.

They bring a bit of life into the place,

the sound of them playing their games.

Skipping and that. Singing their funny songs.

Know what's funny? I used to think they were foreign or something.

Or from the country.

Their songs always seemed sort of... old.

Sort of old-fashioned.

Do you know what I mean? Yes.

It's funny, though. I've never seen their parents.

I mean, no-one comes to look for them and take them in.

I mean, they're out here playing till all hours,

and no-one comes and gets them.

Anyway, they're definitely not here now.

Oh, there they are. They must have been hiding.

Here, what's the matter with them?

I frightened them.

Frightened them? Do you like frightening children?

They're not exactly children.

You don't entirely believe me, do you?

Well, not 100%, no.

Go and look.

I will.

Small ghosts. Isn't that what you once called them?

Yeah, but I didn't mean these.

The same?

Ghosts? That's one way of describing them.

Except that these are ghosts before death, not after.

What's the matter with them?

Their clothes?

Their colour? That's close enough. Let's go.

Oh, poor little boy.

Do you want your mum and dad, do you? Liz.

Poor little soul.

Is that proof enough for you?

'I'm ready.

'I'm ready.'

were those the clothes she was wearing

the night she disappeared?

Photos?

You mean, this man, he can actually put people into photos? Yes.

And take them out again? Like those children?

He can, yes. Poor Ruth.

Now, I'm going to try to communicate with her.

Can I help? You just sit there and be quiet.

Sure I can't put myself in a trance for you?

I mean, that's my friend.

My best friend. You just sit there.

If we need you to be put into a trance, then she'll do it.

Get on with it.

Ruth?

Ruth?

Can you hear me, Ruth?

Can you try to speak to me?

Try, Ruth. Try it.

Try to speak to me with your mind.

I can help you.

Please, Ruth. Try very hard.

'As I was going up the stair...'

that's her! Her voice!

Be quiet!

'What is it?

'A rhyme I knew when I was a kid.

'How did it go?' Tell us.

'Hang on. I'm trying my best.

'Yes, that's it.

'As I... as I was going up the stair,

'i met a man who wasn't there.

'He wasn't there again today.

'I wish, I wish he'd stay away.

'Yes, that's it.

'That's the one. I remember it.'

why do you remember that rhyme in particular?

'Because I'm remembering a lot of things these days,

'like... like it's like daydreaming.

'Oh, no. I know why I remember that. It was the man.

'The man on the stair.

'That's weird.

'That seems like the last memory I've ever had.

'There's been nothing to remember since.'

do you know where you are? 'No.'

can you see anything?

'Not really, no.

'Only my thoughts.

'Things I remember.

'It's, well, it's a bit like being asleep,

'like having an operation.

'When I was a kid, I had an operation. It's a bit like that.

'Dreams and real things, they all sort of get mixed up in my head.

'Am I going to be all right?'

Ruth!

'The experiment. Ask her about the experiment.'

yes, you're going to be all right. 'Oh, good.'

Ruth, the man on the stair...?

'He just appeared, that's all. I was with mr Williamson.

'He was working, and then a man came. He just appeared.'

what was mr Williamson working on at that precise moment?

'I don't know. Some sort of photograph.

'Are you sure I'm not in danger?' Yes, I'm quite sure.

Ruth, where was mr Williamson working? In his photographic room?

'Yeah, in the darkroom.'

but you can't remember exactly what he was doing?

'No, not really.

'He was very pleased, excited.

'He said he'd discovered something.

'I said, "would it make him rich?" And he laughed. I remember.

'He was ever so pleased. He said he'd found a way to...'

clattering 'what's happening?

'What's happening? What's happening?

'What's happening? What's happening?

'No! No!' She screams

'no! No!'

she screams

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