
Eegah
Season 2 Episode 7 | 1h 56m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
Beloved Bond villian Richard "Jaws" Kiel stars as the title character
Beloved Bond villain Richard "Jaws" Kiel stars as the title character, a prehistoric caveman living in 1962 California, whose life is subsequently ruined by an adventure writer looking for easily exploited subject matter, his drippy daughter and her talent-less, oddly misshapen boyfriend.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
Nightmare Theatre is a local public television program presented by WSRE PBS
Nightmare Theatre is a local production supported by Pensacon and The Fish House.

Eegah
Season 2 Episode 7 | 1h 56m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
Beloved Bond villain Richard "Jaws" Kiel stars as the title character, a prehistoric caveman living in 1962 California, whose life is subsequently ruined by an adventure writer looking for easily exploited subject matter, his drippy daughter and her talent-less, oddly misshapen boyfriend.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Nightmare Theatre
Nightmare Theatre is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship(thunder rumbles) ♪ One day the devil came to him ♪ For he was a minor demon ♪ Asked him to torture some humans ♪ ♪ With his two friends in tow ♪ Mittens and El Sapo ♪ The Baron Mondo Von Doren ♪ On Nightmare Theatre - Listen, Charlie was a tuna.
He wore a hat and glasses, and he was always trying to talk his way into a Starkist can.
Yes, he had some sort of horrible death wish.
It made no sense.
It was like he was begging the tuna people to process him into food.
He had a million crazy schemes designed to get in the can.
And each time they told him no, he'd just get upset.
I mean, fish are funny.
Oh, we're on.
Hello again, and welcome to Nightmare Theatre.
Mittens and I were just discussing great commercials and fishy death wishes as we wait for El Sapo to show up with tonight's movie.
He should be here any moment now.
- Hello, guys.
Sorry I am late See, I got held up down at the zoo.
- The zoo?
- Yeah, I got me a part-time job helping the tigers exercise.
See, they coat they me down with meat juice and blood and then they turn me loose into the tiger cage.
- I, I don't wanna hear it.
What I really wanted to hear is that you found a movie for tonight.
- Well, I guess I'm gonna have to disappoint you there, boss, because I don't.
One of the tigers had me clear up a tree, and I did manage to find this.
It was stuffed in a hornet's nest.
The hornets put up a fight, but I managed to get it away from 'em.
Only 45 stings this time!
- Amazing story, there Ross Allen.
What's this?
Oh boy.
Another chapter of “Radar Men from the Moon ”, joy.
- Do you think you could show it while I run and find a film?
- Sure.
Man, I wish they had some faster tigers at that zoo.
Folks, sit back and try to enjoy this latest chapter.
(Baron sighs) (dramatic orchestral music) (Cody whooshing) (slow orchestral music) (engine rumbling) - You think we'll meet them on the road?
- Got a good chance to.
(suspenseful music) - There it is!
It's gonna crash into us!
- [Driver] Bail out!
(metal crashing) (gentle orchestral music) - Here's the payroll.
Followed him right where he was throwin' us.
- Splendid.
Now, we can-- - Calling Krog.
Retik calling Krog.
- Yes, Your Excellency.
I was just about to call you to report that we are about to put our ray gun into operation again.
- I have another mission for you first.
Do you have an atomic bomb strong enough to start a volcanic eruption in the Mount Alta Crater?
- Yes, but an eruption in that mountainous area would do very little damage.
- On the contrary, it will do a great deal of damage.
The present atmospheric conditions on Earth indicate that the eruption would cause torrential rains, and the resulting floods should seriously disrupt transportation and defense measures.
- Excellent idea, we shall carry it out at once.
- Very well.
Then start an intensified campaign with the ray gun.
Earth's defenses must be completely broken down before we can risk an invasion from the moon.
- Yes, Your Excellency.
You heard the orders.
Charter a plane and drop one of our atomic bombs into the Alta Crater.
Nature will do the rest.
- Okay, when do we do it?
- At once.
I will get you the bomb.
(bold orchestral music) (plane rumbling) - There it goes.
(explosion booming) (volcano roaring) (thunder rumbling) (water splashing) (dam roaring) - If the moon men did start that eruption, they certainly got results.
- Well, somebody must've started it.
That volcano's been dead for years.
Took quite a blast to get it going again.
An atomic bomb dropped from a plane would seem to be the only answer.
- You know, Commander Cody thinks that maybe.
- How'd you make out?
- I think we're on the right track.
The second airport I checked had charted the plane on the day of the eruption to two men, answering the description of Graber and his pal.
- Then we're right.
They're the ones who bombed the volcano.
- Looks like it.
- Yes, but that doesn't help us catch them.
Couldn't you get a line on them?
- The names and addresses they gave are phony, but I did get one break.
The airport manager borrowed these matches from Graber and forgot to give 'em back.
- Al's Cafe.
That might do us some good.
- It at least means they've been there.
And if we're lucky, they might be regular customers.
So let's go look the joint over.
- Right.
- We hear anything, Joan, we'll give you a call.
- Yeah, I know the guys you mean.
They come in here pretty often, but I don't know their names or anything about 'em.
- Well, if they show up, I wish you'd call me.
- Oh, sure.
I sure will, Mr. Cody.
- Thanks.
(dramatic orchestral music) (punches thudding) (object smacks) (punches smacking) - Drop it, or I'll kill 'em.
You and the cops try to follow us, I'll give it to 'em quick.
(traffic humming) - They took your pal, Mr. Cody.
You gonna call the cops?
- I don't dare to.
They'd kill 'em sure.
(suspenseful music) (door bangs) (tires screech) - [Graber] We'll never find 'em down there.
- You're right.
As soon as he can get to a phone, he'll have the cops on our trail.
The road to Clark Mountain is just up ahead.
We'll hide out there until Krog can send us another car.
(doors thud) Calling Krog, Calling Krog.
- [Krog] Come in, Graber.
- We just had a run-in with Cody again.
The car's hot.
We'll have to have another one.
- [Krog] Where are you?
- We're heading up to Clark Mountain.
We'll stop before we get to the top and wait there.
- Very well, I'll have another car out there as soon as possible.
(engine revs) - Whaddya think they'll do to him?
- Oh, it's hard to tell.
They'll certainly hold him until they-- (phone rings) Cody Laboratory.
Ted, where are you?
- In a gas station on Highway 17.
I jumped out of the car and gave 'em the slip.
- Good work.
Now we can go after them.
Where are they heading?
- They were going up the Clark Mountain Road.
- I'll use the rocket suit and try to find them.
- Okay, don't worry about me.
I'll thumb a ride back to town.
- Phone the police, and tell 'em to block the highway on the other side of the mountain.
- Right.
(suspenseful music) (Cody whooshing) - Hey, Daly.
Quit worryin'.
Car can't get here for a while yet.
(Cody whooshing) - Hey, hey it's Cody.
(guns firing) (bullet zings) (guns firing) (bullets zinging) - It's time to get outta here.
Follow me, keep low.
(guns firing) When Cody gets here, give yourself up.
Try not to get to close to him.
- Look, I-- - Don't argue.
Do what I tell ya.
- [Cody] Don't move.
Drop your gun.
Where's Graber?
(rock thuds) (dramatic music) - Hello, and welcome back to Nightmare Theatre.
Whew, another episode of “Radar Men from the Moon ”.
Each episode is more exciting than the one before yet somehow less exciting than the one that follows.
I'm not even sure how that's possible.
Where is El Sapo?
- Hey, boss, here I am.
Check out what I found.
This one, it was on the shelf all by itself.
And I guess that means it was in a place of honor, right?
It will probably be the single greatest film we've ever shown.
- Really, what is it?
(sighs) Oh, Sapo, did you read the film can?
This says “Eegah ”!
- Yeah, I read it.
I thought it was an acronym.
“Everyone Enjoys Great American Horror ”.
I thought it might be a documentary or something we could show for once.
- Sadly, it's not.
It's a horrible, confusing, convoluted mess of a film.
Literally, one of the worst films ever made.
I know I say that a lot, and I mean it when I say it, but this film is in a class by itself.
- That's probably why it was on its own shelf, so it wouldn't infect the other films.
- You may be right.
I could talk about how bad this film is from now until doomsday, and I'd still have bad things to say about this celluloid mistake.
- Oh, come on, it can't possibly be that bad, boss.
- It can, and it is.
So bad, in fact, that after the filming was finished, they realized the sound guy had forgotten to record a lot of the movie.
So they had to dub it all in post-production.
If the sound on this film seems off, that's because it absolutely is.
- That happened to me, once.
- I'm sure.
This film was shot $15,000 in just 14 days.
- Arch Hall, Sr., the alleged director, who used the name Nicholas Merriweather in the credits, had to sell his car to make the money to make the film.
Hall, Sr. Wrote and directed this film explicitly to launch the career of his son, Arch Hall, Jr. - [El Sapo] Does it have any other claim to fame, boss?
- Well, it also features actor and director Ray Dennis Steckler.
Steckler made such films as Rat Phink a Boo Boo, The Hollywood Strangler Meets the Skid Row Slasher, and, I swear I'm not making this up, a motion picture entitled The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed Up Zombies.
- Anything else you can tell us about this film, boss?
- Well, you'll see one of the locations in the film is a cave that was once used in another unwatchable mess of a film.
It was the same cave from the disasterpiece Robot Monster shot from a slightly different angle.
- [El Sapo] Well, tell me this, professor.
How did Arch Hall, Sr. come up with the idea for Eegah?
- Basically, he saw the great Richard Kiel working as a bouncer in a bar.
Now, Kiel was 7'2", and inspiration struck him.
Arch Hall, Sr. instantly came up with the idea.
Now, he could've just as easily made a movie about a wacky basketball player who saves the teen center, or a tale of a friendly giant that helps out some villagers.
Nope, he came up with Eegah.
Now, Kiel, of course, went on to appear often playing monsters and aliens on TV shows like The Twilight Zone and Kolchak the Night Stalker.
- Does this star anyone else?
Anyone who's even remotely heard of?
- No, not a soul.
Well, I guess there is Bill Rice.
He's briefly seen as a chef.
He managed to achieve minor fame as a songwriter when Elvis Presley recorded his song "Girl Next Door Went A-Walkin'."
- I have never heard that song in my life.
- Exactly.
And if I hadn't just told you, you never would have.
Basically, this film is a vortex of sadness, a black hole of despair.
The only one who managed to escape its gravitational pull was Richard Kiel, and it looks like we're the next victims.
So sit back, relax, as we present the 1962 embarrassment, Eegah, here, on Nightmare Theatre.
(slow instrumental music) (thunder rumbling) (thunder rumbling) - [Man] Eegah.
(thunder rumbling) (thunder rumbling) (wind whistling) (traffic hums) (engine rumbles) (horn honks) - Hi, Roxy!
What are you doing in town?
Thought I was supposed to meet you up at the club.
- Well, you still are.
I just bought myself a new swimming suit tonight.
- [Tom] Oh?
- Yes.
See?
- That?
(pump dings) Well, I get off work in 10 minutes.
- Follow me out then.
- Follow you?
Listen, I can change clothes and beat you out there.
(Roxy scoffs) That's my girl.
Her father's Robert I. Miller.
Writes all those adventure books.
You oughta see her swim.
- Hey!
- [Tom] Gee, I sure am sorry, sir.
I guess I was thinking about having dinner with my girl.
She lives up at the club.
(engine revving) (tires screeching) (dramatic music) (man speaks in foreign language) (man grumbling) (man speaks in foreign language) (goat bleating) (horn honks) (man shouts in foreign language) (Roxy screams) (Roxy screams) - Roxy, it's me, Tom.
- Oh, Tommy, oh!
- [Tom] What's a matter, what happened?
- Is he gone?
- [Tom] Who?
- Is he?
- I don't see anybody.
Just take it easy and tell me what happened.
- [Roxy] I saw a giant.
- [Tom] What?
- Well, I did.
Honest, I saw a giant.
No, it was right in the middle of the road.
Not a half mile from here.
He doesn't believe me.
- You didn't really expect anyone to, did you, Miss Miller?
- Why not, it's the truth.
- Honey, a prehistoric monster is a rather large order to swallow.
- Dad, I didn't say he was a monster.
He was a giant.
You know, a caveman.
- [Man] Club and all, eh?
- Yes.
- What my daughter saw she saw.
Now let's just let it go at that.
- Okay, but if you see your giant again, let me know in time to take some pictures?
- [Robert] She will.
- Dad, you don't believe me either.
- Roxy, of course I believe you.
I believe you saw something.
- Well, I saw a giant.
A prehistoric giant.
- How about it, Tom, what'd you see?
- Like I told you, Mr. Miller, I wasn't there until afterwards.
- Tommy Nelson, I know what I saw.
- Sure, Roxy, but I mean, giants?
- There were giants.
The Bible says so.
- Yes, it does, in the book of Genesis.
Something about in those days, giants walked the Earth.
- Well then?
- Maybe we can get some flashlights and go out and take a look for ourselves.
Huh?
- No, this thing can wait until morning.
Now you kids go and take your swim before the pool closes.
- [Roxy] In the morning, now.
- It's a promise.
(diners chattering) (crickets chirping) - Dad still doesn't believe me.
- Sure he does.
- And neither do you.
- I swear on my Elvis Presley LP.
How big did you say he was?
- Oh, bigger than anybody you ever saw.
- I bet you were scared, huh?
- A little, but I had the funniest feeling he wouldn't hurt me.
- Yeah?
- In fact, I thought it was kind of cute.
- Oh!
(gentle orchestral music) - [Robert] Could you have imagined the whole thing?
- [Roxy] No.
- Well, let's be realistic about this.
You said yourself that you fainted.
Isn't it possible that you dreamed this whole idea?
- No, Dad, I didn't.
There was a giant.
- Now, I don't want to call this story of yours a lot of foolishness, and I haven't so far, have I?
- No.
- But if there were a giant, if anyone at all had been here-- - [Tom] Mr. Miller, come here!
- What'd you find?
- [Tom] I don't know.
It sure looks like a footprint, though.
- [Roxy] Let me see.
Dad, look, there's the heel, and there's the toes.
- Look at the size of that.
It must've been made by a-- - Say it.
- A giant.
- What did I tell you?
And that's for finding it.
- I'll find the big boy himself for you if you feel like that.
- He left the road right here.
Watch out for snakes.
- Ew!
- [Robert] You better go back to the car.
- [Roxy] No, he's my giant.
- Holy cow, he was standing right here watching us.
And then he turned and took off, for.
(suspenseful music) - Shadow Mountain.
Do you suppose that's where he lives?
- It's possible.
That would account for his never having been seen before.
- It's too bad we didn't bring the dune buggy.
We could go after him.
- What for?
- I can get some pictures.
Maybe even to bring him back.
A lot of people aren't going to believe this giant jazz.
- No, we're not saying a thing about this, you understand?
- Why not?
After the way everyone laughed at me.
- Your turn'll come.
I'm going up on Shadow Mountain with a camera.
- Are you going to write a book about the giant, Mr. Miller?
- That's the idea, Tommy.
- I'll take you up there.
My dune buggy's all ready to go.
- No thanks.
- It is!
I just gave it the works.
- There's no offense, son, but I'd like to take this trip in something a little bit safer.
(vehicle humming) I'll see you in about two days at the most.
- Well, please take care of yourself.
- Now my credit cards are in the desk drawer.
You make sure you leave them there.
- This thing's supposed to be safer than my dune buggy?
- All right, Kruger, let's go.
(helicopter rumbling) Now don't you forget.
I want you to meet me at the mouth of Deep Canyon tomorrow at four.
(suspenseful music) (dramatic music) (man grumbling) (rhythmic drum music) (dramatic music) - No!
(man chuckling) Wait, wait.
No, no.
- Welcome back.
Well folks, so far, Eegah is everything I said it would be and less, isn't it?
- Don't know, boss, it's no that bad.
I mean, so far we've seen some very nice cars, and, well, we've seen some nice cars.
- Yeah sure, the cars are nice, but we have also seen the ugliest man to ever walk the face of the Earth.
- Boss, that is not a very nice thing to say about Richard Kiel.
He is exactly as the good lord made him.
- Richard Kiel, I'm not talking about him, he's fine.
He's great.
I knew Richard Kiel, he was a nice man, one of the nicest men who ever lived.
A true gentle giant.
He'd give you the shirt off his back even if you didn't ask him for it.
I mean, sometimes he's still just give it to you, and, I mean, it would never fit, but we'd take it anyway just so we wouldn't hurt his feelings.
I mean, Richard Kiel played some great roles.
He was Jaws in the James Bond movies.
He was in The Longest Yard, but he's best remember as the Kanamit in the classic Twilight Zone episode “To Serve Man ” .
That episode came out the same year as this movie.
Kiel was a good guy and a nice man, and he looked just fine to me.
- Then who were you talking about?
- Arch Hall, Jr. - Oh, that guy.
Yeah, he is one unsightly man.
Yet, his girlfriend is extremely attractive, and that's a mystery to me, boss.
- Well, Sapo, not really.
See, this is a movie, it isn't real.
She wasn't his real girlfriend.
That lady was an “actress ”, and apparently a great one, because she could play Arch's girlfriend with a straight face.
Remember, Kiel was not a real caveman anymore than he was a real Kanamit, but he was acting, and Arch Hall, Jr. was not acting.
He really does look like that.
- But there has to be something good we can say about the man.
- Nope.
In fact, I'd like to ask parents out there watching with small children to do me a favor.
Have your kids leave the room for just a minute.
I mean, look at him.
This man is downright unsightly.
Just take a look at this guy.
Have you ever seen a face like this before?
- Mittens says he did once, but it was in a nightmare, and he's asking you to put the picture down.
- See folks, even Mittens can't stand to look at this guy.
And look, I know I'm no matinee idol.
- Oh, you are to us, boss.
- Well thanks, but my point is this man is repugnant, and I'm sorry you have to look at him.
There's nothing I can do about it now, folks.
Unless-- - Unless, what, boss?
- Quiet, you, I'm thinkin'.
Have an idea, but for now, let's return to the 1962 crime against humanity that is Eegah here on Nightmare Theatre.
(children chattering playfully) (water splashes) ♪ Ee, Vicky ♪ I love you Vicky ♪ Ah ♪ You know I do ♪ Ah ♪ My whole life has changed ♪ For the first day we met ♪ Was my last day ♪ With you ♪ Ah ♪ Vicky, oh Vicky ♪ What have I done ♪ Oh ♪ Why can't we make up ♪ We can have so much fun ♪ Ah ♪ If you don't love me ♪ I was a fool ♪ Oh Vicky ♪ You are my love ♪ Vicky, oh Vicky ♪ I'm so alone ♪ Ah ♪ If you could just talk to me ♪ If I could just call you ♪ On the phone ♪ Ah ♪ Would you give one more chance ♪ ♪ To a fool ♪ Oh Vicky ♪ You are my love ♪ Vicky, Vicky, Vicky, ah ♪ You are my love ♪ Vicky ♪ You are my love - Hello?
Yes.
Dad'll understand, it's just one of those things.
Just a minute, please.
Do you know where Deep Canyon is?
- Yeah.
- Are you sure?
- Sure, I'm sure.
I've been there lots of times, why?
- Don't worry, Mr. Kruger, I'll take care of it.
Yes.
Thanks for calling, goodbye.
- What's up?
- That was Mr. Kruger from the airport.
The helicopter blew a gasket or something.
He won't be able to pick Dad up.
- At Deep Canyon?
- [Roxy] Yes.
- No problem.
We'll get the dune buggy, and we'll whiz right out there.
- This is whizzing?
- Wait'll we get on the highway.
Hang onto your garter belt.
- But there's no road here.
- This is what the buggy was made for.
(engine rumbles) (uptempo instrumental music) - [Roxy] We sure bounce.
- [Tom] My tires are filled with water.
- [Roxy] To keep 'em cool?
- No, the weight.
Gives me traction in the sand.
Watch this.
(engine rumbles) (gentle instrumental music) There you are, Deep Canyon.
- I don't see Dad anyplace.
- Maybe we're early.
- [Roxy] It's past 4:30.
- Hey, take it easy on that water.
- [Roxy] Well, I don't want it to dry out before Dad gets here.
And don't you eat anymore.
- [Tom] Okay.
- [Roxy] It's nine o'clock.
What do you suppose happened?
- Oh, nothing happened.
He's not coming on a bus, you know?
You can't expect him to be right on the dot.
- I know, but he should have made it before dark.
- Don't worry about it.
He'll see the campfire and come walking in on us any minute now.
- That's what you said two hours ago.
- Well, he will.
- Well if you believe that, what's the idea of the bedrolls?
- Look, I carry all this junk in the buggy anyways, so you might as well get some use out of it.
- I'm not sleepy.
- So just lie down, take a rest for a while.
I'll keep the fire going.
(gun clicks) - Hey, what are you doing with that?
- I always carry a gun in the desert.
There's coyotes around the camp.
- Put it away, we're not playing cowboy.
- You know, there's mountain lions around here too.
- Well, they won't come near a fire, I know that much.
And I'm not going to have you take a shot at something that turns out to be Dad.
- Okay, okay.
I'll put it away on one condition.
That you crawl in and get some rest.
- Okay.
(wind whistling) (gentle instrumental music) (Tom whistling) ♪ Oh ♪ Oh ♪ Oh ♪ Oh ♪ Oh ♪ If I had a thousand paintings ♪ ♪ In a marble gallery ♪ Doo be doo be be doo be doo ♪ Every single picture ♪ Doo be doo ♪ Would be of Valerie ♪ Doo be doo be doo be do ♪ The vitamins are good they say ♪ ♪ And so a gallery ♪ But I feel like a tiger on one kiss from Valerie ♪ ♪ I couldn't stand tomorrow ♪ And they can have today ♪ If someone took my Valerie a half a mile away ♪ ♪ If I had a billion dollars ♪ And a banker's salary ♪ I'd spend it all on flowers ♪ To give to Valerie (Tom whistles melodically) - Now who's Valerie?
- Well, now wouldn't you like to know?
- Tom?
Tom?
- [Tom] Yeah?
- Do you suppose Dad found the giant, or the giant found him?
- [Tom] Nah.
The giant probably is way up in the mountain.
Your dad wasn't going that far.
- I guess not.
(boisterous music) - Oh, it's my transistor.
Something's wrong with it.
- No kidding.
- Yeah, sometimes a bump starts it off, and you gotta hit it again to stop it.
(wind whistling) (objects clattering) (giant grunting) (giant slurping) (Roxy sighs) (uptempo jazz music) Oh, I must have bumped it again.
- You must have!
Hey, have you been at this?
We were saving for Dad.
- What?
The stew.
- I didn't touch it.
- Well, I sure didn't.
And look at.
(suspenseful music) (club thuds) What'd you do that for?
- Listen, if he comes back for that club, we don't want to be anywhere around here.
(creature calls) - Welcome back.
I know it's hard to keep watching.
I know the movie isn't very good.
I know with every change in scene Arch Hall, Jr. might leap out of your TV set at you, but try to make it through to the end.
Strength comes from adversity, and what does not kill us only makes us stronger.
- Boss, boss, please tell me.
How many more scenes are there with Arch Hall, Jr. in them?
Mittens and I are gonna have to watch the movie with both our eyes closed.
- No, you won't, boys.
Ladies and gentlemen, I don't wanna alarm you, but Arch Hall, Jr. Has at least eight other acting credits to his name.
- Oh no, boss.
That means literally every time I turn on this TV I might see his ugly mug staring back at me!
- That's right, El Sapo, that's a real possibility, especially if you watch our show.
- So should I just never watch TV again?
You know I can't fall asleep within watching The Golden Girls and Designing Women!
- Have no fear, El Sapo.
As usual, I'm three miles ahead of you.
The boys down at the lab and I have perfected a new product.
Arch Hall, Jr. Blockers.
Now, when you watch TV, all you have to do is wear these special glasses.
Thanks to proprietary software, a special chip in the glasses communicates with your TV.
Any time Arch Hall, Jr.'s face appears, the latest in experimental, non-lethal military technology will release a small explosive charge into your eyes, rendering you blind for up to five minutes.
- Five minutes?
- I said it's experimental.
And it's a small price to pay to avoid looking at this guy.
- That's a good point, boss.
But these glasses are very uncomfortable!
- Listen, they're designed for safety, not comfort.
But the threat of seeing Arch Hall, Jr.'s face far outweighs any potential comfort concerns.
- I'll buy a set, maybe even two sets.
Mittens has a birthday coming up, you know.
- Avoid Arch, for the safety and sanity of your family, order your set of Arch Hall, Jr. Blockers today!
Or else you just might have to see this guy.
- I've gone blind!
- Trust me.
You're gonna wish you had them as we return to Eegah here on Nightmare Theatre.
(engine rumbling) - [Roxy] Tommy, stop!
- [Tom] What?
(suspenseful music) - It's Dad's camera.
- Are you sure it is?
- Well, I borrowed it enough.
Look at the way it's smashed.
- Well, he couldn't have dropped it.
- Well, then why didn't he pick it up?
- Well, it's broken, it's no good to him.
- Oh, well, it's also insured.
Let's not kid ourselves.
- Let's not jump to conclusions either.
Come on, let's try that next ravine.
Let's go.
(engine rumbling) One way or the other, what do you think?
- I don't know.
- I'll climb up there a ways and see if the buggy can get through.
No, you'd better stay here.
- No!
- There's no reason for both of us going.
We gotta come back to the buggy anyway.
- Well, then we'll come back.
I'm not going to sit here doing nothing.
- Oh, women.
Look, you stay here with the buggy-- - Nope.
- And drive it to meet me when I give you the signal.
That'll save us both a trip.
Come on.
- Well, okay.
- Okay.
Ah, the gun, toss it.
(gun clicks) Give me a blast on that horn if you see anything.
- Don't worry about that.
(suspenseful music) (wind howling) (Roxy screams) (horn honks) - Roxy, Roxy!
Roxy!
Roxy, where are ya?
(wind howling) (gentle instrumental music) (Robert grumbling) (giant grunting) - Roxy.
Roxy.
Roxy?
Roxy!
- [Roxy] Dad.
Oh, Dad!
- Oh!
Oh, are you hurt?
- I think my collarbone's broke.
- Here, let me help you.
- How did you get here?
- Well, we came looking for you, and we're both so worried that we didn't know what to do.
- No, no.
No, no, no.
No, no, no.
She's mine.
She mine.
- He understands you.
- Oh, we got a beautiful friendship going.
Take it easy.
- Ah, Dad!
- Don't do anything to scare him.
- Me scare him?
- Smile.
Smile.
(giant sniffing) He likes your perfume.
- Smell all you want, go ahead.
- What became of the others?
- What others?
- Keep smiling.
You didn't come out here alone, did you?
- No.
Tom's with me.
I mean, he's out there someplace.
- He's just curious, hold still.
- It's real, see?
- He's looking.
- What's he doing?
- Looking for lice, I believe.
Be careful, honey, take it easy.
He won't hurt you.
- He hurt you!
- Nope, I did that myself when I fell on the camera.
- Dad, I think you better break this up before I scream.
- Tell him you're hungry.
- I'm not.
- Well, think of the alternative.
- I'm hungry.
- Mm-hm.
- Yeah.
Hungry.
(giant grumbling) What are those?
- Those are his relatives.
(giant speaks in foreign language) - They're dead.
- Yes, apparently for some time.
- Come on, Dad.
Let's make a run for it.
- That won't work.
The entrance is blocked.
- What are we to do?
I don't know, but we'll think of something.
He's telling his family all about you.
He told them about me last night.
- Think how lonely he must be.
I know whatever he is, he's a human being.
(giant speaks in foreign language) - What'll I do?
- It'll be all right, play it by ear.
Don't upset him.
- [Roxy] Okay.
- [Robert] He's telling them he has guests for dinner.
- [Roxy] How do you do?
- [Robert] Well, that one looked like a very important ancestor.
Shake hands with him, Roxy.
- Oh, Dad.
Pleased to meet you.
Does he know they're dead?
- I think so.
He just can't make himself accept it.
- I'm not having any trouble.
And how are you feeling today?
Oh, that's fine.
(giant speaks in foreign language) (giant grumbling) (gentle instrumental music) I can't eat any more of this.
- Fake it.
- That's what I've been doing.
Now I'm getting sick.
- Eegah.
- Is that his name?
- It might be.
That's the word he says most of the time.
Eegah.
- Oh, Dad, no.
That's all I need now is a good drink of sulfur water.
Ew, I don't see how anybody can drink that horrible stuff.
I guess it can't hurt me.
- Make it last as long as you can.
He won't hurt you if you're doing something.
- A prehistoric gentleman, huh?
Thank you.
Well, here's to you.
(groans) This water doesn't make you strong.
You have to be strong to drink it in the first place.
No, no, I'm still thirsty.
Thank you.
(groaning) That does it.
(giant speaks in foreign language) - [Robert] What is it?
- Believe it or not, Dad, I'm going to look at his etchings.
Oh, this is nice.
No, no, this.
(giant speaks in foreign language) I see what you mean.
Dad!
- What is it?
- Look at this drawing.
It's me in my car.
This one, it's me!
- [Tom] Roxy, Roxy!
- [Roxy] If Eegah makes me drink any of this sulfur water, I'll die.
- We've got to keep him busy.
- I know.
And it's not so bad, as a matter of fact.
A bit bitter.
It seems to have a certain quality that's good for you.
I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the sulfur in these walls isn't what's kept these giants alive all these years.
- You mean these giants have always been here?
- Where have you seen those before?
- In that cave in France.
- Exactly.
- Sure.
- Same style, same everything.
Definitely prehistoric.
Yes, I'd say that he and his tribe have always been here.
- Are there others?
- No, he's the last one.
- How can you be sure?
Have a good look at his family.
From the condition of the shrouds, I'd say the last one died 50, 100 years ago.
How old does that make him?
- Oh, I wouldn't-- (Eegah groans) (suspenseful music) (Eegah speaks in foreign language) - Here it comes.
- No.
(Eegah speaks in foreign language) (suspenseful music) - [Robert] Roxy?
Roxy?
Roxy?
(Roxy gasps) - [Roxy] Oh, it's you, Dad.
- Go see if the rock's in place.
He's gone, now's our chance.
- It's there.
What are we going to do?
- [Robert] Oh.
- [Roxy] What can I do?
- Help me back.
I gotta sit down, no no, don't touch me.
- It's gotta be tied up or something, doesn't it?
- There's some aspirin in my gear bag.
- I don't see it.
- He brought it here.
Must be around someplace.
Keep looking, he probably hid it somewhere.
- Oh, here it is.
- The apirin's in that small pocket.
(Robert coughs) Give me two.
- Drink a lot of water.
It'll give you strength.
- It won't knit bones, honey.
- It's got to be tied up or something, doesn't it?
- No, it feels pretty good.
- Liar.
- That's no way to talk to your father.
- The trouble with you is I've spoiled you.
- You sure did.
(chuckles) (water gurgling) - [Roxy] What can I do?
- Nothing, I'll just sit here.
- How about if I washed your face?
Or gave you a shave?
It'll make you feel better.
You got all your junk here.
- Okay.
(thunder rumbles) (uptempo rock music) - So there as the guy, you know, he was out fishing-- - [El Sapo] He was out fishing, catch a fish.
- Yeah, he said aliens abducted him.
- [El Sapo] Aliens abducted him.
- It's kind of a famous thing in Mississippi.
- [El Sapo] Tell me about that later.
- Look, once again, here he is, the mysterious Curator, and he's brought us more wonderful things from the Merrill Movie Museum, so-- - Where does this guy live, again?
- Oh yeah, where does he live, in the sub basement, right?
The sub, sub, sub, sub basement?
Yeah, that's it.
By the way, have you gotten the rent check for this month?
- [El Sapo] I haven't got it yet.
Remind me later.
- It's in the mail, probably.
So what do you have for us tonight?
- [Curator] So tonight we have an animation cell and background from the classic 1992 X-Men animated series.
- [El Sapo] With Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.
- That's the X-Files.
- X-Files.
- This is one of the most important superhero animated series ever made.
This is really, forms the foundation of what we now see in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the kind of storytelling that's done.
This is really the first time that kind of storytelling was done for another medium outside of comics.
And it has continued to be highly influential for the past 25 years.
- And, of course, the X-Men themselves date back to the 1960s.
They've evolved in the 1970s, we got a whole new team of X-Men.
The original team sort of stepped into the background, and then, of course, then later they were brought back.
And now, the whole X-Men universe is huge, and a million characters, and we're gonna see even more of them.
We've heard recently that they've been brought into the continuity of the new Marvel Universe.
So we're probably going to see the X-Men show up in movies.
But this, of course, is Rogue, who, interesting character, her mutant ability, which is what these guys are, mutants, they have different powers.
Hers, of course, is to absorb the powers of another mutant that she touches, so it always made for some great storylines and things with her involved.
There's kind of an ongoing thing with her and Gambit, who is another character.
And could they even kiss, could they even touch each other because her power would take his power.
Really interesting stuff.
A lot of stuff in the X-Men series kind of reflected society.
- Yeah, not just take his power, but it would weaken him and could eventually kill him if she touched him for too long but another interesting thing about this, of course, is that it's not done on computers, like a lot of animation is now.
So this is literally, somebody would've hand-drawn and painted this cell, and the background is actually a separate element.
So the background itself would've been painted separately, and then the animation would've been run against the background.
So in this case, I guess Rogue is saying, “Not tonight, Gambit, I've got a headache.
” But there would've been something that would've caused all this swirling, and it's probably something that's hit her.
- [Baron] Wizard or something.
- [Curator] Or Magneto.
- The thing about it is, when this was all hand done animation, hand-drawn, hand-painted, it was incredibly time-consuming.
And still, animation is still incredibly time-consuming.
But this was really, really time-consuming.
- Right.
Well, and this provides us these kinds of things that still exist for posterity versus computer animation, it's on a hard drive somewhere, but you can't put it up on a museum wall.
You can't share it with people, you can't get in and look at the detail that you would really never see on screen.
And especially before high definition, which this would've been.
- Right, and the X-Men series was of one of those series that kind of broke out of the mold of what was happening at the time to sort of, you know, not to disparage them, but sort of Hanna-Barbera animation that was happening that was much more simple, much more stilted, and this was really, really detailed, the movements were really smooth, it looked like people, it was ground-breaking in that way.
But it was also ground-breaking in the stories that it told.
- And in terms of the characterization, where each character really had a personality.
There was continuity, there were stories that told that would affect the stories that came after them versus, well, “It was Old Man Withers all the time ”, and now we move on, nobody remembers anything that happened the week before.
If something happened in week one of a season of X-Men, there's a chance it was still affecting things in week 25.
- Right, it's that kind of continuous storytelling that kind of chapters, and really emulating what was done in the comic books.
- Right, right.
And X-Men, as an animated series, actually adapted a lot of the key storylines out of the X-Men comic books, brought in a lot of other characters from the Marvel Universe as well.
So it really did set the mold for what we now see on the big screen, where characters appear in each other's movies, and these storylines continue over several, you know, 20 plus films.
The first time that was really done for television was X-Men.
- Well, thank you for bringing another fascinating piece and why don't you folks get back to the movie here on Nightmare Theatre.
(engine rumbling) (suspenseful music) - Shave down.
(Eegah grumbling) - Look, before he has a chance to block the entrance, I'll get his attention, you run out.
- And leave you?
- Do as I tell you.
- Not this time, Dad.
- You were lucky last night.
He's had time to think about it.
I'm not going to leave you to get your head bashed in.
My father didn't raise me that way.
(Eegah grumbling) (gentle instrumental music) He brought me flowers.
- We've got to get his mind on something else.
Make a production out of it.
Sing, hum, whistle, come on.
♪ La dee dah hah ♪ La dee dah hah ♪ Ha ha ha ha, la, ha ha ♪ La la dee dah ♪ La la la la la ♪ La la la la la la (Eegah speaks in foreign language) - He's interested.
He almost forgot to shut the door.
- Well, that doesn't say much for my sex appeal.
♪ La la la la ha ha ha ♪ You're running out of whiskers ♪ ♪ Ah (Eegah grumbling) - [Robert] Uh-huh.
- Now I suppose he wants a shave.
- [Robert] Good, give it to him.
- Anything to please the customer.
(Eegah grumbling) - [Robert] Try these, here.
- [Tom] Roxy, where are you?
Roxy!
(Eegah grumbling) - Better watch him with that shaving balm.
(Robert laughing) (Eegah grumbling) - Roxy!
(gun fires) Roxy!
- [Robert] You did a better job of shaving him, Roxy.
- [Roxy] There.
- [Robert] There's no way of telling how old that fella is.
(Eegah grumbling) - Eegah.
Eegah.
- You're handsome.
Smooth.
- [Robert] I warned you, Roxy.
Don't upset him.
- Tell me some more about your etchings.
(Eegah grumbling) You like the pretty smell?
Here, this is loaded with perfume.
(suspenseful music) I'm going to try and get him to move the rock.
Mm, these smell pretty too.
Where did you get them, out there?
Yep, I really think you should put them in water.
I guess you're right.
There are plenty more out there.
Hey, look at this, look, look.
See?
Take it.
I'll bet you haven't seen anything like that before.
Don't you think it's pretty?
Do you like it?
Oh.
(gasping) - Give him something else.
- Oh.
What?
I haven't got anything else.
Wait, here.
Here.
That was a mistake.
Don't get the idea I don't like you, but my father!
He can see us.
He.
Yeah, that's the idea.
You move the rock, we can go outside.
Oh, no, no!
No, Eegah.
Outside, you and me, outside.
- [Robert] No, save yourself!
- [Roxy] I'll keep him so busy, he'll forget the rock.
- [Robert] Once you're outside, run!
- Come on, outside.
(Eegah grumbling) (midtempo instrumental music) - Eegah.
Eegah, no.
(gasps) Eegah.
Eegah, no.
Eegah.
(Eegah growls) (Roxy screams) (Robert screaming) (Roxy screaming) (Eegah growls) (gun fires) (Eegah growling) - Get after them.
- The dune buggy's just down the canyon.
- I can do it, go on.
(suspenseful music) (Eegah growls) (dramatic music) (Eegah growling) (hits smacking) (Eegah growling) (slap smacks) (rock thuds) - Oh, Tom!
- Cool it, Roxy.
Everything's all right.
- [Roxy] Dad.
- He's okay.
He's waiting for us.
(Eegah grunting) (somber orchestral music) - Hi, kids.
- [Roxy] Dad!
- Run, kids, run!
Run!
(engine sputtering) - [Tom] Take off!
- It won't start.
- Let me.
- [Roxy] Hurry!
- What's wrong with it?
- [Tom] I rigged it so nobody could steal it.
- [Roxy] Out here?
(engine revving) (dramatic music) (engine revving) - Dead end.
(dune buggy honking) (Eegah groaning) (Roxy screaming) - [Roxy] Look!
- Everybody OK?
- Honey?
- Just fine, Dad.
- Wowee, there he is.
So long, high pockets.
(somber orchestral music) (Eegah groaning) (water splashing) (Eegah moaning) - [Eegah] Eegah!
(speaks in foreign language) (Eegah sobbing) (Eegah speaks in foreign language) (Eegah grumbling) (wind whistling) - [Eegah] Eegah!
(dog barking) - George, you're drunk!
Gimme the keys to the car.
- Now, baby, I just had one.
That's all, just one, baby.
That's all.
I just had one.
- One bottle.
- Hey, baby!
- You've had enough!
- Well, I'll show you when I've had enough.
You do me a great injustice.
(midtempo jazz music) (Eegah grumbling) The keys, I've had enough.
- Hello, and welcome back.
So, Eegah, not sure what I can say about this film that hasn't already been said by Federal law enforcement agencies and various regional 12-step programs.
This film is deadly.
And to be fair, I did warn you.
- I don't know, boss.
I think I can see at least some good in it.
- No you can't, and what's that on your head?
- The future, my friend, the future.
- I see, would you care to elaborate?
- I would, I got to thinkin' about that scene, you know, where that lady, where she shaves Eegah?
- Ooh, what a horrific scene!
- Then I got to thinkin' about your beard, and boss, I think it needs to come off.
You'll look like a new man!
Probably 100, 200 years younger.
- No.
- I got to thinkin' about how we all kinda let our looks go, so I decided to start my very own salon business.
I can remove that old scraggly beard, boss.
Now just lemme give that hair a little trim.
You know, the grizzled old prospect went out with high button shoes.
I can help you!
I'm not sure I can help Mittens, though.
I'm a beautician, not a magician, but I will do what I can.
- No, thank you.
- Just hear me out, boss.
I wanna start out by slathering you down with Eegah brand shaving cream.
I'll just let it sit for six to eight hours while you listen to Yanni, and then I'll shave it off.
Boss, just think about how good you will look without a beard.
- You're not shaving my beard, Sapo.
And why are you wearing gloves?
- Oh, you cannot get this stuff on your skin, trust me!
But sit back, hear me out.
Sit back, relax, let all your cares float away, and while you're waiting to be shaved, I can offer you a nice, luke-warm bottle of Eegah brand sulfur water.
- Sulfur water, eh?
- Oh yes, sulfur water, each bottle is naturally fermented.
- Fermented?
- Yes, naturally fermented in Eegah's cave.
We bottle it at the source, and we ship it directly to you!
- I'll pass.
- Are you sure, boss?
- Yes.
Now, what is that stuff on your head?
- I'm tryin' to curl my hair, boss.
Not all of us are blessed with a natural wave like you.
- I mean, I do have a fine head of hair, and you're not gonna touch it.
- Don't worry, I'll wear gloves.
- Get away from me.
- Oh come on, come on.
Just lemme take a little bit off.
Look what it did for Eegah.
Hold him, Mittens.
- No, both of you better get away from me.
- No come on, just a little bit-- - Let's get back to Eegah before these two beauty school dropouts get the full fury of my rage!
- One hair, one hair!
(wind whistling) (suspenseful music) (Eegah grumbling) (tires screech) - [Robert] Roxy?
- [Roxy] I'm ready, Dad.
- Well, I'm not.
You're gonna have to help me.
I can't manage the tie.
- Here, I'll do it.
Does it have to be this one?
- Young lady, that happens to be one of my favorite ties.
- But the color.
- You gave it to me four years ago.
- (gasps) Why, it's lovely.
Are you sure you're feeling well enough to go out tonight?
- Honey, we've got to go out.
- Well, it's not anything special.
It's just a party.
- Your whole gang will be there.
- Yeah.
- You can't avoid them forever.
- No.
- Some of them will laugh a little.
- Well if I know Agnes Penderson, she'll laugh a lot.
What'll happen to him?
- I don't know.
But I'm certain we're doing the right thing.
If we were to reveal that a giant actually exists, there'd be a whole army out there, tracking him down like an animal.
- No, they wouldn't.
We wouldn't let them.
- Honey, he's from another age, another eon.
(door knocking) Come in.
- Hello, Mr. Miller.
- [Robert] Hello, Tom.
- Wowzee wow wow!
You sure look swell, Roxy.
- Thank you.
I'll only be a minute.
- Is something wrong, Mr. Miller?
- [Robert] We were just talking about our little adventure.
- Oh, I see.
- You do?
- Well, sure.
A girl like Roxy don't get over a thing like that right away.
- [Robert] Doesn't.
- That's what I said.
She's gotta get her mind off it.
And this hop tonight'll help.
- [Robert] Hop?
- Yeah, my combo's gonna be there.
Man, they swing.
- So I understand.
- I'm ready.
- Well, let's split then.
Uh, Mr. Miller, I've got my dad's wheels tonight.
- Really, do they fit on your car?
- You're funny, Mr. Miller.
Real funny.
(Eegah groans) (glass clattering) - [Eegah] Eegah.
Eegah.
Eegah.
(Eegah grumbling) (Eegah sniffing) (Eegah grunting) (women screaming) (Eegah grumbling) (people screaming) - [Man] What's he doing in here?
Call the police!
Police!
Call the police!
(Eegah grumbling) - Hey, wait a minute, friend.
What is this, a masquerade?
- That is Miller's giant, darling.
- Aw, come on, you can talk plainer than that.
- Look out, Mr. Fishman, he's for real.
- What did he say?
- He's real.
- Of course, he's real!
(woman screams) (whistle chirps) - Jerry, quick, call the police.
There's a kind of giant here.
(Eegah groaning) (water splashing) (Eegah laughing) - [Dispatcher] 900 block.
Large man or giant creating disturbance.
Proceed with extreme caution.
(engine rumbling) (siren wailing) (uptempo pop music) ♪ At the old rock house ♪ On the Brownsville Road ♪ A crazy thing's happened according to the code ♪ ♪ He turned to the left at the sign, I've been told ♪ ♪ To the empty old house on the Brownsville Road ♪ ♪ The old rock house on the Brownsville Road ♪ ♪ A crazy thing's happened according to the code ♪ ♪ The code of the ghost at the sign I've been told ♪ ♪ Nobody lives on the Brownsville Road ♪ ♪ Oh, they scream and they sway ♪ ♪ And they bring in the day ♪ And the winds that make you shiver ♪ ♪ They dance and they sing till the wild ones ring ♪ ♪ And the noise goes down the river ♪ ♪ They say nobody lives on the Brownsville Road ♪ ♪ They grin and they rave of the cool cool grave ♪ ♪ And they do the razzamatazz ♪ They make bones click as they swing there chicks ♪ ♪ Rockin' to the Brownsville jazz ♪ ♪ At the old rock house on the Brownsville Road ♪ ♪ A crazy thing's - I don't blame you in the least.
- Oh, you're here, Dad.
♪ Nobody lives on the Brownsville Road ♪ Like nobody lives there, dig?
- No, I don't, I agree with you 100%.
But perhaps we should be a little more discreet about it.
- What on earth are you talking about?
- Getting as far away as possible from that music is a good idea, but we're guests here.
- No, the music's wonderful.
I could listen to Tom sing by the hour.
- And you have.
- I just wanted some fresh air, that's all.
- Is it, honey?
- No.
Dad, I've got the funniest feeling.
- What is it?
- I can't describe it.
But I just know something's happened to him.
- Him?
- Eegah, the giant.
Or whatever he is.
Something's happened to him.
- Roxy, look at me.
I love you very much.
You're more like your mother every day.
Every living thing was her personal concern, and she worried about them.
- That's just it, Dad.
But you see, worry isn't the feeling that I have.
I don't know what it is.
He's a creature.
Well, you just have to look at him to see that.
He even tried to kill us.
But yet-- - You can't get him out of your mind.
(gentle orchestral music) That's my job for about two more years, if I can hold onto you that long.
Then, it'll be up to somebody else.
Maybe him, huh?
- Hey.
Where you been?
I was beltin' out a tune just for you in there.
I look up, and you're gone.
- We could hear every word, Tom.
I said hear, not understand.
- You're funny, Mr. Miller.
Really funny.
(sirens wailing) Come on, Roxy, let's dance.
- Wait a minute.
- What's the matter?
- I thought I heard sirens.
- Aw, that's Dino's sax, it leaks.
(women whimpering) - [Man] No, no, mister, don't!
(siren wailing) (tires screeching) (dogs barking) - [Man] Charlie, look out!
(women screaming) Don't shoot, Charlie!
(midtempo pop music) - If I didn't know they were dancing, I'd swear this was a fight.
- What?
- I say, it looks like a fight.
- My boy is a good dancer.
(Roxy squeals) - I'm gonna dip you.
(slap smacks) - [Tom] Knock it off, she's my girl!
I'm gonna smash!
(suspenseful music) - Party crashers!
- It's a kook!
- Let's all get him!
- Come on, you guys.
(dramatic music) - Eegah, Eegah!
No, don't, stop, Eegah!
- Come on, let's go!
- No, no!
(Roxy whimpering) - There he is!
- Halt, halt or I'll fire!
(gun firing) - Don't shoot, he doesn't understand!
(Eegah growling) Oh, no, no!
(sobbing) (guns firing) (Eegah groaning) (somber instrumental music) - [Robert] Poor devil.
- Remember, I love you.
- Where did he come from?
- Is he real?
- Who is he?
- Yes, he was real.
It says so in the book of Genesis.
There were giants in the earth in those days.
Chapter four, verse 32.
(dramatic orchestral music) - Well folks, that was Eegah.
I was right about it, wasn't I?
- Indeed you were, boss, indeed you were.
But I have a question about this film.
- Sapo, millions of people have questions about this film.
Most of them can't be answered.
- Well here's mine, and it's a simple one.
What happened in this movie?
Here's what I saw.
First, they find this caveman, then they shave him, then they escape from the cave.
Arch Hall, Jr. terrifies us all, and then Eegah dies.
What'd I miss?
- Nothing, that's all there is to this movie.
- Was Eegah supposed to be some kind of monster?
Was he supposed to be some sort of bad guy?
- Well, apparently so.
See, Sapo, we often fear the unusual, the unexplained, the abnormal.
That's why so many people pelt you with rocks when you walk downtown.
- And I sure do like my rock collection.
One day the other day, a lady hit me in the head with an agate.
So just so I'm clear, were they afraid of Eegah, just because he was a little different?
- Exactly.
See, Eegah didn't really want to hurt anyone.
People were afraid of him because of how he looked.
- So why weren't these very same people afraid of Arch Hall, Jr.?
He was a million times uglier than Eegah!
- You pose a reasonable question, Sapo, and I simply don't know the answer.
Perhaps it's better left to the ages.
Anyway, what do we have on tap for next week?
- We have this!
- [Narrator] For survival, when an enemy world hurdles toward a doomed Earth in Battle of the Worlds.
Our spaceships are decimated when the invading planet's insurmountable pull of gravity begins a shattering cosmic disruption.
Only one scientific mind can stop the stellar holocaust.
- Your days are numbered.
- I prefer you speak before the united commission.
- [Narrator] He alone knows there are only 80 days to live, and he must convince the world of this threatening catastrophe.
Can he find the formula that will save the Earth?
Feel the torment of desperate passions as men and women live the last panic-filled hours of love in history's final chapter.
Heroic astronauts brave the cold and lifeless void of space as they prepare for battle.
When the enemy's super electronic brain launches a surprise attack of its awesome flying saucers.
- They're overtaking us.
They're overtaking us!
- We must maneuver freely!
(weapons zapping) - [Narrator] But to win, they must land on a foreboding crust of a hostile planet and destroy forever the soulless power of its monstrous hidden brain.
Starring Claude Rains in his most challenging role.
- Watch out, Eve!
- [Narrator] A prophetic motion picture five years in the making.
You must see Battle of the Worlds.
- Well, that looks terrible.
- Do you think we can modify those Arch Hall, Jr. Blockers for this film?
- I'd like to modify them so that I can't see you.
A good idea, El Sapo, good idea.
Anyway, until we meet again, may all your dreams be nightmares.
(thunder rumbling) (midtempo rock music)
Support for PBS provided by:
Nightmare Theatre is a local public television program presented by WSRE PBS
Nightmare Theatre is a local production supported by Pensacon and The Fish House.