Original subtitles

[wind howling]

[thunder rumbling]

(male narrator) And the Lord said, "Behold now the behemoth "

[intense music]

[music continues]

[explosion]

(Karnes) And afterwards, these mysterious figures

faces masked with lead.

These are ourselves.

Men, the kings of the Earth

trying to measure the extent of the destruction

they themselves have created.

Since the beginning of the Atomic Age

we've had 143 explosions

such as these you've just seen here on the screen.

Now, one millionth part of a gram of radium

is the safety limit.

The amount one human can tolerate.

And yet, with each of these explosions

we are hurling into our atmosphere

hundreds of tons of radioactive materials.

Who is it?

(Karnes) But it isn't only with dramatic explosions such as these

that we're poisoning this planet.

What about the dumping in our oceans of our atomic wastes?

Granted, we are sealing them in lead containers

but lead disintegrates and corrodes

at the bottom of the sea.

Gentlemen, I was attached to Operation Crossroads

as a marine biologist.

As you all no doubt know that was Bikini.

And if there's one thing we found out

it was that there's no such thing

as an even statistical dispersion

of radioactive materials.

Now, we checked samples of the sea water in this area

and the radiation was insignificant.

But in the tiny plankton living in this water

it was 2000 times greater.

And in the fish that ate this plankton, 40,000 times greater.

And in the seabirds that fed upon these fish

the radioactivity was 500,000 times greater.

Gentlemen, we are witnessing a biological chain reaction.

A geometrical progression of deadly menace.

I am in no position to question your findings, Mr. Karnes

but may I point out that these things occurred

in the most desolate, uninhabited spot of the globe?

But I refuse to be panicked.

I do not believe that Mr. Karnes wishes to panic us

as you put it.

But if you remember, in Japan

boatloads of fish had to be destroyed

many thousands of miles away from the test area.

That's exactly what I mean.

We cannot fence off the ocean.

These radioactive particles are absorbed by the plankton

and then in a kind of biological progression

from fish to bigger fish

or by the strange attraction of protoplasmic masses

they form radioactive conglomerates

unbelievably deadly.

The ocean is my province, gentlemen,

but how little we know about it.

We only touch the surface with our lines and our dragnets

our diving suits and bathyscopes.

For all we know

what we have started may have already matured.

And who can tell when this, this, whatever it is...

...will rise to the surface and strike back at us?

Make for the rock.

Now, my fine friends, out with you.

Now... Oh, this little beauty's for us.

Run it up to the house and put it on the fire

while I haul the rest up to the village.

And past the pub to brag to your cronies?

I cannot imagine what you're referring to.

What's that for?

For the best fisherman in all Cornwall.

Oh, get away.

[instrumental music]

Dad, don't be late!

Be off with you!

[beeping]

[intense music]

[screaming]

[wind whooshing]

Father?

Is that you, dad?

He'll be as drunk as a lord.

[indistinct chatter]

[chuckles]

That makes it your round then, Charlie.

- Hello, John. - Hello, Jean.

Have you seen dad?

Not since this morning.

- He hasn't been by at all? - No.

That's strange.

I thought he'd come by to show off his whitefish.

So the old devil did it again, did he?

Well, you see, we beached in the cove

then I went on up to the house to start the dinner,

and he was going to the village.

Well, he couldn't have come through town

not with a whitefish, otherwise the whole world

would've known of it.

I'll tell you what? Let's go and look for him, shall we?

[instrumental music]

Dad!

Dad!

Tom!

Dad!

Tom! Tom!

Dad! Dad!

- John! - Wait here. I'll look around.

[dramatic music]

- Get back, Jean! Don't look! - Let me go!

Dad.

What happened, man?

Can-can you talk to us?

Can you hear us, Tom?

Dad. Dad.

From the sea, burning like fire.

What was it?

Behemoth.

[dramatic music]

[crying]

(male #1) "Man that is born of woman

"is of few days and full of trouble.

"He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down."

Job, chapter 14, the first verse.

And if any man could know the sufferings of Job,

it was Thomas Trevethan.

Job and his suffering turned to God for an answer.

Then answered the Lord unto Job and said

"Behold now the behemoth which I made with thee.

"He moveth his tail like a cedar,

"out of his mouth go burning lamps.

"And sparks of fire leap out from the behemoth.

"He maketh the oceans to boil like a pot.

"His breath kindleth coals

"and a flame goeth out of his mouth."

But in the words of the Lord,

"There is comfort for those Thomas Trevethan left behind."

For the Lord said to Job,

"Gird up thy loins like a man.

"Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath.

"Then I will confess to thee

"thine own right hand can save thee."

[dramatic music]

Shall we be going now?

Not home.

I wouldn't want to go there yet.

Let's go for a walk then.

[instrumental music]

Look!

[intense music]

Thousands of them.

Thousands upon thousands.

Let's come away, John.

No. Wait a minute.

What's this stuff?

[screams]

John! Your hand!

[dramatic music]

Any luck with my tickets?

Well, I'm still working on your plane reservation, Mr. Karnes.

- Pretty crowded, are they? - Jammed.

We'd hoped you'd be with us longer, sir.

Wish, I could be.

Would you care to watch the television?

I'll have you paged the moment I know anything.

Alright. Thank you.

(man on TV) And therefore, all the news from the Middle East

is at the moment most inconclusive.

And now our closing piece for the afternoon

is an item of news from Cornwall.

It appears that the fishing industry there

has come to a complete standstill.

All the beaches are clogged up with dead fish,

and nobody can tell why these fish are dead.

However, it has its more amusing side to it.

For from Looe comes a report

that a sea monster has been sighted.

Uh, no doubt one of the Loch Ness variety

with fire-breathing and all that,

but it does prove one point, ladies and gentlemen.

It proves that all the Scotch whiskey

has not been exported to America.

Well, I'll say farewell now...

[dramatic music]

Oh, Mr. Karnes, I think I have your reservation.

What? Oh, I'm sorry. Cancel it.

Cancel it?

I'm sorry. The reservation has just been canceled.

Is Professor Bickford still in the lab?

Good. May I speak to him, please?

Yes, very urgent.

[knocking on door]

Yes. Come in.

Oh, Mr. Karnes. Ah, sit down.

You were halfway across London a minute ago.

- Subway. - Subway?

Oh, I see. The underground.

You've mastered the intricacies of that system, have you?

- Have a cup of tea? - No, thanks.

I came to talk to you about that Cornwall report.

Yes. Yes. There's rather more in it than the press reports.

- A man is dead. - Dead?

Yes. A fisherman from Looe, died of burns.

It's very peculiar. The report's a little vague unfortunately.

You know how these village doctors are?

But there were burns, spotting of the skin

and perforating ulcers.

Hmm. Same symptoms as Hiroshima.

No, no, no, no. Don't let's jump to conclusions.

Certain acids can cause similar reaction.

A passing ship could have dropped something.

That would account for the death of all those fish.

I'm going down there, Professor Bickford.

Maybe you're right about this acid.

I only hope to God you are. But supposing you aren't.

Now, how do you get there?

Now, look here, you're young, aggressive.

A chap can cause a great deal of trouble

by charging into a situation like this.

Oh, we can't just sit here on our tails and do nothing.

In a thing like this, every hour counts.

Look here, Steve, I'm chairman of a Royal Commission

on this precise subject.

You don't really imagine that we sit around on our tails

drinking tea, do you?

No, sir. I'm sorry.

I didn't mean it to sound as bad as it did.

Well, now, to answer your question, Looe is in Cornwall

you change trains at Plymouth

and arrive at 11 o'clock tomorrow morning.

Would you care to come along?

[chuckles] You chaps are great ones for shaking hands, aren't you?

[train horn blaring]

[seagulls squawking]

Morning.

Can anyone tell me where I can find Dr. Morris, please?

That's his house up there.

But it's too early for him yet.

Why aren't the boats out?

You from the newspapers?

No. We're from the Atomic Energy Commission.

We've come here to do some tests.

It's time somebody did something.

Aye, and it better be something more than tests.

(Bickford) Hmm. Things bad about here?

You should have seen the beach last week.

Aye, and outside too.

Everywhere a man looked, fish floating, belly up.

How are these men going to feed their families?

Will you answer me that?

This is the season we make our living for the whole year, man.

How long has it been since they've been out?

It's five days now.

Well, hasn't anybody even tried?

After what happened to Trevethan?

Here, mister, you try.

Go on. I'll loan you my boat. Take her out.

Is there any way we can see

any of these fish that were washed up?

Well, Most of them washed out yesterday on the tide.

The rest, we burned.

What did they look like?

They looked like dead fish.

Anybody see anything that might have killed them?

No one saw anything unusual at all?

I saw lights.

[dramatic music]

Lights? What kind of lights?

Oh, like a giant cloud, you might say.

Down there underneath the water.

A cloud like, uh...

Have you ever seen the city at night with a storm coming on?

It was like that.

A great white cloud lighted from underneath.

Well, it could have been phosphorus.

- Different. - Did it seem to move?

I was moving too fast myself to notice.

[laughing]

Well, perhaps we'd better try and find the doctor.

I'll take you up there if you'd like.

[music continues]

[knocking on door]

Come in.

Ah, John, my lad, how's the flipper?

Couple of gentlemen to see you, doctor

from the atomic...something.

Ah, gentlemen, uh, come in.

Morning.

- My name is Bickford. - How do you do?

- This is Mr. Karnes. - How do you do?

Sit down, please.

We, uh, we'd like to ask you a few questions

about Mr. Trevethan.

Oh, sad case. Very sad, indeed.

What would you say was the cause of his death?

Burns, first, second and third degree

combined with shock, of course.

You didn't call in a consultant?

The man was dying when I got there. What was the good?

(Karnes) For a postmortem.

Why? To mortify the daughter more?

This is an unusual case.

Oh, what would you say was the cause of the burns?

Some sort of poisoning, I would say.

Not an acid?

No, it was like no acid I ever treated,

but from time to time, a jellyfish or a kelp

could cause that sort of thing.

Combined with, perhaps, a very strong allergic reaction.

Have you ever had a similar case?

No.

Oh, just a minute.

John, do you mind?

[instrumental music]

I'm afraid it isn't very pretty.

[dramatic music]

Does it remind you of something?

Yes, the tests in the Pacific.

And, doctor, I, I think perhaps you'd better send this man

up to our clinic in London for a check over.

How did this happen?

I was on the beach.

I was walking, and I see this strange stuff.

It was like a piece of jellyfish it was,

on-only it had a kind of shine to it.

Shine?

I bent down to touch it, and...

Just where did it happen?

In the cove. I can-I can show you if you'd like.

It was the same cove where the old man died.

Uh, gentlemen, you can change here if you want to.

Hmm.

[dramatic music]

Well...I checked the rocks and algae. Nothing.

John!

Can you show me the exact spot where you got your burn?

Well, the tide was out, like it is now.

And that rock there was on the left.

Yes. It was by this rock.

It was like this stuff got caught behind it

when the tide went out.

Nothing here at all.

Ms. Trevethan, was your father still alive

when you reached him?

He was.

Did he say anything? Could he speak?

He said, "It came out of the sea."

And then he said, "Behemoth."

Behemoth? What do you think he meant by that?

It's a prophecy from the Bible.

It means some sort of monstrous great beast.

Well, thank you very much.

I don't get it. Behemoth.

Who knows what the man saw, if he saw anything.

Well, he must have seen something.

Strange marine animal of some sort.

We know radioactivity can cause

a sudden unhealthy growth, mutations.

The man was dying in agony.

It's hardly the sort of report I'd like to base a theory on.

Well, I'm not basing any theories.

I just don't want to overlook any possible evidence.

Now this stuff that John touched

whatever it was, he said it was shining.

Well, radiation doesn't shine.

Now, now, now, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

We've no proof there was any radiation here.

If there had been, we'd have picked it up on our instruments.

Those are radiation burns on his hand. I know that.

Oh, yes, well, I'll know it when I hear the report

from the clinic in London.

Look, can you have your stations send in specimens

from all up and down the coast?

Sea water, algae, plankton, and especially fish.

- Could you do that? - Yes, of course.

I'm never against checking.

Because one thing's for sure.

Something has happened here that isn't in the book.

Something came out of the ocean.

And now it's gone back into.

[dramatic music]

We've received samples from 72 coastal stations.

Still missing those from Hebrides.

- Mm-hmm. - Hello.

Oh, hello, Steve.

Steve Karnes, Ned Lee.

- Hello. - How are you?

I see your stations are working very fast.

Tell me, what technique do you use for measuring radiations?

Well, we evaporate the liquid and then examine the residue.

This new ionization chamber is very sensitive

and shows the slightest deviation from normal radiation.

- What are the results? - So far, all normal.

Is everything ready for the radio autograph?

Yes, everything's all prepared.

Well, I'll leave you to work with Ned.

- I'll see you later, Steve. - Fine.

If you'll follow me, Mr. Karnes.

Yes, indeed.

I hope the instruments will be satisfactory, Mr. Karnes.

Oh, these are very nice, Mr. Lee

but I'm not going to perform a brain surgery.

I'm going to slice a fish.

Good old platichthys flesus.

I'm glad we've got this one.

If there's anything going on at the bottom of the sea

this is the old girl who can let us know about it.

Now, you see we cut longitudinally here.

Being very careful.

To lay bare the internal organs

without touching or injuring them.

And now we have to dry out the extra moisture.

- Are the dryers ready? - Oh, yes, Mr. Karnes.

There you are.

Here we have another excellent specimen.

Well, that finishes the first batch.

- Are we ready for photography? - Yes, I think so.

This way, Mr. Karnes.

Oh, this is fine. Perfect. Could we have number one?

- Thoroughly dry? - Perfectly.

Good. Lights, please.

Now...

Place the fish like this to get a contact impression.

Time clock, 20 seconds.

- What light do you use? - We don't use any.

Now, if the fish has absorbed any radioactive particles

they'll be concentrated in the bones

and the internal organs.

So, actually, the fish exposes itself

with a kind of built-in X-ray, and we call it radio autograph.

[alarm ringing]

Now, put it in development. Next.

[instrumental music]

[bell ringing]

[knocking on door]

(Karnes) Come in.

- Well? - They're developing.

How soon will the plates be ready?

(male #2) We have the first few now.

May we see them?

Thank you.

Nothing wrong with that one.

That one seems to be alright.

Hmm. Wonder what that is?

Well, it could be a flaw in the film.

Now, this is important.

Is there any way light could have

leaked into this room?

Well, let's see. Turn off all the lights.

What's that?

Oh, no. Don't touch it.

My gloves and pincers.

(Bickford) Let's have some lights now.

Where's the microscope?

(Bickford) Over here.

- What could it be? - I don't know.

Phosphorus combined with radium will glow.

I've never seen anything like that before.

[dramatic music]

Here. Take a look.

What's the tag on that specimen, Mr. Lee?

Fourteen, that's...Plymouth.

Will you bring in plate 14, please?

Have this tested for radioactivity

and get me the Department of Fisheries

on the telephone right away.

Yes, sir.

[music continues]

Look at that.

You see how each bone stands out?

There's an enormous concentration

of radioactive particles.

Now, this is the spot where we removed that glowing matter.

[telephone ringing]

Hello, this is Professor Bickford

of Atomic Research.

I want to speak to Mr. Lapham.

I don't care what conference he's in.

This is a matter of extreme urgency.

Oh, very well.

Well, will you ask him to ring me

within five minutes?

If stuff like that got on the market

the result would be disastrous.

We must block it off at the port.

Well, it isn't enough to block off the results.

We've got to find the cause of this.

Now, I want to go to Plymouth.

I want to scout out the exact area where that fish was found.

Can you get me a boat?

Are you still holding to the monster theory?

Well, it's something that moves under its own power

and moves fast.

Currents couldn't have carried it.

It could be a separate incident.

Well, either way, there's only one thing to do.

Track down this thing, find out what it is, and then destroy it.

I'll get you a boat.

[intense music]

What's our position?

We passed the banks, Mr. Karnes.

Is that the place the condemned fish came from?

It came from half a mile back, passed square over this spot.

Didn't your machine tell you anything?

No.

Should we give it another run?

No. No, let's lay to for a while.

Alright.

[bell ringing]

Are you sure we couldn't have missed the spot in the fog?

Look, mister, I've been fishing this bank

since I was 12 years old.

You tell me exactly what it is you're looking for.

Skipper, did you ever spend a night in the jungle?

Me?

And you feel something out there beyond the light of your fire

prowling around?

- A tiger? - I don't know.

Any more than I know what we're looking for right now.

(man on PA) Attention! Attention!

A steamship Valkyrie abound for Hull

is now more than 12 hours overdue.

If you have sighted this vessel

please call the coast guard at once.

I know the Valkyrie. She's a beauty.

[rattling]

Look there. Two points off the port bow.

[dramatic music]

- That's it. - Your tiger? Let's have a look.

Skipper, I have to warn you.

Whatever this thing is, it can be very dangerous.

- I'll risk it. - Alright. Let's go.

[music continues]

[rattling continues]

Can't we get any more speed? It's pulling away.

Engine room, more speed!

[music continues]

[rattling continues]

[rattling stops]

- Well, it's gone. - What do we do now?

Let's circle around a while.

(man on PA) Coast guard, calling the trawler, Molly T. Over.

Molly T. calling coast guard. Standing by. Over.

(man on PA) Do you have Mr. Steven Karnes aboard? Over.

Mr. Karnes is aboard. Do you want to speak to him? Over.

Molly T., you will return to port at once.

That is all.

Now what?

They sound as if they mean it.

[engine rumbling]

- Are you Mr. Karnes? - Yes. What is it?

The steamship Valkyrie was found beached last night.

No reasonable explanation.

Professor Bickford called us to take you there at once.

[dramatic music]

Hello, Mr. Karnes.

Well, this is as far down as we can get.

- How many survivors? - There aren't any.

I've never seen such terrible injuries.

- What is it? - Radiation.

- What do you make of all this? - I don't know.

But this damage, I mean, it must have been some gigantic impact.

This is quarter of an inch steel plate, reinforced.

It's incredible.

Well, I've got to get back to London.

- Can you fix it up? - Certainly.

- Superintendent. - Yes?

Will you arrange for Mr. Karnes to get back to London?

- Aye. - Thank you, sir.

[music continues]

Go right in, sir.

Professor Bickford is already here.

Thank you.

Oh, hello, Steve. You alright?

Yes, sir.

- Mr. Karnes. - Sir.

I've just been showing Professor Bickford

our report on the Valkyrie disaster.

You visited the vessel too, I believe.

Yes, sir. Uh, what did the commander give as a cause?

Didn't state. Merely said what it wasn't.

What's your idea, Steve?

I'm afraid it's going to sound unbelievable.

Everything about this affair is unbelievable

but it happened.

I feel, admiral, what we're facing is a marine animal

of tremendous size and strength.

Do you really believe that a whale

could have smashed through steel plates

so high above the waterline?

I didn't say a whale.

Behemoth?

That's as good a name as any for now.

Did you get my message from the trawler?

Yes. I've just read it.

Well, we saw it, from a distance.

Too far to tell just what it was.

But it was gigantic and moving very fast

and then we lost it.

And as to its unbelievable strength

well, the Valkyrie is proof of that.

Karnes has been developing this, what shall I call it

Behemoth theory for some time, admiral.

As to the radioactivity of the thing

there can be no doubt.

But as to its size and shape, well

I was very unwilling to go along with him.

However, even before receiving this Valkyrie report

I had independent confirmation from my own laboratory.

That glowing substance which we sent for chemical analysis

it has been found to contain cells

from the stomach wall of some unidentified species.

So now you agree with Mr. Karnes?

- Yes, sir. - Very well.

We shall organize a pattern of search.

Thank you, gentlemen, for alerting us to this danger.

We shall shortly find this creature

whatever it is, and dispose of it.

Is there any way of knowing which way the beast is headed?

No, sir. Up until now, it's been moving north.

I see. Well, in that case, we'd better alert

the Coastal Nations through NATO.

[instrumental music]

Yes.

Highly radioactive.

Of course we're informing all other European neighbors.

I repeat, highly radioactive.

[speaking in foreign language]

[speaking in foreign language]

[dog barking]

What's wrong with Toby?

[instrumental music]

[barking continues]

[dog squeals]

[dramatic music]

[gunshots]

[screeching]

[dramatic music]

[knocking on door]

Ah. Have you got the photographs?

Right here, sir.

[intense music]

Those are footprints.

Imagine the size of the thing.

That's the dead man, sir, the farmer.

And that's the farm, what's left of it.

Looks like a tornado.

Did anyone actually see the thing?

Nobody that lived.

A neighbor called the constable later.

Is there anything more we can do for you, professor?

No. No, thank you, officer.

- Goodnight, sir. - Goodnight.

Steve, have you ever seen footprints like these?

Well, I've seen fossils, but that's, that's crazy.

They belong to a different age.

Well...

Who's your best man in paleontology?

Samson. He is the curator of the Natural History Museum.

Let's talk to him.

Professor Bickford.

Oh, it's an honor even at this hour.

Dr. Samson, this is Mr. Karnes.

- How do you do? - How do you do, sir?

I'm sorry to have disturbed you so early.

Oh, no. Don't mention it. I live just across the street.

We wanted to get your opinion on this...photograph.

It is quite blurred, gentlemen. Right.

I can see the footprint, of course

made by some lizard, yes?

But the size, Dr. Samson. This is a police car here.

Oh, I see. Oh. Well, this is interesting.

It is the, the old Paleosaurus family.

Uh, like this specimen we've got here, only...

...much larger.

Much larger.

I should say this beast must've been

about 150 to 200 feet long.

Now, wait. I-I'll show you.

Oh, yes, we had some here.

Mm. Yeah.

You see?

Now, that's the largest footprint known.

Only seven feet long.

Dr. Samson, do you have, uh, an illustration

of the whole creature?

Oh, certainly, indeed.

Oh, what a splendid fossil you've found.

I'll get my assistant to take a cast this morning.

Dr. Samson, this creature is not dead.

Y-you're joking.

No. It's alive, very much alive.

Where is it? We must organize an expedition straight away.

I'll get all my staff. Uh, in the Pacific, I presume.

No. In England.

It was last seen off the Essex Coast.

Oh, it's heading for the Thames.

They always make for the freshwater rivers to die.

That's where the skeletons have been found.

Some irresistible instinct

to die in the shallows that gave them birth.

You know, all my life I hoped this would happen.

Ever since childhood, I've expected it.

I knew these creatures were alive somewhere

but I had no proof.

No scientific proof.

And I, I had to keep it to myself

or my colleagues would have all laughed at me.

See, no form of life ceases abruptly.

And all these reports of sea serpents.

Well, what can they be?

The tall, graceful neck of Paleosaurus.

He can stay underneath the surface for an age.

And now...

...now he comes to the top.

But, Dr. Samson--

Yes, we must organize an expedition straight away.

Oh, think of it.

What a wonderful specimen to have in the museum.

Oh, but it's, it's dreadfully dangerous

and I suppose you know it's also electric.

Electric? That would account for the glowing.

Mm, e-electric, like an eel.

But this beast isn't only electric

it's intensely radioactive.

Radioactive?

Then I, I suppose the creature will have to be...

...killed.

Dr. Samson, I must get to the admiralty now.

- May I take this with me? - Yes.

Thank you very much. And thank you for all your help.

Goodbye.

Oh, but first, gentlemen, uh, uh, first study the photographs.

(Bickford) Well, at least now we know what our adversary looks like.

This sketch is the paleontology people's best guess.

Pleasant looking chap, isn't he?

We're told that he carries a strong electric charge.

Judging by the beast's size

I would say that it was powerful enough

to drive a battleship.

Of course, its tremendous electric charge

is what projects the radiation.

That's what makes the creature so deadly.

Well, do you have any concrete suggestions?

Yes. First, block off the Thames.

But London is fed by ships.

You're asking us to evacuate the city?

Why, we didn't do that even at the height of the blitz.

But, admiral--

Now, for a single overgrown crocodile

which we don't even know is heading this way...

Oh, no. The Thames Estuary is already blocked off by radar.

But why don't you see for yourselves?

I can have you there within the hour.

[dramatic music]

These screens, sir, show us everything

that's going on in the estuary.

We're maintaining radio contact with all ships

as well as with the helicopter patrol.

Now this screen corresponds

to the area marked H on our maps.

Well, there's a destroyer, as you see.

It's proceeding into the adjoining area.

And up there in the right-hand corner

you see a helicopter entering the area.

That would be our friend, Dr. Samson, with his cameras.

I wonder if he'll get his pictures.

In this fog, I imagine we get a better picture on here

than he will in his helicopter.

[helicopter whirring]

I'm dropping down.

You got your camera ready, Peters?

- Plenty of film? - Yes, Dr. Samson.

But you must realize with visibility as it is, it's--

Oh, we'll sight it, Peters.

After all these years, we must.

Look. Down over to the left.

[dramatic music]

Can't see anything.

There is something there.

A white patch, beneath the surface.

I think it's moving.

That's it. I know it.

We've sighted a moving object underneath the water.

Our position is at...

...H-3-2.

Where's H-3-2?

There, sir. The helicopter.

I'm going down to investigate.

Over.

[music continues]

Can you make out anything below them?

(male #3) No, sir. There's nothing showing on the screen.

Must be a false alarm.

It's definite. I can see it very plainly.

We're just above it, moving at the same speed.

Well, there's nothing on the screen, but the helicopter.

[music continues]

Aren't there some things that radar can't pick up?

No, sir. We can even see the fish when they're running.

Nothing can get by us.

Well, I'm afraid there's something that can now.

[music continues]

[explosion]

Can't pick up the helicopter.

(man on radio) Control tower calling X-134.

Will you resume contact?

Will you come in? Over.

Nothing shows. Nothing.

We'd better get back to the admiralty at once.

(man on radio) Calling all surface and aircraft

in the vicinity of area H.

Proceed at once to point H-32 on your map.

[intense music]

[fog horn blaring]

[fog horn blaring]

[brake screeches]

[fog horn blaring]

[dramatic music]

[woman screams]

[roaring]

[woman screams]

[music continues]

[roaring]

[screams]

[all screaming]

[music continues]

[screaming]

[music continues]

[screaming]

[music continues]

Extra! Extra! Monster attacks London!

Monster! Latest!

(man on radio) ...which now brings the casualties to 36 dead

and more than 50 missing.

The Metropolitan Police

announced that the embankments of the Thames

are closed to all traffic.

The public is asked to keep all streets clear

adjoining the river.

We repeat the Metropolitan Police bulletin.

We repeat the Metropolitan Police bulletin.

The situation is well in hand.

There is no reason for panic

but the immediate vicinity of the River Thames is dangerous.

Oh, fiddlesticks!

We repeat.

The vicinity of the River Thames is dangerous.

This is your roving reporter David McAvoy

speaking from my position

in front of the Port Of London Authority Headquarters.

Throughout the day we've seen armed forces

police, and ministry heads going in for a series of meetings

which have been taking place here.

The commissioner, Sir Charles More

has been personally in charge.

Hello, Riverside, PLA speaking.

- Tower Bridge. - Tower Bridge.

PLA speaking. Tower Bridge.

Port Of London Authority, boat 4, report to pier 8.

Port Of London Authority, boat 4, report to pier 8.

Hello, Port Of London Authority...

(male #4) This is the situation.

The beast appeared at Woolwich, where it destroyed the ferry

and collided with four motor barges.

That was exactly two and half hours ago.

Are you closing the bridges, commissioner?

The bridges will be closed at the first alert

and the traffic will be rerouted through the tunnels.

The beast can strike anywhere

and we're planning to meet it anywhere.

A committee of scientists

under the chairmanship of professor James Bickford

is now meeting with a military specialist.

Meanwhile, as you know

the army and the police

are taking all possible steps

for the protection of the civilian population.

[dramatic music]

[knock on door]

[knock on door]

[knock on door]

[music continues]

[music continues]

Keep in touch with me by telephone.

Very good, sir.

- Well, Allison? - Still in conference, sir.

(Summers) Gentlemen, I still think the simplest way

is the use of explosives.

Very well,

a few drainpipes will be knocked out under the river.

Several houses will be destroyed

which, I remind you, have already been evacuated.

Gentlemen, I propose bombs

which we can deliver with great precision

from low-flying planes or helicopters.

But, Admiral Summers, even supposing you score a direct hit

with your first bomb, which is problematical

then you'll blow the creature to bits

but don't you realize that they...

That each bit will be intensely radioactive?

A million radioactive particles

blown into every corner of London?

Why, the whole city would be poisoned

for God knows how many years.

No, sir, we must find a way

of destroying this creature in one piece

and then we can safely dispose of the radioactive carcass.

This animal, we know is carrying such a huge concentration

of radioactive particles that it cannot possibly survive.

It's burning itself out by the minute.

Right now it's dying of its own radioactivity.

How long will it last?

We have no way of knowing.

Couldn't we somehow speed up the process?

I wonder.

Suppose...

Suppose we were to introduce, say

ten centigrams of pure radium into this disintegrating mass.

Wouldn't that accelerate the process?

Destroy the creature by burning it up from the inside?

Couldn't we tip a shell with radium, say, antitank?

No, no.

Suppose the shell misses the target.

We cannot chance firing a radium warhead

at the city of London.

The result would be disastrous.

No, it must be a direct hit

and the radium must remain inside the creature.

You know...

...a torpedo would be the ideal solution.

It explodes on impact

and its force is contained in the waters around it.

Now, if we could fit a tip of pure radium to the warhead

then it would be buried deep inside the beast.

That seems to be the answer.

Do you agree?

- Yes. - Yes.

And we have the radium at Howell.

I could get you a miniature submarine in time.

That would be the surest way of delivering the torpedo.

But do you realize the danger?

[intercom buzzes]

Yes?

Can you give us the latest news?

We have nothing, sir. Nothing sighted.

[dramatic music]

[snarling]

[screeching]

[bell ringing]

[horn blaring]

[roaring]

[music continues]

[inaudible dialogue]

[snarling]

[roaring]

[screaming]

[horn blaring]

[roaring]

[screaming]

[roaring]

[screaming]

[roaring]

(male #5) Aah!

[screaming]

[screaming]

[music continues]

[intense music]

[roaring]

[roaring]

[roaring]

[beeping]

[groaning]

[beeping]

[music continues]

[roaring]

[choking]

[music continues]

[gunshots]

[snarling]

[gunshots]

[beeping]

[screaming]

[beeping continues]

[dramatic music]

[roaring]

[screaming]

[intense music]

[screaming]

[music continues]

[roaring]

[screaming]

[roaring]

[screaming]

[music continues]

[roaring]

How much longer will it be, Bickford?

We're forging the tip now. It's a delicate operation.

You can't handle radium as if it were iron.

But have you heard what's been going on out there?

Yes, we've heard. It won't be long now.

[dramatic music]

[roaring]

[roaring]

[electricity crackling]

[roaring]

[electricity crackling]

[roaring]

[electricity crackling]

[roaring]

[electricity crackling]

[explosion]

[alarm ringing]

[roaring]

(male #6) Switch on.

[roaring]

[roaring]

[roaring]

[roaring]

[roars]

[roars]

[roaring]

[roaring]

[men screaming]

[roaring]

All ready, sir.

Well, that's fine.

So, what is it exactly?

Well, you see we're tracing

a highly radioactive moving target

and this is the little gimmick that'll find it for us.

Yeah, well, that's your department.

You just tell me where to steer and when to pull the trigger.

I'll certainly try.

[sirens ringing]

[intense music]

- Here it is, commander. - Okay, we'll get it fixed up.

[helicopter whirring]

PB-7, PB-7, PB-7. Report to me, PB-7.

PB-7, PB-7. Report to me, PB-7.

[helicopter whirring]

[dramatic music]

PB-7, PB-7, PB-7. Report to me, PB-7.

PLA, this is PB-7, PB-7.

I've sighted target.

Map reference, L-8-R-1-7.

Map reference, L-8-R-17.

Target sighted.

Map reference, L-8-R-17.

[intense music continues]

Alright, here we go. Stand by to cast off.

- Come on, Mr. Karnes. - Right.

Let go!

Ready?

[instrumental music]

[helicopter whirring]

[helicopter whirring]

[beeping]

[beeping continues]

[beeping intensifies]

[dramatic music]

[intense beeping]

Any news?

[dramatic music]

[beeping]

[helicopter whirring]

- Anything? - Nothing, sir.

[beeping]

[beeping]

Can we try it again?

- Steer 3-1-9. - 3-1-9.

[music continues]

[beeping]

[dramatic music]

[beeping]

Stand by to fire.

[beeping]

Hold it.

Hold it.

[beeping]

Fire!

[explosion]

PB-7. PB-7. Reporting.

Professor Bickford.

They've hit it.

[instrumental music]

Make fast, forward!

- You alright? - Yes, I'm fine. Thank you.

Well done, well done.

(man on radio) We interrupt this program for a special news bulletin.

We have just received a report from America

that mountains of dead fish

are washing ashore along the coast

from Maine to Florida.

We now return you to our normal program.

[dramatic music]