Original subtitles

"Beyond Fact or Fiction,"

hosted by Jonathan Frakes.

Tonight, your challenge is to separate what

is true from what is false.

Five stories, some real, some fake.

Can you judge which are fact and which are fiction?

To find out, you must enter a world

of both truth and deception, a world that is beyond belief.

A simple white vase set against

a simple black background.

But is it really so simple?

Focus your attention on the black area

that outlines the vase.

What you see now appears to be two faces in profile,

the nose, the mouth, the chin.

And it's still a white face with a black background.

But now let's add to the illusion by spinning the vase.

Now it appears that our two faces

are talking to each other.

Truth and illusion existing together at the same time,

just as in the stories that you'll be judging tonight.

We'll tell you which are true and which are

false at the end of our show.

Be cautious as you make your judgments,

for what may appear to be as simple as black and white

may turn out to have two faces.

Auto racing has become one of America's fastest growing

sports and the state of the equipment

has grown right along with the sport's popularity.

Take this console, already obsolete in this fast moving,

high tech world.

From this vantage point, a car can

be tracked, monitored, and adjusted

while it's in the race.

Tony Ferris mans this console for driver Chipper Dunn.

Chipper has had a run of bad luck lately,

but with the help of Tony and his console,

he's ready to turn things around.

However, he's about to find out that some things in his world

simply can't be tracked.

And Chipper Dunn is in the lead.

That was me heading for my first win.

Everything looked great, but--

Oh no, another tough break for Chipper Dunn.

Later that day after the races,

my crew tried to figure out what went wrong.

Hey, you threw a ride, Chipper.

No kidding, Tony.

This one was mine.

I had that trophy in my back pocket.

You just gotta know when to lay off.

You don't win laying off.

Picked up another second place, that'll

help your overall points.

Second place ain't winning.

You're my chief mechanic, it's your responsibility

to make sure stuff like this doesn't happen.

Want to fire me?

No, I don't want to fire you.

I'm sorry, man.

I just got to find a way to win.

Look, I lost my daddy and my granddaddy to the track.

They didn't know when to lay off.

I just don't want to see the same thing happen to you.

I know.

Don't worry about it.

All right.

Let's get her back in the shop.

I knew I was pushing Tony too hard.

I loved the guy, but I loved winning even more.

All right. Come on, fellas.

Let's get this show on the road.

Don't forget, it's a brand new engine.

You go easy on her. - Yeah, I know.

Never kiss on the first date.

Thanks for the fatherly advice.

She's all yours, buddy.

Let's see what she'll do.

Let's go.

I didn't know it then, but I was about to take

the ride of my life.

All right, everything looks good, Chipper.

You can open her up.

All righty, let's rock and roll.

Let's start with a slow dance, huh?

I wasn't much good at slow dancing.

I wanted to pump up the volume.

I'm going to open her up, Tony, and see what she's made of.

Damn it, Chipper.

You're red lining too early.

Slow it down.

I love her, man.

She's got a lot more in reserve.

You're breaking up.

I can hear you, Tony, but you're breaking up too.

Temperature's spiking.

You're going to have problems if you don't slow down.

Not yet. I gotta see what she can do.

Tony, I need to know--

All right, listen, Chipper.

You got a fuel leak.

You got to shut her down, bring her in right now.

Chip, you hear me?

Got a problem, man.

Chip?

Chipper?

Think I can push her a little farther.

It was at this point that I saw him.

He came out of nowhere.

Tony, you're not going to believe this.

There's some guy in an old race car on the track.

Chipper?

Where did he go?

Chipper?

Get out there with a sign.

We've got to stop him right now.

Tony, I've lost you.

I didn't know what he would do next,

but I never expected him to stop.

What's going on here?

Oh man.

Damn it, where the hell is he?

Tony, did you see that guy?

He could've killed us both.

What guy?

The guy in an old race car.

You had to see him.

He hit the brakes right in front of me.

I almost nailed him.

What happened?

You had a fuel leak.

I tried to warn you, but we lost contact.

If it wasn't for that driver, I'd be dead.

Chipper, yours is the only car on the track here.

You're all alone out here.

No, no, no.

There was a Bugatti, I swear.

It had a number one on it.

Number one?

Yeah.

Tony, what's wrong?

My granddaddy drove a Bugatti.

His number was one.

It's the car he died in almost 70 years ago.

Thanks to Tony's granddad, I was still alive.

And for the first time, I really knew

what it meant to be a winner.

Was Chipper imagining things?

Did he really see another driver on the track?

If so, why didn't anyone else see him?

Where were the tire tracks of the other car?

But if there Was no other car, who

did Chipper swerve to avoid?

And if it really was just Chipper's imagination,

how could he have known that Tony's granddad drove a Bugatti

with number one on its side?

Was this story of the ghostly race car driver

inspired by an actual event?

Or have we just been taking you for a ride?

We'll find out if this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, love for the same man traps two sisters in a fight

to the death, on "Beyond Fact or Fiction."

Many wedding dresses are handed down

from generation to generation, mother to daughter,

sister to sister.

In fact, few things can bring sisters

closer together than a wedding, or tear them farther apart.

Camille Pratt is wearing this dress to her ceremony.

It's a dress her sister Rhoda loves.

Camille is marrying Kevin Blair, the man her sister Rhoda loves.

Before this dress is through, it will

have something borrowed, something

blue, and something deadly.

Camille and Rhoda Pratt had never gotten along.

Their friends couldn't believe that they both came

from the same parents.

Camille was considered a saint by all who knew her.

It seemed that Rhoda, on the other hand,

was born a bad seed.

Rhoda had always been jealous of her sister.

She just couldn't bear to see her marry Kevin, a man

she had wanted for her own.

Rhoda, I am so glad you could be here

to help celebrate my wedding.

Maybe now finally, we can put everything behind us

and become friends.

We'll never be friends, Camille.

I'm the one who should be wearing that gown, not you.

Kevin should be marrying me.

Kevin doesn't love you, Rhoda.

He never did.

You just want him because I have him.

You have always been that way.

You are a sick woman, Rhoda.

You should get some help.

Hey, honey.

Hi.

Want us to cut the cake?

Let's go.

All right.

For the next three years,

Camille and Kevin had nothing but happiness,

including two wonderful children.

But then, tragedy struck.

Camille contracted a rare blood disease while

on vacation in the tropics.

Now back home, her doctors couldn't

arrest the rampaging infection, and Camille

had very little time left.

I love you too.

I'll take over, Kevin.

The kids are calling for you.

Thanks, Rhoda.

I'm so glad you're here.

Say hi to the kids for me.

See you later.

Camille fought to summon all

her strength for this moment.

So how you doing, sis?

I know what you're trying to do with Kevin.

You're taking advantage of a very caring man

at his most vulnerable moment.

Must be the painkillers talking.

I'm just being a loving sister.

Isn't that what you always wanted?

Rhoda, I am warning you, leave my family alone.

Just rest, Camille.

Kevin and the children will be in good hands.

Camille died shortly after Rhoda's last visit.

Her final request was that she'd be buried

in her beautiful wedding gown.

But Rhoda had other ideas for the funeral.

Excuse me, do you mind very much please leaving

me alone with my poor sister?

Not at all.

I understand.

You take as long as you like.

Thank you.

It's time to set things straight, Camille.

I'll take my gown now, thank you.

Nobody ever knew that Rhoda switched the dress.

In the time that followed, Rhoda practically

moved in with Kevin.

Hey.

Wow.

It smells awfully good.

Made a cake.

Thought you might like to lick the spoon.

Thanks.

That's very thoughtful of you.

You know, I don't know what the kids and I will do without you.

It was what Camille wanted.

You know Kevin, it's been six months

since she left us and I--

I do love the kids, but what they need is a full-time mom.

And what you need is a full-time wife.

I don't know.

Still so soon.

I understand.

I could never replace Camille.

She and I had our differences, but we

both agreed on one thing, that you and I should be together.

Keep it in the family, so to speak.

And so Rhoda's wedding day finally arrived,

and she celebrated by wearing the dress

she had taken off her dead sister's embalmed body.

The wedding was held in August on the hottest day of the year.

You look beautiful.

It's just so hot.

I can't stop sweating.

Thank you all for being here today

to help celebrate this very special moment

between Rhoda and Kevin.

The gown looks an awful lot like Camille's.

Really?

What a coincidence.

What's that smell?

I don't smell anything.

I think it's coming from your dress.

I'm just wearing my usual perfume.

Are you all right?

I do feel a bit strange.

Do you want us to stop the wedding?

Absolutely not.

Rhoda?

Do you take Kevin to be your lawful wedded husband,

to have and to hold from this day

forward, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?

I--

Rhoda?

Oh my god, sweetie.

Are you OK?

Rhoda Pratt died that afternoon.

Somebody get some help.

The coroner theorized the death was

due to extreme heat combined with

a severe allergic reaction, an allergy to embalming fluid.

Rhoda Pratt may have indeed died from an allergy

to the embalming fluid on the dress,

or maybe as most of the wedding guests believed,

her sister's spirit prevented the marriage.

So the question is, was it really the chemicals

on the dress that choked the life from Rhoda,

or was it a hand from the grave?

Go ahead, make your decision on whether this story

is fact or fiction.

But don't be married to it.

We'll find out if this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a full moon causes full scale

terror for a college professor, on "Beyond

Fact or Fiction."

The moon.

Man has walked on its surface.

We've even made maps of its craters and terrains.

Yet, it still holds a world of mystery.

And the moon does seem to affect life on Earth.

The tides, ebb, and flow with the phases of the moon.

Crime statistics go up with the full moon along with incidents

of erratic behavior.

It's no wonder words like "lunatic" and "lunacy"

have "luna" as their root.

Sheldon Ludovic is very affected by the moon.

In fact, he outright fears it.

But his fears may be no more real than the man on the moon.

My patient, Sheldon Ludovic

thought he was under the curse of the werewolf.

He didn't grow hair or fangs, but he did experience

deep, painful torment.

Mr. Ludovic, if you'd rather do this tomorrow,

that would be fine.

No, I agreed to speak to you because I

need you to save my life.

I understand.

Tell me how I can help you.

You must first believe my story.

The others don't.

They think I'm mad.

I assure you, I'm not mad.

I'm not the others, Mr. Ludovic.

Tell me what happened.

You know what happened.

You read my file.

Tell me in your own words.

You know, I was a history professor.

I loved what I did.

One year ago, I took a trip to Romania to do some research.

That's when it happened.

The attack?

Yes.

It came without warning.

I was walking back to my hotel room.

I remember looking up, marveling at the full moon.

The attack was swift and vicious.

Are you all right?

No.

I'll never be all right again.

I'm cursed for the rest of my life.

Tell me about the first incident

or what you can remember about it.

I returned to Daytona and my teaching.

I remember looking up and seeing a cloud

pass over the full moon.

I began to howl uncontrollably and the students

began running to avoid me.

The next thing I remember was waking up

in a local jail, charged with assault and battery.

From then on, whenever there was a full moon,

I lost all conscious recollection of my actions.

As a result of my many arrests, I

was fired from the university.

I became an outcast.

I could talk to no one.

I was being driven mad by loneliness.

I needed contact with another human being,

but I couldn't risk it.

It must have been very difficult.

And I moved to New York.

I had a job as an assistant librarian, public library.

There I had access to rare manuscripts on lycanthropy.

Tell me what happened when there was a full moon.

I just locked myself in my room.

And then one night I was working late at the library.

I lost track of the time.

There wasn't much time.

There's going to be a full moon tonight.

What do you want from me?

I want you to keep me alive.

You feel you're going to die?

Yes.

You may think it strange because death would bring me peace,

but I want to live, Dr. Melbourne.

Life is still precious, even to a werewolf.

What do you want me to do?

I recently received a copy of a rare book

from a Romanian monastery.

I read through it looking for some possible clue

to help me out of my fate.

What I found was my death.

It was written that when there's a total eclipse

of the full moon, all the werewolves of the world

will die.

Only those not exposed to the eclipse will survive.

The next eclipse occurs tonight.

So you see, I cannot survive in this room.

So you want me to move you to a windowless room

till after the eclipse has passed?

If you do that for me, you'll save my life.

You believe my story, Doctor?

I believe you think you're a werewolf, Mr. Ludovic.

I will talk to the director and have you moved

to a windowless room tonight.

I'm sorry, Dr. Melbourne.

I can't.

I won't move that patient.

If I acted on every request every patient made,

this place would truly be a madhouse.

But his delusions are very real, Dr. Aldus.

He's convinced he's a werewolf and he's going to die tonight.

I know all about Ludovic, and this hospital will

not reinforce his delusions.

Good day, Doctor.

I disagreed with my supervisor,

but he was the boss.

The hard part was going to be telling Ludovic.

I'm sorry, Mr. Ludovic.

I did everything I could.

I'll stay here with you.

No, don't want you to do that.

It's not safe.

I'll see you in the morning.

Sheldon, you're not going to die.

In 10 years of psychiatric practice,

I never encountered a man in more emotional pain

than Sheldon Ludovic.

The amazing thing about him was that as scared as he was,

he refused to give up.

He died?

Of natural causes, Dr. Melbourne.

Despite Ludovic's will to live,

I couldn't help but be glad that his suffering was over.

But in the next few moments, I was

about to learn the depth of that suffering

and the truth of his condition.

Was Sheldon Ludovic an example of a genuine werewolf,

or was he simply a man who had lost his mind?

Medical books list examples of a condition called lycanthropy,

people who take on wolf-like behavior,

often in the presence of a full moon.

Was Sheldon Ludovic simply a textbook

case of this rare syndrome?

But why did he die?

Was he the victim of a werewolf legend come true?

Or did he fear his fate so deeply that he

scared himself to death?

How do you explain the claw marks etched in the door?

For those have been made by a terrified man, or more likely,

by a kind of wolf-man?

Is this story based on fact, or are we just crying wolf again?

We'll tell you if this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, find out what secret's waiting to be revealed

in the mysterious antique store on "Beyond

Fact or Fiction."

Years ago, these items were a part of most American homes.

Today, they've become valuable antiques.

One might wonder if our modern day appliances will ever

provide the nostalgic memories evoked by these artifacts

of yesteryear.

Dr. Edwin P. Costin is a man who appreciates his past,

but today he's in a personal crisis.

He's lost the will to practice medicine.

But even as he's rejecting tomorrow,

he's about to come face-to-face with yesterday,

and his future will never be the same.

My husband Edwin was an excellent doctor,

but lately he had been seeing fewer and fewer patients,

and I could sense he was slipping into a depression.

So I suggested we take some time off

and travel down some country roads, soak up the local color.

In the old days that always cheered Edwin up, but this time

it wasn't working.

I was beginning to fear that he might

never practice medicine again.

Are you sure you really want to go in there, Kaye?

Looks more like a junk shop than an antique store.

You love these old places.

Come on, Edwin.

You never know what you'll find when you get inside.

All right.

At least maybe we get something cold to drink.

It's 115.

How can anybody work in this heat?

I had picked some time to go sightseeing.

The entire south was in the midst of a record heat wave,

which didn't help Edwin's mood.

I didn't want to admit it, but Edwin was right.

It was a dust trap inside and it was impossible to tell

the antiques from the junk.

And the eccentric owner didn't seem to help matters either.

Well, hey there.

Welcome to Danny's Mack's I apologize about the heat,

but the swamp cooler's been down since the electricity

blew a few days ago.

You wouldn't happen to have something

cold to drink, would you?

Oh, sorry.

Like I said, there ain't no electricity.

But I do have some homemade lemonade.

There ain't no ice, but at least it's wet.

That would be great.

Thank you.

Picked it right off the trees out back.

Pretty colorful old guy.

Eh?

Oh, yeah.

Real colorful.

Come on, Ed.

Could you at least pretend to be having a good time?

I'm sorry, Kaye.

I'll try.

Lemonade sweet enough for y'all?

Yeah.

Edwin had that far away look again, like all the life

was draining out of him.

I wondered if he would ever return to his practice.

And then--

Kaye?

Look at this.

What is it?

It's an old icebox, like the kind my grandmother had.

Everybody else owned a refrigerator,

but she wouldn't give up that old icebox of hers.

I remember you mentioning that a long time ago.

This thing brings back a lot of memories.

When I was eight years old, it was

my job to carry ice to my grandma's every other day.

It was my special chore.

My mother gave it to me because she didn't feel that she

could depend on my brothers.

Your mom was right.

I probably wouldn't have become a doctor

if it wasn't that old icebox.

Lot of kids my age were quitting school, going off on their own.

I even ran away once, but after a few hours,

I began to worry about who was keeping grandma's icebox full.

Your grandma meant a lot to you.

She encouraged me to do something with my life.

Yeah.

If it wasn't for her, I'd probably never

would have become a doctor.

If you folks are interested in this antique icebox,

I can make you a good deal on it.

It was just brought in this morning.

Thank you, but we're not really interested.

I'm extremely surprised you folks

couldn't find anything you liked amongst all

those valuable antiques.

Hey!

You've got to help me.

My partner's collapsed.

We was working and he just passed out.

Kaye, get my bag.

What's wrong with him?

It's acute heat exhaustion.

Pulse is very weak.

We have to get him inside, out of the heat.

We got to get his body temperature down immediately.

I need ice and some wet sheets.

Like I told you, there ain't no ice.

And the tap water is hot as Haiti.

This man will die if we don't cool him down.

Come on, Doc.

You gotta do something.

That's my eldest boy, Jethro.

He can't die.

Know

Edwin!

You thirsty? Come on.

Edwin!

There's ice in this thing.

Well, how'd that get there?

Get some sheets.

Get something to break that ice up with.

How's that?

Is that enough?

How are you doing?

Feeling better? - Yeah.

You

You're going to be all right.

I want you to take him to the hospital.

Check him out, just a precaution.

He's going to be OK.

Thank you, Doc.

You just stay calm until the ambulance gets here,

Jethro.

You're going to be just fine.

How did that block of ice get in that box?

I don't know. It's like a miracle.

I don't believe it.

What?

It's my name, right where I carved it

with an ice pick 40 years ago.

Kaye, this is my grandma's icebox.

Edwin and I purchased the icebox and it sits in our home

today.

Edwin hasn't suffered a crisis of confidence since.

In fact, he's a better doctor than he ever was, all thanks

to that old wooden icebox.

Is this just an amazing coincidence,

or was the spirit of Dr. Costin's grandmother

somehow watching over him?

And even if you accept the fact that the same icebox could have

shown up years later, hundreds of miles away,

how do you explain the ice inside of it?

Was the icebox delivered to Daddy Mack's store

with the ice already inside?

Is this story based on solid reality,

or is it as fleeting as a block of ice

on a steamy summer afternoon?

We'll tell you if this story is true or false

at the end of our show.

Next, a home invasion takes a supernatural twist on "Beyond

Fact or Fiction."

One of the things that brings people together

is the joy of cooking.

Thousands visit with their neighbors

every day to exchange and discuss their favorite recipes.

The ladies in our next story love

to meet every week to share cooking secrets

and stir the pot of friendship.

But there's something else stirring this particular day,

and it'll take all the power at their command

to survive the ordeal.

Oh dear.

Guess I'll never be a card shark.

Oh Betty, you're doing just fine.

Now if we could only get Regina away from that stove,

we can get the game started.

Come on, Regina.

Just let it simmer for a little while.

Hold your horses, girls.

I don't want to hear any complaint

if the sauce isn't just right.

I'd add a pinch more sage.

It was a little flat last week.

All right.

I'll add three pinches, not a pinch more.

Oh, I just love our little get-togethers every Thursday.

She's right.

There's just no substitute in life for old friends.

Yeah, you just like getting away from Ralph.

That too.

Come on, girls.

Let's play some gin rummy.

I'm feeling lucky today.

It's amazing what my little grandson Claude

can do with finger paints.

His teacher thinks he has real talent.

You should see my Darlene on point.

She's just so cute in that tutu, I can't stand it.

Now who could that be?

I wasn't expecting anyone.

He's probably just one of the neighbors

with some homemade jam.

Yes?

Oh my.

Shut up, you bunch of old ninnies, before I kill y'all.

Shut up!

Now put your money and your valuables on the table here.

Now!

Come on, Come on.

Y'all got to have more than this.

We don't.

We never do, I swear.

Uh-uh, there's got to be more in this pretty little

house than this chump change.

OK, everybody down in this basement.

Come on, let's go.

Young man, if you leave right now,

I promise you won't get yourself into any more trouble.

Would you shut your mouth, old lady, and get down there.

Let's go!

And keep quiet down there.

What do you think he's going to do?

Well, he's probably going to gather up

all the valuables in the house.

And then he'll come back down here and murder

us all in a horrible fashion.

Oh stop talking that way, Betty.

You're scaring us.

It's so dark down here.

Oh dear, oh dear.

What is this?

What the-- Nothing but a bunch of cheap junk.

That's much better.

Oh yes.

The candles make a big difference.

Damn.

How'd that happen?

I am so scared.

Oh just relax, Norma.

It's all going to be OK.

We just have to have a little faith.

I think we should all hold hands.

Oh spirit of darkness, now is the time to bring us--

What are those old fools doing?

Are they praying?

Bring us justice from this crime.

Oh spirit of darkness, now is the time to bring

us justice from this crime.

Oh spirit of darkness, now is the time to bring

us justice from this crime.

Oh spirit of darkness, now is the time to bring

us justice from this crime.

Oh spirit of darkness, now is the time--

Whoa!

To bring us justice from this crime.

Oh spirit of darkness, now is the time to bring us--

What is this?

What's happening here?

No!

Us justice from this crime.

Oh spirit of darkness, now is the time to bring

us justice from this crime.

Oh spirit of darkness--

The passerby heard the strange noises

coming from the house and called the police.

When they arrived, the thief was still

unconscious on the kitchen floor.

The four ladies in the basement said they had no idea

how that could have happened.

However, neighbors told the police

that they had come to expect odd sights

and sounds whenever the ladies had their little Thursday get

togethers.

Justice from this crime.

Were our sweet little old ladies actually

part of a witches' coven?

Neighbors report they could hear them chanting.

Did the intruder fall victim to their spell,

or did his own clumsiness cause his downfall?

And if our ladies were not really witches,

why did they have access to a knowledge of so many things

associated with witchcraft?

Truth or falsehood?

Fact or fiction?

It's up to you to choose which is which.

Next, you'll find out which of our stories are fact

and which are fiction, when "Beyond Belief: Fact

or Fiction" returns.

And now it's time to see which of our stories

are inspired by actual events, and which are totally made up.

Let's look back at the story of the race

car driver whose life was saved by a ghostly apparition.

True or false?

What's going on here?

Oh man.

Could this story have possibly happened?

According to our research, it happened

to a driver on the West Coast in the mid '80s.

How about the story of the battling sisters

who fought even after they were separated by death?

Fact or fiction?

Rhoda, I am so glad you could be here

to help celebrate my wedding.

Maybe now finally we can put everything behind us

and become friends.

We'll never be friends, Camille.

I'm the one who should be wearing that gown, not you.

Kevin should be marrying me.

Kevin doesn't love you, Rhoda.

He never did.

You just want him because I have him.

You have always been that way.

You are a sick woman, Rhoda.

You should get some help.

According to public reports, this one was

inspired by an actual event.

It happened.

Let's review the story of the doomed soul who believed

he was cursed as a werewolf.

True or false?

There's going to be a full moon tonight.

What do you want from me?

I want you to keep me alive.

You feel you're going to die?

Yes.

You may think it strange because death would bring me peace,

but I want to live, Dr. Melbourne.

Life is still precious, even to a werewolf.

Was this story inspired by an actual event?

Not this time. We made it up.

Let's look back at the story of the mysterious icebox

that gave the doctor back his will to practice medicine.

This man will die if we don't cool him down.

Doc, we've gotta do something.

That's my eldest boy, Jethro.

He can't die.

Edwin!

Come on.

Edwin!

There's ice in this thing.

Did you think this one was fact?

We played a trick on you.

It's fiction.

How about the story of the little old ladies who

are experts of the art of witchcraft?

True or false?

Oh spirit of darkness, now is the time to bring us

justice from this crime.

Oh spirit of darkness now is the time--

To bring us justice from this crime.

Oh spirit of darkness, now is the time to bring us justice--

What is this?

What's happening here?

No!

Our research shows this one happened on the East Coast.

It's fact.

Every day, the concept of truth seems to become stretched,

distorted, and compromised.

Maybe it's time to accept that some things go beyond our ideas

of truth and fall into a category that can best

be described as beyond belief.

I'm Jonathan Frakes.

The story's entitled "Red Line"

and "The Gathering" are true, based

upon firsthand research conducted

by author Robert Tralins.

For "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction,"

this is Don LaFontaine.