Original subtitles

The future of mankind is being hided behind closed doors.

And all over the world, scientists are working on projects...

... designed to take man beyond the confines of this Earth.

You are looking at the actual models of spacecraft now being developed by agencies...

... of the United States government.

This is an Apollo spacecraft...

... designed for an elliptical orbit of the moon.

It's lunar landing vehicle can transport three men safely to and from the moon's surface.

These are other types of manned remote control mechanisms..

... each designed for a specific function, many already in operation as satellites of this Earth.

Some in readiness for the moon shot.

Others designed for overseas.

A few to serve as space stations.

And the most complex of all...

... prototypes of craft capable of putting a man on the surface of another planet.

Wheel was one of man's first inventions...

... and has been with him all of his civilized life.

But now it, like so many other of his creations...

... must be modified to fit his new demands.

These are three types of variable radius wheels...

... designed to transport a vehicle over a rocky surface.

New concepts are being created almost daily.

Some will never get beyond the drawing board.

But others, or their descendents, will become part of man's greatest adventure.

The exploration and colonization of space.

All over the world, men and women are working to make that dream a reality.

Every aspect of the journey is being analyzed...

... from the tiniest control devices to the mightiest rocket engines.

But it's not enough to just get there.

Just as the great explorers sailed from Spain and England and France to discover the Americas...

... so that the colonizers might come later...

... so will our exploration spacecraft precede the colonizers of the planets.

Already, plans are being made for the colonies.

Sources of food and power must be found.

Artificial atmosphere is created.

Everything done to build an Earth away from the Earth.

No man living today can predict exactly what the future holds.

But this much we do know.

All through man's march across this Earth...

... the wildest dreams and fantasies of one age have become the commonplaces of the next.

The motion picture you are about to see...

... can be called today a fantasy of the future.

But one day, maybe not too far distant...

... audiences will be able to look back on it in the same spirit...

... with which we view pictures about the first covered wagon crossing the plains.

Venus...

... the planet named after the goddess of love.

This is where I left her.

Twenty-six million miles away.

Because I know she exists, I know she does. I know it!

All the time we were there, I heard her.

Her and that sweet, haunting sound she makes.

Like the sirens that tempted Ulysses.

You may think I'm crazy back here on Earth.

Crazy or still intoxicated by the atmosphere back there.

But wait a minute, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Let me tell you the whole story.

All of it.

From the beginning.

And see what you think.

You be the judge.

It was two years ago, in 1998...

... that the first manned spaceship left Earth for the planet Venus.

This attempt ended in tragedy.

A meteor hit the ship.

Everybody, everything was lost.

Everything but the will to get there.

To explore Venus.

And so, it was only six months later...

... that the second attempt was made.

The code name for Earth's control was Marcia.

Earth says rockets are ready.

Main rocket stage ready.

Fuel ready.

Say, position center ready.

Power ready.

Air conditioning ready.

Radar ready.

Guidance ready.

Everything ready for takeoff.

'This is flight personnel. Loading elevators are now being withdrawn.'

'Countdown continues at 20.'

'All stations prepare for Zero red.'

'Countdown continues at 10.'

'Zero red minus five.'

'Project Red Planet.'

'All units clear.'

'Switch over to standby.'

There were only two men on the new mission...

... Astronaut Howard Sherman and Captain Alfred Kernss.

But there was another being with them...

... Kernss's invention, Robot John.

Awaken, John.

Awaken.

Slow, John.

Monitor, John.

I hear you.

Everything went smoothly the first part of the voyage.

They travelled over halfway, seventeen million miles, without mishap.

Radio contact was maintained as Marcia, at Earth Control.

And they stopped on schedule at the United States Space Station, Texas, for refueling.

Attention, all landing personnel, report on flight deck.

Stand by to receive Flight Number 87, from Earth.

At Earth Control, we listened to their progress with more concern than anyone else.

'Refueling A-OK. Over now.'

Because we were the command crew.

And if anything went wrong, we were set to follow.

There were three of us.

Command Williams 'Billy' Lockhart...

Astronaut Hans Walters...

And me, Andre Freneau.

I remember how worried we were as we listened to their voices...

... from so many miles away.

Kernsss calling Marcia, Kernsss calling Marcia.

Refueling completed.

Ready for blastoff.

Begin our relay.

They were on the last leg of their journey.

And then they saw it.

Venus.

Cloud formations, thirty percent ash content.

And they prepared to land.

A planet of fire below us.

It is a new world or will it consume us all?

At any moment now.

And then, suddenly, things started going wrong.

'Black cloud. Light.'

'I don't like the looks of this.'

'I'm turning control over to Robot John.'

'Ahead big mountains. I am going up.'

'Wow! Close call!'

'We're watching on the location-finder. The area is strange.'

'This is truly a prehistoric planet.'

'Landing location at Square 73.'

'We're now dropping.'

'Landing three hundred meters southwest of Square 73.'

'Oh-oh, there's water beneath us.'

'We're drifting.'

Sherman...

Kernss...

Answer.

Kernss.

Sherman.

Kernss.

Are you there?

It's hopeless.

Well, very soon after that...

... it became clear there was only one thing to do.

Blast off for Venus ourselves.

Complete the mission, explore the planet.

And attempt to rescue Kernss, Sherman.

If... they were still alive.

Keep coming.

- More, John. - That's it.

Cover me, Kernss!

Look out!

There comes another one!

I've got him!

Kernss, behind you!

No, Kernss!

Look out!

Okay, John.

Just clear all connections.

There.

Goes one hundred and ten.

Secure yourself to that boulder, John.

Proceed!

Proceed!

He's better equipped to fight this place than we are!

I'm wondering if we should be here at all.

Why don't you catch a bus and go home?

Don't think I wouldn't if I could find one.

There he is.

He's up.

Pull it tight. He can hold it.

You better go first, and I'll come along after you.

Within two hours, we were ready to go.

Venus lay ahead.

But our thoughts were with Kernss and Sherman.

If they were alive, would we be able to find them?

We got to Space Station Texas ahead of schedule.

Standby to receive unassisted landing.

Refueling was accomplished in record time.

There was no time to lose.

Funny, considering the way things turned out...

... what I was thinking about as we sped through the dark universe...

... on our way to an unexplored planet.

I was wondering if maybe there wasn't some reason...

... that Venus had been named after the goddess of love.

If maybe there wasn't some wise, old astronomer way back in the dawn of time...

... who knew something.

Something he kept to himself.

But before I could come to any conclusions about it...

... we were preparing for our touchdown on Venus.

Where maybe I'd find all the answers.

And then, almost before I knew it, we were there. We were landing.

We're landed.

Voila.

Don't begin celebrating yet.

Is our level okay?

Yep, there it is.

On the button.

Boy, it sure feels strange to have weight.

Yes, it does seem strange.

That's sure.

But it's nice and solid.

Well, I don't know about you fellows, but I'd like to see Venus.

Open number 3 and hit the beam.

Deeper, try the port viewer.

Telescreen gets it okay.

We'll pan port.

Formations of weird rock.

- Something's there. - I'll switch on the outside sound pickup.

That was the first time I heard her.

- A human being? - Hold it.

It's finished. Transfer it to playback.

Meanwhile, you might check up on the atmosphere, Hans.

It better be good.

Then you better get your spacesuits. We'll move out.

Andre, I want you to attempt a contact with Sherman by radio.

If you reach them, tell them to report their position.

Then get yourself into a spacesuit. We're going to walk about.

I'll be right behind you.

That'll be handy if I slip. Get popping now.

It's 4.7 on oxygen.

That's pretty close.

I'm going to take a look around.

Keep on the rope. Don't get out of visual contact.

It was a weird, desolate place.

But it fascinated me.

And I forgot all about Kernss and Sherman, and what we were there for.

- Received a message. - What did they say?

Marcia has radar movement.

Sherman?

She can't be sure, but it looks like two objects.

One metallic and moving in the area we're expected to search.

Probably Kernss and Sherman.

Come on, Andre!

She'll contact us.

Andre!

He's not onto it!

What is with that?

Get it off me!

Grab that tentacle there.

Quick.

It's trying to devour him.

It's got his leg. Free his leg!

Hurry!

Come on.

Pull him free.

Hurry.

Hans, help us!

I can walk, unless it's broken.

Couldn't get a shot even.

Careful, Andre. We don't want to fight that thing again.

Can you imagine that?

He's bashful.

Why don't we take one of those things home to the zoo?

You've got to be more careful, Andre.

- If we hadn't heard you call me -- - I didn't call.

You called out to us. We heard you.

But I didn't call you.

It sounded like Lockhart.

Let's be getting back.

All we knew was that Marcia at Earth Control had spotted what was probably...

... Kernss and Sherman and approximately where they might be.

So we started out in our spacecar, heading in that general direction...

... not stopping to investigate the many prehistoric sites we passed.

But we were still unable, no matter how hard we tried...

... to make radio contact with Kernss or Sherman.

So we had no way of knowing what they were going through on that distant part of the planet.

Let's rest.

We have very little oxygen left us.

Hope they're on the way!

Looking for us!

Through this heat?

They may not be able to make it through to us.

You better hope they'll get through it and spot us.

I'm beginning to feel like my head's swimming.

Of course.

It's your torn suit.

The infection is getting through.

- Maybe we ought to take some quinceline. - No.

We'd have to rest after.

Must...

... keep...

... moving.

Too much water. My mechanism is in danger.

Need protection.

Alright, John. Find shelter.

Don't stop.

Go on.

- We have to go on. - Come on up.

We can't stay here. We'll be washed away.

John!

Drink it. This way there is no water.

Come on. Just a little bit farther.

There's a cave right over there.

Come on.

That's it.

Just a few steps further.

I don't think I can go on much further.

John, stay with us!

Make sure they find us.

They should know. Must... must continue to fight the laws of mathematics.

There's always a precise probability mathematics might prove... mathematics might --

Marcia...

Marcia...

Dearest... dearest Marcia...

... you must help us.

It's closing in --

I await your order.

I await your order.

Help...

... them find us...

... John.

The shoreline's the best.

If we do, my friend, we'll never make it to them.

Fat chance there is, of finding them.

That voice again!

Hold up.

Almost sounds like a girl.

A girl?

Perhaps.

Or a monster.

Wake up.

Wake up, Moana.

My sisters are calling.

Wake up.

Wake up, Twyla.

Our sister's are awake.

They're hungry.

You have slept enough.

It is time to go into the sea.

Better act well, little sisters.

It's a human.

Well, there are sure no humans here.

Well, we're human.

Well, no one else has made it. You better believe it.

But it sounds so human.

Subhuman, you mean, like that forty-armed plant that just grabbed you.

I still say it's a girl!

A girl... With blue scales!

Could be... he's onto something.

It's possible that before us, other men got here.

Especially in this age.

You ought to know that, Hans.

To a man of science, anything is possible until proven otherwise.

Well, I can't imagine any people in their right mind exploring Planet Venus.

Come on, Hans.

We're here, and we're in our right minds.

- Aren't we? - Let's go.

Girls, be on your guard. Terra.

He's angry!

We must leave this place.

Come, follow me.

Lord, save them.

What?

- There's no response from Kerns or Sherman. - Well, we should soon be there.

Keep trying. Maybe we can bring them in on the helmet line.

Kerns has an auxiliary.

I am.

I'm getting...

... a woman.

Must be Marcia.

Static's really awful.

Hear it?

Move it up.

Point to point on the dial. We'll find her.

I'll try it.

Hello?

John, hello.

John, listen. This is the command ship.

Are you there?

No response.

- Come in. - Up one more point.

Come in.

Better go to solar battery.

Much bigger reach.

I'm on it now.

Hello.

Hello.

Hello.

You must hear me, John!

Please open your mike and answer me, John!

No response.

Try another point.

1-2-5.

You have to readjust your frequency for transmitting.

If you hear me.

'I hear you.'

'I have adjusted.'

Can you report your position and plot number? Over.

Square 40, in shelter.

Tell me what's outside.

Water from above falling on large rocks.

That's Square 40.

Not far. Ask him about the men.

Hello. We would like to know about Kerns and also about Sherman.

They do not speak. They do not move.

How much time before we get there?

- Who knows? - Commander, maybe the robot can help.

Right. Keep an eye on the compass.

Grab onto that.

Hello. You will listen, John.

First you will obey me and do precisely what I say.

You will listen.

Listen, John.

Obey my every command.

Remove Container 2 from Kerns's first aid kit.

Repeat. Container 2.

Remove one tablet.

One tablet.

Then open his helmet.

I have one tablet.

Place the tablet in his mouth.

You must do this quickly.

Revive him with water.

Pour it over his face.

Quickly.

Then close his helmet.

At least we know they're alive.

Let's hope they stay that way.

Commander, look there!

I'm ready with the astrogun.

Some kind of flying reptile!

He may not see us.

He hit us!

He's turning around!

- Maybe not. - We're in for it now! He knows we're here!

- Lock. - Take it now.

Here he comes.

Don't miss, Andre.

Here he comes again.

Open hull, we'll submerge.

We were forced to submerge even though we had killed the flying reptile...

... because of the damage the creature had caused when it hit us.

And it was a good thing, too.

For here, under the sea...

... we were to find the second clue to life on Venus.

Let's put it down for a minute, take a rest.

It's not far to the beach, if our calculations are correct.

I hope this will run again.

Don't worry, it will.

Look, the cliffs are all in even rows!

Like streets!

I'll look around, just five minutes.

Might find something interesting.

Twyla, Twyla, come here!

Hurry!

It is our god, Terra.

He's dead.

What makes Twyla and Meriama so sad?

Come, sisters, let us see.

Oh, Terra...

What evil demon has destroyed our god?

We must carry him to the holy place and pray to his spirit.

Lift him.

Commander!

Well, what do you know?

It's... it's a statue!

Andre!

What's up?

You just look here.

- That's only a petrified tree. - Only?

Why, it's a bronze statue!

And much more, Hans.

Rubies.

You say rubies?

Show me.

Simple.

The eye of an idol.

An idol?

Yes, a reptile.

Yes, a reptile resembling that flying monster that attacked us earlier.

Up there.

You're right, Andre.

I'm not laughing anymore.

There was a civilization here.

And I'll bet you there still is.

Oh, great Terra!

We cry for the flesh of your spirit that lies dead before you.

I swear to you, oh Terra...

... you will be avenged.

The evil demons that did this will themselves be destroyed.

Something seemed to draw me away.

To make me search for... I didn't know what.

I felt something. I don't know...

I felt as though I were being watched.

But I didn't see anything except a harmless octopus.

Yet still feeling a strange presence...

... I went on.

But then, as quickly as it came...

... that weird sensation vanished.

And then there was nothing.

Nothing but the sea.

So I followed my original impulse, looking for a clue like the statue of the flying reptile.

And I found nothing.

Except the rock that I liked for its shape...

... and that could serve as a specimen for the geologists.

Terra has spoken.

We must return his flesh to the sea.

Meriama...

Mayaway...

Wearie...

Carry him away.

Farewell, Terra.

Sleep well, in the sea.

Who is this?

What sisters are these?

- Moana! - Moana!

Bakeeke! Clorie! What is it?

Invaders!

We've seen strange invaders walking under the sea!

Demons.

Did you hear, sisters? Demons!

They had big heads.

And walked in our ancient holy place, under the sea.

It was they, who killed Terra.

They must die.

They're here.

I couldn't have lasted much longer.

You're... you're not alone.

Here we are, skipper.

Good.

We'll need more fire.

Everything in the car is soaking wet.

Ah, feels good to sit.

How are the batteries, Hans?

They stayed dry.

- The atom plate? - Still hot.

You've got that worried look again, Hans.

You're right.

I've pulled and checked every wire and part in that darn radio.

It won't operate.

I've tried everything I know.

I tell you, it's simply hopeless.

How about a long string in an oatmeal box?

Oatmeal box!

The radio will dry out.

We know it's not a dead planet.

Not completely.

Our proof is the statue.

And rubies.

And the woman.

She's probably somewhere.

For his sake...

But the main thing is, there could be a whole race of people out there, watching us.

... hiding, afraid that we'll observe them.

And for them, we came from above.

Dropped. To them, we're probably some kind of monster.

What if they're human-shaped?

They very well could look like us.

But mind you, I'm only advancing a little hypothetical science fiction.

But nothing should be overlooked.

Let's face it. They built the city that's now under the sea.

Hans, it must be true.

Many made it to shore from the sea.

Then why didn't they build themselves another?

We may find they did...

... when we explore the planet.

Before we leave, I'll meet her.

Beautiful song and a beautiful girl.

She must have heard you.

Where is it?

Everywhere.

Suppose it could be an omen?

Well, maybe she's helping us.

If I could just see what she looks like...

- Can the car make it? - I'm sure.

A feeling of foreboding had come over me.

A chilly, ominous sensation.

I didn't know what it meant.

And I kept staring at that rock I'd found.

As though perhaps it might hold the answer.

Andre!

Andre!

Thanks for waiting.

She'll take care of you.

Stop teasing him, Hans. He's in love.

Oh god of the fire mountain!

Let your boiling, red-hot earth rain down upon the invading demons...

... who dared bring death to Terra.

Hear us, oh god of the fire mountain.

Pour forth thy red-hot earth. Drown them in fire!

- Drown them. - Fire!

- Fire! - Drown them!

- Drown them! - Drown them!

- Drown them! - Drown them!

- Drown them in fire! - Drown them!

- Drown them! - Fire!

- Strange, it's gotten suddenly dark. - Well, it's no wonder.

What makes you say that?

There's an ash cloud above us.

An ash cloud?

- A volcano. - Yes.

It's spectacular!

And beyond the volcano, it looks like the lights of a city.

The red spot Andre saw.

- We must get a move on. - Not right away.

This might be our only chance to gather some samples.

Lava and ash!

To take away with us.

Alright, we'll go to a much better vantage point, and right now.

- Sherman, come. - But look at the magnificence!

No one on Earth has seen such a sight!

Hurry, we must go to higher ground.

I am hurrying.

Are you getting the spectrasample?

Getting it now.

That's enough. The lava is rising!

Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!

Drown!

Drown!

Terra is avenged.

Drown!

Drown!

We've waited too long. It's covered our path.

- Perhaps we can run a rope. - How?

We did it before.

- With John. - There's no more time.

- John? - Yes, I hear you.

Ferry us across the lava.

Climb on, quick!

Audibility getting better.

- Why is he talking? - He's singed.

Getting radio distance according to your request.

- And determining distance, two miles. - It's Lockhart!

- I hope so, frankly. - I'm sure.

They'll be by here any minute. Give them time.

What a remarkable invention you have here!

It's nice to hear you admit it, Alfred.

Temperature for extremities, five hundred degrees.

My self-preservation mechanism says...

... I must eliminate extra weight.

What now?

Disconnect the mechanism.

- Where? - Open the door.

- Here? - First panel.

- Hurry, or we're dead for sure! - I don't know which.

Let me!

I am forced to reduce some of this weight.

He's going to throw us off!

Pull the wire!

- Through the lava? - Straight, Hans.

Smash the terminal!

I have, I've done everything!

Kerns.

Kerns...

Andre!

We must hold on! They'll be here.

Wish me luck.

For God's sakes, hurry.

- He's here! - Thank God!

Sherman! Kerns!

Commander!

Andre!

Here, let me help you out, my friend.

I never thought I'd see your ugly face again.

We save him and he insults us!

We should have saved Kerns's robot instead!

- Kerns, you rascal. - We knew you'd make it.

Is the robot finished?

Yes.

It was just a metal mouth.

Yet when his destruction was imminent, he called out my name.

Looks placid and calm.

But frightening.

Yes, I suppose it does.

If you use imagination.

We'll soon be home.

That's right.

But we leave a friend behind.

Come.

Join the rest of us.

So we took stock of the situation.

And though we tried to keep our spirits up, it was still pretty discouraging.

The volcano had destroyed some of our provisions and our rocketship's fuel supply was low anyway...

... considering the added weight of Kerns and Sherman.

It looked like we'd have to be starting back very soon.

What else is there to do?

Well, we can look for Andre's girl.

Very cute, Hans.

Did you name them after us?

Well, with triplets, it's better with numbers.

Looks to me like he's raising his own countdown!

Why not names?

I'd forget.

I'm worried about him.

So you really found proof there were people on this planet?

Hard to believe.

Believe it or not, my dear Mr. Kerns...

... it's true.

And they could still be here.

I don't go along with that.

Could a human survive in a place like this?

You survived.

And man will almost always adapt himself in time.

And don't forget, in the dim past, we all lived in water.

For centuries, our Earth was toxic.

But that atmosphere evolved mankind's form.

Adjusting it.

And I bet that these people on our planet couldn't live.

The air would be poison.

I'm afraid I don't share your opinion.

You just can't close your mind to it.

We found proof.

Proof of intelligent beings!

And those lizardmen of Kerns'.

That's proof.

Look, suppose they do look like lizards. Couldn't they be people?

Suppose they saw the ship...

... got frightened...

... then donned their lizard costumes, eh?

Then jumped up and down to spook us away!

What possible story could explain it better, eh?

None. You're the winner.

Joking aside, my friends.

Man, lizard or what, I know there were or are intelligent people here.

If we just had time!

I think they might come to us!

Look, even you, Kerns, said you saw the lights of a city beyond the volcano.

I said they 'looked like', not 'were.'

Here, you two.

Have some coffee and rest your voice.

If only there was some way to communicate with them...

... some way to make them understand we were not an enemy.

That we wanted nothing except to know their ways and study their civilization.

Or was it really all just fantasy?

Just my wishful imagination?

And that sound only an accident, caused by the wind in the canyons?

Hey! Hey, watch that!

That's where your countdown jab got you in trouble!

Wake up, sisters!

It is a new day.

And our land is safe again.

But what is that?

Something strange is there.

Come and see.

It is one of the demons.

It is sent to us by the god of the fire mountain.

He shows us his power.

Better get out and locate her, Andre. She wants you to stay on here.

Just you wait!

I think perhaps we should be trying to find her, and take her with us!

I vote for that.

But she might not like us much anyway.

If we can get far beyond those hills...

... I bet you money we'd find her and the city.

You've been reading too many comics.

Kerns wouldn't believe she existed if she were sitting on his lap right now!

Wanna bet?

We're here.

Sisters!

All of the invaders have not been destroyed!

They are stronger than the god of the fire mountain.

But now Terra will speak.

I think we did a job we can be proud of.

Look at all the samples we got!

There's going to be a large headline when they see all these great things we're bringing back to them.

This one's loaded, old man.

Steady, child.

Bring the spectra.

Oh, Terra...

Most powerful of all the gods, show us your wrath.

Bring forth the waters from the fiery heavens!

Let not one invader remain to walk your land!

You have heard us!

Great Terra!

At first we didn't pay much attention to the rain...

... though it seemed heavier than any rain we'd ever seen.

But it continued without let-up.

In fact, it seemed to increase in strength.

As we planned our takeoff procedure which required some adjustments because of Kerns and Sherman...

... I know we all felt slightly uneasy, nervous...

... as we listened to the heavy rain fall on the ship.

As for myself, I... I listened to the sinking feeling...

... as though every drop were taking me further and further from ever finding her.

Then suddenly...

Quickly, Andre!

Hans!

This was all level ground when we landed!

Stream's cutting a whole new channel above!

Skipper, look here!

A crack, running clear across!

If it widens anymore, we'll all be lost.

Quick! Lighten ship for emergency blastoff! Maybe we can beat it!

Sherman, Kerns! Everybody back to the ship!

Hurry, Andre!

Hurry, Andre!

Just finished.

Look what I found!

Hey!

They're human!

We can't leave them like this!

We can't leave!

They look just like us!

We can't leave!

Look! Look, a face!

They look just like us!

Commander, they're like us!

Don't you see? Look!

They're like us!

We must stay!

We must!

They are stronger than our gods.

They are stronger than Terra.

Terra is a false god!

There is a stronger god.

Hear us, oh strongest god of all.

We worship you.

Well, that's the story.

It's been two years now, and there's been no plan to return to Venus.

Lockhart and Kerns have moved on to other missions.

There is Mars to be explored, and Jupiter.

But I can't forget her.

And I'm going back.

Maybe someday I'll see her.

Maybe I'll die trying.