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Food of the Gods, The (1976)
Hit it, hit it!
Way to go. I'm trying here. Way to go, Jay Parks! Okay, let's go. Forward eye. 6-22. X-3. Okay? Right. On one, on one. Ready? Six. Six. Two. Six. Three. Four. My name is Morgan. I play football. We worked our butts off trying to get it together for the big Sunday game. So the coach told us to knock it off, and relax for a few days. One of my teammates, Davis, came up with the idea that we head out to the island. He went ahead to make the arrangements. I talked our PR man, Brian, into coming along. I felt the day off would do him some good, too. It'll be great to be in the country again, and enjoy some of the open spaces that man hasn't screwed up with his technology. My father used to say, "Morgan, "one of these days the earth will get even "with man for messing her up with his garbage. "Just let man continue to pollute the earth "the way he is, and nature will rebel. "And it's going to be one hell of a rebellion." Of course, I never took him seriously, but I still remember the way he looked at me when he said, "You'll never know when and where it's going to happen. "And once it starts, you'll never know how and when it'll stop." It's funny how my father's prediction comes to mind when I go to the country, like today. Venison tonight, right? .We haven't got him yet We will. They've got it! Go on, beat it. Hey, what'd you do that for? Come on, Davis. We won. The poor bastard lost. What more do you want? Get out of here. Hey, come on, let him go. Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Jesus. Oh, my God. You stay with him, Brian, I'll be right back, okay? Hello. Hello? Hello. Hello? Where the hell did you get those goddamn chickens? Hey, do you know those bastards almost killed me, huh? You had no business in there. Look, my name is Morgan. I need a telephone. There's been a bad accident in the woods out there. My friend is dead. We don't have no phone. Well, where can I find one? None nearby, you can't. We're the only farm on this end of the island. What? No one else? That horse, did you get it from the stable near the ferry landing? Yes, I did. Well, when you take it back, they got a phone. Thanks a lot. By the time I get there I won't need one. Please, mister... Could you take a look at something that scared the wits out of me? Hey, look, lady, I've already seen your chickens. No. No, this is something else. I wouldn't ask if Mr. Skinner was here. The Lord knows I wouldn't. But I'm frightened they've got to it. What do you mean, "they"? Please, mister, will you take a quick look, and tell me if you think, it's what I think it is? Please. Look. Do those look like ratholes to you? Yeah, they sure do. I knew it. They got at the food. They must've. Is this what you've been feeding those chickens? No. This is the way it comes to us from the Lord. The chickens won't touch none of it, unless we mix it with the meal and the bran. Yeah, well, that wasp seems to like it well enough. I mean, what is it? The good Lord give it to us 'cause we're deserving people. And we pray regularly, we do. And the Lord is going to see to it that we don't need money no more. Never. Look, lady, I don't think you realize how dangerous this stuff could really be. Mr. Skinner's in the city this minute, making a big, important money deal for this food. That's what he's doing, right now, at the same time we're standing here talking. Yeah, but that's not gonna help very much if something besides those chickens have gotten into this food. Well, nothing on our farm killed your friend, if that's what you're thinking. Lady, how large do you think those rats will grow if they've gotten into this food of yours, huh? Mr. Skinner'll know what to do, no matter what ate it up. He'll know exactly what to do. Yeah, well, I hope so, because I'll be coming back. I didn't think we'd be going back like this. Yeah. What do we do now? I guess we let the coroner figure it out. We gotta tell him what we think, don't we? No, I don't think so. I mean, we'd sound like a couple of prize idiots telling the District Attorney a giant something or other killed our buddy, wouldn't we? How many times you been busted up playing pro ball? I don't know. I don't think there's a guy in the league who hasn't been laid out once or twice. Except Davis. Been playing with the team for seven years. Never even been carried off the field. Yeah, so what's the point? So, what I want to know is, how does a guy with all that luck have this happen to him? Well, I guess his luck ran out. Oh, excuse me, sir. Yes? Anything happen today, sir? Happen? Like, unusual. Well, a man was killed stag hunting on one of the islands. Fell off his horse. You mean, unusual like that? Not exactly. I saw the body. His two friends brought him across. He was all swollen and ugly. You know what I mean? I don't suppose his friends said anything about seeing some big things, did they? Anything of that sort, sir? God! Oh, God! Who's there? Lord, save me, save me. I just came from the coroner's office. Yeah, what'd he say? From the amount of poison in his body, he estimates that Davis was stung by no less than 250 wasps. Jesus. Come on, let's go. Where to? The farm. Come on, what do you want to go out there for? The ride. Well, I'd like to go along with you, but I'm splitting for Chicago tonight, remember? Come on, Brian, will you? Hey, baby, if I don't set up that promotion in Chicago, you jocks ain't gonna have too many fans watching you play football. Come on, you know darn well you don't have to be there for at least two days. Well, all right. If the truth were known, I'm really not all that ecstatic about going out there with you, Morgan, you know. Oh, Tom, come on. Please hurry. Tom, get it going. Oh! Oh, please stop. Please. Please, please stop! Why didn't you stop? What for? The girl was pregnant. So? So she wanted something, Jack. Maybe they were in trouble. lt can wait. We'll pick them up on the way back You don't care about anybody but yourself, do you? Is that what you think of me? I think you're the most selfish man I know. So why do you work for me? Because jobs for female bacteriologists are just not that easy to find, Jack. So who told you to be one? You're a bastard, did you know that? As a matter of fact, I do. Oh, Tom, I don't know what we're gonna do. .Just stay calm Don't worry about a thing, sweetheart. Who put this goddamn gate here? Hey, what's that? Oh, my God! What do you suppose killed them? Well, whatever it was, it did a good job on the barn doors. I'm really impressed, Jack . How about you? Well, I don't know. You can't tell much when they're dead. How do we know some clown didn't make this thing out of plaster of Paris and a handful of ostrich feathers? Let's see if we can find Ma and Pa Kettle. I don't see anybody. Mr. Skinner! Hello! Anybody around? He said he'd be here. Well, maybe he's out back, huh? Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry, miss. I thought you was... Well, I don't know what... My heads all mixed up. It was them coming in. Mr. Skinner said they would. What happened to your arm? It was the big worms, miss, crawling horrible things. And then the rats came. Rats? In the barn, awful giant rats. Well, we're looking for Mr. Skinner. What do you want him for? Well, we were supposed to meet him out here today. Mr. Skinner didn't come home last night. Maybe he stayed over in the city. Well, that doesn't matter. You can show us whatever you have out here. But Mr. Skinner never stays away overnight. Never. Are you trying to tell me I've wasted my time coming out here? Did you make a money deal with him? No, not exactly. Then, I'm afraid I can't show you our secret. It wouldn't be right. Look, I didn't travel all the way out here to this goddamn hole to see some dead chicken carcasses. Now, do you have something you want to sell or haven't you? Hold it, Jack. Why don't you just try being a little human for a change? Mrs. Skinner, we have to get back to the city. Couldn't you show us what your husband fed the chickens? I won't let Mr. Bensington take advantage of you, I promise. All right, miss, I'll show you. I don't care what happens. I just want my husband to be with me again. See? That's what your husband brought us out here for? Just like Mr. Skinner found it. Just like that one day. At first he thought it was oil, and it was gonna make us rich. Come on, Lorna. But wait a minute, Jack, wait a minute. Look at this. I've never seen anything like it. Mrs. Skinner, how did your husband happen to feed it to the chickens? Well, when we found out it weren't no oil, There was nothing to do about it, so we fed it to the chicks. Right out of the ground like that? No, miss. Nothing'll eat it unless we mix it with chicken feed. And did all the chickens grow? Only the baby chicks. Nothing seemed to effect the grown ones. Nothing at all. Nothing happens to the full-grown chickens, is that right? Well, they didn't grow none, if that's what you mean. But I didn't say nothing happened to them. Well, what did happen? They got ate by the real big ones. Come on, Lorna. Mrs. Skinner... I don't like you. Well, if that stuff is worth anything, I'd like an option until Miss Scott, here gets the stuff analyzed. I don't want nothing more to do with you. You didn't take me seriously back there, did you? I was only having a little joke. Jack, look! Oh, thank you. Did you see them? It was last night. They were right there in the middle of the road. Right in front of us. We almost hit one. What were they? They couldn't have been what they looked like. Yes, they were. They were these huge rats. I've never seen anything so ugly in my life. All right, we'll pull you out and you follow us. It won't help. I busted my rear axle. Are you going back into the city? Well, we have to make a stop at a farm, first, then we'll be going right back. Okay, but if we're still here, can we get a ride back with you then? I think you'd better come with us now. Oh, that's all right, we'll be okay. We'll just stay inside the bus. Morgan. You okay? Damn fortunate you happened along. Yeah. Well, actually, we didn't just happen along. We came out here to see Mr. Skinner. What about? Are you Mr. Skinner? No, I'm not Mr. Skinner. Do you know about the food the Skinners have up here? Yeah, a little. Well, I can tell you right now, if you're entertaining any intentions of becoming involved, you're too late. My company controls all rights. Well, then, maybe it's not Mr. Skinner I want to see after all, is it? I'm not interested in any partners. Until Mr. Skinner comes home and says he wants you to have our food, Mr. Bensington, nobody owns nothing but us. The good Lord give it to us to do as we please. Well, it would appear you were just moved back three spaces and lose a turn. Well, anyway, my company has first refusal. Miss Scott here was present when Mr. Skinner made us an offer. That was yesterday morning. Well, then, I suppose legally, you just might be right. No question about it. Good. When I throw our charges with the district attorney, I'll know who to name. What the hell are you talking about? Second degree murder, I guess that's what they'll call it. My friend was killed by your wasps yesterday afternoon. They're not my wasps. Well, if you own the stuff that made them grow, I guess you're liable for whatever they do. Now, wait a minute. Oh, we'll wait more than a minute. My buddy here and I are going to give you a hand in cleaning them out. Well, you'd better get the hell off this land. You're trespassing. Sorry, can't do that. We'll have to get the wasps in their nests, and they don't go home till after dark. Dirty bastards! I'm Lorna Scott. Oh, you're with Mr. Wonderful over there? I'm in charge of the bacteriostasis in his plant, yes. It must be fascinating work. Since you're dying to know what it is, I shall tell you. I keep the bacteria growth within an acceptable tolerance. How interesting. Brian, we're gonna need something that'll work for a wick. Maybe some rope rubbed down with powder from our shotgun shells, and some plaster or cement. See if the Skinners have any, okay? You don't like women around when you're doing your thing, do you? What's my thing? Facing danger. I don't mind. Are you sure? What's there to mind? Oh, can I come along? Why not? It won't be easy, but I think I can learn to like you. You're the first man I've met who has balls enough to beat Bensington at one-upmanship. Really? You're nice yourself. Thomas, she kicked. Right here. Like what you see? I realize I'm not very attractive being so pregnant and all, but... No, it's not that. I just guess the whole thing wasn't such a good idea, after all. I just thought we could see things more clearly. Thomas, I'm seeing things very clearly, and I'm not going to change my mind. But it's my baby. I want it to have my name. She'll have her own name. Did anybody ever tell you, you're crazy? Why? Because I'm happy we're having a baby? It'll be the same kid even though we're married. But our relationship won't be, yours and mine. But what's the difference, damn it? We're still the same two people. Just tell me what the difference a lousy marriage certificate has to do with our relationship? Hey, that is exactly what I'm talking about. Nothing! And that's why I don't want one. Thomas, look at me. You love me, don't you? And I love you. We live together. We grow together. Do you believe that? It's huge. Come on, let's get back to the farmhouse. Oh, God, forgive me for doing bad things. I swear, I won't sin again if you just return my husband to me. A doctor ought to be taking care of this, Mrs. Skinner. The Lord healeth the sick, Lorna. That's from the Bible. Yeah, well, I think maybe you should drive back with us tonight Oh, no, I can't do that. When Mr. Skinner returns, he'll want me to be here. He will. Mr. Morgan. Mr. Morgan. Mr. Morgan. They got Lorna God have mercy on the poor girl. Well, what happened? I'll show you. I'll get my gun. Yeah. That slope in back of the house. That's where we saw them. Then, all at once, they came at us! And Lorna ran up on the slope, but the earth gave way. She fell in there. That's where the big rats went. But Lorna's down in there. Lorna! Lorna, can you hear me? Morgan! Morgan, get me out of here! Okay, I'm coming down. You're sure they were rats? - I know a rat when I see one, mister. - Give me a hand. They're nearly as big as horses. Is there anything you didn't feed the food to, Mrs. Skinner? Brian, get the rope and flashlight from the jeep, okay? Right. Oh, Lord. It's happened, just as Mr. Skinner said it would. Being punished 'cause we sinned against nature. The only sin, Mrs. Skinner, is your goddamn stupidity. You're not a good man, Mr. Bensington. The things you say and do. You okay? Yeah. Hand me the shotgun. Coming in. Got it? Yeah. Take her up. Morgan! Morgan! Are you okay? Yes. Morgan! Morgan! Morgan! Careful there. Where are those ratholes? There. There. Bensington, will you go in with me? Don't be a fool. Thanks, Brian. You okay? Here. Thanks to you, kid, we missed the last ferry. You bastard. Thomas. Honey. Yes? Please, could you just lift me up, please. Yeah, sure. You all right? Oh, yeah. It stopped. It stopped What the hell was that? Thomas. Rita. Rita, come to the door. Come on out. Tom, what is it? Oh, my God! Tom! Oh, Tom! Look at them. Tom. Come on, let's get out of here. Come on. Come on. Oh, Tom, I can't.. They're out there, all over the place. - They're everywhere. They're everywhere. - Big rats. Where? Out there on the road where your camper was? By the camper, yeah. Wait, how many were there? I don't know. They're all over the road. Come on, Lorna, we'll drive right through them. Hold it right there. What the hell do you think you're doing? This car might be the only way out of here for all of us. That's why I'm taking it. If anybody wants to come along, they can come. Now give me the keys. Not until I know it's safe. Safe, hell! It's my car, god damn it! Give me the keys. Okay, Bensington, I'll give you your keys back, but if you try and take any of these people out of here before I tell you it's okay, you're gonna have more than rats to fight. You got that? Hold it a second, Morgan. How could they get at us inside the car? Well, after they force us off the road, they'll give us a choice, of either dying inside the car or coming outside and being eaten. Well, I don't hear you coming up with a better suggestion. Well, how about this one? You and I go for a ride in my jeep and take a little look for ourselves, huh? What the hell for? I don't know. Maybe those kids exaggerated a little. - I'm not interested. - Maybe they exaggerated a lot. I'm still not interested. Well, just you and me, Brian, let's go. Maybe he's right, Morgan. His car is closed. We could plow right through the bastards. Okay, Brian, you go out there and plow right through the rats with the man. If you don't make it, no one can say you didn't try. All right, just tell me one thing, okay? What the hell are we going out there for? In this open jeep, we don't stand a chance. Dumb bastards. They're even worse than I thought. Jack? Jack, the girl is sick. I don't know what to do. It's stopped. She could be having a miscarriage. Help me! This is the end of it. I want it all! Didn't you hear what I said? I said the girl is sick. She could be dying. Find every container you can. Pails, bottles, jugs, anything that'll hold it. We'll load the car and then get out of here. You don't give a damn about the girl, do you? You don't give a damn about anybody, but yourself and money. Do you know what this food is worth? Enough millions, you can use $100 bills for toilet paper. You can flush it down the toilet without even counting it. Well, I didn't know that's what you wanted money for, Jack. I'll give you one thing, though, you're creative. You're a no good son of a bitch, but you're creative. What are you stopping for? What are you doing? You don't think that's going to keep them out, do you? I'm going to follow that road, right down there. That road? That's the way the rats are coming. The rats are coming... Oh, relax, will you, Brian ? Relax. Well, we're in luck. The fence runs right into the water. Oh, Jesus Christ, Morgan! You saw how big they are. This goddamn fence isn't going to stop them, nothing's going to stop them. Well, maybe not. Even if it did, they can swim. You know that? Rats can swim. They'll swim right around the end of it. No, I don't think so. I think if they go in the water, they'll sink straight to the bottom. Come on, are you kidding me? You ever seen movies of a hippopotamus in the water? I should swim so well. Yeah, well, they've been doing it for a hell of a long time. So have rats. Yeah, at a weight of about 10 ounces. So? At 150 pounds, the gravity pull is gonna make it a whole new thing. I think they're gonna have to learn how to swim all over again. You could be wrong. .And the fence goes to the water on this end, too If they attack us out here in the open, we're dead. We've got an unbroken wire fence running across the north side of the island, with water on both sides. It won't even slow them down. Charged with electricity, it will. You should see how funny you look, Jack. You're scared shitless the rats will come, but you want money badly enough to chance it. Well, fill this, god damn it! The stuff is drying up. I'm beginning to think maybe that stuff should stay right where it is. What the hell are you talking about? Well, it doesn't look so good, as a super-contribution to the world, I mean. Starving people? And you're going to feed them all with big chickens, right? Yeah, and giant cows and sheep, and ducks and fish, and you name it! Yeah, well, it sounds good, but wouldn't bigger creatures have larger appetites? I'm way ahead of you, kid. I'm going to take this stuff and have it converted to plant food. Oh, and you're gonna feed all the big animals with big plants. Right on. And within five years, hunger will be a thing of the past. And that's what you're doing it for, is it, Jack? For the benefit of all the hungry people throughout the world. Especially the children. Oh, God, you're going to make me cry. Hey, Lorna, you surprise me. I always thought you were like me. Anything for a buck. Oh, no, you underestimate yourself, baby. Nobody could be a whore like you. You're number one. I heard that argument you had with Bensington. Are you that much concerned? No? Well, why'd you throw away your job? I couldn't take the chance the rats would get me before I told Bensington exactly what I thought of him. You okay? I think I'm going to be sick again. Get up. Come on. It's all my fault. Her pregnancy or her being out here? Both. Well, it's too late to do anything about either, isn't it? Oh, God, help us. I won't never sin again, never. Only don't let no rats eat us. Please, God. - Is that enough? - Yeah. Okay. Good. Come on, baby. Choke this thing, here. There you go. Take the shotgun, Brian. You know something, I'm supposed to be in Chicago, day after tomorrow. Yeah, I know. Think I'll make it? I sure hope so. Oh, Jesus, here they come. Don't shoot. What if it doesn't stop them? We won! Morgan, we won! All right, let's get out of here. Come on. Okay. You were right! They can't swim! Let's go. If I was a fish, I'd have thought it was too easy. What's the matter? Did you count how many rats there were back there at the water? - Just now? - Yeah. No, I didn't count them. Yeah, well, if you had, you'd find out that there's only half the bastards we left back there at that generator. So what? So, I think the rest are up to something else. Like what? Like, we better find out damn quick. Where the hell are you going? Come on, Morgan, let's break this down. Come on, let's get the hell out of here. Oh, God. Brian! Brian! Morgan! Morgan! If you care for that girl in there with your baby, you better change your mind. Once I leave here, none of you are going to get out alive. I couldn't take Rita back out there with those rats. There's no way. You just didn't see them like we did. Now, you listen to me, you get that pregnant girl of yours out of here and into that car. And don't give me any bullshit. And the old lady goes, too. Well, get them, god damn it! Yeah, that's right, Jack. You be sure and take Mrs. Skinner with you. You'll need her signature for the rights, won't you? What happened to your friend? He run out on you? Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Hey, come on. Hey, let go of me, you son of a bitch Hey, hey! No, stop it! Please, stop it! Stop, no! No! Oh, Lord! Look! Look, look! Get the shotgun! Mr. Thomas. Thomas! Listen, everything's going to be okay. Better go in the bedroom with Rita. She's not feeling too well. Looks like the white one's the leader. Save your energy, Thomas. They're out of shotgun range. Hey, we scared them off. Yeah, for a while anyway. For a while? We can hold them off forever, man. Just cool it, will you? Mr. Morgan! Mr. Morgan, the well's run dry. I been pumping and pumping since the Lord knows when. Yeah, well, you can stop pumping. Those rats have cut through the pipe right to the well. What do we do about water? That's the least of our problems. Those rats will be in here long before we ever get too thirsty. Oh, my God. Hey, Morgan, how do we know we can't reach them with our shotguns out there? Boy, just another 20 feet closer, we'd get them all. Hey, you're ruining those shells! Yeah, I know. But that's all we got left to save us. Hey, look, Thomas, count the shells we've got. If we're lucky enough to knock out one rat with each shell, there'd still be enough of those bastards left to hold a hell of a people barbecue. Oh, you've got an answer for everything, don't you? Well, maybe we shouldn't have listened to you, maybe Bensington was right. Yeah, you got a point there. Well, nothing gets to you, god damn it! We could've been the hell away from here if it wasn't for you. I'll tell you what. Bensington's car is still out there. You can take it if you want to. I'm sure he won't mind. I know all about delivering babies. Living on a farm, you get to know those things. Everything's going to be all right. - Lorna. - Yeah. Can you handle one of these. Sure. You ever shot one? No. Oh, terrific. Well, it's ready to go. Hold it tight against your shoulder. It kicks, okay? Yeah. God, I know my husband isn't coming back to me. I know it, I know it. Was the finest man in the whole world. Is it possible that Bensington was right? We could have driven through them? Yeah, it's possible. How can you be so cool? Aren't you afraid? Sure, but I'm more bothered that those rats are out there trying to outsmart me. If I told you how I felt right now, you'd think I was crazy. Tell me. I want you to make love to me. It is crazy, isn't it? At a time like this. Listen, the first thing we'll do when we get back to the mainland is continue this conversation, okay? But that's just it, I don't think we'll ever get back. They're attacking again. I need more shells. How's it going? I've been lying here, thinking about what it's going to be like when those rats get inside. Morgan says we're gonna be fine. Do you believe that? You know, I used to think about dying a lot. I'd sort of lie there in bed, at night, in the dark. I guess I've always had a terrible fear of it. Rita, don't. I used to fantasize the most horrible death. You know, the most frightening. None of them come close to being eaten by rats. The funny thing is, now that it's happening, it really doesn't seem to matter, except for my baby. What do you think our chances are? Pretty good. Like hell. Have it your way. Any minute now those rats are going to bust in here, and you're still fussing around with some lousy jars. Well, it's something to do. Something to do? That, my dear boy, is what life is all about. From the time you're born, it's finding something to do while you're waiting to die, and you try like hell to prevent it. I'm not afraid to die, 'cause it means I'll be with my husband again. I'm not afraid. Not afraid. Now, you get your ass in gear and get over there, and put that strip in that gasoline jar and move it! I think we ought to at least talk about it. All of us. Yeah, about what? Bensington's car. It's still out there, and the rats haven't hurt it. I'll tell you what, we'll take a vote on it. - Good. If we... - After we come back. From where? Say, I'm not going to leave Rita, if that's what you're thinking. Pick up those jars of gasoline, Thomas! You're going to kill us. Now open the front door! Oh, God. God! No! Oh, no! I think the baby means it this time. How did you know there was a dam? Mrs. Skinner told me. Don't let the baby die , please. Can you see? Can you see the head? Push. Is the head coming? It's showing its head. Yeah? Yeah. Now, push. Push. Okay. Is it a boy? What is it? It's a boy. It's a boy? It's a boy. Jesus. We'll never get... We won't by sitting here. Come on. Light this thing. Everybody upstairs, now! Morgan! Oh, God, no! Well, I guess that's the end of them. The end of Bensington's one last big shot at immortality. We were able to get Thomas's camper fixed long enough to get us back to the ferry and away from that nightmare for good. I'm back with the team, and things won't be the same without Brian and Davis. My father was right. The land rebelled much worse than he ever could have imagined. Nature was attacked, and hit back with a vengeance. I hope we got it all, and the Food of the Gods has gone back to wherever it came from. I hate to think what would happen if even a trace of that stuff is left. If it got into the watering ponds or into the irrigation ditches. Did we get it all? Because if we didn't... |
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