There are no limits to the imagination.
And man's ability to make reality
out of his visions...
is his greatest strength.
Through this skill he has been able
to conquer time and space.
The story you are about to see takes place...
after man has solved
the complex mysteries of space travel.
The year is 2001.
Life is changed now.
The planet Earth is no longer racked
by wars and threats of annihilation.
Man has learned to live with himself.
Zero.
The United Nations is the sole
governing body of the world...
and the great hunger now is for knowledge.
All the planets near the sun,
including Saturn...
have been explored
and chartered by the UN space fleet.
But as yet, no sign of life in any form
has been discovered.
The search goes on,
and systematic exploration continues.
Spaceship Explorer 12...
is now on a mission to survey, land...
and investigate the seventh planet, Uranus.
We got an extra passenger.
She's new.
Who is she, Don?
Sorry, Commander, this is private stock.
Name's Greta Tyson.
Haven't met her myself yet,
but I worked and schemed for two months.
Finally got a date with her tonight,
and they had to call this U-Day.
You look like you could
go for her yourself, Commander.
Don't tell me you're looking for romance.
No, Sullivan. Love is one luxury
I've never had time for.
- It's no problem for me, sir.
- No, Don, for you it's a hobby.
Why don't you find one girl
and settle down?
"You and your wife
can make a career of it." Me?
I'm like the commander.
Space is my vocation.
Women, that's my avocation.
Like food with Barry.
O'Sullivan, we've all got some vice.
Mine's safer than yours.
And that's my advice to Karl,
in case he has any ideas about women.
There's plenty of time, kid.
In Germany where I lived...
there was a girl, Ursula.
But I never really got to know her very well.
Maybe when we get back, I'll line you up.
There was a girl, Lisa, a real chick.
She was German, too.
A UN biological expert.
Boy, was she biological!
I wish I could have taught her
my kind of biology.
Okay, now, let's get back to space.
Check out, and then we'll study
our flight instructions.
Don, chart info.
Yes, sir.
We passed the moon
Should be sighting Mars
in about 40 minutes.
On schedule, on course, sir.
Barry, radio and radar check.
Checks out, Commander.
Spoke to HQ, Base 7. Loud and clear,
right on schedule, operation normal.
Karl?
Radiation normal.
No signs of meteors or other alien objects.
Svend?
All in order, Commander.
Atomic units functioning perfectly.
- Those motors are beautiful.
- Right.
Now, let's get down to flight instructions.
We were all briefed by control
before we left...
but let's go over it once more.
- Don, will you please read them?
- Yes, sir.
We are to follow the route of
the other Explorer ships past Mars...
Jupiter, and Saturn,
then on pre-set automatic to Uranus.
We are to circle the planet, survey,
and report before landing.
Some sort of radiation signal
has been traced to this planet.
And we are to investigate.
But there's no real expectation of life.
Sure, there's a sweet chance of that
at 200 degrees below zero.
Our mission is to land,
search the planet carefully...
check for the source of radiation signals
and for any sign of life, past or present.
We're allowed only 10 days,
or we lose our trajectory.
Is that understood? 10 days is all we have.
Any questions?
Excuse me, sir...
this is my first flight, and...
I understand.
We all got the jitters the first time out.
Take it easy. You'll be okay.
Why don't we open the ports and let
the boy get his first look at Miss Universe?
You know, there's nothing
like that first look.
Well, there she is, Karl. The universe.
Approaching Uranus.
Getting ready to go into orbit.
Acknowledged mark, your approach
is chartered. Start signal from 00:05.
This is Explorer 12.
Wilco and out.
Ready to cut deceleration rockets.
Deceleration rockets' cut-off ready, sir.
Fuel consumption?
Normal and steady.
Rig for weightlessness.
Duration, two minutes.
Ten seconds to orbital position.
Stand by.
Three, two, one.
Power off.
We're in orbit.
My last fresh-frozen galaxial apple.
Stand by for atmosphere entry.
Ready to fire retrorockets.
Cut in!
Don!
Karl!
Svend!
Come!
I have waited long for this moment.
Give me your minds.
Your innermost thoughts.
You are powerless.
I shall drain your minds...
and bend your will to mine.
You will submit...
and I shall...
possess you.
Through your minds and bodies...
I will rule you...
and make your world mine.
What happened?
I guess we all blacked out.
But for how long?
The chronometer shows a lapse
of nearly two hours.
Two hours, and how many days?
- What do you mean?
- This.
It was fresh. I just took it out.
Now it's rotten.
In two hours?
Matter can't react like that.
All right, everybody, snap out of it.
We'll figure that out later.
Right now, we land. Don?
- Still in orbit, sir.
- Stand by.
Ready to fire retrorockets.
Cut in.
What's the gravity pull?
- Ready braking rockets.
- Braking rockets ready, sir.
Fire rockets.
I wonder if they'll
have a welcome celebration.
Open the viewport, Don. Let's have a look.
I see it, but I don't believe it.
Frozen ammonia, they said.
Helium, hydrogen and methane gases.
A temperature of minus 200.
Nothing like this.
Karl, what's the radiometer reading?
Interior radiation, normal.
Exterior radiation...
normal.
All right, let's get at it.
We're not going to leave the ship
until all tests have been made...
checked, and double-checked.
Begin atmosphere tests.
Who opened the air lock?
Fresh as a man could hope
from any atmosphere.
It sure is an effective way
of inviting us outside.
Get your guns.
What?
What's the matter, Svend?
You look as if you if had seen a ghost.
Maybe I have.
I have the strangest feeling...
I've been here before.
Dj vu, that's all.
- It's a trick of the imagination.
- No. It's not like that.
You see, I do know this area very well.
I spent my whole childhood there.
Commander...
over there...
inside the forest...
is a small stream.
And there is a large stone
in the middle of it.
Let's go. Keep your eyes open.
It's exactly as I remember it.
What do you make of it, sir?
I haven't any answers now, Don.
Not a breath of air.
No animal life.
Has any one of you seen anything alive?
What do you make of this?
Commander.
Look at this.
This plant has no roots.
Don, try that bush. Pull it up.
They're all the same.
Everything looks all right on the surface.
But how can it grow without roots?
Barry! Look!
An apple tree.
Wait a minute.
That tree wasn't here before.
And we passed right by here.
We've got an Alice in Wonderland
forest here.
Let's see how many
other surprises it has for us.
Keep together. Come on.
Commander! Don! Come here!
Look at this.
What is it?
It's a barrier of some kind. See?
- What do you make of it?
- It's like a wall, but it's almost invisible.
Barry, Svend, circle around this thing.
It's crazy.
It looks like nothing.
Careful.
What is it, Eric?
It feels...
like an air cushion...
but without any substance to it.
There's a slight tingle.
It seems to give a little.
What do you think it is, sir?
A field.
A force field.
A force field?
It covers the whole area, as far as I went.
There's a clearing ahead.
This wall goes across,
but I couldn't see the top.
Looks like we're encircled by it.
I don't think it has an end.
- Svend, get me a stick.
- Yes, sir.
- Take this.
- Yes, sir.
At least we know it can be penetrated.
Yes...
and that's all we know.
We still have no idea...
what it's like...
on the other side.
- I'll find out.
- No, Karl!
Barry.
Burns!
His arm's frozen, just like ice.
I don't agree with you, Commander.
It's too dangerous to go through the wall.
We're to explore Uranus.
That's why we're here.
I know that.
We've got a job to do.
If going through the wall is part of it,
we'll do it.
But we haven't got enough to go on.
No answers at all.
We accomplish nothing by staying put.
The answers we're looking for
are beyond that wall, not here.
And just how do you know that?
How do you know the solution
isn't right here, right in front of us?
Because nothing in front of us is real.
It doesn't exist.
Doesn't exist? What do you mean?
What we see cannot possibly be Uranus.
It's as if we're in the middle
of a weird hallucination.
It's weird, all right. So what's your point?
Everything we see has been taken
out of our minds.
Svend's forest stream, the apple tree...
something, someone,
has brought them to light.
But who?
Some power or some alien being
we cannot understand.
The lad is resting fine now.
Strange.
His arm is completely healed.
It should have been frozen off.
I don't get it.
There's a lot of things we don't get.
But I'm glad Karl's all right.
Do you not find it right pleasing to be here,
Commander?
It is like a beautiful spot
on the Emerald Isle.
Complete with Uranian leprechauns.
Now, me lad, a body shouldn't
make fun of the little people.
Am I right, Commander?
Or do city people like yourself
not believe in such matters?
Faith and begorra, we do.
Anyway, I'm not real city people...
I was raised in a small village in Scone.
Whitewashed houses and barns
with straw-thatched roofs.
And we had our own little people
at Christmas time, Barry.
The Yuletonte.
We used to put some rice pudding
out for them on Christmas Eve.
It was always gone the next morning.
There were two beautiful birch trees
right outside our house.
And I could see the old windmill
from my room.
And on Saint Lucia's Day,
the prettiest girl in the village...
would bring around her special little cakes.
I remember one girl. Her name was Ingrid.
She looked like a queen.
A goddess.
What's the matter?
Don, Barry, get your guns.
Svend, go back to the ship.
Tell Karl everything and stay on the ship.
Aye, sir.
We're going to pay that mirage a little visit.
This is my father's barn.
I thought you said it was an illusion.
That door should lead to the house.
Come on.
Ingrid!
Welcome, Eric.
Barry, take a look through
the rest of the house.
Don, stay here.
Yes, sir.
You are Ingrid?
I am Ingrid.
Where did you come from?
Here.
Who else lives here?
No one.
No one you don't wish to be here.
- Nobody.
- All right. Back to the ship.
- Wait a minute, sir.
- That's an order.
Yes, sir.
I'll be here, Eric...
when you want me.
Why the hasty retreat, sir?
It was just getting interesting.
Don't you realize what's going on?
- Ingrid?
- Yes.
Well!
Whoever thought her up
really knows his business.
We should have stayed, Eric.
At least we could have talked to her.
She might have given us
a couple of answers.
At least she gave me a couple of ideas.
- Yes, sir.
- Come on.
Hi, darling.
I remember you.
- You are Lisa?
- Yes. Lisa.
Will you come with me?
Just for a little while.
I'd love to.
But right now, duty calls.
You'll hear its voice any moment.
Tonight?
You can count on it.
Don.
Have you forgotten me?
Greta, how could I forget about you?
Well, it looked like you had.
No, I haven't, and I'm not likely to.
Well, then...
let's go for a walk.
You know, we could arrange
that another time.
Why not this time?
Suppose we find a cozy little place
to be alone for a while.
I don't know.
Darling, another time may be too late.
Greta...
there's nothing I'd like more than that.
But duty calls. I have to go back.
You'd better be careful.
There's always the possibility
I won't be here again.
Don, up here on the double.
The commander wants you.
Roger.
Sorry, baby, gotta go.
I will see you again.
I've no doubt you will, if you wish.
I wish.
One thing.
Yes?
You are real, aren't you? I mean...
What kept you?
Duty, sir.
Interrogation.
Go on.
There were two more of them down there.
- Two more girls.
- Figures, with you down there.
I won't argue with that.
Despite what's been happening here...
the answers we must find
lie on the other side of that barrier.
- We're going through.
- Makes sense.
With the unknown factor out there,
that enclosure...
Barry, you said it went
right across the clearing?
Yes, sir. Right across the center.
We're going through there.
Six-hour oxygen cylinders, fully armed.
Don?
Karl, if you're okay.
- I'm all right, sir.
- You'll go with me.
Barry, Svend, stay here in the ship.
- I'd like to come, sir.
- No.
We're going through at 0700 hours.
If we don't return in six hours,
go to the barrier.
Don't cross.
Give us an hour.
If we don't show up, you'll know
you don't have to wait any longer.
Your orders then are, take off at once...
if possible.
What do you mean, if possible?
Let's hope we don't have to find out.
- Intercom check. Karl?
- Check.
Don?
Loud and clear, sir.
We still don't know the effects of crossing...
or if we can.
- Let me go first, sir.
- No, Karl.
That's my job.
Don?
Do you read me?
Don? Come in.
Why didn't you acknowledge?
I didn't hear a thing, sir.
I guess the radio waves
can't penetrate the force field.
Uranus, the seventh planet.
Karl, what's the radiation?
and pulsating.
Let's go.
Karl, a radiation check.
- In which direction is it strongest?
- It's almost impossible to tell.
It seems to be a little stronger
in that direction.
All right. We'll make a marker here.
Hurry, Karl. Anchor my legs.
All right, Don, stretch.
- I can't hold on.
- I've got to move forward, Karl.
Now, Don, reach.
Come on.
Hold on.
Ammonia snow.
So cold and dry, it has no adhesion.
Like quicksand.
Quicksnow.
I'm glad you were here to pull me out.
Stay on the rocks from now on,
as much as possible.
And be careful.
Yes, sir. And thank you, Eric.
Razor sharp. Watch it.
They can rip our suits open.
Listen, do you hear that?
Commander, look at this.
What is it?
That's the first sign of movement
we've seen out here.
Could it be a lava flow?
It looks molten.
But how does that figure?
A molten mass and everything frozen solid?
Look, it moved when I shot at it.
You have come to me...
feeble, stupid men...
armed only with courage...
and foolish weapons.
You have come to destroy me...
but my weapons are more powerful
than yours.
Your own fears...
have created the means of your destruction.
Come then! Challenge me!
We shall see who survives.
Quick, this way.
Snap out of it! Karl!
All right, Karl, Don...
when I yell, run.
Now!
- Commander, l...
- Save it, Karl.
That was quite a reception committee
our host dreamed up for us.
Why couldn't he have thought of something
more pleasant?
Eric.
Don.
Now, that's better.
- Well, what are we waiting for?
- Easy, Don.
Look, Commander,
this kind of monster I can handle.
No, Don. We're going back to the ship.
We're overdue as of right now.
Granted that something,
some entity, is able to create those things...
taking them right out of our minds.
What about that weird-eyed monster?
It was of the rodent family.
Couldn't possibly exist
in the temperature of Uranus.
All right, where did it come from?
From me.
I have always had an abnormal fear of rats.
That's why I couldn't stand up
to that rat thing.
Of course.
That's it.
Our deepest, greatest fears...
are being dug up from our subconscious...
by whatever the power is out there,
and pitted against us.
There's something else now.
What?
Do you mind
if I ask you a personal question, Eric?
Shoot.
- Have you ever been in love?
- I don't see...
Now, Eric. We're all in this together.
No, I haven't.
That little lady, Ingrid.
Don't you think she's just about perfect?
I do.
There now, you see.
It's not only our fears and weaknesses,
it's also our greatest desires.
You're right, Barry.
Our minds are being probed like mice.
Lab specimens.
Whoever's running this show
obviously doesn't want to kill us...
outright, that is.
It would be simple enough.
Just make our little paradise
out there disappear.
And now, I ask why.
I can only think of one answer
that makes sense.
What's that?
To find out what makes us tick.
That strange substance, on the mountain,
in the pit...
What about it?
The rat creature seemed to appear
just after Karl fired into it.
- There could be a connection.
- There could.
It seemed to withdraw into the mountain.
There must be a passage, a tunnel,
or several of them.
The cave.
Exactly. That's where we'll have to go.
But first, I'd like to gather
as much information as possible...
and I'll see if I can learn anything
from that village girl.
- We'll need to know as much as we can.
- Of course.
Paradise Uranus.
Complete with rats, several Eves,
and even your apples.
I ask you, Ingrid...
who, what is behind it all?
- It is only little I know, Eric.
- Tell me.
- It is the power.
- What power?
There is a being,
a lone being on this planet.
- Where does it come from?
- From space and time itself.
Go on.
It's the mind of this being, its brain.
It can use its brain at nearly full capacity.
- Where is this being?
- Everywhere, in thought.
It took over our minds in the ship, didn't it?
- Yes.
- Why doesn't it do that now?
Conditions are not right.
Out there, your minds were free and light.
The weightlessness.
How do you know all this?
I...
just do.
And this being is creating all this?
Then we'd better leave here.
Right now.
It will never let you go alive.
Your courage is great...
but I am still here.
I will...
destroy you.
We'll have to be back here
in one hour and 50 minutes.
Stay together.
Let's go.
Radiation, Karl?
Temperature?
Minus 37 degrees.
It's getting warmer.
What's that?
It's just the reflection of my torch.
- We've been traveling for almost an hour.
- Don't you think we should turn back?
We have plenty of oxygen yet.
That blue light seems to pulsate.
Let's take a look.
The power. The alien being.
Radiation?
The pulsation corresponds
exactly to that blue light.
There's the answer.
That brain thing sends out the radiation.
We'll have to destroy it.
Get away from here.
Invaders...
of my universe...
you are doomed.
Your destiny is to die.
No good. Let's get out of here.
Not that way, over here.
We'll never make it up there
before that creature gets here.
- We'll have to fight it.
- How? Nothing stops it.
There's one chance. No time to explain.
Do as I do. Spread out.
Aim for the rocks above.
The oxygen.
We've only got one-third left.
We better go back.
We'll have to hurry. Come on.
You're bleeding.
My suit. It's torn. I'm losing air.
- Come on. Give me a hand.
- No. Wait.
We've only got a few minutes of air.
You'll never make it with me.
- We can sure try.
- No.
I can't stop my air from leaking out.
- Come on.
- No. This is an order. Leave me here.
I won't.
Don, we'll have to stop the bleeding.
- Let him bleed.
- What did you say?
Let him bleed.
Remember the temperature here?
The blood will freeze instantly,
and seal the tear.
He's right.
It's working, sir. We'll get you out of here.
Don't be a stubborn fool, Don.
You'll never make it.
Ingrid!
Don't talk.
- How?
- They brought you back.
- The others?
- They're all fine.
Lie still.
What's the matter, darling?
I don't know.
I feel restless, uneasy.
You're still a little weak, that's all.
I guess I feel a little guilty,
having slept half the day away...
when there's so much to be done.
It's more than that.
You were unconscious for three days.
What?
Yes, they brought you here
more than three days ago.
Where's Karl and Don? Get them.
They're not here.
- Not here? Where are they?
- Probably in the village.
What the devil are they doing in the village?
Have you all lost your minds?
Don, I didn't think you would fall for it.
We all know that
nothing in this place is real.
Not one of those girls really exists.
The alien enemy is trying to destroy us
with our stupidity and our weaknesses.
But you!
You play right into his hands just the same.
We've still got time, sir.
and every hour brings us
further and further...
from our optimum orbital position.
Soon, we won't have fuel enough
to make it back.
What can we do?
We can figure out a way
to destroy that thing in the cave.
Fire, sir?
No, Don. There's no oxygen down there,
nothing will burn.
An acetylene torch would.
Too small.
Wouldn't even give it the hot foot.
Barry's right.
- Sir, couldn't we build one?
- Build a what?
Some sort of modified acetylene torch
big enough to do the job.
- The lad's got it.
- How about it?
It can be done. Take a little work.
We've got enough of the compound.
But we'll need a booster.
We can draw liquid oxygen
from the ship's fuel system.
Make a double wall,
dual-type tank to transport it in.
Right.
We can work at the blacksmith's shop
in the village.
Okay. Let's go.
Don?
- Sorry, baby, can't talk now.
- That's not the way it used to be.
- I've got more important things to do.
- Like destroying the alien?
How did you know that?
Really, you are naive, Don.
Come on, darling.
Let's forget all about it.
I have a much better idea.
It won't do you any good.
Not you, nor your race on Earth.
- What about the Earth?
- Isn't it rather obvious by now?
Spell it out for me.
The Earth is going to be the new home
of this being you find so alien.
The devil it will.
If that thing ever gets on Earth,
they'll destroy it.
Will they, Don?
Why are you telling me this?
Who do you think is telling you?
Yes, your planet is rich...
warm...
filled with life.
I shall go there...
in one of your bodies.
Man is weak.
I shall make the terrors...
that dwell in his own mind destroy him.
And I shall bring a new race...
into being.
Nothing out there, either, sir.
So, it's testing us to see
how dangerous we can be.
Okay, we'll show it.
Baby, you better work.
The liquid oxygen tank?
- Filled and ready, sir.
- Good. We'll start at 0600 tomorrow.
We'll mount a guard here through the night.
Karl, you take the first tour.
Good luck.
Ursula, you better leave.
- You don't want me?
- I didn't say that.
I've waited for you.
You're not real. Get away.
Not real?
Liebling, how can you say that?
I love you.
Go back and leave me alone.
You look tired.
No. I won't listen to you.
Come on, darling, sit down.
Just for a while. Come on.
I won't hurt you.
You still have your protection. Come.
I guess I was tired.
- I feel much better.
- I knew you would.
- Let's hope this will work.
- It will.
Just don't connect the liquid oxygen tank
until you're ready to use it.
It might blow up in your face.
Okay, we're ready. Let's get going.
I'm leaving you alone here.
I'm sure you know why I chose you.
Guess so.
You think I'm the least likely
to fall for any of his tricks back here.
It's your show, Karl.
You know what to do. We'll back you up.
Right.
Get ready. Hook it up.
- It's ready, sir.
- All right, let him have it.
Karl, back!
Buried within it.
We haven't a chance.
Yes, we have. The liquid oxygen.
Don, what's the temperature here?
Minus 10.
I thought so. There's a reason
for that thing to be down here.
It's using the volcanic heat of the planet.
The liquid oxygen will freeze
the brain substance, make it hard as rock.
Our guns will finish him.
Explorer 12.
Come in, Svend, this is Eric.
Svend here. Yes, Commander?
Prepare for emergency takeoff. Repeat.
Prepare for emergency takeoff.
Yes, sir.
Up there, quick. Ingrid.
I had to see you again.
- I must leave this place.
- Don't leave me here.
All right, Ingrid, we'll try.
Don, give me a hand.
- We can't, Eric.
- Do as I say. We're taking her aboard.
- Karl?
- He's dead.
Let's get out of here.
Rockets on.
We made it.
Now let's check. Don?
- All readings check, sir.
- Svend, the motors?
Everything in perfect order.
Thank God.