HENRY:
I ain't never done nothing,
that nobody didn't
expect would happen
in some way or another,
you know what I mean?
DJ [OVER RADIO]:
If you're just tuning in,
Henry Earl Starkweather
is dead.
Henry Starkweather
ain't some oddity.
He ain't some
once in a lifetime
notorious-type figure,
you got it?
He's a vessel.
And if it weren't me,
it'd be somebody else.
It is somebody else.
It's a lot of somebody else's.
I've done bad things,
but I'm just one man,
among many.
[MAN SPEAKING
FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
I saw it in my own children.
Oh, it scared me, brother.
Scared me more than anything
scared me in my life.
That's why I tried
to burn them.
I tried to burn them alive.
[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
You want answers from me?
[LAUGHS]
You ain't going to get none.
'Cause you're asking
the wrong questions.
Put a big fucking question mark
on your film.
There ain't no why to evil.
Evil's a straight
and simple "just because."
Throw that switch,
you Hoosier bastard!
[LAUGHS]
And the evil inside me
ain't goin' nowhere.
You kill my body.
Go ahead,
but you ain't
going to kill my spirit.
I could've killed a dozen men
while you're sitting there
with your dick in your hand.
Lead me to the fucking chair,
my children inherit the Earth.
I'll see y'all real soon.
[CACKLES]
I'm ready!
[MAN CONTINUES SPEAKING
FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
MAN:
Amen.
[DOOR CLOSES]
[]
[ELECTRICITY CRACKLES]
NARRATOR:
They executed
Henry Starkweather
beneath the full moon.
And that's when
the nightmare began.
[EERIE, DISTANT LAUGHTER]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[DIRT CRUNCHING]
[COUGHS]
[GASPS]
[WEAKLY]
No.
N-No.
No.
[GUN CLICKS]
No--
[GUN SHOOTING]
[LIGHTNING CRACKLES]
[]
[CAN THUDS]
[EERIE BREATHS]
["THE FUNDAMENTALS"
BY ARTHUR AHBEZ PLAYING]
[FLAMES ROAR]
Journey to the center
Of my mind
And you'll find
Journey to the center
Of my mind
And you'll find
Journey to the center
Of my mind
And you'll find
Nothin'
Oh, nothin'
Journey to the center
Of my soul
And you'll know
Journey to the center
Of my soul
And you'll know
Journey to the center
Of my soul
And you'll know
Nothin'
No, nothin'
[]
[DISTORTED LAUGHTER]
NARRATOR:
In the minutes before
they pulled the switch on him,
American Monster,
Henry Earl Starkweather
promised a reign
of violence and terror.
In the minutes after
the medical examiner
declared him dead, well,
violence and terror
swept through the city
like a hurricane wind.
["THE BEAST KEEPS COOL"
BY JAYLE JAYLE PLAYING]
[WOMAN SCREAMING]
[SCREAMING]
No!
No!
Get the fuck away from me!
No!
Let go of me!
[PHONE RINGS]
And you assume
That the rain would come
And you assume
That the streets will flood
[SHUSHES]
We'll build a raft
And take it into town
[MUFFLED GASPING]
You're dragging your feet
Like the devil is done
[MUFFLED GASPS STOP]
[PANTING SOFTLY]
And he said
And he said
Oh, baby
Let's climb
The top of this mountain
[GRUNTS SOFTLY]
[HAIR RIPS]
"Don't you look"
"Good today"
And he said
MAN [YELLING]:
Management! Coming in!
[DOOR OPENS]
Get on the ground, motherfu--
[GRUNTS]
No!
[YELLING]
Just a slippery tongue
And the voice of an angel
[GROANING LOUDLY]
Ugh! No! No--
MAN:
No, no!
[SNORTS, SPITS]
NARRATOR:
Everybody kept calling it
a night of chaos.
By dawn, nobody knew
what to make
of the events
that transpired.
Chaos, they called it.
Chaos, that's a
funny word, ain't it?
[TIRES SQUEAL]
[]
DJ [OVER RADIO]:
Ladies and Gentlemen,
there is a killer
on the loose.
Lock your doors.
Lock your windows.
If you have the ability
to provide
additional security devices,
please do so.
A massacre has been
reported at Pink motel.
At least two victims.
And police are certain that
this is the doings of the
diabolical Serial Strangler,
who preys on women,
young and old.
He sneaks through windows,
and with his bare hands,
strangled and killed.
They called him
the Moonlight Strangler.
And he has only one desire,
the desire to kill.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
[]
[METAL MUSIC PLAYING]
[TAPE DECK CLICKS]
[MUSIC STOPS]
[TIRES SQUEAL]
[]
[CLEARS THROAT]
Excuse me, miss?
[WHISTLES]
Cuckoo?
[BRAKES SQUEAL]
WOMAN:
Are you talking to me?
[SIREN WAILING DISTANTLY]
Well, there's nobody else
around here.
WOMAN:
Well, you never know.
Where are you walking?
WOMAN:
Where I'm walking.
It's a dangerous terrain
for a flower like you.
You want a lift?
WOMAN:
How do I know
you're not a bad guy?
MAN:
Come on now.
Do I look like
a bad guy to you?
[DOOR CLOSES]
[ENGINE STARTS]
[SIRENS BLARING DISTANTLY]
[GROWLS]
WOMAN:
Easy, tiger.
Okay. Hey.
Hey.
[SHUSHES]
Hey.
[GRUNTS]
[MUFFLED GROANS]
Easy now.
[SHUSHES]
Slow down.
Sh-sh-shhh.
[GRUNTS]
It's gonna be okay.
[GRUNTS]
It's gonna be okay.
[LAUGHS]
[MAN GAGS]
[LIQUID SQUIRTS]
[GRUNTS]
[PANTING]
[]
NARRATOR:
Hindsight's got a funny way
of making coincidence
seem like prophecy, don't it?
When all was said
and done, though,
it was Starkweather, laughing
last from beyond the grave.
'Cause whether folks
cared to admit it or not,
his words did come
to pass that night.
When he said that chaos
would ensue, it did.
When he said that evil
inside him
would disperse
out into the world
and take control
of other vessels,
well, what he didn't say?
How many of them there were.
What he also didn't say
was where and when
they'd appear next.
[AUDIENCE CLAPS, CHEERS]
Let me call you sweetheart
I'm in love with you
Let me hear you whisper
That you love me too
[AUDIENCE APPLAUSES]
Keep the love light glowing
In your eyes so true
Let me call you sweetheart
I'm in love
With you
Let me call you sweetheart
I'm in love with you
Let me hear you whisper
That you love me too
Oooh
Keep the love light glowing
In your eyes so true
Let me call you sweetheart
I'm in love
With you
[AUDIENCE CHEERING, APPLAUDING]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
[CARS RUSHING, TRAFFIC NOISES]
[CAR HORN BLARES]
[CAR CRASHES]
[CAR HORN BLARING]
[MAN YELLING]
[CAR HORNS HONKING]
[SIRENS WAILING]
[INDISTINCT YELLING]
[FOOTSTEPS RUSTLING]
MAN:
Alice!
[WOMAN PANTING]
[MEN YELLING INDISTINCTLY]
INMATE:
God damn it,
die, motherfucker.
MAN:
Alice!
INMATE:
I'll fucking do it!
MAN:
Alice. Alice!
[ALARM RECEDING]
[AUDIENCE CLAPS]
MAN:
Alice!
Alice.
[]
[SIRENS BLARE DISTANTLY]
[WOMAN HUMMING SOFTLY]
[FOOTSTEPS CRUNCHING]
[WOMAN HUMMING
"LET ME CALL YOU SWEETHEART"]
[DOG BARKS DISTANTLY]
[DOOR SQUEAKS]
[HUMMING CONTINUES]
[CLICKS]
[DOOR SQUEAKS OPEN]
[BRAKES SQUEAL]
GEORGE:
Brenda.
Don't.
Brenda.
BRENDA:
Just leave it.
[AUDIENCE CLAPS]
[SPOTLIGHTS TURN ON]
[MEN CHANTING]
["HATE" BY BENTWIND PLAYING]
How could I ever
See tomorrow...
Hey, you want a drink?
BRENDA:
Oh, don't worry about it.
NARRATOR:
It's worth it to note,
I suppose,
that George and Brenda
Kellerman of 42 Sirk Lane
weren't evil people.
Not by this story's standards,
anyhow.
When that van overturned
and released
Hillgrove Sanitarium's
most dangerous inmate,
well, they were just
caught in the crosshairs.
Hell, they ain't never heard
of Henry Starkweather
before the night he came
knocking on their front door.
GEORGE:
Hey.
[FORCEFULLY]
Hey.
Hey, I'm trying to talk to you.
I'm trying.
Christ, and you're being
a fucking child about this.
Absolute fucking--
Look.
It is not as bad as they said,
I am telling you.
Okay, honey?
Don't.
Don't call me that.
Don't--don't--
don't call me honey
like we just got back from
some fucking vacation cruise.
GEORGE: I'll take care of it.
Oh, you'll take care of it?
Jesus Christ, George, that was
the most mortifying experience
of my entire fucking life!
GEORGE: Really,
do not be so dramatic.
[YELLING] Oh, dramatic!
When were you going to
tell me about any of this?
Oh, my god.
Are they gonna take the house?
No.
What about Hap's tuition?
No, that was a joke, okay?
And maybe if you spent
a little less time
flirting with Chet,
you would've heard more
about what he was actually
trying to talk about.
[DOORBELL RINGS]
How much of our fucking money
did you gamble away?
Don't worry about it.
BRENDA:
These people, they're not--
they're not your friends, okay?
They don't think that
you're their friend,
they think that
you're their jester...
[DOORBELL RINGS]
sent here to make them laugh.
Well, now they're laughing,
heh-heh, at you.
They are, at just
how pathetic you are.
[GLASS SMASHES]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[SIGHS]
I'll check it out.
[MUSIC CONTINUES]
And in the morning
It's quiet song...
[SCRAPES]
[DOOR CLOSES]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
Look at her
It's in our stars
Look at her...
[GASPS]
[STABS]
For what we are
[BODY THUDS]
[BRENDA SCREAMS DISTANTLY]
How could I
Ever see tomorrow
[BRENDA SCREAMS]
How could I
[MUFFLED SCREAMS]
Ever see tomorrow
How could I
[CLATTERING]
Ever see tomorrow
[THUDDING]
[OBJECTS CLATTERING]
How could I
[PHONE RATTLES, DINGS]
Ever see tomorrow
[DIAL TONE PLAYING]
[MUSIC STOPS]
[GAGS]
[SONG STARTS PLAYING DISTANTLY]
[PHONE RECEIVER RATTLES]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[DOG BARKS DISTANTLY]
[CAR APPROACHING]
[CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
[CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
[BRAKES SQUEAL]
[CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
[CLATTERING]
[KEYS JINGLE]
[HOUSE DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
WIND CHIMES JINGLE]
["IT'S NOT LIKE YESTERDAY"
BY GARMENT DISTRICT PLAYING]
[ICE CUBES CLINK]
It's not like yesterday
It's not like yesterday...
Brenda.
Brenda!
I'm gonna take care of it.
Come on, Jesus.
[CLOCK TICKS]
[]
[LAUGHS]
NARRATOR:
The proverbial uprising
didn't go unnoticed
once violence started.
And from the darkness,
vengeance emerged.
A personal vendetta
that Starkweather
should have seen coming,
if he didn't already.
[LAUGHS]
[PHONE RINGS]
[CLICKS]
MAN [OVER PHONE]:
I hope I'm not being
too forward about this,
but your reputation
prompted my call.
If you don't
hang-up the phone,
I'll assume you're listening.
Is that fair?
You do nice work.
I appreciate your passion.
[SCREAMS]
[DRILL WHIRS]
MAN [OVER PHONE]:
I'm not gonna tell you
my stakes in all of this,
who I am.
But I know who you are,
and I know that
you're out for revenge.
And I know that you know
what's gonna happen tonight.
And I know that's why
you've been hunting
the flesh and blood
of Henry Starkweather.
Revenge makes a man do awful
things sometimes, don't it?
If you want to take revenge on
the man who burned you alive,
I've got a list of others,
flesh and blood.
[LAUGHS]
What do ya say?
MASKED MAN:
Show me.
[PHONE CLICKS]
[]
DJ [OVER RADIO]:
Now, if you're just tuning in,
Henry Earl Starkweather,
American monster,
notorious spree killer,
is dead.
[ENGINE STARTS]
Give me the fucking chair.
My children will inherit
the Earth.
They're still out there.
They're living,
breathing vessels.
Just like I was.
Just like I am.
A Vessel.
They're walking all parts
of this goddamned,
godforsaken Earth.
They're doing
just what I've done.
They're the ones, they feel
the same thing I felt.
Do you understand,
the same evil,
it drives them
to do something awful.
But sometimes,
well, you just got to do
something awful.
I tried to fight them off.
They do not know.
No one.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
You know why?
If you can't see why,
it's because
it's fucking useless.
That's why.
You burn one, you got
to burn them all, man.
Ain't no way
you gonna do that.
See, the truth is,
I got no idea
how many there are.
I lost track.
I spent my whole life
trying to find them.
[METAL SCRAPES]
Sometimes I did.
I'm just the one
that got caught.
That's all I am.
But they're all out there.
[DOOR SLAMS]
And just walking these streets.
I mean, there could
be thousands,
there could be millions of us.
What difference does it make?
You want answers?
You want answers from me?
You ain't gonna get them.
Because you're asking
the wrong questions, man.
Put a big fucking question mark
on your film, man.
There ain't no why to evil.
Evil's a straight
and simple, "just because."
[STATIC BUZZES]
[BUTTON CLICKS]
[BUTTON CLICKS]
[STATIC BUZZES]
[BUTTON CLICKS]
[CACKLING]
My children will inherit
the Earth.
My children will inherit
the earth.
[CACKLES]
[]
[]
[PLASTIC RUSTLES]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[MUFFLED CLUB MUSIC PLAYING ]
[GATE SQUEAKS OPEN]
BOUNCER:
Hey, asshole,
we're at capacity.
Rome is up the street.
Hey, slow it down.
What, did you not
fucking hear me?
[GRUNTS]
[KNIFE PLUNGES]
[GROANS, GURGLES]
[BLOOD SQUIRTS]
["HANDSOME KILLER"
BY KINDEST CUTS PLAYING]
I'd like to take you
For a ride
To my hidden places...
Justin takes pottery classes.
Where the trees
Can cover up--
[GUNSHOT]
MAN:
What the fuck's going--
What the fuck?
Who the fuck
do you think you are--
What the fuck!
[GUNSHOT]
[YELLS]
You motherfucker!
I'll kill you--
[GRUNTS]
Fuck you!
Yeah, fuck you, motherfucker!
[THUDS]
I'll fucking kill you!
You, fuck you, motherfucker!
Fuck you, motherfucker!
Everyone loves to hate you
[SCREAMS]
[GUNSHOT]
[PEOPLE SCREAMING]
Yes, they do
[MUFFLED]
Now I'll pass 'em up here
WOMAN:
Hey. I don't know
who the fuck you are.
MAN [MUFFLED]:
Shut the fuck up.
WOMAN [MUFFLED]:
Fuck you, asshole.
[INDISTINCT YELLING]
What the fuck?
Who the fuck are you?
'Cause everyone loves
A handsome killer
MAN:
Who the fuck...
Shut the fuck up.
I'm finally free of
this fucking house here.
[WOMAN MOANS]
["HANDSOME KILLER"
CONTINUES PLAYING DISTANTLY]
[DOOR OPENS]
[DISTANTLY YELLING]
[WOMAN GROANING]
[PROJECTOR CLICKS]
[WOMAN MOANS]
[GUNSHOT]
[FEEDBACK ECHOES]
[THUDS]
This man came in
and he had a gun,
he was wearing a--
Call the cops.
[GASPS, SCREAMS]
Shut the fuck up!
Shut the fuck up!
Shut the fuck up!
NARRATOR:
The night of madness
hurdled onward,
and the certainty
of death grew stronger
with each passing minute.
MAN:
Help!
Help! Help me!
Help!
[MAN WHIMPERS]
[LAUGHS NEUROTICALLY]
[MAN GRUNTING]
[MAN SCREAMS]
[PANTS]
Help!
Help me!
Help!
[GROANS]
[HIGH-PITCHED GIGGLING]
MAN:
What the fuck is this?
What the fuck?
[PIANO CHORDS CLANG]
MAN:
Untie me.
Untie me right fucking now!
[OVERLAPPING LAUGHS]
MAN:
Untie me right fucking now!
[MAN PANTING]
MAN:
Let me out of here!
Hey!
Get that...
fucking thing away from me.
Get the fuck off me!
[DISTORTED LAUGHS]
[DISTORTED VOICES ECHOING]
DISTORTED VOICE:
Get away from me.
[PIANO CHORDS PLAY]
[MAN WHIMPERS]
MAN:
Get that fucking
thing away from me,
right fucking now!
No, no.
[MAN GROWLS]
[METAL SQUEAKS]
[WHIMPERS]
[DRAMATIC PIANO CHORDS PLAY]
[DISTANT VOICES ECHO]
[PANTS, GROANS]
[MAN MUMBLES]
Fuck.
[YELLS]
[SCREAMS, LAUGHS MANIACALLY]
[BREATHES HEAVILY]
WOMAN:
Open your mind.
DISTORTED VOICE:
Open your mind.
[SCREAMS]
[WOMAN GIGGLES]
[BELL CHIMES]
["PIANO QUARTET IN A MINOR"
PLAYING]
[WOMAN CACKLES]
[METAL SCRAPES]
[HIGH-PITCHED SCRAPING]
[DISTORTED LAUGHS]
[WEAKLY]
Help, help!
[COUGHS]
H-Help.
[PANTS]
MAN:
Get away from me!
[METAL SQUEAKS]
[MAN PANTING]
[MAN SOBS]
WOMAN:
Are you aware?
[WITH EMPHASIS]
Are you aware?
Get the fuck away from me.
WOMAN: Are you aware?
Get away from me!
MAN [DISTORTED]:
Get away from me.
No! No!
[WHIMPERS]
[CRIES OUT DISTORTEDLY]
[METAL SQUEAKS]
[SQUELCHES]
[PAINED LAUGHTER]
[SCREAMS]
[ALARM BLARES]
[]
MAN:
Help! Help me!
[METAL SMASHES]
Help. No.
[ELECTRICAL BUZZING]
[MAN SCREAMS]
MAN:
No! No! No!
[SQUEALS, CRIES OUT]
[ELECTRICITY BUZZES]
[PAINED LAUGHTER]
[METAL SQUEAKS]
[BLOOD SQUELCHING]
No, no! No! No!
[ELECTRICAL BUZZING]
No! No! No!
[BUZZING CONTINUES]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[DISTANT CHATTERS]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
MAN:
Let me out of here!
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
[CHIMES RING]
[DISTANT CHATTER]
[DOOR OPENS]
[SIRENS BLARE]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
Yes?
Evening, miss.
Sorry to bother you so late,
I hope I didn't wake you up.
What's going on?
OFFICER:
Are you, uh, alone
in the house tonight, ma'am?
I have a son.
OFFICER:
How old's the boy?
[RADIO CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]
OFFICER: Well?
Why?
OFFICER:
That's official
police business.
I just wouldn't want to
scare the child,
if he's too young, you know?
Well, he's asleep.
OFFICER:
Good, that's good,
that's real good.
What's going on?
OFFICER:
Well...
There was a pretty
bad accident tonight,
out on the turnoff
by Route Four.
Oh, we've been here all night.
Oh, no, no, no,
I'm sorry, that's, uh,
that's not why I'm here.
I'm not going to throw you
in the back of the car there.
Although,
that can be arranged.
[MUFFLED SCREAMS
[BANGING]
[MUFFLED GRUNTS]
WOMAN:
Is there something
I can do for you?
OFFICER:
Well, like I said,
there was a pretty bad accident
at the turnoff to Route Four.
Yes, you said that already.
[LAUGHS]
I did?
Ah, I did, I'm sorry.
You know this night's just
got me really flustered.
It's not every day somebody
escapes from Hillgrove.
The lunatic asylum?
OFFICER:
The lunatic asylum,
that's right.
The van that turned over,
was coming from there.
Inmate transfer.
Dangerous folks.
One of 'em attacked the driver,
the whole thing rolled.
Not a sight for
the faint of heart.
How awful.
Oh, yeah, real tragedy.
Anyway, one of them managed
to kill one of the orderlies
and escape into the woods
out here.
Probably,
they're still out there,
but they got me going
door to door, checkin'.
Just make sure, you know,
protect and serve.
[BANGS]
You say you're all alone
in the house?
I said I have a son.
OFFICER:
What about your husband?
What makes you think
I have a husband?
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean anything by it,
I just... figured.
A woman like you.
Probably fighting 'em off.
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
[]
Are you gonna get that?
[SUCKS TEETH]
A'ight. Um, listen,
you hear anything,
you give me call, okay?
It's my direct line.
It's gonna go right to me.
I promise I'll answer it
if it's you.
Thank you.
You have a nice night, miss.
You, too.
[SIREN BLARES]
["PIANO QUARTET IN A MINOR"
CONTINUES PLAYING]
[DISTANT BANG]
[AUDIENCE CLAPS]
["GWENDOLEN" BY SANDY SZIGETI
PLAYING]
She wakes in the morn
And you feel her warmth...
Good evening, Poughkeepsie.
Ladies, gentlemen.
You look like
a friendly crowd.
I don't know why
you do things like this.
Like what?
[SCOFFS]
You know exactly
what I mean.
No, I don't.
Daddy always said:
"A woman is a perfect match
for a man with money to burn."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHS]
Oh, thank you.
Thank you.
You make a mess.
You've made a--
made a mess.
Stop.
You've made a mess,
make a mess.
You always do it.
[]
Well, you know what they say.
You can't make an omelet
without cracking a few eggs.
Am I right?
I don't think that applies
to situations like this.
Well, in either case,
what's done is done.
You're awful sometimes.
You know that?
I don't know why
you wear all of that makeup.
It's not like it's gonna help.
Keep the love light glowing--
Oh, don't try to charm me.
In your eyes so--
You think that's going to
make it go away?
That's going to make me stop?
True
You're gonna stutter now,
are you?
Oh, heh-heh.
Keep the love--
I'm still here--
Stop, stop it, stop.
You can't force me to do any...
thing you don't want me to do.
["GWENDOLEN" CONTINUES SOFTLY]
[]
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
There she is.
Good evening, Poughkeepsie.
Ladies, gentlemen.
[GIGGLES]
Well, you look like
a friendly crowd.
[PHONE LINE RINGING]
[CLOCK TICKS]
CHET [OVER PHONE]:
Hello?
Hey, Chet.
Hey, it's George.
CHET:
Kellerman?
Yeah, yeah, George Kellerman.
How ya' doin'?
CHET:
What are you doing
calling this late, Kellerman?
Ah. I just, um...
Ah, listen, I just wanted to...
First, I just wanted to
thank you for the party.
We had a blast.
Was Campbell wasted or what?
[CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY]
CHET:
Are you drunk?
What? Uh, me?
No, no, no.
Not at all. Um...
CHET:
I'm confused
what you're calling for.
What do you want?
It's 1:30 in the morning.
Well, um...
Listen, do you know, um...
Heh, these, uh, these guys,
this, umm...
This, uh, this cowboy, uh,
out in the desert.
I, um...
I was-- I was thinking since
you pretty much
hooked up
the whole thing--
CHET:
Jesus fucking Christ,
Kellerman,
how many times have I
fucking told you about this?
Do not fuck with these guys.
No, wait. Look, look, listen.
Look, I'm not trying
to say in any way
that you're responsible
f-for, um...
Chet, obviously,
I appreciate everything
you've done for me at the firm.
Fuck, I wouldn't be there
in the first place
if it wasn't for you.
It's just that I, um...
I mean, I've held up my end.
Right?
I mean,
I've delivered for you, Chet,
and all of you guys,
repeatedly.
I just need a couple
of extra days here,
you know, and I was...
thinking that I know
that it might
put you in a little bit
of a position, but...
I'll make it right.
You know-- you know.
You know, obviously,
that I will make it right.
Chet?
CHET:
Want my advice, Kellerman?
Yes.
Yes, Chet, please, thank you,
I would love it.
[CHUCKLES]
CHET:
Do not fuck around
with these guys,
do you understand?
They're dangerous people.
And don't bring me
into this anymore, got it?
Got it? Do not fuck around
with these guys, Kellerman.
Yeah.
CHET: Do you understand me?
Sure, yes.
CHET: They're dangerous people,
this isn't fun and games.
Yeah, Chet.
CHET:
And do not bring me
into this again.
Sorry.
I-I'll see you Monday.
[DIAL TONE BLARES]
[HEADSET CLICKS]
[CLOCK CONTINUES TICKING]
[MUFFLED]
Fuck.
Fuck.
[RECORD SCRATCHES]
["OPTICAL SOUND" BY
THE HUMAN EXPRESSION PLAYING]
As the light
Of the sunrise nears
I hate to think
What went on in here
Reassemble
My shattered mind
Before the eyes
Of another kind
Alternatives I found
But they just
Can't be found...
Can we please just have
a conversation like adults?
Create an optical sound
[MUSIC STOPS]
[CLOCK CHIMING]
[DOOR OPENS]
GEORGE: Listen...
Hi.
[SLASHES]
[BOTH SCREAMING]
[FAINT APPLAUSE OVERLAPPING]
["OPTICAL SOUND"
CONTINUES PLAYING]
NARRATOR:
In the hurricane wind
of violence and terror,
some evil kept hidden
longer than others.
Went unnoticed, at first.
What happened next...
heh, not even
Starkweather himself
could have prophesized.
[SIREN BLARES]
OFFICER:
You hear anything,
you give me a call, okay?
This is my direct line.
It's gonna go right to me.
I promise I'll answer it
if it's you.
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
Thank you.
You have a nice night, miss.
You, too.
[DOOR CREAKS]
[PHONE BUZZES]
What?
WOMAN [OVER PHONE]: It's me.
There's a problem
and I need you
to come here right now.
What kind of problem?
WOMAN:
Bad enough
that I'm calling you.
Does Ron know?
I wanted to call you first.
Hurry up and get over here.
Well, how bad?
Fucking bad. It's bad.
It's really fucking bad.
It's really fucking bad.
All right, I'm on my way.
[]
OFFICER [YELLS]:
Fuck!
OFFICER:
What did he say?
Nothing.
[SCOFFS]
Now, why is it I find that
so fucking hard to believe?
Uh, I don't know
what you were expecting.
I didn't really have time
to ask him
when he was killing everyone.
Jesus Christ, at least
I managed to shoot him.
[GUNSHOT]
[BODY THUDS]
Don't take that tone with me.
Oh, sorry.
It's okay.
But, you know, Ron?
He's gonna tear
your ass apart for this.
He's going to tear
my ass apart?
Why would he tear
my ass apart?
Well, maybe you better
start explaining
what the fuck
happened here tonight!
[YELLING]
What the fuck is this!
Okay, nothing was different,
nothing at all.
Mood was even higher
than normal, actually,
and then all of a sudden--
what are you doing?
None of your fucking business.
Where did you get
the piece, anyway?
Found it under the bed,
someone left it.
Why?
Give it here.
What?
Gimme the gun.
Why?
Because I don't
want you going--
What else
was I supposed to do?
--"Little Orphan Annie"
on anybody else tonight!
Give me the fucking gun.
The fuck you talking about?
No, I'm not going
to give it to you.
Give me the gun.
I'm a fucking police officer.
Give it to me!
[IN NORMAL VOICE]
I'm a fucking police officer.
I meant Annie Oakley.
Okay.
The gun slinger.
Uh-huh.
What have you
got here, big boy?
Looky, looky, looky.
My little fortune cookie.
We call this a clue.
Looks like this one
came here looking for that one.
WOMAN:
Her?
I'm no expert, but, uh--
Oh, no, wait,
I am a fucking expert.
WOMAN:
But why?
Jesus Christ, why?
That's the million yen question,
my little china doll.
WOMAN: Yen is Japanese.
[FLY BUZZES DISTORTEDLY]
Who's the girl?
WOMAN: She's just some hooker.
[BUZZING INCREASES]
What the fuck are
you doing with your ear?
W-What's wrong?
I got a bug--
I think a bug
flew into my ear yesterday.
And he's still in there.
And every time he moves,
it's fucking weird.
Ew.
[MUFFLED MOANING]
[GASPS]
[SQUELCHES]
[GROANS]
[WOMAN GASPS]
[LAUGHS]
Whoa, ho, ho, ho, baby!
It's alive! It's alive!
[LAUGHS]
OFFICER:
Ah, ah, ah!
["YOU CAN'T ERASE A MIRROR" BY
CHILDREN OF THE MUSHROOM PLAYS]
Doll face?
Yeah?
OFFICER:
Get one of the girls.
Tell her to take my cruiser,
and back it up to
the front door, okay?
Mm-hm.
Trunk first.
And I want you to call Ron.
Tell him don't worry.
I'm gonna get to the
bottom of this, okay?
Uh-huh.
Run along now.
Seeing chances go by...
Oh...
Aw, woo!
It's alive! It's alive!
OFFICER [DISTORTED]:
It's alive!
Time brings back
What they'd say
[CHURCH BELL CHIMING]
[INAUDIBLE SCREAMING]
[MUFFLED SCREAMING]
[SQUELCHING]
WOMAN [DISTORTED]:
Open your mind.
[ELECTRICITY BUZZES]
[PULSING]
[HEAVY BELL CHIMES]
[LOW BANGING]
[SHUDDERING BREATHS]
[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]
[FAINT CRACKLING]
[LOW CROAKS]
[DISTORTED SCREAMS]
[]
[DISTORTED GIGGLE]
["PIANO QUARTET IN A MINOR"
PLAYING FAINTLY]
[MUFFLED SCREAMS]
[SHRIEKING]
[MUSIC SWELLS]
[DISTORTED SCREAMING]
[LOCK BREAKS]
[METAL THUDS]
[MAN GASPS]
[]
[PANTING, GASPING]
[POLICE SIREN BLARING]
OFFICER:
Devil killer,
devil killer, devil killer.
Devil killer,
devil killer, devil killer.
Wake up, boy.
Will I kill a devil?
Will I kill a fucking devil?
[FLASK OPENS]
Yeah.
Hey. Wake up.
[SNIFFS]
[SLAPS]
Hey, wake up.
It's time to die.
[POUNDS]
It's time to die!
Wake up, baby!
Let's do this shit! Wooo!
[RHYTHMICALLY]
Time to die, time to die,
time to die, time to die.
Time to die!
It's time to die!
Fuck!
[CAR DOOR OPENS]
[PANTING]
[]
OFFICER:
Woo!
[CACKLES]
Wake up, boy.
Time to die.
Time to die, boy
Time to die
Wake up, boy
It's time to die
[CAR DOOR OPENS]
Oh!
Get out of the car.
[SCREAMS]
[THUDS]
Come here, come on, now.
No, don't, yeah fight.
I like it when you fight,
you piece of shit.
Get out here, goddamn it.
[DOOR SLAMS]
Get on the ground.
Woo! Now we're gonna
have some fun.
[WOMAN GRUNTS, SCREAMS]
[GASPS FOR AIR]
[OFFICER GRUNTING]
Are you aware?
Stay down.
[WOMAN SOBBING]
[SCREAMS]
Ugh!
[SQUELCHES]
[MAN SCREAMS]
[WAILS]
[MAN YELLS MANIACALLY]
Goddamn.
[SCREAMS ECHO]
You're one tough son of a bitch,
I'll give you that.
[DOOR CLOSES]
[LOCK CLICKS]
Your daddy raised
a wolf, didn't he?
[HOWLS]
[DISTANT LAUGHTER]
Yeah, that's right,
I fucking know you.
The whole world knows
how you got those burns.
[LIGHTER CLICKS]
Stay down.
[MUFFLED GROAN]
You know, a couple
of years back,
a few guys come running
into Ralph Conway's place,
it's the younger Ralph,
Ralphie.
And they're screaming,
"Everybody's dead!
He killed everybody!"
All right, all right, hold on.
Whoa, what the fuck
are you talking about?
"A g-g-g-ghost,
in a Samurai mask!
"He killed everybody!
"And then he just
v-v-vanished,
quick as he came."
I always thought it was pride
that made them
stick to that story.
Right up to the end.
Even when we took
the coals to 'em.
Hindsight's got a way
of making fools
of all of us eventually,
don't you think?
I guess we should've paid
a little more attention
to their ghost stories, huh?
I mean, after all,
looky, looky, looky.
The masked phantom himself,
right at my feet.
Get--
[GROANS]
Fuck you. Fuck you, boy.
All right, come on,
fucking dance. Let's dance.
[SQUEALS MANIACALLY]
Heh. Oh, chrissakes,
Starkweather. Come on.
[PANTING]
Listen, why don't you just
tell me
who sent you
on your little spree tonight?
Come on.
Come on, come on, come on.
Who sent you after
the little doper girl, huh?
Come on!
Whose fucking money's
in your pocket?
Why don't you just tell me
and I won't make you suffer
like your daddy did, huh?
[YELLS]
Fuck!
Fine. Fine.
Have it your way.
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
Hey, how many times...
in all of human history,
do you think somebody's
been burned alive twice?
[GASOLINE SLOSHES]
You are about to join
an exclusive club, my friend.
[CAN THUDS]
[RADIO CHATTERS INDISTINCTLY]
[FLY BUZZES]
[LIGHTER CLICKS]
[HELICOPTER WHIRRING
DISTANTLY]
[SIZZLING]
[MAN GROANS]
[SNIFFS]
OFFICER:
Last chance, big boy.
All right.
Hey.
Listen, if it makes
you feel better,
while you're burning,
you can call me daddy.
[GROANS]
[CHOKES]
[THUDS]
[HEAVY BLOWS]
[GURGLES]
[PANTING, GASPING]
[GROANS]
[SQUELCHES]
[SCREAMS, PAINED LAUGHS]
[MAN PANTING]
HENRY:
Do you know why?
If you can't see why,
it's because
it's fucking useless.
That's why.
You burn one,
you got to burn them all, man.
Ain't no way
you gonna do that.
See, the truth is, I don't got
no idea how many there are.
I lost track.
I spent my whole life
trying to find them.
Sometimes I did.
I'm just the one
that got caught.
That's all I am.
But they're all out there.
Just walking in these streets.
I mean,
there could be thousands.
There could be many thousands.
What difference does it make?
You want answers?
You want answers from me?
You ain't gonna get them.
["HE SAYS CALL ME"
BY DI'ANN CARLTON PLAYING]
ALICE:
Now, I've got to tell you
a really dumb joke.
Something that, ah,
struck me as funny.
Um, what lays on its back
and has wheels?
A dead bus.
[LAUGHS]
Do you mind
if I have one of those?
[WITH EMPHASIS]
Do you mind
if I have one of those?
Oh.
Okay, fine.
Do you mind
if I have one of those, please?
I don't care.
Does that mean yes?
GEORGE:
Sure.
Oh, goodie.
[LIGHTER CLICKS]
Givin' your love...
Oh.
And my lover's
Been callin'...
Where's Brenda?
Now, who's Brenda?
GEORGE [LOUDLY]:
My wife!
Please, just let me know.
Let me see Brenda.
Oh, Brenda.
Oh, she's fine.
GEORGE:
What the fuck did you do to her?
[BELL CHIMES]
Just let me just see
that she's okay, Jesus.
Let me see Brenda.
[DISTORTED VOICES OVERLAPPING]
GEORGE: Just stop it--
Listen, boss.
I'm trying to listen
to the music,
and you're being very rude.
Fuck you.
Don't talk to me like that,
you little prick.
I'm a human being.
I do things right.
I try, very, very hard.
I'm a good, kind person,
who does good, kind things
for people,
and you can't just
waltz in here
and talk down to me
like that!
Got it?
Boss?
I tried to tell you...
GEORGE:
I'm sorry.
Got it?
GEORGE:
Yeah.
Boss.
GEORGE:
I'm sorry. I got it.
And now I find myself
In a corner hotel...
Oh, what's the matter
with people these days, huh?
Givin' your love away...
What happened to old-fashioned
American conversation?
Gosh, everybody's so...
defensive about everything that
nobody ever takes the time
to listen to anybody anymore.
Am I right?
Well, am I?
Yeah. You are.
Thank you.
[SONG FADES OUT]
[SCREAMS] Brenda!
Hey.
How many times
do I have to tell you,
you little pussy,
Brenda's fine.
GEORGE:
What the fuck did you
do to my wife?
Where's my fucking wife?
[SCOFFS]
Didn't do anything...
I didn't do a single thing.
I'm-I'm as dangerous
as a daisy.
[LAUGHS]
You think I can make up
the kind of things he says?
Heck, I'm just a girl
from Ohio.
That's right.
Round on the end and high
in the middle,
O-Hi-O.
No, they don't listen.
Mm-mm.
They just don't listen.
And the topper,
the topper is that he--
[RECORD PLAYER WHIRLS QUIETLY]
Always says it,
and I'm always the one
that gets blamed.
Is that justice?
You tell me, is that justice?
No.
No, they don't listen.
GEORGE:
I'm listening.
You haven't really
done anything that bad.
Right?
Then you can stop this.
You can stop this all of this.
So, what do you say, huh?
["I DON'T GUESS YOU KNOW HOW
MUCH I LOVE YOU" PLAYING]
[LAUGHS]
I had to pay a nickel...
GEORGE: Brenda!
[MOCKINGLY] Brenda!
GEORGE: Help!
Help!
GEORGE: Somebody help!
Somebody help!
GEORGE: Brenda, are you okay?
[LAUGHS]
[CHAIR SCUFFS]
"Brenda, are you okay?"
[CHUCKLES, INHALES]
Oh.
Boss.
I don't guess you know
How much I love you
And I don't guess
You care
How hurt I'm gonna be
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDS]
Otherwise...
Oh, gosh.
That cut's pretty deep.
You're the one that did it.
Go get him a Band-Aid,
t-there's blood
dripping on the carpet.
[GURGLES BLOOD]
GEORGE:
You're a fucking lunatic.
OFFICER:
No.
[COUGHING]
Don't call her a lunatic.
She's not a lunatic.
Ow! Jesus, ah!
She's just eccentric.
OFFICER:
No.
[GROANS]
[GUN CLICKS]
It's me.
I'm the one who did it.
And I can't make it stop.
[GRUNTS]
[GUNSHOT]
[THUDS]
[GUNSHOT]
GEORGE: God.
[GUNSHOT]
No, no, no!
[SQUELCHING]
Call me...
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
To me...
[GEORGE GRUNTS, GURGLES]
This house reminds me
of my childhood.
GEORGE:
Somebody...
[GEORGE GASPS]
[SHUSHES]
[SONG ENDS]
Ah, baby.
[INHALES]
[GRUNTS]
[INAUDIBLE LAUGHTER]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
NARRATOR:
So there you have it
in all its lurid detail.
Apologies if the violence
became too gratuitous for some,
or the story ended up
too ambiguous for others.
That's just the way life goes
sometimes, as the man says.
If these folks were who
Starkweather
claimed them to be,
the world would keep on
turning either way, right?
I don't know,
maybe chaos is just chaos.
Coincidence is just that.
Maybe Henry Starkweather's
just a name.
[HUMS]
DJ [OVER RADIO]:
You're now in the ranks
of Charlie Manson,
Ted Bundy.
You claim you didn't
commit these murders,
but there's enough substantial
evidence to put you to death.
How do you respond?
HENRY:
I ain't never done
nothing that nobody
didn't expect would
happen some way or another,
you know what I mean?
'Cause Henry Starkweather
ain't some oddity.
And if it weren't me,
it'd be somebody else.
It is somebody else.
It's a lot of somebody else's.
I've done bad things,
I've done awful things.
I've done truly awful things.
But I'm just one man.
It's not just me.
There's a whole family.
I'm just one man among many.
There are folks in this world,
they're living,
breathing vessels,
just like I was,
just like I am.
A vessel.
See they're walking all parts
of this goddamned,
godforsaken Earth.
They're doin'
just what I've done.
They're doin' worse.
They feel the same thing
I felt.
Do you understand,
the same evil,
it drives them
to do something awful.
'Cause sometimes,
well, you just got to do
something awful.
[GLOVE COMPARTMENT CLOSES]
["MOON BIRD" BY THE ROGER
WEBB SOUND PLAYING]
[WOMAN VOCALIZING]
[LIGHTER FLICKS]
[DOOR OPENS]
[BUZZER RINGS]
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACH]
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
[PHONE RINGING]
We're ready to come home now.
[PHONE CONTINUES RINGING]
[SCREAMS]
[SIRENS BLARE]
MAN:
Why did you
try to kill them?
[BOTH ARGUING INDISTINCTLY]
[CACKLES]
HENRY:
Thank you all,
you're the best audience
I could ever hope for.
[HUMS QUIETLY]
Thank you, Poughkeepsie.
I just wanted to say
what an honor it is
to be here,
sharing all of this with you.
Now, I'd like to part
ways with a sense of joy
instead of sadness,
and so I wrote a poem.
[CLEARS THROAT]
If ifs and buts
were candies and nuts,
then we'd all have
a merry Christmas.
[BELL CHIMES]
Thank you.
Oh, thank you so much.
But now I'm afraid
I have to go.
No, please.
Please, it's not
because of you, I promise.
[LAUGHS]
It's just...
[LAUGHS]
Well, there's something
about tonight
that just makes me...
gosh, I don't know
how to put it.
Um, you know when you're at
the top of a Ferris wheel?
And you glance down,
just at the right moment?
And you're stomach just gets
that rush of butterflies.
Well, that's the only way
I can describe it, really.
But I can't make it stop.
Thank you all, again.
You are the best audience
I could ever ask for.
[DISTANT SINISTER LAUGHTER]
[BUTTON CLICKS]
[]
I put my money
On the table
Two dollars and a dime
And I ran out to you
Whoa, oh, oh
I put my money
On the table
Oh, I may have
Lost my mind
I ran out to you
Whoa, oh, oh
'Cause you'll always
Be my girl
Be my girl
I saw your car
Down at the drive-in
Saw you leave
With another guy
I ran after you
Whoa, oh, oh
I saw your car
Down at the drive-in
Oh, I may have lost my mind
I ran after you
Whoa, oh, oh
'Cause you'll always
Be my girl
Be my girl
I put my money
On the table
Two dollars and a dime
I ran after you
Whoa, oh, oh
'Cause you'll always
Be my girl
'Cause you'll always
Be my girl