The Brain Eaters

A few weeks ago, Riverdale, Illinois

was just another quiet small town.

Then on that Saturday, shortly after midnight,

a living nightmare began.

On Sunday about an hour before a nightfall my fiance

and I were returning from the trip to her family's home

in the country.

Our wedding date was set,

everything was right with the world.

We were on the way back to town to tell

the good news to my father.

All of them, dead.

What is it?

I don't know.

48 hours later in Washington,

a hastily summoned UFO committee anxiously awaited

to see a special screening of top-secret Army films.

Delaying the proceedings was the late arrival

of senator Walter K. Powers.

All right let's go.

Lights.

A ravine six miles south of the town

of Riverdale, Illinois.

48 hours ago discovery was made

of a great cone-shaped object.

The cone stands 50 feet high,

has a base diameter of 50 feet.

The nature of the cone, undetermined, origin, unknown.

Efforts made to determine the composition of the cone

by Dr. Paul Kettering, principal scientist

for Project Damper have proven futile.

The surface of the cone has a total resistance

to pressure, heat, acid.

Coincidental with the discovery of the cone

is the brutal slaying of several

of the town's leading citizens.

Townspeople questioned provided stories

of strange sightings on or about the time

of the discovery of the cone.

One report cited the appearance of

a fiery horse-drawn chariot in the sky.

All reports, inconclusive.

As of this report, the origin and the nature

of the cone remain unknown.

Lights.

I don't know whether you gentlemen are aware,

but I'm directed from the executive branch.

I've been given a free hand in the matter of this ship.

I want some action, I have the people's interests at heart

but I will not have my hands bound by lack of all the facts.

Dan, call the hotel and tell them to pack our things

and call the airport and charter a plane.

We're heading for that little town of Riverdale.

I want to see this thing firsthand.

Call the Signal Corps, get General Prescott on the line,

say that Walter K. Powers will

not tolerate departmental interference.

But if that spaceship film has been doctored in any way,

he stands in a very shaky position.

Lay it on thick, I want him to keep so busy cleaning out

his own closet that he won't find time to get

in my way out there at that ship.

I'll use the old investigation threat, that always works.

Good.

Garret, Jared, I'm going to poke so many holes

in that spaceship fairy tale the lid

will be off in 24 hours.

Washington had wired ahead that Walter K. Powers

was to arrive in Riverdale to take charge

of the spaceship investigation.

Powers requested that there be no publicity whatsoever.

- Mr. Powers? - Yes.

Dan Walker.

How are you?

Where's the Mayor?

Well he's not here Mr. Powers.

I'm his son, Glenn Cameron.

We wired ahead, why isn't he here?

We've had some disturbing developments

here in town, Mr Powers.

As of last night we've got three murders on our hands.

The Mayor?

No, at least we're hoping against it.

He's disappeared though, there's no word of any kind.

Sounds to me like a department of law enforcement

has an abundant supply of bunglers.

Do I have transportation?

All right, let's get out to that ship or cone,

or whatever it is.

Entering the restricted ravine area,

I had the feeling that we were being watched,

although there wasn't a soul around.

The sheriff had instructed his men to keep

the woods clear of curiosity seekers.

Every precaution was being taken

to safeguard scientific equipment and the scientists

whose work had to continue unhampered.

Gentlemen, this is Alice Summers, Dad's secretary,

she's helping Dr. Kettering with his paperwork.

Alice, Mr. Walter K. Powers.

- How are ya? - Dan Walker.

How is it coming along?

Well Dr. Kettering is all set to go inside the cone.

You mean no one's been inside yet?

What's the holdup?

System, Mr. Powers.

That thing may have dangers we don't know of.

Can Kettering come down from up there?

Well he and Dr. Wyler are making a test just now.

What kind of test?

A sonic test.

They're sending sound impulses into the tunneling

to determine its length.

Hmm.

I'm going up there.

- Mr. Powers, Dr. - Kettering may not like that.

Dr. Kettering?

- You must be Walter K. - Powers, I'm Dr. Wyler.

I can see that.

What's the matter with him?

Is he hard of hearing?

39.1 ratio test, negative.

Check.

Yeah, hello Powers, I'm Paul Kettering.

You know why I'm here.

I want action.

Good, we can use some.

So far our batting average is zero.

Not quite zero, I understand the ship

had some kind of markings.

They were destroyed.

That's impossible.

First let me say we haven't determined whether it is a ship.

And as for any markings, before a single hand touched

that cone it was photographed from every conceivable angle:

Black and white, color, still, motion picture,

spectrographs, everything's open to your inspection.

Who took these photographs?

My staff and I.

Look, this thing is indestructible.

To remove any markings, you'd have to alter the surface,

and that, Mr. Powers is impossible.

Nothing's indestructible, give the wind enough time

and it can wear away a mountain.

Now, as you can see, not a mark.

I've tried everything science knows of:

Diamond bit drills, metal eating acids, all with no success.

Where does that opening lead?

As yet we don't know.

A ship has to have a control room,

place for an engine of some kind, place for fuel,

living quarters.

Yeah well since we can't determine what it's made of,

you can scarcely expect anybody to know

what its function is.

Since we haven't found out what's on the other side

of the metal by penetrating it we can't find out

what sounds inside the tunneling.

Watch this.

What, what's it mean?

It means the tunnel is cyclic.

Is what?

The point of origin becomes the point of return.

I can do without the double-talk.

I don't like to push you, Kettering,

but you science boys tend to get all wrapped up

in your test tubes and the obvious things

escape your attention.

I've got to have something to report.

I want action, not theories.

I want to know what's on the inside of that ship.

Well I suppose now's as good a time as any.

Don't you think it wise to be armed?

Come on now, what's really on the inside of that thing?

I don't know.

Dr. Wyler, it has been a long time.

Could anything have gone wrong?

I don't know.

How long has he been in there?

Too long.

Listen!

Kettering, are you all right?

A little worser for wear.

What did you find?

Nothing.

Nothing?

It's tunneling all the way through,

spiral like a toy railroad train,

up and down over and over again.

Well the thing has some purpose, what's it for?

I don't know.

Hello?

Hold the line.

Glenn, it's the Sheriff.

Yeah?