Anaconda

Please, help. Somebody, help.

- Miss Flores. - Professor Cale.

Come on in. When did you get in?

A couple of days ago. I've been out talking to some guides,

hoping they might know the whereabouts our tribe.

Any luck?

Well, looks like there's sufficient evidence

to suspect that these people are out there and can be found and studied.

At least, that's what I told the grant people.

My man seemed to think that the tribe was around here,

between these two tributaries. He'd found one of their markers.

Well, that's good.

Yep, I think we may have a chance.

You get me there and I'll shoot it.

I'm counting on that. That's why I hired you.

And I'm glad you did. I really appreciate it.

Well, I wanted the best director I could get.

I think we'll make a good team.

You're a mess. What happened to you?

Oh, just a small attack of piranha. Barely escaped with my life.

Somebody's up awfully early.

Yeah, well, today's a good day.

- Is that right? - Oh, yeah.

Not every day my home girl from SC get to direct her own documentary.

You ready?

I think so.

That's right.

- Congratulations. - Thanks.

Mateo?

I see you made this a pleasure cruise.

Come on, you know me.

- I don't mix business with pleasure. - Mm-hm.

Okay, well, what about if we go up through here?

This way better. If not, I cannot be responsible.

Okay, well, it's only 55 kilometers out of the way.

Shouldn't be a problem. Better safe than sorry. Hm?

- Good morning. - Morning.

- Mateo, you understand me? - Mm-hm. Sure, I understand.

Great. I'll need you to drift through that channel over there.

I wanna get some shots.

As you say, chefe.

- For your approval. - Thanks.

So where's Westridge? I know he checked in.

He's probably just catching up on his beauty sleep.

Careful!

Careful! Bordeaux. Fragile. Expensive wine.

Christ!

Morning.

Morning. How was your flight?

Actually, it was a bloody nightmare. Ongoing, I think.

- One zoom lens. - Ah.

You. Stow this in my room, will you?

Excuse me? I'm not the bellhop, I'm the production manager.

Then surely you can manage my things into my room.

One pompous ass.

You know, in some cultures, that's a sign of friendship and respect

when somebody cares enough to ask you to carry their bags.

- Respect this, sound man. - It's not me who said that.

- Mr. Westridge, Terri Flores. - Terri, this is a pleasure.

Professor Cale lent me some of your short films.

I thought they were very promising.

- It's hot. Are we exactly on the equator? - Well, thanks.

Welcome aboard, I guess.

- I think he likes you. - Oh, you felt that too?

Damn, Cale, you look like a little low-budget-ass Jacques Cousteau there.

Yeah, well, whatever the hell that means.

It's good to see you, man.

Chefe, ready for Rio Negro.

All right. Double-check your gear, make sure it's all onboard,

and pray you didn't forget your bug spray.

Our adventure begins 1000 miles

from the mouth of the mighty Amazon,

deep in the heart of the rain forest.

From here, we will travel by river barge

up through shallow tributaries and unexplored backwaters

in search of the elusive people of the mist,

The Shirishama tribe.

One of the last great mysteries of the rain forest.

Is it just me or does the jungle make you really, really horny?

Oh, no. I think it's the jungle.

I'm serious. I've got, like, one thing on my mind.

Can I work, please?

Help!

Save me! I'm stranded.

My boat is stranded in the roots.

Help me!

Help me! Hello!

Check it out, there's a dude on a boat over there.

Hey! Pull over to his boat.

Stop.

We'll bring you onboard.

Here.

Thank the Lord for you. Thank the Lord.

You hurt?

Are you okay?

My propeller tore off in the roots.

We can't take you back to Manaus. We're headed upriver.

At the next village, I know the people. They help me fix my boat.

I sorry if I be trouble for you.

There's no need to apologize.

We're all at the mercy of our machines.

Yours broke.

Mateo?

Fish, river-style.

- Wow. Not bad. - What?

We're gonna have to get that on film next time.

Ever work in a sushi bar, Mr...?

Serone. Paul Serone.

Where you from, Mr. Serone?

- Paraguay. - Really?

I started out studying for the priesthood,

but then I needed to see the real world.

So I ended up in the jungle.

I seem to fit.

Tell me, what does a failed priest do in the jungle?

Fail?

Who says I fail?

I didn't fail.

- I'm sure you didn't. - Well, what is your calling now?

- Snakes. - Snakes?

I catch them.

For zoos and collectors. Whatever they want.

Poaching?

Poaching is illegal. May I ask what you are hunting?

We are not hunting or trapping anything.

We're making a documentary on the Shirishama Indians.

The people of the mist?

That's right. You've heard of them?

I've seen them.

Really? You think you could show me where that was?

You people saved my life. This I can do.

I can show you exactly where I saw the Shirishama.

So slurs every other river rat after five whiskies in any bar in Manaus.

Come on, lovey.

Five whiskies?

That's breakfast on the river.

Well, does salad go well with fish river-style, Mr. Serone?

Salad would be perfect,

little baby bird.

Okay.

Look at that.

Wow.

What are those, fireflies?

Mm-hm.

- It's pretty, huh? - Mm.

Family Lampyridae.

On certain nights they all gather in the same tree

and use their night flashes to announce their readiness to mate.

Well, whose flashes, the males or females?

Both, actually.

The females with a series of short, dainty feminine little flashes,

about eight per second.

The males respond with a series of long, drawn-out manly flashes.

Hmm.

I like that.

No pick-up lines, no misunderstandings.

- Mm-hm. - Just instinct and nature.

I've missed you.

Shit.

What a bloody racket.

Hey, hey, hey!

Don't touch my radio.

Ow.

You know, I could cheerfully hire someone to kill you.

A local tribesman, perhaps. Fifteen dollars should cover it.

I could just kill you for free right now.

Oh, yeah?

- You and whose army? - Your mama's.

So are we getting close?

Just around this bend.

Perfect.

A snake totem.

This totem is Shirishama.

Shirishama worship giant snakes, anacondas, as gods, protectors.

There's a legend they pass down of a journey to a sacred lake.

Wow.

First you must pass a waterfall protected by warrior snakes.

Once you pass those guardians,

you travel through the land of the Shirishama

until you come to a wall so high, it blots out the sky...

Follow that wall for five days, finally reaching its end,

the head of a giant anaconda.

- You know the story. - Of course.

Beautiful, beautiful legend.

I believe, however, it's a legend of the Maku.

Also the Shirishama.

Not to my knowledge.

The water is high now, but the village was right here.

You'll find them down this fork. I know, I trap snakes for a living.

And I'm sure you're very good at it.

I locate tribes for a living, and I'm very good at that.

The water level is high, which by my calculations means

that the areas to this side will be flooded

which would force our tribe, if they wanted to eat,

to seek out higher ground. So over here.

Which way?

We'll go this way.

Westridge, come on.

I wanna get a shot of you with the totem. And, Gary, you're gonna roll sound.

- Danny, you ready? - Mm-hm.