The Fly

What am I working on?

Something that will

change the world...

...and human life as we know it.

Change it a lot or just a bit?

Be more specific.

You want me to be more

specific here with...

...half the scientific

community eavesdropping?

Where else?

You could come back to my lab.

I'll make cappuccino.

I have a Faema of my own.

It's not the dilettante's

plastic model.

It's a restaurant espresso machine

with an eagle on top.

Somehow I get the feeling

you don't get out much.

- You can tell that?

- Yes.

You're making a mistake.

I think you really want to talk to me.

Sorry. I have three other interviews

before this party is over.

But they don't have something

that will change the world.

They say they do.

Yeah but they're lying.

I'm not.

Are you sick?

No... Sure.

You're not a very good drunk.

No, I'm always like this.

It's the...

...motion sickness. When I was a kid,

I puked on my tricycle.

I hate vehicles.

Should I drive slowly?

No. Turn left.

We're almost there.

This is it?

It's cleaner on the inside.

Please.

Listen.

Maybe this is a bad idea.

Too late.

You've already seen them.

You can't leave here alive.

I haven't seen anything.

Those.

Designer phone booths.

Very cute.

I bet you have a really neat

jukebox in here too.

Over there?

No.

No.

This is the...

...prototype of those.

The first one I had made.

It works, but it's clunky.

I call them telepods.

They're controlled by this.

Thank God for that.

So, what do they do?

The phones booths?

Telepods.

Okay, I need an object. Um.

Do you have something that is...

...personal I can use?

Something uniquely you?

An item of clothing or jewelry?

You kidding?

No, I'm serious.

Okay. Here it goes.

Mm-hm.

- I don't wear jewelry.

- Mm-hm.

It's nice.

Brundle, Seth.

Watch the stocking.

Well?

Great.

A giant microwave oven. I'm glad

I didn't give you my Rolex.

If I had a Rolex.

You're missing the point.

Look.

Teleportation?

Please.

Wait a minute.

Is that a hologram?

- Where's my stocking?

- That's it.

Pick it up.

I don't get it.

What happened?

You get it but you can't handle it.

Your stocking has just

been teleported...

...from one pod to another.

Disintegrated there

and reintegrated there.

Sort of.

It will change the world

as we know it, right?

Oh, no.

This is incredible.

It's not possible, is it?

How have you kept this quiet?

Please sit down.

How could you do this alone?

I don't work alone.

There's stuff in there I don't

understand. I'm really a...

...systems manager.

I farm out...

...pieces to men more

brilliant than I. I say:

"Design me a molecular analyzer",

and they do. I just assemble it.

None of them knows

what the project really is.

And the money? Bartok

Science Industries financed this?

But they leave me alone

because I'm not expensive.

They know they'll own

whatever it is.

You haven't told them?

When I'm ready.

Wait a second.

What's that?

To get the quotes right.

Quotes? No.

This was personal.

Don't write about it.

What do you mean?

I'm a journalist.

- Oh, no, no, no, no.

- You knew that.

I made a mistake. I shouldn't

have shown you this. I'm very sorry.

Particle Magazine sent me

to get a story.

This is the most

exciting story ever.

No. Absolutely not.

I must have that tape.

- Please.

- You can't do that.

Don't write a story.

I'd never have told

this stuff to a journalist.

- But you told it to me.

- I suppose I did but...

- Sure did.

- Now wait a minute.

Come here.

What about your stocking?

Keep it for good luck.

I say:
"Design me a

molecular analyzer", and they do.

Ijust assemble it.

None of them knows

what the project really is.

And the money? Bartok

Science Industries financed this?

But they leave me alone

because I'm not expensive.

They know they'll own

whatever it is.

Well, that's it.

What do you think?

It's a joke.

What?

He's conning you.

It's an old nightclub routine.

The two cabinets.

You fell for it.

- Wait. That was no...

- Are we having lunch?

That was no nightclub routine.

I was there. I saw it.

Yeah?

Sure.

Send him in.

You must have made an impression.

What do you mean?

Your magician followed you here.

I'm Stathis Borans,

editor of Particle Magazine.

- Seth Brundle.

- I know who you are. Listen...

...why don't you two use my office?

I've gotta run.

If you plan to make anything

disappear, let me know.

I have an assistant editor

who's outlived his usefulness.

You didn't waste time.

I'm not getting any younger.

He wasn't impressed by your tape?

He thinks you're a con man.

Excellent.

Yeah? Well, let's see what the people

at Omni think about it.

No, no.

Listen, Veronica....

I've come here to say one magic word.

Yeah?

Cheeseburger.

I've been working alone too long.

I have a strong urge

to talk about what I'm doing.

But if this gets out now...

...Veronica, it'll kill me.

The Bartok people

and my colleagues will kill me.

It's not ready yet.

It works okay.

No, something important's missing.

Yeah?

Yeah.

What?

I can only teleport inanimate objects.

What happens when you

teleport living things?

Not while we're eating.

Can't be worse than this.

You're not doing

a good job of convincing me.

I think I should tell

the world about this now.

You should tell it...

...but not yet.

What do you have so far?

Enough to make you nervous.

Why not get more? Make me

your major project, a book.

Not a magazine article.

Follow me and my work,

day by day in detail.

I have no life, so there's nothing

for you to interfere with.

Research the background.

Cover the process.

"The complete record of the most

earth-shattering invention ever.

The one that ended

all concepts of transport...

...of borders and frontiers,

of time and space".

The book will end with me...

...transporting myself

from one telepod to another.

That's what's missing.

Wait for me that long?

What are you doing here?

I was in the neighborhood.

Felt a bit scummy.

Rough day.

How'd you get in?

I have a key, remember?

You gave it to me.

I should've changed the lock.

You didn't.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

That's because unconsciously...

...you still want me to come back,

move in again.

No.

That's because, consciously,

I'm lazy and disorganized.

Your new playmate's interesting.

What playmate?

The nightclub act.

Brundle.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

I was wrong.

He's really quite brilliant.

He led the F32 team.

Remember that?

An inch away from the

Nobel Prize for physics.

He was only 20 at the time.

I'm not going to do Brundle.

Maybe the Psychology Today gig.

That's not like you.

Are you getting out or am I?

I'll go. Shall I return later

and tuck you in?

No. Key.

I'll keep it...

...for old time's sake.

You're a petty schmuck.

Initiate in 5 seconds.

I've got to do this, Seth.

Talk to the tape.

Get in the habit.

The world will want to know

what you're thinking.

"F***" is what I'm thinking!

Good.

The world will want to know that.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote