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Short filmTranscript
00:00:00The world within the last few years has become more and more aware of the population explosion.
00:00:15We think of it in terms of human beings, of how many will be able to survive on Earth.
00:00:20Will they have enough clean air to breathe, or any air for that matter?
00:00:24Will there be enough room to live in, and enough food to feed an ever increasing number
00:00:27of mouths?
00:00:28Nature, up until now, has maintained a carefully planned balance, but conditions often change
00:00:34this pattern and tip scales against the plan.
00:00:37This imbalance also takes place in the animal world.
00:00:40This film, which our researchers have gathered together, was shot in Australia in 1954, where
00:00:46a plague of rabbits has been, and still is, a threat.
00:00:50Rabbits so numerous that they threaten man's existence by devouring his crops, killing
00:00:54animals, and destroying property.
00:00:57Has man the right to defend himself against an enemy that threatens his life and property?
00:01:01If so, how?
00:01:03By poison?
00:01:04By traps?
00:01:05And in so doing, what does he do to the rest of the animal and insect life necessary to
00:01:10his existence?
00:01:11Rabbits, which seem so cuddly as pets, can become a menace.
00:01:16They were first shipped to Australia, hoping they'd be a valuable addition to the food
00:01:19supply.
00:01:20Instead, they proved to be a disaster.
00:01:24Dead drives and roundups have been called barbarous and cruel, but some way must be
00:01:28found to curb their invasion.
00:01:31Australia is not the only place to have been overrun by rabbits.
00:01:35All over the American West, there have been similar outbreaks, and the same battle lines
00:01:39have been drawn.
00:01:40Science is doing all it can to help control this population explosion.
00:01:44But when this effort fails, nature's balance gets out of hand.
00:01:52Right now, a new plague of rabbits has broken out in the Southwest, as shown in these color
00:01:56films just received from our news team in Arizona.
00:02:01It's difficult to conceive that such an innocent furry rabbit, scientifically known as Lepus,
00:02:06can be so destructive.
00:02:08And as they multiply, so does their demand for food increase.
00:02:14Can this population explosion be contained?
00:02:44Can this population explosion be contained?
00:03:14Can this population explosion be contained?
00:03:44Can this population explosion be contained?
00:03:47Can this population explosion be contained?
00:03:50Can this population explosion be contained?
00:03:53Can this population explosion be contained?
00:03:56Can this population explosion be contained?
00:03:59Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:02Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:05Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:08Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:11Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:14Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:17Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:20Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:23Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:26Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:29Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:32Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:35Can this population explosion be contained?
00:04:38GUNSHOT
00:05:04Where's Ranger, Dad?
00:05:06Stepped in a rabbit hole, son. Broke his leg. I had to shoot him.
00:05:10Hey, Frank, take the truck and go straight out about a mile and a half and pick up my saddle, will you?
00:05:17Mildred?
00:05:20Get me President Elgin Clark at the college in Ajo.
00:05:25What?
00:05:28I'm sorry I snapped at you, but I got me a feud going on here.
00:05:31Yeah, Elgin Clark.
00:05:33I tell you, Elgin, these rabbits are eating me out of house and home.
00:05:37Well, I've arranged to have Professor Taylor meet us in my office.
00:05:41Now, wait a minute. Not that guy.
00:05:43Why not? He's the one that got rid of your coyotes for you.
00:05:46Yeah, well, he's just a little bit too good. I haven't heard a coyote yapping around there for over a year.
00:05:51Now, that's terrific news for the rabbits, but it's lousy for me.
00:05:54I mean, there's a balance to these things, Elgin. It's tricky.
00:05:57Yeah, I know it is.
00:05:59Look, I got a thought. There's a young couple here from the east on an exchange program.
00:06:02The name's Bennett, and they're looking for new ways to control insects without killing everything else at the same time.
00:06:07I have rabbits, not bugs. There's nothing left for a bug to live on.
00:06:12You trust me, Cole. They won't go around killing everything in sight.
00:06:16I'll get up there to see them right away.
00:06:21You sure stood up a lot of bats just for these few specimens.
00:06:25Can you get it?
00:06:27Yeah.
00:06:28There we go.
00:06:31Now we got this one.
00:06:38Okay, honey, I think we got enough.
00:06:40Oh, all right. Go ahead.
00:06:48Cute little guy, huh?
00:06:49Oh, there you go.
00:06:51Yeah, I think I'll put him right in there.
00:06:54There we are.
00:07:01What are you doing that for, Daddy?
00:07:05I'm trying to record their sound. Now, shh.
00:07:11Here comes Mr. Clark. So why don't you girls go down and meet him, hmm?
00:07:15Okay, okay. Our daughter expresses a precocious interest in zoology, and all you can say is, shh.
00:07:25Actually, your father was playing the orchard from here. You know how bats love hair.
00:07:30Now you go play, sweetheart.
00:07:32Hi, Uncle Alton.
00:07:33Hi, Amanda. How are you, Jerry?
00:07:36Fine. How are you?
00:07:37Fine, thank you.
00:07:38Oh, good morning, Roy.
00:07:41Can you hear it?
00:07:42That's the cry of fear.
00:07:48Well, if we can just chase them away with that sound of fear, we'll be able to control their entire flight.
00:07:54I'll tell you what. I've got an idea.
00:07:56What?
00:07:57I've got an idea.
00:07:58What?
00:07:59I've got an idea.
00:08:00What?
00:08:01I've got an idea.
00:08:02What?
00:08:03I've got an idea.
00:08:04What?
00:08:05I've got an idea.
00:08:06What?
00:08:07I've got an idea.
00:08:08What?
00:08:09I say, what do you plan to do with them then?
00:08:11By introducing them into areas infected with mosquitoes.
00:08:15They'll be able to do the same job that DDT does, without the side effects.
00:08:19I see.
00:08:20Well, that brings me to a favor, Ray.
00:08:23Cole Hillman, he's a rancher about 50 miles north of here.
00:08:26He'd rather put in him on the map, that is, at least in football back in the 40s.
00:08:31And he does some scouting and fundraising for us.
00:08:34Well, he's really got a problem.
00:08:35A rabbit explosion.
00:08:37Now, he's fighting like the devil to keep them out of his irrigated land.
00:08:41But they've already eaten the range right out from under his cattle.
00:08:45Rabbits aren't exactly Roy's bag.
00:08:48Cole Hillman's on your side, Roy.
00:08:50He's trying to avoid poison.
00:08:52Well, good for him.
00:08:54But once those rabbits spread out, the other ranchers will bomb this whole country with cyanide.
00:08:59Uh-oh.
00:09:00All right, then.
00:09:02We better take a run up there this weekend.
00:09:04I'd rather you did it today.
00:09:08Hup!
00:09:10Hup!
00:09:12Hup!
00:09:14Hup!
00:09:16Hup!
00:09:18Go!
00:09:20Mommy!
00:09:22I like rabbits, Mommy.
00:09:28Go! Hup!
00:09:30Hup!
00:09:32Hup!
00:09:34Hup!
00:09:37Hup!
00:09:41Out here in the southwest, they're called silver loggers.
00:09:45These are all different.
00:09:47There was a fellow that lived south of here about 10 miles.
00:09:50He used to raise domestic rabbits.
00:09:52But he had a fire, and a couple of hundred of them got away.
00:09:55Hmm. So these are Mongols.
00:09:57They have, uh, plagues of rabbits down in New Zealand and Australia.
00:10:02Now, how'd they get rid of those?
00:10:04They've used poison, for one thing.
00:10:07But the poison killed the birds,
00:10:09and that resulted in the plague of grasshoppers,
00:10:11just as bad as the rabbits.
00:10:13If I sprayed poison, I'd have to pull my cattle off the range,
00:10:16and I'd have to dump them on the market at the worst time of the year.
00:10:19There might be another way to whip this problem, Cole.
00:10:21How?
00:10:23Hormones, which would interrupt their breeding cycle.
00:10:27Or a disease that'd affect only the rabbits.
00:10:30How long can you hold out before using the cyanide?
00:10:33Six or eight weeks, until the young ones show up.
00:10:35I'll tell you what I'd like to do.
00:10:37I'd like to get about a dozen of these adults and run some tests.
00:10:40Hmm. That's simple.
00:10:42Just open the back of your camper, and they'll hop right in.
00:10:45Can I have these?
00:10:47You bet.
00:10:56Wish I had my own pony.
00:10:58My dad gave him to me.
00:11:00He can ride it sometime if he wants to.
00:11:02I'd like that.
00:11:05Ow! What happened?
00:11:07A rabbit bit me. That's what happened.
00:11:10You don't have to punch any holes in that can, as far as I'm concerned.
00:11:13You better have that finger looked in.
00:11:15The bite of the leapers, that's a Latin word for rabbit, can be dangerous.
00:11:18Well, Dr. Dirksen, I certainly appreciate your interest in this particular problem.
00:11:23Well, I'm interested in your experiment.
00:11:25Keep me posted.
00:11:27I certainly will.
00:11:29Aw, poor thing.
00:11:32Mommy?
00:11:34What, hon?
00:11:35What's a control group?
00:11:37Well, they get the same care as the others, but they don't get any of the medicines.
00:11:43Roy?
00:11:49Step aside, darling.
00:11:53What's the matter with him, Mommy?
00:11:56Well, we were trying to make Jack a little more like Jill,
00:12:00and Jill a little more like Jack,
00:12:02so they wouldn't keep having such large families.
00:12:05You simply can't shoot them full of hormones
00:12:08without setting their nervous system in a shock.
00:12:11It can mean months developing the right lab procedure.
00:12:15Well, nothing seems to work.
00:12:27On the other hand, here's something I know they've never been exposed to before.
00:12:32Dr. Dirksen from the public health department sent it over this morning.
00:12:36Would you get me a clean rabbit?
00:12:38Oh, yeah.
00:12:39I wish I knew what the effects of this serum would be.
00:12:43Let's hope it works.
00:12:45Not that one, Mommy. It's my favorite.
00:12:48Apparently, this is the villain.
00:12:51In certain birth defects, causes hereditary changes.
00:12:55Will it transmit to other rabbits?
00:12:57Well, I should hope so.
00:12:59Difficult to inject 10,000 to 15,000 wild rabbits.
00:13:02Right.
00:13:04Now, this substance, if we could affect the blood of 50 rabbits,
00:13:09it wouldn't take long for this change to take place in the entire population.
00:13:14PHONE RINGS
00:13:21Hello, Cole.
00:13:23No, not yet. I'm sorry.
00:13:26Just a minute.
00:13:28Jerry?
00:13:35Yes, Cole. We're trying a new serum.
00:13:38We hope to inject 50 or so rabbits.
00:13:40If it works on them, it wouldn't take long before it would infect thousands.
00:13:44Yeah. Sure.
00:13:47Yeah.
00:13:48Cole says the rabbits are getting meaner and hungrier.
00:13:51We could use another dozen here. He's got them ready to go.
00:13:54Would you mind picking them up for me?
00:13:56Of course not.
00:13:58Thanks, honey.
00:14:00You see, Cole, we have to keep a tight control on these test rabbits.
00:14:03Heaven help us if any of them should get away
00:14:05before we know the effects of this new serum.
00:14:08Sure, Cole.
00:14:12Jerry will be by this afternoon.
00:14:15Fine, Cole. I'll talk to you later.
00:14:18I'll take Amanda with me.
00:14:20Good.
00:14:24Amanda, would you please leave those rabbits alone?
00:14:27You said I could have one.
00:14:30Can I? Before you kill them.
00:14:33One from the control group?
00:14:35Well, all right.
00:14:37She seems to be the only one that gets along with them.
00:14:39Thank you, Daddy.
00:14:41Rub his foot while you're at it, honey,
00:14:43and see what kind of luck that brings us.
00:14:46As a matter of fact, rub all four of them.
00:14:51Damn rabbits.
00:14:54Pardon me, ma'am.
00:14:56Where do they get the good food, Peter?
00:14:58The other day.
00:15:04Romeo's not a bad rabbit.
00:15:06I don't care. You get him out of here. I won't be your friend.
00:15:09I won't do it.
00:15:11Get... Those darn rabbits killed my chickens.
00:15:15I'm sorry, Amanda.
00:15:17Don't tell my mom he ran away.
00:15:20Okay. You can say I'm keeping him for you.
00:15:23Come on. Okay.
00:15:25Since the injection, this rabbit has increased in size.
00:15:28If it keeps up, we'll have to get larger cages.
00:15:31One more week, and these won't be babies anymore.
00:15:34Neither will the ones up at Cole Hillman's.
00:15:36The young will be coming out of their holes any day
00:15:39and starting their new generation.
00:15:41Well, I guess you ought to call Cole.
00:15:43If he's going to poison those fields, he'd better do it now.
00:15:46I'm going to warn him.
00:15:48If he poisons the rabbits, he's going to kill off all the other animals.
00:15:51It won't be long. He'll have nothing left but unredeemable wasteland.
00:15:57Well...
00:16:12If this don't work, Cole, I swear I'll send my planes over your land.
00:16:16This is the place to spray, the place to stop them.
00:16:19In two months from now, everything north of here will be eaten out.
00:16:23In the meantime, there'll be a burned-out strip nearly a mile wide.
00:16:27Between my property and everything south,
00:16:30there won't be a bush, a blade of grass, or a drop of water.
00:16:34All right, Frank, when you and Judd are...
00:16:37I still think poisoning's the better way to do it.
00:16:40Yeah, well, say thank you instead.
00:16:42Cole here is sacrificing his land to starve them out natural.
00:16:45Any help you need, replanting or anything, call on me.
00:16:48I appreciate that, Arlen.
00:16:50Anytime you're ready, light it.
00:17:11Sure hope it works.
00:17:13Sure hope it works.
00:17:15Let's go.
00:17:17Let's go.
00:17:41Oh, Roy, this was the, uh...
00:17:43first rangeland to get eaten clean.
00:17:46So I figured it might be the first one to come back.
00:17:49Instinctively, that's what they do.
00:17:51I'll come right back here.
00:17:53Roy?
00:17:55What kind of a track is that?
00:18:04Well, I've never seen anything that heavy.
00:18:07How about you, Cole?
00:18:10I don't know.
00:18:12It's got a couple of cow tracks in it.
00:18:15Besides that imprint, the depth of it, I'd say it weighed maybe 100, 150 pounds.
00:18:21Could it be a mountain lion?
00:18:24Well, it could be, but we haven't had any of those around here in a long time.
00:18:33Getting tired?
00:18:35Want to do some more riding?
00:18:37Okay.
00:18:38I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, Captain Billy.
00:18:41He's got a gold mine over those hills back there.
00:18:43I, uh... I asked your ma.
00:18:45She says it's okay.
00:18:46A real gold mine?
00:18:48Well, he hasn't found much yet, but he says he's going to.
00:18:51Come on.
00:18:53Come on.
00:19:14Whoa!
00:19:19Billy?
00:19:27Are you here, Captain Billy?
00:19:35Captain Billy?
00:19:39You go into the tunnel. See if you can find him.
00:19:42I'm going to look around out here.
00:19:44Go on.
00:19:51Captain Billy?
00:19:53Captain Billy?
00:19:55Captain Billy?
00:19:57Where are you, Captain Billy?
00:20:00Are you in here, Captain Billy?
00:20:12Captain Billy?
00:20:24Captain...
00:20:43Amanda!
00:20:48Amanda! Amanda!
00:20:53Daddy! Help me!
00:20:56Daddy!
00:21:00Daddy!
00:21:05Daddy! Daddy!
00:21:07Daddy!
00:21:11Doctor?
00:21:13She'll be all right. Just a case of mild shock.
00:21:16Just let her rest.
00:21:18Are you sure?
00:21:20I'm sure. But if anything new develops, please call me.
00:21:25Right.
00:21:27Thank you for coming over, Doctor.
00:21:29Good night, Mr. Bennett.
00:21:31You were in the miner's shack when you heard her screams?
00:21:34Yes, sir.
00:21:36I ran out and got her.
00:21:38She was just coming out of the mine shaft.
00:21:40You know, a bloody murder.
00:21:42Did you see anything? Anything at all?
00:21:45I can't say I did, Mr. Bennett.
00:21:48Although, there might have been something moving around just inside the shaft.
00:21:53I couldn't be sure. Everything happened too fast.
00:21:56Well, something scared her half to death.
00:21:59She just didn't imagine it. Amanda's too sensible.
00:22:02Daddy! Daddy!
00:22:04Everything's going to be all right, honey.
00:22:06Oh, my poor baby.
00:22:08I'm going to talk to Dr. Dirksen.
00:22:34I'm going to talk to Dr. Dirksen.
00:23:04Oh, my God.
00:23:34Oh, my God.
00:24:05Wow.
00:24:25Wow.
00:24:29Wow.
00:24:34Wow.
00:24:40Wow.
00:24:43Wow.
00:24:46Wow.
00:24:52Wow.
00:25:05Well, now, what's so urgent?
00:25:08Over there, sir.
00:25:10Wow.
00:25:34What do they use on them, an axe?
00:25:36Beats me. I've never seen anybody cut up like that.
00:25:39For you.
00:25:42Put a pause through. Get some lab men out here and stay with them.
00:25:45Give them a hand.
00:25:46Yes, sir.
00:25:47Colby.
00:25:49What?
00:25:52Bring the body into town.
00:25:54Get Doc Wilson to do a post on him right away.
00:25:57I'll meet you at the office in 20 minutes.
00:26:02Well.
00:26:05Looks like we got another one on our hands.
00:26:08This old prospector lives up in the hills near the Hillman Ranch.
00:26:12Found his body in a mine shaft.
00:26:14Hacked to pieces.
00:26:17Just like that truck driver.
00:26:22In the smallest of objects, one can often find the world of discovery.
00:26:26A microscopic view of the surface of a blunt weapon...
00:26:29can lead to the arrest of a man halfway around the world.
00:26:31But, Mr. Leopold, where do those tin cans lead us?
00:26:35Well, for one thing, they were not opened with an axe.
00:26:38Something punctured the metal.
00:26:40Not too fast, but with great strength.
00:26:43Now, the crates on the truck weren't broken, either.
00:26:46They've been gnawed.
00:26:48What?
00:26:49Gnawed, chewed, bitten.
00:26:51In addition, traces of dried saliva were found on the cans, the boxes, and the victims.
00:26:58So, what have we got here? Vampires?
00:27:01Possibly.
00:27:02But, frankly, Sheriff, off the top of my head...
00:27:05the only thing that could have caused this sort of destruction...
00:27:08would have been a saber-toothed tiger.
00:27:12As a matter of fact, a lot of them.
00:27:14Sheriff Cody, come in. This is Officer Hightower.
00:27:17I'm at the picnic grounds three miles east of the Hillman Ranch.
00:27:21I've never seen anything like it.
00:27:24There's a family of four here.
00:27:26A man, a woman, and two children, horribly mutilated.
00:27:30I'm standing by until the coroner arrives.
00:27:33Over.
00:27:42I've studied abnormalities and birth defects all my life.
00:27:47It's come pretty close to home for me.
00:27:50I see them all the time.
00:27:52Naturally, I'd like to believe they don't exist.
00:27:55Unfortunately, they do.
00:27:57But, Doctor, rabbits as big and as ferocious as wolves?
00:28:02It is inconceivable.
00:28:04The genetic code of every living thing is contained in each cell of that organism.
00:28:10Now, assuming, inadvertently, we introduce defective cells into that one rabbit...
00:28:16...it's conceivable that we could have created the seeds for a mutated species.
00:28:21Amanda saw huge rabbits.
00:28:23It's just too hard to believe.
00:28:25And I don't think I'll be able to, not until I've seen one.
00:28:28All we have to go on is what Amanda had to say...
00:28:31...in that track that was trampled all over with.
00:28:34Well, the only thing we can do is gather our group together...
00:28:38...take another look around that area tomorrow.
00:28:40What about Sheriff Cody? Shouldn't he be here?
00:28:43I don't agree, Jerry. I don't think so.
00:28:45Can you imagine the kind of sensational publicity...
00:28:47...they would bring down on the university if it became generally known?
00:28:50I don't think we should tell anybody until we know what the score is.
00:28:53I think you're right.
00:28:54Honey, you call up Hillman.
00:28:56Tell him to expect us in the morning.
00:28:58Have him get ready some poison feed, cyanide, dynamite, anything else he can think of.
00:29:02Okay.
00:29:03And have him get a hold of Judd and Frank.
00:29:05They may as well go along with us tomorrow.
00:29:07Okay.
00:29:08I don't suppose there's a chance he'll be able to get away with it.
00:29:11I don't suppose there's a chance that you can bring back one of those rabbits alive.
00:29:41More of those tracks we saw at the water hole...
00:29:43...they certainly weren't made by human beings.
00:29:46More of those tracks we saw at the water hole...
00:29:48...they certainly weren't made by human beings.
00:29:55How far in does it go?
00:29:57Oh, about two miles due north.
00:29:59Looks like the wind's picking up.
00:30:01Will we ever find out?
00:30:03I don't think we will.
00:30:05I don't think we will.
00:30:07We'll find out.
00:30:09You've got to be kidding.
00:30:11I'm sure you will.
00:30:12Oh, about two miles due north of the opening of the tunnel here.
00:30:17Any other way into it?
00:30:19Well, there's a vertical shaft at the other end, but it's been closed up for years.
00:30:24Elton, why don't you and Frank get half the dynamite and take a look up above?
00:30:29See if there are any other holes.
00:30:31Right.
00:30:42Judd, you run the hoses for the gas inside the tunnel, and I'll set the charges.
00:31:09Hello, Jerry.
00:31:17Jerry, Elgin here.
00:31:19Yes, Elgin, over.
00:31:21I'm up on top.
00:31:23Let Mr. Roy, over.
00:31:25Just a minute.
00:31:26Yes, Elgin, what'd you find?
00:31:34There are three holes here.
00:31:36Well, look around and make sure there aren't any others.
00:31:41Right.
00:31:45Hold on just a second, Roy.
00:32:04Listen.
00:32:20Do you hear that?
00:32:39We sure do.
00:32:42Set your dynamite.
00:32:44We'll let you know when we're ready down here.
00:32:48We'll set off the charges at the same time.
00:32:53We got our hands full.
00:32:55We can't plug these up quick enough for me.
00:32:58Well, we got three holes to blow.
00:33:00You think we got enough dynamite to do it?
00:33:02Yeah, we'll make it.
00:33:03While you're setting up, I'll take a look around, see if there are any more.
00:33:07Let me take this.
00:33:11Honey, I'm going in there.
00:33:14You can't do that.
00:33:15I haven't got a choice.
00:33:16But why?
00:33:17We're going to blow it up right now.
00:33:19Whatever's back in there is a mystery.
00:33:20If we cave it in, we'll never know.
00:33:23I'm going to try to pull one of them out so I can analyze its blood and check its cells.
00:33:27If I can't do that, at least I'll take a picture of it.
00:33:30Wait a minute.
00:33:32Give me the rifle.
00:33:33Okay, let's go.
00:33:34Stay on the radio to Elgin and tell him we're going in there.
00:34:04Elgin, come in, Elgin.
00:34:35That seems to be the lot of them.
00:34:37You about ready?
00:34:38Yeah, just give me a couple more minutes.
00:34:41Oh, uh, this is Bennett, Carl.
00:34:44Oh?
00:34:45Bennett and Hillman have gone into the mine.
00:34:48Oh, no.
00:35:00Hello, Jerry.
00:35:01Come in.
00:35:02Come in, Jerry.
00:35:03This is Elgin.
00:35:04Yes, over.
00:35:05Look, we've got three holes about set to dynamite.
00:35:08Have they come out of there yet?
00:35:10Over.
00:35:11No, not yet.
00:35:13I hope it's soon.
00:35:22We must be in a half a mile by now.
00:35:26And they seem to be moving away from us.
00:35:29No, you be careful.
00:35:51They should be coming out any minute.
00:35:53Over.
00:35:54I'll be standing by.
00:35:56Okay.
00:35:57I'll be standing by.
00:36:19How many tunnels do you suppose there are?
00:36:22They should have marked our way in case we have to get out in a hurry.
00:36:28Sounds like they're right around that corner.
00:36:31Don't you? The whole place might come down on us.
00:36:58They're as big as wolves.
00:37:01They look just as vicious.
00:37:06Nobody will believe this.
00:37:09Could this have been caused by the serum you injected in that one rabbit?
00:37:12I'm sure of it. It only takes one.
00:37:15There are probably thousands of them. This must be their breeding ground.
00:37:18Let's get the hell out of here.
00:37:20Left or right?
00:37:24Right.
00:37:33I got the detonator set.
00:37:36I'm ready to release the gas as soon as they come out.
00:37:39Okay.
00:37:49Let's go.
00:38:49Come on.
00:38:51Come on.
00:39:17Jack. Jack, calm down.
00:39:20The rabbit's gone.
00:39:29Ma'am, we got to get out of here.
00:39:31They ain't coming out of that mine alive.
00:39:34Oh, yes, they are.
00:39:36And we're not going anywhere.
00:39:50Come on.
00:40:09Blood!
00:40:11Blood!
00:40:20Blood!
00:40:44Oh, Roy. Oh, darling. Thank God.
00:40:50Thank God.
00:41:08How in the world was that possible?
00:41:10Well, you heard what Dirksen said.
00:41:12What's his position on releasing these photographs?
00:41:15The same as mine and Jerry's.
00:41:17We feel that the facts have to be made public.
00:41:18Now, if you want, I'll tell them it was an unauthorized experiment.
00:41:21No way. No way, Roy. I got you into this. That wouldn't be right.
00:41:24I think we have to bring Sheriff Cody into this now.
00:41:27We'll go out to the mine in the morning,
00:41:30check, make sure we got rid of all of them.
00:41:32We'll take Sheriff Cody with us.
00:41:34I'll get in touch with him now.
00:41:36Fine.
00:41:39Well, honey, when the story breaks,
00:41:41we'll have newspaper men from all over.
00:41:44I think that you and Amanda ought to go someplace
00:41:46where they won't hound you to death.
00:41:49You're right. Amanda's been through enough.
00:41:53I suppose we drive up to Wooddale and stay at the lodge,
00:41:58and you join us as soon as you can.
00:42:00Good. Good idea.
00:42:03I love you very much.
00:42:05And if we have to,
00:42:07I'll even be happy to go and work with you and...
00:42:09Timbuktu.
00:42:18Timbuktu.
00:42:48Timbuktu.
00:43:18Timbuktu.
00:43:48Timbuktu.
00:44:18We've got to get them dressed into something warm,
00:44:20and you too, all right?
00:44:22Let's hurry.
00:44:49Easy, easy.
00:44:51Hold her, hold her.
00:44:53Now, now, now.
00:44:59What's going on?
00:45:01Shh, shh.
00:45:19Whoa, boy.
00:45:21Easy, easy.
00:45:23Watch out there, Frank.
00:45:25Judd, take it easy.
00:45:48Shh, shh.
00:46:18Judd! Hey, Judd!
00:46:22We ain't gonna stop you, Mr. Hillman.
00:46:24Not after what happened today.
00:46:48Come on.
00:47:18Frank.
00:47:21You and Jackie get in that cellar and stay there.
00:47:30Frank?
00:47:31Yeah.
00:47:32Don't lock me out. I'm gonna make a phone call.
00:47:33Right.
00:47:35Mildred?
00:47:37Now, now, listen closely.
00:47:45Mildred?
00:47:47Mildred!
00:47:48Mr. Hillman?
00:47:51Mildred!
00:47:53Mildred!
00:47:55Mildred!
00:47:57Mildred!
00:47:59Mildred!
00:48:01Mildred!
00:48:02Mr. Hillman?
00:48:04Mildred!
00:48:33Mildred!
00:48:59Sounds like a cattle stampede.
00:49:02Hey!
00:49:32Come on.
00:50:02Come on.
00:50:32Come on.
00:51:02Come on.
00:51:20Every line north of Cole Hillman's house just went off.
00:51:23Oh, light out, honey.
00:51:24Well, whatever it was, he was mighty agitated.
00:51:27You 110 for me?
00:51:28We were cut right off.
00:51:29Hey, lass, you wanna take a run up Hillman's way?
00:51:31Oh, no, it is all right.
00:51:32Go get the truck turned in.
00:51:33Get home, get some sleep.
00:51:35When does Connie spell you?
00:51:37About midnight.
00:51:38Well, I'll see you up at the house.
00:51:46Hey, lass, wait up.
00:51:48Come on, I'm not gonna wait.
00:51:50Drop me off up at the house, will you?
00:51:53All right, sir.
00:51:55See you in a little bit.
00:51:56All right.
00:52:01All right.
00:52:31All right.
00:53:02Come on.
00:53:04Come on.
00:53:31Come on.
00:53:57Okay.
00:53:58Good night, lass.
00:53:59Thanks a lot.
00:54:01Good night.
00:54:31Come on.
00:55:02Come on.
00:55:28Find him?
00:55:29Yeah, I found him.
00:55:30He's left, I think.
00:55:33Well, the horses won't be back for a week.
00:55:35Don't spook too bad.
00:55:36Why don't you stay with Dorothy and Jackie while I hike into town?
00:55:39All right.
00:55:44And don't worry, we'll be in before dark.
00:55:46You call me about six o'clock from Wooddale, hmm?
00:55:48Mm-hmm.
00:55:49I'll either be here or over at Sheriff Cody's.
00:55:51Okay.
00:55:52Okay.
00:55:53Bye, Daddy.
00:55:54Bye, honey.
00:55:55See you.
00:55:57See you later.
00:56:03See you later.
00:56:04Okay.
00:56:27Where is Sheriff Cody?
00:56:28Just got back from the crime lab in Phoenix.
00:56:30He'll meet us at the airport.
00:56:43Sheriff, we have something horrible to tell you.
00:56:45Your frantic call wouldn't have anything to do with rabbits, would it?
00:56:48How did you know?
00:56:49They tell me that's what killed Captain Billy and that truck driver.
00:56:52Rabbits with teeth that long.
00:56:54Crime lab has been double-checking their tests all morning.
00:56:57We'll tell you about it on the way, Sheriff.
00:57:25Oh, my God.
00:57:27Oh, my God.
00:57:53You sure we shouldn't stop?
00:57:55I'm picking up no strangers, Susan.
00:57:56I said that when we left Denver, and I'm sticking with it.
00:57:58Especially a man carrying a gun.
00:58:00Mom, can we stop soon?
00:58:02Yeah, Mom, can't we?
00:58:04Howard, can we stop at that little town up there?
00:58:06The children are thirsty.
00:58:07Sure.
00:58:19You won't find anything in that store, Susan.
00:58:21This is what they call a goose town out here.
00:58:25Come on.
00:58:32Daddy would like our picnic, Mommy, don't you think?
00:58:35Yes, sweetheart, I do.
00:58:37I'm hoping he'll be able to join us by tomorrow.
00:58:42How much farther to Wooddale?
00:58:45Well, there's the turnoff right up ahead.
00:58:56Oh!
00:58:59What was that?
00:59:01I almost scraped the bottom of the car.
00:59:03Daddy wouldn't like that.
00:59:26What are we going to do, Mommy?
00:59:28Oh, don't worry, sweetheart, we'll be all right.
01:00:25Oh, my God.
01:00:55Oh, my God.
01:01:26Oh, my God.
01:01:39Evidently, some survived and got out.
01:01:53They've gone.
01:01:54Must be holed up somewhere else.
01:01:57Yeah, but where?
01:02:00How many?
01:02:02It gets dark at 5.30.
01:02:05It gives us a couple hours to find them before they start moving again.
01:02:11Patch me into my office.
01:02:17Jason, get in touch with the governor and the National Guard.
01:02:20We have an emergency here.
01:02:25What's the trouble?
01:02:27If I told you, Father, you'd think I'd been drinking.
01:02:29But I need your help.
01:02:31Well, get in.
01:02:55Circle the area.
01:02:56Let us know if you spot any of them.
01:03:08What's the governor saying?
01:03:10Major White spoke to him.
01:03:11He said to use the National Guard any way we have to.
01:03:13What about the area photographs and the maps?
01:03:15Everything's at the station.
01:03:16Let's go.
01:03:25Ah!
01:03:42I'm in the sheriff's office.
01:03:43I'll be here if you need me.
01:03:45Thanks, officer.
01:03:48I can't get Cole Hillman.
01:03:50Switchboard in Golanos is dead.
01:03:52Well, there's nothing in Golanos but a few stores and houses.
01:03:55Are there any mines south of here?
01:03:57Any place at all where they can hold up for the day?
01:04:00Well, I'm not sure.
01:04:02Jason, you know that territory better than I do.
01:04:05Well, Sheriff, to the best of my knowledge,
01:04:07I've never heard of any mines that far south.
01:04:11Cody.
01:04:13Put him on.
01:04:15Hello, Sheriff.
01:04:17It's me, Cole Hillman.
01:04:18Cole, where are you? I've been trying to get a hold of you.
01:04:21Now, listen to this.
01:04:22The rabbits attacked the ranch last night and killed Judd.
01:04:25Also, Mildred, her husband, and Les.
01:04:27They've only been moving at night and are heading your direction.
01:04:29All right.
01:04:31Stay right where you are.
01:04:32I'll have a car pick you up.
01:04:35What's that all about?
01:04:36Cole just came through Golanos.
01:04:38He said they're holding up in the buildings there.
01:04:40Well, then we've got him.
01:04:41We'll hit the whole town with rockets.
01:04:43I've got two fighter bombers on the runway in Tucson right now.
01:04:45I'll put a call through.
01:04:46Just a minute, Major.
01:04:48What about survivors?
01:04:49It'll be dark before I can get there with enough men to handle the situation.
01:04:52When it gets dark, you won't be able to handle the situation.
01:04:55Now, Sheriff.
01:04:56When those rabbits start coming, they could be here in a couple of hours.
01:04:59Will that give you enough time to evacuate the town?
01:05:02Not all of it.
01:05:03There are a lot of trailer carts and ranches spread around.
01:05:06Many of them without telephones.
01:05:09You know, what we need is a fence about 10 miles long and 20 feet high.
01:05:16Let's evacuate the town.
01:05:17Let's evacuate the town.
01:05:18Major White, let me have my command post.
01:05:20I'll wait.
01:05:21I should have been hearing from Jerry by now.
01:05:23Jason, those lines to Wooddale still open?
01:05:26As far as I know, sir.
01:05:29I didn't want the girls here when the requisite came around.
01:05:33Don't worry.
01:05:34Wooddale's a good 25 miles west of those rabbits.
01:05:36She'll be safer there than she would be in town.
01:05:39I hope you're right.
01:05:47I hope you're right.
01:06:18National Guard Alpha Company reports the rabbits are near Four Corners,
01:06:22killing as they come.
01:06:23Other companies are setting up machine gun sites outside of our home.
01:07:18Come on.
01:07:20Come on.
01:07:36...traffic north of Boulevard Road a complete standstill.
01:07:40All traffic to meet a vertical stone canyon.
01:07:43Buses leaving Emerson Square fill the capacity.
01:07:46Advise all motorists to drive with caution with windows up.
01:07:50Volunteers desperately needed in the hospital to assist in evacuating patients.
01:08:13Lopez calling.
01:08:14Come in, Sheriff.
01:08:17Cody here.
01:08:18We're on the road about 15 miles south of Golanos.
01:08:22They're right behind us.
01:08:23Spread out on both sides of the road.
01:08:26Looks like there could be hundreds of them.
01:08:28Coming at you on the front maybe two miles wide.
01:08:31At the speed they're going, I'd say you got about 40...
01:08:3550 minutes. Over.
01:08:38All right, Lopez.
01:08:39We're headed for the station.
01:08:41We'll see you there.
01:08:43Let's go.
01:08:46Let's go.
01:08:56Here to here.
01:08:58If they're coming across the front that wide, I can't possibly stop them.
01:09:02I just don't have enough men.
01:09:05When morning comes, they'll hole up.
01:09:07We should have a better chance to handle them.
01:09:09But the city will be a disaster area by that time.
01:09:11They only move at night.
01:09:12Sheriff, you were saying something about a fence.
01:09:15Yeah.
01:09:16A fence about two miles long and 20 feet high.
01:09:19Look.
01:09:21How far do you think those rabbits travel with each stride?
01:09:24Judging from the tracks we've seen, I'd say four, maybe five feet.
01:09:29You think that railroad dispatcher is still on duty?
01:09:31He should be, unless he's been evacuated.
01:09:33Why don't you see if you can get him on the telephone?
01:09:35We'll funnel him into a half-mile area at the tracks.
01:09:39Unless you tell me those rabbits are good at climbing ladders,
01:09:43I've got no intentions of budging out of this place.
01:09:47Now, what can I do for you?
01:09:50According to the map, the railroad line north of town cuts clear across east and west.
01:09:55Is there any way we can isolate a stretch of track
01:09:58at least two miles long between us and Galanos?
01:10:01Well, there's a side and five-mile east of here.
01:10:04Well, there's a side and five-mile east of here.
01:10:07I'll switch to one to the east right now.
01:10:16I've got the tracks to the east cut off from the rest of the line.
01:10:19There's a freight on the line.
01:10:21I can stop it. There's a switch if you want, but...
01:10:23No, it won't work with the train on the track.
01:10:26What won't work?
01:10:27A fence, Major.
01:10:29A fence between the rabbits and the city.
01:10:31An electrical fence.
01:10:32We'll electrocute them on the railroad tracks.
01:10:34Now, as soon as that train clears that other switch,
01:10:37I want you to throw it open the same way.
01:10:39You got that?
01:10:40Right, right.
01:11:03Attention! Attention!
01:11:06Ladies and gentlemen, attention!
01:11:08There is a herd of killer rabbits headed this way,
01:11:11and we desperately need your help.
01:11:13Roll up your windows.
01:11:15Turn on your lights and follow the police car
01:11:18at the entrance of the theater.
01:11:20Please keep calm and cooperate with the authorities.
01:11:23Do you read me?
01:11:25All right, move out.
01:11:31Come on. Move it up. Move it up.
01:11:34All right, folks, come on. Let's go. Move it up. Move it up.
01:11:37Come on, folks. Move out. Move out.
01:11:39Please, let's cooperate. Let's go, folks.
01:11:41Everyone together. Now, move out, please.
01:11:43Keep going. Keep going.
01:11:45Move out. Move out.
01:11:47Move out. Move out.
01:11:49Move out. Move out.
01:11:51Move out. Move out.
01:11:53Move out, please. Keep going. Keep going.
01:11:56Okay, that's it. Move out.
01:12:06Jason, take Major White to his command post.
01:12:09Then go to the power station and wait for orders.
01:12:12Get back into the car, Hillman.
01:12:14We're going to the railroad tracks.
01:12:24Sheriff, will you check with your office
01:12:27and see if they've heard from my wife?
01:12:29Sheriff Cody calling. Come in, please.
01:12:32Clark here. Clark.
01:12:34Have you heard from Jerry?
01:12:36No, I've called Wooddale several times.
01:12:38She hasn't arrived yet.
01:12:40Let me know when you hear of something.
01:12:42I sure will, Roy.
01:12:44I'm starting to worry, Sheriff.
01:12:46I should have heard from Jerry and Amanda an hour ago.
01:12:50Will you have that chopper meet me at the railroad siding?
01:12:53Why, sure.
01:13:15As soon as that train clears the switch,
01:13:17throw all the power you can into both the rails.
01:13:19We know what to do. You get in that chopper and find your family.
01:13:22Let's start here. Take this.
01:13:48Leave your lights on.
01:13:50Line your cars up.
01:13:52Follow instructions from National Guardsmen.
01:13:55All right, line your cars up as close together as you can.
01:13:58Move it up closer.
01:14:00Go faster, please.
01:14:02Closer. Up a little further.
01:14:04That's it. Leave your lights on.
01:14:06Come on. Come on, move it.
01:14:08Get in there. Over here. Closer.
01:14:10More to your right. More to your right. Come on.
01:14:13Leave those lights on.
01:14:15That's it. Good.
01:14:17Good. Faster. Let's go.
01:14:20Don't count your motor yet. Keep it going.
01:14:23Come on. Come on.
01:14:25Easy. Easy.
01:14:27Okay. Okay.
01:14:29Let the other car by, please. Come on.
01:14:45Come on.
01:15:16Weird.
01:15:18It's all right, sweetheart.
01:15:30Yes, I want you to get inside the camper.
01:15:33And I want you to lock the door, all right?
01:15:45All right.
01:16:15Mommy, watch out! Be careful!
01:16:45Mommy! Mommy!
01:17:15Mommy!
01:17:23Mommy!
01:17:39Mommy! Wait!
01:17:41Mommy! Oh, no, Mommy! Watch out!
01:17:44Mommy!
01:18:15It's all right, honey.
01:18:17Daddy's here.
01:18:24Daddy! Daddy!
01:18:26Are you all right?
01:18:28Oh, honey.
01:18:33Let's get out of here.
01:18:44Come on.
01:19:15Come on.
01:19:28How much longer you fellas gonna be?
01:19:30We're working as fast as we can, Sheriff.
01:19:33Sheriff, I have the dispatcher.
01:19:38Sheriff Cody here. Now, what happened to that train?
01:19:41Sheriff, I told you there's a slow freight on the line.
01:19:44There's nothing I can do about it.
01:19:46Well, where is it now?
01:19:48Be about five minutes before it crosses that switch.
01:19:58Ladies and gentlemen, reports from headquarters confirm...
01:20:01that the horde of killer rabbits is getting closer to town.
01:20:04High voltage has been turned on into a section of the railroad tracks...
01:20:08and it is your car lights we hope will funnel the rabbits onto them.
01:20:11There will be machine gun and rifle fire...
01:20:13to both kill and divert these monsters.
01:20:15Do not panic.
01:20:17Sergeant, see if they understand my instructions.
01:20:20And, Sergeant, make sure they all roll their windows up.
01:20:23Please roll your windows up.
01:20:26Sir, will you please roll your window up...
01:20:28and listen for further orders from the major?
01:20:30Here they come. Look at the size of them.
01:20:33I can't believe it.
01:20:39Rabbit sighted approaching Harrison Road...
01:20:42still heading toward Ajo.
01:20:48Okay, we're ready to connect here.
01:20:53Medic called. His family is safe. They're on their way here.
01:20:56He said he spotted thousands of rabbits headed our direction.
01:20:59Lopez, tell him to cut to power.
01:21:02Cut to power.
01:21:05Station 5, Sheriff.
01:21:07Bloods coming from the north have been joined by thousands of others...
01:21:10coming from the west of town.
01:21:14They're a mile past the Jackson Trailer Park.
01:21:17Understand, five people dead and the area in complete shambles.
01:21:35How are they?
01:21:37Fine. They're in the chopper.
01:21:39Are you all right?
01:21:41Fine, thanks.
01:22:04BELL TOLLING
01:22:35Have them turn the power on.
01:22:37Calling Jason. Calling Jason.
01:22:39Come in, Jason.
01:22:41Jason here.
01:22:43Turn on the power.
01:22:51There they are. Fire!
01:22:53Fire!
01:22:56Fire!
01:22:58There's some more!
01:23:01Outpost Becker reporting.
01:23:03The more keep coming.
01:23:05Best we can do is follow them toward you.
01:23:20These are all traffic from Highway 83...
01:23:22in direct path of blood coming north.
01:23:31Fire!
01:23:45Helicopter reporting.
01:23:47They're headed straight towards the tracks. It won't be long.
01:24:01The horde is entering your perimeter.
01:24:03They're heading straight toward you...
01:24:05between the cars and the tracks.
01:24:15Here they come!
01:24:30Fire!
01:25:01Fire!
01:25:15Clark, behind you!
01:25:30Clark, behind you!
01:26:00Fire!
01:26:30Fire!
01:26:37Hi, Cole.
01:26:39Jerry, Elgin.
01:26:41How's everything been at the ranch these last few months?
01:26:43Well, it's sent me back a few years.
01:26:45But at least there's a new pack of coyotes...
01:26:47happening somewhere up in the hills.
01:26:49And my boy said he saw a deer and a fox.
01:26:51Oh, great. And the rabbits?
01:26:53Jackie said yesterday he saw some new rabbit burrows...
01:26:55north of the waterhole.
01:26:57But nothing like they used to be.
01:27:00That's only fair, I suppose.
01:27:02Say, why don't you and your wife come out to the ranch some weekend?
01:27:05We'd like that.
01:27:07We really would.
01:27:09You got a deal.
01:27:11Okay. Bye-bye.
01:27:29Bye-bye.
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