Abominable Snowman, The (1957) Movie Script
(ominous music)
(bells ringing)
(monks chanting)
(stick thumping)
- Have you seen this veining, Foxy?
- Yes, it's a variety of
(speaks foreign language).
- An uncatalogued variety.
- Dr. Rollason, here's the refreshment.
- Oh, that's kind of you.
- Are you two absorbed
in what I've shown you?
- Absorbed indeed, sir.
I thought I knew every type
of plant in these mountains.
But these?
- These plants will be employed
to cure sickness of the skin.
- And where does it grow?
- The monks go in parties
to seek all these plants.
They take many days.
- Can they show me?
- Now is not the time.
Soon the heavy snows will come
and the valleys will be dangerous.
- Oh.
- Take what is there.
Take what you need.
- But these are your medicines.
- We have a great stash
of all these herbs.
- You can really spare them?
- Take what you wish,
now, so will have every--
- Species?
- Species.
It's a long time since I
have studied your language.
- The Research Foundation will
be greatly in your debt, sir.
- Mr. Fox, you do not drink your tea?
- Oh, I do.
Well, I mean I will.
Actually, I think I'm going to collect
some jars to put these in.
- It will be cold.
- Well, really, I quite like it cold.
Excuse me.
- Mr. Fox doesn't enjoy
tea made in our fashion.
To him I think it still seems
a bit greasy and unpleasant.
But you?
- [Male] I've grown to enjoy it.
- And your wife?
She also enjoys it?
- Well, she's working on it.
- Well, she's a brave
person to come here at all.
She can't be comforted in
those poor quarters I have provided.
This is a hard, rough place built for men.
- You've been very good to us, sir.
- Tell me, Dr. Rollason,
you are content with this land,
these people, our customs?
- I think so.
I know the Himalayans very well
through climbing and now this work.
- You're a climber,
to the great peaks.
- I was.
But I had an accident, a stupid one,
but a bad one, so I gave it up.
- And now your wife comes
with you to make sure of that?
- Helen comes with me as a colleague.
We work together.
- And the other party, who's coming,
how long have you waited?
- They are six days overdue.
- Your wife, Dr. Rollason,
she knows they're coming?
Coming to help you with your work?
- Of course.
- But there will be
little left for them to do
now that your work is almost completed.
- They'll want to see
things for themselves.
You permit?
- The other men, they were also sent by
your foundation or are they not?
They're not.
- Do you know something about them?
- I know they will be here tonight.
I have sent guides to meet them.
You're not pleased?
- Of course, this is wonderful news,
but I had no idea they'd been see.
- They have not been seen,
but they will be here in a few hours.
(symbol chiming)
- [Foxy] Helen.
- Yes?
- Specimen jars.
The old boy's just made us a present.
A pick of his collection of dried plants.
- Well that's wonderful, Foxy.
Does John know?
- Well, he's over there
now, waiting for jars.
- And why this sudden
generosity from the Lhama?
- I don't know.
Perhaps he wants to get rid of us.
And so I'm ready.
The sooner we get out of here,
out of this infernal country
with its cold and bad smells,
and the superstitions--
- Take it easy, Foxy, take it easy.
- From the misery and ignorance,
and this awful, awful cold.
- And the Tibetan tea.
- Say dear, are you busy?
- Just a few diagrams to finish, why?
Will you be an angel and take these
over to John for me, will you?
- Yes.
- Then I can get on with the re-indexing
of the new specimens.
Thanks.
- Foxy?
I have another arm.
- Oh of course.
Sorry.
- I hope that I can get a
few more details about these.
The possible elevation in
which they can be found--
- Dr. Rollason, what do you know
about those men who are coming?
- Know about them?
Not very much.
I had a message from them
suggesting we meet here.
- From their leader, a man called Friend?
- That's right, Tom Friend.
You've heard of him?
- He passed these ways
before some months ago.
But he did not come to me, as is custom.
- Perhaps he didn't wish to impose on you.
- Now he returns.
What is this man searching for?
- Before I can say that,
I must have a talk to him.
- You can say now.
Dr. Rollason, why do you
want to help these people?
- I suppose for the pursuit of knowledge.
- Whose knowledge?
Yours alone?
- All of human knowledge.
- Human knowledge?
(Lhama chuckling)
Is that reason enough?
- I'm afraid we're taking your time, sir.
I don't know what's happened to Fox.
- He's not coming, she is.
Your wife.
She's approaching now.
- But how do you know?
- I've been hearing.
- Is that all, sir?
- Here one develops the
senses, all of them.
There's time for the
learners of many things.
Have you not found it so?
(door knocking)
They are at play.
Come in.
You're welcome, my dear lady.
- Thank you.
Foxy told me to bring you this.
- Oh, yes thank you.
We've just been presented with
some remarkable new specimen.
- I know, Foxy told me.
- We have not met many
times, Mrs. Rollason.
- No, no we haven't.
- I was talking a lot to
your husband, but not to you.
- I'm sorry, I've had
quite a lot of work to do.
- I have been concerned for your comfort
but your husband reassured me.
- Of course.
I bet we put you to a
lot of inconvenience.
- You're welcome to
remain under my protection
while her husband is on
his climbing expedition.
- Climbing?
- To the peaks.
Now, unfortunately my duties
make this meeting also short one.
I must leave you now.
- What climbing expedition, John?
- That was deliberate.
I guess I hadn't told.
- [Helen] Well for
heavens sake, tell me now.
- Helen, I was going to
explain to you before,
but they may not have turned up.
- They?
- It's a party led by a man named Friend.
They should be here in a few hours.
- And you have arranged to go with them?
- Provisionally.
Oh, Helen, please, please.
There was no point in
talking about it before.
I haven't even told Foxy.
- Thanks, it's nice to
be bracketed together.
- You know I didn't mean that.
- What about the Botanical Foundation?
Have you kept them in the dark, too?
- This has nothing to
do with the Foundation.
- Only that they financed this year
and they are waiting for our reports
and we're already behind schedule.
- Yes, I know that.
- Without it being all
about loyalty and all,
don't you think we
ought to get on with it?
- Helen, please try and understand.
- I am trying.
But at this time of
year with the fresh snow
falling to go peak climbing, just to--
- But they might not even arrive.
- Why did we come up here, John?
- Why?
- Right up here so out of the way?
It wasn't just to search
for rare plants, was it?
Was it, John?
(suspenseful music)
- No.
- Somehow I knew.
I kept remembering the
things you wrote once.
I said nothing, I didn't
want to remind you.
- [John] What I wrote?
- I'd hoped you'd forgotten.
Your theories about the high valleys,
about what might be there.
- Listen, darling.
You're getting upset about
something that might
not even happen.
- John I don't want you
- [Helen] Even to do this.
I can't bear it, John!
- So that we don't--
- [John] Now Helen.
- I don't want you going into danger.
Into the mountains to
look for that creature.
- Helen.
(bell ringing)
(people chattering)
- What's all this in aid of?
- Oh, it's just one of
their regular ceremonies.
- You think they've
chosen tonight on purpose?
- Maybe.
- Hey, come inside and shut the door.
How do you expect me to keep anything warm
if one of the wall's hot?
- How's it coming?
- I'm fixing enough for an extra four.
- There may be even more of them!
- Hey, you're not gonna ask me
to feed his porters, too, are you?
- Mm, it'll be an awful waste
of food if they don't turn up.
- You know something, Foxy?
Nothing would give me more
pleasure than to have to waste it.
(men shouting)
- [John] They're here.
- Let me know how many.
- You the head man here?
Do you speak English?
(male speaking foreign language)
Where's our guide?
Hey, Kusang!
- He's bringing up the rear.
- Do you know Dr. Rollason?
Rollason!
- Tom Friend.
- Oh hi.
Hey, Kusang!
- I'm here, Mister.
- Get the storage under cover,
take care of the ponies.
- Is this in our honor?
- I don't know.
- Hey Jock, stick close.
These guys will eat ya.
- Mr. Friend, I am very glad to meet you.
- Mr. Rollason, I presume.
It's a great honor.
- We'd almost given you up?
- We ran into a little bit of bad weather.
- We half expected you'd been gone.
- This is Ed Shelley.
- Mr. Shelley.
- Hi.
- Jock, our photographer.
- How do you do?
- And this is Peter Fox, my assistant.
- I hope you're all hungry.
There is a banquet upstairs.
Beef stew.
- Leave me to it, I could eat a yak.
- I'd better warn you
about Ed's table manners.
- Oh, and this is my wife Helen.
Tom Friend, Mr. Shelley and Andrew--
- Andrew McNee.
- Sorry.
- How do you do?
Well I have four portions
between the three of you,
so come on up everybody.
- I take that as your word, ma'am.
Come on, Jock!
This is home cooking!
- You didn't tell me about your wife.
- Oh, we always work together.
- This is hardly a trip for a woman.
- No, she stays here with
Fox, I already fixed that.
- Fine.
- If I come.
- If you come?
Dr. Rollason, this is the,
this is the expedition
that's not gonna fail.
We're gonna find that
creature they call the Yeti.
Oh, yes.
Can we stable under there,
under your living corners?
- That's what it was built for.
- Kusang!
- Come on.
(speaks foreign language)
- [Ed] We covered a lot of miles today.
How many, Tom?
- About 10.
- Ten?!
My feet says about 100.
I rolled the rockiest tracks
in this stinking country.
- Thank you.
Ed here objects to the primitive.
Come on, move over.
- Primitive?
I don't know what's worse about it,
the stink of everything,
or the ignorant natives,
or the filthy food they eat or what?
You tell me.
- I find this country rather attractive.
- Attractive?
- Oh, come on, Ed, knock it off, will ya?
- Oh, even what we're
look for is abominable.
That's what they call it, isn't it?
The abominable snowman?
- It doesn't exist.
- Helen.
- You don't subscribe to your
husband's news, Mrs. Rollason?
- No.
- And about what this creature might be?
- No, I don't.
- Neither do I.
- Well, skeptics right in camp doctor.
- When the whole evidence these theories
is based on a few footprints in the snow.
- Have you ever seen
these footprints, Mr. Fox?
- I have not.
- I have.
- Where?
- On the Rakaposhi Glacier.
With a climbing party, two years ago.
I found a line of fresh footprints
like human ones,
only bigger and far broader.
- [John] You didn't see what made them?
- I followed them for a mile or so
and then they finished
in a bare rock face.
It was, it was just long enough to get
a sense of what I might be tracking.
- You are an impressionable
man, Mr. McNee.
- Well, this is a sort of
impression you won't forget.
- Also, there have been
photographs, Mrs. Rollason.
1951 shipping expedition took
pictures of similar footprints.
They were published in the Times.
- They could be made by a bear.
- [Tom] But they weren't.
- Look, in your message, you said
something about having special evidence.
So this seems to be a
good time to produce it.
- This came into my
possession a short time ago.
Solid silver.
Native craftsmanship.
If you can see what it says
around there, translate it.
(speaking foreign language)
- The protection of the great.
The powerful beings is besought
by the land of Rong-ruk.
(monk chanting)
This monastery?
- That's right.
It was stolen from here some years ago
by a German explorer.
- The powerful beings, that
probably means local gods.
- Now watch.
The ornamentation hides the join,
but it finally does unscrew and you see...
- [John] A tooth!
- In the Middle Ages it was a usual thing
to preserve bits of tooth
and bones in the bodies of saints.
That's what that is.
A relic.
But of course you know
more about that, Doctor.
- It's unbelievable.
The size of it!
- It seems to be genuine.
- It is.
I had it sectioned and tested.
- It's like the canine tooth
of an ape, say a gorilla.
- Yes, but it's about three times as big.
- Let me see.
- I read your views,
doctor, on the possible size
and bone structure of these creatures.
That would fit, wouldn't it?
- Yes it would, but it's not a fossil.
- It's living ivory.
(symbol chiming)
(tribal music)
- Hey, what's this, a war dance?
- These people are Buddhists,
they don't believe in war.
- Holy men doing a holy dance.
Hey, this is good!
Jock, take a picture!
- They don't allow it.
- Are you sure they don't mean trouble?
- You can take my word for it.
- Well, I hope you're right.
I got my responsibilities.
I don't wanna find one of my porters
knifed while I'm away.
- Look Friend, their
religion prohibits them
to harm anyone or anything.
- Okay, just so they know it.
How about some more stew?
- Here, give me your plate.
- Just a minute, did I hear right?
You're not taking the porters with you?
- Not beyond this point.
- You're doing this climb alone?
- Yes, just the five of us.
- You're mad.
- You better tell us your plans.
- Well, so far no expedition has ever got
even near this thing they call a Yeti.
You know why?
Because they were tramping
up the peaks with 50,
or 60 porters behind them
like an invading army.
It's enough to scare
off any living creature.
We don't want that.
So it will be just the five of us.
- On what do we live?
On vitamin pills?
(Ed laughing)
- Tell him Tom.
- We've been up here before,
Ed and I, last summer.
- Yes, I heard that.
- Took 50 men loaded up to the
limit up to the north valley.
Saw to the way supplies and stored it
in places where they would
be safe from the snows.
Rock caves and so on, all along the route.
- And you think these
supplies will still be there
with 50 men sharing the secret?
- They don't.
We took turns.
One of them marched them on while the
others stayed behind and hid the
the batch that they had just unloaded.
- Single handed.
It was murder, but we did it.
- The north valley.
- It's the steepest, the crookedest,
and blocked by the worst
ice falls you ever saw.
- Like the mountains of the moon!
- If I were a creature who
wanted to lurk away from man,
that's where I'd lurk.
- John, this is completely irresponsible.
Without porters and without a guide.
- Correction, ma'am, we are
taking along one local guide.
Name of Kusang, you saw him down below.
- One Guide.
And how did he qualify
for this unique position?
- Because he's seen a Yeti, ma'am.
- He's seen one?
- This is the time to do it, doc.
Water.
The heavy snow's forced anything that's
up there down valley for food right?
- Yes, but--
- It's gonna be tough going, we know that.
We can use an expert
climber and a scientist.
In a double capacity.
We need you with us, what to you say, doc?
- Yes, John, what do you say?
- I'd like to show this to someone first.
- Who's that?
- The person who seems
to be its rightful owner.
The Lhama.
- Whenever you say.
- Now.
- Keep the food hot.
- I'll come, too.
- How long does this go on?
- Sometimes for several hours.
- Put that away, John.
- Yes, I know this.
It was taken from here many years ago.
However you came by it,
Mr. Friend I'm grateful
you return it now.
- I'm happy to do so, sir.
You know it opens, then?
- The carved tooth.
- Carved?
- It was made so I have heard
by monks a far distant time.
It was meant to be a tooth
of the god Manjushri, the all powerful.
- It was made?
- Did you think it was a real tooth?
- We thought perhaps it was--
- You men of the West.
You are driven by curiosity.
You would risk your lives in those rains
and ice and coldness to search for this,
animal.
- He's known all the time.
- This animal you only imagine to exist.
- You also think it doesn't exist?
- Doc Rollason, you've made no contract.
You are under no obligation to go up there
with us tomorrow when we leave here.
But we're going.
And if it's humanly possible,
we're gonna find that creature.
- I'll come.
- Don't worry, he'll be alright.
We'll look after him, he'll be just...
On behalf of my party and myself,
I'd like to thank you
for your hospitality.
- Small return, Mr. Friend, for this.
Dr. Rollason,
one moment if you please.
You are determined to
go with these people?
- Yes.
- Then listen what I have to say.
As you seek this, creature,
remember that you act in the name
of mankind and act humbly.
For man is near to forfeiting
his right to lead the world
and face this distraction by his own hand.
Now, when a ruler, king is near death,
he should not be seeking
to extend his realm,
but take thought,
who might with honor succeed him.
Remember this.
- I'm not sure that I understand sir.
- Now go in peace.
(monks chanting)
- Okay, emergencies
rations pack and checked.
What's next?
- Snow crampons.
- Crampons, Kusang's getting them.
Kusang, (speaks foreign language)!
Here, watch these guys.
They got a greedy look.
- I don't think they'd--
- Just watch them, that's all!
Come on!
Give us that!
- Hey Kusang, did you
talk to the other porters?
- Yes mister, they want pay now.
- They'll get paid when we get back.
How come we only got three packs?
- Rollason says he's got his own gear.
- Goodbye Foxy.
Look after her.
- I will.
- See you soon.
- Well, I better get
back to those reports.
- Foxy disapproves.
- You'd better bracket us together again.
- [John] Now I thought we said--
- I know John,
but it's those men, Friend and Shelley,
I don't trust them, I don't
like them, and I don't--
- You're just grabbing at straws now.
- No, no I mean this John.
- Listen, Friend talks too much of greed,
and Shelley could use a few manners.
All right, I snore.
They'll be the ones to suffer.
- Don't joke about it, John.
- Helen, darling,
look, you do understand.
I've written and talked
enough about this thing,
now I've got a chance to
put it all to the test.
I just got to take it, haven't I?
Come on now, give me a hand with this.
(ominous music)
- John, for the last time
I'm asking you, don't go.
- Look, darling--
- You won't come back, I know it.
I'll never see you again.
- Hey Doc!
Kusang!
Come on, we gotta move.
- Be careful, my darling.
Be careful.
- I can look after myself, you know that.
- Rollason!
Kusang (speaks foreign language)!
(triumphant music)
- Hey Tom, wait a minute.
We've got to keep this pace up?
- We've got to make that
hut before nightfall.
- We went an easier way last
time, over those ridges.
- This time of year,
they're all snowed up.
- Yeah?
Well look at those characters.
They seem to be doing alright.
- Yeah, well, they're not
going where we're going.
You all right, Doc?
- So far.
- Well, let's keep
moving, nice and steady.
- Get a rhythm, maybe you
ought to sing or something.
- Yeah, you do that.
Sing!
John Brown's body
- Oh, come on!
Sing!
John Brown's body lies
a moaning in the grave
And his soul goes
There is a tavern in the town
In the town
- [Tom] Save your breath, will ya?
- [Ed] We're making good time, ain't we?
- [Tom] Yeah, but wait until
we really start to climb.
- How's it going?
- Huh?
Just getting my second wind.
If this is what they call traveling light.
- McNee.
- What?
- Those three men again, look.
Right up there in the skyline.
They're following us.
Friend!
Friend, wait a minute!
- [Tom] We gotta keep moving!
- [John] I think we're being followed.
- [Tom] Followed?
- The three men again,
they're still with us.
- [Ed] Yeah, he's right,
it's the same three.
- Yeah well, let's just keep moving,
that's the best thing.
Let's just keep moving.
(gun firing)
(suspenseful music)
- Bandit! Bandit!
These men bandit, they kill us!
(gun firing)
- Quiet everybody!
(gun firing)
- They're out of range!
- That ought to do it Ed!
- If only they'd been a bit nearer!
- Well they know we're
armed, that's the main thing.
- I don't think they expected that.
- Yeah, thought we were easy meat.
- I think they only meant to frighten us.
- Frighten us?
They'd of killed us and strip
our clothing and equipment.
- These men bandit.
Yes, bandit.
- You got a good look at them Doc?
- Not clearly, it's just an impression.
- Let's get going, we've lost enough time.
Ed, keep that gun handy.
- You bet!
- [Tom] Come on, let's stay five minutes,
catch our breath.
- [John] They're making
heavy weather of it.
- [Tom] Oh, don't worry
about Ed, he'll be all right.
That little runt back there holding us up.
Look at him.
- [John] They should've
given him more time
to climb with us.
- [Tom] All right.
Come on Ed, we gotta keep this pace up.
- [Ed] Why pick on me?
What about lead foot?
- [Tom] Well, him I can
do without, you I need.
- [John] Let's stop bickering,
we've got less than two hours till sunset.
We've got to be in a
safe campsite by then.
- [Tom] When we get to the
hut, we'll be all right.
- [John] Where exactly is this hut?
- [Tom] Over that ridge.
- There's another rough weather coming up,
we'll never make it in the time, unless...
There is a shortcut.
- Where?
- Across the column, on that side.
- [McNee] It looks awful steep.
- Well let's give it a try.
You're the prized climber
in this party, Doc.
Why don't you take over?
- Alright, everybody rope up, immediately.
- Kusang rope.
- It will be a short, sharp climb.
- So long as it's short.
- Fairly short as these things go.
You better take the middle
position for safety.
- I like safety, too, Doc.
- We'll be alright if we keep
our minds on what we're doing.
- Alright, let's get roped
up and get on with it.
(speaking foreign language)
- You first.
- [Tom] Let's get going, Doc.
Come on, Ed!
- Okay, we're coming!
Hey, Jock!
Spread out!
Don't crowd 'em!
Avalanche!
- [Tom] What happened?
- [Ed] Ah, nothing.
Just some small stuff came down.
- [Tom] For a minute there I thought
we had an avalanche starting.
- And it might have been it.
It was his fault yelling like that--
- [Ed] You're crazy!
- No, he isn't.
A sharp sound, a sudden
vibration is all it takes.
Now let's have no more
shouting unless it's vital.
- Right, you got that, Ed?
- Okay, okay.
- [Tom] Come on, let's go.
(slow paced music)
(men grunting)
(suspenseful music)
There it is, the hut.
- Oh, there's nothing else in here, Tom.
It was all sealed in these containers.
- Well, fill the hole up again.
- Fill it up?
- The Kurds will be up this spring
and think the earth devils
have been burrowing.
- Yeah, but--
- Go ahead and fill it up!
You wanna scare these poor
ignorant natives to death?
You are a civilized man.
- Alright, tomorrow.
- If this is the way you planned the rest
of the trip precaution
is out of the floor.
- You wouldn't get a meal like
this out of an emergency pack.
Who's for more?
- None for me, thanks.
- I thought altitude was
supposed to make you hungry.
Kusang?
- [John] You talk about
this as if it was a joke.
Have you seriously considered
what might happen if--
- Look, Doc, I've been running
into people all my life
who'd cried off because
of what might happen "if".
I went ahead and did it.
Now for some facts.
I've got some real
supplies cached up ahead.
This was just a snack on the way up.
- What else have you got cashed
away out there besides food?
- Everything we need, from tents to fuel.
Look, 18,000 feet,
we'll stop and make our first camp,
and search at the foot of the ice wall.
20,000 feet the same procedure,
and again at 22,000 feet.
And we've got oxygen if
we want to go higher.
We've got everything we need
to get up above above this creature.
Search it out in its own
ground and track it down.
Now, how about some more
of your contribution?
- Oh, such as?
- Expert advice.
Let's know the nature of the enemy.
What's it live on?
- Oh, small animals.
Hares, mice, those.
- But we've seen none.
- Oh you don't see 'em, but
he's right, they're there
- Carnivorous then, huh?
- No, needn't be.
There are roots and plants under the snow.
It's probably adaptable like man.
- Man?
What you're suggesting roughly is that
this may be some kind of a missing link?
- That's a bit too rough.
Say parallel development and I'm with you.
- Parallel with mankind?
- We're not very far north of India.
Now, some millions of
years ago there was a
breeding ground of huge ape-like animals.
Primitive anthropoids, their fossil bones
are dug up from time to time.
Now, the latest evolutionary theory is
the very same that's branched
off in two directions,
one to become the great apes,
chimpanzees, orangutan, and so on,
and the other man.
- Darwin's theory all tidied up.
So?
- Well, suppose,
suppose there were a
third line of descent.
- The Anthropoid X.
As different from man as the apes are.
- Probably.
- This calls for some
very fancy guesswork.
But what would have happened to them?
- Gradual extinction through
change in conditions,
attacks of enemies.
- Might include both apes and men.
- Most likely it did.
Until only a remnant survived,
adapting themselves to living
where nothing else would.
In these mountains.
The highest in the world,
and above the snow line.
- There's no proof of all this.
- Oh, not yet, but a
100 years ago there was
no proof that primitive men
had ever existed, either.
- Look, how do you see it?
I mean, it walks on two legs.
- There's no doubt about
that, the tracks prove it.
They show a foot 13 inches
long and very wide indeed.
The stride of a six foot man,
yet his legs would be far more massive
and very short in
proportion to his height.
Now, you see what that implies?
- It's big.
- Perhaps seven or eight feet high?
- What do you think, Ed?
- You know, can try.
- Go on, drag it out.
Good a time as any.
- I'm not with you.
- Oh, we might as well let you
in on our little secret Doc.
The fact of the matter is that
Ed here is an expert trapper.
- Yeah, everything from
foxes to grizzlies.
Now, this is a tungsten steel net,
it's just a little sample.
- Do you think it will hold it?
- Oh, if not, we have
other things up there.
- What things?
More guns?
So that's what this is.
A hunting party.
- Well, what did you expect us to do?
Look at it through a telescope?
Have Jock here take a
- You represented this was a
- picture with his camera?
bona fide investigation.
- It is bona fide, and I want
one alive, and so do you.
- And what is your interests, commercial?
- Well if they are, they're honest.
- Then why all the secrecy!
- For a thing just like this.
Outraged indignation.
- I wanted to be well under away--
- Listen!
Listen!
- What is it?
- I was certain I heard something,
but you were talking so loudly!
- Outside?
- What?
- A sort of cry.
(ominous music)
- [Ed] You see anything?
- [Tom] Keep your voices down.
- [John] Over there.
(speaks too fast)
- [Tom] You sure?
- [John] Quiet!
(rustling winds)
No, it's nothing.
- [Andrew] But I'm sure I heard something.
- [Tom] Any the rest
of you heard anything?
Kusang?
- [Kusang] No, no!
- It's a false alarm.
Jock, you need some sleep.
We all do.
Come on.
All right, lights out.
Let's turn in, we got
an early start tomorrow.
- [John] I won't be with you.
I'll follow you up later.
- What do you mean?
Why, what's up?
- I want to stay a while,
look around this area.
- Look for what?
- Edible plants close to it's habitat.
I joined a scientific expedition remember?
- Yeah I remember.
All right Jock, you stay behind with him
to form a rope.
You're the slowest.
- You don't wanna ride down dog,
he's an exceptional guy.
- Yeah.
- You just wanna fall in
with his ways, that's all.
- Thanks for the advice.
- Gee, this is real snug.
All I need now is women.
Remember that time in Bombay Tom!
- Oh knock it off will ya?
- [Ed] Happy dreams to one and all!
- Hey Doc, wind has dropped,
how 'bout a smoke?
- All right.
- I'm sorry I broke out
at you like that just now.
- [John] We're all a bit on edge.
Blame it on the altitude.
- Yeah, well I think I ought to explain.
Frankly I am in this as
a commercial venture,
but I don't think that
cheapens my motives in any way.
- What's at the end of the line?
A circus?
A zoo?
- No, neither.
- Thanks.
- Look,
I'm not exactly a golden character, Doc.
After the war I did a little smuggling
around on the coast of Europe.
Odd gun for the angry little countries.
I lived on the two basic
drives of humanity:
Fear and hunger.
When they began to dry up on me,
I looked around for another one.
On curiosity, human curiosity.
Funny thing, you ever think about it?
- Oh I suppose I suffered under it.
- Look, the world is full
receptive, inquisitive people.
People who are informed,
responsive to new ideas.
The radio, television, films,
these things have gone in to
the very homes of the people
and stirred up a healthy curiosity
about the earth that they live on.
These are the people I work for.
If I can, I'm gonna bring
them one of these creatures.
They can learn and profit from it.
- You really believe all that?
- Sure I do, Doc.
They give the world a whole new concept.
A new slam on humanity,
help us to know and
understand ourselves better.
Don't you think that's important?
- You'd appear with this creature?
Show it on television and so on?
- Those are the means, I'll use them.
Look, don't you understand?
Dr. Rollason, writing loony little books
in the corner isn't enough anymore!
It's a new age of awareness.
It's a big age.
You've got to measure up to it, Doc.
- You better get some sleep.
You've got an early start.
- Yeah, well, you think about it.
(rustling winds)
(men shouting)
- I can not understand you!
Please!
- Foxy!
Foxy!
- All right, get inside.
Now, what's the matter?
All right, you get paid
when Sahib comes back.
Now shut up!
Now go on, go on!
It's alright, they're
only Friend's porters.
Apparently they haven't been paid.
They gave you a bit of a shock, hm?
Now, you sit down there,
have a spot of this, it'll
make you feel much better.
- Why do you suppose he
didn't pay them, Foxy?
- Oh, just to make sure they're
here when he comes back.
It's customary and reasonable.
- Then why did they
suddenly behave like that?
- Well, you know what they are,
they've got nothing to do.
They stand about and chat for an hour,
even work themselves up.
Drink this.
- Was that all?
- What do you mean?
- It's as if they knew something.
As if they knew Friend wasn't coming back.
- Now, Helen--
- Or John, or any of the party.
They're gonna die and everybody
in this place knows it.
- Now, stop it, Helen,
you're talking raving nonsense!
Now, come on, drink this.
You didn't sleep last night, did you?
Well make sure you do,
you take some tablets.
- I stayed the whole night just thinking.
I never felt so lonely.
Now and then I heard a
gong across the courtyard
and the wind.
Foxy, you know these things
these people believe in.
Clairvoyance?
Thought transference?
- Sham magic.
- Is it sham?
- Helen, this country is
rotten with superstition.
It's only dangerous because we are
surrounded by people who think it's real.
We can slide into thinking it's real too.
Now, come on, drink that up.
You'll feel much better.
Make sure you're not pursued by
the lads of the village again.
I think I'm going to have
a word with the Lhama.
- It's a good idea, I'll go to.
- You stay right there.
And if you should feel
like another nip of that,
nobody's going to call you a tippler.
Sir?
Is anyone there?
(door knocking)
Sir?
(ominous music)
- They're particularly out of sight now.
- Yes, they're going well, too.
- How much longer will this take?
- I found what I wanted.
Evidence of possible food supply.
A type of moss, highly nutritious.
- You mean it's food?
- It might be.
- Look, let's go on.
I don't want that swine to
get too far out of sight.
- You don't trust him?
- Tom Friend?
No more than you do.
- You're not a very good climber neither.
Why did you come on this trip, McNee?
- I had to.
- You had to?
- Ever since that time, two years ago,
I felt that this what I must do, it's a,
it's a sort of obsession.
Perhaps a psychologist could
explain it, I don't know.
All I know is I've got to find the thing.
- Getting near to it before
whetted your appetite.
- It's all that matters.
I applied to join all sorts
of climbing expeditions,
hoping I'd be able,
but I was turned down, every time!
- Then you heard about
the Tom Friend expedition.
- He wasn't so particular.
I paid him to let me come.
- You paid him?
- I can be useful, I'm
good with the camera.
- But not so good with an ice ax.
A man like you could be dangerous.
- No, I'll try not to be.
- Come on.
Hello!
Friend!
Where are you?
- [Andrew] He said they'd
pitch camp at the ice wall.
- We're right at the middle of it now.
They can't be far away.
Hello!
- Wait a minute.
I thought I heard something.
Voices,
ahead of us.
Are you there?
Hello!
(Andrew screaming)
(trap clanking)
(ominous music)
- [John] A trap!
A spring trap!
- Get it open!
Try!
- I can't McNee!
It's fastened to the rock.
(metal clanking)
- Hey, don't smash that!
It's valuable.
Here, here, let me do that.
- [John] Did you set this?
- What do you think?
- [John] Without warning us?
- [Ed] You wanted me to put
a flag on it, or something?
That I knew he was coming this way?
- Get him free!
- Okay, get your foot out!
Oh, he's not hurt bad.
This is my improvement on the bear trap.
It grips but doesn't tear.
It didn't even bite through the boot!
- Of all the idiotic, maniac ideas.
What did you want to achieve
setting these things at random?
- We've achieved it.
Before you blow your top, Doc, listen,
it worked.
- What?
- We caught one of those things.
You don't believe me?
Well, come and look.
Watch out, it's ice up here.
- [John] Give a hand.
- Here.
We found these little tracks, see?
So I set traps on the chance that
whoever made them might come back.
- Little tracks?
- Yeah, you wait and see.
Hey, Tom, they're here!
- [Tom] Good.
Kusang, pull it tighter.
Throw me that top one.
Oh, finally made it, huh?
We couldn't wait on you.
There it is.
Not very big, is it, Doc?
Not more than four feet high.
But Kusang has no doubts.
Kusang tell what it is.
- Yeti.
- [Tom] The same as you saw before?
- Same.
- Like that?
- Same.
- [Tom] That's the expert, Doc.
I guess maybe we might
have made a mistake ,huh?
Let's get it covered.
- Let it go.
- [Tom] What do you mean, "Let it go"?
- That's a langur, a Himalayan monkey.
You'll find him in half
the zoos in the world.
- [Tom] Kusang says--
- Forget about Kusang!
He's never seen the
creature we are looking for.
- Yeti!
Yeti!
- Knock it off will ya?
Cover him up!
- All your trappings
done is to practically
maim one of our men.
- Doc?
- Yeah, he just happened to fall into one.
- Where can I treat him?
In here?
- No, that's a supply cache.
Let's take him over to tent.
Come on, Jock.
- Come on with me.
- [Tom] You'll be alright.
- [John] Steady, now.
- Kusang, tie him down!
(radio whining)
How is it?
- Apart from the bleeding,
maybe a cracked bone.
Without an x-ray I can't tell.
Does it hurt?
- Ed, are you sure you got
the right station on there?
- [Ed] It should be.
- Now fixed it, with them to give us
a weather forecast, Doc.
(radio speaking foreign language)
- [Male On Radio] And now
short weather forecast
in English for Himalayan climbing parties.
First the Tom Friend expedition
in Western Himalayas.
You may expect occasional snow showers
rising to blizzard
force by tomorrow night.
Further outlook heavy snow continuing.
Next, Devon Seaman's
expedition in eastern Sikkim.
- Blizzard, that's all we need.
- [Tom] Now we've got 24 hours.
- [John] This man can't march tomorrow.
It's out of the question.
- Tom, we'll dig out the sledge.
- You've got a sledge?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, but it's not for him.
- So what's it for, then?
- Listen, Doc, this
expedition cost a lot of money
and I'm not going back empty-handed.
That animal we got in the cage out there,
you say it's some kind of a monkey.
- Well of course it was.
- Well, that's mysterious Yeti
or snow man, we proved that.
Kusang here confirms it.
- Meaning?
- Meaning that from now
on, we sell that fact.
I got to get that brute down to India.
That particular, verified
specimen of the Yeti.
- Sales promotion.
- I can do it, I know how to handle it.
- Sure, Tom, like with Francini that time.
- [Tom] Shut up!
- Francini case?
Were you mixed up in that?
- He doesn't know what he's talking about.
- There is no Tome Friend
in it if I remember.
How long have you used that name?
- I use what name I like.
Just what case do you
think you're talking about?
- The Indian wolf tomb.
Allegedly raised by wolves in the jungle--
- All right--
- Ventured half the world,
then turned out to be plain
well mental defectives.
- Alright, that's what the people wanted.
- Another new concept for humanity.
You're nothing but a cheap
fairground trickster.
- I don't like your bed manner--
- [Ed] Watch it! The radio!
Shut up!
Yeah, well, that's taken
care of the weather forecast.
- It's the altitude, right?
I don't know, it makes you lose control.
I'm sorry, Doc.
- Forget it.
- How do you feel, McNee?
McNee?
- What's he hearing?
Hush! Listen!
(monkey screeching)
The cage.
Give me the torch Ed!
- Here.
- [Tom] Bring some flares.
- Yeah.
Come on, we may need ya!
(ominous music)
- Look at the cage, it's all twisted!
- [Tom] He's gone.
He's got away.
- [Ed] And the door,
it's all wretched off.
- I just don't understand this.
- [Tom] Let's see, see if we
can figure out the tracks.
- [Ed] Oh, the snow's all trampled about.
Hey, what's this?
Look, there's his track!
Hey, look at that!
(ominous music)
They're two different kinds!
- [Tom] Look at the size of it!
- [John] 15, 16 inches long.
- There's no doubt about it,
there was something else out here, too.
- Put out that torch out!
- Yeah, what are we gonna do?
Try to follow it?
- Kusang, get the rifles, quick!
(speaking foreign language)
Quick, get the rifles!
(snow cracking)
(Kusang gasps)
(Kusang screams)
- [Tom] What was that?
Light the flare!
- [John] There's something by the tent!
It's Kusang!
(suspenseful music)
- [Tom] Kusang!
Kusang, what was it?
Was it you that yelled us?
Kusang!
- Hey, Tom, look!
Those big tracks all around you here.
- McNee.
McNee.
Are you alright?
What was it?
- Is he okay?
- I don't know.
- Give me your gun and
some of those flares!
Come on!
- Enough?
- Yeah!
- [Tom] What did it look like?
What did you see?
Kusang, tell me!
- I see, I see,
what man must not see!
I see true Yeti!
- Kusang.
- You made me see!
(Kusang screaming)
(ominous music)
- Kusang!
Kusang!
Come back, Kusang!
Kusang!
Come back!
Kusang!
- [Ed] Find him?
- [Tom] No, but I found something else.
- [Ed] What's that?
- One of your traps all broken apart.
Come on.
- All right McNee.
(Andrew groaning)
Any sign of Kusang?
- No, you can bet he's
headed back home by now.
Going down, it will only
take him a few hours.
- [John] He was nearly out of his mind.
- Yeah, well, he had good cause to be
if he saw what did this.
With this and those footprints
you can get a pretty
good idea the weight of
the thing that made 'em.
- Looks like you were right Doc.
- Partly.
But don't forget the vital part.
This creature may have
an affinity for man.
Something in common with ourselves.
Let's remember that,
before we start shooting.
- Sure, sure.
(Andrew screaming)
- Hey, is he getting delirious?
- [John] I'm afraid so.
- [Tom] You took care of his ankle.
- I did what I could,
but this isn't a hospital
and that's where he ought to be.
- Well give him another set of dope.
- No, he's had enough.
Alright, McNee, alright.
Go to sleep, old boy.
You're fine.
McNee, did you hear what I said?
McNee?
He's almost in a condition of trance.
- Trance?
- This is the way I found him
after the thing had been here.
- What are you getting at?
- [John] I'm not sure.
- You mean he's affected
by him in some way?
- It's not impossible,
if he were hypersensitive
to their presence.
- Their presence?
When he gets like this
they might be close?
- It's only a wild guess.
McNee, McNee.
The eyes.
McNee.
He's in a complete state of trance.
McNee, can you understand me?
Can you hear me, McNee?
His pulse.
(gun firing)
(animal groaning)
- Tom, I think...
There's something out there on the ice!
I got it, Tom!
I got it!
(ominous music)
Careful, Tom.
- [Tom] He's dead.
So that's it.
Really it.
The Abominable Snowman.
- The size of that body!
- Looks like you underestimated, doc!
Must be 10 feet.
Could be 11 feet high.
- [Ed] Yeah.
- That face.
(Yeti groaning)
- [Ed] There's more of them!
- They know.
- [Tom] Listen, we've got to
get this thing back to camp.
Between us we out to be able to manage.
Ed, get a rope and the sledge,
give me your gun.
- [Ed] Right.
(yeti groaning)
(door banging)
(ominous music)
(Kusang speaking foreign language)
- Foxy!
Foxy, wake up.
- What's the matter?
- The porter's come back!
- The porter?
- The one they took with them.
The man named Kusang.
- You must be dreaming!
- No, I'm not, I saw him in the courtyard.
He seemed exhausted and
could hardly stand up.
He's not there now.
They took him away.
He was there, Foxy.
They took him through that door.
I've got to know what this means.
- Helen, for heaven's sakes.
- I'm going to see the Lhama
- Helen, you'll never
see him at this hour.
You'll...
(ominous music)
(Helen screams)
- Drink this, drink it.
You've been frightened.
One of my servants found you wandering
in the secret part of the building.
- I was looking for you.
Kusang's come back.
- Kusang?
- The porter who went with
my husband and the others.
I saw him in the courtyard.
- You are mistaken.
- No, but I'm not mistaken.
I saw him, I tell you, in the courtyard.
- It was not Kusang.
- But I swear I saw--
- You are concerned for your husband.
- He's in danger, I'm sure of it.
- Danger?
Yes.
They are in danger.
All of them,
from their on actions.
- I don't understand you,
but you've got to help me do something.
Warn them, bring them back.
- [Lhama] I can do anything.
- Why?
- It is not possible to
bend the destiny of men.
The fate of your husband will
be governed by his own nature.
(Lhama clapping)
Mr. Fox, you will conduct this
lady back to her living quarters.
- I'm so sorry about this, sir.
Come along.
- Get me away.
- You're gonna be okay, now.
- [Helen] Get me away.
- Don't you realize the
hopelessness we're in?
- We've got to find him, Foxy.
- There's no way of telling
where they are by now.
- With three or four native
guides we have a chance.
- Native guys?
- I'll talk to the porters down there.
- You'll never persuade them to go,
not into those high valleys.
- [Helen] I think I can.
- Well suppose that the
Lhama forbids them to?
- Listen Foxy, they're waiting
for money, aren't they?
Well, I can give it to them.
- For heaven's sake, Helen,
you're not going to give them all that.
- I'll give them all I've got, Foxy.
- Alright, but let me handle it.
We don't want to overdo it.
There's one of them now.
Where are the others?
Well, call them for me.
Call them.
(male speaking foreign language)
(men shouting)
Alright.
All right, now I want all four porters.
Four porters and plenty of money.
Alright, now, wait, wait, wait.
- [Ed] Hey, Doc!
- Hark, the Harold angels.
- What's the matter now?
- [Ed] Doc!
Come down here!
- I'll come when I can!
They're noisy.
We'll transferring to the cave.
It'll give us protection
against heavy snows.
- Don't tell me Friend's
delaying here for my sake.
- Oh, no.
No, he's not satisfied
with the bag so far.
In a couple days this foot
of yours should be usable.
- Thanks to you.
Tell me, what does it look like?
- The dead one?
- Uh-huh.
- Well, you'll see.
It bears a lot of my guesses.
It's massive and its height
is about 10 foot five inches.
Weight 650 pounds,
age is difficult to assess--
- No, that's not what I mean.
Didn't you see what it looked like?
- The face?
Yes, but there's nothing apelike about it,
there's nothing human, either,
but I felt it had...
- Go on, go on.
- Sadness and there's probably
only a surface resemblance
at wisdom.
- [Tom] Rollason, we need you down here!
- How does it feel?
- Better.
- Look, try to ease the boot on slowly.
And I'll take these packs
down and come back for you.
- [Tom] Hold it there a bit, alright?
Doc, come around this side.
Let's see if we can get a
little more (speaks too low).
- Listen!
(yeti moaning)
(slow paced music)
Well, I'll get you down there now.
McNee.
McNee!
- What is it?
- He's gone.
- Gone?
- Yes, without this and without gloves.
- Up there, look!
- McNee!
McNee!
Watch out!
(McNee screaming)
(ominous music)
He must have hit a rock,
it would have been instantaneous.
- They killed him.
It was the sound of that howling.
He couldn't stand it.
It drove him mad.
- He failed because his foot was useless.
- They killed him!
(gun firing)
Ed, Ed are you alright?
What happened?
- I just got to it.
The gun Tom, I just got to it!
- What happened?
- They came at me!
Two of them!
You just don't know what it's like.
First two in the light, there, there.
- Here, take a drink.
- [John] But how did it happen?
- [Tom] Take it easy, Ed.
Go on.
- I just came of the cave
and these two came running towards me.
The size of them!
You wouldn't credit the
speed that they can move!
I got me gun--
- Yeah, I know!
You blasted off enough
to start an avalanche,
but you missed them.
- Yes, it was like this,
the sun was in my eyes and
I couldn't get organized!
Tom, they're after me.
They know it was me who
did that last night,
they're after me!
- They're after all of us!
They just killed McNee.
- What?
- Don't say that!
- [John] It was an accident.
- It's me next.
They know it was me.
Oh, don't worry, I've had this before.
Me and a grizzly once,
we ran a war for the whole winter.
I can handle it!
But we want to act, that's
what we're gonna do right now!
Hey, Tom, let's get some action!
Why do we just sit around?
We know they are up there!
Why don't we go up there and find them?
- Look, kid, I've got an idea.
You've had a lot of tough assignments.
Can you handle one more?
- That's what I want, yeah, action!
- Can you rig that steel net
up on the roof of that cave?
- Yeah, I guess so.
- So it'll trap anything
that might go in there?
- Yeah, I can do that.
What about springing the trap?
Who does that?
Oh I get it.
I do.
I'm in the back there
acting as bait, right?
- Right.
- You're a catcher, Tom.
Oh, sure I'll do it,
I told you that's what I wanted.
Let's get to work while
you still got me in mind.
- [Tom] Yeah, well, let's get it cleared.
- Give me a spade.
- Ah, here's one.
Why do you want a spade for?
Oh, yeah, Jock.
(ominous music)
- Foxy.
Foxy, a food container.
They've been here, we must go on.
- We damn hope not.
Come in, we're gonna camp here.
(speaking foreign language)
Listen, at the slightest encouragement
they'll all desert.
And this time, you'll never get them back.
(speaking foreign language)
- Tom, it's all fixed.
Come and look.
- Alright.
- Well, there she is.
One pull on this and the
whole thing comes down.
- You sure it'll work?
- Test it and try!
Nice work, eh, Doc?
- You know my feelings,
I don't like the idea,
your part in it least of all.
If you want my advice--
- Listen Doc, he doesn't need your advice.
He can pull out any time he wants to.
- Who wants to pull out?
- It's your business of course,
but actually the thought where
the miss can't be calculated.
- When that thing falls
anything underneath it
will be fully occupied.
That's Tungsten-steel with a break
and strain of 20,000 pounds.
The more it struggles,
the more the whole thing tightens on it.
An addition to which,
here you are, Ed, clean and loaded.
- Thanks, Tom.
Just in case I should need it.
- Just in case.
- Ah, you can trust me.
- I am trusting you with
this unique specimen when it shows up.
It's beginning to snow out there again.
Listen Ed, we'll keep you
covered from the tent,
check every half hour,
but the moment if anything
happens, you signal.
- You bet I'll signal.
- [Tom] Alright.
- [John] This is complete
madness Friend and you know it.
- [Tom] Relax, will ya?
He knows how to hold his fire.
(rustling winds)
(gun clanking)
- [Tom] Oh this blizzard!
- You can see the cave?
- [Tom] Yeah, so far.
- [John] You better call it off.
- Call it off?
This snow may be just the
thing they're waiting for.
- [John] That man's depending on it.
- If he gets in trouble,
I'm gonna help him.
Don't worry.
- [John] Friend, why not
settle for the one we've got?
- I've said no.
- You've cracked the mystery.
You've proved this creature
exists, settle for that.
- Take back a dead one?
- If we can.
- Uh-uh, have them pickle it
and write learned running reports,
take a skeleton in a museum and
call him something Rollason?
- I'm not looking for credit.
- No, not gonna be like that.
He's mine.
- Like the famous wolf children?
- Just the opposite, this is not fake,
That's why I'm not gonna give up.
I'm gonna prove to 'em I can
bring back the real thing.
- You can't drag this
down to a personal level.
It's far too important.
- Not to me.
- Listen, it's a long land creature.
It's strong, intelligent.
It may have powers we
haven't even developed.
It might have inherited the earth.
Something they keep hidden.
And here it is, the last vestige a species,
hiding away where nothing else will live.
Waiting in misery and
despair for final extinction.
I don't have to point the moral!
- Look, if they drop the H-bomb,
your descendents too
might end up in the ice.
- Did you see anything?
- Well, I thought...
No.
Let's have a cigarette.
(yeti growling)
(metal clanking)
- Tom!
(gun firing)
- [Tom] Ed, it's okay, we're coming!
Stop!
We can't see a thing!
Rollason, let's keep together.
Come on!
There it is!
Ripped to pieces!
Ed!
- He's dead.
- Dead?
Well, but...
How did they kill him?
- I can't find any mark.
It looks like a heart attack.
- His face.
- I think he died from shock.
- He didn't use the gun!
Why?
- Here--
- Just a minute!
The magazine's empty.
That's strange.
Each shell has been struck by the firing
but it didn't go off.
They didn't go off, Friend.
You loaded the gun.
What with?
Dummy ammunition?
- I didn't want another dead one.
I knew he'd fire even if the net held.
He was scared.
- What, did they beat at this?
The shotgun must have frightened them off.
I think that was all they wanted.
- You mean they went after Ed?
- No.
- But they killed him?
- No, they didn't, Friend.
You did.
(shovel clanking)
Think that will stop them?
- [Tom] It will give us a fighting chance
if they decide to attack.
- [John] If they do.
- So you think they won't, huh?
Let me tell you something.
We're not gonna take any
chances on losing that one.
Plus, I'm gonna do like you said, Doc.
Be satisfied with the one we've got.
- That decisions a little late.
- It's cold in here.
Want a drink, Doc?
- No, no thanks.
- Yeah we go to keep alert,
keep our circulation
up, be ready for them.
Gotta hit the first time.
There may not be a second chance.
What's on your mind?
- I wonder if they'll try.
- Try?
- They know you've got a
gun and what it can do.
- They knew Ed had a gun
and it didn't stop them.
- Bet they knew what you
knew about Shelley's gun.
- You mean they could...
Thought transfers?
Oh, don't give me that.
Let's get something straight Doc.
These are animals.
Dangerous killers.
And that's all they are.
- McNee died from an accident.
Shelley died of his own fear.
There is much out there that's dangerous.
So much as what's in us.
- What are you doing there?
- I'm wondering,
wondering how old that face is.
It's seen a long life,
longer than ours I should say.
100 years?
Perhaps more.
This isn't a face of a savage thing,
there's gentleness.
- Gentleness?
- Suppose they are not just
a pitiable remnant waiting to die out.
They're waiting yes,
but waiting for us to go.
- For mankind to die out?
- There's something the Lhama said,
about taking thought of man's successors.
I didn't understand then,
but suppose we are the savages?
- We're what?
Are you out of your mind, Doc?
- Perhaps then we'd be in the Dark Ages.
Protected ourselves too long.
Perhaps we are not Homo
Sapiens, thinking men,
but as our thinking brought us to.
But Homo Westerns.
They're the destroyer.
When the world knows
about these creatures,
they're destroyed, too.
And because we are men,
we can only be here to destroy them.
They must be aware of that.
- You mean we're the enemy huh?
- If they can deal with
us, their secret's kept.
It's our only chance of survival.
- Up here on the ice?
Survival for what?
- It's enough until
perhaps their time comes.
- Doc, you better have a drink.
- [John] We better have something to eat.
- That's a good idea, then
we'll take turns on watch.
Throw me something in those
self heating cans will you?
It's like living inside
of an iceberg here.
- One soup coming up.
- [Radio] And now short
weather forecasts in English
for our Himalayan climbing party.
First the Tom Friend expedition in
the Western Himalayas.
You are warned to return
to base immediately.
Abandoning all gear.
I repeat, abandon all gear and return.
- Friend.
- [Tom] Yeah?
- Where's the radio?
- Over there.
It's all smashed up.
- Smashed?
- If you were thinking
of trying to fix it,
you can forget it.
It's had it.
- Well didn't you hear?
- Hear what?
I told you that thing is wrecked.
- Friend, we must get out of here.
- What's the matter with you?
- Don't stop--
- We're gonna get out of here
when it's daylight and not before!
What is the matter with you?
Are you cracking up?
- Yeah, maybe that's it.
A touch of altitude sickness.
- Yeah, well, go get some
oxygen, right over there.
Alright, just turn the tap,
it's all ready for use.
- [John] I'll use it.
- I don't want you going sick on me.
Won't be easy managing
that sledge tomorrow.
All that new snow will
bound to make it unstable.
Feeling better?
- Yeah.
- It's gonna be tough going
we'll just have to get out
of the middle of this glacier
and just keep going.
That's all, keep going.
- [Ed] Help!
Help me!
- Ed.
- [Ed] Tom, help me!
Tom, help me!
- What's the matter with you?
Didn't you hear that?
- What can you hear?
- [Ed] Tom, help!
- It's Ed, I can hear
him yelling out there!
They got him!
- Stay here, wait!
- Ed, I can hear ya, I'm coming!
- Don't you understand?
That it isn't Shelley, it isn't anybody.
- But I can hear his voice!
- It's in your own mind!
It's just happened to me too!
- I've got to save him!
- Listen, Shelley's dead!
- [Tom] No, no, that's a mistake!
- Friend, you've got to understand!
- [Tom] Ed!
Ed, I'm coming!
- Friend!
- [Ed] Tom, help me!
- Ed!
Ed.
I don't understand, Ed!
Ed, where are ya?
Ed!
I'm here!
I came to help you, this time I mean it!
(gun firing)
- Friend!
Don't use the gun!
The snow!
- [Ed] Help, Tom, help me!
Help!
Help me!
- Ed, I can't see you!
(gun firing)
- Stop firing!
Come back!
(snow crumbling)
- Ed! Ed!
Where are you, Ed?
Where are you?
Where are you, Ed?
(earth rumbling)
(yeti groaning)
- [John] Friend!
Come back!
It's an avalanche!
Get under cover, quick!
Friend!
(ominous music)
(wood cracking)
(slow paced music)
(rustling winds)
(yeti moaning)
- Helen!
Helen! Helen!
Helen!
Here, wake up!
Grab one of these, follow me.
Come on, all of you!
(ominous music)
- John!
John!
- [Foxy] Helen!
- No!
- [Foxy] Helen! Helen!
- [Helen] Foxy!
Foxy please!
(bell donging)
(monks chanting)
- I'm sorry, this has been
for you a severe trial.
All your companions dead
in all these accidents.
And through all this sufferings,
you did not find what
you went out to seek?
- I'm afraid I was wrong.
- Wrong?
- What I was looking for does not exist.
- You are certain of that?
- Yes.
- There is no
Yeti.
(slow gentle music)
(bells ringing)
(monks chanting)
(stick thumping)
- Have you seen this veining, Foxy?
- Yes, it's a variety of
(speaks foreign language).
- An uncatalogued variety.
- Dr. Rollason, here's the refreshment.
- Oh, that's kind of you.
- Are you two absorbed
in what I've shown you?
- Absorbed indeed, sir.
I thought I knew every type
of plant in these mountains.
But these?
- These plants will be employed
to cure sickness of the skin.
- And where does it grow?
- The monks go in parties
to seek all these plants.
They take many days.
- Can they show me?
- Now is not the time.
Soon the heavy snows will come
and the valleys will be dangerous.
- Oh.
- Take what is there.
Take what you need.
- But these are your medicines.
- We have a great stash
of all these herbs.
- You can really spare them?
- Take what you wish,
now, so will have every--
- Species?
- Species.
It's a long time since I
have studied your language.
- The Research Foundation will
be greatly in your debt, sir.
- Mr. Fox, you do not drink your tea?
- Oh, I do.
Well, I mean I will.
Actually, I think I'm going to collect
some jars to put these in.
- It will be cold.
- Well, really, I quite like it cold.
Excuse me.
- Mr. Fox doesn't enjoy
tea made in our fashion.
To him I think it still seems
a bit greasy and unpleasant.
But you?
- [Male] I've grown to enjoy it.
- And your wife?
She also enjoys it?
- Well, she's working on it.
- Well, she's a brave
person to come here at all.
She can't be comforted in
those poor quarters I have provided.
This is a hard, rough place built for men.
- You've been very good to us, sir.
- Tell me, Dr. Rollason,
you are content with this land,
these people, our customs?
- I think so.
I know the Himalayans very well
through climbing and now this work.
- You're a climber,
to the great peaks.
- I was.
But I had an accident, a stupid one,
but a bad one, so I gave it up.
- And now your wife comes
with you to make sure of that?
- Helen comes with me as a colleague.
We work together.
- And the other party, who's coming,
how long have you waited?
- They are six days overdue.
- Your wife, Dr. Rollason,
she knows they're coming?
Coming to help you with your work?
- Of course.
- But there will be
little left for them to do
now that your work is almost completed.
- They'll want to see
things for themselves.
You permit?
- The other men, they were also sent by
your foundation or are they not?
They're not.
- Do you know something about them?
- I know they will be here tonight.
I have sent guides to meet them.
You're not pleased?
- Of course, this is wonderful news,
but I had no idea they'd been see.
- They have not been seen,
but they will be here in a few hours.
(symbol chiming)
- [Foxy] Helen.
- Yes?
- Specimen jars.
The old boy's just made us a present.
A pick of his collection of dried plants.
- Well that's wonderful, Foxy.
Does John know?
- Well, he's over there
now, waiting for jars.
- And why this sudden
generosity from the Lhama?
- I don't know.
Perhaps he wants to get rid of us.
And so I'm ready.
The sooner we get out of here,
out of this infernal country
with its cold and bad smells,
and the superstitions--
- Take it easy, Foxy, take it easy.
- From the misery and ignorance,
and this awful, awful cold.
- And the Tibetan tea.
- Say dear, are you busy?
- Just a few diagrams to finish, why?
Will you be an angel and take these
over to John for me, will you?
- Yes.
- Then I can get on with the re-indexing
of the new specimens.
Thanks.
- Foxy?
I have another arm.
- Oh of course.
Sorry.
- I hope that I can get a
few more details about these.
The possible elevation in
which they can be found--
- Dr. Rollason, what do you know
about those men who are coming?
- Know about them?
Not very much.
I had a message from them
suggesting we meet here.
- From their leader, a man called Friend?
- That's right, Tom Friend.
You've heard of him?
- He passed these ways
before some months ago.
But he did not come to me, as is custom.
- Perhaps he didn't wish to impose on you.
- Now he returns.
What is this man searching for?
- Before I can say that,
I must have a talk to him.
- You can say now.
Dr. Rollason, why do you
want to help these people?
- I suppose for the pursuit of knowledge.
- Whose knowledge?
Yours alone?
- All of human knowledge.
- Human knowledge?
(Lhama chuckling)
Is that reason enough?
- I'm afraid we're taking your time, sir.
I don't know what's happened to Fox.
- He's not coming, she is.
Your wife.
She's approaching now.
- But how do you know?
- I've been hearing.
- Is that all, sir?
- Here one develops the
senses, all of them.
There's time for the
learners of many things.
Have you not found it so?
(door knocking)
They are at play.
Come in.
You're welcome, my dear lady.
- Thank you.
Foxy told me to bring you this.
- Oh, yes thank you.
We've just been presented with
some remarkable new specimen.
- I know, Foxy told me.
- We have not met many
times, Mrs. Rollason.
- No, no we haven't.
- I was talking a lot to
your husband, but not to you.
- I'm sorry, I've had
quite a lot of work to do.
- I have been concerned for your comfort
but your husband reassured me.
- Of course.
I bet we put you to a
lot of inconvenience.
- You're welcome to
remain under my protection
while her husband is on
his climbing expedition.
- Climbing?
- To the peaks.
Now, unfortunately my duties
make this meeting also short one.
I must leave you now.
- What climbing expedition, John?
- That was deliberate.
I guess I hadn't told.
- [Helen] Well for
heavens sake, tell me now.
- Helen, I was going to
explain to you before,
but they may not have turned up.
- They?
- It's a party led by a man named Friend.
They should be here in a few hours.
- And you have arranged to go with them?
- Provisionally.
Oh, Helen, please, please.
There was no point in
talking about it before.
I haven't even told Foxy.
- Thanks, it's nice to
be bracketed together.
- You know I didn't mean that.
- What about the Botanical Foundation?
Have you kept them in the dark, too?
- This has nothing to
do with the Foundation.
- Only that they financed this year
and they are waiting for our reports
and we're already behind schedule.
- Yes, I know that.
- Without it being all
about loyalty and all,
don't you think we
ought to get on with it?
- Helen, please try and understand.
- I am trying.
But at this time of
year with the fresh snow
falling to go peak climbing, just to--
- But they might not even arrive.
- Why did we come up here, John?
- Why?
- Right up here so out of the way?
It wasn't just to search
for rare plants, was it?
Was it, John?
(suspenseful music)
- No.
- Somehow I knew.
I kept remembering the
things you wrote once.
I said nothing, I didn't
want to remind you.
- [John] What I wrote?
- I'd hoped you'd forgotten.
Your theories about the high valleys,
about what might be there.
- Listen, darling.
You're getting upset about
something that might
not even happen.
- John I don't want you
- [Helen] Even to do this.
I can't bear it, John!
- So that we don't--
- [John] Now Helen.
- I don't want you going into danger.
Into the mountains to
look for that creature.
- Helen.
(bell ringing)
(people chattering)
- What's all this in aid of?
- Oh, it's just one of
their regular ceremonies.
- You think they've
chosen tonight on purpose?
- Maybe.
- Hey, come inside and shut the door.
How do you expect me to keep anything warm
if one of the wall's hot?
- How's it coming?
- I'm fixing enough for an extra four.
- There may be even more of them!
- Hey, you're not gonna ask me
to feed his porters, too, are you?
- Mm, it'll be an awful waste
of food if they don't turn up.
- You know something, Foxy?
Nothing would give me more
pleasure than to have to waste it.
(men shouting)
- [John] They're here.
- Let me know how many.
- You the head man here?
Do you speak English?
(male speaking foreign language)
Where's our guide?
Hey, Kusang!
- He's bringing up the rear.
- Do you know Dr. Rollason?
Rollason!
- Tom Friend.
- Oh hi.
Hey, Kusang!
- I'm here, Mister.
- Get the storage under cover,
take care of the ponies.
- Is this in our honor?
- I don't know.
- Hey Jock, stick close.
These guys will eat ya.
- Mr. Friend, I am very glad to meet you.
- Mr. Rollason, I presume.
It's a great honor.
- We'd almost given you up?
- We ran into a little bit of bad weather.
- We half expected you'd been gone.
- This is Ed Shelley.
- Mr. Shelley.
- Hi.
- Jock, our photographer.
- How do you do?
- And this is Peter Fox, my assistant.
- I hope you're all hungry.
There is a banquet upstairs.
Beef stew.
- Leave me to it, I could eat a yak.
- I'd better warn you
about Ed's table manners.
- Oh, and this is my wife Helen.
Tom Friend, Mr. Shelley and Andrew--
- Andrew McNee.
- Sorry.
- How do you do?
Well I have four portions
between the three of you,
so come on up everybody.
- I take that as your word, ma'am.
Come on, Jock!
This is home cooking!
- You didn't tell me about your wife.
- Oh, we always work together.
- This is hardly a trip for a woman.
- No, she stays here with
Fox, I already fixed that.
- Fine.
- If I come.
- If you come?
Dr. Rollason, this is the,
this is the expedition
that's not gonna fail.
We're gonna find that
creature they call the Yeti.
Oh, yes.
Can we stable under there,
under your living corners?
- That's what it was built for.
- Kusang!
- Come on.
(speaks foreign language)
- [Ed] We covered a lot of miles today.
How many, Tom?
- About 10.
- Ten?!
My feet says about 100.
I rolled the rockiest tracks
in this stinking country.
- Thank you.
Ed here objects to the primitive.
Come on, move over.
- Primitive?
I don't know what's worse about it,
the stink of everything,
or the ignorant natives,
or the filthy food they eat or what?
You tell me.
- I find this country rather attractive.
- Attractive?
- Oh, come on, Ed, knock it off, will ya?
- Oh, even what we're
look for is abominable.
That's what they call it, isn't it?
The abominable snowman?
- It doesn't exist.
- Helen.
- You don't subscribe to your
husband's news, Mrs. Rollason?
- No.
- And about what this creature might be?
- No, I don't.
- Neither do I.
- Well, skeptics right in camp doctor.
- When the whole evidence these theories
is based on a few footprints in the snow.
- Have you ever seen
these footprints, Mr. Fox?
- I have not.
- I have.
- Where?
- On the Rakaposhi Glacier.
With a climbing party, two years ago.
I found a line of fresh footprints
like human ones,
only bigger and far broader.
- [John] You didn't see what made them?
- I followed them for a mile or so
and then they finished
in a bare rock face.
It was, it was just long enough to get
a sense of what I might be tracking.
- You are an impressionable
man, Mr. McNee.
- Well, this is a sort of
impression you won't forget.
- Also, there have been
photographs, Mrs. Rollason.
1951 shipping expedition took
pictures of similar footprints.
They were published in the Times.
- They could be made by a bear.
- [Tom] But they weren't.
- Look, in your message, you said
something about having special evidence.
So this seems to be a
good time to produce it.
- This came into my
possession a short time ago.
Solid silver.
Native craftsmanship.
If you can see what it says
around there, translate it.
(speaking foreign language)
- The protection of the great.
The powerful beings is besought
by the land of Rong-ruk.
(monk chanting)
This monastery?
- That's right.
It was stolen from here some years ago
by a German explorer.
- The powerful beings, that
probably means local gods.
- Now watch.
The ornamentation hides the join,
but it finally does unscrew and you see...
- [John] A tooth!
- In the Middle Ages it was a usual thing
to preserve bits of tooth
and bones in the bodies of saints.
That's what that is.
A relic.
But of course you know
more about that, Doctor.
- It's unbelievable.
The size of it!
- It seems to be genuine.
- It is.
I had it sectioned and tested.
- It's like the canine tooth
of an ape, say a gorilla.
- Yes, but it's about three times as big.
- Let me see.
- I read your views,
doctor, on the possible size
and bone structure of these creatures.
That would fit, wouldn't it?
- Yes it would, but it's not a fossil.
- It's living ivory.
(symbol chiming)
(tribal music)
- Hey, what's this, a war dance?
- These people are Buddhists,
they don't believe in war.
- Holy men doing a holy dance.
Hey, this is good!
Jock, take a picture!
- They don't allow it.
- Are you sure they don't mean trouble?
- You can take my word for it.
- Well, I hope you're right.
I got my responsibilities.
I don't wanna find one of my porters
knifed while I'm away.
- Look Friend, their
religion prohibits them
to harm anyone or anything.
- Okay, just so they know it.
How about some more stew?
- Here, give me your plate.
- Just a minute, did I hear right?
You're not taking the porters with you?
- Not beyond this point.
- You're doing this climb alone?
- Yes, just the five of us.
- You're mad.
- You better tell us your plans.
- Well, so far no expedition has ever got
even near this thing they call a Yeti.
You know why?
Because they were tramping
up the peaks with 50,
or 60 porters behind them
like an invading army.
It's enough to scare
off any living creature.
We don't want that.
So it will be just the five of us.
- On what do we live?
On vitamin pills?
(Ed laughing)
- Tell him Tom.
- We've been up here before,
Ed and I, last summer.
- Yes, I heard that.
- Took 50 men loaded up to the
limit up to the north valley.
Saw to the way supplies and stored it
in places where they would
be safe from the snows.
Rock caves and so on, all along the route.
- And you think these
supplies will still be there
with 50 men sharing the secret?
- They don't.
We took turns.
One of them marched them on while the
others stayed behind and hid the
the batch that they had just unloaded.
- Single handed.
It was murder, but we did it.
- The north valley.
- It's the steepest, the crookedest,
and blocked by the worst
ice falls you ever saw.
- Like the mountains of the moon!
- If I were a creature who
wanted to lurk away from man,
that's where I'd lurk.
- John, this is completely irresponsible.
Without porters and without a guide.
- Correction, ma'am, we are
taking along one local guide.
Name of Kusang, you saw him down below.
- One Guide.
And how did he qualify
for this unique position?
- Because he's seen a Yeti, ma'am.
- He's seen one?
- This is the time to do it, doc.
Water.
The heavy snow's forced anything that's
up there down valley for food right?
- Yes, but--
- It's gonna be tough going, we know that.
We can use an expert
climber and a scientist.
In a double capacity.
We need you with us, what to you say, doc?
- Yes, John, what do you say?
- I'd like to show this to someone first.
- Who's that?
- The person who seems
to be its rightful owner.
The Lhama.
- Whenever you say.
- Now.
- Keep the food hot.
- I'll come, too.
- How long does this go on?
- Sometimes for several hours.
- Put that away, John.
- Yes, I know this.
It was taken from here many years ago.
However you came by it,
Mr. Friend I'm grateful
you return it now.
- I'm happy to do so, sir.
You know it opens, then?
- The carved tooth.
- Carved?
- It was made so I have heard
by monks a far distant time.
It was meant to be a tooth
of the god Manjushri, the all powerful.
- It was made?
- Did you think it was a real tooth?
- We thought perhaps it was--
- You men of the West.
You are driven by curiosity.
You would risk your lives in those rains
and ice and coldness to search for this,
animal.
- He's known all the time.
- This animal you only imagine to exist.
- You also think it doesn't exist?
- Doc Rollason, you've made no contract.
You are under no obligation to go up there
with us tomorrow when we leave here.
But we're going.
And if it's humanly possible,
we're gonna find that creature.
- I'll come.
- Don't worry, he'll be alright.
We'll look after him, he'll be just...
On behalf of my party and myself,
I'd like to thank you
for your hospitality.
- Small return, Mr. Friend, for this.
Dr. Rollason,
one moment if you please.
You are determined to
go with these people?
- Yes.
- Then listen what I have to say.
As you seek this, creature,
remember that you act in the name
of mankind and act humbly.
For man is near to forfeiting
his right to lead the world
and face this distraction by his own hand.
Now, when a ruler, king is near death,
he should not be seeking
to extend his realm,
but take thought,
who might with honor succeed him.
Remember this.
- I'm not sure that I understand sir.
- Now go in peace.
(monks chanting)
- Okay, emergencies
rations pack and checked.
What's next?
- Snow crampons.
- Crampons, Kusang's getting them.
Kusang, (speaks foreign language)!
Here, watch these guys.
They got a greedy look.
- I don't think they'd--
- Just watch them, that's all!
Come on!
Give us that!
- Hey Kusang, did you
talk to the other porters?
- Yes mister, they want pay now.
- They'll get paid when we get back.
How come we only got three packs?
- Rollason says he's got his own gear.
- Goodbye Foxy.
Look after her.
- I will.
- See you soon.
- Well, I better get
back to those reports.
- Foxy disapproves.
- You'd better bracket us together again.
- [John] Now I thought we said--
- I know John,
but it's those men, Friend and Shelley,
I don't trust them, I don't
like them, and I don't--
- You're just grabbing at straws now.
- No, no I mean this John.
- Listen, Friend talks too much of greed,
and Shelley could use a few manners.
All right, I snore.
They'll be the ones to suffer.
- Don't joke about it, John.
- Helen, darling,
look, you do understand.
I've written and talked
enough about this thing,
now I've got a chance to
put it all to the test.
I just got to take it, haven't I?
Come on now, give me a hand with this.
(ominous music)
- John, for the last time
I'm asking you, don't go.
- Look, darling--
- You won't come back, I know it.
I'll never see you again.
- Hey Doc!
Kusang!
Come on, we gotta move.
- Be careful, my darling.
Be careful.
- I can look after myself, you know that.
- Rollason!
Kusang (speaks foreign language)!
(triumphant music)
- Hey Tom, wait a minute.
We've got to keep this pace up?
- We've got to make that
hut before nightfall.
- We went an easier way last
time, over those ridges.
- This time of year,
they're all snowed up.
- Yeah?
Well look at those characters.
They seem to be doing alright.
- Yeah, well, they're not
going where we're going.
You all right, Doc?
- So far.
- Well, let's keep
moving, nice and steady.
- Get a rhythm, maybe you
ought to sing or something.
- Yeah, you do that.
Sing!
John Brown's body
- Oh, come on!
Sing!
John Brown's body lies
a moaning in the grave
And his soul goes
There is a tavern in the town
In the town
- [Tom] Save your breath, will ya?
- [Ed] We're making good time, ain't we?
- [Tom] Yeah, but wait until
we really start to climb.
- How's it going?
- Huh?
Just getting my second wind.
If this is what they call traveling light.
- McNee.
- What?
- Those three men again, look.
Right up there in the skyline.
They're following us.
Friend!
Friend, wait a minute!
- [Tom] We gotta keep moving!
- [John] I think we're being followed.
- [Tom] Followed?
- The three men again,
they're still with us.
- [Ed] Yeah, he's right,
it's the same three.
- Yeah well, let's just keep moving,
that's the best thing.
Let's just keep moving.
(gun firing)
(suspenseful music)
- Bandit! Bandit!
These men bandit, they kill us!
(gun firing)
- Quiet everybody!
(gun firing)
- They're out of range!
- That ought to do it Ed!
- If only they'd been a bit nearer!
- Well they know we're
armed, that's the main thing.
- I don't think they expected that.
- Yeah, thought we were easy meat.
- I think they only meant to frighten us.
- Frighten us?
They'd of killed us and strip
our clothing and equipment.
- These men bandit.
Yes, bandit.
- You got a good look at them Doc?
- Not clearly, it's just an impression.
- Let's get going, we've lost enough time.
Ed, keep that gun handy.
- You bet!
- [Tom] Come on, let's stay five minutes,
catch our breath.
- [John] They're making
heavy weather of it.
- [Tom] Oh, don't worry
about Ed, he'll be all right.
That little runt back there holding us up.
Look at him.
- [John] They should've
given him more time
to climb with us.
- [Tom] All right.
Come on Ed, we gotta keep this pace up.
- [Ed] Why pick on me?
What about lead foot?
- [Tom] Well, him I can
do without, you I need.
- [John] Let's stop bickering,
we've got less than two hours till sunset.
We've got to be in a
safe campsite by then.
- [Tom] When we get to the
hut, we'll be all right.
- [John] Where exactly is this hut?
- [Tom] Over that ridge.
- There's another rough weather coming up,
we'll never make it in the time, unless...
There is a shortcut.
- Where?
- Across the column, on that side.
- [McNee] It looks awful steep.
- Well let's give it a try.
You're the prized climber
in this party, Doc.
Why don't you take over?
- Alright, everybody rope up, immediately.
- Kusang rope.
- It will be a short, sharp climb.
- So long as it's short.
- Fairly short as these things go.
You better take the middle
position for safety.
- I like safety, too, Doc.
- We'll be alright if we keep
our minds on what we're doing.
- Alright, let's get roped
up and get on with it.
(speaking foreign language)
- You first.
- [Tom] Let's get going, Doc.
Come on, Ed!
- Okay, we're coming!
Hey, Jock!
Spread out!
Don't crowd 'em!
Avalanche!
- [Tom] What happened?
- [Ed] Ah, nothing.
Just some small stuff came down.
- [Tom] For a minute there I thought
we had an avalanche starting.
- And it might have been it.
It was his fault yelling like that--
- [Ed] You're crazy!
- No, he isn't.
A sharp sound, a sudden
vibration is all it takes.
Now let's have no more
shouting unless it's vital.
- Right, you got that, Ed?
- Okay, okay.
- [Tom] Come on, let's go.
(slow paced music)
(men grunting)
(suspenseful music)
There it is, the hut.
- Oh, there's nothing else in here, Tom.
It was all sealed in these containers.
- Well, fill the hole up again.
- Fill it up?
- The Kurds will be up this spring
and think the earth devils
have been burrowing.
- Yeah, but--
- Go ahead and fill it up!
You wanna scare these poor
ignorant natives to death?
You are a civilized man.
- Alright, tomorrow.
- If this is the way you planned the rest
of the trip precaution
is out of the floor.
- You wouldn't get a meal like
this out of an emergency pack.
Who's for more?
- None for me, thanks.
- I thought altitude was
supposed to make you hungry.
Kusang?
- [John] You talk about
this as if it was a joke.
Have you seriously considered
what might happen if--
- Look, Doc, I've been running
into people all my life
who'd cried off because
of what might happen "if".
I went ahead and did it.
Now for some facts.
I've got some real
supplies cached up ahead.
This was just a snack on the way up.
- What else have you got cashed
away out there besides food?
- Everything we need, from tents to fuel.
Look, 18,000 feet,
we'll stop and make our first camp,
and search at the foot of the ice wall.
20,000 feet the same procedure,
and again at 22,000 feet.
And we've got oxygen if
we want to go higher.
We've got everything we need
to get up above above this creature.
Search it out in its own
ground and track it down.
Now, how about some more
of your contribution?
- Oh, such as?
- Expert advice.
Let's know the nature of the enemy.
What's it live on?
- Oh, small animals.
Hares, mice, those.
- But we've seen none.
- Oh you don't see 'em, but
he's right, they're there
- Carnivorous then, huh?
- No, needn't be.
There are roots and plants under the snow.
It's probably adaptable like man.
- Man?
What you're suggesting roughly is that
this may be some kind of a missing link?
- That's a bit too rough.
Say parallel development and I'm with you.
- Parallel with mankind?
- We're not very far north of India.
Now, some millions of
years ago there was a
breeding ground of huge ape-like animals.
Primitive anthropoids, their fossil bones
are dug up from time to time.
Now, the latest evolutionary theory is
the very same that's branched
off in two directions,
one to become the great apes,
chimpanzees, orangutan, and so on,
and the other man.
- Darwin's theory all tidied up.
So?
- Well, suppose,
suppose there were a
third line of descent.
- The Anthropoid X.
As different from man as the apes are.
- Probably.
- This calls for some
very fancy guesswork.
But what would have happened to them?
- Gradual extinction through
change in conditions,
attacks of enemies.
- Might include both apes and men.
- Most likely it did.
Until only a remnant survived,
adapting themselves to living
where nothing else would.
In these mountains.
The highest in the world,
and above the snow line.
- There's no proof of all this.
- Oh, not yet, but a
100 years ago there was
no proof that primitive men
had ever existed, either.
- Look, how do you see it?
I mean, it walks on two legs.
- There's no doubt about
that, the tracks prove it.
They show a foot 13 inches
long and very wide indeed.
The stride of a six foot man,
yet his legs would be far more massive
and very short in
proportion to his height.
Now, you see what that implies?
- It's big.
- Perhaps seven or eight feet high?
- What do you think, Ed?
- You know, can try.
- Go on, drag it out.
Good a time as any.
- I'm not with you.
- Oh, we might as well let you
in on our little secret Doc.
The fact of the matter is that
Ed here is an expert trapper.
- Yeah, everything from
foxes to grizzlies.
Now, this is a tungsten steel net,
it's just a little sample.
- Do you think it will hold it?
- Oh, if not, we have
other things up there.
- What things?
More guns?
So that's what this is.
A hunting party.
- Well, what did you expect us to do?
Look at it through a telescope?
Have Jock here take a
- You represented this was a
- picture with his camera?
bona fide investigation.
- It is bona fide, and I want
one alive, and so do you.
- And what is your interests, commercial?
- Well if they are, they're honest.
- Then why all the secrecy!
- For a thing just like this.
Outraged indignation.
- I wanted to be well under away--
- Listen!
Listen!
- What is it?
- I was certain I heard something,
but you were talking so loudly!
- Outside?
- What?
- A sort of cry.
(ominous music)
- [Ed] You see anything?
- [Tom] Keep your voices down.
- [John] Over there.
(speaks too fast)
- [Tom] You sure?
- [John] Quiet!
(rustling winds)
No, it's nothing.
- [Andrew] But I'm sure I heard something.
- [Tom] Any the rest
of you heard anything?
Kusang?
- [Kusang] No, no!
- It's a false alarm.
Jock, you need some sleep.
We all do.
Come on.
All right, lights out.
Let's turn in, we got
an early start tomorrow.
- [John] I won't be with you.
I'll follow you up later.
- What do you mean?
Why, what's up?
- I want to stay a while,
look around this area.
- Look for what?
- Edible plants close to it's habitat.
I joined a scientific expedition remember?
- Yeah I remember.
All right Jock, you stay behind with him
to form a rope.
You're the slowest.
- You don't wanna ride down dog,
he's an exceptional guy.
- Yeah.
- You just wanna fall in
with his ways, that's all.
- Thanks for the advice.
- Gee, this is real snug.
All I need now is women.
Remember that time in Bombay Tom!
- Oh knock it off will ya?
- [Ed] Happy dreams to one and all!
- Hey Doc, wind has dropped,
how 'bout a smoke?
- All right.
- I'm sorry I broke out
at you like that just now.
- [John] We're all a bit on edge.
Blame it on the altitude.
- Yeah, well I think I ought to explain.
Frankly I am in this as
a commercial venture,
but I don't think that
cheapens my motives in any way.
- What's at the end of the line?
A circus?
A zoo?
- No, neither.
- Thanks.
- Look,
I'm not exactly a golden character, Doc.
After the war I did a little smuggling
around on the coast of Europe.
Odd gun for the angry little countries.
I lived on the two basic
drives of humanity:
Fear and hunger.
When they began to dry up on me,
I looked around for another one.
On curiosity, human curiosity.
Funny thing, you ever think about it?
- Oh I suppose I suffered under it.
- Look, the world is full
receptive, inquisitive people.
People who are informed,
responsive to new ideas.
The radio, television, films,
these things have gone in to
the very homes of the people
and stirred up a healthy curiosity
about the earth that they live on.
These are the people I work for.
If I can, I'm gonna bring
them one of these creatures.
They can learn and profit from it.
- You really believe all that?
- Sure I do, Doc.
They give the world a whole new concept.
A new slam on humanity,
help us to know and
understand ourselves better.
Don't you think that's important?
- You'd appear with this creature?
Show it on television and so on?
- Those are the means, I'll use them.
Look, don't you understand?
Dr. Rollason, writing loony little books
in the corner isn't enough anymore!
It's a new age of awareness.
It's a big age.
You've got to measure up to it, Doc.
- You better get some sleep.
You've got an early start.
- Yeah, well, you think about it.
(rustling winds)
(men shouting)
- I can not understand you!
Please!
- Foxy!
Foxy!
- All right, get inside.
Now, what's the matter?
All right, you get paid
when Sahib comes back.
Now shut up!
Now go on, go on!
It's alright, they're
only Friend's porters.
Apparently they haven't been paid.
They gave you a bit of a shock, hm?
Now, you sit down there,
have a spot of this, it'll
make you feel much better.
- Why do you suppose he
didn't pay them, Foxy?
- Oh, just to make sure they're
here when he comes back.
It's customary and reasonable.
- Then why did they
suddenly behave like that?
- Well, you know what they are,
they've got nothing to do.
They stand about and chat for an hour,
even work themselves up.
Drink this.
- Was that all?
- What do you mean?
- It's as if they knew something.
As if they knew Friend wasn't coming back.
- Now, Helen--
- Or John, or any of the party.
They're gonna die and everybody
in this place knows it.
- Now, stop it, Helen,
you're talking raving nonsense!
Now, come on, drink this.
You didn't sleep last night, did you?
Well make sure you do,
you take some tablets.
- I stayed the whole night just thinking.
I never felt so lonely.
Now and then I heard a
gong across the courtyard
and the wind.
Foxy, you know these things
these people believe in.
Clairvoyance?
Thought transference?
- Sham magic.
- Is it sham?
- Helen, this country is
rotten with superstition.
It's only dangerous because we are
surrounded by people who think it's real.
We can slide into thinking it's real too.
Now, come on, drink that up.
You'll feel much better.
Make sure you're not pursued by
the lads of the village again.
I think I'm going to have
a word with the Lhama.
- It's a good idea, I'll go to.
- You stay right there.
And if you should feel
like another nip of that,
nobody's going to call you a tippler.
Sir?
Is anyone there?
(door knocking)
Sir?
(ominous music)
- They're particularly out of sight now.
- Yes, they're going well, too.
- How much longer will this take?
- I found what I wanted.
Evidence of possible food supply.
A type of moss, highly nutritious.
- You mean it's food?
- It might be.
- Look, let's go on.
I don't want that swine to
get too far out of sight.
- You don't trust him?
- Tom Friend?
No more than you do.
- You're not a very good climber neither.
Why did you come on this trip, McNee?
- I had to.
- You had to?
- Ever since that time, two years ago,
I felt that this what I must do, it's a,
it's a sort of obsession.
Perhaps a psychologist could
explain it, I don't know.
All I know is I've got to find the thing.
- Getting near to it before
whetted your appetite.
- It's all that matters.
I applied to join all sorts
of climbing expeditions,
hoping I'd be able,
but I was turned down, every time!
- Then you heard about
the Tom Friend expedition.
- He wasn't so particular.
I paid him to let me come.
- You paid him?
- I can be useful, I'm
good with the camera.
- But not so good with an ice ax.
A man like you could be dangerous.
- No, I'll try not to be.
- Come on.
Hello!
Friend!
Where are you?
- [Andrew] He said they'd
pitch camp at the ice wall.
- We're right at the middle of it now.
They can't be far away.
Hello!
- Wait a minute.
I thought I heard something.
Voices,
ahead of us.
Are you there?
Hello!
(Andrew screaming)
(trap clanking)
(ominous music)
- [John] A trap!
A spring trap!
- Get it open!
Try!
- I can't McNee!
It's fastened to the rock.
(metal clanking)
- Hey, don't smash that!
It's valuable.
Here, here, let me do that.
- [John] Did you set this?
- What do you think?
- [John] Without warning us?
- [Ed] You wanted me to put
a flag on it, or something?
That I knew he was coming this way?
- Get him free!
- Okay, get your foot out!
Oh, he's not hurt bad.
This is my improvement on the bear trap.
It grips but doesn't tear.
It didn't even bite through the boot!
- Of all the idiotic, maniac ideas.
What did you want to achieve
setting these things at random?
- We've achieved it.
Before you blow your top, Doc, listen,
it worked.
- What?
- We caught one of those things.
You don't believe me?
Well, come and look.
Watch out, it's ice up here.
- [John] Give a hand.
- Here.
We found these little tracks, see?
So I set traps on the chance that
whoever made them might come back.
- Little tracks?
- Yeah, you wait and see.
Hey, Tom, they're here!
- [Tom] Good.
Kusang, pull it tighter.
Throw me that top one.
Oh, finally made it, huh?
We couldn't wait on you.
There it is.
Not very big, is it, Doc?
Not more than four feet high.
But Kusang has no doubts.
Kusang tell what it is.
- Yeti.
- [Tom] The same as you saw before?
- Same.
- Like that?
- Same.
- [Tom] That's the expert, Doc.
I guess maybe we might
have made a mistake ,huh?
Let's get it covered.
- Let it go.
- [Tom] What do you mean, "Let it go"?
- That's a langur, a Himalayan monkey.
You'll find him in half
the zoos in the world.
- [Tom] Kusang says--
- Forget about Kusang!
He's never seen the
creature we are looking for.
- Yeti!
Yeti!
- Knock it off will ya?
Cover him up!
- All your trappings
done is to practically
maim one of our men.
- Doc?
- Yeah, he just happened to fall into one.
- Where can I treat him?
In here?
- No, that's a supply cache.
Let's take him over to tent.
Come on, Jock.
- Come on with me.
- [Tom] You'll be alright.
- [John] Steady, now.
- Kusang, tie him down!
(radio whining)
How is it?
- Apart from the bleeding,
maybe a cracked bone.
Without an x-ray I can't tell.
Does it hurt?
- Ed, are you sure you got
the right station on there?
- [Ed] It should be.
- Now fixed it, with them to give us
a weather forecast, Doc.
(radio speaking foreign language)
- [Male On Radio] And now
short weather forecast
in English for Himalayan climbing parties.
First the Tom Friend expedition
in Western Himalayas.
You may expect occasional snow showers
rising to blizzard
force by tomorrow night.
Further outlook heavy snow continuing.
Next, Devon Seaman's
expedition in eastern Sikkim.
- Blizzard, that's all we need.
- [Tom] Now we've got 24 hours.
- [John] This man can't march tomorrow.
It's out of the question.
- Tom, we'll dig out the sledge.
- You've got a sledge?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, but it's not for him.
- So what's it for, then?
- Listen, Doc, this
expedition cost a lot of money
and I'm not going back empty-handed.
That animal we got in the cage out there,
you say it's some kind of a monkey.
- Well of course it was.
- Well, that's mysterious Yeti
or snow man, we proved that.
Kusang here confirms it.
- Meaning?
- Meaning that from now
on, we sell that fact.
I got to get that brute down to India.
That particular, verified
specimen of the Yeti.
- Sales promotion.
- I can do it, I know how to handle it.
- Sure, Tom, like with Francini that time.
- [Tom] Shut up!
- Francini case?
Were you mixed up in that?
- He doesn't know what he's talking about.
- There is no Tome Friend
in it if I remember.
How long have you used that name?
- I use what name I like.
Just what case do you
think you're talking about?
- The Indian wolf tomb.
Allegedly raised by wolves in the jungle--
- All right--
- Ventured half the world,
then turned out to be plain
well mental defectives.
- Alright, that's what the people wanted.
- Another new concept for humanity.
You're nothing but a cheap
fairground trickster.
- I don't like your bed manner--
- [Ed] Watch it! The radio!
Shut up!
Yeah, well, that's taken
care of the weather forecast.
- It's the altitude, right?
I don't know, it makes you lose control.
I'm sorry, Doc.
- Forget it.
- How do you feel, McNee?
McNee?
- What's he hearing?
Hush! Listen!
(monkey screeching)
The cage.
Give me the torch Ed!
- Here.
- [Tom] Bring some flares.
- Yeah.
Come on, we may need ya!
(ominous music)
- Look at the cage, it's all twisted!
- [Tom] He's gone.
He's got away.
- [Ed] And the door,
it's all wretched off.
- I just don't understand this.
- [Tom] Let's see, see if we
can figure out the tracks.
- [Ed] Oh, the snow's all trampled about.
Hey, what's this?
Look, there's his track!
Hey, look at that!
(ominous music)
They're two different kinds!
- [Tom] Look at the size of it!
- [John] 15, 16 inches long.
- There's no doubt about it,
there was something else out here, too.
- Put out that torch out!
- Yeah, what are we gonna do?
Try to follow it?
- Kusang, get the rifles, quick!
(speaking foreign language)
Quick, get the rifles!
(snow cracking)
(Kusang gasps)
(Kusang screams)
- [Tom] What was that?
Light the flare!
- [John] There's something by the tent!
It's Kusang!
(suspenseful music)
- [Tom] Kusang!
Kusang, what was it?
Was it you that yelled us?
Kusang!
- Hey, Tom, look!
Those big tracks all around you here.
- McNee.
McNee.
Are you alright?
What was it?
- Is he okay?
- I don't know.
- Give me your gun and
some of those flares!
Come on!
- Enough?
- Yeah!
- [Tom] What did it look like?
What did you see?
Kusang, tell me!
- I see, I see,
what man must not see!
I see true Yeti!
- Kusang.
- You made me see!
(Kusang screaming)
(ominous music)
- Kusang!
Kusang!
Come back, Kusang!
Kusang!
Come back!
Kusang!
- [Ed] Find him?
- [Tom] No, but I found something else.
- [Ed] What's that?
- One of your traps all broken apart.
Come on.
- All right McNee.
(Andrew groaning)
Any sign of Kusang?
- No, you can bet he's
headed back home by now.
Going down, it will only
take him a few hours.
- [John] He was nearly out of his mind.
- Yeah, well, he had good cause to be
if he saw what did this.
With this and those footprints
you can get a pretty
good idea the weight of
the thing that made 'em.
- Looks like you were right Doc.
- Partly.
But don't forget the vital part.
This creature may have
an affinity for man.
Something in common with ourselves.
Let's remember that,
before we start shooting.
- Sure, sure.
(Andrew screaming)
- Hey, is he getting delirious?
- [John] I'm afraid so.
- [Tom] You took care of his ankle.
- I did what I could,
but this isn't a hospital
and that's where he ought to be.
- Well give him another set of dope.
- No, he's had enough.
Alright, McNee, alright.
Go to sleep, old boy.
You're fine.
McNee, did you hear what I said?
McNee?
He's almost in a condition of trance.
- Trance?
- This is the way I found him
after the thing had been here.
- What are you getting at?
- [John] I'm not sure.
- You mean he's affected
by him in some way?
- It's not impossible,
if he were hypersensitive
to their presence.
- Their presence?
When he gets like this
they might be close?
- It's only a wild guess.
McNee, McNee.
The eyes.
McNee.
He's in a complete state of trance.
McNee, can you understand me?
Can you hear me, McNee?
His pulse.
(gun firing)
(animal groaning)
- Tom, I think...
There's something out there on the ice!
I got it, Tom!
I got it!
(ominous music)
Careful, Tom.
- [Tom] He's dead.
So that's it.
Really it.
The Abominable Snowman.
- The size of that body!
- Looks like you underestimated, doc!
Must be 10 feet.
Could be 11 feet high.
- [Ed] Yeah.
- That face.
(Yeti groaning)
- [Ed] There's more of them!
- They know.
- [Tom] Listen, we've got to
get this thing back to camp.
Between us we out to be able to manage.
Ed, get a rope and the sledge,
give me your gun.
- [Ed] Right.
(yeti groaning)
(door banging)
(ominous music)
(Kusang speaking foreign language)
- Foxy!
Foxy, wake up.
- What's the matter?
- The porter's come back!
- The porter?
- The one they took with them.
The man named Kusang.
- You must be dreaming!
- No, I'm not, I saw him in the courtyard.
He seemed exhausted and
could hardly stand up.
He's not there now.
They took him away.
He was there, Foxy.
They took him through that door.
I've got to know what this means.
- Helen, for heaven's sakes.
- I'm going to see the Lhama
- Helen, you'll never
see him at this hour.
You'll...
(ominous music)
(Helen screams)
- Drink this, drink it.
You've been frightened.
One of my servants found you wandering
in the secret part of the building.
- I was looking for you.
Kusang's come back.
- Kusang?
- The porter who went with
my husband and the others.
I saw him in the courtyard.
- You are mistaken.
- No, but I'm not mistaken.
I saw him, I tell you, in the courtyard.
- It was not Kusang.
- But I swear I saw--
- You are concerned for your husband.
- He's in danger, I'm sure of it.
- Danger?
Yes.
They are in danger.
All of them,
from their on actions.
- I don't understand you,
but you've got to help me do something.
Warn them, bring them back.
- [Lhama] I can do anything.
- Why?
- It is not possible to
bend the destiny of men.
The fate of your husband will
be governed by his own nature.
(Lhama clapping)
Mr. Fox, you will conduct this
lady back to her living quarters.
- I'm so sorry about this, sir.
Come along.
- Get me away.
- You're gonna be okay, now.
- [Helen] Get me away.
- Don't you realize the
hopelessness we're in?
- We've got to find him, Foxy.
- There's no way of telling
where they are by now.
- With three or four native
guides we have a chance.
- Native guys?
- I'll talk to the porters down there.
- You'll never persuade them to go,
not into those high valleys.
- [Helen] I think I can.
- Well suppose that the
Lhama forbids them to?
- Listen Foxy, they're waiting
for money, aren't they?
Well, I can give it to them.
- For heaven's sake, Helen,
you're not going to give them all that.
- I'll give them all I've got, Foxy.
- Alright, but let me handle it.
We don't want to overdo it.
There's one of them now.
Where are the others?
Well, call them for me.
Call them.
(male speaking foreign language)
(men shouting)
Alright.
All right, now I want all four porters.
Four porters and plenty of money.
Alright, now, wait, wait, wait.
- [Ed] Hey, Doc!
- Hark, the Harold angels.
- What's the matter now?
- [Ed] Doc!
Come down here!
- I'll come when I can!
They're noisy.
We'll transferring to the cave.
It'll give us protection
against heavy snows.
- Don't tell me Friend's
delaying here for my sake.
- Oh, no.
No, he's not satisfied
with the bag so far.
In a couple days this foot
of yours should be usable.
- Thanks to you.
Tell me, what does it look like?
- The dead one?
- Uh-huh.
- Well, you'll see.
It bears a lot of my guesses.
It's massive and its height
is about 10 foot five inches.
Weight 650 pounds,
age is difficult to assess--
- No, that's not what I mean.
Didn't you see what it looked like?
- The face?
Yes, but there's nothing apelike about it,
there's nothing human, either,
but I felt it had...
- Go on, go on.
- Sadness and there's probably
only a surface resemblance
at wisdom.
- [Tom] Rollason, we need you down here!
- How does it feel?
- Better.
- Look, try to ease the boot on slowly.
And I'll take these packs
down and come back for you.
- [Tom] Hold it there a bit, alright?
Doc, come around this side.
Let's see if we can get a
little more (speaks too low).
- Listen!
(yeti moaning)
(slow paced music)
Well, I'll get you down there now.
McNee.
McNee!
- What is it?
- He's gone.
- Gone?
- Yes, without this and without gloves.
- Up there, look!
- McNee!
McNee!
Watch out!
(McNee screaming)
(ominous music)
He must have hit a rock,
it would have been instantaneous.
- They killed him.
It was the sound of that howling.
He couldn't stand it.
It drove him mad.
- He failed because his foot was useless.
- They killed him!
(gun firing)
Ed, Ed are you alright?
What happened?
- I just got to it.
The gun Tom, I just got to it!
- What happened?
- They came at me!
Two of them!
You just don't know what it's like.
First two in the light, there, there.
- Here, take a drink.
- [John] But how did it happen?
- [Tom] Take it easy, Ed.
Go on.
- I just came of the cave
and these two came running towards me.
The size of them!
You wouldn't credit the
speed that they can move!
I got me gun--
- Yeah, I know!
You blasted off enough
to start an avalanche,
but you missed them.
- Yes, it was like this,
the sun was in my eyes and
I couldn't get organized!
Tom, they're after me.
They know it was me who
did that last night,
they're after me!
- They're after all of us!
They just killed McNee.
- What?
- Don't say that!
- [John] It was an accident.
- It's me next.
They know it was me.
Oh, don't worry, I've had this before.
Me and a grizzly once,
we ran a war for the whole winter.
I can handle it!
But we want to act, that's
what we're gonna do right now!
Hey, Tom, let's get some action!
Why do we just sit around?
We know they are up there!
Why don't we go up there and find them?
- Look, kid, I've got an idea.
You've had a lot of tough assignments.
Can you handle one more?
- That's what I want, yeah, action!
- Can you rig that steel net
up on the roof of that cave?
- Yeah, I guess so.
- So it'll trap anything
that might go in there?
- Yeah, I can do that.
What about springing the trap?
Who does that?
Oh I get it.
I do.
I'm in the back there
acting as bait, right?
- Right.
- You're a catcher, Tom.
Oh, sure I'll do it,
I told you that's what I wanted.
Let's get to work while
you still got me in mind.
- [Tom] Yeah, well, let's get it cleared.
- Give me a spade.
- Ah, here's one.
Why do you want a spade for?
Oh, yeah, Jock.
(ominous music)
- Foxy.
Foxy, a food container.
They've been here, we must go on.
- We damn hope not.
Come in, we're gonna camp here.
(speaking foreign language)
Listen, at the slightest encouragement
they'll all desert.
And this time, you'll never get them back.
(speaking foreign language)
- Tom, it's all fixed.
Come and look.
- Alright.
- Well, there she is.
One pull on this and the
whole thing comes down.
- You sure it'll work?
- Test it and try!
Nice work, eh, Doc?
- You know my feelings,
I don't like the idea,
your part in it least of all.
If you want my advice--
- Listen Doc, he doesn't need your advice.
He can pull out any time he wants to.
- Who wants to pull out?
- It's your business of course,
but actually the thought where
the miss can't be calculated.
- When that thing falls
anything underneath it
will be fully occupied.
That's Tungsten-steel with a break
and strain of 20,000 pounds.
The more it struggles,
the more the whole thing tightens on it.
An addition to which,
here you are, Ed, clean and loaded.
- Thanks, Tom.
Just in case I should need it.
- Just in case.
- Ah, you can trust me.
- I am trusting you with
this unique specimen when it shows up.
It's beginning to snow out there again.
Listen Ed, we'll keep you
covered from the tent,
check every half hour,
but the moment if anything
happens, you signal.
- You bet I'll signal.
- [Tom] Alright.
- [John] This is complete
madness Friend and you know it.
- [Tom] Relax, will ya?
He knows how to hold his fire.
(rustling winds)
(gun clanking)
- [Tom] Oh this blizzard!
- You can see the cave?
- [Tom] Yeah, so far.
- [John] You better call it off.
- Call it off?
This snow may be just the
thing they're waiting for.
- [John] That man's depending on it.
- If he gets in trouble,
I'm gonna help him.
Don't worry.
- [John] Friend, why not
settle for the one we've got?
- I've said no.
- You've cracked the mystery.
You've proved this creature
exists, settle for that.
- Take back a dead one?
- If we can.
- Uh-uh, have them pickle it
and write learned running reports,
take a skeleton in a museum and
call him something Rollason?
- I'm not looking for credit.
- No, not gonna be like that.
He's mine.
- Like the famous wolf children?
- Just the opposite, this is not fake,
That's why I'm not gonna give up.
I'm gonna prove to 'em I can
bring back the real thing.
- You can't drag this
down to a personal level.
It's far too important.
- Not to me.
- Listen, it's a long land creature.
It's strong, intelligent.
It may have powers we
haven't even developed.
It might have inherited the earth.
Something they keep hidden.
And here it is, the last vestige a species,
hiding away where nothing else will live.
Waiting in misery and
despair for final extinction.
I don't have to point the moral!
- Look, if they drop the H-bomb,
your descendents too
might end up in the ice.
- Did you see anything?
- Well, I thought...
No.
Let's have a cigarette.
(yeti growling)
(metal clanking)
- Tom!
(gun firing)
- [Tom] Ed, it's okay, we're coming!
Stop!
We can't see a thing!
Rollason, let's keep together.
Come on!
There it is!
Ripped to pieces!
Ed!
- He's dead.
- Dead?
Well, but...
How did they kill him?
- I can't find any mark.
It looks like a heart attack.
- His face.
- I think he died from shock.
- He didn't use the gun!
Why?
- Here--
- Just a minute!
The magazine's empty.
That's strange.
Each shell has been struck by the firing
but it didn't go off.
They didn't go off, Friend.
You loaded the gun.
What with?
Dummy ammunition?
- I didn't want another dead one.
I knew he'd fire even if the net held.
He was scared.
- What, did they beat at this?
The shotgun must have frightened them off.
I think that was all they wanted.
- You mean they went after Ed?
- No.
- But they killed him?
- No, they didn't, Friend.
You did.
(shovel clanking)
Think that will stop them?
- [Tom] It will give us a fighting chance
if they decide to attack.
- [John] If they do.
- So you think they won't, huh?
Let me tell you something.
We're not gonna take any
chances on losing that one.
Plus, I'm gonna do like you said, Doc.
Be satisfied with the one we've got.
- That decisions a little late.
- It's cold in here.
Want a drink, Doc?
- No, no thanks.
- Yeah we go to keep alert,
keep our circulation
up, be ready for them.
Gotta hit the first time.
There may not be a second chance.
What's on your mind?
- I wonder if they'll try.
- Try?
- They know you've got a
gun and what it can do.
- They knew Ed had a gun
and it didn't stop them.
- Bet they knew what you
knew about Shelley's gun.
- You mean they could...
Thought transfers?
Oh, don't give me that.
Let's get something straight Doc.
These are animals.
Dangerous killers.
And that's all they are.
- McNee died from an accident.
Shelley died of his own fear.
There is much out there that's dangerous.
So much as what's in us.
- What are you doing there?
- I'm wondering,
wondering how old that face is.
It's seen a long life,
longer than ours I should say.
100 years?
Perhaps more.
This isn't a face of a savage thing,
there's gentleness.
- Gentleness?
- Suppose they are not just
a pitiable remnant waiting to die out.
They're waiting yes,
but waiting for us to go.
- For mankind to die out?
- There's something the Lhama said,
about taking thought of man's successors.
I didn't understand then,
but suppose we are the savages?
- We're what?
Are you out of your mind, Doc?
- Perhaps then we'd be in the Dark Ages.
Protected ourselves too long.
Perhaps we are not Homo
Sapiens, thinking men,
but as our thinking brought us to.
But Homo Westerns.
They're the destroyer.
When the world knows
about these creatures,
they're destroyed, too.
And because we are men,
we can only be here to destroy them.
They must be aware of that.
- You mean we're the enemy huh?
- If they can deal with
us, their secret's kept.
It's our only chance of survival.
- Up here on the ice?
Survival for what?
- It's enough until
perhaps their time comes.
- Doc, you better have a drink.
- [John] We better have something to eat.
- That's a good idea, then
we'll take turns on watch.
Throw me something in those
self heating cans will you?
It's like living inside
of an iceberg here.
- One soup coming up.
- [Radio] And now short
weather forecasts in English
for our Himalayan climbing party.
First the Tom Friend expedition in
the Western Himalayas.
You are warned to return
to base immediately.
Abandoning all gear.
I repeat, abandon all gear and return.
- Friend.
- [Tom] Yeah?
- Where's the radio?
- Over there.
It's all smashed up.
- Smashed?
- If you were thinking
of trying to fix it,
you can forget it.
It's had it.
- Well didn't you hear?
- Hear what?
I told you that thing is wrecked.
- Friend, we must get out of here.
- What's the matter with you?
- Don't stop--
- We're gonna get out of here
when it's daylight and not before!
What is the matter with you?
Are you cracking up?
- Yeah, maybe that's it.
A touch of altitude sickness.
- Yeah, well, go get some
oxygen, right over there.
Alright, just turn the tap,
it's all ready for use.
- [John] I'll use it.
- I don't want you going sick on me.
Won't be easy managing
that sledge tomorrow.
All that new snow will
bound to make it unstable.
Feeling better?
- Yeah.
- It's gonna be tough going
we'll just have to get out
of the middle of this glacier
and just keep going.
That's all, keep going.
- [Ed] Help!
Help me!
- Ed.
- [Ed] Tom, help me!
Tom, help me!
- What's the matter with you?
Didn't you hear that?
- What can you hear?
- [Ed] Tom, help!
- It's Ed, I can hear
him yelling out there!
They got him!
- Stay here, wait!
- Ed, I can hear ya, I'm coming!
- Don't you understand?
That it isn't Shelley, it isn't anybody.
- But I can hear his voice!
- It's in your own mind!
It's just happened to me too!
- I've got to save him!
- Listen, Shelley's dead!
- [Tom] No, no, that's a mistake!
- Friend, you've got to understand!
- [Tom] Ed!
Ed, I'm coming!
- Friend!
- [Ed] Tom, help me!
- Ed!
Ed.
I don't understand, Ed!
Ed, where are ya?
Ed!
I'm here!
I came to help you, this time I mean it!
(gun firing)
- Friend!
Don't use the gun!
The snow!
- [Ed] Help, Tom, help me!
Help!
Help me!
- Ed, I can't see you!
(gun firing)
- Stop firing!
Come back!
(snow crumbling)
- Ed! Ed!
Where are you, Ed?
Where are you?
Where are you, Ed?
(earth rumbling)
(yeti groaning)
- [John] Friend!
Come back!
It's an avalanche!
Get under cover, quick!
Friend!
(ominous music)
(wood cracking)
(slow paced music)
(rustling winds)
(yeti moaning)
- Helen!
Helen! Helen!
Helen!
Here, wake up!
Grab one of these, follow me.
Come on, all of you!
(ominous music)
- John!
John!
- [Foxy] Helen!
- No!
- [Foxy] Helen! Helen!
- [Helen] Foxy!
Foxy please!
(bell donging)
(monks chanting)
- I'm sorry, this has been
for you a severe trial.
All your companions dead
in all these accidents.
And through all this sufferings,
you did not find what
you went out to seek?
- I'm afraid I was wrong.
- Wrong?
- What I was looking for does not exist.
- You are certain of that?
- Yes.
- There is no
Yeti.
(slow gentle music)