...and the lord, who has given us our grief...
With knowledge our ignorance of your mysterious ways...
We realize that we cannot always understand the need to remove a faithful husband...
From the bosom of a loving wife,
or a devoted father from the side of his only son.
Yet, let us not cling to the souls of the departed,
but rather embrace our fond memories of them.
And lord, we ask that you Grant us the wisdom...
To accept your goodness,
and the strength to allow
our loved ones to pass,
with peace, into your glorious kingdom.
Further, we ask that you guide mother and son...
Through the difficult times ahead.
Let the draw upon each other's strength,
as they follow the path you have chosen for them.
And protect them from the evils of the world...
Around us all.
Now' unto our God and father be the glory forever and ever,
Amen.Amen.
I want you to know we're prayin' for you. Thank you.
Joey? We're prayin' for you.
Laura, my thoughts are with you. Thank you.
I'm so sorry, honey.
Chin up, my boy.
Thank you.
You don't remember us, do you? Uncle Brad and aunt Margaret.
Be strong.
You know we're family.
Daddy' I don't know what else to do.
You promised it'd get better.
But it hasn't.
I'm really trying to think about what you said'
honest.
I keep trying real hard to believe that...
You are here' but it just makes me even sadder.
Dad, I miss you so much.
Stop! Please stop!
Huh?
Ah! Ah!
I must be dreaming.
Oh' no.
Dad!
Do it!
Everyone said that I'd have to get along without you.
But I knew you'd be back.
It was really crazy. All my toys started going mad!
And Charley started making these funny sounds.
It was kinda scary at first.
I had no idea it was you
Yeah' she's okay. She misses you too.
Well' Daddy,
there isn't much of anything more to tell.
Aunt Margaret left today. I thought she'd never leave.
I start school again next week. Too bad.
But maybe I'll make the basketball team this year.
Daddy, don't you be dead. Promise?
I really missed you. Oh, God!
You're never to do that again. Never!
Okay? Promise?
Yeah. All right.
I love you too, Daddy.
♪ Land of the pilgrim's pride ♪
♪ From every mountainside ♪
♪ Let freedom ring ♪
♪ My country, 'tis of thee ♪
♪ Sweet land of Liberty ♪
♪ Of thee I sing ♪♪
We were discussing Mr. Rooster yesterday.
And we have seen that he doesn't lay eggs.
Today, we're gonna discuss the ordinary chicken egg.
Which should answer any questions about which came first.
The chicken or the egg?
I hope you all brought your own.
Bernie. Bernie! Hey' check him out.
But in truth, it's quite hard. It can't be broken lengthwise.
Bobby, you just had lunch.
All right. Let me see it.
I don't think this is particularly amusing.
What if your father had died?
But he's not dead.
He talks to him on the telephone.
That's not funny.
That's what he told us. - Now, I want everyone to listen, carefully.
Joey loved his father. I'm sure he thinks about him a lot.
Maybe he doesn't want to believe that he'll never see him again.
That's why I don't think it's very nice of you all making fun of him.
Joey' where's your egg?
Did somebody take it?
- William. - Hmm?
Did you take it? Me? I didn't take it.
Bernie? Heck, no.
Michael? I didn't take it.
Sam? It wasn't me.
I want an answer.
who has Joey's egg?
I'm waiting.
Okay. If that's how you want it.
You are all staying after school.
Aww!
Quiet back there!
Hey! How's dad? - We want to get your dad's telephone number.
Pretty cruel joke.
The kids in his class have something against him.
He can't seem to make friends.
I've tried to talk to him' but with no success. I don't understand that.
I thought he'd got hold of himself, otherwise I wouldn't send him back to school.
He misses his father' that's what's troubling him.
Yes' I know. There's something else.
The other kids make fun of him for claiming to talk to his father on the phone.
Is that what they say? That's what Joey says.
So how was school today, Joey? Okay.
I guess some of the other kids were giving you a hard time.
They're a bunch of jerks.
You told them you could talk to Daddy on the phone.
I heard you myself the other night.
I can. Joey.
I know you miss him a lot.
I do too.
But maybe you shouldn't tell your friends about it.
They're in concert this weekend.
Hey, Virginia beach. If you had a little trouble...
Ringin' up your main squeeze last night, you weren't alone.
The whole phone system was flaked out for about a half...
The Virginia beach phone system experienced an unexplained breakdown last night...
Between the hours of 8:30 and 9:00 P.M.
Authorities have not yet been able to determine the cause of the problem.
Virginia beach weather for tomorrow, partly cloudy with little chance of precipitation...
Joey!
Charley! Come back here!
Scooter, where are you going?
Come on! We're not supposed to be up here
Scooter, did Charley go in there?
Come on, guys! We gotta get goin'!
Hurry!
Charley? Scooter?
Where are you?
What's that?
Joey?
Charley' be quiet.
Better than some old junk pile' isn't it?
Scooter?
Joey! Dinner's ready!
Woo-ooh!
Your dinner's probably moldy by now.
Ugh.
Don't make a face like that.
Hey, I was watching that.
First you eat your dinner' and then you go to bed.
Drink your milk.
- Do that again! - What?
What you just did!
Give it to me.
Now, do it again.
Oh' my God!
Who showed you that? Who taught you that trick? It's not a trick.
Of course it's a trick. Don't lie to me. Come on.
Do it again! No' not again.
Oh' please. I want to figure it out. You do it under the table, right?
Come on. I want you to do it.
It's really not a trick? Nope.
- How do you do it, then? - I just wish it.
You just... wish it?
And Daddy helps me.
Daddy?
You don't have to be afraid.
...I don't? I'll get it.
What's the matter? Come on, scooter.
All right. Stay.
Just a minute.
So you think that's your father on the telephone?
Well, it ain't. You're lying.
Watch.
Hey, what's goin' on?
Jonathan Fletcher was a famous ventriloquist of the 1920s,
whose act often involved the use of magic.
He was a stunning early success until the tragic death of his only son.
Returning to the stage... hey' what's going on? What do you want?
...he developed a new act, Fletcher and Fletcher.
But the frighteningly lifelike dolls scared most audiences.
It was rumored the doll was a black magic incarnation...
This is who you've been talking to, not your father.
What does he want from me? Tell me!
Disappeared from... -he wants to control you like he controlled me!
...leaving all questions unanswered.
I don't believe in you! Got it?
You don't want to listen to me?
Watch this.
Mommy!
Leave my mother alone!
Ha-ha-ha.
You have to leave her alone.
I hate you! Mommy!
Stop that!
What's the matter?
Joey lock you out?
What are you trying to do? Scare me to death?
Hey. What's the matter with you?
Why isn't the light on?
Huh? You're trembling.
There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm not afraid.
Of course not.
Were you on the phone again?
Joey, is something the matter?
Why was the phone in the hall?
Won't you tell me? I can't.
You can't? It's okay.
Everything is okay.
The data we've collected, indicates the source in a one-mile radius,
in the southeast part of the city.
Any ideas
on what's causing this interference?
Well, it could be any one of a number of things.
Possibly satellite interference from one of the economy long-distance phone services,
or some over modulated cable scrambling signal, or even...
It wasn't me. What do you mean?
What wasn't you?
Honest.
My God, Joey, why would you say something like that?
Would you please tell me what's going on now?
Promise you won't tell anybody else? No' of course not.
He's evil. He won't let me talk to Daddy.
How come you weren't in school today?
I'm not gonna go to school anymore.
- Too bad. - Hmm?
Too bad.
Why are you doing that?
Somebody has to.
In position.
Let's take a look.
What a wuss. See what he's doing.
He's burying something.
I wonder what. Quiet! They're coming.
Charley? Charley!
Where are you?
Charley?
Hey, there you are.
Charley, Sally's our friend. Hi, Charley.
How'd you do that? I didn't.
Get out of the bush.
He's talking to me?
Yeah, he is. He says he likes you.
He really didn't say that.
What do you think? You're funny.
Put that down.
Advance.
Charley! Better watch out.
Oh' no!
Charley, move out of the way! Charley!
Get out of the way!
- Yeah! - All right!
Oh' you animals!
Joe, you gonna call on your father?
Good shot.
What on earth is going on here?
It wasn't us. It was Joey.
How did you get in here?
Oh' excuse me. The door was open, and I...
Joey wasn't in school today' and I...
I just thought I'd stop by. - Yes, he said his throat was sore this morning'
so I thought it would be better he stay in bed!
I just saw him in the yard with some other kids.
Oh, what kids? Oh! Damn it.
Use this. Some kids from his class.
Have you thought about my suggestion? What suggestion?
Consulting a child psychologist.
Please forgive me, but maybe we should talk about it another time.
- I don't have any... - What's going on here?
I'd rather not talk about it.
Laura, denial of reality is a common thing...
With children Joey's age who've lost a parent.
What you're telling me now... this problem could be much more serious.
Do you really mean to say that Joey can communicate with the dead?
Of course not.
How does he say he talks to them?
Like I told you before, over a toy telephone.
What about the knives, Laura? How did that happen?
Joey says the dummy did it. I know it sounds crazy, but...
He found it somewhere and brought it home.
He says it's evil. It doesn't want him to talk to Peter...
And punishes him for trying.
How does he say he'll punish him? I don't know!
I asked him but he won't tell me.
- Come on. - Hmm?
Wait a minute.
I know I put the dummy down here. Dummy?
Yeah. I found it outside.
Oh, man, I'm dead meat! My brother's gonna kill me.
Maybe we should kidnap that wuss and make him pay. He was awesome.
One look and' pow! They were gone.
Just tell me how I'm going to explain to my brother where his new tanks are.
- Go ahead. Start crying. - You have it easy!
Maybe we ought to kidnap him and torture him. - Hey! I found a way in!
Too cool! Yeah!
Isn't this place condemned? Condemned?
My brother says it's haunted. If your brother's I.Q. Matched his weight'
he'd be a genius.
Damn, it's darker than a bat's behind. You oughta know.
I got a lighter. If it works.
I think I found some candles. Give me one.
Look at this. This would make a serious headquarters. - Yeah' serious.
Hey' you guys. Looks like the ceiling's gonna cave in.
Look! Here's some magic stuff!
- Must be old man Fletcher's. - Or his ghost's.
Joey, Martin will be staying for dinner.
Tell him to leave it alone!
Joey! What kind of behavior is that?
I was just looking at it.
Hello' Martin. Your plate' please. Oh!
Here. What about you?
My God, did you see that?
Don't let it ruin your appetite, Martin.
Well' Joey.
We've been having problems with our silverware lately.
Joey, stop that and start eating, please.
Your mother and I think that it would be best for you...
If you went back to school tomorrow.
- What do you think? - Joey' he asked you something.
I'm not goin' to school anymore.
You don't have to worry about the other kids.
You know, the best thing would be for you...
How should I put it?
To keep your little secrets for yourself.
I think what Martin is trying to say is'
"enough of your tricks."
Okay?
Will you promise us that?
Hmm?
Martin, your soup's getting cold.
Oh! I'm sorry.
Aah!
- What's happened? - He burned my hand.
Joey! What have you done
let's get you some water.
No' come over here! There.
I don't know what's gotten into him. Here.
I once read that such phenomena usually occur during puberty.
Right. Joey just turned nine.
It tried to tell me you weren't real.
That you were some evil ghost or something.
But I didn't believe it.
I found it up in that old house.
No, it won't bother us any more.
I buried it outside in the yard.
Well, she doesn't believe me either.
She thinks I'm making it all up.
I told her, and she said she wouldn't tell anyone.
Then she goes right ahead and tells him.
You know, my teacher from school.
I don't even want to go to school anymore.
They're all jerks. I hate them.
I really hate them.
Okay' if you say that...
He's probably out here.
Joey!
Mommy!
There's no use hiding.
Let me out!
Mommy!
Come on!
Aah!
What the hell?
- Where are you? - Laura!
Martin? What is it?
What's going on? I don't know.
Daddy?
Nobody's home!
- Why did you come back? - Watch.
Joey? Joey' are you in there?
Leave her alone!
Look out! Get out of the way! !
I hate you! I want to talk to my father!
I want to talk to my father now! Do you hear me?
All right, if you really think it's him!
I think I have some flashlights up here.
I want you to leave me alone!
- Listen to me then. - I won't believe in you.
Oh, yeah? We'll see.
Daddy?
- I'll call my dad. - Ah-ah-ah!
Let me down!
Stay' sucker!
Daddy! Daddy!
Martin' take this.
Mommy! Mommy!
I hate you!
I'm gonna get you!
Joey?
- I hate you! - Joey!
Turn it off!
I hate you!
I can't believe you!
Joey?
Are you all right, Joey?
He's blocked the door! Oh, God, what's happening?
Oh, Joey, open this door!
I don't know what to think.
Could what Joey's been saying all along be true? We really should get back.
All right.
Laura' I'm sure if you let me call in some professionals'
they'd have a logical explanation for this.
I don't know if I like the idea of having the house full of strangers.
These people are friends of mine, from the university.
Martin, I don't know... believe me. You'll never know they're there.
Let me through. Coming through.
All right. Come on, come on.
Are you authorized to come here? I'm looking for Dr. Hayden.
Be careful with that lamp. Give it to me, please.
Be careful! Excuse me!
Sorry. I didn't mean to.
Are you okay' Laura?
I don't know. I'm just trying to save what I can.
Hey. Hey, wait a minute!
Hold it' mister. You can't go in there.
Joey' look around. Everyone should be here.
And you see? Those people over there are from the phone company.
You gave them plenty of headaches lately, you know that?
And those people? They are colleagues of mine.
And they will be taping and evaluating everything we do.
Doctor Hayden? What's going on here?
Is this all necessary? I'm Ralph.
Don't worry. We have experience in these matters. We've got the house blocked off.
Wow, all that stuff, and the little twerp.
Is this for real? Somebody beat us.
Hey' look!
He's not gonna get out of it that easy.
We have to think of something.
To the headquarters, men.
Have you noticed any other changes in the boy recently?
No. No' I can't think of any. Scooter' get down from there!
- Any illnesses? No. No idea. No.
Oh, yes. A cold.
A cold? Hmm. A cold.
Dr. Helmestedt recording.
He'll be all right, Laura.
I hope it's not too uncomfortable. But it has to be' okay?
Now, the center of the interference was this house.
What happened? Your mother told me of your powers' Joey.
You may not believe me'
but I have had the pleasure of talking to people...
Who had the same kind of gifts as you.
People don't understand
they're afraid of them.
They find they are... Different, strange.
But they're not, really. They are a rare fortune for everyone.
These people are proof that death...
As we know it... Doesn't exist.
All right, men. As you know, the situation is very grave.
There is a wimp amongst us.
He is Joey Collins.
Now' it is our duty as citizens of this great land,
to rid ourselves of this menace.
We'll be storming the enemy base with one' single objective:
To capture the wimp.
Now, let's get one thing straight.
This battle isn't being fought for revenge.
It's being fought for honor.
We're gonna play a tape for you now.
And what you'll hear happened five days ago.
At exactly 8:35 P.M.
Start the tape, please.
All we need is some courage and determination from everyone.
Anyone who isn't with us all the way isn't with us at all.
Understood?
Bernie, you're in command of the left flank.
Robin and golden eagle' you're in command of the right.
My men and I will go straight through the center. Any questions?
- Ah! Dr. Hayden! - Uh-huh?
So what are you picking up? Something's off.
Okay, we're ready. You've got your orders.
All right, men. Let's move out.
And may the force be with us.
How did that happen?
I told you that'd cave in!
Dr. Hayden, take a look at this.
A tremendous increase in power.
Look out for those beams!
We've got to make a run for it! Head for the stairs!
No way!
We will break to compare data. Please stand by.
This could be a real breakthrough. We'll know in a moment.
Hey, little girl. This is no place to play. Joey!
I have to tell you something. I wouldn't worry.
He needs a rest. It's a secret.
Joey, come on!
As I told you' what we are recording...
Some kids are trapped in the Fletcher house. It's caving in.
Joey' you have to do something.
Can you use your powers?
Please. Do something. You have to!
Okay' but just one more time.
- What are you doing? - Betcha it's him.
He's gone!
We have to warn them!
Come on!
Hurry up, Avery. It's cavin' in!
Come on! Let's get this door open.
Joey, now?
Okay. Go for it!
Hey, maybe there's another staircase around. Ya think so?
I wouldn't go in there. Then you can stay behind.
Let's go!
Hey, wait for me!
Sally, this is where it caved in.
Do you see them? Look!
I hope they're okay.
So what do we do now?
We split up.
No' we can't go in here. We have to.
Joey!
We're never gonna get out of here. Come on!
What was that? Keep running, I don't want to find out!
Hey, wait up!
Where are you?
Uh?
Is someone in here?
You'll never believe what I saw! Wait.
I said it was a mistake. Now' we're really in trouble.
Come on. Shut up.
- I'm gettin' out of here! - Oh, wait for me!
Oh' it's you.
Did you find a way out? Yeah, that's why I was standing here.
Where are we? Anyone have an idea?
I wanna go home! Come on.
Come on. Let's go!
- My God' Martin. He must be somewhere. - Don't worry' Laura.
He probably did the most reasonable thing and just left.
But I promised him I'd get rid of them all.
Unit five reporting arrival on scene. Unit five out.
- Okay' keep looking. - Davis, come here.
What is it, Jake? We have a report of several other juveniles...
- Missing from the same area. - Try to calm 'em down. I'll check here.
Something's up. We just got news that other children are missing too.
- Get out of the way! - I'm trying!
I've had it. I can't go on anymore.
- Now' where are we? - We're never going to get out of here.
We're all going to die
Cut the crap!
- We have to get out. - Come on. We have to save 'em!
Yeah' but who'll save us?
Hey' quiet. Hear that?
Come on! Let's get out of here!
Shut up! Who's there?
Aw' that's all we need, the wuss.
Shut up' Bernie. Hey' good buddy.
- Wanna show us the way out? - There's no way out.
Who's got the dummy? What dummy?
Look at that.
This is it. We're all dead meat.
- What does it want? - We'd better make a run for it.
Stay. He's using our fears against us.
He hasn't got that power.
It's been a long time since someone...
Has ventured into this place.
By contacting your father and using the powers of this imaginary world,
you have allowed this evil one to play his tricks on you.
- I wouldn't listen to him. - Please. Tell him to leave us alone.
Who is it that you're talking to?
I cannot help you. It's your own doubts that hold you here.
You'll never get out of here if you listen to him.
I, like you, learned to use the powers of this world,
but I did not know the dangers.
An evil spirit took over my dummy and made me doubt my own power.
He has trapped me here ever since.
He says you're evil.
Who's the liar?
He's the liar' not me!
As long as you have any doubt,
the dummy can torment you.
But there is a place.
My will was not strong enough,
but you may still have a chance.
To free yourself, you must go to where your father really is,
where the dummy has no power.
Not this world, but beyond the door.
Can you see the door?
- No, don't go in there! - You'll never come back!
- Come back! - No' don't go in there!
He's a liar!
Joey! Joey! Don't go in there!
Daddy.
- Joey, come back! - No-o-o!
There he is. Oh, no.
Joey? Joey, can you hear me?
He's not moving. We have to help him. Hurry!
Keep his head up or I'll carry him myself.
Careful!
- Ellen! - Wait. Wait, wait.
Oh... come on. Let's go.
Mrs. Collins, we found Joey.
So what happened? What happened?
- I don't know. - I don't know.
Joey!
What happened? I don't know...
Get the barricade, will you?
Yeah, move it over here, quick.
Make room, please.
Hey, back off.
Please make room. Check the airway. Establish a breathing pattern.
Establish the blood pressure. Just one moment, please.
Prepare for an E.K.G. yes.
Start an I.V. of five percent ringer's lactate. Ready.
It was all shaking and rattling like crazy! Okay, then what happened?
The whole thing caved in! Whoom!
We had to run' and then we couldn't get out!
- Why couldn't you get out? - We just couldn't get out!
There were all these doors and a big monster...
With evil' yellow eyes!
What did you see? A hamburger!
It was at least as big as a mountain! At least!
A hamburger? Could've been a cheeseburger.
Come on. What did you see? Tell us. What?
- Okay. I saw him. - Him?
Who did you see? My hero.
Is he going to get well? Sure' he will.
Sally, tell me what happened.
I told him not to go in there' really.
But maybe he just didn't want to stay here.
Why do you say that?
The light was so beautiful.
What light are you talking about?
It was like the sun going up.
Barbara? Barbara.
Quiet' please.
The boy is dead.
We want to see him.
I know we were mean to you' but...
We're really sorry.
You didn't hold it against us. You still came to save us.
You would've made a darn good leader.
Laura.
I'm so sorry.
Perhaps' he's with his father now.
No' you can't go in there! Don't worry. It's only Joey.
Whee!
Whoo-hoo!
Oh!