- I have concerns. - It's common for them to watch pointlessly over their dead. - In terms of what is to be done with him. The truth is, we don't know how the social body will react. If he can even be integrated. Their conditioning makes them impulsive, erratic, dangerous. (DOOR OPENS) In the interest of stability, I would prefer to handle this myself. - Counsellor Marx is an Alpha Plus, same as you. - No, that's my point, not the same. - He's familiar to John. You see that? What he's doing there. It's called prayer. - I'm versed in their customs. I was warden of the Savage Lands for a time. - Not a custom. It's a communication. That's their belief. - They also believe in fate. And witches and whales, so... - Whales are real. Were. There was once a thing called God. - In moments like this, John it's very hard to know which colour Soma to... Green, I think. No? Well, maybe I'll just... I understand, John. You're burdened by these feelings of parental attachment. And you know, though it is a shameful thing to be a mother or a father... Well, it's intolerable. But no one blames you for being an offspring. That is not your fault. - Stop. - S... Stop, stop what? - Stop talking. - Why? Cos I have nothing to say to you. - Well, John, um... - Don't. - You should know you belong here. After all, you did make it through the barrier. Which was... which was... Well, it was surprising, wasn't it? Don't worry. It's my job to help you. No one is alone. (OPERATIC MUSIC) Captions by Able. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. - Don't you look nice. I sense you're still emotional. I have just the thing. Um, this way. (FAINT WHISPERS) You know, I find your silence to be, um... Well, it's intentional, isn't it? Is this your first time in a lift? There is nothing to be afraid of. - (INHALES SHARPLY) - What exactly is the concern? (DISPENSER CLICKS) Know what's strange? On the rocket, you seemed more at ease, when in fact you were much higher than we are now. - No. - Something that might interest you. This is New London's largest building. Not the tallest, mind you, but... - Stop. - The, um... the largest. (LIFT DINGS) - Hm. That was fast. (SOULFUL CHORAL MUSIC) - Coming soon, Savage Lands 2. Bigger, better, more Savage than ever. And somewhere else. I can't believe you got the last tour of the original Savage Lands. I heard they put on a whole big authentic riot to celebrate. New London was an absolute thrill while you were off doing whatnot with Bernard Marx. There's a new tropical simulation in the body district. Amazing. It's as if you can feel the water on your skin. I could take you. Course, we could actually go swimming, but what would be the fun in that? You still in bed? (SYNTHETIC BEEP) Mm. (CHIMES, WAVES CRASH) - There. - (SIGHS) - So, tell me... It was amazing, wasn't it? (CHUCKLES) - What are you doing? - What do you think I'm doing? I know when you want a little tickle. - Oh, not now. (CHUCKLES) You've always had the prettiest ears. - Not now. - What's up with you? - I don't know. After all that Savage fun, it's back to the real world. You missed me, didn't you? - Hello, there! My name's Anna and I want to welcome you to New London! In fact, we all do. We're here to help you transition from your primitive world of hardship and strife to ours, an evolved society of harmony and happiness. To experience all the wonders New London has to offer you'll need to be fitted with an optic interface. In addition to operating numerous environmental controls and entertainments your optic interface connects you to Indra. And Indra connects you to, well, everyone. With your OI, you'll always be connected. You can see through anyone's eyes... and they can look through yours, and see just how fabulous your life is. Your OI lets everyone know who you are and who they are to you. There's a place for you here, John. ALL: Hooray! We can't wait to meet you! - So, this is the one, huh? - This is John. John, this Beta is J... - Julian. Nice to meet you, John. Welcome to New London. - He's not speaking. - He doesn't speak? - No, he does. He's just... he's not. - I hear some of them are defective. - No, he's not defective. He's just... John's perfectly normal. Aren't you, John? - Are you sure this is safe? - Yes, it's safe. Why, just... Do your job. - Sure. Hold still. - It's all right. You'll thank me. - You just keep your eyes on the projection there. He can hear me, right? So, how'd you get stuck with this? - I was chosen. - Yikes. - It's a special assignment. I'm charged with John's care until... until he becomes part of the social body, I suppose. - Fun. - What? - Look this way. I'm just, uh... getting some measurements. - He's just getting some measurements, John. - DS392. We have this profile in the system. - We don't. He was conceived in the Savage way. We'll have to customise something. - His ocular dimensions, the, uh, bio-topical details of his target neurons... They're rare. Alpha. Alpha-Exotic, even. There's less than 1% but he is definitely... - He... he's not an Alpha. - Well, his eyeball is. - He's coming back. He's coming right back with just the thing to get your levels up where they belong. (DISPENSER CLICKS) You're choosing to be angry. Can't help your conditioning, John. None of us can. But, eventually... you'll learn to think like we do about these sorts of things. Endings. And I'll help you. You don't need to be unhappy. You don't want to talk to me? Fine. Fine. Well, you're gonna have to talk to someone, John. This is where you are. There is nowhere else. Uh, H-Henry? - Uh, where are you going? - Just give me one minute. I'll be right back. Henry! - There's no need to worry. The OI does all the work. Nothing is ever going to look the same again. - Fuck off! - You spoke. That... that's good. Um... (GROANS) (TENSE MUSIC) - (GASPS) What's his level? (WOMAN YELLS, GLASS SHATTERS) (DISPENSER CLICKS) (DISPENSER CLICKS) - Now, it's a fascinatingly complex machine, the... the autocar. It's quite a challenge. Um, but somehow, I found myself up to the task. - A task that somehow even a Savage could master. - Well, sure, but... What? - Who is he? What is he? Is he real? (CROWD CHATTERS) - Is it a Savage? (CROWD MUTTERS) Looks like it's Savage... - It's a Savage. (ELECTRICITY ZAPS) - Maintain contact with your Alpha. - Takes you back, doesn't it? - Mmm. - I remember my first correction. The smell of the singed little hairs on my arm. Once was enough for me. But not for you. I used to think you enjoyed it. And then I realised, you couldn't help it. It's just how you are. - How am I? - You know. You still get that look in your eye sometimes. Like when we were little. You'd go somewhere else in your head and then... zap! Ow. - Frannie, I'm sorry. I didn't... - No, it's nothing. Nothing happened. (DISPENSER CLICKS) So, I'll see you tonight at the feelie? (TENSE MUSIC) (TENSE MUSIC) (DISPENSER CLICKS) - You know what I like about you, Marx? - I'm very disappointed. I left him with a seemingly capable Beta. I really... - You always meet my expectations. - Well, not to worry, we can track him. He's sure to create emotional disturbances wherever he goes. - When I sent you to the Savage Lands, I thought you'd find your place. That maybe, for once in your life, you could fit. I wanted that for you, Bernard. - But you never quite follow through, do you? - Sir, I, uh` - You know, I had a thought once, that if I threw you off the precipice somehow, you'd find a way to not hit the water. - It's a matter of time, sir. I know John. I know how he thinks. - You should never have come back. - Well, I did come back, sir. So, it seems you made a mistake. - There are no mistakes. Well... perhaps one. - Now, you listen to m... (GRUNTS) (AMBIENT MUSIC) (DISPENSER CLICKS) (DISPENSER CLICKS) (ELECTRONIC MUSIC BUILDS) (LARM BEEPS, WORKERS GASP) (ALARM BEEPS) - You're lost. - My mother's dead. Who are you? - I'm here to help. - You all say that. - I'm different. I'm important. I'm not like the others. I can give you what you want. - You don't know what I want. - Course I do. We want the same thing. A way out. Yes? I was there when they brought you in, screaming for your mother. The word means nothing to them. Her death means nothing. What they've done to you is unconscionable. What they will do, you can't imagine. If you come with me now, you have a chance. - Come where? - John... there isn't much time. You don't belong here. - What are you doing? - Uh, nothing. Hi. How are you? - Is this a bad time? - Uh, no, no. I just... Sorry, I` I didn't think you were due another session until... - Oh. No, I'm not. I guess I... thought I'd come up here to talk. (CHUCKLES) - Oh! Um... Of course. Please. What shall we, um... what shall we talk about? - I haven't been myself. - Who have you been? - Was different there, wasn't it? - It's best not to think about it. - All I do is think about it. - Then you've come to the right place. How are your levels? - I want to think about it. It's like... it's like a piece of me got stuck there or a piece of it got stuck in me. I, um, I don't know. Do you ever wonder what would've happened if we'd never left that hotel room? - Yes. - We probably would've done like every Alpha and Beta. Just... gone on a tour. Orgy in the pool. Come back here. And nothing would be different. Soma, work, pleasure garden, feelie. - It can still be like that, Lenina. Cos... nothing has changed. - I did. - Nonsense. I'm gonna get you a yellow. - I'm trying to talk to you. I'm trying to tell... - And I` No, I'm listening. It's just you're not making much sense. - I was born a Beta Plus. I'll be a Beta Plus when the Soma man comes. I really don't choose anything. - It's chosen for you. That's the beauty of the system. - Don't do that! Don't be an Alpha right now. Just be... Bernard. - I really don't know what you mean when you say things like that. - You do. I know you do. When we were there, we both` - We're not there. We're here. And we are lucky to be alive, Lenina. So... - Where is he? How is he? - (SIGHS) Who? - Bernard. - He... Don't worry about him. - His mother died. - And? - Well, that matters. To them. - He's fine. - I want to talk to him. - I don't think that's a good idea. For either of you. - I think I liked you better there. - You're right. We never should've left the hotel room. I should never have let you talk me into it. - We both wanted` - Why did you come here? - Bernard! - What do you want me to say? Do you want me to validate this? Your... your solipsism? Your... Here's my recommendation. If you wanna go back to feeling like yourself, act like it. Take your Soma. Go to work. Go to the pleasure gardens. Do your duty. Do all the things you did before we went to that horrible place because... - (SIGHS) - ...because you were happy. - I wasn't, and neither were you. - Everybody's happy, unless they choose not to be. (DISPENSER CLICKS) (SIGHS) You think I'm weak. You think there's some part of me that's missing, you and everyone else. Well, you're right. We're not equal. Because I've had to make myself something more. I was shot, burned, hunted. (SCOFFS) You've no idea what I've lost. And yet, I'm... And yet I'm still here. What Alpha Plus has ever given more of himself for the social body? And that's who you try to banish? It can't be done. So, you see, the mistake was not mine, sir. It was yours. You think I'm weak. You think there's some part of me that's... (DISPENSER CLICKS) (SIGHS) Ah, who's being private now? (CURIOUS MUSIC) - Try not to draw attention. - I don't like the way they look at me. - You're a Savage. A curiosity. If I let them, they'll put you in a little box on display. Feed you pills until you can't remember who you are. Don't worry. We're going somewhere safe. Somewhere beautiful. - I just wanna get out of here. (WAVES CRASH) - What you see is an ocean. - Holy shit. - Here it comes. That flivver will take you to the last rocket. - To where? - To your home. (DISPENSER CLICKS) You wouldn't believe what I had to do to arrange it. There won't be another. Get in. Get in. - I can't go back. - There's no life for you here. - I go back, they'll kill me. - Not to your old life. You can be something new. There is more beyond the barrier than you can imagine. Wide open spaces. Roads leading... I don't know where they go, but they're beautiful. There are people out there. - How do you know that? - All Alphas go there. When we're young. - Don't lie to me. You're Warden of the Savage Lands? - It doesn't matter now. - It mattered to her. To my mum. You remember Linda. - Get in. - She'd get drunk every night trying to bring you back. She waited for you for years. Decades. - Get... in. - Get off of me! (GRUNTS) (PANTS) What happened? She always said you were coming back for us. You never even tried, did you? Did you? - I wanted her. And she wanted me. We were monogamous, and then... then she started to swell. We didn't know what was happening, how could we know? - She loved you. - I know. That's why she wanted me to go. - Bullshit. - There was no way for her to come back. She wouldn't leave you. There are no mothers here. No fathers. No sons. - There is now. - There can't be. Get in. John, wait! (AMBIENT MUSIC) - (PANTS) (TENSE ELECTRONIC MUSIC) (BREATHES HEAVILY) (MUSIC BUILDS) - ...he just keeps going on and on and on. He doesn't know when to stop and... Oh, Marx. - We have a problem. - Uh-huh. I guess we'll have to pick this up later. - See you later. - In the Savage way of conception, certain characteristics are passed down. - Whoa, Bernard. Hold on. Slow down. - Inherited from one of two genetic contributors... - Bernard. - What? - How are your levels? - My levels? No. Look! They're identical. This is The Director's and this is the Savage's. - What are you doing with The Director's optic? - He left it on his desk in his office. - And what were you doing in his office? - You're missing the point! - Bernard. Sit down. Please. - You have a better view. Oh, I doubt that. Can I offer you some hydration? - Yeah, sure. How well do you know The Director? - Ice? - No. Thank you. I've found him quite evasive lately. Private, even. - Bernard, I know you've always felt somewhat overlooked by our Director, for example. - You know it was him who sent me to the Savage Lands and not on holiday, but` - Yes. - Wait. You knew? - To tell you the truth, I thought it might do you some good. Bernard, I've always liked you, but... I know you don't mean to be destabilising. - Destabilising? Me? - (CLEARS THROAT) But I worry about how this appears. You raising these questions now given your personal feelings about The Director. - You're not listening. You` - And I know that you lost the Savage. Embarrassing. - That's got nothing to do with this. - So you see my concern. Bernard, if I wasn't hard on you, I wouldn't be doing my job. - (GASPS) Is that the Savage? - Yeah. (TENSE MUSIC BUILDS) (DISTANT CHEERS) (CROWD CHEERS) (LOUD CHEERS) (CROWD MOANS) - (YELLS) Get away from me! What are you doing? Stop it! Stop it! Get away from me! Stop! Get the fuck away from me! Get away from me! - Are you seeing this? - Yes. - Over a hundred feeds and counting. I do believe we've found your Savage. - Stop it! Get the fuck away from me! - He needs help. Why aren't they helping him? - Get the fuck away from me! - Oh my. - What is this? Stop it! - Where are you going? - Uh, he needs me. - Sit down, it's under control. There are counsellors en route. - I have to go. - Bernard, I'm concerned about your behaviour. - Absolutely. So am I. Thank you. - Absolutely. So am I. Thank you. - Bernard, I'm concerned about your behaviour. - Absolutely. So am I. Thank you. (BIRDS SING) (WAVES CRASH) (WATER TRICKLES) (BIRDS TWEET) (SIGHS) ('NATURAL BEAUTY' BY NEIL YOUNG PLAYS) # I heard a new-born baby cry # Through the night # I heard a perfect echo die # Into an anonymous wall of digital sound # Somewhere deep inside # Of my soul # A natural beauty should be preserved... # - What are you all looking at? What are you looking at! # Don't judge yourself too harsh... # - Fuck are you all looking at? - John! John! # Someday you might find your soul... # - Bernard. - John. John. Sorry... Can we get these people out the way, please? It's all right, John. It's all right, John. I'm here now. # Preserved like a monument # To nature... # - I wasn't expecting you. - I need you to do something for me. - What? - Be the same. You'll be the same as you were before. I'll be the same. We're the same. Do you understand? - I wanna see my mum. - What you saw in that theatre was fear. It defined them, the Savages. Their actions, customs, traditions obsessions, inventions. Fear was their undoing. He trusts you? - I'm the only person he knows here. - We're being tested, Counsellor. That's what this is. - Tested? - The system applies strain to itself. Indra introduces a destabilising element. To make itself stronger, more stable. - John? - He needs someone like you. To guide him. To bring him into the social body. - Well, how... You... you want me to condition him? - He's not the one being tested. Your Director's dead. - Dead? How? - He fell. - No, he didn't. Did he? I've seen it before. - Yes, you have, haven't you? - (SIGHS) Wh` what is happening? - We're at the beginning of something, Counsellor. Something necessary. This is our test. We will pass. - (SIGHS) - And you've just become important. (GENTLE MUSIC) (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC) - I don't want you to feel like this, John. I'm gonna help you. (DISPENSER CLICKS) - (SIGHS) (SIGHS) ('DRUGS WITH FRIENDS' BY CAR SEAT HEADREST PLAYS) # Drugs are better with # Friends are better friends are better with # Drugs are better drugs are better with # Friends are better friends are better with # Drugs are better drugs are better with # Friends are better friends are better with # Drugs are better drugs are better with # Friends are better friends are better with # Drugs are better than friends # Are better than drugs # Are better than friends # Are better than drugs # Are better with friends # Are better than # Drugs are better drugs are better with # Friends are better with... # Captions by Able.