About six months ago,
Jim Wheatley went south of the American continent
to search for a cave known as Cueva Muerte,
the Cave of the Dead.
He didn't return.
We're recalling this story
because today there was a new development
in this six month old mystery.
Today at International Airport, wealthy broker Dan Matthews
arrived home from his second trip
in search of the young explorer.
In this filmed interview, Mr. Matthews tells what he found.
This time I was able to trace Jim's travels
to the shores of the Caribbean.
I also ran across some evidence indicating
that this so-called Cave of the Dead actually exists.
I think Jim found that cave and he's still there
conceivably still alive.
I think I can find that cave,
least I intend to try.
Well all we can add to that is we don't wanna go along.
Do it again.
My hope is I haven't let the challenge
or the excitement override my logic.
Now right here by the edge of the sea.
Is it all right, Mrs. Matthews?
You can go, Higgs.
Pete.
It's good to see you.
Nevermind.
I can come to you.
I wanna see your husband.
He has some men with him right now.
Yeah, well I wanna see them too.
About the trip?
Yeah.
Pete, no.
Why not?
Dan's not gonna throw me out.
Besides, I'd like to meet them.
You know, walk and all.
Pete.
Pete, hasn't it been bad enough for you?
Don't make it worse.
Don't force them to turn you down in public.
Don't make it worse for yourself.
I want you to listen to this song
just as I heard it in the little cafe
on the shores of the Caribbean.
And afterwards, I want you to hear the meaning of the song
interpreted by an Indian
that I brought here for that purpose.
And then there was rays in the area
where legend is located, the Cave of Death.
'Course I may be grasping at straws,
but that's why I wanted your opinion.
Well Pete, it's been a long time.
Yeah, yeah.
How are you, Dan?
Listen, you're gonna need some help on this trip of yours
and I'd like to go along.
I wish you could.
Anyway, I'd like you to meet these men.
Dr. Willoughby of the museum, you remember Peter Morgan?
Peter Morgan?
That's a name all of us used to know.
And the traveller and lecturer, Mr. Trainer.
We've never met, but I remember Peter Morgan.
All of us remember.
Yeah, thanks very much for the remembrance.
Well c'mon out on the terrace, all of you.
Sit down please.
Please do.
Sit down, Pete.
Well doctor, Mr. Trainer, find yourself a seat.
Now Sir Lancelot is goin' to sing us a song,
apparently a normal Calypso song.
But there's something behind the words
if you listen closely enough.
All right, Sir Lancelot.
Thank you.
And now the young Indian
who's goin' to interpret the meaning of the song for us:
Raoul Koom.
Right up there, Raoul.
Come on.
Tell us what the song means.
I think it is better for me,
for you,
For all of you
if I do not.
This is what I brought you up here for.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
You know where that cave is, Raoul?
No cave, just a song.
Maybe, but I want you to take me to your village.
What are you afraid of?
There's no cave and I can't find it.
No, Mr. Matthews, 1 believe you're right.
It's possible that such a cave does exist.
I've never heard that song before,
but I know something about tribes from that area.
I've never associated their idea of a purgatory
with an actual cave,
yet most superstitions have some basis in fact.
Doctor, maybe that's why you never found an altar.
We didn't look in the cave.
Possible.
He's referring to the fact that these natives make,
let's say used to make human sacrifices to the god of death.
We often wondered where their altars were.
An altar in a cave.
It's possible.
You know anything about that, Raoul?
Just take me to the village.
That's all.
I take you.
Good.
Well don't think I'm not concerned about Raoul.
It's just that I'm more concerned about Gina's brother.
When you start interfering with native superstitions,
you better be concerned about yourself.
You're not going down there alone, are you?
Well my plans aren't completed yet.
Nobody should ever go down the cave alone.
Any cave.
You need professional help, Dan.
You know anybody better qualified?
No.
Except for one thing:
That leg still bothers you quite a bit, doesn't it?
Yeah, it does.
Why?
I think you gentlemen should know something.
Mr. Morgan's accident was my fault.
We were in a cave together and through my inexperience,
we got caught in a slide.
Mr. Morgan saved my life
but at considerable cost to himself.
You didn't have to say that now, did you?
We'll talk about it later, Pete.
All right.
I'll wait for you in there, 'kay?
Pete.
You're not being very fair to Dan.
He wants to help you, you know that.
Yeah?
How, by sendin' me more money so I can send it back to him?
I know how hard it's been for you to accept help.
He wants to be your friend and so do I.
Look, Gina.
I don't care about-
- I didn't turn from you, you know.
You turned from me,
from both of us.
All I want is to help find your brother
and prove I can still do the work I know best.
Dan owes me that.
No, no. I'm sorry.
Forget that part of it.
See, you need me on this trip.
You both do.
But you need my experience.
I think you're right, Pete.
We do need you,
both of us.
We want you to come along.
Thanks for volunteering.
Thank you.
Thanks very much.
Thanks, Dan.
Fine, well I guess that's all the information
you can give us
because I guess that's all you'll know when you got there.
Now if you'll just start walking toward the plane please.
Turn that thing off first.
Cut it, Ted.
Mr. Morgan, we'd like to get this story complete,
the facts just as they are.
You've got enough.
Can't use that much film anyway.
We can if you don't come back.
Is that your village, Raoul?
Yes, that is my village.
Juanita,
Juanita!
Well Raoul, you're home.
Don't you wanna get out and see your friends?
Who recognises?
Didn't they sing these things before?
Raoul Koom.
Americano, doctor
that way.
American doctor.
That sounds good to me.
Let's get over there.
What about Raoul?
I'll get him.
Raoul?
Raoul Koom?
All right, where is he?
Where's Raoul Koom?
Pete.
Pete, come back.
We better talk to that doctor before we start anything.
Fine.
Come in.
Where are you?
In the kitchen.
C'mon in.
Hello.
Americans here, why?
Well we we're looking for the doctor.
I'm Dr. Ramsey.
Oh, the natives can't cook.
I like fruit so I can it myself.
Dr. Ramsey, my name's Matthews.
This is my wife.
How do you do?
And Mr. Morgan.
Doctor.
We ran into a little trouble down in the village.
We have an Indian with us.
His name is Raoul Koom.
Raoul Koom?
I know him.
When we arrived there and he got outta the car
and well just disappeared.
We're afraid that something might've happened to him.
Can you help us?
Lino,
look into it.
What are you doing here in this tropical backwash?
Well we're looking for a young American
named Jim Wheatley.
Came down here about six months ago to explore a cave.
Nobody came here six months ago.
Nobody ever comes here.
Well how long have you been here, Doc?
15 years.
Forever.
To explore what?
Cave.
There's no cave around here.
Well we hear there is.
It's one of the natives talk about.
Cueva Muerte?
That one.
You lookin' for the Cueva Muerte?
Yes.
I can show you how to find that.
That's their purgatory.
You go this way.
So I came here.
Thank you.
A research man works where he finds his materials.
No thank you.
Materials?
Telephydic plants,
fungi,
bacteria,
the slime moulds.
We need them for the development of antibiotics.
And here I've been able to overcome an annoying time factor.
I found a remarkable fungus
that reproduces by binary fission
so rapidly under ideal conditions
you can actually see it grow.
Well?
Raoul Koom go.
He visit, he go.
But why would he just suddenly vanish?
Raoul Koom was in trouble.
I want to know what happened and I want to know why.
No trouble.
He visit, he go.
Lino's a good boy.
He wouldn't lie.
No Indian would lie to the man with the big magic.
I saved him from smallpox.
Oh, I merely
inoculated him,
but I did it with the mumbo jumbo they like.
Since then, I've been treated like a spiritual king
and I like it.
Makes my work easier.
Doctor.
Doctor, those names recognised our cave gear.
How do you explain that?
Your imagination.
They're just simple, friendly natives
unless you stir them up.
Isn't it true that these simple, friendly natives
make human sacrifices on the altar of their god of death?
Yes, they do that.
And isn't that altar in a cave?
No, it's out in the jungle.
But I've made some changes in that ceremony too.
Since I defeated the god of death, I now outrank him.
So when I hear the drums start the death ritual,
I go claim the victim
and send the poor soul away to a safe place.
And everybody's happy.
Only one I didn't send away.
Concha?
I know you're there, come in.
This is Concha,
my wife.
Hello Concha.
Now
that's a pretty dress.
Oh, you like?
I show you, yeah?
Okay.
Well it looks better on you.
You cripple?
Yeah.
Concha cripple once too.
It go away.
It go away?
No.
He no show now.
It no show now.
Concha, go start dinner.
These people are gonna stay a few days.
I no see it again.
Friends no see it.
What's happening?
You no like food?
Oh, it's just that I'm not very hungry right now.
Do you suppose
we could have some of Dr. Ramsey's canned fruit?
No.
I don't think the doctor would mind.
You want some fruit?
Yeah.
Well Doctor, what is it?
Drums.
Thanks very much.
I don't know what it is yet.
I told you these people could be dangerous
if you stir them up.
Stupid.
Pete.
Pete, stop him.
Leave her alone.
This is my wife, my home!
I don't like to see people hurt.
Please, it is right.
I drop jar.
It's my fault.
I asked her to get the fruit.
Let me clean it up.
Get away from it!
What's the matter?
It's nothing.
It's spoiled.
There's mold all over it.
I pick wrong jar.
I canned this food especially for the fungus.
I told you I work with all kinds of fungi.
Dr. Ramsey.
Let's get back to that village
and find out what's going on.
You coming?
No.
Why not?
Let's just say I don't like to walk.
Dan?
It's all right.
These are for you.
Take them.
You see?
We're your friends.
We're friends of Raoul Koom.
Where is he?
Go away.
Where's Raoul Koom?
Go away!
Not 'til I find that cave.
You know where it is.
Show us.
You know money, American money?
I'll give $200 to find that cave.
200
to anybody,
to you.
Will you show us?
Raoul Koom.
His tongue.
So the question is are the Indians lying to Ramsey
or is Ramsey lying to us?
You know, for a man who claims he's got so much power,
he was pretty scared when he ran outta here.
Maybe he doesn't outrank the god of death any longer, huh?
Pete?
We go now, yes? Before he come back?
Yeah.
That's my dress.
Oh, I took the Liberty of giving it to her
in return for a favour.
Concha's gonna take me to where I can hear the voices.
Aren't you?
Voices?
Yeah.
How far is it?
Not far.
You better stay here.
You probably had enough for one night.
Dan, you wanna come?
You didn't answer Gina.
What voices?
Voices of the souls in purgatory.
This the place?
So where do the voices come from?
Are they really voices?
Could they be some other sound?
How often do you hear 'em, Concha?
Sometimes.
You wait, you hear.
Maybe minute, maybe hour.
Maybe no voices tonight.
Dr. Ramsey?
Lino?
Oh, Dan.
Pete.
Well maybe we better get back.
Yeah.
Wait.
Maybe it didn't come from under the ground.
What do you think?
You mean can I explain it?
No.
Dan?
Dan!
Pete!
Dan!
Dan, Pete!
Dan?
Dan!
Dan,
look over there.
Lino!
Take it easy.
It's all right.
We have a collar.
I bring your knife.
Yeah, so I see.
That's Jim's knife.
It has his initials on it.
I gave it to him.
Knife prove Lino tell truth.
About what?
I take young man to cave.
He lose knife.
Well?
I take you to cave tonight,
now for $200.
Where's the cave?
Not far.
Must go now.
Indians sleep.
I have horses outside.
No.
What about Gina?
She's safe here.
Indians no come here.
Well one of 'em came here.
He no come back ever.
You can't go into the cave at night.
It's always night under the ground.
We've gotta go sometime, Gina.
This may be our only chance.
All right.
Must hurry.
We're about ready.
Just one more thing.
Pete.
Concha,
Lino's gonna take Mr. Matthews and me to the cave.
No.
Please no go.
Well we have to go.
I was wondering if you would look after Gina,
make sure she's all right.
Pete, you know it is wrong for you to go there.
You are no fool.
You know it is wrong.
Yeah, maybe.
Gina be all right.
Thank you.
Well where is it, Lino?
Back of bushes.
Or it could be bad underground.
Not raining yet.
Go, hurry.
You stay here.
I'll look.
All right, bring the gear.
Now watch it.
And Ramsey didn't know about their altar.
Didn't he?
Looks like it might be a little rough.
There's no bottom.
There's always a bottom.
Just depends on how deep it is.
Take this.
All right.
Drop it.
Think there's about
200 feet.
Well we can make it all right.
Just take all our ladder, that's all.
Well I'll set for Pete's.
All right.
Ready?
Go ahead.
I'll use the safety sling.
Now those rungs are close to the wall and they're slippery
so use the overlocking step.
All right, pull the belay off.
Belay is off.
You all right?
Yeah.
Take a look at this.
That.
Been here a long time.
Not all of 'em.
Well
let's go.
Looks like the passage continues on the other side.
Yeah, we can make it all right.
Lemme take your rope.
Now look where you're goin'.
Don't look down.
Big rock.
How's your leg?
I asked for this, didn't I?
Pretty big place, isn't it?
Yeah.
Why don't you look down there?
How 'bout this way?
Not enough here looks like that'd help me.
See anything?
No.
Pete, come here.
You think that's Jim's?
That's the kind he carried.
Looks like there was an opening here too.
It's covered by a slide.
You think Jim's still inside?
I hope we'll find out.
Dr. Ramsey, they've got to be warned.
They can be trapped by a flash flood underground.
I can only repeat: I don't know where the cave is.
Then find Lino.
I looked everywhere.
- Well couldn't you- - All right!
I'll look again.
Thank you.
Concha, what is it?
What are they doing?
They go crazy.
The angry gods bring song.
No go out!
You can do nothin' and I make promise you stay.
All right, c'mon out.
I'm gonna go in first.
You stay here 'til I tell you to follow.
- Pete. - Huh?
Now look, you're in charge.
No arguments.
A man can't be second all the time,
not when he was second choice with his wife.
I want Gina to know that I went in first.
All right.
Dan, you all right?
Yeah.
Hey Dan, get outta there.
There's water out here.
There's water in here too.
Rocks are covered with some kinda growth.
Hey Dan, get outta here!
Come on!
Pete!
Dan!
Dan.
Oh thank God.
Where's Dan?
He's trapped.
Is he alive?
I don't know.
What happened?
Well we
found this squeeze hole
that leads into a big cavern.
Dan went in.
There was a flash flood.
Whole opening's covered with water.
He went in alone?
Yeah.
He said he wanted to go in first.
Listen, I need the diving gear.
And I could use some help, Ramsey.
I'd be no help.
Well what about some of these Indians?
No.
No Indian go in that cave.
There's one who will: Lino.
Lino.
He came back and he'll do what I tell him.
He's strong.
All right, get him.
I'm going with you.
No, you're not.
- Pete. - I told you it was flooded.
You've been in enough caves to know what that means.
I can't stay up here while he's down there.
I've got to go with you.
All right.
What are those?
It's diving equipment and Gurney cams.
We're dragging it through narrow places.
Still raining?
It stopped, but it can start again.
Is he all right?
He's scared, but he does what he's told.
Don't you, Lino?
Well why'd you run out on us and take our horses with you?
I thought you would be in cave more long.
I would've brought horses back in morning.
Uh-huh, what's in the pack?
Food, tools for digging.
All right.
Go get the horses.
Take one of these with you.
Ready, Pete?
Yeah.
Oh, those Indians.
Think they'll try to stop us?
Not now.
They no stop you going into cave.
Let's go.
Go ahead.
All right.
Let's go.
The water's gone down.
You all right?
Is this it?
Yeah.
Path has been covered over, but we can clear it easy enough.
Come on gimme a hand, Lino.
Throw it on.
I don't know what we're gonna find in there,
but it could be bad.
I know.
I'll go through first.
You come next.
Gina, I want you to come last.
Now that clear?
I'll take my gear with me
and the torch.
If anything happens, don't come after me.
Get outta here and get plenty of help before you come back.
I got the rope.
Dan?
You ready back there?
Ready.
You better get your pack, Lino.
I'll take it.
You go next.
No, he said that you should go second.
No, you go.
All right.
I said Lino was to come first.
He wouldn't.
Get outta here!
Come on!
No!
There's not much
chance about getting out of here, is there?
Not the same way we came in.
But maybe Dr. Ramsey, he'll send help.
Ramsey sent Lino.
This is the cavern we heard those voices, isn't it?
Isn't it?
Pete.
- Pete, what's in here? - Gina.
What's happening in here?
Where's Dan?
- Gina! - What happened to Jim?
I'm sorry.
We'll find out.
C'mon.
Gina?
What?
Dan.
It's Gina.
Can't. Get out.
Dan, we've come back for you.
No, get out.
Jim?
Jim's dead.
Pete?
Pete, get her away from here.
They're all over.
They tried to kill me.
Who?
They're not human.
Who?
They're not human!
Gina,
that man was all covered with fungus.
It was the same kinda stuff
you found on those jars in Ramsey's kitchen.
What?
This cave's been filled with it.
You remember Ramsey said he claimed human sacrifices
and then sent 'em away?
Well this is where he sends 'em to experiment on.
Oh no.
Pete.
Pete, it's moving.
- It's alive. - Go away.
Gina, wait a minute.
You remember the one that chased you?
Well he couldn't have gotten out
the same way we came down here.
There's gotta be another entrance.
Where?
- The same way that fungus is coming in: Ramsey's house.
Look!
Gina, that's the way out.
What about Dan?
I don't know.
I think his back is broken.
It might kill him to move him.
We've got to get Ramsey to stop that fungus
and then come back for Dan.
I can't go without Dan.
Light all these torches.
They'll protect you for awhile.
Here.
I'll be back.
Open the door!
Ramsey!
Open this door!
Open it, Ramsey!
Now you stop that stuff or I'll kill ya.
Spreads like fire.
Nothing can stop it,
except the simplest thing in the world: Fresh air.
But you've already stopped it.
When you broke that door, you killed it.
It's still growing!
It's developed an immunity.
Now the air won't kill it.
But somethin's gotta stop it.
- What? - Nothing.
We can't let it out because we'll seal it in this cave,
otherwise it'll destroy the world.
There's explosives in that tunnel wall.
I'll set them off in my lab.
Wait a minute, my friends are in there!
Get them out first!
There's no time.
Even a little bit of this stuff gets out,
nothing will stop it.
Nothing.
You take one more step instead of help me,
I'll split your skull.
Concha,
you know how to set off the explosives in that tunnel?
Yes.
- Hurry. - No, you'll do it!
I'm gonna stay here and so is Ramsey.
That must be another way outta there.
Pete, no.
Set it off.
Set off the charge!
Go ahead!
Wait a minute,
this whole lot would come down on us any minute now.
Pete.
Dan.
Dan, it's Pete.
Pete.
It can't be stopped, can it?
No.
No, but at least it's sealed in here forever.
So are we sealed in here?
Dan.
Dan!
Gina.
Gina, we've got to go.
Sit down here.
That water may lead into the ocean.
I don't know, but it's worth a chance.
Anything.
Your boots.
Better start unlacing 'em.
All set?
Yeah, you ready?