"(eerie music playing)" "(eerie music continues)" "(slow heartbeat)" "?" "well, since my baby left me ?" "?" "i found a new place to dwell ?" "?" "it's down at the end of lonely street ?" "?" "at heartbreak hotel ?" "?" "well i've been ?" "?" "i've been so lonely baby ?" "?" "i've been so lonely ?" "?" "i've been so lonely i could die ?" "?" "although it's always crowded ?" "?" "you still can find some room ?" "?" "for broken-hearted lovers to cry away the blues ?" "?" "it'll be so lonely, baby ?" "?" "it'll be so lonely ?" "?" "they'll be so lonely they could die ?" "?" "the bellhop's tears keep flowing ?" "?" "the desk clerk's dressed in black ?" "?" "they've been so long on lonely street ?" "?" "they never, ever look back ?" "?" "they're so, they'll be so lonely, baby ?" "?" "well, they're so lonely ?" "?" "they'll be so lonely they could die ?" "?" "now, if your baby leaves you ?" "?" "and you have a tale to tell ?" "?" "well, just take a walk down lonely street ?" "?" "to heartbreak hotel ?" "?" "well, it'll, it'll be so lonely, baby ?" "?" "it'll be so lonely ?" "?" "it'll be so lonely, you could die. ?" "(song ends)" "(scattered applause) man:" "really nice." "you know, if i don't set foot in another hotel lounge till the day i die, it'll be too soon." "just once, maybe you could book me into a room that's got some people in it or something?" "for my birthday." "if i'm good?" "no sooner said than done." "pack your bags and say good-bye to dubuque." "you're headed for vegas." "vegas?" "as in las vegas?" "your license came through and i booked you into a small hotel on the strip." "they went crazy for your tape." "the manager says you look enough like elvis to be his twin brother." "i hope not." "his brother was born dead." "vegas just isn't my scene, sandra." "it's not caesar's palace, but it's a start." "it's a big break for you." "a big break?" "oh, come on, sandra." "vegas killed elvis." "we're talking sodom in the desert here." "showgirls, slots, and sleaze." "those shows are fine for wayne newton but i play rock and roll." "you do elvis imitations, gary." "they loved elvis in vegas." "yeah, they did." "they loved him to death, didn't they?" "i look like elvis." "i cannot help that." "but i don't have to make the same mistakes he did." "the man was the king of rock and roll." "and what happened to him?" "he wound up prancing around in a white suit handing out scarves to middle-aged housewives." "elvis gave me a scarf once." "elvis andyou?" "you never told me that." "i was 18." "he picked me out of a crowd." "took me up to his hotel room and talked to me for hours." "kept saying he wasn't the king." "somebody was after him." "crazy stuff." "he was pretty weird near the end." "paranoid." "i'll bet this took place in vegas." "that has nothing to do with it." "that has everything to do with it." "ten minutes after i hit that strip, they are gonna be fitting me for a white suit and asking me to sing "my way."" "not me, baby." "it has got to be rock and roll music if you want to dance with me." "i sweated blood to get you this chance, gary." "you walk out on it and you can keep walking." "i don't need this." "and i do?" "the music, sandra." "it was great music." "maybe so, but it's not your music, gary." "face it, you're not a musician, you're a nostalgia act." "exit one gary pitkin:" "singer, impersonator and restless subject of a dead king named elvis aron presley." "a frustrated young man, born 25 years too late who is about to find his own place to dwell down at the end of lonely street in a neighborhood called the twilight zone." "("maybelline" playing)" "(drunken singing)" "("maybelline" playing)" "(horn blowing)" "(drunken singing)" "listen, thanks for stopping." "i was just in an... elvis?" "you look just like elvis presley." "do i know you, mister?" "you all right?" "you look all shook up." "i... i was in an accident." "you want a ride or don't you?" "i got to get back to memphis." "memphis?" "i just... i guess memphis is as good a place as any." "are you a musician?" "yeah. i'm a..." "i'm a singer." "that must be nice." "i sing a little, too." "uh-huh." "that looks like a de soto!" "1954?" "hey, this is for real." "you're elvis presley." "you're really elvis presley!" "well, sure." "what a great dream!" "hey, wait a minute." "it's day after tomorrow, isn't it?" "that's when you go in to cut that record for sam phillips at sun." "how did you know about that?" "i know all kinds of things." "i could help you, elvis." "about time you got back, presley." "where you been, boy?" "i ran that stuff out to site two just like you said, mr. harris." "then i come straight back." "presley, we've told you we don't allow our drivers to pick up no hitchhikers." "you got a picture of a nigra on your undershirt?" "this time we'll let it pass, being it's family and all." "but no more riders." "i don't care if he is your brother." "yes, sir." "but he ain't my brother." "i ain't got no brother." "who are you, mister?" "where do you come from?" "i... i don't know." "i think i must have died or something." "well, you best be going." "i got work to do." "i don't want nothing to do with you." "you can turn your back on me, elvis, but you can't turn your back on your destiny!" "now you're talking crazy." "i don't have to listen to this just 'cause you look a little like me." "a little?" "i lookjustlike you." "i look exactly like you, don't i?" "aw, there's only one person who could look just like me." "you never said your name." "jesse?" "i don't care what you call me, elvis, but i am your brother." "you can believe that." "i'm the best brother you're ever going to have." "no, no. jesse died." "he died when i was born." "my mama told me." "i used to go to his grave and talk to him." "elvis, you believe in miracles." "flying saucers." "ghosts." "you believe in that stuff." "why?" "why did you come back?" "to help you." "you are going to be bigger than you can imagine." "a king." "there are going to be tours and gold records andthe ed sullivan show." "the ed sullivan show?" "yeah." "listen to me, elvis." "it ain't going to all be good." "there'll be some people who just want to use you." "there'll be drugs and scandals and liars and cheats, but it doesn't have to happen that way." "you got to come home with me, jesse, and see mama-- talk to her." "and... and daddy." "they'd be just crazy to see you, jesse." "i... i... i... i can't." "elvis, they wouldn't understand." "and you can't tell them." "why?" "why can't i tell mama?" "she'd be so happy." "because i didn't come back for mama." "i came back on account of you." "on account of your music." "maybe i should just go." "i... i thought that... i don't want to hurt anybody." "you can't just go and leave me, jesse." "not again. i need you." "you don't understand, elvis." "don't go, jesse." "tomorrow's the fourth." "this place is closed on account of the holiday. i got a key." "meet me here." "help me practice the song i'll sing for mr. phillips." "sing with you?" "yeah. i'd like that." "you and me together, jesse." "that's how it was meant to be." "as big as dean martin?" "you could say that. yeah." "i always dreamed of someday being like dean martin, you know?" "making all that money." "plenty of money." "you are going to make more money than you can possibly spend." "your music, elvis... your music is going to change everything." "well, i'd like to make enough to get mama a few nice things." "we... we never had much." "i'd like to take care of her." "going to get myself a car, too." "a brand-new one." "you are going to hand out cars like other people hand out sticks of gum." "you're going to be the king of rock 'n' roll." "rock and what?" "never mind. never mind." "i want to hear you play." "oh..." "(strums chord)" "?" "i love you because you understand, dear... ?" "no." "no, no, no." "no, no, no." "just forget that stuff." "that's not going to do it for you. trust me." "that stuff's going to sit there like an old dog on a summer day." "you got to grab them." "make them sit up and move." "wait. i'll show you." "yoo-hoo!" "?" "well, that's all right, mama ?" "?" "that's all right with you ?" "?" "that's all right, mama ?" "?" "just any way you do ?" "?" "but that's all right ?" "?" "that's all right ?" "?" "that's all right now, mama ?" "?" "any way you do ?" "?" "well, mama, she... ?" "no, jesse, cut that out. stop it." "what's wrong?" "i can't sing that song." "that's rock 'n' roll." ""that's all right, mama"-- the big boy cruddup tune." "you cut it tomorrow." "that's your first big hit, elvis." "it sounds trashy to me." "what will mama think if she sees me dancing like that?" "it don't hardly seem decent, jesse." "it's not supposed to be decent." "it's rock 'n' roll, you dumb son of a bitch." "nobody talks about my mama like that." "say anything about me, but nobody calls my mama that name." "whoa. i didn't call your mama a name." "i called you one." "i heard you." "trash about my mama." "that's all i've heard from you-- trash and lies." "you don't know what you're saying." "you need me to keep... why?" "why do i need you?" "i don't need you." "i'm going to be a big singing star." "you said so yourself." "i don't need you or your trashy music." "you said you were my brother, but that was just a lie." "you ain't my brother, and you ain't no friend of mine." "no, elvis, listen to me." "you got to listen to me." "you have to go in tomorrow prepared-- ready." "if you can't show those boys you can do" ""that's all right, mama,"" "there won't be any fame or money." "there may not even be any rock 'n' roll." "we are talking about music that is going to effect millions of people, elvis." "we can't let them down." "you. you can't let them down." "now i know who you are." "you're a devil, ain't you?" "you said you were dead, and you just come back to tempt me." "i listen to you and i'll be a big success." "i'll have girls, money, new cars, but i got to listen to you." "i got to play music your way." "it's some kind of devil's music, ain't it?" "elvis, rock 'n' roll is freedom." "it's joy. it's being young." "stay away from me, you." "you just stay away from me." "it's your music." "why can't you hear it?" "i'm leaving." "if you walk out, you'll throw it all away." "you'll be nothing. nothing." "a nobody." "a damn truck driver... stop it, elvis!" "i didn't mean anything." "stop it!" "(groans)" "elvis?" "elvis?" "get up." "get up, damn it." "oh, no." "oh, no, no, man, no." "you can't be dead." "you can't be dead." "who's going to be the king?" "who'll play the music?" "oh, god, elvis... i'd make it up to you if i knew how." "wait." "i'd do everything just the way you did." "i'd make your mama proud." "i'll get her a car." "a big one." "a caddy, just like you wanted." "hold on a second." "elvis, i was getting worried about you." "they're already in the studio." "uh... yeah, good." "nervous?" "yes, ma'am." "a little." "are we back to "ma'am"?" "last week, it was "miss casker."" "uh... uh... yeah." "i'm sorry." "miss casker." "i remember now." "i guess i am a little nervous." "well, there he is." "all right, kid, this is your session." "(guitar chords) you ever heard this?" "?" "well, that's all right, mama ?" "?" "that's all right with you ?" "?" "that's all right, mama ?" "?" "just any way you do ?" "?" "that's all right ?" "?" "that's all right ?" "?" "that's all right now, mama ?" "?" "any way you do ?" "hey, elvis." "what are you doing?" "i don't know." "i'm sorry, mr. phillips." "we were just having some fun." "i don't know what it is you're doing either." "but, whatever it is, keep doing it." "(guitar intro)" "?" "well, that's all right, mama ?" "?" "that's all right for you ?" "?" "that's all right, mama ?" "?" "just any way you do ?" "?" "but that's all right ?" "?" "that's all right ?" "?" "that's all right now, mama ?" "?" "any way you do ?" "?" "well, mama she done told me ?" "?" "papa done told me too ?" "?" "son, that gal you're fooling with ?" "?" "she ain't no good for you ?" "?" "that's all right ?" "?" "that's all right ?" "?" "that's all right now, mama ?" "?" "any way you do... ?" "his mama knew, i think." "i was good, but not that good." "she knew her boy was dead." "maybe that's part of what killed her." "after she was gone, it was a lot easier." "the rest of them believed it all." "maybe they wanted to believe." "maybe they needed to believe." "sometimes i wake up, i believe it myself." "i've been him longer than i was me." "sometimes i wonder if it would have come out differently if i hadn't stolen his life." "what if he'd lived to do it his way?" "maybe he would have been a better king than me." "maybe there would have been no king at all." "i get headaches thinking about it." "i get these terrible dreams." "he won't leave me alone." "i talk to him all the time." "he says i still owe him." "it won't be much longer now." "it's been a long show." "?" "but now the end is near... ?" "at least i had the music." "nobody can ever take that away from me." "i tried to do it all the way i remember." "the way he would have liked it-- to make it up to him." "i did the movies-- he would have liked that." "he would have liked vegas, too. the ballads." "it's never enough, is it?" "it's never enough." "i have to live it all." "you're just tired, elvis." "don't worry." "no one will ever take your place." "you're the king." "you're the only king." "yeah, sometimes, i think so, too." "is there anything i can do for you?" "you look so sad." "no, baby, you just be yourself." "that's all i could ever ask from you." "(knocking) you have to be you." "i got to get ready now, baby." "but i got something for you." "for me?" "oh... elvis." "i'll never forget this." "i got to tell my girlfriends." "they'll just die." "i love you, elvis." "a round of hollow applause for gary pitkin, who tried to pay a blood debt in sequins and "b" movies, and discovered, to his sorrow, that sometimes you're called back for one encore too many" "in the twilight zone." "?" "are you lonesome tonight?" "?" "?" "do you miss me tonight?" "?" "?" "are you sorry we drifted apart?" "?" "?" "does your memory stray ?" "?" "to a bright summer day ?" "?" "when i kissed you ?" "?" "and called you sweetheart?" "?" "(theme music playing)" "urgh!" "adam." "you're early." "that rolex keeps slipping off my paw." "margaret, walk me to my car?" "sure." "it's hard sometimes, isn't it, hon?" "i used to be able to... to picture it." "holding hands with someone." "sitting close to him in a movie." "even making... i can't picture it anymore." "i can't even hold the image in my mind longer than a second or two." "give it time." "i don't know what else to say." "nothing to say, really." "give you a lift to the bus stop." "nah. no, thanks." "i'm just going to walk for a while." "see you tomorrow." "(television audio) it's after 10:00." "where you been?" "i went for a walk on the beach, mama." "how many times i have to tell you?" "it's not respectable." "young girl walking on the beach all alone, by herself." "i'm not that young, mama." "i know." "a girl your age should be married." "it's not respectable, living at home." "a girl your age." "we can't all be as respectable as you, mama." "tv announcer:" "i'm hank charles with a special beach edition ofi love l.a." "summer's here." "where to go and what to do?" "we've got the answers." "so suit up, wet down, and stay tuned asi love l.a. goes to the beach." "hey, look!" "get some tape here." "what's going on?" "what is it?" "it's coming this way!" "are you all right?" "can you speak?" "it spoke to me." "it spoke to me." "what did it say?" "it spoke to me." "i told you, i'm fine." "you can't keep me here." "if i don't want to stay." "the doctors say it didn't hurt me, and i've been telling you that all day." "now, the doctors say so, too, so there's no reason to keep me here." "why don't you just let me go home?" "listen to me." "you're upset." "you have every right to be." "it's all right to be upset." "you've been through a very traumatic experience." "you don't know what i've been through." "you just don't know." "you all think it's some new weapon or some alien technology, but it wasn't any of those things." "you're right." "i don't know." "so how about you tell me?" "how do you know the message was meant for you?" "the message was for me." "the saucer searched for the right person to tell, and it chose me." "how?" "explain it to me." "i don't have to explain anything to you." "i haven't broken any laws." "you can't keep me here if i don't want to stay." "i'm not sick." "i'm not hurt." "i didn't even have to tell you my name." "reporter:" "here she comes." "there she is!" "tell us about the flying saucer." "what did they say?" "leave me alone!" "did it really speak to you?" "there's no invasion." "it was a private message." "what did they say to you?" "we'll give you $10,000 cash... speculation continues to mount regarding the mysterious spacecraft-- or saucer, as it is being popularly called-- confiscated in los angeles three days ago." "when cut open for lab tests, the vessel was revealed to be empty, no mechanisms whatever to account for its flight." "theories range from some sort of plasma propulsion which, once exhausted, simply evaporated, to speculation the entire incident was merely a hoax-- though that fails to account for the mysterious alloy of the saucer's hull." "engineers at the jet propulsion laboratory in pasadena think there might be another answer." "we'll have that for you when thechannel 6 news continues." "you know what they're saying?" "they're saying you're a traitor-- a spy-- 'cause you won't tell." "the neighbors think we got little green men hiding in the bathroom." "it was a private message." "there's nothing to be afraid of." "it's bad enough no man will take you, you got to get yourself in the papers." "you got to shame your mother!" "what you really mean is it's not respectable." "you get out." "take your things and get the hell out of here!" "i'm putting my maiden name back on the mailbox so nobody will know we're related." "get out!" "i'd like a room, please." "single?" "that's fine." "i'll need a $40 deposit." "sign here." "hey, aren't you the woman i saw...?" "no, i'm not." "i'm not anybody." "he spoke to you, didn't he?" "please... leave me alone." "jesus came down and spoke to you, didn't he?" "stop!" "can't you just let me be?" "look at my son." "he heard jesus speak." "please, this isn't fair." "jesus speaks to him all the time." "please heal him." "please, stop!" "please!" "please!" "there's nothing i can do." "it wasn't jesus." "please, it's god's will that you are here and we are here." "you must help him!" "please!" "god will never forgive you!" "he's only a child." "please heal him!" "can i get you anything else?" "no, thank you." "it was delicious though." "would you be interested in having dinner with me tonight?" "i'd like that." "great." "7:00 okay?" "that will be fine." "margaret, where do you live?" "see you at 7:00." "thank you." "(laughing) something funny?" "i used to dream about doing this." "holding the wine glass with both hands and peeping over the rim at some man." "it sounds silly." "no, not to me." "you've been through a lot lately, haven't you, with the newspapers and tv?" "they just won't leave me alone." "they want to know what it said." "even before all this, i used to notice you when i came into the cafe." "you did?" "yeah, i did." "so, what did it say?" "it was private." "you can tell me." "please don't ask me that again." "i'm not going to take it to the papers." "it might be good to get it off your chest." "excuse me, i'm not feeling very well." "margaret, wait." "hold on, margaret." "what's the harm?" "damn you!" "damn you all!" "i hate you!" "no, wait!" "please!" "please!" "let me go!" "i got you." "no!" "let go!" "you saved me." "are you okay?" "you know who i am, don't you?" "you want to know what the saucer said." "i already know that." ""there is, in certain living souls," ""a loneliness unspeakable" ""so great it must be shared" ""as company is shared by lesser beings." ""such a loneliness is mine." ""and know by this" ""that, in immensity, there's one lonelier than you."" "it's addressed "to the loneliest one."" "how did you know?" "it's what you put in the bottles." "it was the only thing in my life i could call my own." "the only thing i could give to anybody." "i just couldn't take it anymore." "i'd throw a bottle into the sea and out went a part of my own loneliness." "i found it." "it made a difference." "it really did." "when i read it, i knew somehow this was connected to the saucer." "and when i read the words, it was like a song." "i'm not explaining this right." "no, it's fine." "people thought the saucer was a ship or a weapon, but it wasn't." "it was a bottle with a message inside." "only it had a bigger ocean to cross-- all of space-- and without much chance of anybody finding it." "but still, someone sent it out." "something i don't understand... i'm not the most good-looking guy, but you... you're beautiful." "those words were my words." "they're what i wrote." "but that's not what the saucer said-- exactly." "this is." "give me your hands." "message found in a bottle, sender unknown, still alive or long dead?" "the last of his species or a traveler marooned on alien shores?" "perhaps, in the end, all that matters is this:" "that even to loneliness there is an end." "and for those who are lonely enough long enough, a message cast adrift on the darkest beaches of the twilight zone."