Tom Atkins: Daniel Challis

Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Daniel Challis

Conal Cochran: Enjoy the horror-thon, Doctor, and don't forget to watch the big giveaway afterwards.
Daniel Challis: Why, Cochran, why?
Conal Cochran: Do I need a reason? Mr. Kupfer was right, you know. I do love a good joke, and this is the best ever: a joke on the children. But there's a better reason. You don't really know much about Halloween. You thought no further than the strange custom of having your children wear masks and go out begging for candy.
[pauses]
Conal Cochran: It was the start of the year in our old Celtic lands, and we'd be waiting in our houses of wattles and clay. The barriers would be down, you see, between the real and the unreal, and the dead might be looking in to sit by our fires of turf.
[pauses]
Conal Cochran: Halloween... the festival of Samhain! The last great one took place three thousand years ago, when the hills ran red with the blood of animals and children.
Daniel Challis: Sacrifices.
Conal Cochran: It was part of our world... our craft.
Daniel Challis: Witchcraft.
Conal Cochran: To us, it was a way of controlling our environment. It's not so different now... it's time again. In the end, we don't decide these things, you know; the planets do. They're in alignment, and it's time again. The world's going to change tonight, Doctor, I'm glad you'll be able to watch it. And... Happy Halloween.

Daniel Challis: [last lines; on the phone with the TV network; the Silver Shamrock commercial begins] If it goes on, it means the death of millions of people, everyone watching, don't you understand that? Well... well say it's a bomb then, say whatever you want, just get it off the air! Please, you jus... No, no I can't prove it, you gotta believe me! Believe me! Take it off the air now, please! You've got to, it...
Announcer: [the commercial is interrupted] Please excuse the interruption, we're having technical problems. Please stand by.
[kid changes channel. The commercial is interrupted]
Announcer: We are experiencing technical difficulties. Please stand by.
[kid changes channel again, the commercial plays and shows no signs of stopping]
Daniel Challis: The third channel, it's still on. Please, take off the third channel. The third channel, it's still running. Stop it, please, for God's sake, please stop it. There's no more time! Please stop it. Stop it now. Turn it off! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! STOP IT!

Daniel Challis: Maybe I ought to get another room.
Ellie Grimbridge: That would look sort of suspicious, wouldn't it?
Daniel Challis: What I mean is, if it'd make you more comfortable, I can sleep in the car... be a lot better than this floor, anyway.
Ellie Grimbridge: Where do you want to sleep, Dr. Challis?
Daniel Challis: [staring at her] That's a dumb question, Miss Grimbridge.

Daniel Challis: [walking through an alley, he bumps into Starker] Whoa, Jesus!
Starker: Mister-Mister, didn't mean to scare you. I saw that bottle, I thought it looked pretty heavy. I ain't got no diseases, you mind if I have a drink?
[Dan hands him the bottle; Starker takes a huge swig]
Starker: Mmm, aw damn. Thank you.

Daniel Challis: Teddy, do me another favor, will you? Find out everything you can about Conal Cochran. He runs Silver Shamrock, the Halloween mask people.
Teddy: Conal Cochran. Okay, but this is gonna cost you some serious dinners when you get back.
Daniel Challis: I'm always ready for dinner with you.
Teddy: Liar. Bye.

Buddy Kupfer: Hey Mr. Cochran, just what is the final processing?
Conal Cochran: Oh I assure you it's just a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Quality inspection, the seal of approval. You know, the usual. And of course, there's a lot of trade secrets.
Buddy Kupfer: Oh I'd sure like to take a look.
Conal Cochran: Aw sorry.
Daniel Challis: Not even a peek for your best salesman?
Buddy Kupfer: Just one little look?
Conal Cochran: Well you see, part of the final processing involves volatile chemicals. They're very dangerous. I wouldn't want to put anybody in any danger.
Buddy Kupfer: Oh sure, I understand.

Conal Cochran: [turns to see Dan] Aw, Mr. Chaliss.
Daniel Challis: Where's Ellie?
Conal Cochran: Mrs. "Smith"? I'm sure she's resting just now.
[Looks at his watch]
Conal Cochran: Didn't take you long to get here, Mr. Chaliss. DOCTOR Chaliss, I should say.

[about Grimbridge's attacker]
Daniel Challis: I've seen lots of people on drugs. The man was in complete control. He looked like a businessman!
Teddy: Well, he had to be one strong businessman, I can tell you that. You don't just pull someone's skull apart without a little lower-arm strength, know what I mean?

[as the Silver Shamrock commercial plays on TV]
Daniel Challis: Come on, come on, come on!
Charlie: [Changing the channel] What's the matter? Don't you have any Halloween spirit?
Daniel Challis: No!

Daniel Challis: This place is a zoo.
Ellie Grimbridge: I saw Cochrane, his car anyway.
Daniel Challis: And your old man stayed here on the 20th.
Ellie Grimbridge: I was right. We'll go down to the factory, we'll find out exactly...
Daniel Challis: Whoa, slow down! It's getting late. I could use a drink! Let's take our time.

Daniel Challis: [runs up to Walter, frantic and out of breath] Your phone, your phone! Where is it? Life and death!
Walter Jones: Hey, don't I know you?

Teddy: I'll see what I can do. No promises. I was always good at moonlighting, wasn't I?
Daniel Challis: Oh, the best. Hey do you still have that...?
Teddy: [laughs] Yes.

Ellie Grimbridge: [Entering a bar and approaching Dr. Challis] Hello, my name is Ellie Gimbridge.
Daniel Challis: I know, Dan Challis.
Ellie Grimbridge: I know, one of the nurses told me I could find you here.

Daniel Challis: I saw something that night... I don't know, your father came into the hospital. He- I thought he was crazy, out of his mind. He's hanging onto a Halloween mask, he wouldn't let it go... And what he said was, "They're gonna kill us all". And in a little while he was dead. And I don't know what the hell is going on!