Park Is Mine, The (1985)

Unit 7-3-6, unit 7-3-6.
Assistance requested,
veterans hospital.
Possible attempted suicide.
Patient on roof of cancer wing.
I.D.--Johnson, Michael.
Male, Caucasian.
Age 36.
Officers at site
request backup units.
Please respond. Over.
This is unit 7-3-6.
We are on our way.
...And veteran, Michael Johnson,
has been threatening to jump
for over an hour.
- Press. Thank you.
- Excuse me.
Damn, the network
news is here first.
Stay there!
Why don't you hear me?
I'm so damn tired.
What the hell is wrong with you?
Can't you people leave
anything alone?
I'm just doing' my job,
officer.
Yeah? Well do it somewhere else.
You've done enough here.
We don't know
what it is that drives a man
to take his own life.
We only know that each of us
deals with his private demons
as best he can.
We all hope that Mike
has found the peace
and solace that he sought.
God knows he looked for it
long enough.
Let us pray.
Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff--
they comfort me.
Hey, Mr. Garnett.
Got a letter for you.
Guess you're surprised as hell
to hear from me, eh, Mitch?
I'm dead.
Yeah. If I didn't
screw it up again.
Don't feel bad
about it, man.
I...Was just trying
to make a statement.
It's not what I had
originally planned,
but...
Well, my time
was running out.
Look, Mitch, it'll
make it easier to understand
what I have to say
if you go to my special place.
Use the key at this address.
I had this plan
to make people listen.
Holy...Shit.
Mitch, I'm writing you, my man,
'cause you're the only
one I could trust.
Hell, I always said you
was as crazy as me, anyway.
Before veterans' day, I was
gonna take over Central Park.
It can be done.
I worked it out.
It's all on the map.
I found a section
of an abandoned sewer system.
It's my supply dump.
It's where I planned
to operate from.
Everything
you'll need is here.
There's a list detailing
my entire plan
in a brown gunnysack
behind the AK-47s...
If you wanna study it.
Most of the explosives
are already laid...
Over the entire park.
It was like a big game--
to see if I could do it
without getting' caught.
Took me most of a year,
sneaking' in nights,
to lay the stuff.
Got mugged twice.
Can you believe it?
Mugging a vet.
No respect, man.
None.
I stashed shit everywhere.
Careful. The clips with the
red tape are live ammunition.
Clips with the yellow tape
are blanks.
Most of the other stuff's
non-lethal--
big bang, lots of smoke--
you know the kind of thing.
I didn't wanna
kill no one. Just...
Get their attention.
Just for once.
Got real tough
the last few weeks.
That cancer really knocks
the shit out of you, man.
Maybe it was the chemo.
I keep thinking the cure
is worse than the disease.
Anyway...
I know I'd never be able
to go through with it.
Just too weak.
Hey, you!
What are you
doing in there?
Nothing.
Just looking around.
Come here.
You wouldn't be
taking junk in there, would ya?
No! Told ya,
I wasn't doing nothing.
What'd you put
in your back pocket, then?
Nothing. Map.
This map.
I love New York.
I want you out of the park.
What are you hassling' me for?
I told you I didn't do nothing.
God damn it, don't treat me like
I'm some kind of fucking junkie.
- I'm a vet.
- I want you out of the park now.
So get going.
Yes, sir.
It's up to you, Mitch.
All the stuff's laid.
Just needs to be
wired up, is all.
Set the timers...
Do what you want with it.
It would be a real hell of a
thing, though, wouldn't it?
Attention would be paid.
You're a good friend,
my man...
The best.
I just couldn't
hack it anymore.
Later.
What do you want?
I told you I didn't want to see you.
How do I not come by to
see my own wife and kid?
Cut the bullshit, Mitch.
You know it always irritated me
when you talked dirty like that?
- I wanna talk to my son.
- He's sleeping.
How come every God damn time I come
by here, you tell me he's sleeping?!
Because every God damn time
you come by here, it's late.
Bullshit!
You're two months behind.
I sent you what I could.
I've only had a job for two weeks.
I have not received
any money from you
for over two months.
I sent you the money...
Yesterday.
Oh yeah. Like the check's
in the mail, right?
Look, I-I-I don't wanna
keep going over this with you
no more.
All I am asking' now
is now that you got a steady job,
you just send some money to
help support me and your son.
I told you
I sent you the money.
A-and you're gonna
keep sending it?
E-every week?
Right, Mitch?
Send you what I can.
Y-you do still
have that job?
It was a bullshit job.
I hated those people.
The boss kept calling me
"the okie from muskogee."
Oh, Mitch, when are you
gonna grow up?
This--this just
keeps going on and on.
Yeah. Yeah.
But if you'd have had a little
bit more respect for me,
things could've
been different.
Now I'm getting'
sick and tired
of hearing
what a loser I am...
Especially from you!
Well then why in God's name don't
you just do something about it?
Hey!
What are you doing in here?
We were just going through
to the West Side.
There are thugs, and muggers, and
creeps in this park at night!
You don't bring a lady
in this park at night!
- Where you from?
- Duluth.
Come here, Duluth.
Let go.
Got change for a dollar?
I gotta use the telephone.
Uh...
I-I got about 80 cents.
72nd street.
City hall, officer Balkan.
I want you to listen hard.
I have a message
for New York City:
As of right now,
Central Park is mine.
- Who is this?
- You better listen to me.
I have set a series
of explosions
around the 86th street
station house.
The first three
will blow up the yard
at 10 P.M.
After that, you will
have ten minutes to evacuate,
or else I'm gonna blow up
the station house.
I don't want anybody
to get hurt.
It is very important.
And nobody will get hurt
if we do everything
my way.
I'll have more
to say to you later.
Wait a minute. Don't--
I'm gonna let it shine
let it shine, whoa, shine
let it shine
God, it is so boring. It is
so quiet out here tonight.
Oh, that's for sure. Nobody's
been killed for at least an hour.
Check out the frequency
for the precinct...
Oh, all right, all right.
What is he doing? He's stopping!
E.M.S. 1-2-1, please respond
to the 2-2 station house.
We have a standby
with the bomb squad.
Do you know
your location, K?
That's affirmed, K.
Your time out
is 21-55. Your I.D. Number,
9-2-7 dash 6-4-2.
Operator 2-4-2.
- Did you hear that?
- Yeah!
How could that be?
The dispatch has a bomb squad
responding to the precinct
station itself.
Let's check it out.
Well,
Mike old buddy, this is is.
I hope you knew
what you were doing.
If it doesn't work, well hell,
it just wasn't meant to be.
And I'll just walk the hell
right out of here.
If it blows...
It blows.
It looks pretty quiet to me.
- Yeah. Probably some nutcase.
- Oh, yeah.
- Oh,Shit! Jesus Christ!
- What the hell was that?!
- I don't know.
- Get the hell out of here, man.
Oh, my God! Someone's
bombing the precinct house!
...those prisoners
out of there!
Move, move, move!
Come on, you guys!
No stalling! No stalling!
Check that building!
Get everybody out of there!
Check the cells, Johnson!
All right!
All right. Looks like
we're the first ones here.
Come on! Come on!
What's the matter with you? Don't
you see we're standing there?
Get this cab-- there's an
emergency in the park, man!
You got five seconds
to back this cab up--
Five seconds?
Do you think I'm a goddamned--
Are you listening to me?
- We're gonna slide right in.
- Five seconds!
Four seconds!
All right, let's go!
There's an emergency in the park!
God!
Look at those--
yeah, well--
Hey, what are you
doing over there?!
- Come on! Get out of here! Come on!
- Hold on!
Get the hell out of here!
Let's go!
Go on! Get out of here!
Jesus!
This is great!
Get down!
This is too good.
Look at him. He's--
I'm okay.
Cease fire! Cease fire!
Hold your fire!
Stop shooting!
- Cease fire!
- Cease fire!
Get out of there!
Let's go! Move out!
Vacate it!
Get out of here!
Come on! Move it!
City hall, officer Balkan.
Are you the one I talked to
about the park?
Yes, sir.
You certainly did.
Did I get your attention?
You certainly did.
You got everyone's attention.
Now you listen carefully. I know all
of these telephone calls are taped.
Here's what I want:
I want everybody to stay
out of Central Park...
72 hours.
That's all I'm asking.
I have set explosive
booby-traps all over the park,
and I personally
am everywhere.
So let's not have any
stupid mistakes, okay?
I'll, uh, pass it on, sir.
You do that.
People be hearing from me soon.
It's all gonna make sense.
Commissioner Keller.
Frank.
You know Curran, here, borough
commander, Manhattan north.
Frank Eubanks.
- And you've met Juliano of the 22nd.
- Chief.
Tough night.
This is an emergency.
Please stay indoors. Stay off
the street around the park.
Stay away from windows
facing the park.
For more information, tune to local
radio and television stations.
Mr. Dix, are there
terrorists in Central Park?
Mr. Dix, can I ask you
some questions, please?
Hostages? Ransom note?
What are the mayor's plans?
Is he planning on cutting
his tour of China short?
No, no,
there's no need for that.
Look--the mayor
has an excellent staff.
This department has contingency
plans for terrorist-type attacks.
Mr. Dix, what are those
contingency plans?
I'm sorry. I can't answer
any more questions.
Mr. Dix, is Central
Park officially closed?
Yes, that's right.
Do you have any statement to make
about the public safety, Mr. Dix?
No. None at all.
None at all.
Frank, you'll deploy your men
at your own discretion.
Come on in, David.
You all know the deputy mayor.
Christ, I hate the press.
All right, commissioner,
what do we got?
We have to assume several
perpetrators are involved.
Now, an emergency call-up
went out an hour ago,
so additional officers
will be coming on traffic duty.
We'll have to keep the four
surrounding streets closed.
The governor
offered the guard.
Bad idea. Overreaction.
Agreed. Now, since
we don't have a demand
or hostages, our hands
aren't tied.
So Eubanks and his boys
will carry the ball.
Well, I'll have
to consult on that.
There's no time
for consulting.
He's right, David.
We got caught
with our pants down,
and my ass gets cold
in the breeze.
What's the status
at the station?
Station house is evacuated,
as is the fire alarm
headquarters on 79th.
9-1-1 and New York tel
have been notified.
Whoever did this
picked a good night.
Low traffic,
drive's closed for cyclists,
no plays. nothing.
Permission to enter
the park, sir.
Go ahead.
All right, we're gonna send our men
South from the 85th transverse...
Using three teams
of five men each.
Now that's where most
of the action is--
here to Central Park South.
Now if we come up empty,
we're gonna have to go north
past the reservoir to 110th street.
Are you with me?
We're gonna use a simple
grid-search pattern.
Boxing in and out
of the drives.
Squad one will head west.
That's yours.
I'll take the second squad...
On either side of the great lawn.
Squad three will head east.
Now any of you
have any questions?
No, sir.
Leader, this is one.
We're proceeding as planned.
Where's the light?
Squad one, we're coming
toward the Delcorte theater.
Roger, chief.
Nothing, sir.
Sure is spooky out there.
Fix that flak jacket.
Squad three, what's
your position, K?
We're approaching the museum.
And no sign of anyone yet.
Okay, we're coming down...
Into the road around
the fire alarm building.
Where is Daniels and Hardy?
Damn it! I didn't
even see you!
Camouflaged for night
fighting, sir.
That's very funny.
From now on, you and Hardy
take the point.
Get going.
Yes, sir.
Let's go.
We may get lucky
on this one, Richie.
No one else is covering
central park west.
Well, I don't know.
We might miss everything.
Trust me on this one,
darling.
- My instincts are incredible.
- All right.
- 5th Avenue is where it's happening.
- All right, let's go.
I'm gonna turn around.
Oh...Shit.
Sergeant Santini!
What's the matter with you Goldman?
We're trying to maintain.
Shit.
Are you sure?
Truck checked it out, chief.
Goes all the way up
to the street wall.
All right. Head east,
uh, into the ramble.
We'll link up there and try
to find some way around it.
One.
- You heard?
- What the hell's going on?
Command, this is leader.
We got a situation here.
Hey, you guys!
Come and help me here!
Get me out of here!
My ankle's busted!
Come on!
Leader, this is One.
What the hell was that?
I don't know. Look,
abandon your position.
Go underneath my squad
to the west edge of the lake.
Not possible, sir.
We're blocked by the wire.
Well just take the truck
and fucking go over it!
Leader, this is Santini.
Someone just blew
our truck to shit.
All right, forget it and work your
way up east through the ramble.
And hurry up, for Christ's sake! We're
moving out to help squad three.
You'll have
to meet us there.
Roger, chief.
Where the hell
are Hardy and Daniels?
Aw, shit. They'll have to find
us on their own. Let's go.
Please don't kill me!
Please don't kill me!
Please don't kill me!
Please don't kill me.
Christ! It hurts!
Hang on. We're close.
Smythe, take the point!
God! Get me out!
Get me out!
Get me out of this!
Chief! Squad one, reporting.
Come on.
All right, Santini--
Command,
this is leader!
Command, this is leader!
Get all our police cars
down to the east side!
Jesus Christ! What's
happening out here?
Hold you fire!
Hold you're fire!
You're gonna kill each other!
You're gonna kill each other!
Hold your fire!
Eubanks, command K.
Chief, what's your location?
Do you require assistance?
Negative. Do not
send any more men here.
We will connect with squad three
and then assess our options.
Roger. Out.
God, look at these guys.
They are really fucked up.
- All right.
- Stretcher! Come on.
- Get a close-up on that, all right?
- All right.
I got him, I got him
I got him.
- Look at this guy with the blood.
- Help me!
- Great.
- Why don't you get back?
- Go. Get the gun in here.
- All right.
Hardy to leader.
K leader, do you copy?
Shit!
Nothing happening, Holmes.
They all dead!
We gotta get to the street.
I ain't moving. Fuck that.
We can't stay here
till they find us.
I'm telling ya, they're
just waiting for us
to jump ourselves, then they're
gonna pick our asses off!
Come on, man! 72nd street is
just through those trees.
Bullshit, man.
I used to sell reefer there,
man! I know!
The grenade launcher's
live, boys.
Now backtrack to 72nd street,
and head out to 5th Avenue
right now.
What went on in there?
Is there a regiment in
there or something?
Can we
talk to somebody--
Got him?
Yeah.
Okay. Okay.
Relax.
Relax. This ain't no big thing.
No big thing at all.
You've only, uh,
taken over
Central fucking Park!
You hear that, Rachel?!
I finally did something!
Took over the fucking park.
It's light out.
The park is still closed,
right, Frank?
Where's the commissioner?
He and Curran
went to the hospital.
We have some injuries...
Broken ankle,
shock, lacerations.
These men are not gonna be easy.
You think it could be one guy?
- You don't believe that, do you?
- I believe it.
If there's one God damn man,
you know something I don't.
Shane and Oswald!
The commissioner feels that since
no violence has happened
outside of the perimeter,
we can go ahead
and open up the streets.
Otherwise, we're gonna have
traffic backed up to queens.
So get moving.
Okay, you guys, let's move
those barricades out of here!
Open the streets! Got orders
to move those barricades!
City desk, New York times.
May I help you?
Yes.
I am the individual
who controls the park.
In exactly 20 minutes,
I am going to make a statement.
The news persons, scattered,
will be able to pick it up as long as
they're within a mile of the park.
I am using an F.M. Transceiver,
and they should tune
to 1-5-1 megahertz.
I want my statements broadcast
on all commercial
and public radio stations.
You got that? Twenty minutes.
You call the commissioner.
I'll try and raise Dix.
Please stand by.
We are going to rebroadcast
a message from the terrorists
who have taken over the park.
I don't wanna hurt anyone.
That's the first thing.
I could have...
But I didn't.
Even though there have been
several attempts on my life.
It's one guy. One guy!
My name is not important.
I'm just a guy.
Nobody pays much attention
to guys like me.
I don't mean just
'cause I'm a vet.
I mean because my whole life
has been directed
by other people.
I guess I let 'em.
There's a lot of people
like me in this city...
Who don't feel any control
over their lives.
A few weeks ago,
I got fed up.
I couldn't hold a job.
I couldn't put certain
things behind me.
My wife and I split up,
and my little boy...
Whatever.
And then...A friend of mine
killed himself.
He was a vet,
a good American,
all those things.
And when he wasn't
useful anymore...
It was like he didn't exist.
It was like he
was made out of glass,
and they just looked right through
him, and that boy disappeared.
Let's hook into Manhattan
north's computers
and start running this down.
I am staying in this park
until 9:00 Wednesday night.
That is veterans' day.
All I want is for all of you
to think about what
is going on in your lives,
and in this city...
About how you are treated,
and how you
treat other people.
I came here to say
that one ordinary man
can have some power.
Right now, I matter.
Right now,
I make a difference.
And I will not...
Disappear.
God damn it, that's not
the way you do things.
- Guy's a stoned wacko.
- No, he's not. He's...
Not by a long shot.
Gonna have to work
a hell of a lot harder now.
Public opinion is beginning
to swing heavily to this guy.
"Mr. Everyman."
The whole schmear.
I just release a statement
reiterating our belief
that he's just a spokesman
for a terrorist group.
We're expecting demands
at any moment.
Certain people are going
to be watching very carefully
how we handle this.
Very carefully.
There he is.
Come on, let's go.
Mike, get it
right on his face.
Mr. Dix. Mr. Dix,
do you think the man
is alone in the park?
No.
Can you, uh, tell us what
your next step is gonna be?
Are you gonna call
the national guard?
I can assure you...
That rumor
is completely erroneous.
However, we are certain
that a band of well-coordinated,
well-trained guerrillas
is responsible,
possibly with outside help.
Can you elaborate on the
outside help, Mr. Dix?
That's all right.
The action's concentrated
mostly in here.
- Right--
- Sir, it's him!
This is deputy mayor Dix.
Go ahead.
I didn't ask for you.
I called the mayor.
He's out of the country.
All calls from you
will be routed to me directly.
Are you in charge?
Yes. You could say that.
All right. I just wanna make
sure we understand each other.
If we do everything my way,
nobody will get hurt.
Do you understand?
I understand.
I know things can get
pretty dinky dow sometimes.
Yeah, I was in 'Nam.
A month in the bush.
I requested it.
I was a public information
officer, M.A.C.V.
Look, I'm the only
one around here
who has any idea where
you're coming from.
I mean that S.W.A.T. Team cowboy
would like to blow your shit away.
Why? I'm not hurting anybody
in here.
What's your name?
Fuck you.
Okay. Fuck me.
Look. You have any problem,
you call me on that phone.
I'm the only one
you need to deal with.
I'm gonna talk to the
commissioner, see what he says.
If I have anything positive
for you,
- I'll call you at this booth, okay?
- Right.
And since I'm an idiot,
I'm gonna go for that.
Here's what you do, big boy:
You wanna talk to me,
you use the emergency line.
Every telephone booth
in this park will ring.
I believe in safety first.
Whatever you say.
I just wanna say my peace
and move on.
I don't want any more trouble
than I already got.
I want two sharpshooters
covering every booth
in the park from now on.
Around the clock.
- Sir, it's for you.
- Wait a minute.
Yes?
We got an I.D.
On the guy in the park, David.
Weaver, w-why do you
want to do this?
- Why not?
- Well, what would Jerome say?
- What?
- Over already?
One night does not
a boyfriend make, Richie.
Yeah, but I thought
you liked this one.
I like corned beef on rye,
too, but not as a steady diet.
Why are we even
talking about this?
A diversion to keep you
from going into the park.
Come on, Richie. Picture it.
Central Park at dawn,
vacant for the second day.
Deserted.
No dogs. No joggers.
No voices. Nothing.
Quiet. Empty. Chilly.
What about the guy
that's in there?
He's Loony Toons.
- No one said you have to come in.
- No shit.
You'll just have
to help me get in.
- How's it look?
- I must be as crazy as you.
Look, I'm gonna need your help
to get over this wall.
As soon as it's light...
You get the shots, and
you get out, right?
Right. Later.
Look...Not a word
about this to anyone, okay?
Must be crazy.
- Promise.
- You're crazy!
- Promise.
- Okay, I promise.
Thanks, Richie.
Don't move!
- What are you doing' in here?
- Um...
I'm a photographer--T.V.
I came in here to get
some footage, you know--
Footage?!
Yeah, footage in the park.
- You know what I mean?
- You're a reporter.
- No, no, really. See, this is my--
- Shut up.
I-I--
Shut up and let me think,
for Christ's sake.
You know, you gotta
be crazy coming' in here.
Don't you know I got
this whole park mined?
You could've been killed! What if I'd
jumped out of one of these trees
and cut your throat?
You really screwed things up.
I hope you can appreciate that.
Um...I'm s--
- Who knows you're in here besides me?
- Nobody--well--
uh, my partner. But he won't--
- He won't say anything.
- Ha! No. Hmm. No.
- Hell no. Of course not. Get moving.
- What are you gonna do to me?
If anything happens to you
in here, they're gonna blame me.
You get walking down this hill
and keep your mouth shut.
No--no, you see, because I wouldn't--
Shut up!
I--I wouldn't say anything--
Move! Move,
move, move, move.
Move, move, move.
Um, I--
um, where are you
taking me?
Um...Look--
Move.
- In there.
- Look...
Ow!
Look...
- Look--
- Take off your clothes.
Pardon me?
Get naked!
Please don't do this.
Look...
You do what...
You have to do--
to do, but, um...
Please don't hurt me.
Lady, I've got other things
on my mind right now.
I'd have a little bit of trouble
relaxing, you know what I mean?
Here.
Put these on.
You'll make a lot less
of a target...
In case I have to move you.
Now I don't want you wandering
around here while I'm gone.
I've got explosive booby-traps
set all over Central Park.
Make one wrong move,
you're dead.
You understand that?
I won't go anywhere.
All right.
What?
Mitch, what are you
doing' in there?
Rachel?
How'd you get this number? I
don't want you calling me here.
What difference does that make?
Are you crazy?
I didn't want anybody
to know it was me.
Aw, well, so you--so you
shouldn't go broadcasting it
all over the radio and T.V.!
You saw me on television?
No, I heard you
on television.
On the news.
Mitch, the police are here.
Have you any idea
how embarrassing all this is?
Why do you keep on
doing these things to me?
You! It's always you,
isn't it?
All you ever think about,
Rachel, is you.
That is not true,
and you know it!
How's Ben?
He's okay.
He's--he's at my mother's.
He's too young
to understand all this.
- Mitch, give yourself up.
- Why?
Because you're
gonna get killed.
You know...
Maybe that'd be
the best thing for everybody.
Uh, good-bye, Rachel.
I don't want you calling
me here no more.
Mitch!
M-Mitch...
I really do love you,
you know?
I do.
Good-bye.
He hung up on me.
Let 'em have some of this.
We'll see,
Fly boys.
Shit.
What the fuck is wrong with you?!
What are you trying to do?
Look, it was done
behind my back.
No authorization.
Sometimes the chain of
command gets screwed up.
You can understand that.
I could've blown that God damn
helicopter out of the sky!
Next time I will!
Jesus Christ!
I give you my word.
It won't happen again.
Look...
I'm on my way to a meeting
right now with the commissioner.
I'm gonna do everything
in my power
to make sure you
get the time you need.
We don't want anybody
killed, either.
You better get your act
together, big boy.
God damn it, Dix! I want to
know about these decisions,
especially when my own men
are involved.
Frank.
I mean, you wouldn't be
knocking on their wives' doors.
Frank, the commissioner
Okayed it.
If you got a problem,
you talk to him.
To hell with the commissioner!
Things just bounce right off
of you, don't they?
There are considerations here
I don't think you see.
Like your God damn
political career.
You have your job.
I have mine.
Seems you're having trouble
with yours!
I don't believe it.
I don't fucking believe it.
The man tells me one thing,
then he turns around
and he tries to kill me!
Tries to fucking kill me!
What'd I do to him?
Have I hurt anybody here?
- No.
- Have I asked for money?
Or my own country?
Or a plane to Argentina?
Do I want to be the emperor of Wyoming?
Hell, no.
All I want to do is remind people
they don't have to take
shit their whole lives.
I guess that makes me
some kind of God damn
dangerous person,
or some--
I didn't say
you could do that.
Look...
People should know about this--
about what they're doing to you.
Right?
You got something' to say.
That's what you're here for,
isn't it?
That's why you're in this park.
Wanna tell people something?
You want the world
to know about this?
Let me get it on tape.
And I'll make sure
it's seen.
It'll get national coverage.
All right. Here's the deal:
I let you come with me,
you take your own chances.
I am not responsible.
- Is that on tape?
- Yeah.
- Is it rolling?
- The whole time.
Fine.
City desk, New York times.
May I help you?
I am calling
from inside Central Park.
I will be talking again
in 15 minutes.
Same frequency.
What are you doing?
Come here.
I'm gonna read some clippings
I've been collecting.
They're little short
stories that were buried
in the back pages
of the newspapers.
Things people did to each other.
None of these people...
were rich.
None of these
people were famous,
and none of them
were on television.
They just lived their lives until
something terrible happened to them...
And then nobody helped.
January 14.
Gary black, 78,
an invalid, was found
frozen to death
in his apartment this morning.
Medical authorities estimate
he had been dead a week
when found.
Gary black's heat got
turned off 'cause
he couldn't afford to pay the bill.
February 9. John Flynn,
decorated Vietnam veteran,
drove his car
through a deserted building
in the South Bronx last night,
killing himself instantly.
Friends said Flynn had been
seeking help to stop the, quote,
"Horrible pictures in his head."
Unquote.
But they didn't think
it was that serious.
Um...
March 9.
Manhattan.
Toby Lester,
age six,
has been locked in the family
basement for the last three years,
chained to a steel cot
and fed from a dog dish.
The down syndrome child
was, in his father's words,
"An embarrassment."
Neighbors interviewed said they
occasionally heard screaming...
But they didn't think
it was any of their business.
May 23.
Brooklyn, New York.
Eat that.
What's your name?
I'm really not too hungry.
Weaver. What's yours?
What's your first name,
Weaver?
Valery, but nobody calls me that.
Shit. This is my last cigarette.
You know...
The, uh...
Cops say that...
Only a terrorist could be
doing what you're doing.
You know I'd like haul
my ass right over that wall?
Why don't you?
Too late.
They know who I am.
And I would like to strongly reaffirm
that we are dealing,
almost certainly,
with a group of trained terrorists.
Now there is a danger--
there is a danger
in lending this situation
a carnival air.
These people have wantedly
endangered lives,
destroyed public property,
and flagrantly broken the law.
- What are you doing about it?
- Yes?
Commissioner, any break
on the identity of this man?
That's "men," not "man."
We are presently utilizing
all means to identify
the perpetrators.
Yes, sir?
If this is a group
and not a single man,
why haven't they
made demands?
That is something that I--
w-we have received
what could be interpreted
as a demand or threat.
What threat?!
I'm sorry--I'm sorry.
I can't be more specific at
this time for security reasons.
Is money involved?
Any hostages?
We will have more for you as
conditions permit. Thank you.
- What conditions?
- Thank you all for coming.
Dix! What hell is wrong
with you?
You cannot fabricate
that kind of thing.
I just felt we needed something
to bring the people back our way.
And he did say the next time
he would shoot to kill.
Mister...
You have got a lot to learn.
No more surprises.
You understand that?
This whole thing is twisted enough
without you helping it along.
Come on! Come on!
Who's gonna root
for the underdog?
I got the cops, 8-to-3 odds.
8-to-3 he doesn't
make it 72 hours. Come on--
we're out here in the streets
of Manhattan on this,
the second full day
of what has, uh,
come to be known as the
"siege of Central Park."
Speculation continues,
fueled by a statement
made by deputy mayor David Dix
concerning just who
is in Central Park.
What do the citizens
of New York believe?
Sir?
Uh...Elton Costanza, right?
I'm from queens. And, uh...
Hey, I'm all for the guy.
I see. And you believe
he's a, uh...
Single person, then, huh?
Oh, most definitely!
Yeah, absolutely.
See, what this guy's doing',
you see--
he's sorta speaking' out
for all of us, right?
Right? Yeah!
Only in America, right?
- Yo.
- Thank you very much, Elton.
Uh, Ma'am?
Uh...Oh...Uh...
I believe what he's
doing is wrong.
I don't care how honorable
his intentions,
he's terrorizing this whole area,
and I, for one, don't
expect the authorities
to let him have his way.
Let him have his way.
He--what is he doing
is against the law,
and he should
not be encouraged.
Thank you. Thank you
very much, Ma'am.
We have another, uh,
person right here.
Uh, Miss--Miss,
thank you very much.
My name is lorna sheen.
Ms. sheen.
And I can't tell you
how it warms my heart
to see a man with some gumption
for a change.
I'm so sick of those
moon-eyed,
pencil-necked wimps
running' around on the T.V.,
doing' talk shows
and everything.
- I just can't stand it.
- Thank you very much, Miss--
and what's more,
I wish those cops
would leave
the poor boy alone.
We don't care if they took
over the park for a few days.
Why should they?
We pay for them, don't we?
Thank you very much,
Ms. sheen.
Thank you very much.
Uh, thank--
T-shirts, any size,
just $6.
Uh...Now back to,
uh, the studio.
That's better.
Okay, good.
Go ahead.
Well...
One day, I'm in the jungle watching
all my buddies get blown away.
The next day I'm driving in to the
7-11 to buy myself a slurpee.
Just like that.
It's hard to readjust.
My friend Mike used to say,
"Nothings relevant anymore."
I mean, back over here,
it's all about,
"I hope the bills get paid. I hope
my old lady ain't mad at me."
Shit like that.
It's not even real.
- But this is real.
- Oh, yeah.
This is real.
Um...
You were in the Marines?
No.
U.S. army.
What'd you do in the army?
Sneak in to places, and blow
shit up, and kill people.
You know...
People heard what you
said on the radio.
They--they know why
you're here.
I don't.
Dr. Mueller.
Uh, perhaps, commissioner,
I should go last, ja?
Fine. General Bryant.
In light of recent incidents,
gentlemen,
perhaps you'll reconsider
the governor's offer.
Technology, gentlemen.
Technology.
There's a variety of infrared
seismic intruder devices
that can detect movement.
The a.M.P.P.S. Ground radar
can indicate a target
to an accuracy of 25 yards.
We have all kinds of infrared
people-sniffers at our command.
The department has
all that equipment.
With all due respect, general,
that kind
of technical operation
takes time, and they're impractical
on this type of terrain.
We'd have to reroute subways,
clear the streets for a
half-mile in either direction.
We can't take that
kind of time.
Point is well taken,
commissioner.
But I have an alternative.
Tiger sweep.
Tiger sweep?
Units of the 42nd rainbow division
surround the parks.
Teams of mine-detection
personnel
precede the column
at various points.
Now as the ring tightens in
and contact is made,
the enemy either surrenders
or is eliminated.
It's a one-way operation.
What about wire and booby-traps?
Won't that slow you down?
Suppose he gets down
into the sewer system
and behind your column, general.
You could be chasing him
for weeks.
Not a thrilling prospect.
The guard will supply
air surveillance.
Tanks, sir?
Remember Detroit in '67?
Right. Along the transverse
roads and routes.
If it gets really hairy, we can
go in there with the M-2s,
or the 57-millimeter recoils.
- Think about it.
- Good, good, good, good.
- What's the kill radius?
- How much is this gonna cost?
"Tiger sweep."
Hell, it'll cost $10 million.
The mayor won't stand for it.
It'll be humiliating if we have
to bring in the national guard
to take out one man.
- You've already been humiliated.
May I, commissioner?
Central Park's 900 acres
of heavily wooded,
essentially flat terrain.
It's cut into six
roughly rectangular sections
by transverse roads, ja?
We must reduce the area the
guerilla can occupy for cover
in order to--
Force him to reveal
his position.
The timetable I would describe
would be repeated in each section.
A c-123 provider
drops fast-acting defoliants
on heavily wooded areas only.
Defoliant? You can't
burn away half the park.
We can rebuild it.
Safer, better.
- I like it.
- It's solid.
It happens to be insane.
He's already been in there
48 hours.
I say, uh,
we give him the rest.
Absolutely not!
No man is gonna hold this city
up to ridicule!
No man!
We will remove him
before the deadline.
What's wrong?
Are you cold?
Frank, this isn't a game.
There aren't any rules.
No code of the west.
- Look--
-It's done.
Just accept it.
Yeah?
How are you doing?
Is this the guy
I talked to before?
This is the deputy
mayor, yes.
So you're calling me now?
What do you want, big boy?
I want you
to surrender your weapons
and come out of there.
We can talk...
Address some of the issues that
seem to bother you so much.
We already
had this conversation.
I'm coming' out of here
when I want to, how I want to.
Look, we have the entire
park perimeter surrounded.
How do you
expect to walk away?
I did it before, didn't I?
What're you calling me for, anyway?
What is this shit?
They're trying to kill us.
Yeah. They're gonna have
to do a lot better than that.
Move off down the hill.
Move.
What do you mean,
"Neither of them"?
You mean there's another
person in there?!
All right.
Snipers spotted another person
in there with him.
- Are they positive?
- Yeah!
All right, let's keep
that information to ourselves.
Could be a hostage,
but he hasn't
tried to use him.
Or his partner.
Either way,
we gotta go ahead.
Time's running out.
They're doing it again.
I do not believe it.
They think I'm stupid.
They think I'm really stupid!
Do you know who it is?
No idea, but he's persistent.
Whoever's calling hasn't hung up yet.
Nobody's answering.
When the guy in the park answers,
put a tracer on the call.
Maybe they saw me.
I'm gonna talk to them.
I gotta answer this.
Hello?
- Who is this?
- Who's this?
- Is this the Park?
- Yes.
It's your wife.
Oh, fuck!
God damn it, I told you
not to call me here!
Who was that
who answered the phone?
- That was a woman.
- No shit!
Well what's a woman
doing' in there with you?
She's not a woman!
She's a news person.
She's videotaping
everything, is all.
I'm scared.
I'm so scared.
W-what did you do it for?
It's my fault.
Is it my fault?
It is, isn't it?
It's nobody's fault.
What are we gonna do?
Baby...
I got this
insurance policy.
It ain't much, but it'll
get you started again...
That's it. I want all lines
to the park cut off right now.
Those bastards!
They're playing
another trick on us.
It ain't gonna be funny.
Let's go.
When I first started this thing,
I wanted people to hear me.
Really hear a person
for once in their lives.
- You know what I mean?
- I hear you.
Believe me, but there
are a lot of people
out there who aren't
gonna like the way
you're attracting attention.
No. They're gonna
hear a lot more.
"This park is mine."
I'm not leaving' it until I decide.
Here's a little money from home,
you lying' motherfuckers!
The lone fucking ranger.
I know you're listening
to me out there.
I am sure you know
they are trying to kill me.
And what the hey,
I should've expected that.
You won't be
hearing from me again.
I have said everything
I came to say,
but I am not leaving
until it's time.
I am not leaving
until Veteran's day.
If anybody tries to come into
this park while I am here--
if anybody tries to harm me
while I am in this park,
they will wish they
had never been born.
All right,
we finally got an I.D.
on the woman in the park.
What woman?
Some kind of T.V. Journalist.
Her partner came in
a while ago.
Said she hopped the wall
last night.
Apparently she
should've been out by now.
We will assume
that she's a hostage.
We're keeping her partner
away from the press
for a while...
Lessen complications.
Frank, I want you
to take a look at this.
That's Oscar Verdanken.
He's a Dutch national.
He's fought in Vietnam,
Angola, Afghanistan,
the Middle east.
He's known worldwide.
Something of an idol
to the soldier of fortune set.
The other man
is Tran Chan Dinh.
He hooked up
with Verdanken in Vietnam.
He's a master
of guerilla warfare.
They come highly recommended.
Commissioner, what you're
telling me is that these--
w-we have two hired killers,
one of them a fucking Vietcong,
to go in and get this man?!
I mean, is that
what I'm hearing?!
Frank, you're out of line.
I mean, what about the woman?
What about the concern for her?!
They will be instructed to take
every precaution. Now that's it!
That's it.
We're certainly not going to participate
in the murder of a hostage,
if that's what she is.
A trained two-man force
has a much greater chance
of getting her out.
This is wrong!
I mean, what are you
gonna say to the press?
I'll tidy it up.
You'll "Tidy it up"?!
That's my job.
We want them in the park
before dawn.
This has got
to be it, Frank.
If we don't get him
out with them,
the press is gonna
hang us out to dry.
Commissioner, I gotta
tell you, this stinks.
Look, no one's
making' you go in.
Well somebody's gotta go in there,
and it's not for their protection.
No matter what you
might've been told...
This operation
has only one purpose:
Search and destroy.
Understand?
This insignificant little asshole
has had his way too long.
Hey, wait a minute!
Bastards!
Hey.
Jesus Harold Christ.
I could've killed you.
You know that?
What the hell you doing'
out here, anyway?
I woke up and I d--I--
I didn't know
where you were.
We gotta go back inside.
Hold it. Freeze!
Do not move.
Jesus.
Don't move.
Step back.
My God, they laid this wire.
Somebody's in here trying
to sabotage my program, valery.
Holy shit, that mine is real.
Real?
Yeah.
Claymore.
What's a Claymore?
It's a anti-personnel device,
Valery.
This little baby right here...
Will blow you up.
Kill you deader than hell.
What are you doing?
There are individuals out there,
valery, who are trying to kill us,
and they are all totally
fucking crazy.
And you? What are you?
I never tried
to hurt anybody.
You put a gun
in an old man's face
and you tell him you're
gonna blow his head off,
and he dies of a heart attack
'cause he's so fucking scared.
And you're not responsible
because the gun isn't loaded?!
I'm getting you out of here
at first light.
Oh, give me a break. We're
both dead, and you know it.
Look...
I realize
I am a total fuck-up.
But I will get you
out of this park.
The park is mine!
The park is mine!
What is it?
Nothing.
Move! Move!
Hold it! Stay there.
Stay here. Watch me.
When I point to you,
throw this wine bottle there.
Oh, God.
Shit.
Those sick bastards.
Those demented
sons of bitches.
Look what they're doing'.
They're sending
a Vietcong in here.
This is the middle
of Central fucking Park.
They are sending in
a Vietcong to kill me!
Shit!
We're going back.
I gotta have some
more hardware here.
God damn.
Shit.
Holy shit.
Okay, I'm gonna get you as
close to that wall as I can.
- After that, you're on your own.
- Okay.
You make sure people
see that tape.
- Yep.
- Think it'll make prime time?
That's a cinch.
What about you?
You can forget me.
Run!
Run!
When this thing explodes, you run
like hell for the east side.
Go!
My leg!
You idiotic motherfuckers
have shot an innocent
photojournalist here!
A female!
What the hell are you doing!?
Are you crazy?
There's a man dead back here!
Look!
The girl
still has a chance.
I'm gonna
put some trust in you.
I'm coming out!
Look, this...
This war is over.
Look...
The man's dead.
The girl still has a chance.
No!
I'm putting my gun down.
Now all I wanna do is...
I wanna go over there...
And I wanna pick up
the girl.
I just wanna leave the park.
Now that's...
That's all I want.
Okay, I'm gonna
pick her up now.
Then I'm gonna
leave the park.
Okay...
I'm going out now.
No tricks.
We're leaving.
The park's yours.
There's somebody coming!
It's the captain!
Hey, it's the captain!
Bring the gurney.
What happened?
What happened?!
There are two dead men
back there.
He asked for 9 o'clock.
We'll wait.
Now just a minute!
We'll wait, man!
We'll wait!
Captain, somebody's coming!
Hold your fire.
He's coming' out.
Hey...
If it isn't the lone ranger.
I'm sorry
you got hurt, valery.
Thank you.
You did it, you know?
Okay, let's go.
Do you think you
made a point?