Kalifornia (1993)

David Duchovny: Brian Kessler

Photos 

Quotes 

• Brian Kessler : When you dream there are no rules. People can fly. Anything can happen. Sometimes there's a moment as you're waking and you become aware of the real world around you, but you are still dreaming. You may think you can fly but you better not try.

• Brian Kessler : I'll never know why Early Grayce became a killer. I don't know why any of them did. When I looked into his eyes I felt nothing, nothing. That day I learned that any one of us is capable of taking another human life. But I also learned there is a difference between us and them: it's feeling remorse. Dealing with guilt. Confronting a conscience. Early never did.

• Brian Kessler : I remember once going on a school trip to the top of the Empire State Building. When I looked down at the crowds of people on the street they looked like ants. I pulled out a penny and some of us started talking about what would happen if I dropped it from up there and it landed on someone's head. Of course I never crossed that line and actually dropped the penny. I don't think Early Grayce even knew there was a line to cross.

• Brian Kessler : You know, I didn't know this about you, I didn't know you were so prejudice.

  Carrie Laughlin : Oh please, because when someone takes of their shoe and scratches their foot while I'm eating and you call me prejudice?

  Brian Kessler : He can't help the way he was raised. I kinda feel sorry for him.

  Carrie Laughlin : You feel sorry for him. That's so sweet. You obviously didn't get a whiff of that sock!

  Brian Kessler : Bitch, bitch, bitch!

• Brian Kessler : I'd always wanted to be a writer, but there's a big difference between writing a magazine article and writing a book. I know I wrote a magazine article. Everything I ever wanted to know about serial killers fit nicely on those four pages. The article got me a book deal with a little cash up front, but between the rent and the convertible the advance was gone. I owed a book and I was stuck. What little I knew about seial killers I learned in a university library. The only thing I knew for certain was that people didn't kill each other in libraries.

• Brian Kessler : What the hell did I know about California? For some people it was still a place of hopes and dreams, a chance to start over. The idea was if you could get there everything would be okay, and if it wasn't okay there, well, it probably wasn't going to be okay anywhere.

• Brian Kessler : How many people have you killed, Early?

  Early Grayce : Well, now, how many people have you seen me kill, Bri?

  Brian Kessler : None.

  Early Grayce : That's how many I killed.

  Brian Kessler : If you say so.

  Early Grayce : Damn right I do. Shut up! Eat your food. You ain't never killed no one, have you, Bri?

  Brian Kessler : No.

  Early Grayce : No. Ain't seen nobody killed either, have you?

  Brian Kessler : No, I haven't.

  Early Grayce : No. Tell me something, big time. How are you going to write a book about something you know nothing about?

• Brian Kessler : Early lived in the moment. He did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. I don't know if I was fascinated or frightened by him.

• Brian Kessler : Early seemed harmless. Primitive, but harmless. Of course the fact of the matter was he had killed his landlord less than an hour before we met him. He was even wearing the guy's ring. Who knows what he did with the finger?

• Brian Kessler : When you first meet people all you notice are the differences between you and them, but as time passes you start noticing the similarities. I guess that's how all friendships begin.

• Early Grayce : [after killing fat guy exits bathroom and runs right into Brian]  Whoa.

  Brian Kessler : Wow, you were in there for awhile.

  Early Grayce : Yeah. I took a dump.

  [realizing that Brian is going to go in] 

  Early Grayce : I don't think you wanna go in there though. It's wall to wall stink.

  Brian Kessler : I just need to wash my hands.

  Early Grayce : Ain't got no sink.

  Brian Kessler : [stunned]  No sink?

  Early Grayce : Yeah. It's the damnedest thing I've ever seen.

  [Brian wipes his hands off on the wall of the gas station. The two return to the car] 

  Gas Station Attendant : $28.35

  Carrie Laughlin : [pointing at Early]  Talk to him.

  Early Grayce : How much?

  Gas Station Attendant : $28.35

  Early Grayce : Hope I got that.

  [peels off bills from the fat guy's money clip, Carrie seems to be well aware of this] 

  Early Grayce : Call it an even $30.

  [puts bills into gas station attendant's pocket] 

  Gas Station Attendant : [grateful]  Thank you.

  Early Grayce : How about I drive, bud?

  Brian Kessler : Sure.

  [gives keys to Early] 

  Early Grayce : Mama. You get in the back.

  [Adelle climbs into the backseat. The gas station attendant is so grateful at the tip Early gave him, he opens the car door for Carrie allowing her to get in and then shuts it] 

  Early Grayce : [Brian starts the car up and they exit out of the parking lot. The gas station attendant watches them go. A sort of spiraling sound effect plays in the background] 

• Carrie Laughlin : He beats her, you know.

  Brian Kessler : How do you know that?

  Carrie Laughlin : Because she told me, that's how I know that.

• Carrie Laughlin : Did you happen to know that he was in jail?

  Brian Kessler : Yeah, for stealing a car.

  Carrie Laughlin : Oh, really! Is that what he told you? He told her it was for carrying a gun! Brian, it could be for murder for all we know!

  Brian Kessler : Would you stop being so fucking melodramatic!

• Brian Kessler : [narrating]  Early seemed harmless. Primitive, but harmless. Of course, the fact of the matter was that he'd killed his landlord less than an hour before we met him. He was even wearing the guy's ring. Who knows what he did with the finger.

• [Brian is talking about how killer shouldn't get the electric chair] 

  Brian Kessler : The answer is primitive psychosis. Not the electric chair.

  Brian's friend : Yeah, that's great Brian. Unless it's your mother's head they find in the freezer.

  Brian Kessler : Yeah, but executing the killer would not bring my mother back now would it?

  Carrie Laughlin : Thank God.

• Early Grayce : I was reading in your deal there how they never caught that Black Dolly killer.

  Brian Kessler : Black Dahlia.

  Early Grayce : Yeah.

  Brian Kessler : They didn't.

  Early Grayce : I was wondering how come. See what I'm getting at? It's like 'Hmm?'.

  Brian Kessler : Well, some people think he just stopped killing and disappeared back into society.

  Early Grayce : That's fine and dandy, but I wanna know what a smart fella like yourself thinks.

  Brian Kessler : I always thought it was the work of a serial killer. You know, anybody who took such time and care bisecting another human being.

  Early Grayce : Bisecting?

  Brian Kessler : You know, he cut them in two.

  Early Grayce : Oh, he hacked them up?

  Brian Kessler : In two pieces, yeah. In half. Anybody who did that much have been enjoying it and he would have done it again and again until someone stopped him.

  Early Grayce : That's good. That's a good theory, Bri. You wanna hear mine?

  Brian Kessler : Sure.

  Early Grayce : OK. Ain't you gonna record it?

  Brian Kessler : Early Grace's Black Dahlia theory. June 23rd.

  Early Grayce : OK. Now, I'm betting his still alive. Real old, living in a trailer park or something, somewheres. But he's alive, see. Now, he's thinking about what he's done, going over it and over it in his head, every night, thinking how smart he is for getting away with it.

• Early Grayce : How long have you had your woman, bud?

  Brian Kessler : Three years.

  Early Grayce : Yeah? She's a good one. She's a breeder, you dog.

  Brian Kessler : I'll tell her you said she's a breeder. She'll like that. I'll tell her that.

• Early Grayce : Only thing my old man ever gave me was this goddamn .45. Japanese but it's pretty good. Go on, shoot it.

  Brian Kessler : No, I never did this. I don't know how to do this.

  Early Grayce : Yeah, you can do it. Point and shoot the damn thing. No, bud, you're jerking it. You're all like this. You gotta hold it soft, like your pecker. OK?

• Early Grayce : Got them both on the dead run.

  Adele Corners : No! No, no, no Early!

  Early Grayce : Come on, momma.

  [Walks over to Brian who is standing over the wounded cop] 

  Early Grayce : Tell me that don't hurt. Here.

  [Hands Brian a gun while pointing another one at his head] 

  Brian Kessler : What?

  Early Grayce : Gotta put that crippled dog out of his misery. You wanna know about it, you gotta do it, son. Shoot him. Come on, lay it on in there. Come on, mean boy. Come on, mean boy. Do it! Shoot him! Shoot the dog! Time to live, boy. Shoot him. Come on. Go! Go, mean boy.

  [Brian drops the gun] 

  Early Grayce : You faggot.

  Brian Kessler : Look at his face! It's not your father. Look at him!

  Early Grayce : I know that, you idiot. That's police in a world of hurting. This here's a mercy killing.

  [He kills the cop] 

  Carrie Laughlin : Oh God!

  Early Grayce : Let's hit the road.

• Early Grayce : You haven't even said thank you.

  Adele Corners : Thank you.

  Early Grayce : Thank you for what, Adele?

  Adele Corners : I don't know, Early.

  Early Grayce : Well, Adele, it's for saving your fucking life back there! Goddamn! You were this close, momma, from spending the night in the county morgue.

  Carrie Laughlin : He wasn't going to shoot her, you murdering son of a bitch!

  Brian Kessler : Stop it, Carrie.

  Carrie Laughlin : What are you fucking insane?

  Brian Kessler : Shut up!

  Carrie Laughlin : He's a monster!

  Brian Kessler : Shut up, Carrie!

• [from TV hot spot] 

  Brian Kessler : Does it make you feel good?

  [camera zooms in] 

  Brian Kessler : Powerful?

  [camera zooms in] 

  Brian Kessler : Superior?

• [looking at and admiring Mrs. Mustgraves cactus plants. Everyone else is naturally in a state of silence] 

  Adele Corners : [to Mrs. Mustgrave]  You have such beautiful cactuses ma'am. I just love them. My mama had a cactus garden, and I had this baby cactus, and I was gonna plant it...

  [scene shifts to Carrie and Brian who are tied up to the leg of a heavy piano] 

  Brian Kessler : [in low voice to Carrie]  You gotta talk to Adele. She looks up to you. She'll listen.

  Carrie Laughlin : I tried talking to her at the mine. It didn't work.

  Brian Kessler : Then try again.

  Early Grayce : [enters the room eating a sandwich and acting like he owns the place]  Hey Bri

  [burps] 

  Early Grayce : you ever stop and think

  [picks up phone box] 

  Early Grayce : that if you switched two letters in your name

  [disconnects the phone line from box] 

  Early Grayce : you'd spell "brain"?

  [Early rips the phone line out of the wall. At that Adele makes a grunt but tries to keep her composure. Brian just stares at Early] 

  Early Grayce : Boy, you got a problem.

  [throws the phone box at Brian and Carrie. It crashes right by them] 

  Early Grayce : [goes over to Mrs. Mustrgave and yanks her glass of liquor out of her hands]  What's wrong with grandma?

  Early Grayce : [sits down and puts his feet on the coffee table. He then uses them to rotate a photo frame around. The photo shows presumably Mrs. Mustgarve and Mr. Mustgrave, which Early acknowledges]  Where's your husband?

  Mrs. Musgrave : [after a moment]  I'm a widow.

  Early Grayce : [studying her, not really believing her]  Yeah?

• [Carrie has just seen a news report on a grainy TV about Early being most wanted. She's about to run out of the gas station when she runs right smack into Early who's just entered] 

  Early Grayce : [about the fact that Brian has kicked him out of the road trip]  I ain't riding no bus, bitch.

  [sees Carrie's terrified look and then the TV which has the news report of himself on there. A new wave of terror begins] 

  Early Grayce : [shoves Carrie across the floor]  Get over there, and keep quiet.

  [rummages through the cash register area and finds a sawed off shotgun] 

  Early Grayce : Knew that boy would have a hogleg around here somewhere.

  [sees Walter the gas station attendant approaching the store and says to Carrie] 

  Early Grayce : Not a word.

  [Walter enters the station] 

  Early Grayce : [to Walter with gun pointed at him]  Hello! Get over here, skinny. Sit your ass in that corner. Come on.

  [Walter does terrified as Early struggles to hold onto the gun with one hand and empty out the cash register with the other. Adele enters and sees the scene] 

  Adele Corners : Honey, whatcha doing?

  Early Grayce : They gave us the boot, mama. Go on out to the car and keep Brian busy. I don't want him coming in here.

  Adele Corners : Honey, you're scaring me.

  Early Grayce : Right now, missy! Get!

  Adele Corners : [leaves and returns to the car, searching the backseat. Brian is aware of her presence]  Hi.

  Brian Kessler : Hi.

  Adele Corners : I'm just getting my things, and then I'll leave.

  Brian Kessler : Don't forget your yo-yo. Listen, Adele. The reason you aren't coming along for the rest of the trip doesn't have anything to do with you guys. It has something to do with me and Carrie.

• [a short while after Early killed the gas station clerk, the four are on the road again in silence] 

  Adele Corners : Do you want your picture taken?

  [no one responds] 

  Adele Corners : Come on.

  [snaps one off and then sits back trying to get something going. She then whispers into Early's ear] 

  Early Grayce : He was breathing when I walked out of there.

  Adele Corners : See, Carrie it's okay. He didn't kill him.

  [Carrie doesn't respond back] 

  Early Grayce : Ain't we getting close to the next murder site?

  Brian Kessler : Forget about it! It doesn't matter anymore!

  Early Grayce : The hell it don't!

  [reaches up front and takes map] 

  Early Grayce : Where's that map?

  Early Grayce : [scene shifts out of the car as we see it drive by as Early adds]  Someday, me and Adele, will be walking along and see your book in a bookshop window. We gonna buy it and put it right on our coffee table. Ain't that right mama?

• Early Grayce : Look mama, there's a purdy little house. Maybe they got some beer.

  [scene shifts to large garden with lots of various giant cactus plants as we hear Adele admiring/describing the cactus plants and a sort of jiggling sound effect. The camera pans to the Lincoln] 

  Adele Corners : Look at all the cactuses. They sure are beautiful. You know what makes a cactus so strong? You can forget about them forever and they'd just keep on growing.

  [scene now shifts to Brian who has his hands cuffed inside the steering wheel. He's trying to get free, while Adele keeps rambling on about the cactus plants] 

  Brian Kessler : Adele listen, we got to do something before Early kills someone else.

  Adele Corners : And they breed.

  Brian Kessler : [voice raising]  Adele.

  [Adele finally stops rambling and looks over] 

  Brian Kessler : Would you listen to me?

  Adele Corners : [hopeless voice crying]  You can't do anything Brian. Just sit still.

• Brian Kessler : [at the gunshot which Early has just killed Walter]  What was that?

  Adele Corners : [nervously]  Nothing, Brian. It was just the thunder.

  [then to self] 

  Adele Corners : Oh my God.

  Brian Kessler : [to Early who's dragging Carrie along]  Hey, Early, what the fuck are you doing? We talked about this.

  Early Grayce : Oh, Brian. You gonna like this one. Get in. Big fella you riding shotgun. Adele, you drive.

  [throws Carrie into backseat with him] 

  Brian Kessler : What's going on? What are you doing?

  Early Grayce : [motions Brian to get in car]  Come on bud, let's go. Get us out of here mama.

  [Brian does and they all peel out of the gas station. Carrie is crying in hysterics and mumbling incoherently] 

  Brian Kessler : What happened back there?

  Carrie Laughlin : [crying very hard can hardly speak]  Oh my God. He shot him. He shot him in the head.

  Brian Kessler : Who shot who in the head?

  Adele Corners : No, he didn't Carrie.

  Early Grayce : [shouting]  Everybody just shut up! Goddamn, bitch, quit squawking.

  [now in normal voice] 

  Early Grayce : Nothing's changed. I'm gonna get you there, safe, to California.

  [now with chuckle] 

  Early Grayce : That is, if Adele don't kill us with her driving first.

• [after Early killed two cops back at murder site, Adele is speechless in the front seat with her hands over her ears] 

  Early Grayce : Not even a simple thank you?

  Adele Corners : Thank you, Early.

  Early Grayce : Thank you for what Adele?

  Adele Corners : [at a loss]  I don't know, Early.

  Early Grayce : [explodes]  Well, Adele it was *for saving your fucking life back there.* God dang, honey. You were about this close

  [shows with fingers] 

  Early Grayce : to spending the night in the county morgue.

  Carrie Laughlin : [shouting]  He wasn't going to shoot her, you murdering son of a bitch!

  Brian Kessler : [warning]  Stop it, Carrie!

  Carrie Laughlin : Are you fucking insane?

  Brian Kessler : Shut up!

  Carrie Laughlin : God, why are you so fucking blind, Brian? He's a murderer for crying out loud.

  Brian Kessler : Just shut up!

  Early Grayce : [Early starts swerving the wheel like maniac and also screeching/laughing like one. He stops after a moment when everyone has quieted back down and says]  Goddamn bunch of loons.

• Brian Kessler : How many people have you killed, Earl?

  Early Grayce : How many have you *seen* me kill?

  Brian Kessler : None.

  Early Grayce : That's how many I've killed.

  Brian Kessler : If you say so.

  Early Grayce : Damn right I do! Eat your food!