Original subtitles

NARRATOR:Our first mysterious place lies in Italy.

It looks spooky.

Things that were left behind,

covered in dust,

in the middle of deserted houses.

- (mysterious music)

NARRATOR:As you can clearly see from up above,

it's a ghost town.

We learn the ghost town is called Apice.

Today you can still watch tragic incidents

like the one that happened in Apice on TV.

A heavy earthquake was the reason why the inhabitants left...

36 years ago.

Allegedly, there are still people around in this deserted town

which is in danger of collapsing.

We head towards Italy.

The ghost town is supposed to be about 100 kilometres from Naples.

- (tense spooky music)

NARRATOR: All of a sudden, a road block.

Behind it you can already see the mysterious town.

But we are not allowed to carry on by car.

From the internet we know it is not illegal to enter the town,

but it is dangerous because many houses are close to collapsing.

That's why they have all these road blocks.

Even from the outside there are things to discover.

The former inhabitants have even left

very personal belongings behind.

There are even cars.

There is nothing comparable in Europe.

Noises coming out of a building.

Who else is here, apart from us?

We go to check it out... and can hardly believe our own eyes.

- (playful music)

NARRATOR:Unbelievable! A barber shop in a seemingly deserted town.

There are actually people here! So, the rumours were correct.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:The hairdresser, Tommaso, is the only one

who comes to Apice every day.

Even though he doesn't live there anymore,

he continues to cut and shave his customers

from the neighbouring villages just like he did for the last 60 years.

Because his barber shop is situated on the fringes of the town

and is not in danger of collapsing, it is officially tolerated.

But the earthquake dating back 36 years

has changed Tommaso's life forever.

In the area around Naples, earthquakes are a common occurrence.

But the one in 1980 was especially bad.

He remembers it very well.

- (sentimental music)

(projector whirrs)

(speaks Italian)

NARRATOR: This is what it sounded like.

- (upbeat orchestral music) (loud rumbling)

NARRATOR:This original soundbite

was recorded by accident during a concert.

Luckily there were no casualties in Apice.

But almost all buildings were close to collapsing after the earthquake,

even if they were still standing.

Many were uninhabitable.

Reconstruction would have costed a fortune.

Most inhabitants fled in panic after the quake.

They left many things behind.

Others weren't so easily chased away,

like the hairdresser, Tommaso.

But since the state didn't pay for the reconstruction,

everyone left after a short while.

The lively Apice turned into a ghost town.

- (projector whirrs)

NARRATOR:The state of Italy built a new, modern Apice

for the victims of the earthquake.

It was a lot cheaper than rebuilding the old town.

- (playful chilling music)

(speaking Italian)

NARRATOR:Above all, Antonio knows where it's safe.

He knows the town inside out.

This is where he came out of the church at his wedding.

- (projector whirrs)

NARRATOR: Right here once was a village fair.

Antonio shows us the street where he was born.

The earthquake has completely destroyed it.

We have rebuilt the street according to his description.

- (distant chatter, children laugh)

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR: Antonio shows us the old house

he used to live in as an adult.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR: People lived in extended families.

Until today, the inhabitants mourn over the old Apice

and dream of rebuilding it.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:But not all is lost yet.

This old palazzo is one of the most intact buildings.

It's actually quite safe to enter.

- (tense music)

NARRATOR:This used to be the old office of the local notary.

The files are just lying around

and they are in extraordinarily good shape.

After all, they have been rotting here for 36 years!

The apartment next door belongs to a hardware dealer,

Apice's richest inhabitant. It looks absolutely intact to us.

Downstairs, a bar. The wine bottles are full.

Maybe someone was just about to open them

when the earthquake started.

Why everything is still here, Antonio is unable to say.

The cars are a different story. Antonio reveals to us

that the owners wanted to save the scrap charges

and therefore just left the cars here.

A policeman shows up!

Will we get into trouble for entering the houses?

Legal no-man's land...

- You speak Italian? - (speaking Italian)

NARRATOR: But after a short conversation

local police chief Loveson Porcelli

doesn't want to chase us away, but actually wants to help.

He organises a ladder.

The chief of police wants to show us the old church and the old cinema.

Both are in this same building. He used to work in the cinema.

All of the entrances are bricked up and this is the only way to get in.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:But the chair helps us to enter the building as well.

We have obviously entered the priest's bathroom.

The church of Apice, especially interesting for thieves.

Almost everything was stolen, apart from a few statues.

And the confessional box.

It was obviously too heavy to carry away.

Thanks to a wedding photograph from Antonio

we know what the inside of the church looked like.

- (projector whirrs)

NARRATOR:But there are also horrible memories.

Antonio tells us that 500 years ago,

50 people fell through the floor and died during an earthquake.

Later on, the cellar also served as a tomb.

We discover a human skull and bones.

This is where generations of former inhabitants lie.

A spooky place.

Let's go to the cinema instead.

It was run by the church. That's why it's right next door.

Films were displayed every weekend.

After the earthquake, people celebrated mass there for a while.

That's why there is a provisional altar.

The reason: The floor of the actual church was threatening to collapse

and couldn't carry the weight of many people anymore.

- (mystical music)

NARRATOR:Chief of police, Porcelli, shows us the tiny projection room

where he used to work as a film projectionist.

This is where he kissed the woman he would later marry...

butapart from that, people were rather prudish.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:But even still, the chief of police describes his former home

using the exact same words as everybody else.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:Maybe there is a ray of hope for the lost paradise.

The mayor shows up unexpectedly.

She wants to give an interview.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:Of course we don't know whether these are false promises,

but we wish the former inhabitants

that their ghost town will soon be a lively place once more.

We are at a prison in Milan.

The Bollate looks quite ordinary. Fences, high walls, cameras.

We have to pass the sally port.

The gate in front of us only opens

once the gate behind us has closed.

Afterwards, the grille clunks shut.

And from now on this prison is anything but ordinary.

This is the front desk.

We feel as if we're at the reception desk of a hotel.

A senior prison officer hands us the visitor's passes.

They do have a sense of humour,

as these posters and the smoking prohibited sign

with the tank-busters show.

Coloured walls, mural paintings and coloured grills catch our eye,

all of which are designed by the prisoners.

The intention behind it: whoever is kept busy

and feels at least somehow at home in his environment, stays peaceful.

Whether this idea actually works

is something these two prisoners can tell us.

The 60-fold bank robber, Stefano Begnis.

Yes, you heard correctly. He robbed about 60 banks or post offices.

He has spent 27 years behind bars.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:Our second interview partner is Franco Agnifili.

He was sentenced because of international drug trafficking.

He was also a member of the Italian Mafia.

That's why his sentence was so severe.

He still has 10 years to go.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:About 1,100 men are serving their sentences here.

Amongst them, felons, sexual offenders and even serial killers.

- Bollate is not for model prisoners.

The programme is for everybody.

The prisoners are not constricted to their cells.

They are allowed to move around freely

in designated areas during the day.

The only rule: They have to always carry these papers with them.

That gives us a queasy feeling.

This is our first impression of the worldwide

unique occupational and reintegration programme.

The theatre group is rehearsing a new piece.

It's about hostile gangs and about violence,

a great problem in every prison worldwide.

Many of these men are imprisoned for life.

Some will never leave.

Frustration and aggression are inevitable.

But thanks to the openness and the many possibilities,

violence is not a problem in Bollate.

# HOZIER: Take Me To Church #

NARRATOR:The prison warden tells us the second reason for this concept.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR: The statistics back him up.

The relapse rate for normal Italian prisoners is at about 60%.

In Bollate, it's not even 18%.

And that saves money.

Because every single detainee costs the tax payer about 45,000 Euro.

In spite of the openness, there are definite rules of course.

For safety reasons, visitors are not allowed to enter the cells.

We are the first camera team to be allowed to film.

We meet the former drug dealer, Franco,

while he is cleaning up his cell.

And we are surprised how homely it looks.

Single cells such as this one, we hear,

are only given to prisoners on good behaviour.

But all prisoners are allowed to design their cells

in whatever way they want, even paint them,

paying with self-earned money.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR: Photos of children everywhere,

Franco has a son and a daughter.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:The first thing bank robber Stefano does

is offer us a self made espresso.

Then he introduces his fellow prisoner to us,

a blackbird called Gino.

He rescued it in the yard when one of its legs was injured.

He built this birdhouse especially for Gino,

but the bird isn't locked up inside the cage.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR: Small pets are allowed in Bollate.

This is something very unique.

It results in a verifiable decrease of aggression

and violence behind bars.

Start-up time for the prisoners.

Nursery, workshops, kitchens, everyone is busy here.

There's even a sound studio.

The idea behind it: Whoever is busy, doesn't get into mischief.

We accompany former drug dealer, Franco, to his workplace...

..which is a call centre of an Italian electricity and gas supplier

right in the middle of a prison!

We can hardly believe it.

This, too, is unique in the world.

12 prisoners work here with a regular contract,

for 800 Euros a month.

External co-workers check and help as needed.

The prisoners receive about 25,000 calls a month.

It's mostly about bills or reminders.

The callers from outside have no idea they're talking to a prisoner.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR: The only measure of security:

the phones can only be called from outside,

it's impossible to place a call.

And the computers, like in any prison, deny internet access

to prevent crimes from being planned or even executed.

Apart from that, no special supervision for the bad boys.

They need less security personnel in Bollate and therefore save money.

Theoretically, every prison could be organised like that,

as our guide, senior prison officer Vito Franchini explains.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR: During his work-out at lunch break,

former drug dealer, Franco,

explains to us why it's working out so well.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR: We meet bank robber, Stefano,

at his job in the horse stables.

This is not a classy riding stable, the horses are not ridden.

Many are old, sick or were mistreated by their former owners

and confiscated by the state.

The detainees built the stables by themselves

from recycled material.

like, for example, this volleyball net.

These prisoners here are training to be grooms

for the time after prison.

Including everything there is to learn: grooming, mucking out,

cleaning of hooves.

They even practice how to saddle horses,

even if they never get to ride them.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:The instructor, Claudio Villa, also gives courses

in which prisoners can learn more

about how to handle horses in general.

Here he demonstrates what to do to make the horse calm down.

A simple occupational therapy,

the prisoners are kept busy and their day is structured,

the main goal here in Bollate.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:End of work after 7 hours, but the day is far from over yet!

Animal lover, Stefano, tends to the birds and the rabbit on his floor.

If he finds it, that is.

The animals belong to all of the prisoners in this cell block,

not just to a single one.

Our queasy feeling has vanished.

Even the senior prison officers seem very relaxed.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:We meet Franco again in this storage room.

If the prisoners aren't happy with the food,

they are allowed to order in their meals.

Franco is just picking up his weekly order.

He is able to cook for himself in his cell.

The costs are deducted from his wages.

The normal prison food is free of charge.

Today it's pasta, fish and vegetables.

Doesn't actually look too bad.

The prisoners eat in their cells.

These huge refectories only exist in American prisons and movies.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR: Then everything calms down.

Time to think things over.

Stefano often thinks of his two grown-up sons.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:Ex-drug dealer, Franco,

wants to show us a video of the christening

of his 7-year-old daughter.

He wasn't allowed to go on a supervised trip,

something that's only rarely permitted.

Looking at the images, Franco is unable to hide his emotions.

- (speaks Italian)

NARRATOR:Soon, the cells will be locked up for 12 hours overnight.

Not everything is different to ordinary prisons.

But on the whole, we have the feeling

the concept in this prison actually works.

From Milan we go on to Alaska.

Alaska, endless wilderness, virgin nature, high mountains.

- (peaceful music)

NARRATOR:The 49th federal state is the largest,

iciest and emptiest state of the USA.

And it's here we find a truly mysterious place.

This tower consists of houses built on top of each other.

It goes up 50 metres into the sky.

An extraordinary sight.

That's why our reporter, Nora, takes a closer look.

- Wow!

NARRATOR:The tower is notorious.

The architect is said to have died many years ago.

He allegedly built the tower

to have the perfect view of Alaska's highest mountain.

The media calls the tower "Dr Seuss House",

named after the author of How the Grinch stole Christmas.

Just rumours... because we actually found him,

the builder of the tower.

After long investigations, we came across the name Phillip Weidner.

PHILLIP WEIDNER: How are you?" - Fine, how are you.

-So, you must be Phillip! - I am!

- I'm Nora. - Pleasure to meet you!

- Nice gloves. - They are beaver!

NORA: OK, so you are alive!?

- I am alive. Well, this morning I woke up and I'm still breathing.

NARRATOR:Phillip Weidner has been living in Alaska for 30 years.

He is a lawyer, but also a civil engineer,

and he built this house.

- So, what is the idea behind this tower?

- Why did you build this?" - Because I could.

And I wanted to.

NORA: But the first idea was to build a normal house?

- Just a log house, yes!.

NARRATOR:Phillip doesn't need a permit for the building.

By the way, he simply calls his masterpiece "Tower."

- (magical music)

- I think you've heard of the name "Dr Seuss House?"

- Right. - What's the story behind this name?

- I don't like that. - Why?

- Well, people call it that, but... - You're not the Grinch?

- No, I'm not the Grinch.

- Some people might think I am, but no!

NARRATOR: We are allowed to enter the tower.

It's not very safe, though.

That's why the climber, Brett, comes along.

Phillip only accompanies us half way up.

From then on you have to climb up ladders, which he is unable to.

- (stairs creak loudly)

NORA: Wow!

NARRATOR:At first sight, we realise this is not just

randomly hammered together.

The original block house is solid.

A whole 150 square metres large.

Many locals helped Phillip to build this.

- (mystical music)

NARRATOR:Each additional house was a new challenge.

With every additional floor, the weight,

which the underlying houses have to carry, increased.

- Stuck on top of this house. It weighed...

..14,000 pounds.

We picked it up with a crane at midnight.

It was 30 degrees below zero.

And we dropped that 14,000 pounds of platform

on top of those 8 pillars.

It had iron caps.

We figured it all out and we just dropped it in.

NARRATOR:Phillip and his friends worked on the tower

for 3 summers and a winter.

There is still a lot to do.

- This is all going to be glass,

and this is going to be glass, kind of like a greenhouse.

NORA: Do you want to continue to build this?"

- Am I going to? Of course, yeah. NORA: When?

- Well, when I get some more money.

- (both chuckle)

NORA: Was it expensive to build this whole thing?

- Oh, yeah. Yeah.

NARRATOR:How much the costs were exactly, Phillip doesn't remember.

He wants to build a large bathroom and a bedroom

in the upper floor of the original house.

8 massive wooden pillars carry the main load.

The tower has shrunk 30 centimetres

due to the continuously heavier weight.

In order to prevent further shrinking

Phillip has to add pillars.

PHILLIP: We put a jack in there.

NORA: Otherwise it would come down?

PHILLIP: Well, that helps carry everything.

NORA: OK.

NARRATOR: A total of 25 tons of steel

were used to support the beams.

It doesn't inspire much confidence, but it seems to work.

The tower has even endured a 7.2 earthquake.

Even if the legend that Phillip built the tower for its view

is not correct, the higher we get,

the more breath taking the view from the window is.

- Originally, I was just going to do this.

One house on top of another house.

Then we got this one up and we started looking at it

and we thought, why don't we put up another one.

And we started looking at it and we thought we could put another one.

NORA: So, you're kind of addicted to building houses?

- Yes, it just was fun.

NARRATOR:Phillip owns a total of 5 houses, which he designed himself.

The tower definitely is the most unusual and largest of all.

Of course, he doesn't need all of the space just for himself.

- I've got a family. And everybody is going to share it.

NORA: Well, can I come around... PHILLIP: Sure, you're welcome!"

- When there is a lift. - Yeah. You're welcome, yeah.

- (playful music)

NARRATOR:He wants to share the house with two children

and four grandchildren.

With that many houses, it's no wonder our reporter

loses track. But not just her...

NORA: So, this is the third house?

Phillip: Well, let me think...

NORA: Woah! That's quite deep. PHILLIP: It's hard to tell.

There are little side places, too.

That's why when people ask how many stories, I can't tell.

I don't know how many stories there are.

NARRATOR:Half way up the tower, there are still no stairs,

only ladders.

Because he injured his leg, the owner can't climb any further.

We hand Phillip a camera and a walkie-talkie.

From now on, Brett, who also helped building, is accompanying us.

- Phillip, can you hear me? PHILLIP:Yes I can.

- OK. The view is so nice. I like it very much!

PHILLIP: It just gets better and better.

I don't know if you're going to be able to get to the top,

but the top is pretty stunning."

NARRATOR: We think so, too, so let's go up!

But climbing keeps getting more difficult

because there is hardly any space left.

But that doesn't keep Phillip from having big plans

for the upper floors, too.

- So, the upper floors are just for the view ?

- No, they are also going to be liveable, too.

And some of these upper floors

there's going to be places with platforms with beds

and things so people can sleep up there.

And most of the upper floors will have 360 degree decks on them.

- (ladder rattles)

NARRATOR: And then, finally, the last ladder.

Almost 50 metres above the ground,

the perfect view!

Today we can't go up to the very top floor, the church spire,

because it's too icy.

NORA: At the top, there is another building.

What are the plans for this one?

- I'm going to put a plastic bubble up

so you can sit up there and look at the Northern lights.

NARRATOR:The plastic bubble is supposed to go up there,

where the rod is.

Phillip wants to install a radio station in the church spire itself.

NORA: So, there are a lot of names. What is this?

BRETT: We have Joey, a girl named Storm...

- Jesus was apparently here. - Oh, great!

BRETT: These are all the kids who

have gone up here and wanted to show something.

- That they've been here. - But they aren't allowed up here?"

- No one is allowed up here. - OK.

- This is invite only.

NARRATOR:Of course, everybody wants to come up here!

- It's a lot of work to do. - Yeah.

- What do you think? How long will it take to finish this house ?

- Well, the basic structure is done.

Now I just got to get the decks down to get the windows in.

- Yeah. - But that's...

If I really got on, I could do it in a year.

NARRATOR: Phillip Weidner, a man with dreams.

And one thing is certain, by building this house,

he himself has become immortal.

NORA: So, Phil, thank you very much for having me.

- It was a pleasure - A privilege to meet you.

- Yeah. And good luck!

NARRATOR:And that was the story behind this mysterious house,

on top of a house, on top of a house,

on top of a house.

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