Original subtitles

(soft folk pop music)

- [Holly Voiceover] You know what really bothers me about

all those Saturday afternoon adventure movies

we used to see when we were kids?

They're always so glamorous and romantic.

Everybody gets exactly what they want.

The hero gets the girl, they always find the treasure,

and they live happily ever after.

Sure.

Now let me tell you what really happens.

By the way, if you haven't guessed by now,

that's me.

Yeah a white dove.

Don't be so critical.

This movie's got a message.

You know surrealism and all that stuff.

Yeah that's me on the altar too.

Jeez, get a load of that costume.

After that experience I can truly say

I left my heart in the Yucatan.

Anyway, I just want to tell you my story before

you get the wrong idea or read about

it in some supermarket tabloid.

Listen, let's go back to the beginning.

About six months ago to where it all started.

I guess I should introduce myself.

My name is Holly Carlson.

I was the typical grad student at a small California

state university with a head full of dreams

and a bank account full of nothing.

An undistinguished archaeology student

with a taste for the good life

and a less than professional set of ethics.

Anyway, I'd run out of money

and was trying to figure how to pay the rent

without going back to that waitress job

when I stumbled across an obscure Mayan manuscript

in one of my textbooks.

It set me to dreaming of gold, glory, and adventure.

Sometimes life hands you an easy out

as my three muses said it would.

No money, no job and sure enough

the only class I need was cancelled.

I wanted out.

(soft folk guitar music)

We've got to talk.

Meet me at the cafe three o'clock.

Bret knew of my uneasiness and he wanted

to know where he stood.

(soft folk rock)

I shared my plans and dreams with Bret.

We both knew it was over.

That day we parted forever

but not without tears.

Sometimes love gets in the way of what you have to do.

Thanking my three muses, I knew that adventure called me.

I caught the first flight headed to Mexico.

As a student I certainly wasn't used to creature comforts

so the old cargo plane worked out fine.

I could almost hear the propellers saying

adventure is ahead.

Adventure is ahead.

Then with the vision of lost gold

and jungle cities, I began the journey

that would bring me to my destiny.

(soft folk music)

Tampico turned out to be a procession

of aimless days and wasted nights.

Until I met Lisa, my sidekick.

She was an artist, as down on her luck as me.

She'd been stuck in Mexico for three months.

No job, no money, no prospects.

She wandered the city an aimless vagabond.

A ship off course.

When I saw her sitting on that dusty little bench

near the tracks.

(laughs)

I knew our destinies were intertwined.

I recognized a kindred spirit.

We became friends and decided to search together

for whatever life had to offer.

In other words, we were on the bum.

- Here, have a smoke.

- Thanks.

- God it's hot!

- Yeah and dusty.

- What a town, Tampico.

- You said it.

If I could find me a job

to bring in enough to buy a plane ticket,

I'd shake the dust off my feet

and dump this crummy little town.

You can bet on that.

- Yeah well if I was a native, I'd get me a can

of shoe polish and I'd be in business.

They'd never let a gringo do that.

God you can sit on a bench till you're

three quarters starved, you can beg from another American,

you could even commit burglary.

But try shining shoes on the street

or peddling lemonade out of a can.

Your hash is settled.

You'll never get a job as an American.

- Yeah the natives would hound and pester you to death.

- What a town to broke in.

- What town isn't?

- Hey mister can you stake a fellow American to a meal?

- Hey buddy want to buy a lottery ticket?

Come on.

Come on.

Play the lottery, Senorita?

- Beat it kid.

I ain't buying any lottery tickets.

Get out of here.

- A million pesos is a big prize.

- Get out of here you little beggar!

- The whole ticket is only 400 pesos.

It's a sure winner.

- I don't have spare pesos

for a little cholito like you.

- Then buy one quarter of a ticket

for only 100 pesos.

That nothing compared to a gringo like you.

- If you don't get out of here.

I'm gonna splash this water right in your face.

- Buy one tenth.

One tenth only costs you 40 pesos.

Senorita, buy one twentieth.

One twentieth only costs you 20 pesos.

Look Senorita.

Add the figures up, you get 13.

What better luck could you buy?

It's a sure winner.

- Alright when's the drawing?

- Tomorrow morning, right after mass.

- Give me a twentieth of a ticket

but only so I don't have to look

at your sorry little face anymore.

- Es muy excellente, Senorita.

Gracias.

Come to me next time.

I always have the winner.

All the lucky numbers, good luck.

- Lucky number 13.

(laughs)

(upbeat Mexican dance music)

- Hey hey mister.

- Get a job!

- Hey mister.

(mumbles)

- God what a dump.

- There's probably rats and cockroaches in this place.

Well have to fit it affordable.

(speaks Spanish)

I know this place down the street called Rick's Bar.

Dressed like this we can probably get some gentlemen

to buy us some drinks.

- Gentlemen in this town?

Keep dreaming.

- Hey mister, stake a fellow American to a meal?

- Such impotence never came my way.

Earlier today I gave you money.

While I was having my shoes polished,

I gave you more money.

Now you put the bite on me again.

It's beginning to get tiresome.

Do me a favor will ya?

Go occasionally to someone else.

- I'm sorry mister, I never looked at your face.

Only your hands and the money that you gave me.

I didn't recognize you.

I'm sorry, I'll never put the bite on you again.

I promise.

- This is the very last you get from me.

Just to make sure you don't break your promise,

here's some more.

But from now on, you'll have to make your way through

life without my assistance.

- Thanks mister, thanks.

(upbeat instrumental music)

(singing in Spanish)

(humming)

- Fritz, the war is over.

I can get a veteran like you a policy

for a dollar a week.

Those Nazi war bonds are never gonna pay off.

- What will it be, little lady?

Shirley Temple?

- Shirley Temple, black.

- So Sal, how was your last flight?

- Same old same old.

(mumbles)

Hey hombre, got an matches?

- Matches?

I got no matches.

I don't no need no matches.

I ain't gotta give you no stinking matches.

- So cowboy just how big are you?

- Well ma'am, I'm six feet seven inches.

- Well I don't care about the six feet,

can we talk about the seven inches?

- [Bartender] Can I get you another drink, bub?

- That's Beelzebub to you.

(patrons whooping)

- God I hope the bathrooms here

are better than the ones at the hotel.

Here go get a couple drinks.

- [Bartender] It's the usual.

Mescal with a worm.

- No, I'd like an orgasm this time.

- There's treasure out there,

out there in the jungle.

I've seen it.

I know it's there.

It's just waiting for the first guy

who's got the guts to take the chance.

That's all it takes, guts.

Guts.

What about you, little lady?

(laughs)

Have you got the guts to take a chance?

- What do you think you're talking about, old man?

- I'm talking about taking a chance

on getting a fortune.

I'm talking about treasure.

Treasures what I'm talking about

but it's cursed.

Cursed by the devil himself.

It's nothing but bad luck

but you wouldn't be interested.

- Hey, treasure right about now

I could use a little bit of that bad luck.

- It'll take some doing though.

We have to face the swamps and the snakes

and the fever and the Indians.

- Indians?

This ain't the wild west.

- I'm not talking about those kind of Indians,

I'm talking about Mayans.

The jungles full of them.

Ceremonial daggers and virgin sacrifices.

They guard their treasure fiercely, fiercely.

- Treasure, spill it out old man.

I ain't got all day.

- I'm talking about gold.

Gold that the conquistadors left behind, I found it.

I know their secret.

They almost killed me but I got away.

I know their secret.

Mountains of gold.

- You got a job yet?

- No but I could sure use a drink.

I appreciate the help from a fellow American.

Thanks for the drink.

- Yeah sure, anytime.

- My name's Holly.

Whats yours?

- Dobs.

Fred C., everyone calls me Dobs.

- Nice to meet you.

It is so hard to find work in Tampico.

What do you do for a living?

- Well I make my living collecting

avian specimens for wealthy conservationists

back in the states.

- Oh you're a poacher?

- No I prefer to call myself a relocation specialist

for endangered native species.

- Isn't that illegal?

- Nothings illegal in Tampico if you spread

the wealth to the right people.

- If you've got a map, why ain't you out there

finding it yourself?

Why you sitting in here like a down

and outer with the rest of these losers.

- It's the fever.

My health ain't what it used to be anymore

but with this map

and somebody who has the guts,

they can find this treasure.

All I want is 10%, it's all I want.

But this map it shows you how to get there.

It shows the secrets.

For a fair price and 10% of the find you can have this.

(upbeat instrumental music)

- [Holly Voiceover] So in a strange way,

Lisa became the catalyst that brought

my golden city closer.

- Look, look.

It's a turn around, it's a map.

It cost me every penny we had

but it's gonna make us rich.

- What, where did you get this?

- I got it from the old man at the bar.

He's a prospector.

Does he know about (mumbles).

- You've been had, sweetheart.

That old man, he's a scam artist.

Around here we call him Jungle Jim.

He makes his living selling fake artifacts

to dumb tourists like yourself.

This rag ain't worth the paper to blow your nose on.

- I can't believe you spent the last dollar

that we have in this world on a comic book.

We're broke.

We're penniless.

We're destitute.

Oh god I can't believe you did this.

I'm sorry, I know you tried to help.

- Well here, make yourself useful

and get us another round.

- Actually, it's a very good copy of an original.

See these glyphs right here?

They're actually described real Mayan cities

and real Mayan gold.

Maybe in an ironic way that old man

knew what he was talking about.

Have you heard any rumors?

- Sure, there's Mayan cities out in the jungle.

Maybe even treasure too.

In fact, a few days from here

I came across a temple complex

while I was trapping parrots.

I mean relocating avian species.

We might even find valuable artifacts there.

Maybe even gold

but for an expedition like that,

you need money and we don't have it.

- Yeah I know.

- Senorita, senorita, you won, you won

and I get 10%.

The seller always gives 10% to the winner.

- Get out of here you little brat.

I'm not falling for your phony bologna

lottery tickets anymore.

- If you don't you'll have nothing but bad luck.

- I'm not giving you any more money.

- Wait, if you shut up and listen

he's trying to tell you that you're a winner.

He sold you a winning ticket.

- Wait a minute, is this it?

- Si senorita, number 13 is a big winner

and I told you so.

The prize is 100,000 pesos.

- Hey the kids right.

I won, I won.

Come here you little angel and give me a kiss.

Oh my god.

Here, just take this with my blessings.

- Muchas gracias, senorita.

Muchas gracias.

You'll have nothing but good luck from now on.

- Oh right, let's go get some gold.

- [Holly Voiceover] I played the story

over in my head.

Just one more time.

Could the muses be wrong?

- Don't worry, we'll find the treasure.

Speaking of treasures, I know a place

where we can get some treasures

at a very low price.

You know what I mean?

- Hey, I could use a little help over here.

Don't mess with Fred C. Dobbs, girly.

The sooner we blow this dusty burger (mumbles)

- Hey senoritas, hey come on look, look.

I have something for sale over here.

(soft country music)

Hey senorita senorita, look look.

There's a fish.

Hey senorita.

- You couldn't have hit just one more rut could you?

- God damn!

We're out of gas.

- Oops.

- [Holly] Can't believe you did that.

- Was I supposed to do that?

Oh god.

- So this is the trail to the lost city?

- It's the end of the line.

- What?

- We're out of gas.

From here on out we hoof it.

Take what you can carry and leave the rest.

- But what about the Jeep?

- It doesn't matter.

See this friend that I borrowed the Jeep from,

he doesn't exactly know that I borrowed the Jeep.

So to speak.

- [Holly Voiceover] The map was a drumbeat in my head.

Never ceasing.

Forcing me onward.

It beat in time to my footsteps.

Gold, gold, gold.

The jungle was endless.

Endless green, endless damp, endless heat.

- Hey, hey you guys you're gonna want to see this.

You're gonna owe me for this one.

- [Holly Voiceover] The waterfall was like a vision

from heaven and we were crying for salvation.

(laughs)

- Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Take mine off.

(laughs)

(soft romantic music)

- Get the lead out of your ass, girly.

This ain't no stroll across campus.

- Why don't you kiss my ass?

- You gotta be careful in these woods.

There's a big bad wolves out.

(shouts)

Taking a short break.

You guys can do what you want.

I can sleep anywhere.

(soft instrumental music)

- You look so pale, baby girl.

- [Holly Voiceover] Now the map was calling

to others in that jungle

but this time not for gold.

(gasps)

- Hey enough of this day at the beach.

We got to get out of these rocks

and make some miles before we make camp tonight.

- [Holly Voiceover] That old drum continued to beat

but now it was in Lisa's head too.

- I don't think you know where the hell this

lost temple is, do you?

- Well go ahead and find it without me.

Without me, you'd die.

- I'm tired of this stinking jungle.

I think we're lost.

I think we should just go back.

- Go back?

Go back where?

We're broke.

By now the federales have found that stolen jeep.

- Just get us the hell out of here.

We're lost.

- We're this close.

I tell ya this river leads right to the ruins.

I've traveled 100 times chasing parrots.

- Chasing parrots?

The only thing you've ever chased

is a piece of ass and a shot of tequila at Rick's bar.

- Wish it was your (mumbles).

- Oh if I never wear another backpack again

it will be too soon.

- [Holly Voiceover] Feverish dreams swept me

into cover girl fantasies

of modeling and fame in glamorous locales.

Anywhere but here.

(energetic rock music)

We had lost hope.

We had spent ourselves on a futile journey into nowhere

and now the jungle would demand more.

Payment came due the following day.

(screams)

- Get back here.

Oh my god!

- [Holly Voiceover] The jungle, always watchful,

always unforgiving, exacted its fatal toll.

- Help me.

- Come on, come on wake up.

- [Holly Voiceover] As we made camp that night in silence

we both wondered would the jungle demand more?

(speaking Spanish)

- Should know not to sneak up on a fella like that.

It ain't healthy.

I got some cigarettes.

- What a surprise to find a gringo like you

out in the jungle alone.

- No surprise, I'm hunting parrots.

You know those pretty birds

that bring the nice money?

- Money?

We need money too.

What's with all this equipment for just one man?

- One man.

I'm not alone.

I have friends, they're back there collecting firewood.

They'll back any minute.

- That's funny we've been on the trail all day

and we've found no footprints except yours.

- Well if you don't believe me go check for yourself.

There's nothing keeping you here.

- Haven't I seen you somewhere before?

- No, not me.

- Oh yeah?

I could of swore that canti, that gringo cantina

in Tampico.

Got anymore cigarettes?

- Yeah back in my duffle bag.

Here.

Take it, I got another pack.

- [Holly Voiceover] I wanted to shout a warning

but old instinct said hide.

- Pays real good.

- He's offering us a job.

(laughing)

What you got in that bag, maybe money?

Maybe gold?

Now I remember you.

You're that gringo that was at that bar with that puta.

You guys bought the treasure map.

Maybe you got some gold for us poor people.

- This what I got for you, amigo.

(shouting)

(cheering)

(muffled screams)

- [Holly Voiceover] When I looked up,

her presence seemed familiar.

I knew she had saved me for something bigger.

My spirits were as gloomy as the dark jungle

as they lead me towards my rendezvous with fate.

Though I begged for rest, they walked all night

never tiring.

(upbeat instrumental music)

We emerged from the jungle

into a small clearing,

an ancient ceremonial center.

(speaking Spanish)

They greeted me with a childlike joy and curiosity.

(speaking Spanish)

They kept chanting, over and over,

the queen, the queen.

(speaking Spanish)

(speaking Spanish)

I was beginning to wonder, was I their guest

or an offering?

Now I could make the connection.

It became clear.

I was the white goddess as foretold by the codex.

The old prospector had truly had found a treasure

but this time he wouldn't get his 10%.

(cheering)

(low suspenseful horn music)

(rhythmic rattling)

As the dance increased in tempo,

I felt my old life slipping away.

While my heart beat to the rhythm of the drums

I became the white goddess.

(energetic rhythmic beating)

(shouting)

Like a lamb lead to slaughter, I ascended

and took my place on the altar.

(calm ethereal instrumental music)

On the wings of the drug, I began a fanciful flight.

(suspenseful horn music)

(calm ethereal music)

With one final toast I celebrated the past.

(suspenseful horn music)

(calm ethereal music)

And said goodbye to all the old dreams

and then began my new journey.

(rhythmic drum music)

(chanting)

(shouting)

(low horn music)

(chanting)

(shouting)