Original subtitles

INVENTION FOR DESTRUCTION

Based on 'Facing the Flag' by Jules Verne Script by

Cinematography

Music by

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Designed and Directed by

Good evening, friends.

Come closer!

I'm going to tell you about the greatest adventure of my life.

This is my journal.

Everything I have experienced I have confided to its pages.

But I have not told you my name.

I am Mr Hart. Mr Simon Hart.

I lived at a time of such hope. The dream of human progress!

My friends and I could think of nothing else!

Robur the Conqueror, Barbican, Captain Nemo...

Of such was the world of our youth...

My story proper begins on the Atlantic.

What an impression that made on me!

I had booked passage on the first steamship to cross the ocean.

I watched as mankind challenged the waves below,

and the empire of the air above!

Every step brought new discoveries, new inventions.

Enraptured, I observed with glee

each new triumph of science and technology!

Little did I know the role

that submarine would soon play in my life!

I continued my journey overland.

The iron horse advanced tirelessly!

Terrible! Have you seen this?

People needlessly killed,

I beg you!

Thus ends all human folly!

Man was created to walk upon the earth

and on earth he should stay, Sir!

Fortunately, there have always been those who are not satisfied with merely walking.

They travel now just as confidently across both sea and sky.

Yes - and sky!

For man has lately ascended to the heavenly privilege of the winged eagle!

And this is but the beginning!

Ever more advanced arks of the air cruise the celestial seas.

Flying vessels, heavier than air,

are no longer a figment of imagination.

A century of steam and electricity

has made the servant obsolete!

The Albatross.

Indeed this was the latest word

in the noble field of aeronautics.

Thanks to my friend 'Robur the Conqueror'

not even the king of birds can reach the heights that this machine new rules.

Finally, I was at my destination.

A private sanatorium.

But who was that man?

Now, in this sanatorium my teacher,

the brilliant scientist Professor Roch,

was convalescing from toiling on his latest invention.

Greetings, Doctor!

How is the Professor?

Calmer today.

And how did you fare?

I have the documents.

All we need now is the money so he can finish...

make his great invention in peace.

You know, Sir, I wish the Professor every success.

I believe he will find people who will help him.

But sometimes I cannot help but worry

that no good can come from this explosive device of his.

I am a scientist.

My interest lies in chemical reactions,

not in accounting!

That means Professor...

...that I have no money left,

and yet I must finish my invention!

I'm glad not to be at sea tonight.

By morning, word had spread like wildfire of the ruthless kidnapping

of Professor Roch and his assistant, Mr Simon Hart.

Days of fevered searching ensued.

By what right do they hold us here?

They have bigger guns.

Strike sail, damn you!

We must inform His Excellency.

The Count d'Artigas, the ship's owner.

Search? Please, help yourselves.

Your Excellency!

Your Excellency!

We are ready to proceed...

Your Excellency.

We are ready to proceed, Your Excellency.

Wait until night and then full steam to Back Cup!

How was it possible for such a ship to progress with no sails?

Where did that rope lead, down into the depths of the sea?

The explanation was at hand...

Yes, the very submarine whose tragic disappearance had so excited the world's press!

And the reason the inspection of the schooner had proven fruitless.

May I welcome you on board.

How do you like the most modern vessel in the world, Professor?

I regret that my men had to use force,

but it was the only way I could save your work

from being abused.

Where is my assistant?

Unfortunately, I do not know. My invitation extended only to you, Professor.

You are my guest.

Let me show you my kingdom.

I rule the greatest empire in the world.

With the invention of this submarine, I became master of the world's oceans.

Their riches are greater than the wealth of all the continents combined.

The sea floor is rich in natural resources.

Treasures of gold and jewels,

claimed over the years by the seas,

are there but for the taking.

All this I shall put at the service of science.

I believe in your discovery,

your grand idea.

I will do everything in my power to ensure your work is finished.

With the riches of the ocean I have created an underwater city.

My factories and laboratories await you, Professor.

Together, your genius and my finances will create a wonder!

We shall amaze the world.

By what right are you holding me here?

We have bigger guns, Sir.

Once on the high seas,

with no danger of further naval patrols,

the Professor was transported from the submarine

to the three-master.

Professor, Captain Spade, skipper of our schooner.

Mr Serko, your future collaborator,

the man who built the factories in our underwater city, Back Cup.

Let me show you

the plans for your laboratory, Professor.

Ship! Ship to port!

It's the Amelia,

one of the largest merchant ships in the South Atlantic,

becalmed at sea.

Make the usual arrangements.

Professor, may I offer you some light refreshment?

Alone in the armoured brig of the submarine,

my journal became the sole custodian of my thoughts

and observations.

Reverse engines!

Halt engines!

It was now clear to me what dark purposes

the supposed loss of the submarine had served.

She had disappeared from the public eye,

only to conceal the criminal raids of a pirate gang.

And who was her commander?

The noble Count d'Artigas!

A short pause, but hopefully a fruitful one.

Our submarine has discovered the wreck of a merchant ship...

That must be a rare stroke of luck,

finding such a treasure ship.

We do not leave anything to chance, Professor.

Help!

Help!

We have a system.

Help!

What was that?

Did you hear that?

There!

There was certainly someone calling for help.

It must be a castaway.

Do you see anything?

You're right. It is a castaway.

The lifeboat!

Launch the lifeboat! Action stations!

Quickly! Quickly!

Who's wandered down there?

What are you doing here, blast you!?

Who let you in here?

Captain, a gentleman does not enter when a lady is present!

Do you want to blow up the ship?

Doesn't that gunpowder worry you?

It's no surprise the Amelia went down

with a passenger like you!

Pack up your things. We land at dawn.

Captain, do many ships stop at this island?

You should know, I must return soon.

You'll soon see.

Captain, the island where we are due to land...

- Land ahoy! - Back Cup ahoy!

Back Cup, Professor! Another hour and we shall be home.

You call a volcano home?

The volcano is extinct.

The smoke you see is from my factories.

You have chosen a most strange residence, Count!

Perhaps,

but only there can you realise your ingenious invention, Professor.

Our submarine passed through an undersea tunnel.

As I later learned,

it was the only gateway into d'Artigas' pirate citadel.

We surfaced in a grim lagoon,

shaded by towering crater walls.

Here the submarine was safe.

D'Artigas' satanic mills belched clouds of resinous fumes

that floated over the caldera

like the inevitable threat of eruption.

And most astonishing of all,

on a rugged point above the waters perched his proud eagle's nest!

Thus appeared the residence of the Count d'Artigas,

pirate king of the modern age.

On the opposite shore of the lagoon another kind of residence awaited me.

A broken, dilapidated shack

that for long months was to be my home.

There I spun my bold plans of escape.

There I would experience both elation and despair.

But forgive me, I run ahead of myself!

The pages of my journal with those memories

were empty yet,

I was still a prisoner in the brig of the submarine.

So, welcome home, Sir.

You are only destroying your own home, young man.

What have you done with the Professor?

The Professor is being treated royally.

It will be your neck if he disappoints...

- Anything? - We search for the secret of matter itself.

The secret of matter? And then what...?

We look forward to the results

of your experiments, Professor.

I think we could make good use of his assistant, Your Excellency.

The engineer? Talk to him.

What is it all for?

It is only a test, for now

to release the power that holds all matter together.

Many other inventions will be needed

before these forces can serve mankind

to fuel machines,

give light

and warmth.

But that is a detail. How it is used,

is for technicians and the people to decide...

My new invention,

a machine that will rule the air.

Together with the explosive invented by the Professor, it will rule the world.

And you, Sir, in the interim shall apply your talents to it.

I?

Never! I wish to speak with the Professor.

I cannot allow that!

- Of course you could always... - I will not be your accomplice!

As you wish.

We can wait!

So!

In my absence they converted this miserable shack

into a perfectly equipped laboratory.

What a temptation!

But I thought of the Professor.

He would never give these bandits the secret of his invention!

But I forgot

how my genius-teacher was as trusting as a child!

We build a solid steel tower.

The main section contains a chamber.

We put a few grams of my new form of matter inside,

hook it up to an electric current and...

It will go boom!

There will be an enormous burst of energy which we must channel and control!

We must tame this force. That is the whole point of the experiment.

I regret to inform, the experiment has been a failure.

On the contrary, Professor! That was what I call a result!

Well done, Professor. Congratulations!

Barely had I heard the explosion, than I realised

my unsuspecting professor

had handed these criminals a terrible weapon!

Such an invention was sure to be abused and become a weapon of mass destruction!

No, this must not be!

There was not a minute to lose!

I would do everything possible to warn mankind before it was too late!

DELIVER IMMEDIATELY TO THE PROFESSOR.

Professor!

Professor!

One day, I noticed the submarine

returning from another murderous voyage.

At that time I had no idea that my balloon had reached its goal.

And I had no idea that the pirates were bringing ill tidings to their commander.

It was again the most modern technology that informed d'Artigas

that his ominous secret had been uncovered.

Your submarine, Your Excellency.

They fired on us as soon as we surfaced!

But we had the luck of the Devil!

- Someone has betrayed me. - They will come after us, Excellency.

So much the better! We shall give them a wonderful reception,

and put an end to this game of hide and seek!

Accelerate missile production and have the Supergun positioned on the coast.

Impossible through the marine tunnel.

Then dig a new tunnel through the rock,

above the waterline, straight to the coast.

- Nothing shall stop me. - A small interval, Excellency.

While the Count did everything to utilise the destructive power

of the Professor's invention to carry out his diabolical crimes,

the trusting scientist still sweated under the illusion

that his labours would bring a blessing on mankind.

Almost at the same time I received a gracious offer.

Mr Serko,

d'Artigas' court scientist,

the architect of Back Cup,

and builder of the new tunnel

thru which the Supergun was to be brought to the sea,

summoned me.

Mr Serko, yet again I implore you...

I will not let you see the Professor.

Forget about him.

Hello!

Hello there!

Yes, yes.

The fault must be repaired immediately.

Have you not sent out divers?

What? Not returned?

Send more!

I will hear no mention of danger!

That damaged cable must be repaired immediately!

Mr Serko

if you give your consent,

I have worked underwater

and am not afraid of danger.

Well, Sir,

I welcome your assistance, if you mean it seriously.

You will descend to the bottom of the lagoon,

follow the cable to the fault.

Two men will accompany you,

to guarantee your safe return.

Of course I had little interest in the damaged cable.

I offered to help to explore the tunnel,

which offered my one chance of escape.

Look again! Take reinforcements!

That man must be found dead or alive!

They did not see me.

Well, it was now or never.

Yes! That dark tunnel was my coveted path to freedom.

Nothing there.

Not a trace of him.

How much oxygen was he carrying?

Enough for half-an-hour.

That very day, in a display of determined resistance the world

had sent an exploratory vanguard...

You are among friends, Sir.

WORLD POWERS UNITE AGAINST THE THREAT OF MASS DESTRUCTION!

We are safe in the tunnel. The patrols will be in the harbour.

Your attention a moment!

Do you see that?

The pirates!

Engine off! Full stop!

Forgive me, I did not expect to find you here!

I need your help.

If you wait outside I will get ready at once.

Of course.

May I introduce myself? My name is Mr Hart

and I am the Professor's assistant.

A pleasure, Mr Hart.

I delivered your letter that same day.

What did the Professor say?

Unfortunately, I do not know.

He made no reply?

He never mentioned the letter.

You can come in now, Mr Hart.

Warm yourself by the fire. You look like you need it.

I do not know how you came to be in this company.

They are not good people.

They are preparing a terrible crime.

Those same people of whom you speak saved my life

when our ship sank.

When they deliberately sank your vessel to rob her, you mean.

They now plan something much worse.

And only the Professor can prevent it!

How regrettable that the Count is busy.

It is a very interesting and important experiment...

Do not bother yourself, Professor.

While you were sitting here, we've found a better way

to make use of your new energy.

Sorry, but as you can see, I have failed to help you.

We must find him at all costs!

Tomorrow we can expect a full-scale attack by the fleet.

But we are ready, Your Excellency. Let them come even now!

All the world's warships as one!

Let them attack! We shall defeat them all!

With your permission, Your Excellency,

- I shall outline the order of battle. - Do.

The plan is simple and guarantees us victory.

Our Supergun controls the only possible approaches to the island.

The entire encounter will take but a matter of seconds.

Shells filled with the Professor's new explosive

will destroy every fleet

before we are even in range of their guns.

Before they are even be within sight of us, we shall know their positions.

We will launch an observation balloon from the crater,

and receive advance reports.

The balloon crew will be specially equipped for the job.

Kindly observe, Your Excellency,

how perfectly the crew is equipped.

These men were chosen for their experience and special training.

They will be linked to us via the most modern telephone

using an extra-fine cable.

They will go directly to their battle stations.

They will carry a supply of food and water.

Once the fleet is sunk,

they will guard our island against any further attempt at attack.

Now, I ask you, Your Excellency...

The ships are approaching, we must warn them immediately!

If you are brave enough, I know how.

- What about the Professor? - He cannot help us now.

We must act quickly.

They're coming!

Professor, you've come to observe...

Prepare the cannon!

- My dear Count! - Professor!

We found a use for your invention!

- Shoot them down! - Shoot them down!