Original subtitles

�ESKOSLOVENSK� FILMEXPORT presents

THE MYSTERIOUS CASTLE IN CARPATHIA

Based on the novel by J. Verne

Screenplay by

The Cast

Music by

Played by Conductor

Costume Designer

Set Designer Properties

Artistic Co-operation

Assistant to Chief of Production

2nd Unit Director

Made with the collaboration of

Sound Editor

Film Editor

Chief of Production Team

Director of Photography

Directed by

Dramaturg Team

Produced at

English subtitles by Doris Ko��kov�

THE KINGDOM OF CARPATHIA

Doctor Blutwurst was right.

This air is a balm.

Take deep breaths, your Lordship.

You`ll be as fit as a fiddle. - Who wants to be a fiddle?

Forgive me. - To forget the dreadful past.

I need new impressions.

Magnificent!

A setting for "The Vampire s Curse".

Act two, Waldemar s aria.

My star role at the Dresden opera.

Do you remember? - Indeed I do!

Your Lordship fell into the orchestra pit.

Wondrous memories!

This wild region inspires me.

All these totem poles.

A magnificently primitive people.

Why do all these sticks point to the Castle?

Sticks? Primitive, effective sculptures.

That s no sculpture.

It is not.

Poor young man!

Where is she?

Who?

She!

Some brandy might bring him round.

Stop!

Don t shoot!

I have many children and this horse to feed.

Do not fear us. We have a sick man here.

Can you help us? - Yes indeed.

But I am no physician,

only the local teacher - on my way to Werewolfsville.

But that is our destination!

Here is the sick man.

Poor girl!

This is a man! - And what a man.

Villia the gamekeeper.

I pitied his poor bride, our Mayor s daughter.

LATER - IN WEREWOLFSVILLE

Villia, oh Villia!

This was bound to happen.

Snooping round Devil s Castle again, the nosey parker.

He isn t a nosey parker, he s a civil servant!

Put him in the tap-room.

He is my betrothed.

I shall tend him in my chamber! - Whoever heard of...

Oh, come on.

The barms ve been read.

Get going, then!

Do not strain yourself, your Lordship.

Count Teleke von T�l�k� will spend the night here.

I ve had some grand toffs sleep here.

Even General Battledie.

After the battle at Battledom.

Next morning he said:

I sure as shit lost that battle,

but I didn`t lose my sleep.

Words fit for marble.

That picturesque castle again.

The tower points upwards like a threatening finger.

Genuine Meissen!

This wondrous goblet guarded

like a gem-it s name is Graal...

This invigorating climate!

Add it to the bill.

Vallia is delirious!

Old Doc can t come - the sacristan s cow s calving.

May I offer the balm of an imported medicine?

Oh, imported?

Thank you kindly, Sir.

The young lady has an erudite diction.

She s had her schooling.

Dear father, the Convent School for

Christian Maidensis hardly a university.

The Slovak drug.

A true wonder!

The fever just sizzled away.

I am happy to hear that.

When will the young man tell us what caused his fatal state?

In the morning, maybe. - If he lives to see daylight!

His malady isn t serious.

You never can tell with this Devil of a Castle!

Don t bother the gentleman.

Tom s deaf and dumb.

Won t hurt a fly, though.

He sells scapulars to ward off the evil spirits.

Cross his palm with silver.

The gamekeeper s been to the Castle?

Can t keep away. Cause of the haunting.

What haunting?

The usual stuff.

Rattling and screeching and such.

Odd lights, they say. - They say?!

Saw them with my own eyes!

A flamin arrow shot up

tall as the bally bell-tower!

Why is the place haunted?

Why?

Devil s Castle!

It s haunted!

But why?

Long, long ago a tribe of robber knights settled at the Castle.

They robbed merchants, murdered pilgrims.

Their evil deeds brought them to hell.

The Devill made them...

...haunt...

...haunt that Castle like mad.

Unbearable it was.

The robber knights decided to move on.

They left the Castle to the ghosts...

...and the bats.

Quite the local Homer.

This castle is intriguing.

When I feel fit once more

I shall go and explore and tease those ghosts of yours!

You d do better to hear out the gamekeeper first.

That s right, his Lordship had better sit on his arse!

Such, strong, hearty expressions!

A charming dialect!

I feel reborn.

These are the new impressions

my doctor so highly recommended.

An ancient people, romantic ruins, ghosts and magic.

May I ask what your Lordship thinks of these horrors?

I think highly of them.

Would it not be magnificent if flaming arrows really

did fly from that devil s haunt?

Unfortunately however,

such poetic phenomena belong to the realm of lore and legend.

More s the pity.

My poor master will never forget her.

Villia, my love! Tell me what happened.

I dunno.

How come you don t?

I arrived at the Castle and then...

Then what?

Then... I don t remember nothing.

A typical case of amnesia.

Loss of memory after a devastating experience.

This gang of robbers is up to its tricks again.

But courageous they always were, these Knights of Gorz.

Their coat-of-arms featured a beard chopped of a Sultan.

Gorz?

Yes, the Gorzes of Gorzeny, the castle owners.

Robert Gorz?

Then maybe she...

Stop singing such slush!

A civil servant should sing only the national anthem.

VILLIA RECO VERED

Robert Gorz disappeared.

This could be his hiding-place!

Unbelievable. I came here to forget.

And suddenly new hope blossoms on the horizon!

If that crazy man is here,

she is here too-against her will, of course!

But your Lordship-me think this ruin must be uninhabited.

The most famous of her arias.

You must be an artist!

I can tell, because I know this melody.

But how do you come to know it?

Dunno, really.

Yes you do.

You play it just as she used to sing it.

I can still hear her angel s voice.

Pretty as an angel, too.

Who?

The Minister of Forestry and I had the same wet-nurse.

Mils is thicker than water, we remained suckling-siblings.

It would be a good thing for you to refresh your memory.

So-what happened?

It s coming back to me.

I came to Devil s Castle,

and I looked up...

But what happened then, I really dunno.

Your description is lucid. It is she!

I must see her! - Me too!

Now I understand.

You could not let your bride see how carried away you were

by just one look at this divine beauty.

She d give me hell, she would.

Listen, young man.

This godlike creature is a world-renown singer,

but first and foremost she is my betrothed.

Congratulations, your Lordship. - Offered prematurely.

She is held prisoner here by a rich but crazy monster.

Holy smoke and gunshot!

We`ll ave to act and fast!

Noble son of these noble peaks!

You d go with me? - Yes.

Your Lordship would do well to think it over.

I already have.

Go back to Werewolfsville. Right now!

Not a word to those chicken-hearts about our going to the Castle.

She d give me hell.

Hire a carriage and rush to the police prefect with this free-mason ring.

Explain the situation.

Should I not return within 24 hours

he must send a police corps to take the castle by storm.

Oh God, no corpses!

Who will tend Your Lordship s precious throat?

I shall.

It belongs not only to me, but to the whole world.

Tom the dummie.

Bewitching, this folklore.

Give the poor creature a coin.

Forwards, young man!

Au revoir.

If only I could stay at your Lordship s side.

You`ll be at it again soon.

Au revoir, Master.

Call the police, would he?

We`ll nip that in the bud.

We can see without being seen.

Let s get into the woods!

What s that? Voice exercises.

Once in opera, mustn t stop.

I know I m uneducated Sir, but what s,, opera"?

Theatre with singing only.

Presented in maginficent halls

with the cream of society bestowing their favours upon me.

Why upon you?

Because I am a famous singer.

I thought such showing off isn t fitting for the gentry.

My father thought so too.

But let you be apprenticed for a singer.

Yes, the powers of my talent made him give in.

My father no longer deterred me from following my star.

To save my family embarrassment I called myself IL CONTECANTO.

Hapless Moor of Venice, you became my fate.

Our ways parted,

but thanks to modern technology we were ever together.

Until one evening...

Come forthwith! Salsa.

Never a second did I lose.

Why did she faint?

Don t interrupt!

Sorry.

She gave a magnificent performance.

I shall never forget - I seem to hear her still.

Again-right now.

But what s the good.

Just a hallucination.

I can hear her too!

Yeah, that s her!

Take care, young man. The Signorina is my betrothed.

Salsa!

WELCOME, COUNT TELEKE!

We are expected!

Watch out, your Lordship!

Better be sure than sorry.

Up with our courage! I always get it up for Salsa!

Now we re in the coop.

No windows here!

A fairy-tale place.

Magnificent.

A Count? A fool.

Fantastic. Game, Chateau Dracula, vintage 80.

To happy tomorrows!

May success be our companion...

There s dynamite in that throat.

THE BREAKDO WN IS NOT ON YOUR SET

A dangerous enemy.

I must keep an eye on him.

Professor!

Just a moment!

I am about to send the 421st rocket to the moon.

This time I shan t miss.

Stop that, there s something more important.

Damn it all!

What s up?

A breakdown on the second program, fix it at once.

The gentleman should not be present.

They won t be.

They`ll be asleep in seconds.

Your Lordship!

Wake up!

Good morning, my friend.

A day spun of sheer gold.

The deuce take the gold, there s a window!

There wasn t one yesterday.

You re right.

And it s the same room.

My mind s a blank.

However did I get to bed?

I have no recollection either.

Everything is ready for a civilized gentleman.

Exemplary service.

I don t think!

Even a WC. What s that?

From Orpheus and Eurydica.

This?

We are locked in. Now we re in the soup.

But we are strong men.

Stand beside me,

when I say Hallelujah we rush forwards.

This brave mountain folk!

Hallelujah!

A miracle.

Yes, Quadrophonograph.

The Professor s invention.

Between you and me-he s mad,

stark staring mad, never-the-less...

Crazy, but a genius.

He discovers how chickens lay eggs.

But one thing he refuses to do - to grow a beard.

I know that you...

Some heavenly Traviata.

Grandiose opera music,

I always dress to be worthy of its magnificence.

Sir! - All my ancestors loved music.

Applauded a man sentenced to death who screamed a high C when tortured,

rewarded him at the execution with fanfares by the Prague Trombone Players.

My adoration of opera has no limits.

Sir!

Souvenirs of their oreators.

Beethowen s umbrella,

Berlioz s baton, Richard Wagner s beret.

Tournados Rossini.

According to the living model.

That I do not doubt.

Your Lordship!

What s that? - An apple.

With this I annul the pull of gravity.

Silly bits and pieces.

Invent a beard for yourself!

It needs perfecting.

Sir, I know...

Excuse me, I haven t introduced myself.

Do I have the honour - Baron Gorz von Gorzeny?

And Count T�l�k� of Teleke?

Teleke of T�l�k�, not T�l�k� of Teleke.

Of course - T�l�k� of Teleke.

That s Professor Orphanic, my personal inventor.

And technical revolutionary.

A pleasure. Baron, I know that you have...

Your Lordship, that s Tom!

My betrothed is here, I wish to speak to her this instant.

This instant?

Happy to oblige. - Well, not this instant...

What was that?

Get yourself decent, then I`ll fulfill your wish.

Accompany the gentlemen!

Here we go again.

OPERATION ROBERT THE DEVIL Is there sufficient dynamite?

For total annihilation.

Great.

You do realize the test must take place within 24 hours?

I have to point out that I have only

Who took you out of the Mental Home where contrarevolutionaries placed you?

You did, Master.

Carbonize the coxhydrates! - Right.

Thermate the nuclears! - Right.

Accelerate the moderates! - Right.

Heat up my sausage! - Right.

A demon.

In human form.

How come your betrothed is with him?

Why?

That day when Salsa fainted on stage,

they took her to her changing-room.

The Doctor stated it had been a heart attack.

She then confided the reason for her anxiety.

Not long after our parting

the mysterious Baron Gorz appeared in one of the boxes.

He followed me from opera to opera.

Bribed his way to get close to me.

I sent you a telegram

and bade the Baron to free me of his presence.

He answered by return: Goddess of my hearing.

Never again shall you see my face.

He kept his promise.

So that s why she fainted.

I can t go on.

This is stronger than I am.

I am a mere primadonna.

Do you love me?

How often did your receiver answer that "question with my inter-urban "yes"?!"

Then everything is simple.

What?

Primadonna Salsa engaged to marry Maestro Contecanto?

What?

She is giving up her career. What?

She is to make her farewell in the role of Princess Carola?

By her beloved s side?

You wily wailer, how dare you steal her from me!

No, never!

Why are you so nervous this evening?

I have an evil premonition.

He is lying in wait out there.

I lost consciousness.

They took Salsa to her room where she was to remain

until the doctor came for the final examination.

But an hour later the room was changed.

Count T�l�k�! Now Salsa is mine for evermore.

Do not search for her if you value your life.

I searched but in vain.

Close to the pits of madness over Salsa s death

I yet cherished the hope that my beloved lives.

Held captive by her crazy admirer she must be going through hell,

but she is alive.

Sure thing. You heard er, I saw her.

What I don t get is why that doctor pronounced her dead.

That s easy to explain.

The Baron indubitably knows all about hypnosis,

making the Signorina as rigid as if she were dead.

Even the doctor was fooled.

You are right.

Absolutely right.

Listening at keyholes?

Naturally. A practical occupation.

Let us go. - Where?

You wished to see the Signorina.

Yes. - Sorry.

This good youth is coming too.

I ve forgotten that you steal pictures too.

Only for reasons of health.

I feel better already.

Something like acupuncture. - Somewhat similar.

Our angel s life now lies in your hands.

I don t understand. - You will.

Like the Holy Virgin.

Do you wish to kill her?

She has just fallen asleep. Should she wake and see you,

her heart would give way.

Let us go.

Very good.

Holy smoke and gunshot!

Excellent!

Your beard is dependable.

I d stake a wager that her sleep is caused by some devilish drug.

The vile scoundrel. He holds her in a golden cage.

How do we get her out?

My inspiration will not fail me.

What s that? - An artist s inner voice.

What s it saying?

Nothing as yet.

But-not to worry.

The police is on its way.

A cup of coffee!

More light!

What is that I see?

Hand over that telephorum!

The Prefect in person.

When will the rascals arrive? - They re marching quickly.

But it`ll take them two hours to mount Bear Hill.

Then they`ll take a rest.

They won t arrive before tomorrow morning.

Dammit!

Professor! - Coming!

Professor!

Coming! This is an animal-electricity test.

Operation Robert the Devil must be ready on the morrow.

When will you test it?

Right now.

Operation test results-positive.

You achieved all that with just one grain?

Yes.

Half a pound of Orphanic is sufficient for the whole operation.

No economizing!

Shall I have the charges set? - Of course!

All my discoveries will be ruined.

You`ll renew them all.

My financial support is unlimited. - Yes.

Long live your dud cheque factory.

Now I shall play with an open hand.

Hire a carriage and rush to the police prefect with this free-mason ring.

Explain the situation.

Should I not return within 24 hours he must send a police corps

to take the castle by storm.

No storming necessary.

The gates will be open.

I understand, Baron.

You put yourself in the hands of justice.

Voluntarily. You do well.

Here Salsa and I dreamt our dream.

The ancient legends and the Professor s experiments

kept the simple natives at a healthy distance.

Then you came to sniff around, you impertinent gamekeeper!

I gave you warning with an electric shock.

But you came again,

accompanying this gentleman

- Who set the police at me.

But my dear T�l�k�...

Teleke!

But my dear T�l�k�,

when your braves arrive your betrothed and I shall have flown

and they will be blown up with the whole of this castle.

No! - Yes.

And you with them.

Both of you.

What have you done?

Did you call me, Master?

Professor, your experiment...

Absolutely positive with negative effect.

Do you realize what you ve done?

Yes, Master.

The technical revolution is no garden-party.

What can one expect from a beard-less man.

Much, my Master.

Let me show you.

A wireless discharge.

This here is timed and automatic, this is manual-immediate.

Which is what you need.

Let me demonstrate.

Erect the antenna, lift the lock - just pretending to-fire!

Child s play.

Meaning even I can manage.

A charming toy.

Thank you, Professor.

Don t mention it.

You know too much.

But what you don t know is that I put you into that mental home.

Tie him to the charges!

Your Lordship! The door.

Yes, a work of art.

No, I mean a couple of blows and we re through.

Oh, you mean...

Ram it down, that t what I mean.

This would do.

Beethowen as a ram? No!

He wrote only one opera, at that.

This time we`ll do it.

Bull -

- Yes, bullshit. Oh, shit-dear friend.

And your voice? - My voice?

Not that un. Perfectly all right.

I mean the voice that advises artists.

Couldn t it tell us how to get out of this mess?

In spite of this fatal situation my voice is in top form.

Who orawls through first?

First evacuation stage.

You here?

Release the poor man! The Baron s servant?

But he s a genius.

I want my revenge!

My nail. I`ll do it.

I`ll keep watch.

Thanks.

My beloved!

Where did she disappear to?

She was here, I saw her.

Show him what he saw.

The Professor caught her eternal image

during her last performance.

Yes, her picture-that is all you saw.

But I heard her voice, too.

That divine voice!

I don t understand. I saw her here,

Salsa in flesh and blood.

A technical deception too?

What does this mean?

The doctor was not mistaken.

The primadonna was dead.

But her beauty was preserved.

Orphanic embalmed her but her body

had to reside in a vacuum.

Unfortunately that was destroyed

and with it all that was mortal, in my adored artist.

I bow to your sentiments.

All she is good for now is to polish silver with.

You cynical monster!

I care not about transitory matter.

I own more.

Her soul, her immortal voice.

Clothed in the image of her body,

she lives and I live with her.

Baron, you are crazy!

The gentleman bores me.

Do away with him!

Use a civilized method.

Your handkerchief.

Don t you have your own?

When I drop it, fire!

That was a fake beard.

He tricked me!

Your Lordship!

Hand this over to the competent authorities.

What is it? The documentation to my inventions.

Should it get lost all progress would be held up for many years.

Away, quickly.

I am definitely dying.

Holy smoke and gunpowder!

The poor Missy.

Au revoir, my dearest.

That won t be long, your Lordship!

We`ll be blown sky-high

and you`ll be right with her.

No. Let s get out of here!

Halt!

Forwards, attack!

No!

Your Lordship.

Get back!

The castle`ll be blown up!

Au revoir, my treasure.

Up the trees! Jump!

DEVIL S CASTLE WENT TO THE DEVIL

All s well that ends well.

Orphanic s documentation was studied at the imperial Patent Office

by the competent experts.

And his Lordship?

A fantastic climax to his artistic career!

Villia also won the happiness he sought.

THE END