Retro Puppet Master (1999) Movie Script
Well, my friends, how are you?
I don't answer that question, I can see.
Young and healthy, cool, calm,
and collected.
And contented.
And so you should be contented.
You all lead cosseted lives.
You're carried from adventure to adventure
in your warm, comfortable trunk.
And who carries you?
I do.
A frail, fragile old man.
I'm going to walk with that.
Next time, I'll be cut off your feet.
And I'll put you up on wheels.
And you can all pull me along in the
trunk.
I don't look so wide.
It may never happen.
Well, we'll rest here tonight.
And tomorrow we'll be safe in Switzerland.
And I'll see if I can find something for
us to eat.
Well, I found this tin of sardines.
All I need now is a tin opener.
What is it?
What have you found?
Well... Cyclops.
Cyclops.
He was one of the first of the family.
It all began, I suppose, one day,
with old Absalom.
In Cairo.
Those who steal the secrets of the gods
must die.
Those who steal the secrets of the gods
must die.
And what of those who do not steal the
secrets of the gods?
They too must die.
Better to know the secrets than to die a
fool.
One day, all must die.
But you die today, fool.
Feel the power of Suttek.
Feel the power of Suttek.
Not so powerful as once he was,
this god of yours.
One day he will be just like his temples.
Die, sorcerer.
Die, sorcerer.
Yes, I will die.
But not today.
No, Suttek.
Not today.
Slaves of Suttek, rise from the sand.
Rise from the dead.
Awaken.
Who am I?
You are Suttek, our god.
Most holy and terrible.
Suttek.
Most holy and terrible.
Suttek.
Most holy and terrible.
Who are you?
You're a slave.
You're a slave.
You're a slave.
Then know my will, slaves.
A sorcerer has stolen my great secret,
the secret of life.
He flees now to the land of the infidels.
Disguise yourselves and follow him.
Destroy him and all to whom he gives my
secret.
Hear my command.
All who learn the secret of life must die.
Go, slaves.
Come, and do not fail me.
And
so indeed was I.
Let's begin.
Ilsa!
Ilsa, please, just wait.
Wait a moment.
Where are you going?
Where am I going?
Marguerite, we're in Paris.
Don't you want to see it?
We see it every day.
Shopping in the proper places with
chaperones.
That's not Paris.
Do you know Paris doesn't even wake up
until after midnight.
There's excitement out there.
Magic.
I want to find it.
If your father finds out you're sneaking
off in the middle of the night,
you'll find yourself being shipped back
home to Geneva.
Being cooped up in here, trotted off to
dance with old men at embassy balls.
You might as well be back in Geneva.
And besides, he won't do anything if he
doesn't find out.
Okay, but please be careful and don't go
into any opium dens.
Mademoiselle, am I not a pathetic sight?
Did you ever imagine the depths to which a
boy could sink?
I...
Come.
A few coins.
Ease your conscience.
I can use the money, and I'm sure it'll
make you feel so much better.
I...
All right.
There.
I'm sure it feels so much better.
I... Good crowd tonight.
Wonderful.
Come.
Positions, everyone.
Hey, where's Vigo?
Last-minute repairs.
I wish two minutes before curtain time.
He's not a professional.
Please, positions.
Monsieur Vigo, at your convenience,
we would like to begin.
Yeah, I'm almost ready, Andr.
Almost ready.
There.
Perfection.
I'm happy for you both.
Please, take your place.
You worry too much, Andr.
It is fashionable to be late.
Fashionable for the audience, not the
production.
Hurry, let's go.
All in position?
Good.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to
welcome you to the real world.
A world of magic, of gods, and of
monsters.
Here, all familiar illusion will be swept
away.
Here, all things become one.
Terror and wonder.
Heaven and hell.
Fear and desire.
I give you the theatre magique,
where all things are possible.
With this one eye of mine, I can see
better than any other two.
If
one is better than two, then perhaps none
would be better than one.
What strange and frightening place is
this?
Don't you know, my friend?
Smell the sulfur.
Feel the heat of the flames.
We could be nowhere else but hell.
Everywhere is hell, for we are the damned.
He's left the nest.
Go quickly.
Follow him.
Follow him.
Follow him.
Approach him from behind.
Do not let him suspect.
Then, kill him.
Afterward, there will be more money.
Don't you worry, sir.
You can depend on us.
Do not fail.
Do not fail.
Do not fail.
We won't.
We won't.
Why do we stay here?
Let us escape.
There is no escape from fate.
We are all puppets, dancing on a string.
Free will is an illusion.
We can only act at the whim of the
puppeteer.
Then our path is clear.
Into the fire with you all, and with me as
well.
And thus, the comedy ends.
Why use them?
Why?
He senses us.
He knows when we approach.
And he has power.
Do you think they can kill him?
Can they kill him?
He is mortal, if he is caught unaware.
And if not, no loss.
The end Let's get out of here.
Let's go.
Please!
Please help, the man's been attacked.
Shouldn't we send for a doctor?
Duval is a student of medicine.
Why?
He just finished working on my eye.
Just a joke.
But is he really a... From the school of
the medicine allowed to show business.
The result of dissipated living,
my dear.
Learn from it.
Then you too can be dissipated.
What did they say?
What are they going to do?
To do?
Well, since there is neither a bribe nor a
loose morale, mademoiselle, attached to
the complaint, I suspect they'll do
nothing.
I'm afraid he's right.
This sort of thing is rather common.
I wanted to thank you for helping.
It was my pleasure.
I didn't mean to offend you.
The old man...
Well?
If he wakes in the next hour, he should
recover.
If he doesn't, he probably won't.
But why would they want to kill him?
Some men don't need a reason.
Mademoiselle, can we escort you home?
Oh, no, no, no, thank you.
Valentin, get her a carriage.
I live to serve.
I saw you in the theatre.
And I saw you.
That is, of course, I saw you.
Have you been doing this for long?
The puppets, I mean.
All my life.
Really?
Well, it was very nice to meet you.
Obviously, the circumstances... The
circumstances could have been better, yes.
Yes.
You will have to forgive me.
This sort of thing doesn't happen to me
very often.
Well, never, in fact, with the men in the
alley.
You did very well for your first time.
Her Majesty's carriage awaits.
Yes, I really should... My father...
That is, I should be going.
Good night.
Good evening.
Did you enjoy the show?
Oh, it was interesting.
Now there's a diplomatic answer.
I liked it very much.
Then come again, please.
I'll... I'll try.
Good evening, monsieur.
Andr.
Andr.
Good night.
Good night.
Andr!
Marcel still lives.
He still lives.
I sense him.
He is weaker, at least.
Weaker?
But now what?
Now what?
It will be harder now.
He has known of us from the beginning.
He senses us.
He waits for us.
But we must choose the time and the place
to strike.
We cannot hold no more... aliens.
You should try to attract a more working
class clientele, Andr.
They're always more generous to poor,
helpless, unfortunates like me.
These rich bastards, squeezing a suit out
of them, it's like... it's like real work.
I'll see what I can do for you.
Make some girl puppets.
Naked ones.
Maybe a sort of... Puppet Philippe Arger.
I thought you'd just go for your customs.
Is it real now?
To tell you the truth, I'm not sure
myself.
You're both a gentleman and a scholar,
Andr.
I'm neither.
I suppose you'll have to do.
Oh, you're awake.
How are you feeling?
You're attacked by some... I
know what happened to me.
Is there anybody you'd like me to send
for?
Family?
Friends?
I've had no living relatives for almost
2,900 years.
Oh, I see.
Put that thing down and come over here.
Sit.
Listen carefully and do not interrupt.
My name is Absel.
I am a sorcerer.
Born in Egypt some 3,000 years ago,
but now...
I'm being pursued by the servants of an
elder god named Suttek.
They pursue me because I stole the secret
of life.
The power to place the soul of a man
inside a dead thing...
and make it live.
But now I am dying.
I cannot be saved, but the secret must be
saved.
The elder gods bite their time.
When they rise 100 years from now,
1,000...
nothing but the secret of life may save
humankind.
I will teach it to you.
Do you understand?
Yeah, I see.
I understand.
You're a 3,000-year-old sorcerer from
Egypt...
and you want to teach me the secret of
life?
But I think you should rest.
There'll be plenty of time for that
tomorrow.
Don't you think, I mean, after 3,000
years, will one more night matter?
Is the old man mad?
Or is the young man a fool?
Look over there, young man.
This is the secret of life.
They do not live by using us, you do,
as puppets.
Now they are mere shells.
The will that drives them is mine.
The secret of life is very different.
Far more precious.
We could make your puppets truly live,
live as men live, with souls and wills.
What are they doing?
Carving signs of protection for your
doors.
That will make it harder for my enemies to
find me.
Young man.
Young man, there is little time.
Shall we begin?
He has gone.
Gone.
I do not sense him.
Oh, it is a good sign.
Ah, he has erected signs of protection.
It will only work so long as he stays
where he is.
Sometimes I think I must be going mad.
What?
What?
I give you an opening like that and you
don't take advantage of it?
Bring him inside.
He's... Yes, I know.
It's fortunate for us.
Bodies are easier to find in the streets
of Cairo than in the streets of Paris.
What are you talking about?
Did you think it was enough?
Merely to teach you theory?
To be a master, you must practice what you
have learned.
Think of it as a gift.
A rebirth that makes it easier for you,
but in the name of everything holy, please.
Get him inside before somebody walks by.
Quickly!
Take it.
A tool of the heart, I give it to you.
Careful.
Pilling does not matter.
It has no special power.
It is merely a tool, the same is true of
the fluid.
For our magic, it serves merely as a
bridge.
For the life force.
For the soul.
Now.
Nec Nalaka Palakman.
With experience, as you grow stronger, you
will not have to say the words out loud.
To think them will be enough.
There.
See?
See?
It cannot speak, of course, but it lives.
It lives.
Can this be right?
To use men, even dead men, to create
things like this?
All men use other men.
All life uses other life.
This is simply a tool.
The knowledge I have given you is simply a
power.
Use it for evil, it would be evil.
Use it for good, it will be good.
Do you know me?
Do you know what I have done?
Have I wronged you?
Afzal!
I need a little rest.
Afzal!
What?
Are you all right?
No, I'm dying.
I told you that before.
But not right this moment.
But soon.
One day.
No more.
Is there anything I can do?
Yes.
The gift I have given you is the most
precious in the world.
Down through the centuries, armies have
fought and died for it.
Do not waste it.
Oh, one more thing.
The baker's body.
Probably it would be better if you took it
back outside.
That's all.
I must take you outside, my friend.
Where are you?
Where have you gone?
Please come back.
Please!
Can you hear me?
Where are you hiding?
I don't mean to hurt you.
Please, stop it.
Come back.
Please, come back.
Ilsa, I hope I... Well, I
can see I didn't wake you.
Oh, no, no.
May I come in?
Oh, please.
I'm a bit dizzy, but... I hope
you don't mind my coming.
I wanted to...
Well, I would have come to
the performance, but sometimes
it's rather difficult for me
to get away from home.
No, of course.
I'm glad you came.
But you see...
How is he?
How is... I'm sorry?
That poor old man.
Is he any better?
Oh, he's fine.
That's good.
I was rather worried about him.
He's, like I said, asleep now,
of course.
I... I have a confession to make.
What?
A confession?
Yes.
I didn't come only to ask about the old
man.
I... I came to see you.
What do you mean?
Yes.
I'm sure that's rather shocking.
A young girl coming out in the middle of
the night to meet with a virtual stranger.
Or perhaps not.
After all, you are in the theatre.
I don't find it shocking at all.
I'm very glad you came.
But I'm afraid you'll have to go.
I'm sorry?
Yes, it's late, you see, and I'm very
busy.
I see.
I must seem like a bit of a fool to you.
Please, it's not that.
It's... The old man is asleep.
I see.
I seem like a bit of a fool myself.
You don't understand.
No, really, there's nothing to understand.
You certainly owe me no explanation.
We really don't know each other at all.
I'm sure a man such as yourself,
you have many willing women.
I could hardly compare with their
expertise.
Please, listen to me.
I can't explain, but I am very glad you
came.
No, don't!
No, no, don't!
Keep your hands off me!
Oh, you...
You have no right to do this.
Please, mademoiselle, no scenes.
You'll pay for this.
Oh, mademoiselle, I have already been
paid.
Keep your hands off her!
You are not going to put up a struggle,
are you, mademoiselle?
Please, take the mademoiselle.
You bastard!
What are you going to do with her?
And as for the young monsieur...
Take him.
I hope you don't expect an apology.
I'm not sorry.
I'm not a child anymore, and you had no
right to send this... this watchdog of yours.
Oh, mademoiselle...
Please, leave us.
Yes, sir.
Ilza, I'm extremely disappointed in you.
If you do not wish to be treated like a
child, you shouldn't behave like one.
Clearly, you still have
some growing up to do,
and I'm afraid Paris
is not the place to do it.
At the end of the week, I'm going to
return you to Geneva.
Father... In the meantime, of course, you
will not be permitted to leave the embassy.
Father, I swear to you... I'm
sorry, Ilza, my mind is made up.
Good evening.
Father!
Good evening.
Who are you?
Why are you doing this?
Excuse me, young man, but I'm rather
tired.
It is past my bedtime.
I would be asleep were
it not for the fact that
my daughter disappeared
earlier this evening.
Fortunately, we have found her and she is
safe.
And I fully intend, for the few days that
she is in Paris, that she remains safe.
I bid you good night and good lesson,
clown.
Stay in your class, puppeteer.
Stick to your actresses and your street
horse.
That's your lesson.
He is weak and he is close.
It is time to act.
Time to kill.
To kill?
To kill.
Come.
Wounded, he could not have gone far.
We have driven him to ground.
Now we must dig him out.
Dig him out?
Dig him out?
But how?
The time has come
for us to go... above.
Oh, Valentin, is the door repaired?
Yes.
My skills were able to encompass this
heroic enterprise.
Hey, what the devil do you think you are
doing?
Die!
At
last, the rats have come for the lion.
You are weak now, thief.
Your powers cannot match ours.
You must die, thief.
You must die, thief.
Yes, I will die.
But not at your hands.
Sutekh will not lay claim to my death.
All praise to Sutekh!
All praise to Sutekh!
All praise to Sutekh!
I'm sorry, my friends.
I'm sorry I failed you.
And I'm sorry that I need your help.
Vengeance may not be the most noble reason
for living, but for now, it is all I have.
It is he.
It is he.
No, it is not.
It is another.
The thief Afzal has given the secret of
life to another.
Another must die.
Another must die.
Nick...
Ah, my friend.
You've returned.
You're not frightened anymore?
I wish I wasn't.
Afzal?
Oh, I see.
Not Afzal.
Sikh shooter.
And blade?
Drill sergeant?
Doctile death?
Cyclops?
Yes.
And no longer, my master, will you follow
me.
And we shall be avengers.
We shall be destroyers of the universe.
Let's begin.
We cannot remain here.
It is no longer safe and there will be too
many questions I cannot answer.
But I cannot come face to face with your
killers without protection.
When blade here is finished, we will
leave.
These devils can't fly
and if they are returning to
Egypt, there aren't too
many ways for them to go.
We will find them.
I promise you.
Finished?
Lacking in amenities, I fear.
But by far the least conspicuous means of
transportation.
You've come looking for me?
Not so easy to kill me.
Die on your knees, thief.
By dying before the god you mocked.
Do nothing evil.
Not so easy to kill.
Kill!
I think we will leave Paris, my friends.
There is nothing more for us here now.
Nothing more.
Rise.
Obey.
Live again.
That one is useless.
He cannot be brought back again.
Mighty one.
The thief of Zell is dead.
The secret of life.
Make no excuses.
You have failed me.
We have failed.
O most holy and terrible one.
Sutaic.
Whose heart is the very blackness of time.
I beg you.
Give us the power.
To do your will.
To kill this thief.
Take this power, but do not use it until
you must.
All praise to Sutaic.
All praise to Sutaic.
But... I leave.
We cannot sense him.
Ace.
You thief.
When... When is not...
You are using my secret.
Fool, if you cannot find him, find one he
loves.
Then he will come to you.
It shall be done, Lord of Tombs.
It shall be done.
One he loves.
Dear Monsieur Toulon.
Please accept my most profound apologies
for any inconvenience I'm...
Inconvenience.
Are you mad?
Dear Andre.
Dearest Andre.
My dear phantom whom I shall never see
again.
Mademoiselle.
May I be of some service?
No, no thank you.
Mademoiselle should be
pleased to know that when I
retire, one of my most able
assistants will take my place.
I see.
So in the event that
Mademoiselle requires any
assistance, someone would
be available at all times.
You are so kind.
Hardly kind, Mademoiselle.
Merely efficient.
Good evening.
Yes, good evening.
Good evening.
She's here.
You have a message for the Ambassador's
daughter?
A message?
Yes.
Where is she?
Where is she?
Asleep in her room in the West Wing,
I presume.
Leave it here.
Leave it?
You said you had a message.
Yes.
Well, what is it?
Die.
Who are you?
What do you want here?
Sleep.
Take her.
You stay!
Of what use is she to us if he does not
know?
He will know.
I will send him a dream and he will know.
But how can you send him a dream if we do
not know where he is?
By the powers you take,
all who sleep and dream
in the city tonight will
have the same nightmare.
But one will know that it is more than a
nightmare.
And he will come to us.
Your life for hers, puppet monster.
Come to us all.
I have... I have a ticket on the morning
train to Calais.
Yes.
Is there any other train leaving tonight?
Well, not to the... Not
to anywhere, please.
Well, there's a night train to Marseille,
the 205.
But you're going to have to hurry to catch
it.
A ticket, please.
Quickly.
Why the change in plan?
Give me the blasted ticket!
Okay.
Bonsoir.
Welcome aboard, monsieur.
Any seat that you would like.
These here, any seat in the first two
cars?
Yes, thank you.
Can you please tell me, have you seen two
strange men and a young dark-haired woman?
I'm afraid I didn't see them, monsieur.
Perhaps you were misinformed.
Yes, perhaps.
Thank you.
It
was I who sent the dream.
Let her go.
Come forward.
Come forward.
Let her go.
You have seen what this hand can do.
Come forward.
Is this what you want?
Arcel's secrets?
Arcel has no secrets.
It is a possession, monsieur Tech, born
in the black fire at the beginning of time.
His secrets.
How do you know that this is the only
copy?
Do you not have time to make another?
If you have, that must be a comfort to you
in hell.
In hell.
Live.
To see her die.
Puppet master.
My friends, mission accomplished.
Are you all right?
I'm not quite sure.
Don't be afraid of them.
I want to understand.
Who are you?
Or should I say what?
No, not what.
Just who.
When you first met me, I was no more than
what you saw, just a puppeteer.
But then I became something more.
I always said, at the beginning of my
performances, we live in a world of magic,
of gods and of monsters.
And all right I was.
I wanted magic.
I went out looking for it that night.
Well, I'm afraid you found it.
I accepted a terrible secret.
And now I am the guardian of that secret.
And they are the secret.
You seem to be taking this rather not as I
expected.
Should I be afraid?
I was.
But somehow, somehow I overcame it.
Somehow I...
I'm afraid I've been rude.
I haven't made the proper introductions.
Ilsa.
This is Cyclops.
Blade.
Thrill Sergeant.
Doctor Death.
Pinhead.
And Sick Shooter.
They are my very dear friends.
I'm very pleased to meet you all.
Very pleased.
Very pleased.
You want to know what happened to Cyclops
and the others?
Well, my friends, that is another story
which I will tell you at another time.
I see it's morning and the rain has
stopped.
We should be in Switzerland by lunch now.
Safe at last.
THE END
I don't answer that question, I can see.
Young and healthy, cool, calm,
and collected.
And contented.
And so you should be contented.
You all lead cosseted lives.
You're carried from adventure to adventure
in your warm, comfortable trunk.
And who carries you?
I do.
A frail, fragile old man.
I'm going to walk with that.
Next time, I'll be cut off your feet.
And I'll put you up on wheels.
And you can all pull me along in the
trunk.
I don't look so wide.
It may never happen.
Well, we'll rest here tonight.
And tomorrow we'll be safe in Switzerland.
And I'll see if I can find something for
us to eat.
Well, I found this tin of sardines.
All I need now is a tin opener.
What is it?
What have you found?
Well... Cyclops.
Cyclops.
He was one of the first of the family.
It all began, I suppose, one day,
with old Absalom.
In Cairo.
Those who steal the secrets of the gods
must die.
Those who steal the secrets of the gods
must die.
And what of those who do not steal the
secrets of the gods?
They too must die.
Better to know the secrets than to die a
fool.
One day, all must die.
But you die today, fool.
Feel the power of Suttek.
Feel the power of Suttek.
Not so powerful as once he was,
this god of yours.
One day he will be just like his temples.
Die, sorcerer.
Die, sorcerer.
Yes, I will die.
But not today.
No, Suttek.
Not today.
Slaves of Suttek, rise from the sand.
Rise from the dead.
Awaken.
Who am I?
You are Suttek, our god.
Most holy and terrible.
Suttek.
Most holy and terrible.
Suttek.
Most holy and terrible.
Who are you?
You're a slave.
You're a slave.
You're a slave.
Then know my will, slaves.
A sorcerer has stolen my great secret,
the secret of life.
He flees now to the land of the infidels.
Disguise yourselves and follow him.
Destroy him and all to whom he gives my
secret.
Hear my command.
All who learn the secret of life must die.
Go, slaves.
Come, and do not fail me.
And
so indeed was I.
Let's begin.
Ilsa!
Ilsa, please, just wait.
Wait a moment.
Where are you going?
Where am I going?
Marguerite, we're in Paris.
Don't you want to see it?
We see it every day.
Shopping in the proper places with
chaperones.
That's not Paris.
Do you know Paris doesn't even wake up
until after midnight.
There's excitement out there.
Magic.
I want to find it.
If your father finds out you're sneaking
off in the middle of the night,
you'll find yourself being shipped back
home to Geneva.
Being cooped up in here, trotted off to
dance with old men at embassy balls.
You might as well be back in Geneva.
And besides, he won't do anything if he
doesn't find out.
Okay, but please be careful and don't go
into any opium dens.
Mademoiselle, am I not a pathetic sight?
Did you ever imagine the depths to which a
boy could sink?
I...
Come.
A few coins.
Ease your conscience.
I can use the money, and I'm sure it'll
make you feel so much better.
I...
All right.
There.
I'm sure it feels so much better.
I... Good crowd tonight.
Wonderful.
Come.
Positions, everyone.
Hey, where's Vigo?
Last-minute repairs.
I wish two minutes before curtain time.
He's not a professional.
Please, positions.
Monsieur Vigo, at your convenience,
we would like to begin.
Yeah, I'm almost ready, Andr.
Almost ready.
There.
Perfection.
I'm happy for you both.
Please, take your place.
You worry too much, Andr.
It is fashionable to be late.
Fashionable for the audience, not the
production.
Hurry, let's go.
All in position?
Good.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to
welcome you to the real world.
A world of magic, of gods, and of
monsters.
Here, all familiar illusion will be swept
away.
Here, all things become one.
Terror and wonder.
Heaven and hell.
Fear and desire.
I give you the theatre magique,
where all things are possible.
With this one eye of mine, I can see
better than any other two.
If
one is better than two, then perhaps none
would be better than one.
What strange and frightening place is
this?
Don't you know, my friend?
Smell the sulfur.
Feel the heat of the flames.
We could be nowhere else but hell.
Everywhere is hell, for we are the damned.
He's left the nest.
Go quickly.
Follow him.
Follow him.
Follow him.
Approach him from behind.
Do not let him suspect.
Then, kill him.
Afterward, there will be more money.
Don't you worry, sir.
You can depend on us.
Do not fail.
Do not fail.
Do not fail.
We won't.
We won't.
Why do we stay here?
Let us escape.
There is no escape from fate.
We are all puppets, dancing on a string.
Free will is an illusion.
We can only act at the whim of the
puppeteer.
Then our path is clear.
Into the fire with you all, and with me as
well.
And thus, the comedy ends.
Why use them?
Why?
He senses us.
He knows when we approach.
And he has power.
Do you think they can kill him?
Can they kill him?
He is mortal, if he is caught unaware.
And if not, no loss.
The end Let's get out of here.
Let's go.
Please!
Please help, the man's been attacked.
Shouldn't we send for a doctor?
Duval is a student of medicine.
Why?
He just finished working on my eye.
Just a joke.
But is he really a... From the school of
the medicine allowed to show business.
The result of dissipated living,
my dear.
Learn from it.
Then you too can be dissipated.
What did they say?
What are they going to do?
To do?
Well, since there is neither a bribe nor a
loose morale, mademoiselle, attached to
the complaint, I suspect they'll do
nothing.
I'm afraid he's right.
This sort of thing is rather common.
I wanted to thank you for helping.
It was my pleasure.
I didn't mean to offend you.
The old man...
Well?
If he wakes in the next hour, he should
recover.
If he doesn't, he probably won't.
But why would they want to kill him?
Some men don't need a reason.
Mademoiselle, can we escort you home?
Oh, no, no, no, thank you.
Valentin, get her a carriage.
I live to serve.
I saw you in the theatre.
And I saw you.
That is, of course, I saw you.
Have you been doing this for long?
The puppets, I mean.
All my life.
Really?
Well, it was very nice to meet you.
Obviously, the circumstances... The
circumstances could have been better, yes.
Yes.
You will have to forgive me.
This sort of thing doesn't happen to me
very often.
Well, never, in fact, with the men in the
alley.
You did very well for your first time.
Her Majesty's carriage awaits.
Yes, I really should... My father...
That is, I should be going.
Good night.
Good evening.
Did you enjoy the show?
Oh, it was interesting.
Now there's a diplomatic answer.
I liked it very much.
Then come again, please.
I'll... I'll try.
Good evening, monsieur.
Andr.
Andr.
Good night.
Good night.
Andr!
Marcel still lives.
He still lives.
I sense him.
He is weaker, at least.
Weaker?
But now what?
Now what?
It will be harder now.
He has known of us from the beginning.
He senses us.
He waits for us.
But we must choose the time and the place
to strike.
We cannot hold no more... aliens.
You should try to attract a more working
class clientele, Andr.
They're always more generous to poor,
helpless, unfortunates like me.
These rich bastards, squeezing a suit out
of them, it's like... it's like real work.
I'll see what I can do for you.
Make some girl puppets.
Naked ones.
Maybe a sort of... Puppet Philippe Arger.
I thought you'd just go for your customs.
Is it real now?
To tell you the truth, I'm not sure
myself.
You're both a gentleman and a scholar,
Andr.
I'm neither.
I suppose you'll have to do.
Oh, you're awake.
How are you feeling?
You're attacked by some... I
know what happened to me.
Is there anybody you'd like me to send
for?
Family?
Friends?
I've had no living relatives for almost
2,900 years.
Oh, I see.
Put that thing down and come over here.
Sit.
Listen carefully and do not interrupt.
My name is Absel.
I am a sorcerer.
Born in Egypt some 3,000 years ago,
but now...
I'm being pursued by the servants of an
elder god named Suttek.
They pursue me because I stole the secret
of life.
The power to place the soul of a man
inside a dead thing...
and make it live.
But now I am dying.
I cannot be saved, but the secret must be
saved.
The elder gods bite their time.
When they rise 100 years from now,
1,000...
nothing but the secret of life may save
humankind.
I will teach it to you.
Do you understand?
Yeah, I see.
I understand.
You're a 3,000-year-old sorcerer from
Egypt...
and you want to teach me the secret of
life?
But I think you should rest.
There'll be plenty of time for that
tomorrow.
Don't you think, I mean, after 3,000
years, will one more night matter?
Is the old man mad?
Or is the young man a fool?
Look over there, young man.
This is the secret of life.
They do not live by using us, you do,
as puppets.
Now they are mere shells.
The will that drives them is mine.
The secret of life is very different.
Far more precious.
We could make your puppets truly live,
live as men live, with souls and wills.
What are they doing?
Carving signs of protection for your
doors.
That will make it harder for my enemies to
find me.
Young man.
Young man, there is little time.
Shall we begin?
He has gone.
Gone.
I do not sense him.
Oh, it is a good sign.
Ah, he has erected signs of protection.
It will only work so long as he stays
where he is.
Sometimes I think I must be going mad.
What?
What?
I give you an opening like that and you
don't take advantage of it?
Bring him inside.
He's... Yes, I know.
It's fortunate for us.
Bodies are easier to find in the streets
of Cairo than in the streets of Paris.
What are you talking about?
Did you think it was enough?
Merely to teach you theory?
To be a master, you must practice what you
have learned.
Think of it as a gift.
A rebirth that makes it easier for you,
but in the name of everything holy, please.
Get him inside before somebody walks by.
Quickly!
Take it.
A tool of the heart, I give it to you.
Careful.
Pilling does not matter.
It has no special power.
It is merely a tool, the same is true of
the fluid.
For our magic, it serves merely as a
bridge.
For the life force.
For the soul.
Now.
Nec Nalaka Palakman.
With experience, as you grow stronger, you
will not have to say the words out loud.
To think them will be enough.
There.
See?
See?
It cannot speak, of course, but it lives.
It lives.
Can this be right?
To use men, even dead men, to create
things like this?
All men use other men.
All life uses other life.
This is simply a tool.
The knowledge I have given you is simply a
power.
Use it for evil, it would be evil.
Use it for good, it will be good.
Do you know me?
Do you know what I have done?
Have I wronged you?
Afzal!
I need a little rest.
Afzal!
What?
Are you all right?
No, I'm dying.
I told you that before.
But not right this moment.
But soon.
One day.
No more.
Is there anything I can do?
Yes.
The gift I have given you is the most
precious in the world.
Down through the centuries, armies have
fought and died for it.
Do not waste it.
Oh, one more thing.
The baker's body.
Probably it would be better if you took it
back outside.
That's all.
I must take you outside, my friend.
Where are you?
Where have you gone?
Please come back.
Please!
Can you hear me?
Where are you hiding?
I don't mean to hurt you.
Please, stop it.
Come back.
Please, come back.
Ilsa, I hope I... Well, I
can see I didn't wake you.
Oh, no, no.
May I come in?
Oh, please.
I'm a bit dizzy, but... I hope
you don't mind my coming.
I wanted to...
Well, I would have come to
the performance, but sometimes
it's rather difficult for me
to get away from home.
No, of course.
I'm glad you came.
But you see...
How is he?
How is... I'm sorry?
That poor old man.
Is he any better?
Oh, he's fine.
That's good.
I was rather worried about him.
He's, like I said, asleep now,
of course.
I... I have a confession to make.
What?
A confession?
Yes.
I didn't come only to ask about the old
man.
I... I came to see you.
What do you mean?
Yes.
I'm sure that's rather shocking.
A young girl coming out in the middle of
the night to meet with a virtual stranger.
Or perhaps not.
After all, you are in the theatre.
I don't find it shocking at all.
I'm very glad you came.
But I'm afraid you'll have to go.
I'm sorry?
Yes, it's late, you see, and I'm very
busy.
I see.
I must seem like a bit of a fool to you.
Please, it's not that.
It's... The old man is asleep.
I see.
I seem like a bit of a fool myself.
You don't understand.
No, really, there's nothing to understand.
You certainly owe me no explanation.
We really don't know each other at all.
I'm sure a man such as yourself,
you have many willing women.
I could hardly compare with their
expertise.
Please, listen to me.
I can't explain, but I am very glad you
came.
No, don't!
No, no, don't!
Keep your hands off me!
Oh, you...
You have no right to do this.
Please, mademoiselle, no scenes.
You'll pay for this.
Oh, mademoiselle, I have already been
paid.
Keep your hands off her!
You are not going to put up a struggle,
are you, mademoiselle?
Please, take the mademoiselle.
You bastard!
What are you going to do with her?
And as for the young monsieur...
Take him.
I hope you don't expect an apology.
I'm not sorry.
I'm not a child anymore, and you had no
right to send this... this watchdog of yours.
Oh, mademoiselle...
Please, leave us.
Yes, sir.
Ilza, I'm extremely disappointed in you.
If you do not wish to be treated like a
child, you shouldn't behave like one.
Clearly, you still have
some growing up to do,
and I'm afraid Paris
is not the place to do it.
At the end of the week, I'm going to
return you to Geneva.
Father... In the meantime, of course, you
will not be permitted to leave the embassy.
Father, I swear to you... I'm
sorry, Ilza, my mind is made up.
Good evening.
Father!
Good evening.
Who are you?
Why are you doing this?
Excuse me, young man, but I'm rather
tired.
It is past my bedtime.
I would be asleep were
it not for the fact that
my daughter disappeared
earlier this evening.
Fortunately, we have found her and she is
safe.
And I fully intend, for the few days that
she is in Paris, that she remains safe.
I bid you good night and good lesson,
clown.
Stay in your class, puppeteer.
Stick to your actresses and your street
horse.
That's your lesson.
He is weak and he is close.
It is time to act.
Time to kill.
To kill?
To kill.
Come.
Wounded, he could not have gone far.
We have driven him to ground.
Now we must dig him out.
Dig him out?
Dig him out?
But how?
The time has come
for us to go... above.
Oh, Valentin, is the door repaired?
Yes.
My skills were able to encompass this
heroic enterprise.
Hey, what the devil do you think you are
doing?
Die!
At
last, the rats have come for the lion.
You are weak now, thief.
Your powers cannot match ours.
You must die, thief.
You must die, thief.
Yes, I will die.
But not at your hands.
Sutekh will not lay claim to my death.
All praise to Sutekh!
All praise to Sutekh!
All praise to Sutekh!
I'm sorry, my friends.
I'm sorry I failed you.
And I'm sorry that I need your help.
Vengeance may not be the most noble reason
for living, but for now, it is all I have.
It is he.
It is he.
No, it is not.
It is another.
The thief Afzal has given the secret of
life to another.
Another must die.
Another must die.
Nick...
Ah, my friend.
You've returned.
You're not frightened anymore?
I wish I wasn't.
Afzal?
Oh, I see.
Not Afzal.
Sikh shooter.
And blade?
Drill sergeant?
Doctile death?
Cyclops?
Yes.
And no longer, my master, will you follow
me.
And we shall be avengers.
We shall be destroyers of the universe.
Let's begin.
We cannot remain here.
It is no longer safe and there will be too
many questions I cannot answer.
But I cannot come face to face with your
killers without protection.
When blade here is finished, we will
leave.
These devils can't fly
and if they are returning to
Egypt, there aren't too
many ways for them to go.
We will find them.
I promise you.
Finished?
Lacking in amenities, I fear.
But by far the least conspicuous means of
transportation.
You've come looking for me?
Not so easy to kill me.
Die on your knees, thief.
By dying before the god you mocked.
Do nothing evil.
Not so easy to kill.
Kill!
I think we will leave Paris, my friends.
There is nothing more for us here now.
Nothing more.
Rise.
Obey.
Live again.
That one is useless.
He cannot be brought back again.
Mighty one.
The thief of Zell is dead.
The secret of life.
Make no excuses.
You have failed me.
We have failed.
O most holy and terrible one.
Sutaic.
Whose heart is the very blackness of time.
I beg you.
Give us the power.
To do your will.
To kill this thief.
Take this power, but do not use it until
you must.
All praise to Sutaic.
All praise to Sutaic.
But... I leave.
We cannot sense him.
Ace.
You thief.
When... When is not...
You are using my secret.
Fool, if you cannot find him, find one he
loves.
Then he will come to you.
It shall be done, Lord of Tombs.
It shall be done.
One he loves.
Dear Monsieur Toulon.
Please accept my most profound apologies
for any inconvenience I'm...
Inconvenience.
Are you mad?
Dear Andre.
Dearest Andre.
My dear phantom whom I shall never see
again.
Mademoiselle.
May I be of some service?
No, no thank you.
Mademoiselle should be
pleased to know that when I
retire, one of my most able
assistants will take my place.
I see.
So in the event that
Mademoiselle requires any
assistance, someone would
be available at all times.
You are so kind.
Hardly kind, Mademoiselle.
Merely efficient.
Good evening.
Yes, good evening.
Good evening.
She's here.
You have a message for the Ambassador's
daughter?
A message?
Yes.
Where is she?
Where is she?
Asleep in her room in the West Wing,
I presume.
Leave it here.
Leave it?
You said you had a message.
Yes.
Well, what is it?
Die.
Who are you?
What do you want here?
Sleep.
Take her.
You stay!
Of what use is she to us if he does not
know?
He will know.
I will send him a dream and he will know.
But how can you send him a dream if we do
not know where he is?
By the powers you take,
all who sleep and dream
in the city tonight will
have the same nightmare.
But one will know that it is more than a
nightmare.
And he will come to us.
Your life for hers, puppet monster.
Come to us all.
I have... I have a ticket on the morning
train to Calais.
Yes.
Is there any other train leaving tonight?
Well, not to the... Not
to anywhere, please.
Well, there's a night train to Marseille,
the 205.
But you're going to have to hurry to catch
it.
A ticket, please.
Quickly.
Why the change in plan?
Give me the blasted ticket!
Okay.
Bonsoir.
Welcome aboard, monsieur.
Any seat that you would like.
These here, any seat in the first two
cars?
Yes, thank you.
Can you please tell me, have you seen two
strange men and a young dark-haired woman?
I'm afraid I didn't see them, monsieur.
Perhaps you were misinformed.
Yes, perhaps.
Thank you.
It
was I who sent the dream.
Let her go.
Come forward.
Come forward.
Let her go.
You have seen what this hand can do.
Come forward.
Is this what you want?
Arcel's secrets?
Arcel has no secrets.
It is a possession, monsieur Tech, born
in the black fire at the beginning of time.
His secrets.
How do you know that this is the only
copy?
Do you not have time to make another?
If you have, that must be a comfort to you
in hell.
In hell.
Live.
To see her die.
Puppet master.
My friends, mission accomplished.
Are you all right?
I'm not quite sure.
Don't be afraid of them.
I want to understand.
Who are you?
Or should I say what?
No, not what.
Just who.
When you first met me, I was no more than
what you saw, just a puppeteer.
But then I became something more.
I always said, at the beginning of my
performances, we live in a world of magic,
of gods and of monsters.
And all right I was.
I wanted magic.
I went out looking for it that night.
Well, I'm afraid you found it.
I accepted a terrible secret.
And now I am the guardian of that secret.
And they are the secret.
You seem to be taking this rather not as I
expected.
Should I be afraid?
I was.
But somehow, somehow I overcame it.
Somehow I...
I'm afraid I've been rude.
I haven't made the proper introductions.
Ilsa.
This is Cyclops.
Blade.
Thrill Sergeant.
Doctor Death.
Pinhead.
And Sick Shooter.
They are my very dear friends.
I'm very pleased to meet you all.
Very pleased.
Very pleased.
You want to know what happened to Cyclops
and the others?
Well, my friends, that is another story
which I will tell you at another time.
I see it's morning and the rain has
stopped.
We should be in Switzerland by lunch now.
Safe at last.
THE END