"THEY'VE CHANGED FACES" "Auto Avio Motors." "10th Floor." "Projects Dept." "9AM, meeting with designers." "10AM, meeting with the Soviet representatives concerning the modifications to the 1004 model." "1PM, report to Engineer Arche." "Valle, this is Arche." "Come at once." "15th Floor." "General Management." "Good morning." "Ah, it's you, Valle." "Thank God you're here." "They want you upstairs." " Me?" " Yes." "You." " Upstairs?" " The VP." " I have a meeting with designers in half an hour." " I have already cancelled." "Go." " To the 19th?" "Looks like you've arrived." "19th Floor." "Office of the Vice President." " Yes?" " Dr. Alberto Valle." " Come with me." "20th Floor." "CEO." "Come in." "Welcome, Dr. Valle." "Thank you, Felsi, you can go." " Pour yourself a drink." " Thank you." "I am glad to meet you." "I don't think we've met before." " I am mostly dowstairs." " Please." "Exactly." "You were at 10th." "Can you go at once?" " Yes." "Of course." " The owner of A.A.M. would like to see you at his villa in the mountains." " The owner?" "But aren't you...?" " I am just the CEO." "The owner... is Engineer Giovanni Nosferatu." "Excuse me." "Is there a gas station nearby?" "Hello." "My car's running out of gas." "Is there a gas station here somewhere?" "Motor." "Gasoline." "Hey, white man." "I'll lead you to gasoline if you give me a lift." "Tarzan carries Jane to his iron horse." "Jane has tired feet." "Where have you popped up from?" "I'm coming from there and I'm going that way." "Get in, let's go." "Hold on a moment." "To begin with, who are you?" "OK, I get it." "Jane travels on foot." "Rule 17, never pick up hitch-hikers who have no written permission from parents." "All right, Jane, get in." "I need gas." "2km straight ahead there's a gas station." "A deal's a deal." "Get in." " Aren't you cold?" " Perhaps." "I'm lucky to have run into you." "Very few cars take this road." " Where are you going?" " I told you." "I'm going there." " There, where?" " What does it matter?" " You're a strange girl." "Full tank, please." "Is it always this foggy in these parts?" "Could you show me the way to the Villa Nosferatu?" "They are not very talkative here." "I think he only talks if you want your oil changed." " And then?" " And then nothing." "No, wait." "Here's a strange sign." "Something I don't understand." " Good or bad?" " No, just important." "You must be a CEO." " No, I'm just an employee." "I work in an office." " An office?" "One of those places where all rooms are the same and all people do exactly the same thing?" " Something like that." " And what do you make?" " Cars." "Planes." " What's your name?" " Alberto Valle." "And yours?" " Laura." "I swear, when I saw you like that, among those shacks..." " Because you're a bourgeois." "I needed a lift, so..." " It was so convincing, it could be dangerous." " No need to take it so seriously." "I always do that." "Engineer G. Nosferatu." "The place you were asking about at the gas station?" " Yes." " He can't be a very cheerful guy." " Why?" " It's cold here." "The birds don't sing." "If he's so dreary, why go see him at all?" " Because he told me to." " And you couldn't disobey?" "I don't think he's expecting you." " Yes, he expects me, and no, I can't disobey." " You're going?" " Of course." " Wouldn't you like to go with me?" " But where?" " What does it matter?" "Pity." "Bye." "Alberto." "Are you happy?" "Would you like to make love to me?" " Not now." "I can't." " Alberto." "I'll wait for you." " When you're tired of waiting, leave them on the dashboard." "I am Dr. Valle, Sr. Nosferatu is expecting me." "Dr. Valle?" "I am Engineer Nosferatu's secretary." "My name is Corinna." "You wanted to leave?" " No." "Thank you." "I just wanted to park the car." " Don't worry." "Even outside the gate, your car is completely safe." "No one ever approaches the boundary wall." " Why?" "The cigarettes are on the table, so are the drinks." "Now if you'll excuse me, I must announce your arrival." "When you are tired, nothing can be better than an armchair of pressurized plastic." ""Plastic Comfort"." "Because it's soft." "It envelops and caresses you..." ""Plastic Comfort" furniture costs less and lasts longer." "Yes, because woodworms gather on top of it and fall to the floor, killing themselves." "Remember:" ""Plastic Comfort", plastics that are not plastics." "Need a light?" "Thank you." "The Engineer asked me to be your hostess." "If you folllow me, I'll show you your room." " When can I see him?" " Not before supper." "By day he stays in his office, and no one can see him." "Supper will be at 10 sharp." "Can I do anything more for you?" " Nothing that lies within a secretary's competence." " A secretary's duties are highly stretchable." "See you later." "A shower is not a shower if your water supply system does not contain the additive of A-Uno Tonic." "With A-Uno you're younger, stronger." "With A-Uno life and love give more pleasure." "A-Uno Tonic, a caress on your skin." "I want to feel on my body the caress of A-Uno." "Give yourself to it without shame, young and naked." "I am young, and I am..." "Good evening, Corinna." "Is Engineer Nosferatu joining us?" "Good evening, Dr. Valle." "Welcome to my house." " Thank you." "I hope you had a good journey." "Although you may have had some difficulty in finding the villa?" " In fact, yes." " The people here are not very talkative." "But that sometimes yields pleasant surprises." "Please." "Don't worry, no advertising this time." "I try out the advertising slogans on the internal circuit." "It is an interesting test market." " I'm sure." "I used to be in advertising." " I know." "From December 1960 to March 1963." " You are very well informed." " But I am sure that your present career gives you more satisfaction." "Hold it!" "This is the fruit, Dr. Valle." "I beg your pardon." "First course is yellow." "Second course red." "Fruit is orange, the dessert is chestnut." " Thank you." "In each container is a nourishing substance with an abundance of all necessary nutrients." "And no danger of indigestion or ulcers?" "Those come in special containers." "Exactly like the others." "I have created the first example of gastronomic socialism." "I am sure you will appreciate that." " May I know what I am eating?" " Of course." "Those are veal medallions in Madeira sauce." " I think the original taste could be chemically preserved." " I eliminated it on purpose." "As Freud pointed out in his time, the gustatory or olfactory stimuli, just like the sexual ones," "lead only to pleasure for its own sake, and result in a waste of energy." " But one cannot evaluate pleasure in terms of productivity." " Why not?" "Productive energy is too precious to risk wasting it." "Excuse me, Dr. Valle." "I have some urgent business to attend to." "But we shall meet again later." "The night is long." "If you want to stretch your legs," "I'll show you the park." "It's a good idea." "When you return, we'll talk of important things." " You don't like the night, Dr. Valle?" " On the contrary." "Particularly in your company." "I was thinking about Engineer Nosferatu." "He is a very strange man." " Like all talented people." " No, it's not that." "For years I've been working for him, and I did not even know he existed." "While he, it seems, knows all about me." " He likes to make an impression." "But he loves people." "He lives for people." " Corinna." "Do you know why he invited me here?" " No." "He'll tell you himself before long." " What a strange place." "Looks like a lake." " It IS a lake." "Now it's dry, but in spring melting snow fills it." "Careful!" "This ground can be treacherous." " Strange." "The villa is so modern, and the park so ancient." " We do not differentiate between the present and the past." " True." "This place seems timeless." "It wants to be timeless." "What's that?" " I wouldn't go there, Dr. Valle." " Why?" " It can be dangerous." " But there is something there." " Just a log." "Let's go back, I'm cold." " What are these cars doing here?" " They're guards." "It's almost impossible to cover the park on foot." "Please let's go back." " When I arrived, I asked the drivers a question." "But they didn't reply." " Naturally." "They are not here to talk." "Good night, Dr. Valle." "Did you like the park, Dr. Valle?" "Come on in." "The time has come to talk of your career." "Would you like to be CEO of Auto Avio Motors?" "I must have misheard you." "You heard me very well." "I asked if you would like to be CEO of A.A.M." "Myths do not die, they get transformed." "For ages, men looked for the philosophers' stone, capable of transmuting base metal into gold." "I offer you a part in a transformation no less awe-inspiring." "To convert slavery into freedom, poverty into wealth." "For that, our philosophers' stone is technology." "We do not choose power." "It chooses us." "That's how it happened even with me." "Our company needs men who can command." "Give advice." "People have no idea what to eat, what to read, where to go on holiday, for which party to vote." "I help them understand their true needs, their true desires." "And I fulfill them." "All of them." "You are thinking that this subject is irrelevant to the proposal that I've made you." "But it is not." "I do not just own certain factories, farms, department stores." "I also own newspapers, political parties, opposition groups, banks." "Their executives work under my control, Dr. Valle." "And I offer you to become one of them." " Why me?" " You fill all the necessary requirements." "After you understand certain things, you'll be a perfect leader." "Can you shoot?" " A bit." "You are free to decide whenever you like." "In the meantime, please consider yourself my guest." "Thank you." "True civilisation is based on constant repression of human instincts." "Management of secret aversions." "How to cultivate optimism." "Your secret needs." "Men have the duty to work and be grateful." "Advertising and sex." "Alice in Consumerland." "Sale of indulgences." "Today's children are tomorrow's specialised consumers." "Back to the cradle." "Psycho-seduction of children." "Recruitment of new consumers." "VALAN, GIULIA FILM CRITIC" "VALLDOLIT, ENRICA WRITER" "VALLE, ALBERTO CEO, A.A.M." "I saw the open door and came in to see if you needed anything." " No." " You seem distressed." "You should try and get some sleep." "I'd better leave you." " No!" "Let's have a cigarette." "I need to rearrange my thoughts." "I do not understand so many things." " But what happened?" " I saw monstrous things." " What?" " The babies." " That's all?" "I don't like babies, either." "But don't you think you exaggerate?" "They are children of some employees." "It was very kind of Engineer Nosferatu to take them in." "Mountain air is particularly healthy for children." "Didn't you know?" "But you are sweating." " I'll take a shower." " Good night, then." " Wait!" "Where are you going?" " To bed, naturally." " Don't go." "A shower is not a shower if your water supply system does not contain the additive of A-Uno Tonic." "With A-Uno you're younger, stronger." "With A-Uno life and love give more pleasure." "A-Uno Tonic, a caress on your skin." "I want to feel on my body the caress of A-Uno." "Give yourself to it without shame, young and naked." "I am young, and I am also naked." "Then come, come closer." "Let's be together in the caressing embrace of A-Uno Tonic." "On my skin, on your skin..." "I love you." "So do I." "And both of us love A-Uno Tonic." "A-Uno Tonic is a product of United Cosmetic Industries." "Let me go!" "Help!" "Alberto!" "Leave me alone!" " You know something?" " What?" " There's something strange about this." " I'm glad you agree." " I mean... when I kiss you... when I love you..." "I really like it." "Not like with all the others." " What others?" " Other guests." " Do you go to bed with everyone who comes to the villa?" " No, no!" "Not everyone." "What is it?" "Are you mad at me?" "Don't be." "Love is a marvellous thing, but not without its risks." "Only contraceptives from Nosferatu Pharmaceuticals insure you from those risks." "Remember:" "Face to Face with Nosferatu!" "Open the door, let me out!" "Alberto..." "Laura..." " Good morning, Alberto!" " Good morning, Corinna!" " Have you slept well?" " Never better." "This mountain air is marvellous." " Your breakfast is ready." "Do you play golf?" " Not much." "Do you have a golf course?" " Something like that." "One can play by that wood, beyond the lake." "Can you take the clubs?" "They are in the hall." "I'll wait for you in the field." " This is not fair." " What do you mean?" " A perfect secretary must know how to lose at golf." " I'll rememeber, Doctor." " Where has it gone?" " Not here." "The spinney, perhaps." "Alberto!" "Where are you hiding?" "Are we playing golf or hide-and-seek?" "I had a look at the crypt." "Well, if you prefer to fool around underground alone rather than in the woods with me..." "I'm sorry." "Give me one second." "Lost something?" " I hope not." " You lost your Queen." "Can a perfect secretary win at chess?" " I haven't lost yet." " No." "But you're without a Queen." " I fear that my King will not last much longer." "Except..." " Check and mate." " Congratulations." "Who taught you to play like that?" " Engineer Nosferatu." " Should have guessed." "He is a very rational man." "Perhaps too much so." "You know what's there in the basement?" " Of course." "Employee files." " And two photos of Dr. Alberto Valle, and a prediction of my future as CEO of A.A.M." "That's Auto Avio Motors." " So what?" "It's a flattering prophecy." " Perhaps for a newborn." "Not for me." " I think you are slightly crazy." "What's so bad about wanting to know everything about one's employees?" "Nosferatu loves them." "Is that a vice?" " Nosferatu forsees." "Nosferatu wants to know." "Nosferatu loves." "And the cemetery crypt?" " What about it?" " Nothing." "It's been abandoned for years." "How old is Engineer Nosferatu?" " He has no age." "Did you see the lovely village down in the valley?" "Let's go there together?" "I love seeing things with you." "With your eyes." "Shall we go, Alberto?" "I'll be ready in a moment." "HISTORY OF THE POPES." "MANUAL OF EXORCISM." "Alberto." "Not hide-and-seek again." "I am ready, let's go." "I know a shortcut." " But it's a rocky place." " Afraid?" "Have you seen her?" "Did she come back?" " You are not nice to me." " Forgive me." "Look, a church." "It's quite beautiful." "Come, I want to see inside." " No!" "I am a bit tired." "I'll wait in the car." "Why did you look at her like that?" " Madonna Santissima!" "I know nothing!" "I saw nothing!" " I won't hurt you!" "What is it you haven't seen?" " Leave her alone." "She's very old." "We are humble people here." "We want nothing to do with those at the villa." " But who are they?" " The Bible says," "'And he did not know that giants are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.'" "Now please leave." "Get out!" "Wasn't a good idea, was it?" "No." "Good evening, Dr. Valle." "I regret, but I cannot enjoy your company tonight." "I expect some people for a business meeting." "Supper will be served for you in your room." "Thank you." "For this reason I think that..." "Thank you." "... male sexuality today should only be glorified through consistent use of mass media." "Science fiction has reached the level of art." "Take Marcuse, for example, who towers over the rest of us." "No, no." "I disagree." "We are all slaves." "That's the problem." "The truly free cinema is advertising." "Advertising is truth." "The problem of maleness is of no interest to me." "The productivity index that grows, rises, hardens and becomes engorged - that's much more interesting." "... provoked by a strong personality." "Otherwise of course all men are equal." "For instance, take Adolf Hitler..." " Exactly!" "Pius XI called Benito Mussolini a Man of Providence." "Ladies and gentlemen." "Board meeting 022, Chemical Industry Sector," "Group A, report on the increase of weekly production." "Pharmaceuticals, 23%." "Contraceptives, 36%." "Chemical weapons group, 125%." "Detergents, 0.09%." "Reason?" "Concerns over water pollution." "Especially safety of children." "Remedy?" "A new biodegradable detergent." "Our chemists..." "You have forgotten we have 400,000 tons of unsold stock." "Apart from that, our chemists have more serious things to do." "We shall package the old detergents in new packaging." "Ladies and gentlemen, think of a new brand name." "Arranging consensus." "How to cultivate optimism." "The consumer will be attacked when he least expects it:" "in the intimacy of the living-room, in the kitchen, in the bedroom." "Narcissism of the masses." "Attack on the subconscious." "The capriciousness of the consumer." "The substance we work on is the human mind." "Symbols of prestige." "The hooks are baited." "Immaculate." "Virgin!" " Cleano!" " Gaga!" " Nobiologic!" " Candour!" " Chin-chin!" " Fresh!" " Biancus Biancus!" "No, ladies and gentlemen." "The name must put paid to all pollution fears." "We'll call it Clean Water." "And the slogan will be," "'The Cradle of Life and Clean Water.'" " Beautiful!" " Pure genius!" " Sublime!" " Radical!" " Subliminal!" " Divine!" " Bergmanesque!" " And the packaging?" " 'Clean Water Preserves Life.'" "There!" "A phallic container." " Ignazio?" "Any objections on moral grounds?" " On the contrary." "It's in the Bible:" "'Breed and multiply.'" " Censorship problems?" " If the Church agrees, none." "Chemical Industry Sector, Group A. Social life." "In the last 3 weeks, no disciplinary measures taken against employees." "That is to say, it wasn't necessary." "Our strict control has turned discipline into a way of life." " Really?" "Do you know that reading is prohibited during the break?" " Of course, and I can guarantee..." " Look." "That's not all." "Do you recognize these persons?" " If I am not mistaken, employees of Nosferatu Contraceptives." " You are not mistaken." " But I cannot see..." "Only procreation is prohibited to the employees of Nosferatu, not copulation." "On the contrary, I think these photos will make a fine advertising campaign." " And these?" "You have not measured up to your responsibilities." "I ask you to leave this villa at once." "On foot!" "Let the woman have an abortion and her husband be sterilised." "Chemical Industry Sector, Group A. Opening new markets." "Report on legalisation of drugs." "I am glad to report that the opposition of Deputy Santamaria to the law on the legalisation of hallucinatory drugs has been withdrawn." "He no longer objects." " You had excellent results in even more difficult cases." " Well, it wasn't difficult." "Deputy Santamaria has his soft spots like all the protectors of public morals." "Pardon me, Your Eminence." " Is that all?" " No." "You have requested a monthly donation of 500 bottles of LSD for the poor." " Very well." " I beg your pardon." " Yes?" " If I may impose, 3 sample advertising spots are ready." "If you could personally choose..." " Let's see them." " Thank you!" "'The screen lacerates itself in every frame to disseminate truth to the winds.' Said by Jean-Luc Godard." "Permanent revolution, in the sense attributed to it by Marx, is revolution that is not reconciled with any form of class domination;" "that does not stop at the democratic phase, but proceeds to socialist measures and open war against external reaction;" "revolution of which every new phase is contained, in seminal form, in the previous phase;" "revolution that stops only with the total liquidation..." " No good." "'The essence of the comic is imbibed with mother's milk.'" "Said by Federico Fellini." "Daddy!" "Mommy!" "'Murder, incest, rape will only be punished among slaves.'" "Said by the Marquis de Sade." "Enough!" "I can't take it any more!" "This is boring!" "Give me a drink!" " We have just the thing!" " Really?" "What is it?" "!" " Shall we tell him?" " Yes!" " L-S-D!" " Finally in stores?" "!" " Of course!" "Starting today, in all Nosferatu supermarkets." "We're here!" "With L-S-D!" "Standard size and family size bottle." "LSD is a product of Nosferatu Pharmaceuticals, a name that we trust." "Starting today, in all Nosferatu supermarkets." "This is good." "Ignazio?" "Any objections on moral grounds?" " No!" "Just a piece of advice." "When he whips her, we could see a mirror reflection." "That would be very beautiful." " Excellent idea." "Good night." "See you." " Have a good night's work, Engineer." " Thank you, Corinna." "Please sit down, Dr. Valle." "Have a drink?" "Don't you feel ridiculous?" "The chemists' meeting upset you." " You knew I was eavesdropping?" " If you become part of my organisation, you have to know it in depth." " I want nothing to do with your organisation." "I'm leaving." " You cannot leave, Dr. Valle." " No?" "You said I was free to choose what I liked." "WHEN you liked." "Not WHAT you liked." " Look..." " Don't make me waste more time, Dr. Valle." " Are you afraid of time?" "Or just the dawn, like vampires?" " In the XX Century, you believe in vampires?" " Myths do not die, they get transformed." "You told me that yourself." "You've changed faces, but you go on drinking human blood." " Finished?" " No." "I'll tell you what I'll do now." " Drive a stake into my heart?" " I'll go to the newspapers." "To the police." " Newspapers belong to me." "Police belongs to me." " Then I will throw bombs at your factories." "Set fire to your department stores." "Smash windows in your supermarkets." " Feel free." "Back so soon, Dr. Valle?" " Call off your guards." " Don't be silly." "Put down the gun." " Call off your guards." " Killing me will solve nothing." " I'll count to three." "One!" " You will become the most faithful of my assistants." " Two!" " I have great things in store for you." " Three!" "Alberto!" "Why?" "If you're leaving, I'll walk you to the gate." " Please." "Corinna." "I had to do it." "Leave with me." "Laura!" " Hello." "I was waiting for you." "But what are you doing?" " We are leaving together." " No, I can't." "I returned just to say hello." " Returned?" " Yes." "I found a job as secretary to a big businessman." "Finally, an ordered life, perhaps a husband, kids." "Security." " But..." "You wanted to be free!" "Travel around the world!" "See beautiful things!" "Didn't you tell me that?" " Yes." "I was silly, wasn't I?" "But then I realised that you were right." "Bye." "I must run." "Welcome, Dr. Valle." "Today, terror is called technology." "Herbert Marcuse." "Translated by Tiberio for KG."