Zabriskie Point (1970)

It's the same story,
for 300 years; if you're so clever,
why didn't you join us
from the beginning?
Now, our only choice is to
tell them "we're sorry"
the university is closed, on strike.
We'll blow a whistle when it's over.
What about boycotting
military recruitment at the university?
There's only one thing to do:
go to the recruitment offices,
take a bottle, fill it with petrol,
cork it...
Yeah,
but what if we want to blow
up sociology instead?
Listen, a molotov is a
mix of petrol and kerosene,
a radical white man
is a mix of chat and shit.
Listen, I'm not here to show you
my revolutionary credentials,
but there are plenty of white students
fighting on the street,
just as you in the ghetto.
And there are plenty of unsatisfied whites
who are potential revolutionaries.
Here we go again with the same discussion, guys.
When they put you in jail
because of a bit of marjuana,
you become revolutionary.
But when they smash your face,
break your head,
prevent you from living, going to school,
from getting a job,
then you must become revolutionary.
That's why you people say we
negroes are living in another...
Wait a moment. You're talking to white
students. I think we understand.
Yes, a lot of us understand what
makes negroes revolutionary,
but what makes white people revolutionary?
The same fucking thing that
makes negroes revolutionary.
But it doesn't happen the same way.
It'll happen, don't worry.
You won't need to do anything to make it happen.
You can prevent it, sure.
You can break it off.
You can do everything, but you can't...
- For example?
This country is falling into Fascism,
can't you see?
I mean, now we have police at
the university, and then? Where next?
Sitting with us in class?
Inside our homes? And then?
On the street, when you go out?
Are you waiting for that to become
revolutionary?
What I mean is that we should
close the univeristy, that's it,
and nobody should break our chops,
if they do,
it'll be at their risk.
And when they decide to reopen,
they'll do it on our conditions.
But why stop people from
going to class? Why...
Because they're against us.
They prevent us from getting what we deserve.
We've tried everything: begged,
negotiated, written programs,
but we haven't gotten a damn.
I think, and I'm not alone,
that everyone knows that the main
point of every guerrilla
is that the enemy is invisible. Things happen,
and they don't know how and where.
People who act to draw attention
on themselves,
do it on purpose
to divert it from others
I don't think, we've reached this point yet.
We've just begun to involve people.
If you want to close the university,
what do you want to...
- We don't even have the support of white people...
- Hey listen to me!
- We need mass demonstrations.
- Just a moment!
The side of the black students
doesn't want to give a show.
We just close the univesity and that's it.
Speaking of what you say,
I don't agree, you know,
I mean about the help from white people.
It doesn't matter so much.
Because if tomorrow our agitation
is successful,
every student,
demonstrator or not, black or white,
will be considered an enemy,
and it'll be easier to keep this tension
that we've became a public threat.
Well then I share your opinion.
There is no more coffee.
Can you make some more?
Isn't there any man who can make coffee?
- Now let's listen to you. - I suggest that we form
some groups of 4 or 5,
that should stay out of the university
and that, at some given moment,
should move behind the police.
- Please!
- Yes, I mean as distracting tactics,
- So the others could have time to reach...
- Just a moment!
Are cars good to build barricades?
- Cars?
- Inside the university?
- As tactics to...
- Why don't you bring your own here?
It's a sport car, is it ok? Bring it here,
then I'll take care of it.
Is it possible that you don't
understand that until...
- Silence!
- There's only one way to talk with white men,
and that's in their language.
if they talk with weapons,
you answer with weapons, it's easy
- But are you ready to die?
- Many black men already did,
and many others are now dying in this country;
if we're on the top of the movement,
it's because we pay personally.
- I'm also ready to die.
- Alone?
But not of boredom.
Who the hell is he?
No no, it's alright, he lives with me.
Maybe meetings aren't his forte.
Sorry, but if it wasn't to join us,
why did he come?
Why? Who has the right to say if he
wants to stay here or not?
What kind of bullshit is that?
If he wants to be a revolutionary, he has
to stay with other people, otherwise...
That's why he came here.
There is no revolutionary without other people.
Who was Lenin with no organisation,
or Castro.
Even anarchists spent their
life in meetings, what the hell...
Tell that guy to start reading the
Little Red Book, the first page,
where it says that the revolution cannot
break out anywhere without a revolutionary party.
And that if he continues his middle-class individualism,
he'll lose his life.
To the end against
the middle-class individualism!
There was an open door on the third
floor, now it's ok.
Is it allowed to go on the roof?
I mean, do you let me go up?
Regulations
I have to take a book,
I forgot it upstairs at lunchtime.
Which book?
Why don't you eat at the cafeteria?
- How was your holiday?
- Well, we'll meet us later.
Who can give me the permission?
- Good evening Mr. Allen.
- Good evening Tom.
Did you stay up late today?
Yes, I had to work.
May I help you?
Well, I hope. I replaced a secretary today,
I went up at lunchtime.
and I forgot... - A book.
- Are you a secretary?
- Actually I don't like it,
I work only when I need it.
Who's that girl?
- A girl from my past past.
- What's her name?
Alice.
My sister.
What's that stuff?
It's a form: in case of roundup,
they release you sooner
if you give it to them already filled up.
"Always ready", don't you have another slogan?
You have to be realist.
Listen up, the day you'll
decide not to resign yourselves,
I'll enter the movement
A lot a people cannot chose,
for many it's a question of survival.
That's what I mean.
- What?
- Really. I'm not joking.
I'm sick of this, young people talk about
violence, and the police do it.
Have you seen that idiot today who said
that one should do something...
...only when it's needed?
Well, I need it before.
Anyway, the demonstration will be
in front of the rectorship all day.
Well, alright.
Here check 1 to surveillance 1AL51.
It's enough for today.
Surveillance to 1AL51.
Break.
What do you want?
A friend of mine was arrested today.
I'd like to know if he's been relased.
- One of the students? - Yes.
They are recording them.
It takes some time.
Sit down.
Does it take a lot?
- 5 minutes. Or 5 hours.
Thanks
Empty your pockets.
- Name? - George S. Tolli.
Put your hands above.
- Tolli? - T.O.L.L.I.
- No more names? A nickname?
- No.
Take away your glasses.
- Adress?
- 1152 Stock.
- City? - AHA.
- Employment?
- History teacher on annual contract
It's too long George: let's write office-worker
- Money in the wallet?
- Two dollars.
Some of these boys need to be treated
You didn't you say that you're also a doctor?
- And who are you?
- There's a friend of mine here,
I came to pay the bail
You're not allowed to stay there,
off with you
I thought that when someone
comes to pay the bail...
You thought? Did you think
the regulation was for you?
Did you think you're someone special?
Off with you
Hey Martin, do you need something?
Here you are, now you can meet your friend
Hands up
What a day!
- Name?
- Karl Marx
How do you write it?
M.A.R.X.
Goodbye
- So? What do you want?
- We'd need some weapons. Self defense.
So, this is the law:
you buy the weapons now
and I verify your criminal record in Sacramento
In 4 or 5 days
you can come here to get them
The law is valid in time of peace.
This is an emergency.
We live in a neighbourhood close to...
you understand me...
We have to defend our women
You're right, for God's sake,
you're right.
I won't let you go
with nothing in your hands
In my opinion,
you need at least a caliber 38
Hey boys,
the law accords you the right
to defend your homes:
if you shoot them in the garden,
then drag them indoor
Ok
Thanks
The joy of a beautiful holiday out in the open
The sun of the desert
shining on your swimming-pool
Why breathe the infected air of the city
when you can enjoy your life
with "Sunny Dunes Relax"
Playing tennis on the emerald grass,
walking in the open
in the middle of the desert
taking your kid hunting on wild walks
You could even
spot the mountain lion
Sun, fresh air,
good water in your garden
Become an independent man,
a pioneer's life
in the West's endless horizon
And for you ladies,
a completely furnitured kitchen,
for the happiness of your husband
and child
And don't forget the pleasure
of a golf game
on the golf court that
Sunny Dunes has prepared for you
Nine holes on a fabulous background
What are you waiting for to leave that
crowded madhouse city?
Move here today, for a new life in
the healthy climate of the desert
Are you getting into aerial acrobatics, Bob?
No, Jane, I'm just flying over the desert
to look for our new home for the holidays
Finding it it's easy,
just call 84868
Can you repeat the number, Bob?
Of course: Sunny Dunes Land Development Company,
Box 82, Los Angeles, California
News from inland:
today the works for the new highway
that connects the hills to the city
of Los Angeles have finished
because of the works,
and the houses on the route had been
knocked down.
This is the data provided
by the building department
Vietnam: american soldiers who
died on the vietnamese front
are nearly 50.000 according to the latest
data from the Pentagon
The number of soldiers being
cured in military hospitals
wasn't noted. Corporal Darry
Marshall from our city
died on the battlefield a week ago
- Did you see here?
- What?
we've got 7 multimillionaires
at this time.
We, who?
California.
Texas has 4, but New York beats us
It was time
I see
to an extremist association have been arrested
Talking at a businessmen's association lunch,
the governor of California said
that the time to put an end to
student riots has come
And now let's go
to the weather report
directly from the weather station
I want to go and see what's going on.
When you're finished, leave the line free,
perhaps I'll call you
- Good morning
- How are you?
Mister Giorgio, I'm calling because of this:
as I remember,
three days ago you asked me information
about industrial and textile sectors
on the Stock Exchange of New York
Since the market is moving,
I think it's time to do something
- Do you want to see them again?
- No, thanks Tim.
We'll call your principal
if we need some changes
- Hello guys. - Hi.
- Let me have a quick look at the advertisment
No, the meeting is over.
Go to bed
- Yes, Mr. Allen?
- Nathalie, where's Daria?
I don't know, haven't seen her.
- Try at home.
- Yes, at once.
I phoned her home, she didn't answer,
maybe she's ill.
- Doesn't matter.
- Goodbye.
- What?
Hello? Here is Lee's Associate
Do you know where I can find Daria?
- No. She left in the morning.
- Left? On which flight?
- No flight.
She took my car
Do you mind telling me who I am talking with?
Yes, I mind. How are you?
In the next 10 years there'll be
three million people more
- Also more are expected.
- Yes, I read it.
Are this figures valid for the whole country?
No, just for South California.
- Do you understand what it means?
- What?
It means an expansion
of at least 200.000 hectars.
So our position on the market
requires a global expense
of 5000 billions in three years
- Well, I think we can afford it,
can't we? - Yes, of course
Federal and public fees,
the cost of living,
inflation is not even included...
Fuck off
Surround the area all around here.
Block all the entrances.
Here is lieutenant Bell
from the metropolitan police department
You've infringed on paragraph 415
of the penal code.
We know you're armed.
If you don't throw away your guns
and come out immediately with your hands up...
...we'll have to take you out
in some other way
Everybody down on the sidewalk
Down, I said!
He's armed!
Stop there, nobody move
Hands up, run
End station
Which bread do you want?
- It's the same. - For me rye bread,
with mayonnaise.
This sandwich with salami is a bit poor,
Bob, I'm not on a diet
If you want more, you'll have to pay more
I'll pay, I'll pay, don't worry
- Hello?
- It's me
- Where are you?
- In a shop.
It's better for you to disappear,
someone called,
he said you were on television. Were you?
What? - On the news.
- Are you sure?
- He said, it looked like you
- Martin...
Hello? Mark? Hello!
- Sorry, can I ask you a favour?
- Of course.
I wanted to know if you can give
a sandwich on credit
You see, the problem is not that I don't
trust you,
but if I trust you than I
have to trust everybody
I see.
Where do you think you're going?
I'll go for a ride and come back,
wanna come with me?
- No thanks.
- As you wish.
Lilly 7, Lilly 7, here is tower AN,
stop the take off,
you're on the wrong runway,
there's traffic landing on
the opposite direction
turn as soon as possible,
Lilly 7, Lilly 7, here's tower AN
I don't know, we agree on the estimate
for the first step - Yes?
Why don't you answer the phone?
Yes. We invested 200 millions
plus 40 for unexpected events
Oh no, just a moment, why lock up 40
million for the unexpected?
What unexpected?
We found some areas with differences
in the level... - Hello?
... quite relevant, that's the reason - Hi
Land examinations have pointed out
a density index that...
Wait, I'll take the call in my office
... and then the arrangement of collapsing rocks
How do you calculate...
- And when will we know that?
Nancy! It's difficult to make an estimate,
at least as long as we are on this first stage
What's the matter Daria, where are you?
I'm in a city here in the desert,
I called to tell you that
I'll get late to Phoenix
- But Why? - I'm looking for a place
called Glenville
or Ballyville or something like that
Something with "Ville" inside.
You know the desert, does it ring a bell?
"Ville"... Hold on, wait.
with "Ville". What do you mean?
Like Denville?
A place in the desert,
Denville is in Connecticut.
Or maybe it ends in "Hill",
a word like that
Yes, well, but why
do you want to go to a town
you don't even know the name of?
An appointment?
A friend of mine told me it's
the perfect place to meditate.
- And what are you going to do there?
- Think thoughts
think what? Daria! Listen to me,
give me your number,
I'll try to get the name of the town
and call you back, ok?
No, no, or else you'd be capable of sending
an helicopter to fetch me
Daria!
- Please come back in three minutes
- Just a moment miss
Listen up, give me your number
and hang up,
I'll call you back in five minutes,
so that I pay for the call.
See you in Phoenix
Excuse me, do you know
a place nearby
called Glenville or Ballyville
something like that?
- Barkstead?
- Oh, that's it
- Of course, that's where we are
- Oh really?
Did you come here to visit
a James Patterson by chance?
- How do you know that?
- You have the same look.
Tell him as for me that
he'll be the death of this town,
that he's going to ruin
a piece of American history.
Jimmy?
- Do you remember Jonny Wilson?
- Jonny Wilson? No.
That's me.
I was middleweight world champion.
- Middleweight world champion?
Bravo! - Thank you.
He wants to be a benefactor,
he brought pack of children here
from Los Angeles
he says, they are ill, traumatized,
do you know what it means?
But if Los Angeles doesn't want them,
why should we?
Fuck!
You damned criminals!
Just try to come back!
So, you've seen it with your own eyes,
that glass will cost me 30 dollars
Hey you!
Listen to me!
Hey you!
Hey, come back!
Listen, where's Jimmy?
Where's the guy who brought you here?
Isn't he here with you?
Will you give me a piece of your ass?
- Are you sure you know
what to do with it? - Yes.
What the hell are you doing?
What the hell...
Who the hell is he?
But... But what the hell does that guy want?
Thank you for the T-shirt,
but I don't think it's good for me
Why? Wrong color?
Wrong sex.
- What direction are you taking?
- Phoenix.
Phoenix? There's nothing in Phoenix.
Listen, I'm in trouble.
And, since you've a car,
could you give me a lift?
so that we can go and look for some more petrol.
- Far from here?
I don't know.
That guy said maybe 30 miles.
It's ok.
The radio said,
someone stole a plane this morning.
Tell the truth, was it you?
And why?
To get off the ground
Stop it!
This is an area of ancient lake beds,
deposited 5 to 10 million years ago.
These beds have been tilted and
pushed upward by earth forces
and eroded by wind and water.
They contain borates and gypsum
Borates and gypsum?
Two old gold diggers that got lost
How do these plants live here?
They're so beautiful
What else do you do, other than flying?
Until yesterday I've been driving a
wrecker for a cloth storehouse
But I've also been doing other things
- The university?
- A bit.
Why did you leave it?
Graduate?
- Activities out of program.
- What do you mean?
Stealing binded books
instead of poket editions,
making phone calls from the rector's line,
whistling in the classroom,
bringing in forbidden stuff,
like dogs, bikes or women.
What is wrong with that?
We did it in the open.
Once I went to the office
and I reversed the calculators,
and so...
They kicked me out.
You know why? Because I've sent
engineers to art classes
Uhm, she's coming down too
Tell me the rest of your braveries
Once I painted myself black,
but it didn't work,
so I returned to be as I was before
Did you hear that Mexicans
are bombarding marjuana fields on the border?
I'd like to know what else is happening
Nothing about the demonstration?
No, I prefer to listen to some music
Now they speak about it only if there are
at least 200 or 300 wounded
Yes, some kind of record
Or dead
Yes, someone killed a policeman,
and someone trampled on the flowerbed
I was looking for a rock station.
They said the guy who killed the
agent was a white man
Uhm, a white man
going on the black's side, eh?
just like the old John Brown
Do you want us to go to the river?
- See you down there!
- Wait!
Hey you, foolhardy!
Are you ok?
Do you want to smoke?
- Look, you're not talking to a free man.
- What does it mean?
Perhaps it's nothing serious,
but the people of my group have some
rules about smoking,
they're bound to reality
What a bore!
Let's look for some shade
What does it mean
"bound to reality"?
Oh yes, they're not able
to imagine anything
Sorry, but, you know, you could have left them
I wasn't really in a group,
you know, all that chatting makes me sick
but at a certain point you have
to decide on one side or the other
Ther're lots of sides,
not only the good and the bad
Stop it
- What's your name?
- Daria.
The point is that if you don't
recognize them as bad,
you can't get rid of them
Do you think that if we get rid of them,
the world will be different?
Why not? Can you think
of something better for us to do?
Us who? Your group?
You and me
You and me?
It's nice here,
It's quiet
It's dead
Ok, It's dead
So let's play a game
You'll start from a side of the valley,
I'll start from the other side
And we'll see, who kills the most
We'll begin with snakes and lizards,
and then go on to wild rabbits
At the end, we'll count how many we've killed,
and the winner will kill the loser
Did I say something stupid?
Don't you want to play this game?
I don't want to play any game
It's nice of you to stay
with a guy who doesn't smoke
I'm tolerant
But what are you doing here?
Phoenix, are you serious?
Because of work.
I have to go there
You're really tolerant
Pretend that your thoughts are plants
Ok
What do they look like?
Grown like in a garden
or wild, like a fern or a rambling,
I mean weeds
A sort of jungle
It'd be nice to plant
thoughts in heads,
so that no one would have bad memories
It could be possible to plant, you know,
only the good things you've made
like a happy childhood,
strong parents,
only the good things
Just to forget how horrible it was
That's the point!
There's nothing horrible
Please!
Sometimes I feel like shouting
Why don't you do it?
There's nobody around here,
nothing, just the desert
- But if someone...? - Yeah, a ghost,
you can wake the dead.
At any rate
At any rate
What?
It should be just one word
The name of a place.
Or a river
The river "at-any-rate"
- Hey! Look what I've found!
- Uhm, well done
- What's that thing? Chalk?
- It isn't salt.
- Do you want to come with me?
- Where?
Anywhere I'm going
Are you asking seriously?
Are you answering seriously?
They should build a drive-in here.
It'd be a business
Why don't you do it?
Should I? Oh!
- Something wrong?
- No,I was going to the toilet
Where's your car?
I forgot it down there,
together with my chequebook, credit card,
insurance policy, birth certificate and...
Goodbye
What's wrong with you?
Are you crazy?
Is it loaded?
No
- Are you looking for water?
- I'm buring it
Why did you ask me about the strike?
Were you there?
The guy who killed the agent...
No. I wanted to do it,
but someone else did it.
- But they said...
- Who said? - The radio.
I never shot a bullet
You could need it.
It'll be difficult to persuade them
I don't even think about it
Why? I believe you
Let's go back to the car
Let's go away from here. If you cut your hair,
who is going to recognize you?
Do you think I should cut my hair?
No, you look very nice
Maybe they'll think it's not an airplane
Strange prehistoric bird flies over the Mojave desert,
with the balls hanging
I think you're crazy flying
this thing back to Los Angeles
Of course. You cannot steal a private plane,
use it as you want,
and then don't go back and thank.
It's nice to see
a young man showing some respect
- It's beautiful. Great Grand'pa.
- Of course it's beautiful
Do you really think,
you'll make it?
I'll just land at the end of the runway,
far from the tower,
From there I'll make it. I'll run to the city,
before they realize what happened
Why do you have to take it back?
You can come with me to Phoenix,
- Why do you need to take this chance?
- I like to risk.
- Well, it's beautiful, isn't it?
- Yes, it is.
- Did you use the plane often?
- Yes.
Are you insured
against damage and stealing?
Yes, of course. It's a small plane,
but not cheap at all, you know
My wife liked it a lot.
I painted it her favorite color, pink
- Did you talk to the young man?
- Yes, I did.
And what did he say?
Well, he asked me to go for a ride,
it seemed that the plane was his own
Did you believe him?
No.
- Well, then why did you let him go away?
- I don't know.
Do you remember how he was dressed?
He was wearing a T-shirt,
and long hair.
- How old do you think he was?
- Mah, 30. Maybe less, 20. 21
The 4H Club has organized a sport
sunday at the Schoneberg school stadium
A rodeo will take place, and there'll be
horses, dust and fun for everyone
and quite a lot of ice cream, I'm sure
Here Lilly 7 is on sight,
coming from north:
it's approaching the landing runway
Received
Take-offs are suspended.
Incoming planes stay on hold
KHT759. Here's KHT652.
Do you copy?
KHT652 to KHT759. You'd have to see it,
you wouldn't believe your eyes
- What's going on? - Nothing, they just
enjoyed themself painting it everywhere.
Call an ambulance
Give me a tool to open it
The attempt of aerial piracy
reached a tragic end this morning
The episode happended when the police, after trying
to block the plane with no results,
had to open the fire.
Several shots from an unidentified
agent reached the cockpit
The young man inside died on the spot.
Stay tuned for more details
Our program goes on with John Payne
- Why, what was he looking like?
- Don't ask her
If this evening I get drunk,
I'll tell you everything
You know, there's nothing
to do this evening
Hello?
It's for you
Hello? hi, she said
she'll be here in a moment
Another time
- Do you need a light?
- Yes, thanks.
It's really interesting,
what Nicky said. It seems,
she was here by the swimming-pool,
she saw everything
Dear Larry,
if these are your last conditions,
I can't see how I could possibly
present them to my partners
Your proposal is unacceptable
Listen Jack, you know very well
that the price of something
is neither high nor low when it's not
related to its potential use
Right? - Yes.
The only question here is: does this
ground have a value to you?
Honestly,
I don't think it has any.
And we don't want to commit
ourselves more than you do
He talks about potential use.
This is speculation
Why should I accept
speculation prices?
Don't you think they'll come?
What do you think?
Should we hold on?
Daria!
Hey
What happended to you?
Did you fall in the swimming-pool?
Anyway, you're here now,
it's the only thing that counts
Listen up, Now you go downstairs,
and change your dress
Your room is the first on the right,
at the end of the staircase
It's obvious that this area has got
lots of development possibilities,
such as a beach, a lake, where you can live
quietly, as you please...
...and comfortably
I must say that this business
makes me enthusiastic, but...
Maybe we'll end up finding
gold on this property
If we find water, we'll also find gold for sure
In this country, water is gold
Water, electrification,
the landing runway, roads
the arrangement of beaches and all the
other subsidiary equipment
are only details of our general project.