Atolladero (1995) - full transcript

In the near future, the areas between major cities are lawless wastelands. Atolladero is a town run with an iron fist by a corrupt tyrant named The Judge and his murderous enforcer, Madden. One decent cop decides to leave town, but the powers that be don't want that and go after him.

-

Space...

the final frontier.

In the 21st century...

a series of accidents in

a program of orbital stations...

makes the North American

government...

withdraw for good

from any further...

space research project.

On a self-contained planet,

technological developments...

focus on large megalopolis

separated by...

vast barren regions.

In this third world,

forgotten by time...

powerful landowners control the

local police departments...

levy taxes, and make...

their own laws.

Hi, Douey.

What's up?

Let's see...

Hands up!

Well, well.

What a nice kid.

I'm sure the Judge

will like him.

THE MEN

Tell me, Galactus...

how long must I live on this

savage planet called Earth?

In the Universe, there's no

conviction crueller than mine.

But, yes...

there is...

The terrible agony of who

has never attempted it.

Who, for fear of failing, or

out of indifference...

doesn't dare lift the veil

that covers the abcolute.

The terrible agony of who

has never attempted it.

Today I see everything

differently...

through other eyes, as if

this were the first time.

Lennie, come on.

Stop being a jerk!

But I won't be here next week.

I'm coming!

I'm coming!

Damn it!

I'm coming!

I'm coming!

I'm coming, damn it!

Who the hell...?

Yes!

Yes! But...

You've got shit in

in your ear. Madden.

I said yes.

Everything will be

ready by 4 o'clock.

Yes, what's your hurry?

Are you bored, Madden,

you son of a bitch?

All right.

Yes, but don't know

how it'll go.

Can't you hear?

Today they're restless.

Looks like storm

is coming up.

All right, damn it!

No, of course, I'll be there.

It's all ready for this

afternoon, Judge.

Old Stampy is ready too.

Shut up, you fool!

Fine.

Fine.

That's it.

That's it.

The kid is photogenic.

Want me to give him a

good screwing, Judge?

They say the Texas Rangers...

can hit a prairie dog between

the eyes at a 100 yards...

without the automatic setting.

Realy?

So they say.

The Rangers are an unscrupulous

bunch of mercenaries but...

they're the only decent

police left around here.

They're well trained

and know what to do.

You'd have to go far to

find people like that.

By the way Nick.

there's something I want

to talk to you about.

It's Vince.

Sorry to bother you, Sheriff,

but I've been out here.

- a long time and...

- Hi, Sheriff.

The Sheriff here. What

is it Mrs. Hannisses?

It's Billy. Yesterday.

- he didn't come home.

- Fuckin' shit!

- Billy's only 6 years old!

- Yeah.

It's not the first time,

Mrs. Hannisses.

- I brought you a picture.

- Leave it at my.

office, go home and calm down.

Go on Mrs. Hannisses.

Fuckin' shit!

Hell, Sheriff.

Looks like the coyotes are...

a little nervous lately.

Yeah.

More than a whore in church.

Good God it's Darlene!

God no!

Not today.

- Good morning, Mrs. Wedley.

- All right, Nick, I confess.

I was depressed and

had a few drinks.

So, you'll have to

make me blow...

for the breath test,

won't you Sheriff?

Yes, Mrs. Wedley.

One thing has always

intrigued me, Sheriff.

Has the Judge's wife

always been like that?

- Ever since...?

- Listen,

Get this into your head.

Judge Wedley wants

only the best.

Understand?

The best.

Darlene isn't a bitch.

Darlene was the biggest

whore east of Pecos...

always was and

always will be.

And tried to keep it that way.

It's best not to

let her down.

"People from the East will come

without trumpets of war...

but will make you adore their

idols and kneel before...

their dark and decadent altars".

Turn away from the infernal

Japanese influence...

and the Japanese antichrist...

This isn't a good day

for the fight.

A storm is coming up.

Listen to me.

All those electronic devices...

we've bought from that

race of yellow rats...

since the death of General

Douglas McArthur...

about 100 years ago...

had been predicted.

In every transistor,

every refrigerator...

every motor, every video,

this diabolic race...

thrown up from the

very center of hell...

Now tie its paw.

Well, you've caught

a roadrunner.

Yes.

That race introduced...

this.

A component that look as...

harmless as a pumpkin seed...

the radiation of which...

imperceptible to our

native technicians...

has annulled, and still annuls,

the energy of a race that...

Hey, you.

Yes, you.

Yes've got 20 minutes

to get out of town.

Sure, Sheriff. I was

just passing through.

I was talking to some friends

to make time for my horse...

to rest a while, and

refresh this old man's...

- throat.

- Shut up! You heard me.

Ladies and gentlemen...

you heard the Law.

I'll be brief. Just long

enough to remind you...

What's wrong with you, Lennie?

Lately you're more of

a jerk than usual.

...horrible calamities.

Someday you sinners...

What a character!

Where'd he come from?

He got here this morning.

He gave me this bracelet.

Says it cures rheumatism.

He'd better leave soon. The

Judge doesn't like strangers.

Yeah.

Today is a bad day.

He looks sick...

and that's a bad sign.

So Ismael is under the weather.

Yes, for a few days now.

He must be in love,

he doesn't eat.

Ismael.

The same old story?

There's more interference

lately than ever before.

The video and jukebox

don't work either.

Maybe that preacher is

right about the Japanese.

I'll see you later, at

the Judge's junkyard.

There's a fight today.

Yes.

Yes, damn it.

Another kid was taken

from town this morning.

Six years old.

That old goat.

Th? older he gets,

the queerer he is.

He'll never change.

He likes to be...

well attended to

before each fight.

You just relax, girls.

Good morning, Mrs. Wedley.

Well, we have to go.

This is shit.

There's no more.

I swear it on my kids.

Business was bad this month.

The Judge will understand.

Things have changed.

There are few clients.

- The Judge will understand.

- Let's hope so.

The girls are honest,

hard-working.

Well...

almost all of them.

What do you mean?

It's Vicenta.

She's holding out

on us lately.

Fuckin' shit!

Hey, Benito!

Why don't you take that

disgusting thing off...

the inferno where your

clients have to drink?

Hi, Sheriff. Those

beasts disgust me.

Hi, Lennie.

I'm letting Thelma and

Louise get some fresh air.

They're nervous.

- So is Ismael, poor thing.

- Poor thing?

Shit!

The weak shouldn't

be allowed to live.

The weak and the handicapped.

That's a good law of nature.

Things are livening up,

Mr. Wedley.

Here comes your lovely wife.

Sheriff, I want to

tell you that...

Later, kid, later...

Where'd you hide it, you

bitch! Where is it?

- Answer me, where?

- Down there.

Fuckin' thief!

...that terrible

Japanese radiation...

and help you if

you suffer from...

arthritis, rickets, impotence.

You coward, you'll

never change!

All you do is beat up

on women and drunks!

Well now, Sheriff.

That's a nasty accusation.

Buy them and your children

will be protected against...

the mysterious influence of

those Japanese.

Did you tell him?

No.

- When will you?

- I don't know.

This afternoon, at the fight.

Then I can also get the

Judge's permission.

- They're not going to like it.

- I know.

Me either.

Don't fuck with me, Vince.

You still don't get it.

Look around you.

You can walk for miles.

Look around, and

what do you see?

More miles.

Is that amusing?

Well. I like it.

Shit!

Everyone thinks they

have the best...

because that's all they've got.

Remember Azucena Thompson.

from school?

Yes.

The only decent white girl.

Everyone wanted to lay her.

Not me.

Everyone but you.

She was tired of doing it with

her father and 5 brothers...

and got no pleasant

feelings from it.

Shit, there must be a place

where things aren't like that.

- Then, nothng happened?

- What could happen. Vince?

Nothing's happened here for 200

years. This isn't the world.

There's nothing here.

Look, you can't get out of

life more than you put into it.

And I want to start putting

something into it.

They're not going to like

this, not at all.

You're a son of a bitch, Sal.

You said it would be

ready this week.

I need you to operate on

me as soon as possible.

Don't you get it?

If you don't fix...

what you've done to my

face. I'll kill you.

I couldn't, Mrs. Wedley.

My pulse won't let me.

You heard me,

you disgusting drunk!

The third one emptied his glass

into rivers and fountains...

and they turned into blood.

And the angel of the waters

said: ''You're just...

because they shed the

blood of the saints.''

Good God...

I've received the sian!

Fine, let's go inside a while.

Come on, it's time to

get your rocks off.

Don't you like her?

Ask for something special.

The Avenger!

What's the matter,

are you afraid of me?

Come on, let's

get it over with!

Come on.

Come on, Mr. Wedley.

Don't worry, you'll be fine.

You should rest a while...

save your energy

for this afternoon.

It's true, we had never

talked about that.

It was different then.

We kids all knew it would

be our turn someday.

It was like a medical

examination.

Once in a while, it was

also the girls' turn.

But we were a little older,

not like now.

My God, the one taken today

isn't even 7 years old!

- Benito!

- I'm coming!

Benito!

I've heard you have

something special.

I need something special.

That's not enough.

That's better.

Stampy, get the Colonel ready.

We're on our way.

Antonia, Dolores, the old man's

getting the Colonel ready.

Take care of the preacher,

I'm going to see the Judge.

Back then, the Judge's

bodyguard was a nice guy.

He gave us candy and

treated us well.

To me that was...

What can I say?

Weird, but pleasant.

Madden was still a kid.

A kid...

but a real murderer.

Believe me, he was as crazy

as his Indian mother.

My brother Bob and I

hung around with him.

He made us stick our

fingers in the fan.

He tried to poison us with

cabbage and molasses.

Kids' stuff.

The Junge stayed alive thanks

to a spectacular iron lung.

He was about 150 years old,

more or less.

5 years later, when he got the

new iron lung. Sal arrived.

Then they hired Madden.

Madden, that son of a bitch.

I have no pleasant memories

of the ranch.

I only went twice but...

I'll never get it out of here.

Yeah.

That's not pleasant for a kid.

We didn't like it either.

No one likes the way things

are here, Lennie.

But they're like that for

hundreds of years now.

And they'll stay that

way, believe me.

Maybe.

I think so but,

I don't know.

- We should try.

- I never mentioned it.

Look.

Once...

many years ago, a stranger

came through here.

She was researching

for the government.

She was to stay

just a few days...

but stayed much longer.

Two weeks.

One night, she asked

me to run away with her.

I was to meet her at the

Coyoteville crossing, at dawn.

But there was a fight with

one of the Judge's men.

I didn't get to see her,

and I was lucky.

We belong here, Lennie.

That's the way it is,

for some reason.

THE DOGS

That's still here?

Yeah.

Since then, no one

contradicts Darlene.

Madden doesn't let

anyone touch it.

Sheriff...

I've been wanting to tell

you something for days.

But...

I couldn't find the

right moment to...

Spit it out.

I taught you to get to the point

and not babble like an idiot.

I'm leaving.

- What?

- Truthfully...

maybe it's a mistake but...

I want to go to

the Police Academy...

in Los Angeles and, well...

I've been admitted.

When?

Next week.

I thought I could request the

Judge's permission today...

because of the fight

I knew this be a terrible

day for that damned fight.

She kicked the bucket while she

was giving him a blow job!

Her mouth shut like a trap!

She choked to death, and he

bled to death like a pig!

Life is short.

You have to burn

your bridges fast...

and get your rocks off

whenever you can!

Well, here's our courageous

long arm of the law.

How are you, Madden?

- Hi.

- Hello.

- Is that any good?

- The best.

"The Silver Star".

Text by Stan Lee and

drawings by Jack Kirby.

It's old. I found it.

I used to read "Sons of the

Avengers", "The New X Patrol".

"The New Generation".

But all the action takes

place in the East.

Do you have anything

against that?

I'm from there.

Now that I'm going to

California. I started this one.

He surfs through the Universe.

I'm getting ready.

Well now...

where did you get

that absurd idea?

You haven't had an attack

for some time now.

Yes, for a while...

but I've had two this

week. Must be my nerves.

I never mentioned it but...

I've researched and...

epilepsy has been frequent

around here for centuries.

Through all these years I've

developed a theory on that.

I'll tell you about it some

day. It's very interesting.

I want to be somebody,

understand?

Somebody.

Stop drinking, you know

it's no good for you.

Well, well, it's been

a long time.

What brings you here?

To say good-bye. He's

leaving next week.

- Well, well.

- Yes.

I've been admitted to the

Police Academy in California.

I'm very happy for you.

Very happy.

Nick says it's necessary to pay

your respects to the Judge...

when you arrive as a stranger,

and when you leave.

Exactly.

Mr. Wedley likes to know...

what is going on

in his community.

But now...

enjoy yourself.

Enjoy your last days

in Atolladero.

Where the hell is....?

Hey, be careful with this

box or your pretty...

little ass will be

blown sky-high!

- All this is dynamite?

- It sure is.

I still have a couple

of tons left over...

from the era of the oil wells.

I wanted to talk to you.

I'm leaving next week.

I'm young and have a full

life ahead of me.

I have a lot of years to try,

I'm still young.

Shit!

I'm happy for you,

I realy am.

Stop by my place...

and I'll lend you one

of my girls. free.

No thanks, Benito.

Thanx, but no thanks.

I wouldn't go with any of your

whores now even if you paid me.

Although, the last time...

who really fucks

I'm not impotent, handicapped

or anything like that

I'm not impotent hand pped

What a son of a bitch!

Come in.

Let's go, we don't

have all afternoon.

I'm sorry to bother

you, Mr.Wedley.

You like this smell, don't

you, you bastards?

Now they'd bust their balls

to get at the female!

- I bet 50 on Saddam.

- And I 50 on Satan.

- I'll see you.

- I cover it, plus 100 more.

What the fuck

is with them?

Damn it! I knew

this would happen.

It's that damn storm.

It's been coming

up for days.

All the animals are

They've gone crazy.

For over a week now...

they're all hysterical.

- I told you...

- Just shut up...

and do something about it!

Yeah, let's get to work.

Someone has to go and

motivate them again.

Someone has to move

their ass...

and get them hot again.

Why don't you do it, Stampy?

Fuck you!

I wouldn't go down there

for a million dollars!

Yes, yes.

Enjoy yourself, darling.

enjoy yourself.

Well...

you can't go very far for now!

Look at him!

Come on, it's over.

What's the matter, Colonel?

Come on, you bastard, come on!

What are you waiting for?

Do it!

- Fuckin' shit, it's jammed!

- Look east.

We're fucked, it's a tornado!

Come on, let's go!

There were earthquakes...

and bolts of lightening like

never since the birth of man.

And God remembered Babylon

and gave them...

the bleeding goblet

of his rage.

And the angels said:

"So be it, so be it!"

On your knees and repent!

Halleluiah!

Yes, Mr.Wedley...

that bastard's also killed

that fuckin' stranger.

Which way?

Are you sure?

He's wounded, but...

he could still cover

quite a few miles.

Well, Sheriff, what conclusion

have you come to?

He went that way.

You heard, the party

has begun.

Judge Wedley wants a saddle made

out of that bastard's hide.

We'll skin him and

then hang him.

He'll wish he was never born.

Make out the report, just

the way I taught you.

Then take some pictures.

And I want no mistakes.

THE GUNS

This is great.

There's nothing like a

good gun in your hand.

Man is made of iron.

You're dying to get this

going aren't you, Madden.

You love the smell of blood.

Stop drinking, you're making

me sick to my stomach!

Over there!

He's going northwest...

at about 530 yards.

The caloric radar

has lost him.

These rocks absorb

a lot of heat...

but I'm sure he's here,

behind one of them.

We won't get anywhere at night.

We'll wait until tomorrow,

and get well organized.

It's not that easy, Nick.

Madden wants to go all the way.

So there you are,

you son of a bitch.

Over here, that bastard got him!

- Where the hell is he?

- Shoot low, I want him alive!

Where is he?

I can't see a thing.

You guys shoot with your ass!

He has to be over here!

Fuckin' shit! Let's get

organized this is ridiculous.

Damn it, I told you so!

It's those damn oil pipelines!

Those damn pipelines!

This desert has holes

like a Swiss cheese...

due to hundreds of pipelines.

Years ago the crude oil

was piped directly...

to the Gulf of Mexico.

But now...

Now he has no way out.

does he?

He's trapped.

I wouldn't be stupid enough to

go down there, if I were you.

There are miles of

rusty pipelines...

that intersect hundreds

of times.

You could spend the rest

of your life down there...

without seeing shit.

It's all metallic and too damp.

All detecting systems are

useless, except for one thing.

Don't worry, we've got him.

He can't get away.

He's trapped like a rat.

We must hurry, Madden.

The car batteries can...

keep him going for another

4 hours, maximum...

but we also need fresh supplies.

We'll use this.

It hasn't been used for quite

a while, but it'll work.

The hunter's knowledge

is much more...

patience than knowledge.

This is stupid.

This damn thing

isn't worth shit.

We could take hours

to find him.

There he is, we've found him!

You've got him!

He's right there!

Damn it!

Get him!

Damn it!

It won't leave a trance!

- It's ripping him apart!

- It's got him!

Yeah, and it's about time!

You idiots!

I agree, Madden,

he has to be near.

But you've been looking

for hours.

Someone can stay, be we must

get back to the ranch.

Now we have to get back.

The batteries are on reserve.

That's dangerous, Madden.

Anithing can happen if we

don't get back now.

This is the Sheriff.

Damn it Vince, wake up!

Nick, do you have

anything to drink?

I need a drink.

I know you've got

a flask in there.

There he is again!

Southwest about 10 miles away!

Please, Nick.

Just one swig!

Don't fuck me up!

Is there anyone there?

Shit, I must have

been dreaming.

You weren't you idiot.

Now do exactly as I say.

I liked that poor devil...

but you can't piss

all over everyone.

You can't knock everyone

progress.

We'd all like to leave.

Why don't we?

'Cause this is our place.

where we belong.

We'd all like tp get out of this

shit and do better things.

That's true, Sheriff.

Yeah, but where, what things?

I never told you because I

knew you wouldn't understand.

But 99%% of your brain...

is reptilian.

Just over the local average.

Madden scares me.

I don't like riding

shotgun for him.

He's out of his mind.

For years I've dreamt I

kill him in a showdown.

Don't make me laugh.

Have you ever seen him

blink when he shoots?

His blood is colder

than a snake's.

Wait.

Don't shoot!

We've got him.

Shit, he's dying!

The Judge is dying!

You disgusting drunk,

do something.

The Judge is dying!

You have to do something!

I can't, Madden, I'm

in bad shape.

Get him in the back.

There's no time to lose.

A swig.

I know you have a flask.

Just a swig.

That's better.

What the hell...?

Forget that, stupid!

Come on, you have to

think of something!

You have to think!

The batteries have stopped....

feeding the peripheral system.

A sharp electric discharge...

would deactivate the circuits.

But that's one chance

in a thousand.

There's the old condenser.

Stampy got current out of it.

But, we'd need a special

transformer.

Maybe not. The car batteries

have a special transformer.

We could open a circuit...

between the car and the chair.

They want to electrocute me!

- You'd better go with him.

- Sure.

I've got some tequila left.

I've always wondered

how this old drunk...

could get through

this mess...

of cables and buttons.

Believe it or not...

Sal was a first-rate

biomechanical engineer.

He worked in a hospital

in the East.

I'm sure he was great...

one of the best.

But, something happened.

He designed a retractible

prothesis that...

grew along with the cartilage

of children.

He cured many kids.

But, a year later,

it started to fail.

Thousands of kids died

in terrible pain.

That's why he came here...

to get away from his

shame and guilt.

He says that in the

silence of the night...

he can still hear how...

he little victims scream.

Now it's important to

pinch artery 143.

You heard him.

Watch the neurometer.

I'll try to stabilize the

radioisotope regulator...

- with injections of...

- Shit, a purple hemorrhage!

- It's flooding everything!

- My God!

I told you to pinch

that damn artery!

I've pinched it!

- I've pinched it!

- I said 143...

of the parietal circuit!

That's it.

I think that's it.

I was able to

stabilize that...

damn regulator.

Now...

we're ready to connect.

I'll do it.

I knew it wouldn't work.

Wait.

Try again.

My God, it worked!

I did it!

We did it!

Listen.

don't you have any

whisky around?

We're partners now.

That dirty bastard!

They'll die very slowly.

Those two bastards

will die...

very slowly.

THE REPTILES

Shit!

It's the electric circuit.

Let's go, they're right

behind us!

I had heard about this place,

but I had never been here.

It's the Indian reservation...

of the last of the Osages.

This is the cemetery,

a sacred place.

Listen...

I don't like this.

This place is

called Chirokaw...

which I think means:

"tomb of the men of iron".

In commemoration...

of a victory...

over a patrol...

of Spanish conquerors...

in the 16th century.

They were looking for...

El Dorado...

a city of gold

and found...

the most savage and bloodthirsty

tribe of American history.

There they are!

Poor people.

I understand them.

They were the first to

arrive in Atollagero...

but were unable to leave.

There they are.

There he is, Nick!

Sal!

Great!

Now you've got him!

Shoot!

Don't be a fool, shoot!

Now listen to me, and

pay close attention.

Go on alone.

You won't make it

with me.

I deserve this...

but you have to get

out of here.

Get rid of those bastards

and get away.

You have to keep running.

They'll never let you go.

Don't you get it?

If they did...

they would be accepting a

cruel and relentless truth...

of theirs.

If they let you go...

it would be like accepting

their own death.

One of us should go up while

the rest cover him.

Everyone should do

this their own way.

I know you bastards

are up there!

Come on out, you rats!

Did you ever hear about

the limbic zone?

The limbic system...

is the most ancient part

of the human brain.

It developed over 130

million years ago...

when the reptiles

ruled on Earth.

Originally...

it controlled our

sense of smell...

but later it went

on to control...

our most primitive functions.

Rage and fear...

lechery and hunger...

advance and retreat.

The avcient reptiles...

like the lizard...

had nothing else...

to direct their conduct.

Man's cerebral cortex

evolved...

around the limbic brain...

that remained unaltered.

That cortex had to learn...

to love in harmony with...

the reptile brain it contained.

At times...

that harmony snaps.

What happens to you...

when you have an attack...

is that your reptile side...

takes over intermittently.

I don't know why but...

the longer you are...

in this disgusting corner

of the planet...

your mind gets sick...

and the reptile in you...

governs your life...

and adjusts you to this heat.

The heat of our own shit.

We're reptiles, Lennie.

What are you waiting for?

Run!

Good-bye, Doc.

Good-bye, kid.

What a shame it's

come to this, Sal.

The Avenger!

- What's the matter?

- He's here!

Benito!

Benito!

Benito!

That bastard's killed

them both!

First Sal, then Benito!

It busted them apart.

It doesn't make sense.

I'm going back.

The Judge is dead.

People won't know what to

do, and they'll be trouble.

Besides, this isn't

my jurisdiction.

Now you're nobody, Madden.

The Judge is dead,

and you're nobody.

Where do you think

you're going?

Come back, Nick!

Let's get this over with!

This is the Atollagero

police departament...

calling all outer perimeters.

This is an all points

bulletin, code Z.

- I repeat, code Z.

- Come here, or I'll shoot.

Hi, Vince.

Shit, Lennie, what's going on?

Everyone's looking for you.

They've blocked the roads,

and I was posted here.

Don't worry, Vince,

it's all over.

Listen, do you have any fuel?

Sure.

I'll take it.

Lennie...

I'd like to tell you

something before you go.

This may not be the right time.

- You see...

- What is it, Vince?

I'd better tell you now.

Nick has sent out an A.P.B.

to the outer perimeter.

And, well, I was

in the car and...

on screen, I saw the showdown

between Nick and Madden.

I don't know what happened,

but, the thing is that...

everyone from here to

San Antonio is after you.

What are you going to do?

Nothing, don't worry.

I've been thinking a lot,

and the think is that...

since you're leaving,

and after Nick's thing...

I've come to the

conclusion that...

the Judge will need

a new Sheriff.

The Judge is dead.

Well...

that doesn't matter.

Well, it does matter but,

it's better this way.

They'll need a new Sheriff...

and, since I'm staying...

I thought that...

I could get the job.

Look, it's occurred

to me that...

well...

if you were to shoot me in

the arm, or something...

people will think we had

a shoot-out and...

even though...

you got away, I tried and...

that would help me...

to get the job.

- Must it be now?

- What worries me...

are the Rangers. If they get

the message, they act fast.

Vince.

Vince, come back!

Take cover, Vince!

Take cover!

Shit!

Fuck!

Shit!

Lennie!

Lennie...

listen to me and

pay close attention.

Never fight clean with anyone.

Get behind him...

and shoot when he

least expects it.

Always be sincere

with yourself...

but never with others.

If you tell people

what you know...

everyone will know as

much as you do...

but you'll only know...

what everyone knows.

And, above all...

never get involved with

a decent woman.

She'll bind you to something...

of which you'll never

break free.

-