#DUPE# (1996) - full transcript

I am sorry, your Highness.

Are you injured?

The boy was born in April 1976.

The police set up a security zone

to protect the child's life.

As partisans tried to
break through this security zone,

they were killed outright
by the special forces team.

The police assume this incident

could be credited to the same terrorist
splinter group which was apparently...

using such disturbances throughout
the land for their own purposes.

Why these partisans were wearing Japanese
swordfighting uniforms is still unclear.



May 1800, the last reigning year of the King.

Officer Huang,
is there truly no other way out?

Have you considered all other possibilities?

Majesty, I am heartbroken.

I fear the Dynasty is doomed to fall.

Your power in the state has been weakened
for too long by intrigue and treachery...

and now, I too am powerless.

I beg forgiveness for my weakness,
my dear King.

There is but one thing I can do.

I recommend that you save yourselves,
your Highness,

save the Queen and the
unborn Prince of the Crown.

You must consider getting yourselves
as quickly as possible

to the Gate of Time, Highness.

Only then will your safety be ensured!



No, I have to stay with my people,
even if it costs me my life.

Officer Huang, no one can be allowed
to find out about the Gate of Time.

It must be kept secret at all costs!

Of course, your Excellency!

General, I have been watching the stars.

Something very unusual has appeared
in the heavens above Korea.

The people are calling it the Dragon Star.

Dragon Star? What does this mean?

The Dragon Star leads all
of the other Asian stars,

and when this star is seen in the Korean sky

it could mean that Japan
will fall under domination,

and that, of course, must
not be allowed to happen.

Well, what do you suggest we do?

I beg your forgiveness noble Hideyoshi,
my father wishes to speak with you.

The Emperor does not wish to despatch
fighting troops in this case.

Do you understand? That would
be too conspicuous.

This is a secret mission.

The Emperor has entrusted us
with this assigment,

and we must not disappoint him.

The future of our land depends on it,
we will do our best.

Ha!

We have to do our best!

I believe we'll be away for a very long time.

You alone will carry the responsibility.

I will not be able to help you!

You need not worry.

Even though I am a woman,
I am not afraid of being killed.

I realise my fighting skills are
meaningless next to yours,

and I will be very unhappy
when you are far away from me,

nevertheless, don't underestimate me.

Father!

General!

Father, no!

Daughter, I leave you alone,
I cannot protect you.

This is our destiny.

Father! Father no, don't die.

General!

General! Master! I swear I will
complete my task,

no matter what the price.
I won't let you down.

Majesty, I know that there is
no pardoning for what I have done,

the secret of the Gate of Time

was forcefully taken from me,

and for this I have forfeited my life.

It has been prophesied to the Korean people

that one day, when the Dragon Star
appears in the heavens

a Crown Prince would be born
who would defeat Korea's enemies

and help bring peace and prosperity
back to the land.

And as Korea was threatened,

it was the hope of the king,

that his wife might be carrying the promised
Crown Prince under her heart.

Jian, the son of the royal bodyguard, loved
the Queen for as long as he could remember,

but had never confessed this to her.

He buried his feelings deep in his heart

and wished to go through the Gate of Time,

to try to forget his unlucky love
in another world.

The Japanese swordfighters wanted

to hinder the fulfillment of the
prophesy at all costs.

And although it seemed futile,

the King decided to fight for his land.

He believed in his predetermined fate
and didn't lament his decision.

His only concern was for his wife
and their unborn child.

The future of Korea could depend
on their survival.

The King entrusted his wife to his own
bodyguard Yun, and Yun's son Jian.

The King wanted Jian and his father...

to deliver the Queen and the unborn Prince
safely into another time.

The Gate of Time was an ancient and well
protected secret of the ruling dynasty,

and no one had stepped through it
for many generations.

Before engaging in his last fight,

the King gave his unborn son the name "Bin"

which held the meaning:

Educated in all sciences and skilful
"in handling a sword "

and if the child should turn out to be
a girl, she would be called Daoting.

The Dragon Star now stands in the
direction South/East, we must hurry!

Stop, stop!

Careful, Majesty!

I hope you are aware of the meaning
of our mission, my son!

I know of the responsibility
that we are bearing, father,

and I won't disappoint the King.

Highness, we must hurry.

Wait, something is wrong!

The return to Heaven

The Gate of Time is open, Majesty.

Lets go.

Don't forget why we are here.

Hey, don't you want to dance? Come on!

Seoul 1996

And now we'll have a little race,
let's see who will be first.

Daoting, what's the matter?
Come on, Daoting!

You know, sometimes I feel so empty.

There are days where I feel as though

I'm wrapped in a cocoon of cotton wool,
seeing the world through a veil.

And sometimes it feels like...
I can't really explain it,

but sometimes I see human forms circling
around me, from the corner of my eye.

I have no idea what they want from me,

and they disappear, when I try to look closely.

That sounds completely crazy, doesn't it?

Sometimes I seem to lose
connection with reality.

I feel as though I have lived once
before, a long time ago.

If only someone would lift the veil
that seems to lie over my life.

I don't really know who I am,
and my inklings are scaring me.

Noble Hideyoshi, in the years past
I have always acted on God's will.

I have known from the beginning
that you would come back.

Have you lost the others?

You were not alone, where are they?

You need not worry about them,
the others are all dead.

You, there is someone!

Go check it out!

What the hell is that? I've got to have a look.

Hey, what's that guy doing here,
ask him what the hell he wants.

Don't worry about it,
I'll take care of this idiot.

How have you gotten by in the last years?

Life has been difficult, noble Hideyoshi.
We have been waiting for your return.

I have been observing these Korean
warriors for the last ten years.

And for ten years, Hideyoshi,
we have been unsuccessful.

As long as I've been here, we have
killed every boy child...

who was born on the same day as the
Prince. But Bin has always survived.

And every year on the Prince's birthday
the Dragon Star shines especially bright.

This Yun never leaves the boys side,

and as long as the Prince
remains so well protected,

I see no possibility for us to
free Japan from this threat.

As long as Bin is alive and the Dragon Star
shines over Korea, our land is in danger.

But today the tide could turn, because
today the sign in the heavens will appear,

and that could tip the scales.

How do you mean?

The heavens will show us the will of God.

I don't know why, but
as long as I can remember,

I have felt myself drawn to this place.

I am sure that something of great
importance has occurred here,

and sometimes, I have the feeling
I am just about to remember.

I have a twin brother, but
we were separated at birth.

We see each other only very seldom.

He has a special mission in life
for which he must prepare himself.

I miss him very much.

Everything seems to be somehow
tied in to this place, I can feel it.

Here, time itself seems to be permeable.

I've been here before, I'm sure of it
but I simply can't quite remember.

Seoul

Sword Fight

Jian, who waited behind at the Gate of Time

...to defend his beloved Queen
from the Japanese swordsmen

followed shortly after through
the magical gate

but he was unable to find his Queen.

He spent years looking for her.

Aimlessly he searched through time and space, half crazy from concern about her well -being

He did not know that the beloved woman
had died while giving birth to the twins.

When we were children my brother and I
were sometimes allowed to play by the river,

but after one or two hours,
I would be sent away again.

Yun, who had devoted himself to Bin
for all those years,

knew that an important day was approaching,

as the prophecy had named that day
for the return of the crown prince.

The Korean people had been waiting
five thousand years for this day.

Every thirty years a sign shall
"appear in the heavens over Korea"."

If Bin were to be crowned on such a day

Korea's future would be saved.

But the enemey also knew
about this sign in the sky,

and therefore, Yun had to prepare himself.

Since the secret of the Gate of Time
had been given away once and for all,

there was no place for he and Bin to hide.

He had to confront his destiny.

He had to fight for the life of the prince
and Korea's future.

Hey, what are you looking at, you clown!

Today the day has come,

for which we have been preparing ourselves,
through years of training and self denial.

Unfortunately, the future ruler
of Korea is still alive.

We are the only ones
capable of changing this.

The Korean people have been waiting
thousands of years for this day,

for the return of the Prince to his throne.

But I made a promise to our adored Master

who was unfortunately killed before his time,

that we would complete our mission.

And that will happen today,
for the love of Japan and the Emperor.

Yeah!

We will fight to honour our Emperor

and give our lives for him and for our country.

The Crown Prince Bin must die.
Long live the Emperor!

Yes!

Where are you, I'm waiting,
you have work to do,

nothing else interests me!

Daoting, take over this call.

Yes?

...and then he just chopped his head off,
just like that!

And he looked like one of those Japanese
warriors that you always dream about.

I'm nearly scared out of my mind!

There's no way I can work today.

It's alright, calm down... I'll
take over your shift.

You take care of yourself.

Who are you?

Forgive me your Majesty,
I promised you and the King...

that I would protect the Prince.

And until today I have been able to
uphold this assignment,

but now, I am at the end of my strength.

I hope that my son sees this duty to its end,

and I pray, that one day you can
forgive me for having failed.

I fear I cannot complete my task.

Now the Allmighty must decide the
fate of Korea, for I must die.

Please forgive me, I beg you.
You and the Korean people.

I gave my best, but it was not enough.
Forgive me.

Leave him be!

Oh God, Bin! Now I remember. Bin, no!

Bin... my Prince... my father!
Bin, why did you have to die? Bin!!

Who would do such a thing.
I can't stand to see you this way, Bin!!

What's going to happen now,
you were our last hope.

I want to see him!

Why can't I go to my brother, damn it!

That makes no sense, Japanese
swordsmen in the twentieth century!

Come on, tell me what really happened.

Yeah, fourteenth precinct,
what can I do for you?

We did not complete our mission
at the right time.

And that is the same as defeat
for Japanese warriors.

Now I stand here defiled and disgraced,

for the path of a swordsman
is the path of perfection.

Majesty, your despair is breaking my heart.

What do you expect from me?

I have lost my brother,

Bin is dead and our country is doomed.

Now I am completely alone, he is dead,
what is to become of me?

The Gate...
the Gate of Time really does exist.

I always thought my stepmother
was only telling me fairytales.

Then, our Mother really did come
from another time,

before she gave birth to me and Bin.

All those years I didn't know where
I came from, now it is too late.

I don't know anymore, how life could
ever again be worthwhile.

And Bin was the last hope that our land had.

The Crown Prince sacrificed his life for
our homeland, now it is over. Oh God!

Why couldn't I remember?

I always had the feeling something was
wrong, but the veil was too thick.

My God, how can I continue living?

No, leave me, I want to die!

Let go, just let go of me!

Why did Bin have to die?
I can't go on, I don't want to live,

can't you understand that?

Where should I go? Everyone is dead,
nothing makes sense anymore.

Do you want one?

No thanks, I don't smoke.

Smoking isn't healthy, you should know that.

Even though I don't really know
what is going on between you two,

I want very much to be close to you, Daoting!

Do you have pictures of your parents?

No.

I can't even remember mine.
They've been dead for a long time.

I was still a small child
when they passed away.

I grew up with my grandfather.
But now he too is dead.

I am all alone. Just like you.

One day he just died in his bed.

At first I thought, this is it, it's over,
I am all alone now.

But then I met you.

You looked as if you were
just as lonely as me.

That is why I feel so close to you.

You will master your destiny, I truly
believe that.

You have a faithful friend in me,

I'll stand by your side, even if I don't
understand what is going on.

I do not deserve that.

I am afraid I only bring people bad luck.

Maybe you should just run away,
otherwise you may die too.

It seems like everyone who get's
close to me, is risking their life.

I appreciate everything you have done,
but you should leave.

Your Highness, we had better be on our way.

I will stay close by, call me if you need me.

To all units, it's time to move!

Zhixun, please, run away!

It is all my fault, noble Hideyoshi,
this time I have failed.

I ask for a hard punishment,
I have lost my face.

The fight has to go on now, our
goal has not yet been reached.

We don't have a choice,

there is only one way out -
fight until death or victory.

The Korean dawn has
not yet lapsed completely.

What the matter, Zhixun?

Don't worry your Highness,
everything will be fine again.

Now I finally know where I belong.

She has only fainted, hasn't she?

I will go now to my grandfather,
can you take care of her?

Of course!

Fine.

Here, I want you to take this... to remember.

He is dead, isn't he?

I don't know how to go on, everyone that
meant something to me is dead.

I have no one left in this world.

I am so desperate, what shall I do?

And I am afraid to flee
through the magical gate.

Please don't expect that I'll take
over my brother's assignment.

It would be best if I died too.

I bring bad luck to everyone.

What's wrong, Jian... you are injured!

Jian, my beloved son, I am writing this
letter to you because I know...

that soon the decision will be made.

The sign will appear today in the sky,

and the enemy will set heaven
and hell in motion to stop Bin...

from placing the Crown of the
Korean Kings on his head

and from rescuing our land from the fall.

I know how much you have loved
the Queen, my son.

I have always seen it in your eyes.

And I know I can count on you

to also protect Daoting with your life.

But don't ever forget, Jian,

Daoting is the Crown Princess,
she will never belong to you.

You must be aware of your ancestry, my son.

It is futile, this love will
also never come to fruition.

It is your destiny that you eternally
serve the woman that you love

without ever being able to be truly close.
Be strong Jian.

Accept your fate without complaint

and fulfill the difficult task
that life has set for you.

You have passed through the Gate of
Time just to be closer to me?

That I did not know.

I know of no warrior braver than you and
you fulfil your duties without reproach.

Yet you are unhappy,
and that you do not deserve.

My faithful Jian, I should not keep you any longer.

Go back to the old Korea.
Go, while you still can.

I can only bring you harm and desperation.

You will be better off without me.
I release you from your duties.

Maybe you can find a satisfying life on the
"other side of the "Gate of Time"."

I'm telling you to go! Don't you understand?

Are you deaf or something?

Go! Your life is in jeopardy
when you are near me.

I don't want you to die too.

Princess, my place is at your side.

Until eternity and beyond
I will stay under your command.

My destiny is connected to yours

and I wouldr ather die,
than to be apart from you.

I only love one woman,
just like I only served one master.

Noble Hideyoshi, this is the end.

I'm afraid I will not be able to
serve the Emperor any longer.

I have given my best.

But now my strength is fading.

I suddenly remember the flowers in
our family garden.

I have always loved the gardens of Japan.

Would you please take care that I will be
buried there?

I implore you, please, that you return
my body to Japan when I am dead.

Of course. Don't worry, you can trust in me.

Majesty, don't abandon Korea to it's destiny.

Please, you can not give up hope.

I know you can succeed in giving
our country back it's future.

You are as brave as you are beautiful.

I am asking you, to take good care of
yourself, Korea needs it's Queen.

It is a great honour to die by the
sword of a true master.

I surrender myself with pride.

My love lasts beyond death.

You are the only woman I have ever loved.

We will meet again in a different life.

I dedicate my life to my lady

my sword cuts through the thread
of destiny and time.

As I obey only one master,

I also love only one woman.