Gost (1987) - full transcript

There is an opinion that Judas
had betrayed Jesus Christ in order

to force him to declare his divinity

and thus set off a vast rebellion
against the yoke of Rome

I think such act of Judas
would be superfluous

Jesus daily preached in the synagogue

and performed miracles before
gatherings of thousands.

There was no need in the treachery
of an apostle to identify a master

This, nevertheless, occurred.
Is it an error in Scripture?

Or a single haphazard act in the most
precious drama in the history of world

No, there was no error. The treachery
of Judas was not accidental.

- Explain.
- it was a predestined deed



and it's linked with Redemption.

The Word Jesus, when It was made flesh,
passed from eternity into history

from blessedness without limit
to mutation and death

A spoken word crucified Jesus.

in order to correspond to such sacrifice
it was necessary that a man

a man, as representative of all men,
made a suitable sacrifice.

Judas Iscariot was that man.

Judas, alone among the apostles,

intuited the secret divinity and
the terrible purpose of Jesus.

But wait. Jesus did not need to make
use of a man to redeem all men.

He could count on the considerable
resources which omnipotence offers.

And we know nothing of
the inexplicable traitor

Only in gospel of John there said

that he was a thief, was
greedy and had a box with money.



To impute his crime to cupidity?
I don't think, this is too simple.

Don't forget that he was an apostle.

One of those chosen to announce
the Kingdom of Heaven.

To cure the sick, to cleanse
the leprous, to resurrect the dead.

That's why I'm sure that
cupidity is not the cause.

I propose another version
of the treachery.

An extravagant and even
limitless asceticism.

The ascetic, for greater glory of God,
degrades and mortifies the flesh.

Judas did the same with the spirit.

He renounced honor, good, peace

the Kingdom of Heaven.

Pardon! Why didn't he renounce
his renunciation?

Why didn't this man renounce
his renunciation?

With a terrible lucidity
he premeditated his offense.

Almost all sins have dual nature.

In adultery, there is usually
tenderness.

In murder, courage

in blasphemy, a certain splendor.

Judas elected those offenses
unvisited by any virtues

abuse of confidence and informing.

He labored with gigantic humility

He thought himself unworthy
to be good.

Judas sought Hell because
the felicity of the Lord sufficed him.

He thought that happiness,
like good,

is a divine attribute and
not to be usurped by men.

The water of the forest
is still and felicitous,

And we, we can be vicious
and full of pain.

It is a mere perversion or
exacerbation of mind game.

And nothing more.

I haven't finished! The thing is that
God lowered himself to be a man

for the redemption of the human race.

His sacrifice was perfect,

not invalidated or
attenuated by any omission.

But this sacrifice played
a very successful role.

His 33-year being among us
was some kind of a good rest.

It won international recognition,
thanks to typography.

He just paid the price
of the agony

of one afternoon on the cross
for all this fame.

You mistake! The crucifying of God
was not ceased,

for anything which has happened
once in time is repeated ceaselessly

through all eternity.

You think that Judas continues to receive
the pieces of silver and to kiss Jesus?

He continues to knot the hangman's noose
on the field of blood?

Sure. And the incarnate word of God
that Jesus actually was

it was a precise prophecy,
not of one moment.

???

Have you said that Jesus
is just a Word?

Now listen to the most important.

This is the third version
of Judas' treachery.

God became a man completely.

And if he could feel tiredness,
coldness, unrest, hunger and thirst,

Then we should admit that
he could sin and ruin his soul.

God became a man completely,
a man to the point of infamy,

a man to the point
of being reprehensible.

In order to save us, He could have
chosen any of the destinies

which together weave
the uncertain web of history

He could have been Alexander,
or Pythagoras, or Rurik, or Jesus.

He chose an infamous destiny

???

But, my dear, if it is true,
you've disclosed a terrible secret.

A roman writer, Valerius Soranus, died
for revealing the occult name of Rome.

What infinite punishment
would be yours

for having discovered and
divulged the terrible name of God?

No! I refuse to listen to it!

We've come to the edge of an abyss.

Oh, this endless building!
Everything is falling and crumbling.

- I'm leaving to my estate.
Let's go together!

- No, you don't say so, I can't

"The Guest" based on the story

"The gospel according
to St. Mark" by J.L. Borges.

Director and screenwriter
Alexander Kaidanovsky

Holy Golden Age! When there were
neither laws nor officials.

And people respect justice
by their own wish.

They knew no fear,
no punishment, no judgment

They didn't read threatening
sentences on brass plates.

People lived peacefully without courts,

knowing neither Christ, nor Antichrist,

nor Judas, nor treachery,
nor deuce knows what.

All crimes were combined together
on the basis of justice and trust.

All this disappeared. Deceit, treachery,
cunning and abuse came instead.

The War came. A host didn't believe
his guests any more.

I'm not saying about you.

Come here, help me!

Lift it, damn!

We've come.

Be careful!

Wash the staircase

and wax it.

Place the sculptures.

Spread the carpets.

Put up the paintings.

And there should be no dust!

You'll do it tomorrow morning.
And now we must have a snack. Be quick!

- Supper will be plentiful.
- No, just show me my room.

I have a terrible headache
after this damned riding.

I'd rather have a rest.

Is it a goldfinch?

Do you need something, sir?

What's wrong? Do you feel bad?

No, there's nothing to worry.

You have a strange look.
Haven't you recovered yet?

- Haven't you heard about this street?
- Never. Where is it?

The street... Doesn't it remind
you of something?

No.

Why do you ask?

I have a silly feeling.

A feeling or desire.
In other words, I'm longing for places

where I've never been
and haven't been going to.

Nonsense. You've overworked, my dear.

You should have a rest.

It's impossible to do that endless
resitting of your damned examinations.

- Sorry, how old are you?
- 33

33!

When will you find a job
to your taste, at last?

Please have a drink.

I have to go to the neighbouring town.

I've looked through commercial papers...
My silly steward mixed everything up.

I'll just finish the affair and
will be back in a week

I wanted to take you along
but a journey makes you sick.

There's no point to harass you.

I warned the steward,
so he'll treat you like the owner.

Have a rest and do your exercises.
By the way, about the steward.

Have you seen his hovel?

He's been living with his son
and daughter for many years there.

His wife several years ago...
Take away damned tree from the table!

His wife died several years ago.

They are good-natured but very stupid.

Once I asked the steward
when he'd been born.

He couldn't answer.

Imagine, he knows neither date of
his birth nor the name of his father.

I have my own theory
connected with it.

I think that most village stories
about ancient times

were the result of bad memory
and mixed dates.

- Where are they from?
- God knows.

This steward has been working here
since the beginning of the century.

Sometimes they use words
they don't know.

If they had a language,
they forgot it.

And they haven't learnt ours.

They never could write.

They don't believe in God,
don't have holidays.

They live in filth and
they're very superstitious.

By the way, if you return
to the house on a horse

you must never gallop.

It horrifies them.

I don't know why.

Now we may walk around

- Do you ride a horse?
- Yes, of course.

Fine. Horses are ready. And remember:
don't gallop, coming to the house.

I can't believe that this all is mine.

Go!

The air here is beautiful.

But apart from air, crowns and these
endless trees there's nothing special.

I'm not saying about women.

When you packed clothes in the hotel,
I noticed that you took a tailcoat.

I assure you that
you won't need it here.

I didn't tell you in the hotel,
not to scare you

But here's no point to show off.
Here are only these rams and pigs

My steward has plenty of them.

But nature, my friend,
is a precious solitude

which is so hard to reach.

It is chaffinch.

Bittern? Do they live here?

Goldfinch. Brilliant voice.

Why did you stop? Let's go!

Your bath is ready, sir.

You will do everything he ask.
Do you understand me?

Goodbye!

Goodbye!

Come here!

???

Drink!

As it is written
in Isaiah the prophet:

?Behold, I am sending
my messenger ahead of you;

he will prepare your way.

A voice of one crying
out in the desert:

?Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.?

People of the whole Judean countryside
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem

were going out to him

and were being baptized by him
in the Jordan River

as they acknowledged their sins.

John was clothed in camel?s hair,
with a leather belt around his waist.

He fed on locusts and wild honey.

And this is what he proclaimed:
?One mightier than I is coming after me.

I am not worthy to stoop and loosen
the thongs of his sandals.

I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the holy Spirit

Your tea, sir.

Your tea, sir.

Please, have a seat.

Sir,

read us the thing
you read us yesterday.

Yes, of course.

And as he went out of the ship,

immediately there met him out of the
monuments a man with an unclean spirit,

Who had his dwelling in the tombs,

and no man now could bind
him, not even with chains.

For having been often bound
with fetters and chains,

he had burst the chains,
and broken the fetters in pieces,

and no one could tame him.

And he was always day and night
in the monuments and in the mountains,

crying and cutting
himself with stones.

And seeing Jesus afar off,
he ran and adored him.

And crying with a loud voice, he said:

What have I to do with thee,
Jesus the Son of the most high God?

I adjure thee by God that
thou torment me not.

For he said unto him:
Go out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

And he asked him:
What is thy name?

And he saith to him:
My name is Legion, for we are many.

And he besought him much, that he would
not drive him away out of the country.

And there was there near the mountain
a great herd of swine, feeding.

And the spirits besought him, saying:

Send us into the swine,
that we may enter into them.

And Jesus immediately
gave them leave.

And the unclean spirits going
out, entered into the swine

and the herd with great violence
was carried headlong into the sea,

being about two thousand,

and were stifled in the sea.

Bring a horse, please.
I want to ride a bit.

Yes, sir.

Your tea, sir.

Thank you.

Please, have a seat.

And straightway in the morning,
the chief priests holding a consultation

with the ancients and the scribes
and the whole council,

binding Jesus, led him away,
and delivered him to Pilate.

And Pilate asked him:
Art thou the king of the Jews?

But he answering, saith to him:
Thou sayest it.

And the chief priests
accused him in many things.

And Pilate again asked him, saying:
Answerest thou nothing?

behold in how many things
they accuse thee.

But Jesus still answered nothing;
so that Pilate wondered.

Now on the festival day he was wont
to release unto them one of prisoners,

whomsoever they demanded.

And there was one called Barabbas,

who was put in prison
with some seditious men,

who in the sedition
had committed murder.

And they began to desire
that he would do,

as he had ever done unto them.

And Pilate answered them, and said:

Will you that I release to
you the king of the Jews?

For he knew that the chief priests
moved the people,

that he should rather
release Barabbas to them.

And Pilate again answering,
saith to them:

What will you then that I do
to the king of the Jews?

But they again cried out:
Crucify him.

And Pilate saith to them:
Why, what evil hath he done?

But they cried out the more:
Crucify him.

And so Pilate being willing to satisfy
the people, released to them Barabbas,

and delivered up Jesus, when
he had scourged him, to be crucified.

Name...
I even don't know her name.

Her name...

Sir! Is it true, that Jesus died
for redemption of human race?

Yes, to save them from the Hell.

And what is the Hell?

It's the place under the ground, where
souls will be burning in eternal flame.

But those who crucified him
will also be saved?

Yes.

Read us, how it finishes.

And the soldiers led him away
into the court of the palace,

and they called together
the whole band.

And they clothed him with purple,

and platting a crown of
thorns, they put it upon him.

And they began to salute him:
Hail, king of the Jews.

And they struck his head with a reed,
and they did spit on him.

And bowing their knees,
they adored him.

And after they had mocked him,
they took off the purple from him,

and put his own garments on him,
and they led him out to crucify him.

The water goes down.

It is not long in coming.

It is not long in coming.

Give us your blessing, sir.