I want to put on a concert for piano and orchestra.
I see you're anxious to work, um... and... How's your father?
I brought the music.
No, wait a minute, we don't do things as fast as you think here.
There's a calendar, a program scheduled years in advance.
Now, I can understand your interest ...because I have enormous respect
for your training and I love it that you're a musician;
but you have to take things easy...
How?
Where's the music?
Here
I have an orchestra inside my head.
Are you joking?
shhhh... they're tuning up
Stop fooling around!
Pa... pa papapapa... first movement... parapparapparapa...
second movement,
this part is beautiful when the brass dubs the strings... parapara...
third movement...
the violins...
and now a flute comes in sounding like little girl's voices...
OK, OK, stop...
but a concert is a serious undertaking,
it takes a lot of preparation...
I need somebody on the piano
Arturo Montero is the best there is at the moment
A woman, it has to be a woman...
Thank you. Thank you. Any spare change?
Double bass?
No, piano
ah...
Well?
Are you married?
What's that got to do with anything?
What's your name?
Georgina
Think about it...
Congratulations
Thank you
Good afternoon,
we're starting with the finale...
3-50 time.
Let's start pianissimo and slowly build it up to a crescendo... ¿OK?
3, that's it... crescendo, all crescendo, that's it...
No! Hold it!
Look beyond the score, because there's something hidden;
behind every note, there's something hidden...
and behind every melody
there's a secret.
Come on, now... and!
Better... OK 190 time please
This should be nervous,
let's see, it should be... tense,
uncomfortable.
That, that's me.
It's a wonderful composition,
powerful.
Every time I hear it, I feel that, that I'm being dragged by the sea...
into the depths...
and I like it. That's strange, why do I like it? why do we like it?
She, she's my sister...
Are you going to sleep here?
You don't like it any more?
OK...
Well, your father already talked to the people at the municipal theater.
Turn the light off.
In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Brothers, I know that the death of our loved ones always seems unfair,
that there are moments in life when we think that we form part of...
My sister is not dead.
She transformed into something else.
I didn't see anything.
I watched from under the water.
There was only that music.
Argentinean?
You're Toño?
Just keep going straight ahead.
Watch the car!
Sure.
How do I know you've got what I want?
You'll just have to see for yourself, what you see is what you get, right?
All right, no dirty tricks.
Hey, what's the matter, man? Are you scared? Easy does it man.
My uncle Pato has had them for years, like,
he tells me they're all valuable and shit, so I called you right away.
This way.
This is it.
That's it, man.
Does that piano play?
Don't know. It's just there.
And your uncle?
Here he is, then.
Could we have some light?
Yeah, sure... Uncle Pato! We've got company.
Where did he get this?
He's a musician,
kinda orchestra type.
He played the flute, those yellow flutes,
those things. I don't know what they're called, the rolled up one.
But he hit the bottle. Look at him,
he's a mess...
too much booze.
He played this music, sure,
but something happened to him and he started drinking and drinking
and never stopped...
How much?
Fuck, I don't know.
Let's say 50,000 pesos?
Fifty thousand pesos for a few loose scores?
Yeah.
Forget it...
Then let's say 40,000 pesos, OK? And I'll give you my uncle's flute.
Horn, Toño,
the flute is called a horn and I'm not interested.
Twenty for the scores and that's it.
Stop, stop.
What's the matter, Georgina?
I've told you a thousand times that chord is not controlled, what...
It's not a butterfly that's playing your chord,
it's a dead hand, a river of blood.
I beg you, please, play it from your womb.
Georgina!
We'll resume in an hour.
Georgina
Parsifal, Venus!
Are you Klaus Roth?
What do you want?
To talk you about Eliseo Montalbán.
What do you want to know?
I want to know whether he's alive.
I don't have the foggiest idea
and I don't care either.
But you were his doctor, weren't you?
Much to my distress.
You know, I haven't seen him for years
and I don't think I can be of any help.
Do you know if he left anything?
Such as what?
Letters, writings,
anything.
He used to write on walls,
but that was lost; the building is falling to pieces.
Where?
The old psychiatric hospital.
In a room on the third floor.
Great.
One more question?
What?
What drove him insane?
Are you a musician?
Yes.
Then you'll know.
What's the matter?
You're on in three minutes and you're not even dressed!
Did you see my mother?
Yes, there're lots of people.
What are you doing going over the scores?!
You're on in three minutes?!
Are you uncertain?
No, it's not that...
Georgina...
She's on stage.
Concentrate, man!
Concentrate!
That girl's been consumed by this task.
Second...
break a leg, Eliseo Montalbán...
right... I hope everything turns out macabrely well...
OK
Do it, man.
All set.
Burn them.
Let's go,
excuse me.
I'm tired of grieving,
I'm tired of all this noise and all these people.
Who are they?
What do they want?
What happened, sweetie?
What did they do to you, sonny?
You're thirsty?
I don't like this place, Aníbal.
I'm not going to leave him here;
over my dead body.
You've got this problem, not Eliseo.
I restructured this hospital myself; trust me a little, will you!
Don't you talk to me like you're campaigning.
How are you, minister?
Hello.
Ma'am...
How are you?
How wonderful that you've both come. Sit, please.
Well, Eliseo has been given a sedative,
but he's, let's say, stable.
What do you think he has, doctor?
As you may know, many of these disorders are hereditary;
they're dormant until triggered by some trauma.
There are no nutcases in my family, if that's what you mean.
Well, in my opinion,
Eliseo should stay here, under observation for a few days,
so that the medical team and I can then evaluate him
and make an accurate diagnosis.
There's absolutely no way that I'm going to leave my son here.
You and nobody else will be responsible
for what happens to Eliseo.
Nothing's going to happen to him here,
nothing.
Mr. Roth, you do understand why my son is here, don't you?
Don't worry, Minister,
your son will be treated according to his stature;
trust your people.
They cut you off from everything here, dearie.
All they're going to give you are pills
- cyclorazepan, amparax, saidon, fluoxetina -,
and a little current all of a sudden
to make your hairs stand on end and your ass tickle.
They're also going to feed you Mrs. Lucre's food
that tastes like soiled sheets and smells like piss.
It's all a big fucking mess here,
everything's really hairy, hairy,
except for me.
Yes, I like it;
it's original,
interesting.
I like it a lot;
it has a strange harmony,
but it has something, it does.
It's good.
Where did it come from?
Well, it's a project I've been working on for some time.
I really trust your talent
and the creative ability we can generate with this quartet.
And?
And well, this is an invitation for you
to help me refine and then produce this opus.
I'm honored, I really am.
Hang on a minute.
What do you need us for?
It's a concert for piano and orchestra. It's really a very difficult concert;
it's a complex work
and I think that it has to be tested first in a small orchestration.
That's why I'm asking you.
So, guys, what do you say?
Could you play a little more?
How do you feel?
Sometimes...
Do you know why you're here?
Do you remember destroying six grand pianos?
They attacked me first.
What?! Are you telling me that...?
What did you see?
Do you hear voices?
Music.
Music?
Classical music?
Sometimes.
Do you think about death?
All the time.
And suicide?
Have you thought about that at all?
No, and you?
Sometimes.
Tell me about your mother.
Have you thought of her recently?
I've always been in places from which there is no escape.
My parents spent a fortune in driving me crazy and here I am
seeing if I can save me from myself.
Stop, this is impossible; this can't be played.
You have to follow the scores, that's all.
But what kind of music is this? The music comes along fine, splendid
and suddenly it becomes a piece of shit.
It's strange. It's as if there were two people involved in this music.
You just can't have lost your inspiration from one beat to the next.
We've played three different versions of the same music
over the last few hours, Ricardo,
and this music obviously has some great moments,
but it's... disorderly.
Are you sure you wrote it?
Because, if you did, you suffer from a split personality...
You did write it, didn't you?
No, I didn't write it.
I knew it.
What the fuck are you doing, man? You're stealing somebody's music
and want to get us all involved in your rip-off?
No, no, no, hold it, hold it. I'm not stealing anybody's music.
Besides, I never said that this music was mine...
¿No?
No, I didn't say that.
(laughter)
No, and don't laugh.
This is a research project; I'm rescuing this music.
And can you tell us who's fucking music you're researching?
Eliseo Montalbán's.
Montalbán?
The Macabre?
But he had his opening night and then disappeared, right?
Yeah, crazy fucker.
Ah, now I remember. A pianist died and then all hell broke loose.
Great. How many people do you think are interested
in the life of a nutcase who disappeared without trace?
Not everybody does this;
this is love pure and simple,
love of music,
and if we don't do it, nobody will,
and this man's work will be lost in the annals of time.
You son of a bitch.
Hang on, let's hear him out, OK?
This music holds a secret and I'm inviting you to unravel it.
Unravel my ass! I'm out of here
I'm interested, I'm staying
Then stay, cocksucker!
I thought you were talented.
Hold it, hold it, hold, it.
I need to show you something.
Come on.
Welcome to Montalbán's room in the psychiatric hospital.
Are you out of your mind?
The Macabre Rhapsody, it's on the walls.
And it's all transcribed?
Everything that was on the walls, yes,
but there's still something missing; not all the music's here.
There are two clear melodies, but I'm sure there's a third motif
which would be the third movement.
And you started writing what was missing, you cunning bastard.
This has to be completed.
And played.
Hello, hello, how many left?
About three.
Ah... what about this one?
This is the musician.
Ah, Eliseo, you're named after a racing driver, boy (laughter).
Easy does it.
I brought you the cheese you asked for.
It wasn't me.
What d'you mean?
You asked me to bring you two kilos on Friday and I brought them.
That must have been Doctor Zañartu,
who pines for your cheeses, nurse.
I hates your cheeses, nurse.
Let's see, open your mouth.
19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26
Pass me the coffee, next please!
He who endures, lasts.
The doorbell.
I'll go...
¡Carlitos!
Hi, gorgeous.
You'll come one at a time.
No point fooling around with other people's anxieties.
It's too dangerous... and it's been done to me too many times.
What did you bring us?
The whole dispensary.
ç
F (sharp),
B(flat),
F, A. Easy
Musical ear.
Absolutely. Every sound has a note...
ahh that's a line major with an augmented sixth.
It's all music, man.
Even the most absolute silence
is capable of containing a perfect note.
What do you know of Pacian, Carlitos?
¿Víctor Pacian?
Yes
I haven't seen him for some time.
The last I knew he was working
in a store selling instruments. Why?
Curiosity.
What's that?
Something we've been working with the guys.
That's strange.
Why?
I've heard that before.
Well, all music sounds similar, right?
So where did you buy it?
What?
Talent;
the last time I saw you, it was conspicuous by its absence.
Were you there that night?
No...
I heard several rehearsals;
it's a beautiful, disturbing piece.
I advise you to forget it.
Why?
Because it's not yours, because those scores no longer exist.
Carlitos, I need you to help me finish it.
No, sir!
I will not help you do that and nor will Víctor Pacian.
Not in your wildest dreams!
It's research work.
Pathetic musician!
You can't hear anything here;
I always found silence unbearable;
it seems that...
now I'm fine,
now that I can't hear anything...
listen.
In time, I got used to feeling trapped inside something that I don't know,
and it's not bad...
it's slow...
and that has nothing to do with love,
it has to do with music,
with a bunch of disorderly notes that give meaning to all I know.
Shall we wipe it, doctor?
No,
leave it like that;
he's recovering. We'll continue with the therapy.
Yes, doctor.
The third octave is a little out of tune.
This is a marvelous piano.
Sir?
Play, play, I'll be right back.
Thank you.
I want a guitar for my daughter; maybe you could recommend one.
Sir?
Do you recognize this?
No, whose is it?
A Chilean composer's.
Mmm, doesn't sound like it.
It doesn't, does it?
It sounds good, though.
You play very well.
You're seeing him, aren't you?
Who?
Montalbán.
No,
I don't know what you're talking about.
I know you were his assistant during the rehearsals for this opus.
That melody...
I never thought I'd hear it again.
What happened to Montalbán?
I'm sorry. I can't help you with that.
Excuse me, what wood is this instrument made of?
Fir.
And the accessories
Elm, except for...
Its been played before?
Yes
Where did it come from?
Its... Hungarian
How much?
1.5 million pesos.
Credit facilities?
Yes, yes, credit facilities...
Excuse me.
They cannot tell one from the other.
At first they did it on purpose but then it got out of hand.
They don't know whether one is one or the other's twin brother.
They're Simon and Vincent or Vincent and Simon!
I call them by whichever name I fancy.
That's Tomasito.
He's been here since he was a baby.
He's not schizoid or paranoid.
He's just stupid... jerk... idiotoid.
They say you're hypersensitive,
That you're a genius,
a kind of Wagner.
The thing is, you're just like me. I'm terrible.
I watch the weather on the TV and I start crying.
The phone rings and I become a nervous wreck.
That's how we artists are, so sensitive,
with dramatic changes of mind.
Excuse me talking so much, but, mine was an accident.
Oh boy, an accident of nature.
I heard voices and did very violent things,
Then my family decided to put me away
to see if I would get over my illness.
And also to see if I'd get over my gayness
but...
I'm more of a fagot every day.
I love it.
But don't worry, you're not my type.
Guys, let me introduce you to...
Eliseo
What happened to you?
This isn't rice,
It's boiled wheat.
Rice!
Boiled wheat!
Rice!
Boiled wheat!
Rice!
Boiled wheat!
Rice!
Boiled wheat!
Rice!
Neither rice nor boiled wheat dammit!
It's just the same gunge as always.
And leave this democrat alone,
because you are a democrat, aren't you?
They really cleaned you up, ah...
and this, what could this be?
Nothing
You know all I had to do to get here?
I'm not interested.
I haven't asked you for anything,
I don't know you,
I don't know who you are. Get out.
And you,
who are you going to be?
Looks like a musician
or a mimic disguised as a trumpet,
or a closet queer like all the boxers, politicians
or fucking drunks...
who the fuck do you think you're talking to,
you fucking high-class fairy...
I don't turn the other cheek,
no way.
I don't give a shit that you don't know who I am...
I know who I am,
and I don't wallow in my own shit like you.
Look at you,
look at you...
look at you,
look at you...
Hey, enough... she!
The patron saint of suffering.
The Potemkin battleship of pain.
The most used up ass in the port.
The nicest little shit to ever suffer in the Metropolitan Region.
You're more fucked than a whore's ass!
she...
The terrible boy,
who doesn't understand the world
and goes mad composing a symphony! Shit!
You're novel material you are...
a bad one!
And that piano crap, your fucking piano killer.
You make me feel embarrassed, dammit!
You really blew it with that piano crap
You haven't lost anybody...
I've lost more brothers than you've ever dreamed of having.
I've spent my life screaming like a wild beast,
catching knives in the dark.
I was born like this, sweetie,
with a broken wing, and I fell...
I fell
so many times
that they locked me up in here...
And they screwed me,
they screwed me...
they screwed me for being a fag,
for being a communist,
for being wicked and beautiful...
Hello?! Yoo hoo!
This thing's a fucking box with strings, dearie
The music's not worth shit...
Stop!
Then, come closer.
What are you playing?
A fugue
A fugue?
You want to break out?
No, a fugue is something else...
Bach used to compose fugues.
Ah...
...a fugue.
So, who's this?
Eliseo Montalbán alive and kicking.
What?
Great!
No! Out the crap. What's the idea, man?
None of us four,
unfortunately, are capable of composing the missing piece.
And then what?
We tie a rock around his neck and throw him off a cliff?
Into the sea, this is Valparaíso.
I think this is getting out of hand.
It's a unique opportunity. Don't you see that?
It's one in a million. This is it!
You want to split from here?
Because I know a secret way out through the back yard.
How?
That's the beauty of the plan.
Look, you play your music,
we form a choir and then they'll discharge you right away,
because that's your sickness.
Meanwhile, I split out of here...
and then we meet at the port,
we get lost, get it?
And me?
I already told you.
You play your music and they'll discharge you.
How d'you know?
Because I know...
If you don't believe me, ask your doctor
trust me, honey.
You do your fugue and I'll do mine.
That's the wall
And how?
That's the hairy staff,
cause we have to pass through the forensic psychiatry.
All the smelly guys are there,
criminals, rapists, and psychos.
Think of shit and it is there.
OK!
You're going to pass one at a time;
you come in, do your thing and leave.
Afterwards, with Eliseo we're going to select the chosen ones.
I don't want any tantrums, attacks of hysteria, no weird shit.
This, kiddos,
is music,
fantasy,
show...
Easy!
Quit shoving, assholes!
Everybody'll get a chance.
You two are going to start. Inside.
I will love you as before, more than before...
for life I will tell you in life...
bom, bom bom...
I am... a soldier playing a drum...
As you travel through,
you'll never be alone!
Saying that I love you, saying that I love you doesn't mean anything.
A secret man, a whiff of illusion!
A cry from the heart,
a non-existent lover...
Happy birthday
to you...
The exact time is 12:15 P.M..,
the temperature is 20 degrees.
Thank you for calling.
I love you very much, more than yesterday...
I love you like that... mocking as you come. That's all.
He's established an excellent relationship with the other patients.
Can you believe that He's introduced them to the world of music.
Excuse me, doctor, could I have a quick word with you?
What's the matter, Claudio? We're busy.
It's just that I'm Mr. Montalbán's assistant
and he's asked me for all these things.
Let's see...
Out of the question, this is too much.
It's just that we need a base for this thing to sound right;
this bunch of lunatics can't even play the "petaquita".
Well, I'm sorry. We have no money, Claudio.
Excuse me, what do you need?
Two violins, a viola and a cello, and musicians, of course.
Very well, don't worry. I'll make sure you have everything you need.
Thank you Mr. Minister.
Excuse my being so nosy, but I'm your fan!
You look much better in person than on the TV...
OK, OK, Claudio
Thank you.
thank you, that's enough.
I hope to see you when the opus is performed.
I don't think so, doctor, with the elections so close.
And public openings, I imagine.
A cigarette!
We didn't bring any.
I've got cigarettes.
You think you can just show up and stroll freely?
Think again, man...
and a light?
You're so smooth.
I take care of myself.
Where are you going?
To the yard.
You want to escape!
No, no
Me too!
But it's locked!
It's locked? you open it then, sweetie.
Sometimes yes,
sometimes no.
How, how much time?
You shut your trap!
What you got there, huh?
My Mummy, my Mummy!
Are you sure it's here?
I don't now...
The facade is identical to the picture
What a shithole!
I'd prefer to wait outside.
I'll go with you.
Excuse me,
I didn't think there was anybody living here
Oh, yeah, and I'm painting, motherfucker.
I'm sorry, I'm just leaving.
What's the matter, you cunt, huh!?
What's the matter?!
What's the matter with you, you fucking cunts?!
Well, fuck you, motherfucker!
Fucking shit.
I told you it wasn't here, you stubborn shit
¿Ah no?
And what's this?
Let's go, let's go, let's go.
Fuck you!
What are you doing here?
Go and sing, you'll miss the choir!
How long are you going to screw around, asshole?
My baby,
my little puppy.
Don't you realize that maybe it's not your mummy?
It's Princess Di, you fool...
ok shhh
You'll come with me, right?
But not a sound... shhh
Mummy,
mummy,
mummy!
You brought it anyway?
shit... what did you pick up, man...
and a girl's,
I don't think you can use it, it's too small
A piece of glass.
It shines
Look kid,
this is a crab...
huh?
This is a sea urchin...
this is what we make money with,
and this...
this is an abalone
Hey, Jibia!
start the engine so that we can go home!
Is he always like this?
Depends, just like the tide; sometimes high tide,
sometimes low tide; just like the sea, you know...
And now he's high or low?
Depends on your point of view, you know.
Well, we really wanted to talk to Eliseo sort of,
well... privately
Well, if you want to talk to him, talk to me,
because talking to me is the same as talking to him...
Well, OK then...
We're working on a research project...
Ah, you're from Argentina.
I'm from Argentina, but the project is an international one...
Well, fuck me... (Laughter)
What's the matter?
Argentineans are real assholes.
They got tired of making assholes for Argentina...
now they're exporting Argentinean assholes abroad,
I mean... everything here is so shitty...
this country's really fucked, man, it's worse that you guys, man;
if assholes could fly, it would be cloudy every fucking day
(Laughter).
That's what I call Latin American brotherhood.
Call it what you want, fucker!
Well, well... the thing is that we wanted to talk to Eliseo...
Just that.
Well, buy him some grub, then,
this nutcase has to eat or d'you think he just lives off air...
Yeah, sure... Waiter!
Fried egg, meat and potatoes, and a bottle of wine over here!
Screw the bottle of wine, asshole. I've got what I need here,
I drink pisco and coke and this guy drinks milk.
Well, great, a pisco and coke for the gentleman,
milk and fried egg and fries, please.
What a bunch of crap!
order one of those...
What is it you eat... those...
No, I don't eat.
The Argentineans.
No, I don't eat.
Steak!
That's it, that weird stuff you eat...
you live off cows, asshole.
No, I'm a vegetarian.
Ah...
I don't eat meat.
And are you a faggot too?
Well, how much cash are we talking about?
I didn't say anything about any money...
But I did.
We're trying to reconstruct Eliseo's work...
Look at me...
I don't know if you realize the kind of guy you have beside you.
This guy?
Yeah
Yeah, I know this guy...
I found this asshole over there eating among the pelicans.
I cut his hair, look at him... he's pretty
This guy is a kind of mackerel...
a horse mackerel.
You have to play what's missing,
help me finish it...
do it for yourself...
this music belongs to us, Eliseo...
help yourself...
3, 4, 5... it's all there.
No, it's not.
It's another 30,000 pesos.
Are you fucking with me?
Well, the raft didn't get here on its own;
I have to come back with the boat and prices have risen...
You're a fucking thief.
And you're not?
Or are you going to tell me that you're just pissing around,
huh...
What d'you want him to do?
That's none of your business.
Hello, can you hear me? Over.
Loud and clear, over
Good, we're staying on the raft
Easy does it, Eliseo, carry on...
My father.
Your father?
Give me a kiss,
a kiss.
No.
Why not?
Because no.
Give him a kiss; it's just a kiss.
You give him one, then.
¿Miguel?
The motherfucking bastards...
fucking assholes
This bastard's nuts!
We're all nuts!
Please get us out of here!
This is madness;
come on call the fucking boat!
Get us out of here.
Come on, hand me the radio
You want the radio? Get out of here, you cunt.
Give it to me!
You want the radio?
Here's your radio.
What did you do idiot?
You're a shit,
you're the worst musician I've ever known in my whole life.
What d'you want?
To tell the whole world that this is your work?
You couldn't even do this alone.
Who the fuck do you think you are. Asshole!
Bring a rope.
Help me, Rage, help me!
The tape recorder, Miguel,
the tape recorder!
No!