Vampires (1998)

Maximilian Schell: Cardinal Alba

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Jack Crow, having been beaten up by Valek, awakens to find himself strangled and tied to the front of his truck; Cardinal Alba appears, having turned to the dark side] 

  Cardinal Alba : Hello, Jack.

  [Chuckles] 

  Cardinal Alba : From your expression, I assume you couldn't understand my presence here. I'm sorry to disillusion you, Jack. As one grows old, as death approaches, we begin to question... our fate. And I found mine lacking. "Is there a god? Is there a heaven?" I can no longer answer this for certain. I've witnessed no miracles, had no visions, and the prospect of death terrifies me. I've realized I've only one... alternative, and I made a bargain. With the devil if you wish.

  Jack Crow : You are truly a pile of dog shit, Cardinal.

  Cardinal Alba : Yeah, that's right.

  [chuckles] 

  Cardinal Alba : That's correct, Jack and I can live with that. After I have given what Valek wants, he will fulfill our bargain. And I will be transformed into one of his... new children. It's beautiful, isn't it?

  [Jack spits at the Cardinal's face] 

  Cardinal Alba : Eternal Life... Imortality... can change your heart.

  Jack Crow : Valek...

  [Valek looks at Jack] 

  Jack Crow : ... why don't you prove you can kick my ass? Come on, untie me. Come on. Fuckin' pole smokin' fashion victim. Come on over here.

  Valek : Jack...

  Jack Crow : Come on. Five minutes, then you can bite my ass a little. Would you like that, see me all tied up, huh?

  Valek : What will silence you?

  Jack Crow : Come on. Untie me, you prick!

  Valek : Perhaps this will help.

  [Katrina, now a legion of the undead and one of Valek's newest children, appears and laughs evily after finally feeding on Montoya] 

  Valek : Apparently your friend is one of my children now.

  [Jack scoffs] 

  Valek : You are alone, crusader.

• Cardinal Alba : Ah, Jack. Buongiorno. Come. Please, sit down.

  Jack Crow : Who's this?

  Cardinal Alba : Oh, this is Father Adam Guiteau. Father Adam's in charge of our archives. A bookworm. And he's completely familiar with all your activities, so speak freely. Tell me what happened.

  Jack Crow : We cleaned out the nest near Fort Union.

  Cardinal Alba : Mmm-hmm.

  Jack Crow : That night a master showed up. No master was ever like this, superhuman strength, unkillable, like a machine. We didn't stand a chance. So tell me if I'm wrong Cardinal. But couldn't he be the one we always talked about, the one we knew would come along one day.

  Cardinal Alba : There are some other developments, sad developments. Tom, our Tom, our Tom Callahan is dead. And the whole European team is wiped out.

  Jack Crow : When?

  Father Adam Guiteau : Three days ago.

  [hands Jack a photo showing dead bodies] 

  Father Adam Guiteau : Callahan's team was clearing a nest near Cologne, Germany. Local authorities reported it as a terrorist act. We found this at the site.

  [He shows Jack a small portrait with Valek on it] 

  Cardinal Alba : Is he the one?

  Jack Crow : Yes.

  [Notices writing on the bottom] 

  Jack Crow : What is this?

  Father Adam Guiteau : Celebratum it's medieval Latin for celebrate uh, celebrate this.

  Jack Crow : Celebrate what?

  Cardinal Alba : Well, we don't know.

  Father Adam Guiteau : I've authenticated the portrait. It was painted in 1340. The subject's name is, was Valek, Jan Valek, born in Prague 1311. He was a priest who turned against the church and led the Bohemian peasants in an uprising, actually capturing several small towns. Valek was captured. He was tried for heresy and burned at the stake. But after his death, there were reports that he was seen walking at night. It was said he killed the living to drink their blood. They opened his grave and it was found empty. It's the first known case of vampirism.

  Cardinal Alba : A priest. Valek is not like the other Masters you have hunted before. He's the first and most powerful. Of our slayers, you are the only one who faced Valek and survived.

  Jack Crow : I'm going back out. You mind if I hang on to this?

  Cardinal Alba : Jack, I've been in contact with Rome. The Vatican council requests that you rebuild your team.

  Jack Crow : There isn't time.

  Cardinal Alba : You are to return to Monterey, recruit new team members and to try again when you are at full strength. Father Adam will accompany you and take the place of poor Father Giovanni.

  Jack Crow : [scoffs]  I don't think so.

  Cardinal Alba : Jack. Jack. This is non-negotiable.

  Jack Crow : Valek is the original, the source of the disease, the first vampire created by the Catholic Church.

  Father Adam Guiteau : By accident.

  Jack Crow : Shut the fuck up! This was your fight, Cardinal. Now it is mine.

  Cardinal Alba : Jack? Jack! If you refuse to obey the rules, the operation will be canceled, the funding withdrawn.

  Jack Crow : You have any idea how this Valek knows my name?

  Cardinal Alba : [to Father Adam]  Stay close to him.

• Cardinal Alba : Hello, Jack. From your expression, I assume you couldn't possibly understand my presence here. I'm sorry to disillusion you, Jack. As one grows old, as death approaches, we begin to question our faith, and I found mine lacking. Is there a God? s there a Heaven? I can no longer answer this for certain. I've witnessed no miracles, had no visions, and the prospect of death terrifies me. I realized I've only one alternative, and I made a bargain with the devil, if you wish.

  Jack Crow : [disgusted]  You are truly... A pile of dog shit, Cardinal.

  Cardinal Alba : [chuckles]  Yeah, that's right. That's correct, Jack. And I can live with that. After I've given Valek what he wants, he will fulfill our bargain, and I will be transformed into one of his... New children. It's beautiful isn't it?

  [Jack spits in his face] 

  Cardinal Alba : Eternal life... Immortality can change your heart.

  Jack Crow : Valek. Why don't you prove you can kick my ass. Come on, untie me. Come on, fucking pole smoking fashion victim. Come on over here.

  Valek : Jack... .

  Jack Crow : Come on five minutes. Then you can bite my ass a little. Would you like that? See me all tied up? Huh?

  Valek : What will silence you?

  Jack Crow : Come on. Untie me, you prick.

  Valek : Perhaps this will help

  [Katrina enters the town fully vamped out] 

  Valek : Apparently your friend is one of my children now. You are alone, crusader.

  Jack Crow : What the fuck do you want from me, Valek?

  Valek : Oh, you hate me so, don't you? But you made me, crusader. You hate what you've made. You fear it, because it is superior to you.

  [grabs and squeezes Jack's face] 

  Valek : for 600 years I fed on your kind at will.

  [Tries to bite Jack but slowly refuses] 

  Valek : No.

  Jack Crow : Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?

  Cardinal Alba : Because you are needed, Jack. The ceremony is a reenactment of the original exorcism. It requires the blood of a crusader and his crucifixion upon a burning cross. The climax of the ceremony must coincide with the first rays of the rising sun. Sorry, Jack.

• Jack Crow : What the fuck do you want from me, Valek?

  Valek : Oh, you hate me so, don't ya? But you made me, Crusader. You hate what you made. You fear it because it is superior to you.

  [grabs Jack's chin] 

  Valek : For six hundred years, I've fed on your kind at will!

  [Attempts to bite Jack but slowly refuses] 

  Valek : [whispers]  No.

  Jack Crow : Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?

  Cardinal Alba : Because you are needed, Jack. The ceremony is a re-enactment of the original exorcism. It requires the blood of a crusader and his crucifixion upon a burning cross. The climax of the ceremony must coincide with the first rays of the rising sun. Sorry, Jack.