[lbo-talk] Das Kapital -The Movie

Thomas Seay entheogens at yahoo.com
Thu May 22 01:45:31 PDT 2003


--- Kevin Robert Dean <qualiall at union.org.za> wrote:
> Too bad we can't make a movie out of Das Kapital...
>

Who says that we cant?!

Trailer from "Das Kapital-The Movie"

(In this scene we find K. Marx and F. Engels meandering about a marketplace in London, in the background we hear hawkers of all types and Pink Floyd's "Money" as the soundtrack)

Marx: Come Engels. Let's leave this

noisy sphere of exchange and descend into the

hidden abode of production,

Engels: Can I take a rain check on that? I need to

get back to Manchester and, besides, I already

know what a factory looks like. My father...

Marx: Nonsense. Engels, stop being a wus....

(The two men enter a door on a side street, descend a perilous stairway which leads to a dirty, damp and stinking shop floor populated with "stereotypical" workers.)

Marx: As I was saying earlier, capitalist production can be represented by the formula C + V + S where C is constant capital...

(Marx is interrupted by a man with beady, intense eyes, not unlike those of Pasolini's Christ.)

Man: Listen, you guys, if you had a REAL job, like me,

instead of living in an Ivory tower, you might

understand something about the working class.

Engels: Sir, do you work in this establishment?

Man: No, I work over at old man Babbage's place. I

just come over here to impart a little

revolutionary theory to the workers. I belong to the vanguard, by the way.

Marx: And how is it that you achieved this vanguard

status?

Man: We created a Party with a central committee and a newspaper.

Marx: Engels, and I here, kinda consider ourselves

revolutionaries.

Man: You dont say...according to you, how can we

build a disciplined vanguard revolutionary

party?

Engels: (clearing his throat)Well, boys, I hate to be

the, er, party-pooper, he he, but

I really must be on my way, if I am going to

catch the last train to Manchester.

Marx: Oh alright then...I'll accompany you to the

station. (Turning to the man) Sir, I believe

I did not catch your name.

Man: Proyect....Lou Proyect. Yes sir, remember

that name...you're going to be hearing it

a lot. I'm on the central committee.

Marx: Indeed.

Engels: Good day, sir.

(Marx and Engels mount the stairs and head in the direction of the train station)

Marx: Engels, could you loan me a fiver until my money from the Tribune gets here?

Engels: Again?!!! Ok, well, here you go.

Marx: Don't complain, Engels. Without me, you'd be

just another spoiled trust-fund brat.

(We see Marx and Engels walking in the distance. Camera shifts to Proyect's home. We find him locked in the bathroom, concealed from the critical eye of his mother. It's his favorite part of the day. He is standing on the commode, which he uses as a stage, from which he delivers his address to the masses of make-believe proleterians. We hear "L'Internationale" playing in the background)

LP's Mom: Louie...are you playing "revolutionary leader" again?....Get out of that bathroom this moment and do your chores.

Proyect: Ahhhhhh, Ma !!!!!!

LP's Mom: And if I EVER catch you running around naked playing Charlie Parker on your flute again, I'll tan your hide...

(fade and cut)

-Thomas Seay

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