kagablog

SCENE 11 ZARATHUSTRA’S DREAM OF NIETZSCHE

Zarathustra is fast asleep in his cave. Even the eery sounds of the vultures screeching outside do not wake him. The television set is on and tuned to a collage of important media events of the twentieth century (Moral Panic by Rob Schroder). Friedrich Nietzsche steps into the cave, looks down at the sleeping form of Zarathustra, and carefully switches the television set off. Nietzsche looks down at Zarathustra with warmth and almost ironic affection.

NIETZSCHE
Sleeping is no mean art: for
its sake one must stay awake
all day.

Nietzsche nudges Zarathustra with his foot.

SCENE 12 ZARATHUSTRA AND NIETZSCHE

Zarathustra wakes up in the Groningen Museum auditorium. Nietzsche is peering intently at him, his face very close to Zarathustra’s. Nietzsche’s moustache is so large and bushy that it almost touches Zarathustra’s face. They stare at each other in silence for a few moments, then Nietzsche reaches into his waistcoat and withdraws two large Havan cigars. He profers one to Zarathustra who accepts gracefully. Nietzsche hands a cigar guillotine to Zarathustra who neatly clips off the edge of his cigar. Nietzsche then does the same. They both carefully lick the tips of their cigars, all the time watching each other. Finally Nietzsche takes out a flame thrower from his left hand jacket pocket. He lights Zarathustra’s cigar. The jet of flame is much bigger than Zarathustra (or Nietsche) had expected. One of Zarathustra’s dreadlocks is singed.

As soon as both Zarathustra and Nietzsche are puffing happily on their cigars the Museum fire alarm goes off. Four security guards bustle into the chamber and escort Zarathustra and Nietzsche to the front entrance.

Zarathustra and Nietzsche walk together slowly along the bridge away from the Groningen Museum. They are both puffing regularly on their cigars.

SCENE 13 THE BOOKSHOP

When the two cigar puffing characters reach a bookshop Nietzsche becomes animated. He pulls Zarathustra into the bookshop and walks purposefully towards the “PHILOSOPHY” section. There he proudly points to the section that includes all his collected works, and many books written about him. The camera moves across the spines of this wall of titles – the Nietzsche industry.

Zarathustra remains unimpressed. He blows his smoke into the slightly vain Nietzsche’s face.

ZARATHUSTRA
Of all that is written I
love only what a man has
written with his blood.
Write with blood, and
you will experience that
blood is spirit.

Nietzsche blushes. He appears flustered and embarrassed. He does not know how to react to Zarathustra’s cutting remark.

ZARATHUSTRA
That everyone may learn to
read, in the long run corrupts
not only writing but also thinking.

Zarathustra laughs loudly, coarsely, he grabs Nietzsche by the hand and pulls him out of the bookshop.

ZARATHUSTRA
Come, let us kill the
spirit of gravity!

Zarathustra and Nietzsche take off and fly. Amazed onlookers look up as the two rapidly become tiny specks in the sky.