John
Carter
Quotes:
Pulpy Swashbuckling Adventure
(Total Quotes: 83)
| John Carter quotes definitely have a very familiar feel to them, but the narrative is richly imagined enough to stand on their own. John Carter is a science fiction tale based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars, a novel that was published a century ago. The movie tells the story of an American Civil War veteran who gets mysteriously transported to Mars where his earthly body possesses super-human strength and whilst rescuing a Martian princess he becomes part of the conflict between the various planetary nations. The movie isn't without its faults, it's messy and chaotic and the story isn't easy to follow if you aren't paying attention, but it's also often visually spectacular providing a fun escapist adventure that hits the right note in the end.
Directed by: Andrew Stanton
Written by:
Andrew Stanton (screenplay)
Mark Andrews (screenplay)
Michael Chabon (screenplay)
Edgar Rice Burroughs (story "A Princess of Mars")
Starring:
Taylor Kitsch - John Carter
Lynn Collins - Dejah Thoris
Samantha Morton - Sola
Willem Dafoe - Tars Tarkas
Thomas Haden Church - Tal Hajus
Mark Strong - Matai Shang
Ciarán Hinds - Tardos Mors
Dominic West - Sab Than
James Purefoy - Kantos Kan
Bryan Cranston - Powell
Polly Walker - Sarkoja
Daryl Sabara - Edgar Rice Burroughs
John
Carter
Quotes Page 1 | 2 | 3
[first lines]Tars Tarkas: [voice over] Mars. So you name it and think that you know it. The red planet, no air, no life. But you do not know Mars, for its true name is Barsoom. And it is not airless, nor is it dead, but it is dying. The city of Zodanga saw to that.
Tars Tarkas: [voice over] Zodanga, the predator city. Moving, devouring, draining Barsoom of energy and life. Only the great city of Helium dared resist, stood strong, matched Zodanga airship for airship, holding fast for a thousand years, until one day the rulers of Zodanga became cornered in a sand storm and everything changed.
[during the battle between Helium and Zodanga, Sab Than's ship gets attacked by a mysterious blue light in the sky, Sab Than notices three figures floating towards him, one of the men, Matai Shang, gives Sab Than a blue arm band which is a special weapon, Sab Than immediately uses this to kill Matai Shang but Shang quickly deflects the attack]
Matai Shang: Being a fool is a great luxury, Sab Than. Get up.
[Sab Than slowly gets up]
Sab Than: What are you?
Matai Shang: We serve the Goddess, and she has chosen you to receive this weapon. Do as we command and you will rule all of Barsoom, with none to defy you and nothing to stand in your way.
[on earth; Carter goes to a telegraph office and places a telegraph on the counter]
Telegraph Clerk: Ten words a minimum. That's fifty cents, unless you want special delivery.
[Carter places a coin on the counter making the telegraph clerk look up and take the coin]
Telegraph Clerk: Special delivery it is. Name of sender?
John Carter: Carter. John Carter.
[camera pans back and we the man that was following Carter watching him from across the street; then we see the message on the telegraph; 'Dear Ned. See me at once. John Carter.']
[after receiving Carter's telegraph, his nephew Edgar Rice Burroughs arrives at his estate to find out that Carter had died]
Dalton: His death came as a shock to all of us, he was a model of health and vigor. He just dropped dead in his study, not five minutes after sending word for me and the doctor. When I arrived he was already gone.
[Burroughs looks around at Carter's office in awe as he sees all the strange and exotic findings from all over the world]
Dalton: The man never stopped digging. All over the world. No sooner he started digging one hole then he was off to Jaava or the Orkney Islands digging another. He said it was pure research, but it always seemed to me like he was looking for something. Well, God granting, he's found it now.
[Burroughs picks up a photo of Carter and looks at it]
Dalton: Every inch a Cavalry man, to the very end.
Edgar Rice Burroughs: My mother always said that Jack never really came back from the war. That it was only his body that went West. He used to tell me the most wondrous stories.
[he turns to Dalton]
Edgar Rice Burroughs: I'd like to pay my respects.
[Dalton and Burroughs stand outside Carter's tomb]
Dalton: You won't find a keyhole, thing only opens from the inside. He insisted, no embalming, no open coffin, no funeral. Well, you don't acquire the kind of wealth your uncle commanded by being like the rest of us, huh? Come, let's go inside.
[Dalton turns and leave, but Burroughs hesitates, walks towards the tomb and places his hand on the door]
[back at Carter's estate, Dalton reads from Carter's will]
Dalton: And lastly, I hereby direct, that my estate shall be held in trust for twenty five years. The income to benefit my beloved nephew, Edgar Rice Burroughs. At the end of which term, the principle will revert to him, in full.
[Burroughs looks shocked]
Edgar Rice Burroughs: Of course, I always adored him, but it's been so long. Why me?
Dalton: He never offered an explanation, I never asked him for one.
[Dalton passes an old looking journal to Burroughs]
Dalton: It was his private journal. He was most explicit that you, and only you, would read its contents. You might possibly find some kind of explanation in here. I'll leave you now.
[Dalton stands and offers his hand to Burroughs]
Dalton: Again, my condolences.
[Dalton turns and leaves]
[Burroughs
starts
reading Carter's journal]John Carter: [voice over] My dear Edgar, I remember how I used to take you on my knee and tell you wild tales, which you always did me the great courtesy of believing. Now you are grown, time and space have parted us, but I reach out across that distance, to that same wide eyed boy and ask him to believe me once more. This wild tale begins thirteen years ago, in the Arizona Territory, between the Pinaleño Mountains and the backside of hell.
[the flashback story begins in 1868 with Carter entering the store in Fort Grant Outpost to ask for supplies]
Dex: No more, Carter.
John Carter: Is there a problem, Mr. Dix?
Dex: Yes, you're a Goddamn loon! I took all your money, Carter. You're tab's a hundred dollars in arrears.
John Carter: I'll pay. I saw aman, said he'd seen the cave, now...
Dex: No, stop. Not one more word about your cave with gold.
[one of the rowdy men in the store interrupts]
John Carter: Oh, now, now! Show some respect. It's the evil spider, cave of gold!
the rowdy men laugh
Dex: You're cut off, Carter. Now, get on home.
Rowdy #1: Now, I do believe, he done told you to get on out of here.
[Carter notices the knife on of the men]
John Carter: I'll leave when these bags are full.
[suddenly Carter turns and knocks out both men]
[Carter points his gun at Dex's face and shows him a nugget of gold]
John Carter: I found that two days ago, up by Benita. That ought to cover my tab and then some.
[Carter puts his supply list on the counter]
John Carter: Beans. The first item is beans.
[suddenly Carter hears a voice behind him]
Cavalryman: John Carter? You're presence is requested up at the Forte, I suggest you come peacefully.
[Carter turns to slowly face the Cavalryman]
John Carter: Do you now?
[Carter goes to attack the Cavalryman but gets quickly knocked out by him]
[to Carter who's sat on a chair with handcuffs on]
Powell: You are a difficult man to find. Captain John Carter, First Virgina Cavalry, Army of Northern Virgina, Confederate States of America. I'm Colonel Powell, welcome to the Seventh Cavalry of the United States...
[as Powell leans closer to Carter, Carter headbutts him and the soldiers quickly grab him to pull him away]
[after being attacked by Carter, Powell tries to continue his what he was saying earlier]
Powell: Excellent horseman, fine swordsman. Decorated six times, including Southern Cross of Honor. The Five Forks, the company in your command nearly turned the tie...
[suddenly Carter lunges at Powell again before the soldiers grab him again and throw him in jail]
[as Carter gets thrown into a jail cell]
Powell: In short, a born fighter. And in the eyes of Uncle Sam, a necessary man for the defense of the Arizona Territory.
John Carter: No.
Powell: Son, we are up to our chinstraps in Apaches.
Powell: I believe it is your concern, Captain. Folks are being attacked in their own homes, slain!
John Carter: You started it, you finish it.
Powell: Oh, you've gone native, have you?
John Carter: Apaches can go to hell too. We're nothing but a warring species and I want no part of it.
Powell: You're a Cavalryman, that makes you valuable to our country and our cause.
John Carter: Colonel Powell, sir. Whatever it is you suppose I owe you, or country, or any other beloved cause, I have already paid. I have paid it in full... Sir.
[we see that Carter has a wedding ring on his finger]
John Carter: So let me tell you what I will do. I'll break me out of this cell, I will claim my gold and get filthy rich. Rich enough to buy your flat, righteous, blue behind, just so I can kick it all day long.
[through the cell bars, Powell punches Carter in the stomach]
Powell: Captain, I'm finding it difficult to reconcile the man on this piece of paper with the one I'm looking at. Now, I suggest you find a horse and sense to accept my offer before I give in to my better judgment.
[Powell turns to leave]
Powell: Private, the man stays in the bull pit until further notice.
[after Carter escapes with the guards in his pursuit and then getting attacked by Indians, Powell gets shot and Carter helps Powell escape]
Powell: I thought you didn't care!
John Carter: I don't!
[in an ensuing chase, Carter and Powell find themselves in the Spider's Cave]
Powell: This place here ain't Apache.
John Carter: It sure ain't.
[as Carter looks around the cave he notices large amounts of gold]
John Carter: Gold!
[at that moment a Thern appears in the cave]
Powell: Carter! Right behind you!
[Carter shoots the Thern, he then notices a blue light shining out of a medallion in the Thern's hand]
Thern in Cave: [whispers] Barsoom. Barsoom...
John Carter: What?
Thern in Cave: Barsoom.
John Carter: Barsoom?
[as Carter holds the medallion he is then unknowingly transported to Barsoom]
[on Barsoom, Carter discovers due to his different bone density and planet's low gravity, he's able to jump high, after which he runs into the Tharks and their leader, Tars Tarkas]
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Hello! Don't run. Don't run away.
[Carter hides behind some rocks not understanding anything Tarkas is saying]
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Hello. Don't run. Don't run away.
[Tarkas slowly walks towards Carter and Carter comes out from behind the rocks]
John Carter: Alright. You've got me. I surrend
[Tarkas points to himself]
Tars Tarkas: Jeddak.
John Carter: Jeddak?
Tars Tarkas: Jeddak. Tars Tarkas.
John Carter: Tars Tarkas.
[Carter salutes as he introduces himself]
John Carter: Captain John Carter, Virginia.
Tars Tarkas: Vir...ginia. Virginia!
John Carter: No. My name is John Carter. I'm from Virginia.
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Virginia. Jump as you did before.
[not understanding what Tarkas is saying Carter repeats the word for jump]
John Carter: Sak?
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Jump, yes?
[Tarkas mimes the motion of jumping with his hands]
Tars Tarkas: Sak.
John Carter: Sak! Yes, sir.
[Carter salutes and jumps and as he lands he grabs the weapon that Tarkas had thrown to the ground]
[shouting to his men as Carter points the weapon at Tarkas]
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Don't shoot it! Don't shoot it! Don't shoot it!
[as Tarkas lunges himself onto Carter, one of his soldiers shoots Carter in the butt, after which Tarkas takes him prisoner, straps him to one of their alien horse creatures, along with some Thark hatchlings]
John Carter: [shouting] What is this place? Where am I?
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Virginia. It's okay, just relax.
John Carter: Where's my damn gold?
[one of Tarkas' soldiers walks up to him to inform him about the eggs]
Thark Warrior: [subtitled] Eighteen have not yet hatched, Jeddak.
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Then they are not our kind. Leave nothing for the white apes.
[Carter watches as Tarkas' soldiers shoot the unhatched eggs]
John Carter: [shouting] Where on earth am I?!
[Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium, practices a speech]
Dejah Thoris: Barsoom, a world on the brink, for Zodanga's new power threatens to destroy our city of Helium. And if Helium folds, so does Barsoom.
[she laughs to herself]
Dejah Thoris: Rubbish! Goddess, help me! I'm hopeless. I always come on too strong.
Tardos Mors: I know the terms set by Sab Than, what I want to know is can we afford to reject them. Admiral Kantos Kan.
Kantos Kan: The Eastern boarder is a wasteland. Sab Than has burned through our defenses, the boarder folk massacred. Our best troops and fleetest ships proven less than useless. And now comes word that our last remaining squadron has been lost.
Tardos Mors: Helium is lost. My people, I have failed them all.
Dejah Thoris: No, my Jeddak. You haven't.
Kantos Kan: Forgive me, my lady, but you have not seen this weapon. It radiates the most intense...
[Dejah turns on a machine that projects the ninth ray, which has a blue light]
Kantos Kan: ...blue light.
Dejah Thoris: When I read our reports on Sab Than's weapon, I knew. Somehow that idiotic brute had discovered it first.
Tardos Mors: Discovered what?
Dejah Thoris: The ninth ray. Unlimited power. Sab Than only uses it for slaughter, but think of what Helium might accomplish with such power. Transform the deserts, restore the seas.
Tardos Mors: Is this what you saw, Kantos?
Kantos Kan: Starting to look very close.
Dejah Thoris: Give it time, it will work.
[one of the general's, who's wearing the same medallion as the Thern's, touches the machine and it suddenly malfunctions]
Tardos Mors: Dejah, ever since you were a little girl, you've always met the expectations placed on you. It's Sab's terms.
Dejah Thoris: What are they?
Tardos Mors: He will spare Helium, if you accept his hand in marriage.
Dejah Thoris: No! He is a monster! You must refuse him!
Tardos Mors: He's already on his way here.
Dejah Thoris: But all of my work! I just need a little more time!
Tardos Mors: Dejah.
Dejah Thoris: How can you...? You can't just bow down to Zodanga!
Tardos Mors: A wedding will save the city!
Dejah Thoris: Perhaps! But it could lose you Barsoom!
Tardos Mors: Dejah!
Dejah Thoris: With no one to stop Zodanga it will be the beginning of the end!
Tardos Mors: We do not...we do not have the luxury.
[after finding out that Tardos has agreed that Dejah must marry Sab Than to spare Helium]
Dejah Thoris: [shouting] You are the Jeddak of Helium! You must find another way!
Tardos Mors: [shouting] There is no other way!
[Dejah looks away from Tardos]
Tardos Mors: If there were, I would risk anything to cease it. This is the chance we have been given. Perhaps it is the w
ill of the Goddess.Dejah Thoris: No. It is your will. When I was little and we would look up at the stars, and you would tell me of the heroes whose glory was written in the sky. How there was a star up there for me. Is this what you imagined would be written on it?
[before Tardos answers her Kantos enters with his men]
Kantos Kan: My Jeddak, Sab Than's Corsair approaches the city. They signal for permission to land.
Tardos Mors: Grant it.
[Dejah turns away from Tardos in disappointment and sadness]
Tardos Mors: And let us prepare ourselves for a wedding.
[the general who caused the machine to malfunction listen to Tardos' plans for a wedding, he transforms into a Thern and communicates their plans to Matai Shang]
Thern #1: I have destroyed the device, Matai Shang. She was on the verge of discovery. Matai Shang: All is in place. They will consent to the wedding. Keep close watch over her. We don't want anything to interfere with our next move.
[in the Tharks' city, Carter is freed from his bonds and uses that moment to grab the medallion that brought him to Barsoom back but Tal Hajus pulls a knife at Carter's throat]
Tal Hajus: [subtitled] Now we will kill it.
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Back off, Tal Hajus.
Tal Hajus: [subtitled] You value this more than my judgment?
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Step away.
Tal Hajus: [subtitled] I issue a challenge.
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] And who supports you challenge?
[Tal Hajus turns and addresses the other Thark's]
Tal Hajus: [subtitled] Who will pledge their weapon to me?
[there's silence as none of the Tharks are willing to pledge their weapon]
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] You are blind as the White Ape, Tal Hajus. You will not rule today.
Tal Hajus: [subtitled] Maybe not today.
[Tal Hajus walks away in anger]
[referring to Carter; addressing the other Tharks]
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] See the prize your Jeddak has found.
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] No! It is a rare legendary creature. It's called....it's called, Virginia!
[the crowd starts to mumbling Virginia to Carter's annoyance]
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Watch everyone! Step back.
[Tarkas turns to Carter]
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Show them, Virginia. Jump.
[Carter obstinately refuses to jump]
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Jump!
[Tarkas walks towards Carter and takes him by the throat]
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Stubborn. I will make you jump, Virginia.
[he throws Carter to the ground and addresses one of the female Tharks]
Tars Tarkas: [subtitled] Chain him up, Sola. Take him away and lock him with the other hatchlings.
[Sola bathes and shaves Carter and force feeds him a potion 'the voice of Barsoom' which allows him to understand their language]
[Carter breaks free from his chains and attempts to escape, but is followed by Woola, a dog-like lizard, when Carter comes upon the Tharks partying, Woola disrupts the party and a Thark warrior begins to beat him, but Carter jumps onto the warrior and punches him]
Tars Tarkas: You killed him with one blow.
John Carter: I...wait! I understood you.
[the other warriors attack Carter and knock him out]
Tars Tarkas: Get off him! How did this happen? Who is to blame?
[Sola walks forward and Tarkas, displeased by this, punishes Carter and Sola for allowing Carter to escape]
[Sab Than attacks a ship manned by Helium soldiers, Dejah, who fled her city rather than marry him, is somewhere onboard]
Matai Shang: If that's how you plan to treat your future bride, it's no wonder she ran from you. Dejah Thoris must live.
Navigator: In range, sir.
Matai Shang: Need only cripple the ship, across the radium drive is sufficient. Quick, clean and precise.
Spotter #2: Jeddak, shall we destroy her?
Sab Than: No. We need only cripple her. And bring us around
[as Tarkas and Carter watch the mid-air battle as Sab Than ship chases Dejah's ship]
Tars Tarkas: Zodanga, red flags. Helium, blue. Zodanga is winning the war, but I say, let red men kill red men until only Tharks remain.
John Carter: That don't look like a fair fight.
Tars Tarkas: The Zodanga never fight fair.
[as Dejah tries to escape, she slips and is left clinging to the edge of her ship, ass she loses her grip, Carter jumps through air to catch her]
John Carter: I beg your pardon. If you kindly just stand behind me, this might get dangerous.
[as they land he takes her sword and starts to fight with advancing Red Men, but he loses the sword, Dejah grabs it in mid-air and demonstrates her prowess in battle by killing the remaining Red Men]
John Carter: Or maybe I oughta get behind you.
Dejah Thoris: You let me know when it gets dangerous.
[to Carter after they have watched Carter jump onto Sab Than's ships to fight]
Tars Tarkas: You are ugly, but you are beautiful. And you fight like a Thark!
Dejah Thoris: Jeddak of the Tharks, I am Dejah Thoris, regent of the Royal Helium Academy of Science. My research....
Tars Tarkas: You research as a spoil!
[Tarkas pushes Dejah towards Carter]
Tars Tarkas: Sola, tend to Virginia's property.
Sola: Yes, my Jeddak.
Dejah Thoris: You know when Sab Than has concurred us he will turn his weapon upon you!
Tars Tarkas: I know that Zodanga has found a way to defeat you. And now you seek a mighty weapon of your own. But Virginia fights for us. He will fight for Torquas, in the south and in the north and he will be called, Dotar Sojat, my right arm!
[the Thark warriors all cheer]
John Carter: No! I don't fight for anyone.
Tars Tarkas: Virginia, reject this honor and I cannot guarantee the safety of your red girl.
[Carter looks over at Dejah and reluctantly agrees to fight]
John Carter: I...am...Dotar Sojat.
[the Thark warriors cheer again]
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Total
Quotes: 83
