Talk:V for Vendetta (film)

Latin?
Is there a reason the whole "Who are you?" bit is translated into Latin?

What was written on the mirror in the movie. I know it was in French...


 * No, not French. It was Latin and it says "Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici". Translated as "By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe." 70.228.88.95 18:42, 22 March 2006 (UTC)

"Remember remember, the fifth of november, the gunpowder treason and plot, I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot"

"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."


 * alternate paraphrase :

Behold! In front of you is a condemned, bound to follow the roles of a victim and a villain. A mere costume is my face presently! It represents the once existing People's voice, now disappeared and buried for eternity. However, this voice is now resurrected and is ready to vanquish the so called superiors operating our very society. The only choice is vengeance, and to accomplish my very feat, I shall recruit only those who are righteous and determined, for we surely will be able to uphold our suppressors. Nonetheless, I believe I have uttered too much. So, let me simply finish by saying that it's my very good honor to meet you, and you may call me V.

~ * Good evening, London. Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of every day routine- the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much as any bloke. But in the spirit of commemoration, whereby those important events of the past usually associated with someone's death or the end of some awful bloody struggle are celebrated with a nice holiday. I thought we could mark this November the 5th, a day that is sadly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat. There are of course those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now, orders are being shouted into telephones, and men with guns will soon be on their way. Why? Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. And where once you had the freedom to object, think, and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillence coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well, certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to the now High Chancellor, Adam Sutler. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent. Last night I sought to end that silence. Last night I destroyed the Old Bailey, to remind this country of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are more than words, they are perspectives. So if you've seen nothing, if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you, then I would suggest you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me one year from tonight, outside the gates of Parliament, and together we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never, ever be forgot.~

~ Fear became the ultimate tool of this government.~

~ No. What you have are bullets and the hope that when your guns are empty I'm no longer standing, because if I am, you'll all be dead before you've reloaded.~

~ Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof.

~ Evey, please. . .there is a face beneath this mask, but it's not me. I'm no more that face than I am the muscles beneath it, or the bones beneath them.~

~ * Our story begins, as these stories often do, with a young up-and-coming politician [Sutler]. He's a deeply religious man and a member of the conservative party. He's completely single-minded and has no regard for the political process. The more power he attains, the more obvious his zealotry and the more aggressive his supporters become. Eventually, his party launches a special project in the name of national security. At first, it's believed to be a search for biological weapons and is pursued without regard to its cost. However, the true goal of this project is power; complete and total hegemonic domination. The project, however, ends violently. But the efforts of those involved are not in vain, for a new ability to wage war is born from the blood of the victims. Imagine a virus, the most terrifying virus you can, and then imagine that you and you alone have the cure. But if the ultimate goal is power, how best to use such a weapon? It is at this point in our story that along comes a spider [Creedy]. Here is a man seemingly without a conscience for whom the ends always justify the means, and it is he who suggests that their target should not be an enemy of the country, but rather the country itself. Three targets are chosen to maximize the effect of the attack: a school, a tube station, and a water treatment plant. Several hundred die within the first few weeks. Fueled by the media, fear and panic spread quickly, fracturing and dividing the country until at last the true goal comes into view. Before the St. Mary's crisis, no one would have predicted the results of the election that year, no one. But not long after the election, lo and behold, a miracle. Some believed it was the work of God Himself, but it was a pharmaceutical company controlled by certain party members [Prothero & others] that made them all obscenely rich. A year later, several extremists are tried, found guilty and executed while a memorial is built to canonize their victims. But the end result, the true genius of the plan, was the fear. Fear became the ultimate tool of this government, and through it our politician was ultimately appointed to the newly created position of High Chancellor. The rest, as they say, is history.~

~ It means that I, like God, do not play with dice and do not believe in coincidence.~

~ Because he was right. This country needs more than a building right now. It needs hope.~

~ Everyone remembers what happened that night and what it meant for this country. But I will always remember the man and what he meant to me.~

The Adam Sutler speech is :


 * Mr. Heyer** Chancellor I know no one seems to want to discuss this, but If we're to be prepared for any eventuality then It can't be ignored any longer.

The red report In front of you has been vetted by several demolitions specialists, now it concludes that the most logical delivery system for the terrorist to use would be an air-born attack. A separate report has been filed suggesting a train dispite the fact that the tunnels surrounding Parliament have been sealed shut.

[Sutler]If I am sure of anything inspector Finch It Is that this government will not survive If It Is to be subject to your FEELINGS.
 * Adam Sutler** Who filed that report? [Heyer] Chief inspector Finch. [Sutler] Do you have any evidence to support this conclusion Mr. Finch? **Finch** No sir, just a feeling.

[Still Sutler] Mr. Dascombe, what we need right now is a clear message to the people of this country. this message must be read In every Newspaper, heard on every Radio, seen on every Television. This message must resound throughout the entire interlink!!! I want this country to realize that we stand on the edge of oblivion.

I want every man woman and child to understand how close we are to chaos! I want EVERYONE to remember WHY THEY NEED US!

\\\\So there you go, hope you found it useful cuz it took like 2 hours. hehe./////

''Character name for Mr. Heyer added. ~Ender (3/4/07)''

Also, does anyone know the quotation about V's identity being more than just his skin? It went something like, "I am no more the skin than the muscles below it..."? If you could complete the exact quotation that would be great.

I think it goes something along the lines of: "There is a face beneath this mask, but I am no more that face than the muscles below it, nor the bones below that."

You almost got it right. He says "There is a face beneath this mask, but It's not me, I'm no more that face then the muscles beneath It, or the bones beneath them." but i have a DVD compatible laptop so i just copied it while listening to it.


 * He says, "Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an Idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof"** -Added by different User - corrected by yet another User


 * "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."


 * "It means that I like God do not play with Dice and do not believe in coincidence."

Reviews
Is Wikiquote really the right forum for movie reviews? If movie review quotations are interesting in and of themselves, they could go on a page about the reviewer, but it seems like a page on a movie should just include interesting quotes from the movie -- not stuff about the movie, like reviews. Description of the movie would belong on Wikipedia. Catamorphism 04:31, 22 March 2006 (UTC)
 * Quotes from reviews are encouraged on pages for movies, as both appropriate and useful indications of various views about their worth, as are reviews of books, and published or broadcast quotes about people by other people on their particular pages. ~ Kalki 06:59, 5 November 2007 (UTC)

V's "V" Speech
'Voilà!

in View, a humble Vaudevillian Veteran, cast Vicariously as both Victim and Villain by the Vicissitudes of Fate. This Visage, no mere Veneer of Vanity, is a Vestige of the Vox populi, now Vacant, Vanished. However, this Valorous Visitation of a bygone Vexation stands Vivified, and has Vowed to Vanquish these Venal and Virulent Vermin Vanguarding Vice and Vouchsafing the Violently Vicious and Voracious Violation of Volition!

The only Verdict is Vengeance-- a Vendetta, held as a Votive-- not in Vain, for the Value and Veracity of such shall one day Vindicate the Vigilant and the Virtuous. [ Chuckling]

Verily, this Vichyssoise of Verbiage Veers most Verbose, so let me simply add that it's my Very good honor to meet you, and you may call me V.''


 * {_ Veni, Vidi, Vici, Crème de la Crème Version _}*  ~ T-Mac 2 The Rack 17:37, 20 November 2009 (UTC)

Wikiquote:

''Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.''

IMDb:

''Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honour to meet you and you may call me V.''

V is English, so his speech would use english spelling


 * I (a different user) have watched/listened to the movie while reading these speeches on this site and the speech from Wikiquote is correct.

MinervaMoon 05:20, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

>>I just pulled up V's speech on youtube and the wikiquote version is the one he speaks in the movie. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OB6EsUP4tU)

'Ryan Chapman's Translation:'

''Look! In view, a low-status veteran performer, cast in substitute as both victim and villain, by an unwelcome change of circumstance. This face, not merely covered in pride, is a remnant of the population's voice, which is now gone, vanished. However; this brave, supernatural being, once quietly worried and annoyed, now stands enlivened and has promised to thoroughly defeat these corrupt, harmful, vermin group of immoral and wicked people who give and grant to the violently cruel and food devouring violators of (the people's) will.''

''The only outcome is a blood-for-blood retribution, in fulfillment of a vow; not without results. To uphold (the people's) values and the accuracy of them, shall one day clear the watchful and the righteous of the blame upon them. In truth, this thick soup of lengthy and technical speech suddenly changes direction and now appears to have had used more words than are necessary.''

So let me simply add that it is my very good honour to meet you and you may simply call me V.

'Personally I have always like this one.'


 * Behold! In view a humble vaudevillian theatre veteran, chosen on behalf of others as both a victim and a villian by a change of fate. This mask, no mere layer of vanity, it’s evidence of a voice of the people, which was gone and missing; the mask is now a necessary voice of truth that respects what they once fought against. However, this voice is back standing strong and promises to get rid of corrupt evil and deal with the greedy decisions that have violated us. The only way is retribution, a fight, symbolizing a wish, not lacking substance, for the value and truth that will one day justify the alert and moral people. In fact, this lengthy speech is just a strong introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.


 * UKPhoenix79 06:17, 2 April 2006 (UTC)


 * Had a go at translating this speech.


 * Here you see me. A humble old stage performer, shown as both a victim and a villain, to which is differed by the circumstance in which you see me. This appearance, is no ornament (mask) of conceit or vanity, is a shadow of the people's voices, now empty, gone; this appearance will deliver the necessary truth that will respect what they once fought against. However, this voice from a past, stands anew and has vowed to destroy these corrupt and infectious vermin who guards the evil and condones the violent and the violation of choice. The only verdict is vengeance; a blood feud, a fight, that is held as a vow not merely in appearance, but a fight for the value and truthfulness that one day will show the right and just. Yes, this rich overabundance of words turns most a wordy face-to-face an introduction, so let me simply say that it is an honor to meet you and you may call me V.


 * 01:12, 19 April 2006 (UTC)

Here is another translation:

Look! Standing before you, a humble, experienced stage performer, shown in abscence as both a victim and a villain by the circumstance in which you see me. This appearance, no simple ornament of vanity, is a shadow of the people's voices, now empty, gone, as the once vital voice of truth will now respect what they once fought against. However, this proud visit of a voice from the past stands renewed, and has vowed to destroy these corrupt and infectious vermin who guard the evil and condone the violent and the violation of choice. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a vow, not without purpose, because the value and truthfulness of it shall one day vindicate the right and just. Yes, this overabundance of words turns most wordy face-to-face an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.

~My Attempt at Translating,or rather Summarisingthe V Speech.


 * ~Look at me! A lowly, experienced stage performer, cast as both a victim and a villain by circumstances beyond his control (Which of the two is more determined by the light in which you see me.)

This strange face is no ornament, nor a declaration of conceit or vanity; It is a shadow, a mere whisper of the people's voices, now lost and silent. The people who now worship what they once fought so hard against.

However, this voice from the past stands anew and has promised to destroy these corrupt, greedy, spineless men who guard the evil, condone the violent, and repeatedly stifle the right to personal choice.

The only right decision is a vow of vengeance that is held not merely in appearance, but as a true war that if pursued to the end one day will free those who stand firm and stay true to virtuous actions even in the event that all is lost.

Well… I’ve gone on far more than was necessary so let me simply say that it is an honor to meet you and you may call me V.~

About V's speech, the thing that make it amazing is the use of the letter "V" in most words. Of course it could sound better if you use other phrases, but then it dosn't be the same

I realise just now the original Wikiquote version, which is the correct one has been replaced by the IMDb version. I listened to the speech many times and I can guarantee the "vis-à-vis" isn't in the movie. I am going to revert it back to the original version and please be reminded in the future the IMDb one is incorrect --Cheungie 04:27, 12 October 2006 (UTC)

I'm french and i can say that this speech is actually the best alliteration in V that anyone can read or listen in french or in english and after several listenings (more than 13, i've stopped to coount after this figure, the wikiquote speech is the good one). Mickaëlthefrog

Yea I remember quite well that the wikiquote is correct... he never uses the word verisimilitude (as much as i love that word) but instead V uses the word vicissitude.... IMDb is wrong... and wikipedia is the jumpoff lolz


 * 07/26/2007 begin user satyen119's comments::

I noticed when the movie was first released in theaters that there were two versions of the speech floating around. I can attest that the first time I saw the movie in a theater, they showed the long (IMDB) version. Very eloquent and impressive. I went online, found some bootlegged video clips, and memorized the speech. A month later when I saw it again in the theater, the speech had been shortened as you see above (Wikiquote). No verisimilitude, no vis-a-vis, etc. The original version was much more poetic than the final version that made it to DVD -- the meter was more fluent, there were exactly 55 V-words in 5 sentences, etc. My guess is that the Wachowski brothers (or someone) realized a little too late that they had gotten a bit carried away with the alliteration and numerology in the speech, at the expense of proper diction and grammar. Specifically, the usage of vis-a-vis in the original speech is improper. If you are going to use vis-a-vis in a sentence, it needs to be an adverb or a noun (less common). They are using it as a kind of prepositional phrase to mean "in the place of" or "compared to". This is not the correct usage. My guess is that the brothers got wise to this (and perhaps other errors) and re-cut the speech, then re-released the new version. But I can definitely say that the first time I saw the movie in a U.S. theater, they had the longer, original (and grammatically incorrect) speech.

Here is my own paraphrased version: "Here I am, a character cast by destiny as both good and evil in this story. What you see before you -- this mask and costume -- is not the product of my vanity. It is a symbol and echo of the people's voice -- a voice which can no longer be heard, due to the inversion of power and authority in our society -- those with "authority" now champion the very causes and movements which they are supposed to prevent.  But this ghost from our shared past now stands before you, positively reanimated, and I vow to rectify these evil encroachments on our freedom.  There is only one solution in my eyes -- a pure and unforgiving crusade of retribution against these men.  Only that will bring true justice to the victims.  But I digress. Admittedly, this silly vocabulary soup I've doused you in has veered off course from my original intention, which was to simply introduce myself to you.  It is an honor to meet you ; my name is V."
 * end user satyen119's comments::

OKAY this is what it means people....
 * Hello, in front of you stands a man that was tortured and tested upon. Apparently fate thought I was bad guy or something. I basically represent the population of the people that no longer speak. Therefore i speak for them.

As an English guy I don't understand why the speech needs translating, he is after all speaking English.

Of course the individual who states translations are unnecessay is, strictly speaking, correct. However, the attempts to re-phrase the monologue reflect the common, although not universal, difficulty in grasping the meaning of a speech that uses a number of fairly unfamiliar words, occasionally employed to convey meanings a small measure from their traditional contexts, and sometimes stacked together and delivered, although with great precision and enunciation, very rapidly. Moreover, much of the meaning contained in the speech simply cannot be understood without viewing most or all of the film, yet the speech is delivered very near the beginning. The speech, therefore, cannot be fully understood unless reviewed in retrospect, either by again watching the movie or by a venue like this. Therefore, these "translations" are perfectly justified, and here is my re-phrasing attempt:

"Introducing...an ordinary man shaped by suffering and random circumstances into an extra-ordinary, necessarily brutal character on a national stage. My mask is a message, not a mystery, intended to remind everyone that there was a heroic time when it was the right of the people to control the government, not the other way around. And that time is coming again; I am the voice of the people reborn in the form of this historical anti-hero, and I promise to lead the fight to stop the cirminals and fascists who have ruthlessly stripped you of every traditional freedom. I can make this promise with perfect sincerity because the people who oppress you are the same who tortured and mutilated me, and their destruction is the key to us both achieving both our greatest goals - my revenge and the restoration of your rightful freedom. And that is, at length, who I am."SFKeepay (talk) 07:24, 2 September 2015 (UTC)

Wikipedia says "A typical vaudeville performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill."

I would suggest a more apt translation for "vaudevillian veteran" in this context would be "survivor of multiple, seemingly unrelated battles, all towards a common purpose". This is also mirrored in the deep feeling DCI Finch gets after he visits Larkhill. V has spent 20 years planning the events of the film, killing all but 3 Larkhill staff, making explosives, clearing tunnels and laying track. He's not been on a street corner performing for pocket change. ABlackRhino (talk) 02:23, 5 April 2018 (UTC)


 * Your suggestion is clearly superior. All these years on, I would, in fact, heavily revise my interpretation in its entirety, with your edit being the first. That is, if I find the time.
 * Thank you. 99.100.178.199 03:50, 20 January 2024 (UTC)

Doctor Faustus?
I am not questioning the lack of "Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici" from Goethe's Faust, I could not find the phrase in that work either. I am wondering where this statement is in Christopher Marlowe's The Tragicall History of D. Faustus? (Assuming it is there as claimed,) I have not been able to locate the quote thus far, and would appreciate confirmation or a scene/line citation if someone should stumble across it.
 * Here is a link to Marlowe's Dr. Faustus. I've done a word search on the text and couldn't find the Latin phrase or its English translation.  - InvisibleSun 13:47, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

Translation: By the power of truth I while living have conqured the universe.....

That is because in Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Dr Faustus, it is spelled differently. I believe it is spelled "Vi Veri Universum Vivus Vici".

User:MarauderFaerie


 * Regardless, it's not in there. I would trust Wikipedia, especially since I don't recall reading it in the play.  Is Faustus himself supposed to have said it?  66.251.24.218 00:01, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

Its not in The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus. Faustus is written by Christopher Marlowe. The quote V mentioned in the book was from Goethes Faust which are 2 seperate works. Please refer to that text to find it.

The Glass Menagerie
Is it possible that Evey's father may have been paraphrasing Tennessee Williams?

"yes, i have tricks in my pocket, i have things up my sleeve. but i am the opposite of a stage magician. he gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth. i give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion." - tom, the glass menagerie, tennessee williams

"my father once told me that artists use lies to tell the truth, while politicians use it to hide the truth." - evey, v for vendetta

thanks for any input. tiejaz.


 * I don't think that's a paraphrase. The quotations share only a few words, and they don't describe the same logical relationship.  Of course, it's a matter of opinion.  66.251.24.218 00:01, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

James Madison?
Currently (November 11, 2007), the article reads,


 * People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people. (paraphrase of James Madison)

I don't believe Madison said anything of the like. The closest thing I could find was something misattributed to Thomas Jefferson:

"When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

So there's really no hard source beyond Alan Moore's "People should not fear their governments; governments should fear their people." 66.251.24.218 00:01, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

Pictures
Are those pictures necessary? They don't really add anything to the page and don't seem to exist for any reason. Half of them are arbitrary pop culture references and the other half is just repeating what's already in the quotes. Soooo... 71.252.138.143 08:49, 7 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Are they violating a rule? If not, I rather like them. I think every quote page should stylized this way. 69.127.171.56 05:27, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

Why is this considered a commenting field?

Genre
"2006 epic comedy-drama adventure film" Erm, are you sure about the "comedy" part? 77.234.195.118 12:36, 9 April 2018 (UTC)