Thread for the naughty but not downright fiendish (les revenants website)

[RiotsNotDiets]

I thought I ought to start a thread for people wanting to discuss the content of the website, but who are still watching at C4 pace. I'm plodding my way through with google translate, so french speakers please bear with!

I'm nearly done translating Julie's dr's letter, just trying to figure out a bit google can't seem to translate properly. Will post it when done.

[RiotsNotDiets]

Dear colleague,
You will find it attached the medical report of Julie Meyer which entrusts you with her psychological care and rehabilitation. It is with regret that I give her up but I cannot admit my failure in the development of a satisfactory therapy with the patient.
I could not accurately diagnose the troubles plaguing Julie. Analysis of our interviews does not unveil classic symptoms related to victims of abuse. This is certainly due to the particular circumstances in which the latter took place.
Julie Meyer was attacked by the killer that is rife in the city now known as cannibal. The modus operandi casts doubt on the aggressor, but Julie is the first victim to survive him. She was found in a critical condition but miraculously recovered from her injuries. The exchanges about it with the patient revealed the existence of a strong sense of survivor guilt, Julie values, and I quote, having to understand why she was rescued.
She refuses to accept the chance alone in what she called, not without cynicism, "a crappy date with death." I have suggested him to meet a rabbi with whom I once had a stimulating conversation around the non-definitive character of death in Judaism. The patient has proved exceedingly reluctant to this idea. She doesn?t see anything religious in it, ?I am not resurrected? she insists.
Another disturbing detail of the attack: Julie was disguised at the time. She finds it difficult to assess which woman the cannibal intended to attack, the nurse (her profession) or catwoman (the character she was dressed as).
This leads the patient to have a true deconstructed personality; her ego is a scattered puzzle which no longer captures the complete picture, especially as it "lacks some parts" as she likes to say.
Finally, the scars she carries scars on her abdomen also represent an enigma. Their shape, arrangement, could evoke a sacrificial rite, an occult practice. Is this the case?
Julie has no precise recollection of the attack. She said, reliving a fantasy version of dreams in which she evokes the presence of "a little boy with no face." But this view is probably due to the consequences of the attack which left Julie infertile.
These three particular aspects of the extraordinary attack meant that victim Julie Meyer gave birth to a psychological profile face which I have never seen before. And the novelty has fascinated me to the point of delivering me all sorts of interpretations and reflections that make it impossible to continue my work with her. As her therapist I became the accomplice and confidant of her anxieties, her questions, her relation to the dead and I cannot bring her any relief from a strictly medical point of view.
That is why, dear colleague, I leave you today, hoping that you will succeed in giving Julie Meyer the necessary assistance to find a semblance of normal life.
In the news awaiting you, please accept, dear colleague, the expression of my most distinguished professional feelings.
Sincerely yours.

Dr. Brennac.

[RiotsNotDiets]

Oh and there's a post it attatched saying "I need to understand why I was saved. This Resurrection is not a coincidence"

Which means I've translated the bit where she says I was not resurrected

[RiotsNotDiets]

wrong*

[teejwood]

Google translate isn't always 100% - I read that line to say 'She doesn't see anything religious in her "resurrection"'

The bits that struck me in this - she is not the same after the attack. She has lost her sense of self, perhaps her soul? She is wondering why she didn't die, what her purpose might be. I wondered again whether she is in fact a revenant -as we had wondered on the other thread.

Also, the appearance of Victor at her death - he's been around a lot more than we had previously thought. Has he been at many of the other deaths? This indicates he was there when Julie was attacked/ died? He was there for the coach crash. What about the rest??

[teejwood]

Should have said - the "miraculously recovered from her injuries" was part of what made me wonder about her being a revenant..

[RiotsNotDiets]

Victor is key to all this, I'm sure of it. I just don't know why/how!

[RiotsNotDiets]

I'm going to try and translate the newspaper article now.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

im on the newspaper now and keep seeing name costa pop up

[RiotsNotDiets]

Struggling to translate "C'est en tout cas la rumeur qui a couru ces deniers jours, mais les entrepreneurs ne se sont pas officiellement prononces"

Is it 'the rumour is that funds had run out, but this had not been formally announced?"

[Abra1d]

Interesting about Julie possibly being a revenant. But she doesn't seem to show the same great hunger and lust as the others do.

[anonacfr]

I can translate the newspaper if you like. Turns out Mr Costa was the Mayor of the old village. Funnily enough I was wondering why there wasn't a Mayor in the show- they are usually v influential in French towns. You'd think he/she would be in charge, rather than Thomas who seems to make all the decisions.

[RiotsNotDiets]

I'm nearly done on the newspaper. I think there's supposed to be something in the pub if you want to do that?

[Blondeshavemorefun]

knew i had seen the name costa

thats my french extent

feel free and translate all 4 things, or are there more?

i only found 4

[RiotsNotDiets]

Not perfect, but here's the newspaper article. Corrections welcome.

[RiotsNotDiets]

Thursday, 21st March 1977
A dam bursts and carries away a village.
Ghosts
This is similar to how the disaster survivors appeared more than 72 hours after a dam failure. Ghosts, drawn features, blank looks wandering among the ruins of what was there not so long ago, their village. On their faces, always the same expressions: amazement, horror, disbelief. The shock and incomprehension reflecting on these ghosts, bruised by the violence of the tragedy. All families are affected. And if it is not an uncle, a sister or a cousin who has disappeared, is is a friend or a neighbour we will not greet again. They have a hesitant, rickety way of walking. At every step their boots get bogged down in the mud and they must use their last strength to avoid stumbling on the debris littering the ground, which renders any progress impossible in some areas.
It will take weeks to clean up, maybe months. Time will also be necessary to count the dead, assess the damage, and understand what is happening.
Help arrives at drop offs. You have to cross damaged roads. Already, the army trucks are on site. Soldiers distribute blankets, food, and clothing. They set up tents to shelter under. People sleep when they can, eat a little, cry a lot. But we see people praying.

?God has abandoned us? sobs a woman we meet, ?He looked the other way while his children begged for mercy?. we are told that there was a meeting in the church when the wave 70 meters high struck. None of the faithful present has survived. The house of God did not offer them protection. A torrent of mud has engulfed in the interior of the Building. ?The tongue of the demon came to take them? says a man who is dead behind the eyes.
A minimum of 50 million cubic meters of water engulfed the village.
It was 8:42 p.m. "It was an arch dam," explains the Marie M. Costa, in a trembling voice. Eyes red with fatigue and emotion. "They are supposed to be the strongest because their structure is reinforced as the water pressure increases". Heavy rain in recent days has considerably raised the water level.
But that does not explain everything, "There were controls on the support of the dam," continues Mr. Costa. The rock on which was built would have been more fragile than planned. In any case, that's the rumour that has been going around these past few days, but those in charge have yet to comment.
According to sources, the engineers would have succeeded in recent weeks around the dam to undertake multiple audits. No information, no reports, not a single newsletter warning has been communicated to the people.

"They are hiding the truth" ensures a mother of two boys who do not seem to realize the horror of catastrophe. They jump into the mud laughing, watching them angers other survivors who refuse these children the right to remain innocent, for some time yet.
"They knew but did not say anything" She was asked who are the people she's talking about. She shrugs her shoulders, and standing weary eyes, "he knows them."
Others are less mysterious and pose a noise that, in repeated mouths of mouths becomes more deafening. A man would have been seen near the dam shortly before the disaster. He fled.
"It was the guard? says Mr. Costa ?He heard a crack and first wanted to warn the village. Alas too late." A version that clearly did not convince everyone. Twisting the neck to reality is a regional sport, says Marie. People here like to interpret what they see. I could provide evidence on a platter which wouldn?t change this. Fantasies have the good life in the area. Anyway, if there was a culprit, the investigation will find them.
The time is not yet to the designation of responsibilities or bereavement. We must organize, clearing, find the bodies.
A group of individuals missing were near the lake when it happened "As a pilgrimage" we are told, there is no trace of them. The water carries everything, trees, cars, buildings, livestock even the railway line has been pulled over several kilometers. We ask questions about the people who disappeared near the lake. "Original? says an old lady, ?they were congregated around a man who promised them a better life."
A shepherd of the flock that has been completely decimated is more outspoken. "They brought the misfortune on the village! They talked all the time to purify the land, a flood that would wash the sins of its occupants! If you ask me, they pray that such a disaster 'descend upon us.So much the better if they have not survived, good riddance!?
We do not learn more. The ghosts do not speak very much. On the half carcass of a buried car, we see a butterfly; it spreads its wings in bright colours that contrast with the dull shades of desolation. He was beaten, and then flies away. He came to show that life will resume its duties here. But it will not happen immediately.

[RiotsNotDiets]

Mayor Costa* not Marie Costa!

[anonacfr]

Translation

GHOSTS

This is what the survivors of the tragedy look like. They are wandering the ruins of what was three days ago their Village, before the dam collapsed and swept it all away.
On their faces, similar expressions of shock, dismay and horror. The lack of comprehension is palpable on the faces of those ghosts maimed by the utter tragedy they have survived. All of them have lost loved ones. Families have all lost sisters, brothers, parents. If not uncles or aunts, it's a next door neighbours that will never greet them again from across the road.
They wander hesitantly through the mud and the debris. They use the last of their strength to stagger through the mess. It will take weeks, perhaps months to clear the site, take stock of the damage and try to work out what happened.
Help has been slow coming because of damaged roads. Army trucks have made it through and brought supplies- food, blankets and tents for everyone. People are trying to rest and eat- most are crying but nobody is praying.

'God forsaked us' weeps a passing woman. 'While his children were begging for mercy, He was looking the other way'. We were told that a service was under way in the church when the 70 metre wave hit. None of the congregation survived. God's House didn't provide shelter from the wave of mud that swept through. 'The Devil's tongue took them'
At least fifty million cubic metres of water covered the Village.

It was 20h42 when the disaster happened. 'It was a vault-dam(?)' explained Mr Costa, the Mayor, red-eyed with tiredness and sorrow.' there's meant to be more resistant because they are made structurally stronger the more the water pressure increases'. Recent torrential rains had raised water levels but that doesn't explain what happened. 'There had been some checks to the base of the dam' adds Mr Costa. 'The rock it was built on was weaker than expected or so said recent rumours going round before the accident. The engineers have so far not commented'.

Sources claim different engineers took turns running checks in the past few weeks. No information or warnings were given to the villagers at all.

'they lied to us' says a mother whose two boys run and play in the mud seemingly oblivious to the horror surrounding them. They attract angry looks from onlookers who refuse to allow them to keep their innocence for a while longer.
When asked who she is talking about she shrugs and looks to the sky 'He knows who they are' she says.

Others are less cryptic and spread the latest rumour. A man was seen near the dam before it broke. He was running away.
'It was the caretaker' says Mr Costa 'He heard the first cracks and ran to Village to warn them'.

People aren't convinced. The Mayor tells us that breaking reality's neck (literally v odd expression that is totally uncommon in French) is a local pastime.
People like to spin what they see. Even if they are spoon fed facts they refuse to believe them. Whatever happened the inquest will determine it.

It's not yet time to blame anyone or to mourn the dead. The cleanup has to begin first. Bodies have to be recovered. A group is missing though- they were by the lake when the dam broke. 'as if on a pilgrimage' we are told.
There is so sign of them- everything has been swept away. Buildings, trees, cattle, even the train tracks have been torn away. We ask about the disappeared.
'A bunch of eccentrics. They followed a man who promised them a better life' says an old lady.
A shepherd who lost his flock is a bit more aggressive.
'They brought pain to the Village. They were talking about purifying the earth, they said a flood would come and wash away people's sins! If you want my opinion, they were praying for such an event. I hope they haven't survived. Good riddance!'
That's all we'll get from the villagers. Ghosts don't talk much.

On a half buried car flutters a butterfly. His bright wings stand out against the mud and the dirt. It has come to show that life will prevail. But not straight away.

[anonacfr]

Oops what an epic double post.

By the way the article specifically mentions the fact that people are NOT praying.

Can I just say my translation is clearly better?

[anonacfr]

I thought it was interesting that the village is never named. The capital letter is v unusual in French. As odd as it would look in English.

[RiotsNotDiets]

Yours is a real translation anon so I would agree it is far superior to mine. I have just wasted a couple of hours of my life on google translate though, so if they were gifts I think mine would mean more.

[RiotsNotDiets]

Do we think the man promising people a better life was pierre?

[Abra1d]

'a pilgrimage'

Oooh, I wonder when we'll find out about the 'pilgrims' and their 'shepherd'? I bet it is Pierre.

[RiotsNotDiets]

Do you think it's pierre who has the power to bring people back from the dead and is offering it as a 'better life' like vampires do in Buffy?

[RiotsNotDiets]

Can someone translate the letter to Lucy that's on the floor outside the pub please? Anon?