Dr. Benderfax (1997) - full transcript

(ethereal music)

(laboratory machinery beeps)

(mysterious music)

(music fades)

(monster movie music)

(gorilla roars)

(young woman screams)

(young woman screams)
(robot-gorilla roars)

- Here's your toast...

Sorry, it's a little burnt.

(young woman screams)



- Katherine, I'm out of Delta 100's.

- Well, is it my fault if you
smoke like a damn chimney?

Do you think I'm just gonna
drop whatever I'm doing...

and go out and
get you your cigarettes?

- The store's just through the park...

Go myself...

but you know I can't walk
on these damn useless legs.

- Oh, All right...

I'll get you your damn Delta 100's...

In fact, I'll get you a whole suitcase full...

just so you'll stop bugging me about it...

you old turd...

Christ, I hate it when you get all pitiful.

(young woman screams)
(gorilla grunts)



Pain in my ass...

It's always something else...

always something else.

(robot-gorilla groans)
(young woman screams)

(melancholy piano music)

It's like I have nothing better to do...

but to walk across this stupid park...

to pick up his damn Delta 100's.

He thinks I'm his God damn servant...

Well, I'm not!

- Come on, lady...give it up!

- Christ, I hate this park.

- Give me the purse, lady...
before I beat the shit outta ya.

- Blow it outta your ass, ya weirdo!

- Stupid bitch!

(Katherine grunts)
(intense music)

- Let go ya creep!
(intense music)

(groans)

- Oh!

Bitch!

(Katherine screams)

You think you're tough, bitch?

You gonna beat the crap out of me, now?

- I'm gonna rip your God damn balls off!

(Katherine gasps)

(intense music)

- [robber] Shit!

Sorry, lady!

(upbeat music)

(music fades)

- [female voice] Can I help you?

- Hello...

My name is Andrew March...

I have a nine o'clock
appointment with Dr. Benderfax.

(door buzzer)

(distant sleepy piano)

- Good morning.

- Good morning, Dr. March...

I'm Nurse Clench...

ward supervisor of
the Benderfax Institute.

- How do you do?

- Dr. Benderfax has been expecting you...

If you'll follow me...
I'll show you to his office.

(slow suspenseful music)

- In my next series of tests...
I shall again stimulate key organs...

to isolate the source
of the Telefaximial Field...

I suspect that the spleen
the gallbladder and the intestines...

may all be involved...

possibly working together...

Previous results indicate that
substantial electro-chemical...

amplification of the source image
will be required for optimum reception...

I'm very close to a breakthrough...

I'm sure of it!

(knock at door)

Come in...

- [Andrew] Dr. Benderfax.

- Ah...And you must be Andrew March...

Please sit down.

- Thank you, Sir...

It's truly an honor to meet you, Sir.

- You have an impressive scholastic record...

and some excellent references, Doctor...

I'd have thought you could have
secured a position at any number of...

esteemed research institutions...

so, what enticed you to apply at our...

humble operation?

- Well, Sir...

I based my thesis in medical school...

on your psycho-neuroliptocism theories...

In many ways, you've been
my mentor, Dr. Benderfax.

- Well, I'm very flattered, Andrew...

if I may call you Andrew...

Cookie?

- Yes, Sir...

Thank you, Sir.

- Not many in the scientific community...

fully appreciated my
neuroliptocism work.

- Your discoveries of psychic
neuro-electric transmissions...

from organs other than the
brain is groundbreaking...

The implications are...

are staggering!

- You're very perceptive, Andrew...

In fact, my current experiments...

delve into a similar
area of investigation.

- I'm very happy to hear that, Sir.

- Now, about your qualifications.

- Yes, Sir?

- I was quite impressed by some
dog illustrations, you sent...

along with your resume.

- Well, thank you.

I pride myself on doing accurate
anatomical illustrations...

It's a skill that I've
practiced since my youth.

- Take a look at these sketches, Andrew...

I'd like your opinion.

(ominous music)

-[Andrew] These are, uh...

part of your current experiments?

-[Benderfax] Yes, that's right...

They're rough...
but all the structures are there...

Do you suppose you could produce
color renderings of these...

suitable for publication?

- Yes...

I would be honored to assist you
in any way that I can.

- Excellent...That's just what
I wanted to hear, Andrew...

I'd like you to get started
right away, if you can--

- I can start today, Sir.

- Very good....

Of course...

your primary responsibilities
will consist of patient testing...

psychological workups...endocrine panels...

that sort of thing...

But I'd like you to dedicate
at least three hours a day...

to the illustration work...

Sound reasonable?

- Yes...Fine, Sir.

- [Benderfax] Nurse Clench
will explain in detail...

your responsibilities on the ward...

and lay out the Institute rules...

It may be my name on the sign out front...

but it's Nurse Clench, who governs the ward.

(chuckles)

- I understand, Sir.

- I have a good feeling about you, Andrew...

I'm sure you'll fit in here just fine...

Welcome to the Institute!

- Thank you, Sir!

(distant piano)

- Haircut...

Haircut!

(spine-chilling music)

(distant piano)

- Miss Snow...
(distant piano)

- Miss Snow...

This is Dr. March...our newest staff member.

- [Carmen] Nice to meet you.

- [Andrew] The pleasure's mine.
- [Carmen] Nice to meet you.

- [Andrew] The pleasure's mine.

- When you've finished here, Miss Snow...

would you please show
Dr. March the wards...

and familiarize him with the patients?

- I'd be happy to.

- If you'll excuse me, Dr. March...

I have a pressing matter to attend to...

Miss Snow should be able to answer any...

questions you might
have about the Institute.

- Thank you, Nurse...Clench.

- Haircut.

(suspenseful music)

(music fades)

- Nice to see you working
as hard as usual, Martin...

Did you have any trouble
with the new admission?

- The stroker?

No...She was no problem...

But that freakin' ambulance
driver upped his rate...

to 75 bucks this time...

Speaking of which...

it's time I was getting a little raise...

Don't you think?

- Martin...

is money the only thing
you can think about?

- [Martin] What? You think I work here
for my freakin' health?

- If it wasn't for Dr. Benderfax...

you'd still be working in the
prison hospital, wouldn't you?

- [Martin] Yeah, Lavinia...

but I know you're glad I'm here instead.

- Martin, I find you vial and disgusting

in almost every way...

but you do have a certain attraction.

(suspenseful music)

(loud pants and grunts)

(distant piano)

(patient barks like dog)

- This is quite a facility...

I understand it was once
a military hospital.

- That's true...

Dr. Benderfax acquired it
for his neurological research...

when the Army moved
its base 10 years ago.

- That's very interesting...

I've read many good things
about Dr. Benderfax...

and his work here.

- Well, he's a fascinating man.

- I agree...

I can't tell you how happy I am...

that he was impressed
with my qualifications...

Unfortunately...I don't think Nurse Clench...

is nearly as enthusiastic.

Where does that door lead?

- Oh, that leads to the sub levels...

and Dr. Benderfax's personal laboratory.

It's off limits to the regular staff.

- Mm...like you and me...

- Right...You wanna see it?

- But if it's off limits, I...

- Come on. Don't worry...

I know where all the
security cameras are.

- Sure...it's not like I wanna keep the
job more than one day or anything.

(electric guitar song)

♪ Now that we are one ♪

Who's that?

♪ Our life has just begun ♪

- That's Martin Wise...

he guards Dr. Benderfax's laboratory.

- A guard...

What for?

- Well, about a year ago...

there was a doctor here...
named Clarence Blitz.

He went completely berserk...

and tried to destroy the laboratory.

He set loose all the animals...

and he even stoles some of
Dr. Benderfax's lab notes.

- Geez...

What did he do that for?

- Well, the police said he was some kind of...

radical animal rights activist...

They said he was probably
planning the break in...

from the beginning.

It all seemed so strange, though...

I knew Clarence...

He seemed completely normal...

You'd never have known.

- Well, What happened?

I hope they caught him.

- No...They didn't...

It's been at least a year.

- Oh...

You know, it's fanatics like that...

that really get me going...

I mean, everyone is entitled
to free expression, but...

some people they...
they just go over the edge.

(laboratory machinery beeps)
(dramatic music)

- [Benderfax] Can you hear me, Mr. Froom?

Mr. Froom, if you can hear me...
blink your eyes.

Very good, Mr. Froom...

Now, I'm going to stimulate
various areas of your brain...

with small amounts
of electric current...

Just relax, and I'll take care
of everything from here...

Okay?

(laboratory machinery beeps)
(dramatic music)

(loud beeps)

Now, what was that all about?

It's okay, Mr. Froom...

I'll figure this out...

Here, let's try something else.

(laboratory machinery beeps)
(dramatic music)

(heart beat thumps)

I think that might be your
lucky number, Mr. Froom...

You're feeling your
adrenal glands kick in...

Do you like that?

Everything seems normal...

Blood pressure's up a bit...

Hm...looks like you're getting
a stiffy there, Mr. Froom...

I wonder what you're thinking about?

All right...

Let's take things up a
notch or two, why don't we?

(laboratory machinery beeps)
(dramatic music)

Just a bit more, Mr. Froom...

(laboratory machinery beeps)
(dramatic music)

(electricity crackles)
(dramatic music)

Just a bit more...

Stay with me, Mr. Froom...

(rising overload drone)

(loud pulsing overload alarm)

This is not the response
I was looking for, Mr. Froom.

(Mr. Froom groans)
(dramatic upbeat music)

(Benderfax gasps)

(Mr. Froom groans)
(Benderfax gasps)

(Benderfax gasps)
(Mr. Froom groans)

(Mr. Froom groans)
(Benderfax gasps)

(Benderfax gasps)
(Mr. Froom groans)

(Benderfax gasps)
(Mr. Froom groans)

(Mr. Froom groans)
(Benderfax gasps)

(Benderfax gasps)
(Mr. Froom groans)

(Mr. Froom groans)
(Benderfax gasps)

(Benderfax gasps)
(Mr. Froom groans)

(distant sleepy piano)

- Ah...Froom's room, I presume.

- Hm...Mr. Froom...

He used to decorate his door
to help him remember...

which room was his.

- Hm...So I take it Mr. Froom is...oh!
Checked out...

- Yeah, you could say that...
He died in his sleep last night.

- I'm sorry...

What was the cause of death?

- I think Nurse Clench said
it was a cerebral aneurism.

- Hm...Well how did they
determine that so quickly?

- Um...Dr. Benderfax examined him himself.

- Oh, really?

- Yeah...

There's a new patient
in Mr. Froom's room now...

A 70 year old woman named Wilma Beagle...

Apparently, she was homeless...

She was brought here
after suffering a minor stroke...

She's improving, but for now
she's still unable to speak...

and has no feeling in her left hand.

- Poor woman.

(dramatic upbeat music)

- Oh!

Hello?

Hm...

(distant sleepy piano)

(Andrew whistles)

- Hi Wilma.

What do you have there?

(dramatic upbeat music)

(phone rings)

- Hello.

- Hi, Carmen?

Hi, it's Andrew March, over at the Institute.

- Oh, hi Andrew...What a surprise.

- I hope you don't mind
me calling you like this...

I had your number in my office Rolodex.

- [Carmen] Oh no, not at all...

What can I do for you?

Really?

What did it say?

- I'm not quite sure...

but I'd like you take a look at it...

Could I interest you in a bite to eat?

- Oh, sounds fine...

Just give me a couple
minutes to change, okay?

- I can pick you up if you'd like...

Um...

Do you still live at 3967 Normal Street?

- So...

You know my address, too...

(Farance gasps)
You know my address, too...

(Farance gasps)

Very interesting.
(Farance gasps)

So, if you ever wanted to send me something...

- I guess I'd be prepared, wouldn't I?

How much time will you need?

- Just give me 20 minutes, okay?

(Farance gasps)
- Just give me 20 minutes, okay?

(Farance gasps)

Sounds great...

Bye Andrew.

(Farance gasps)

(grunts)

(romantic music in cafe)
♪ Now that love is won ♪

(Carmen and Andrew laugh)
♪ Life has just begun ♪

- Thanks.

- So, what about this note
you said Wilma wrote?

- Oh...

I have it right here....

I don't know...

It's probably just a bunch of scribbles.

- Hm...

In...

Innocent?

- Do you think she was trying to say...

she was an innocent victim?

- Well, she was attacked...

She's probably still very frightened.

- It just makes me sick
thinking of some creep...

beating up on that frail old woman...

I mean, what kind of world
are we living in anyway?

- Andrew, do you always get so
emotional over your patients?

- I'm sorry...

It's hard to be detached, sometimes.

- Yeah, like with Mr. Froom...

He was admitted to the Institute...

the day I started working there.

He was a sweet old man...

I guess that's why I keep
putting off taking down...

all those names from his door.

- Sounds like we're both a bit
sentimental, Carmen.

- I won't tell anybody, if you don't.

(Carmen and Andrew laugh)

(romantic music)

- [Andrew] I had a really nice time tonight.

- So did I...

By the way...thanks for the flowers.

- Flowers?

- Oh...

What am I saying? It must be getting late...

I meant, thank you for
inviting me out tonight.

- Well, it was my pleasure...

Oh and next time...

I'm bringing flowers.

- Oh, I didn't mean...

that I thought that you should--
-Oh, no, no, no, no. Of course not.

- Goodnight, Andrew.

- Goodnight, Carmen.

(distant sleepy piano)

- Hello, young man...

Joe, isn't it?

- Farance, Ma'am.

- Oh, yes...

Farance...

I hope you won't mind if I pay
you for the milk next time...

My husband forgot to leave me
the money to pay you again...

He's getting so forgetful these days.

- It's no problem...
but it's only water, Mrs. Seawinner...

Did ya sleep well last night?

- Just like a log.

- Glad to hear it...

I'll see you later.

- Thank you for the milk, Farance...

Nice man, that Farance.

- Well...

This is it.

- Have you read many endocrine panels?

- A few...You?

- Well, all the patients
get tested once a month.

- How do they feel about blood tests?

- I haven't had any complaints yet.

- Well, you probably have
excellent bedside manner.

(glasses clatter)

- Oh, Farance...Have you met him yet?

- No, I haven't.

- Farance, can you come
over here for a minute?

I'd like you to meet someone.

- Yes, I'll be right there.

- Farance...this is Dr. March.

(spine-chilling music)

- [Andrew] It's a pleasure to meet you, Farance.

- Oh, welcome to the Institute, Doctor.

- [Andrew] Thanks, it's great to be here.

- If you would excuse me...
I was just on the way to the head...

- [Andrew] Huh?

- I mean the lavatory.

- Certainly...

Is he--

- Farance was once a
promising medical student...

until he developed schizophrenia...

and began having hallucinations.

- Really?

- Yeah...His condition's greatly improved...

since he's been on medication...

He's been living in the city
on his own for over a year...

but he likes to keep
in contact with the Institute...

delivering water to the patients...

helping out in the kitchen.

- I see.

- Andrew, uh...
Could you excuse me for a minute?

- Yeah, sure.

(water splashing)
- Oh...

(ominous music)

(distant piano)

- Farance, wait a minute...

Are you okay?

- Me? Yes, I'm fine...

What is it?

- Somebody sent me flowers last night.

- Yeah, really?

- Yeah...There was a note attached...

but it didn't say who they were from...

I thought maybe you--

- Me?

No, it wasn't me...

I had to work really late last night...

It must have been somebody else.

- I hope you're not lying to me, Farance.

- No, honest...

Maybe it was that new doctor, um...

What's his name?

- [Carmen] Dr. March?

- Yes, maybe he sent 'em.

- Why would you think that?

- I don't know...It's just that...

you an him seem to be getting on so well and--

- [Carmen] Yeah, well...

Dr. March said he didn't send them either.

- Hm...

Well, I'm sorry I can't help you, Carmen, but...

I hope you do figure it out.

- Yeah, sorry to bother you, Farance.

- Oh, no bother...See you later.

- These accidents are happening
too often, Thomas...

Mr. Froom had relatives, you know?

They're going to want to know
what happened to him.

- It's all in the death certificate...

A cerebral aneurism in his sleep...

Why should they question it?

They should be thrilled
the old bugger's dead!

- I'm not asking you to stop
your experiments, Thomas...

Just allow me to select the subjects...

as I have from the beginning.

- All right, Lavinia...

but I have to have a
replacement subject by tonight...

I'm in a critical stage
with my experiments...

and I don't want any further delays.

- [Clench] Your young doctor...

is running endocrine panels today...

We should get the results
by this afternoon.

- Hi, Mrs. Seawinner...How are you?

- Fine...Joe, isn't it?

- No, Ma'am, it's Andrew.

- Oh, yes, Andrew...

You're new, aren't you?

- Yeah, I just started here.

(Mrs. Seawinner screams)

Ah!

Here's hold this on there...

(Mrs. Seawinner gasps)

Sorry, Mrs. Seawinner.

(Mrs. Seawinner sniffles)

Hello, Larry...

[Andrew] Uh...

[Andrew] Uh...Larry?

[Andrew] Hi Fred, How you doing today?

You know, I saw you making eyes
at Mrs. Smithers, in room 201...

(Andrew laughs)

All right...You're all set.

- Hm...

What about that new admission...
the Jane Doe?

- She appears to have suffered a stroke...

She's mute, and there's some
paralysis in the left arm...

I went through the old files
the military left in the basement...

and I found her a good match...

with an Army nurse named, Wilma Beagle...

who died in 1945...

I admitted our Jane Doe under that name.

- Excellent...

I'm anxious to see her adrenal output.

- You'll have to wait for the test results...

but I wouldn't get your hopes up...

She's quite catatonic.

- Hm...

That may not matter...

Get me those test results
as quickly as you can...

I'm looking forward to meeting our Wilma.

- [Andrew] Hi, Wilma...

Wilma, can you hear me?

What does this note say?

Does that say innocent?

- Maybe she can hear us...
but she's just unable to respond...

See if she'll write something.

- [Andrew] Here, Wilma...We'll take that...

Here, hold this pen...

Can you write something else for me?

[Andrew] There you go...

Thanks, Wilma.

- Maybe we can try again tomorrow.

- [Andrew] Yeah...
I guess she just needs more time.

(dramatic upbeat music)

(phone rings)

Andrew March.

- Have any plans tonight?

- [Andrew] Carmen...

I was just working on some, uh...

dog illustrations for Dr. Benderfax...

Did you have anything in mind?

- Well, no...

but there has been a lot of
activity in my ant farm, lately.

- I see...

Well, sure...

Sure, I think I could stop by
and see your...ants.

- What about your dog drawings?

- [Andrew] Oh, I think I've put in
enough time on them for one night...

Besides...

I think the little fella
I've been working on...

is just about finished.

(cheery music)

Um...

Ahh...

(spine-chilling ominous music)

(distant piano)
(phone rings)

Benderfax Institute...This is Dr. March.

- I'm looking for my wife, Katherine Grider.

- Well I don't recognize the name, sir...

but let me check the admissions records.

[Andrew] Let's see...
Graham, Gray, Griffin, Grant...

I'm sorry, I can't seem to
find her name in the records...

Perhaps she was admitted
to County Hospital.

- They don't know crap.

They told me to call
the Benderfax Institute.

- Well, maybe you could stop by tomorrow...

and talk to Nurse Clench...

If your wife is here...
then she would know for sure.

- Well how would I do that?

I can't walk worth a damn...

I can't do much of anything
without Katherine's help...

Help me out, Doc...

I'm gonna die here in this
God damned apartment...

I can't get around to even
get anything to eat...Nothing...

The damn police won't even take a report...

Nobody does crap!
The damn police won't even take a report...

Nobody does crap!

- Where do you live, Mr. Grider?

- Riviera Hotel...Room 112.

- Okay, I'll tell you what...
that's not too far from here...

Uh...I'll bring you
something to eat tonight...

and we'll see about
getting you help tomorrow.

- Bring me some cigarettes, Doc...

Delta 100's?

- Sure, all right, Mr. Grider.

(mysterious music)

- [Vincent] Who is it?

- Uh...Mr. Grider, it's Andrew March.

- [Vincent] Ah...Come in, Doc.

- Hello...

I got you something to eat.

- Ah...You bring cigarettes?

- Oh, yeah...Delta 100's, right?

- Well, Give 'em here, quick!

[Vincent] Give me a light, Doc...
Matches there on the table.

- Uh...sure.

- You don't know how long it's been
since I've had a smoke, Doc...

I thought I was gonna die...
I really did.

- Listen...

I could arrange for you to get a room
over at the Institute, until--

- I'm not goin' to no hospital...

Just find Katherine, that's all.

- Uh...

Do you...uh...have any pictures
of Katherine, I could look at?

- Pictures?

Uh...Yeah, there's a family album...

right there on the table beside you...

Here, let me have it.

There...

That's Katherine...

14 years old...

Oh, she hates that picture...

That was the year
the dog bit her in the ear...

Swolled up somethin' terrible...

Uh...That's our wedding picture...

And there we are on our
honeymoon...Niagara Falls.

- Uh..No...What I meant is...

do you have anything taken
within the last year or two?

- Oh no...The camera broke
a long time ago...

Don't even know what happened to it...

Wait a minute...Here's somethin'...

This is 1954...That's Katherine
in her bee keepin' outfit...

We had that little bee farm
up by Ramona...

She never got stung neither.

- Did Katherine have an ID card
or a drivers license or--

- No...The state took her drivers
license away a long time ago...

on account of her vision...

She can't see worth a damn.

- Look...

Maybe I can take some of these
pictures back with me, and...

I'll see what I can find out.

- Well, all right...but...

don't let anything happen to 'em...

Katherine'd kill me.

(melancholy piano music)

(laboratory machinery quietly beeps)

- No need to worry, my dear...

You're in good hands...
- No need to worry, my dear...

You're in good hands...

I'll tell you a little story, while we're
waiting for the anesthetic to work...Okay?

It's about my dog, Boxy...

It was many years ago...

but I can still remember just how he looked...

hiding in that cardboard box
in my Father's laboratory...

Boxy loved me right from the start...

and I him...

My course was clear...

I rescued him from the lab
and made him my secret pet...

For more than a month
I kept him hidden in my room...

and for that brief period...

I was truly happy...

But then my father discovered him...

Father didn't care that Boxy was
my best friend in the world...

To Father...little Boxy...

was just a lab dog...

He took him back into his laboratory...

and I never saw him again...

Silly...

but I still think about Boxy sometimes...

The most loyal friend I ever had...

You really are an excellent patient...

Do you know that my dear?

(cheerful music)

- Industrious little guys...aren't they?

- Yeah...I could watch 'em for hours...

They always know exactly what
they're supposed to be doing...

They're always working
for the same purpose...

to make their little world
a little bit better...

People could learn a lot from ants.

- Mm...I agree.

- By the way, Andrew...

thanks for the flowers...They're beautiful.

- I'm glad you like them.

I'm sorry it took me
so long to get here...I...

I went to see a man who called
the...uh...Institute about his wife.

- Oh, really?

- His name's Vincent Grider...

He says his, uh...

he says his wife is...uh...

She's been missing for a few days and so--

- Oh no.

- He's all alone in his apartment, so I just...

I brought some food
and cigarettes over...to him.

- Oh, that's so sweet of you.

- Oh, it was...it was no big deal.

- You're so modest.

(suspenseful music)

- Test subject K26...white female...late 60's...

possible stroke victim...

Image acceleration threshold was
much lower than previous subjects...

apparently due to a high adrenal output...
enhancing the electrochemical field...

This increase in field potential
seems inversely related to the...

sensor distance...

Therefore, placing the sensor
probes directly in contact...

with the adrenal cortex...

may resolve the interference problems...

(knocking)

Come in.

Oh, it's you, Andrew...

How are my illustrations coming along?

- Oh, just fine Sir.

- Glad to hear it...

Cookie?

- Thank you, Sir.

- [Benderfax] What can I do for you?

- Mm...actually...

I've gotten myself into
an awkward situation...

and I wanted your advice.

- What's the problem?

- A man called the Institute last night...
looking for his wife...

Apparently, County Hospital had
told him that she was here.

- The woman's name?

- [Andrew] Katherine Grider, Sir.

- Grider?

Not one of ours.

- Yes Sir, I know...

but Mr. Grider...

sounded pretty bad on the phone...

He said he hadn't eaten
since his wife left...

So, I went to see him.

- Oh?

- Yeah, he lives just a few blocks away...

at the Riviera Hotel...

Um...well...
at the Riviera Hotel...

Um...well...

I just by to check up on him...

and while I was there...

I told him I'd help him find his wife...

He gave me these photos of her...

I called the police about this...

but they have no report
of a woman matching her description...

I was hoping perhaps you'd
have some idea of what to do.

- These aren't recent, I take it?

- No...

Mrs. Grider is somewhere
in her mid 60's by now...

Not much to go on, are they?

- Hm...no...

I'll make a few calls...

and see what I can find out.

- Well, thank you Sir...
I would appreciate it.

- Consider it done, Andrew...

Is there anything else?

- [Andrew] Yes, actually...

I wanted to talk to you
to you about Wilma Beagle...

the new stroke patient...

She's been moved from her room...

and no one seems to know where she is.

- [Benderfax] You haven't heard?

- Heard what, Sir?

- Cerebral aneurism, I'm afraid...

late last night...

It was all very sudden.

- But...but I was working with her...

just yesterday.

- Yes, poor woman...

Sadly, these things
are quite hard to predict.

- I see.

(melancholy piano music)

(dramatic upbeat music)

(music fades)

(ominous music)

(Farance hears ghostly voices
of his medical school doctors)

- [doctor's voices]
Make the incision, Mr. Wur.

- [doctor's voices]
The incision...

- [doctor's voices]
Make the incision, Mr. Wur...

- [doctor's voices]
Cut the flesh, Mr. Wur...

-The incision...

-Make the incision, Mr. Wur...

-I assure you...he's quite dead, Mr. Wur...

-He's definitely dead, Mr. Wur...

-Quite dead...

-Quite dead, Mr. Wur...

-We are all waiting, Mr. Wur...

-Are you ready to make
the incision, Mr. Wur?

-Make the incision, Mr. Wur...

-The incision...The incision...
The incision...The incision...

(knocking)
(ominous music fades)

(bat thuds)

- Carmen.

- Hi, Farance...Mind if I come in?

- No.

- Hey, you fixed up the place
since I was last here.

- I fixed the refrigerator.

Want a beer?

- Well, it's a little bit early, but...

sure, Farance...I'll have a beer.

(ominous music)

(ominous music)

You know, you shouldn't drink
too much beer being on medication.

(ominous music)

- It's okay...

I don't over do it.

- Thanks.

This is frozen, Farance...

I think you're set it a little high.

- No, don't!

- [Carmen] Don't worry...

I'm not going to break it...

just change the setting.

(ominous music)

Farance...

You haven't been taking
your medication, have you?

You know, it's very dangerous
to go on and off these drugs...

You could start having
hallucinations again.

(pills rattling)
(ominous music fades)

- So, is this a professional visit?

- I worry about you Farance.

- I can take care of myself.

- What am I gonna do with you?

You did leave those flowers
the other night, didn't you?

You're very sweet...

but you know I can't become
involved with a patient.

- I'm not a patient anymore!

[Carmen] Oh, Farance....

- Oh, Gosh...

Look, I gotta get going...

You've just got to stop
following me around...

You're only hurting yourself.

Take care...

I'll see you at work, okay?

- Okay.

(suspenseful music)

- What's goin' on, Lavinia?

- Martin, Dr. Benderfax
is still in the lab, isn't he?

- He's been in there all afternoon...

I thought you'd be stopping' by...

for a little visit.

- You're not paid to think, Martin...

and you shouldn't be
leaving the lab unguarded.

(Andrew breathing heavily)
(distant sleepy piano)

(sneezes)

- [Martin] I'm not paid to do a lot
of the things I do around here...

Just thought you'd be interested in
what Benderfax has his fingers in today.

- I thought you said you didn't know
or care what goes on in the lab.

- [Martin] Doesn't take a
freakin' genius to figure it out.

- What are you getting at?

- [Martin] Benderfax has been cutting'
on that new stroker since yesterday...

Probably has her all over his lab by now.

- Martin!

- Might even have her...

mutilated beyond recognition.

- Martin, this isn't the time...

or the place for this discussion.

(suspenseful music)

- So, let's go someplace else.

(intense music)

(electronic beeps)

(machinery beeps)
(intense music)

(electronic beeps)
(intense music)

(life-signs monitor beeps)
(intense music)

(etherial music)

(music fades)

(machinery quietly beeps)
(distant running water)

- Wilma.

(running water)

(sighs)

(louder running water)

[Dr. Benderfax singing in shower]
♪ Now that we are one ♪

♪ Life has just begun ♪

♪ Now you've got that glow ♪

♪ That lovers only show ♪

♪ When it's the right one ♪

♪ Now that love is true ♪

♪ I'm no longer blue ♪

♪ And forever more ♪

♪ I will keep in store ♪

♪ The memory of you ♪

♪ Everything is fine ♪

♪ Water tastes like wine ♪

♪ Even when it rains ♪

♪ The sun shines on again ♪

♪ It happens every time ♪

(police station phones ring)

(Detective sighs)

- Can I offer you some coffee, Doctor?

- Uh, no...Thank you, Detective.

- These allegations about
Dr. Benderfax are very serious...

Benderfax is a well known man in this area...

Are you sure you want to pursue this?

- Those incisions could
only have been made...

while that woman was alive, Detective...

Someone has got to stop Benderfax...

It's obvious that he's gone mad!

- I'd like to believe you, Doctor...

I truly would...

You see...?

I had a run in with Benderfax once, myself.
(sad piano music)

- Oh?

- Yep...

A few years back...
I had an old dog named, Murphy...

It may sound sentimental...

but I really loved that dog...

He wasn't very intelligent...

but he had spirit...
You know what I mean?

One time, I had to go out of town
for a couple of weeks on business...

When I came back...

Murphy was gone...

Got out of the yard, somehow...

There was a letter from
the pound in the mailbox...

They picked him up...
so I went down to bail him out...

But they said it was too late!

The pound said he'd been sold...

to a laboratory for research...

The Benderfax Institute...

Benderfax refused to
sell Murphy back to me...

There was nothing I could do...

Yep...

I still think about him sometimes...

being tortured in some dark laboratory...

finishing out his life a part
of some sadistic experiment!

Oh, I've been waiting for an excuse
to check out Benderfax's lab...

for a long time.

- So, you will investigate Benderfax?

- No, Doctor...I'm afraid not.

- What?

- As much as I'd like to...
there just isn't enough evidence...

I could lose my badge for
throwing around accusations about...

Benderfax doing human experiments...

Sorry...

Thanks for coming in.

- What...what?...That's it???

- I'm afraid so...

If you get any hard evidence...

we can talk so some more.

- Like what for instance?

- Like a corpse.

(suspenseful music)

(electronic static)
(music fades)

- I seem to remember putting you in charge...

of security at this facility, Lavinia...

but apparently you and Martin...
consider screwing in the supply closet...

a little bit more important!

I could've expected this kind of behavior...

from that cretinous thug...

but never from you.

- Perhaps, if you'd screened your
new applicants more carefully...

you wouldn't be in this predicament.

- Yes, I've made some errors of judgment...

Blitz, and now, March...

I'm beginning to wonder whether
any of these new doctors...

is worth a damn!

- What are you going to do?

(suspenseful music)

- I've sent Martin to tidy up a few loose ends...

If he follows my instructions...

we may be able to resolve...

an unfortunate situation...

before it gets out of hand.

- I don't want to hear any more, Andrew...

I can't be a part of this.

- Carmen, you didn't see what I saw.

- No, I didn't...

What am I supposed to think, Andrew?

This all sounds crazy...

I cannot believe that Dr. Benderfax...

would do those things.

- Carmen, do you really think...

that I would make something like this up?

- People have tried to
infiltrate the Institute before...

How can I be sure that you--

- Please, Carmen!

I am not a fanatic!

I am not a fanatic...

I know that...

everything I'm saying...

may sound crazy...

but it's true...

it's true...

It's terrible...

but it's true.

- I want to believe you, Andrew...but I can't.

- Carmen, Dr. Benderfax is killing people...

We have got to stop him...

before he kills again.

- You'd better leave now, Andrew...

I need some time to think.

- Fine.

Think!

(suspenseful music)

(Andrew grunting)

(intense music)

(knocking)

(slow suspenseful music)

- Horrible.

- His name is Vincent Grider...

We found him like this
in his apartment this morning...

What would make a person do
something like this, Dr. Benderfax?

- Well, Detective...

My field is neurology, not psychiatry...

but I would say...no one thing...

It could be a combination of...

instability...genetic flaws...

paranoid thinking...

perhaps, latent schizophrenia...

repressed rage and hatred...

all combining with some...

drastic happening to drive a person...

over the edge!

Do you have a suspect?

- As a matter of fact, we've identified...

the fingerprints of one of
your staff at the crime scene...

a Dr. Andrew March.

- Are you suggesting that Andrew?

- Were you aware that Dr. March
filed a police report on you last night...

Dr. Benderfax?

- A report on me?

Whatever for?

- March claimed you were
using patients here for...

terminal experiments!

He wanted me to shut your operation down.

- Absurd!

- Yeah, that's pretty much what I told him...

Then, this morning we find Mr. Grider, here...

and I figured I'd better talk to ya.

- Surely, you don't suspect me?

- No, Doctor...

But I think March could
be trying to set you up.

- Set me up?

But why?

- That was my next question, Doctor.

- [Benderfax] I really wouldn't know.

I just hired Andrew a couple of days ago...

He has excellent credentials...

and he's a very fine medical illustrator.

- [Detective] Oh...

Do you have any examples
of March's illustrations?

- Why, yes...

I have some of his drawings right here...

[Benderfax] There you are, Detective.

(suspenseful music)

- March did this?

- [Benderfax] That's right.

- Tell me, Doctor...

do you have any reason to think...

March would want to move
from dogs to humans?

- I'd never have guessed it...

He seems like such a nice young man...

but you never can tell, can you?

Is he under arrest?

- [Detective] We've had an A.P.B.
out on him for a few hours...

But don't worry...

we'll find him...

Can I take this drawing with me, Doctor?

- Please take them all.

- I appreciate your cooperation, Sir.

- Anything to help the police, Detective.

(suspenseful music)

(sad piano music)
(duck quacks)

- Vincent...

Vincent!

(duck quacks)

(dramatic upbeat music)

(phone rings)

- Hello.

- Hello, Carmen...

I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time...

You haven't been answering the phone, dear.

- Dr. Benderfax...

I'm sorry...I was in the shower.

- Ah...

Nothing like a steamy shower...

as therapy for the conscience...

my father always used to say.

- Come on...Carmen...Get off the phone.
(dramatic upbeat music)

- What can I do for you, Dr. Benderfax?

- Carmen...

I need you to come into the Institute...

and meet me in my office, immediately.

- What's wrong, Sir?

- I'm afraid I can't discuss
it on the phone, Carmen...

Get here as quickly as you can...

I'll explain everything in detail...

when you arrive.

- All right, Dr. Benderfax...

I'll leave now, if it's that important.

- Thank you, Carmen...

I wouldn't ask you, if it wasn't.

- Yes, Sir.

(dramatic upbeat music)

(engine revs)

(dramatic upbeat music)

(Farance screams)

(bike crashes loudly)

(sighs)

(music fades)

- [Andrew] I'm really sorry
about that, Farance...

Are you sure you don't
want to go to the hospital?

- No...No, forget about it...

But I have something to tell you.

- What is it?

- I overheard a detective taking to...

Dr. Benderfax at the Institute today...

He seemed to think you killed
an old man named, Grider.

- Vincent Grider?

Oh, my God!

- The detective said he has
an A.P.B. out on you...

so you might not want
to be driving around.

- But I didn't do it Farance.

- That's not what the police think.

- Great...

First, Wilma is mutilated
in Benderfax's lab...

and now this!

- You were in Benderfax's lab?

- Farance...

what do you know about the lab?

- My place is not too far up here...

You can hide the car there
for awhile, if you want to.

(music fades)

- Nice closet, Farance.

- [man's voice] Dog data! No...No...

- [Andrew] What was that?

- Blitz.

- [Blitz] Dog...Dog...Dog...

- Whoa, hold on. You mean the guy
who broke into Benderfax's lab?

- Uh huh.

(Blitz mumbling)

- [Andrew] He's up there?

- [Blitz] No...No...

- Yeah...

You go on up...

I'm gonna wait down here...
if you don't mind.

- [Blitz] No...No...

(papers rustling)

- Blitz?
- [Blitz] Dog...data...

Can you hand me that notebook over there?

- Yeah...

Which one?

- 21...The one sticking out...number 21...

No...dogs...dogs...dogs...

Dog data!

This is nothing but dog data!

I've wasted a whole afternoon on this!

Did you want something, or what?

- Blitz...

- I know what Benderfax is doing in his lab...
- [Blitz] No...no...

I found one of my patients...
mutilated on his operating table!

- No...no...

- Blitz!

Blitz, I need your help...

You have evidence against Benderfax...

the notes that you took out of his lab!

(suspenseful music)

Blitz...

What'd you find out in these lab notes?

I mean...

What's Benderfax doing down there?
Who's involved? Martin? Clench?

- Nurse Clench...

She assisted Dr. Benderfax
in his research, for years...

In one experiment, Nurse Clench...

amputated the arms and legs of...

mother chimps with newborn babies...
to see how they'd cope...emotionally...

Grief studies...yeah...
They called 'em grief studies!

Nurse Clench repeated
the experiment for a year...

and it was a complete success!

Consistently, the babies died of neglect...

and the mothers became catatonic...
and died of starvation...

despite intravenous feeding...

That bitch helped take the study of grief
right into the 21st Century!

Something to be proud of...don't you think?

(suspenseful music)

- Blitz...what about human experiments?

- Human subjects are not readily available
for Benderfax's types of experiments...

That's why he took over the East Hill
Mental Hospital, 10 years ago...

and changed the name
to the Benderfax Institute...

It gave him a virtual warehouse
of societal rejects to choose from...

He had control of their records...

and nobody seems to miss 'em...

Wow! What a great setup!

(suspenseful music)

- So, he's definitely
experimenting on the patients?

- Oh...Well that's all he does...

I mean, he keeps a few
dogs and cats around...

just in case the state inspector
might want to check out the facility...

I mean, he fakes all the
animal research data...

to keep the grant money rolling in...

You can't run a lab without cash...

You can't run a lab without cash!

You got a cigarette Doctor?

(loud crash)

(tense music)

- Hey, Farance...

I want to talk to you about this...

(electric guitar song)

I thought we were friends, Farance...

Is that the way you treat a friend?

Bash 'em in the skull
with a frigging baseball bat?

I don't think so, Farance...

I think I need to square
this situation up, Farance...

It's only fair...Don't you think?

Don't you agree...
I have reasonable cause to want to...

blow your frigging head off...
You little freak?

[Martin] I know you're here, Farance.

- [Farance] Come on...

- [Martin] I can hear you pissing your pants!

- [Farance] Bastard...

(rattling door handle)

- Found you, you little shit!

(gasps)

(bat thuds to floor)

Geez, Farance!

What a pitiful little pansy!

(Blitz laughs)

- Laugh it up, fuzz-ball!

(gun shots)

Jesus Christ!

(tense music)

[Martin] Weird...

(phone rings)

- Benderfax...

- Doc...I tailed Farance, like you told me to....

Turns out that little freak's been
hiding Clarence Blitz up in his attic...

Looks like he's been living
up there for quite awhile.

- Really?

How very convenient...

I assume you've...spoken with them both?

- Yeah, Doc...
I assume you've...spoken with them both?

- Yeah, Doc...

I gave 'em both a real good talking to.

- Splendid...

And have you by any chance come
across our young Dr. March, today?

- March?

No...

Not yet...

But don't you worry, Doc...

I'll find that pencil neck.

- You just did, asshole!

(bat thuds)

(loud crash)

Benderfax!

You've gone too far this time!

- I'd like to speak to you at leisure, Doctor...

but you see, I'm presently in a
meeting with one of my nurses...

Carmen Snow...

Perhaps you've met...

You're very welcome to
drop by my lab sometime...

and we can continue this
discussion in person...

Goodbye, Doctor.

- Carmen! Carmen!

- Well, now...

Where were we, my dear?

- Farance...

(groans)

Don't move.

(groans)

- It's very kind of you, Carmen...

to want to spare my feelings...

but you must try to understand...

that Andrew March is a
loathsome, conniving man...

with no sense of morality, whatsoever...

He would do absolutely
anything to destroy me...

even becoming close to you, Carmen...

with the intention of manipulating
your opinions of me...

Andrew did try to turn you against me...

Isn't that true?

- Andrew said that he went
into your laboratory...

He said that he found the
new patient, Wilma...

mutilated on the operating table.

- I see.

- He said that she had been operated on...
while she was still alive...

that you had been experimenting on her...
(suspenseful music)

I'm sorry, Sir...

I know I should I have told you before...

I'm so sorry.

- Here you are, my dear.

- Thank you, Sir.

- That's a good girl...

Go ahead and get it all out.

- I didn't believe him, Dr. Benderfax...

I hope you believe me...

I know you would have
never done those things.

- No...Of course not, Carmen...

Of course not...

If only I had more employees...
as loyal as you, Carmen...

You're truly an asset to the Institute...

I'm very proud to have hired you.

- Thank you, Dr. Benderfax...

I'm happy that you feel that way.

- Oh...I do, Carmen....

I truly do...

(dramatic music)

(suspenseful music)

- [Benderfax] I'm truly sorry
it's come to this, my dear...

but you've been conspiring against me...

and I simply cannot be expected...

to tolerate this kind of disloyalty...

from a member of my own staff...

Oh...I've seen you whispering in the corridors...

with that deviant, Farance Wur...

and you made no secret of your...

extracurricular activities with Dr. March...

Did you think I couldn't put...

two and two together?

(dramatic music)

(machinery beeps)
(suspenseful music)

Subject K27...white female...
age 24...excellent health...

For this subject I've
placed the sensor probes...

behind the ocular orbits in an attempt...
to reduce brain activity interference...

encountered in previous operations...

There is minor bleeding...
but minimal tissue damage...

If all goes well...Carmen's pretty eyes...

will not be harmed in any way.

(dramatic music)

Larry...What are you doing?
(all yelling)

Get...Get off!
(all yelling)

Larry! Get...
(all yelling)

(all yelling)

Get off me! No!
(all yelling)

Let...go! Get off!
(all yelling)

(all yelling)

Larry!

(tense music)

(breaths heavily)

- Oh, flesh....

the bliss of it...

- Dr. Benderfax...

Where are you?

- I'm right here, Carmen.

- What's happening?

- My dear...

the time has come for us
to get to know each other...

in a more intimate way.

(dramatic music)

(machinery beeps)
(tense music)

(breaths heavily)

Oh, Carmen...

Wonderfully healthy organs...

(sighs)

(dramatic music)

(machinery beeps)
(tense music)

(ethereal music)

Can you feel it, Carmen?

The Telefaximial Field...(gasps)

It's incredible...

It's beautiful...

(ethereal music)

(machine loudly prints)

(music fades)

(laughs)

Fantastic!

Exactly as I visualized it!

- You bastard...What have you done?

- Andrew, you won't believe all that's
happened, since we last spoke.

- You lousy--

- This isn't a pair of forceps, Andrew...

so please stay where you are.

- You'll never get away with this, Benderfax!

- Oh, but I will, Andrew...

You see, I've just made the
greatest breakthrough of my career...

You see that printout?

It's my dog...Boxy!

A perfect reproduction of
my own visualized thought...

telepathically transmitted from my brain...

to Carmen's interior organs...

then relayed from her brain
to these probes...

which feeds the telepathic
data to my computer here...

which first amplifies, then
reproduces my thought picture...

into hard copy form...
and there you have it...

Boxy!

I've finally done it!

I've achieved true
telepathic Telefacsimile!

- So you have been killing your patients...

and now you've done this to Carmen...

just so you can send a psychic...

FAX of your dog?!?

- You idiot...

You're just like all the others
who criticize my work....

You suffer from
chronic short sightedness....

You attack me...
because I'm willing to do...

whatever it takes
to reach a scientific goal...

You know that I have achieved...

what you and the others like you
could never achieve...

Admit it...

You're jealous of me and my breakthrough!

- You are a sick, twisted bastard, Benderfax...

and you can bet...that this...this...

breakthrough is going to be your last! --

- Andrew...

- Carmen...

(dramatic music)

(gun shot)
(tense music)

(Andrew's blood squirts)

- Andrew...

Andrew...

- It's too bad, Andrew...

I honestly liked you...

I had even hoped we might
someday work together...

(tense music)

Sorry, Andrew...

but I'm afraid it's sacrifice time...

(Benderfax gasps)

Lavinia...why?

- I'm sorry, Thomas...

(thuds to floor)

This is all your fault, you know...

You should never have come here...

He's a brilliant scientist...
(Andrew's blood squirts)

a true visionary...
(Andrew's blood squirts)

You've no right to judge him...
(Andrew's blood squirts)

not by this...

He was never evil...

just ahead of his time...

There's a difference!

(Andrew's blood squirts)

(thuds to floor)
(Andrew's blood squirts)

(sad piano music)

For these past 10 years, I've taken
care of everything for you, Thomas...

chosen the best test subjects...

altered their records...

even dealt with their remains...
when you'd finished with them...

I did it all...

because I believed the work you
were doing here was important, and...

because I love you, Thomas...

I have from the beginning, you know...

Though, you've rarely had a kind word for me...

or my ideas...

Remember those grief studies
we did, years ago?

They were my idea, weren't they?

I even won a grant to do them...

but you didn't care...

You had to tell me...

that amputating the arms and legs
of 200 mother chimps...

was a stupid idea...

after I'd already done it!

Still...

I've remained loyal to you
all these years, Thomas...

but lately...

things have got out of hand...

and what we're doing here...

just doesn't feel right anymore...

so I'm going to make it right...

I know you can never
forgive me for this, Thomas...

but I can live with that.

(whirring drill)
(tense music)

(music and drill fade)

- Well, you folks wanted to see Benderfax.

- Has he spoken yet, Detective?

- Not a word, since the incident, a month ago.

- What's gonna happen to them now...

Benderfax and Nurse Clench?

- Don't worry, Doctor...

We got enough evidence to
keep them out of circulation...

for a very...very long time...

Not that Benderfax is
gonna be much of a threat...

after what Nurse Clench did to him.

- Did she say why she did it, Detective?

- Uh...Something about a chimp experiment...

I couldn't make much sense of it...

Oh, Doctor...

did I tell ya the good news?

- What? What news?

- You're aware that Benderfax
faked the animal experiments...

hadn't done any for years, right?

Well, after we picked up Benderfax...

I checked the Institutes kennels...

and there he was...

Murphy!

- Who?

- Murphy, my dog.

- Oh, oh yeah, yeah, yeah...Murphy.

- Boy, was he glad to see me...

Of course, he was understandably distraught...

but...uh...no worse for wear...

Here, look...I have a Polaroid of him.

- I'm glad that you got
your dog back, Detective...

- I just wish I could have
stopped Benderfax...

before he got to Katherine
and Vincent Grider...and...

all the other victims...

I feel like we were
helping him the whole time!

- Andrew, don't talk like that...

There's nothing we could have done...

At least it's over, now.

- Yeah, I guess it is...

for Benderfax, anyway!

(blood-chilling music)

- [Benderfax] Morons!

(dramatic music)
(laboratory machinery beeps)