Pickman's Muse

As your doctor, I'm having you continue this with the pharmacist.

But as your friend, I'm asking you to meet me halfway.

The first step towards any real progress is communication, Robert.

And that's a two-way street... I need your help.

You're not just a patient.

I made a promise to your mother; one I intend fully to keep.

Anytime, day or night, you need to talk, you call me. I'll be there for you.

Three-thirty, back from the druggist; I can set my watch by you.

And pays his rent on time, just like clockwork.

I wish all my tenants could be like you.

You're a good, reliable man. That's hard to find these days.

All those pills you take. That's not what you need.

The druggist doesn't have your cure.

What you need is a good woman.

I want you to meet my niece.

She's coming here from New York.

She'd be good for you. She's pretty.

She doesn't have any friends either. And she's a good cook.

She'd make you a good healthy dinner...

- Okay? - Alright...

Twelve noon, right on the dot. Are you ever late, Mr. Pickman?

I have good news for you.

I got you another commission, a bed and breakfast out in the country.

This old lady is redoing her guestrooms...

...and wants several paintings to match her new wallpaper.

I got her to commit to six. Six!

That will pay both of our rents for the rest of the year.

But I can't take any credit; it's never been hard to sell a Pickman.

You have quite a knack for painting those Lighthouses and Seascapes.

These old ladies love you.

Here are the swatches for the wallpaper, so you can match the colors.

What's this? This isn't the painting we discussed.

I know this painting.

This was the one rejected by that decorator -- and rightly so.

This isn't your normal work. Look at these brush strokes...

...very amateurish, and there's no soul, no emotions...

My God, Pickman; that was over a month ago.

Do you mean to tell me you haven't painted anything new since then?

This is our livelihood, Pickman.

This puts us way behind.

Ashcroft is expecting four paintings, and he's not a patient man.

What am I supposed to tell him?

Fine! Tell him I can't do it anymore.

Robert.

Alright, Robert, I'm sorry. Maybe I've been overworking you a bit.

It's just that the money has been so good.

Alright, take some time away. I'll stall Ashcroft for a week or two...

Travel; go on vacation; see some new sights.

What's the point? It all looks the samemno?

God...

Robert? It's Ambrose Dexter.

What do you want?

I'm so sorry. Your doctor thought you might be needing help.

Robert, You missed two appointments. I was concerned. I was worried.

I've been working.

I'm very sorry, Mr. Pickman. We'll be leaving you now.

Working...? Robert, you're painting again?

That's wonderful! What brought you around?

Doc, I just don't have time to get into it right now;

I have to get back to work.

Yes, of course. Sorry to have disturbed you.

Well, Robert, you know I'm the last man in the world...

...that would ever want to stop you from getting back to work...

But, when you have the time, come on in and make an appointment...

You know there's always room for you in my schedule.

Yes. I will.

Well, I'll be. What are you doing here today, Mr. Pickman?

This isn't your usual appointment.

I need money for more paint and canvases and supplies and stuff.

Look. Can you sell this?

Interesting. Where did you get this, Mr. Pickman?

What do you mean? It's mine.

Yours?

Yeah. I painted it.

- You're joking with me. - No.

This isn't anything like your work.

I'd swear this was the work of Goodie Hines.

No. It's my work.

I've seen my share of recreations of Goodie's work...

...but this, by far, is the best I've ever seen.

No, no, no. This is not a recreation.

This is an example of my new stuff, my new work.

I don't even know who Goodie Hines is...

Don't you ever read the papers?

"The Vicious Visionary", "The Painter of Pain".

The media had a field day with him.

You really should keep up with the news.

He killed and mutilated seven people.

He cut their eyes out while they were still living.

He said they begged him to do it.

I'm sure they did... I still don't know who he is.

You should. He's up at County Hospital with your Dr. Dexter.

Ambrose Dexter is your doctor, right?

Yeah.

- He never mentioned Goodie? - No! I don't even know why he would.

Your Doctor kept Goodie from getting the Chair.

Sometimes I think you live in a bubble. You know that, Robert?

Maybe I do. I just came by for supplies...

Ever since all that horrible business...

I've got people coming in here...

...all the time trying to pass off imitations of Goodie's work...

...especially of the church.

This is the best example I've seen.

And you've never seen one of Goodie's paintings?

I just don't know how many times I can tell you -- No.

That's simply amazing. Well, I want to show you something.

Show me what?

One of Goodie's works, of course. I've got one of the last ones.

Managed to get one before they locked them all up as evidence.

And I'm going to retire on that sale when the time's right.

I don't have time right now. I just need the supplies...

I'll take care of your supplies. But come on, I want to show you this.

I'm embarrassed to say it, but those murders were a real boon for sales.

You know what they say:

Nothing improves the price of an artist's work more than death, or insanity.

I had a feeling something was not right with Goodie...

...when he starting signing his paintings differently.

Strange little thing, really;

He began connecting the two O's in Goodie like the sign for infinity.

Yep. Amazing piece of work, isn't it?

Say what you want about the material,

But no one has a right to deprive the art community of such work.

I've never seen anything like this.

This is one of his last pieces. His most radical change in style.

Don't stare at it too long; it'll give you one hell of a headache.

Something he does with the angles, the way they are all wrong like that.

You'll get a pain in your head...

...a handful of aspirins won't get rid of -- trust me.

Hideous and beautiful all at the same time -- isn't it?

I'd give anything to paint like this.

He had such an incredible imagination.

No matter how horrible the image,

You feel as if you know it, or should know it.

Like a forgotten nightmare...

Look at the faces of the victims.

The anguish is so real,

And every inch of that strange landscape holds a weight to it, a truth.

As if it were drawn from a photograph...

...and not pulled from his imagination.

As if he were there.

He would go on and on about another world...

...that he said he was able to look upon through a secret window.

He was painting like an out of control fire.

At times I almost though the was afraid of...

...what would happen if he should stop...

But nothing kept him from getting his worlds onto canvas.

Even when he ran out of supplies, he found a way...

When he ran out of canvases,

He simply painted over what was his first obsession...

It's the church... The church on Federal Hill.

It's almost like a watermark for any of Goodie's final work.

Dr. Dexter, I'm glad to see you. I've been paging you.

Is Doctor Meyer alright?

Yes.

Was he with Goodie Hines?

He's still down there.

I was in the other wing. The orderly told me... Are you all right?

Yes. I'll be fine.

It's just a scratch; it'll heal.

I'm not so sure about my pride.

What happened?

I wasn't paying attention.

I was concentrating on my notes, and I let Goodie get too close...

He managed to get my fountain pen from me.

Richard!

I know, I know. I feel so foolish.

That's all I need today, Goodie Hines with a pen.

You know how hard it's going to be to get that pen from him?

We might as well be trying to unscrew all his limbs.

I'm sorry. I feel like a first year resident.

No, the important thing is you're all right.

I want you to get down to the infirmary...

...and have that hand cleaned thoroughly.

We'll take care of this...

Get nurse Julie. She's good with sedatives. Lithium.

She's already on the way.

Are you sure?

It'll be fine. Go to the infirmary.

And don't think about keeping that pen...

It was a gift from my father when I got my degree.

I'll get the pen. I might ask for the degree back.

Ouch, that hurt doctor.

It was meant to...

Goodie, we can't let you keep that pen.

We need him sedated and restrained.

Don't take it away from me! Don't take it away!

I can draw you the truth!

I can draw you all the forgotten gods...

...and forgotten places that man refuses to see...

Let me draw it for you! Let me draw it for you! Let me draw it for you...!

Robert...

Robert...

Come to us, Robert.

Come to us...

Robert...

Robert...

Robert...

Come to us...

"SEE"

Sea...