Psychic Killer (1975) Movie Script
Why should any phenomenon
be assumed impossible?
The universe begins
to look more and more
like a great thought,
than a great machine.
Yeah! Yeah!
Go on! Go on!
I need my mother.
Help me, warden.
He's not my mother!
Attention all personnel,
we have a patient attempting...
Not my mother.
No.
Dr. Scott, Dr. Scott.
Please report to the fifth floor.
He tried to bust out again.
Is he hurt?
No, he's okay.
Arnold.
Arnold, this is nothing
but a strong sedative.
No!
No.
It's okay.
I gotta get outta here!
Get the hell off!
No!
No!
No, no!
Oh no.
Oh no.
No!
He'll be out soon.
I don't get it.
Just when he seems to be
getting so much better.
Why does he do that?
I wish I knew.
I guess, tomorrow we'll have him
in intensive
behavioral management,
where we bust in the guy
trying to break outta here.
I don't know.
Maybe I brought him
along too quickly.
I don't mean to...
It's too bad that we
gotta put him in there.
Those others.
Oh, yeah.
Too bad.
You know, I talked
to all the doctors
and I tried to stop this,
but I figure that, if
everything goes well,
you should be back
in my unit very soon.
Arnold,
I know that you can be helped.
I'm going to keep trying.
I didn't kill anyone.
And if I didn't kill
anyone, then I'm not insane.
And I'm not going to confess
to something I didn't do.
Arnold.
If you need anything,
you get word to me.
I'm sorry about what
happened the other night.
And I know that you'd
help me if you could,
but you can't.
Doesn't look crazy to me.
I don't like him!
I don't like him in here!
I don't wanna die in here.
I'm a lawyer.
I can get you out of here.
My lawyer got me
fifteen to twenty.
I'm gonna kill the guy.
I'm waiting for a train.
Save a seat for me.
I watch from here every day.
One is due, soon.
That's a nice thing about trains,
they're always going somewhere.
I killed my own daughter.
She had become a whore.
They say, maybe I'm crazy,
but they do not understand
an act of honor.
I didn't kill anyone.
My mother was sick
for a long time.
I stayed with her and
I took care of her.
This doctor was treating her.
Determined that she had a tumor.
The operation was expensive.
I couldn't afford to pay him.
We had no insurance.
Oh, there was a house.
An old house.
But my mother wouldn't
sell that, no matter what.
The doctor refused to operate.
I argued with him.
I lost my head.
People in the office
saw me cursing him.
I ran away.
But I came back.
I was going to beg
him to reconsider.
He was on the floor,
dead.
I guess,
when I reached for the scalpel,
I got some of his blood on me.
I ran to the police and
I told them everything.
Because they needed a fall guy,
because they took everything
I said and they twisted it.
They charged me with murder.
My lawyer sold me out.
Trial was a joke.
What the hell is the difference?
I believe you.
They said they'd have a
nurse look after my mother.
But they didn't
and she died.
For days that nurse
had not been to see her
in all that time.
They didn't tell me about it
until six months
after it happened.
Didn't tell me about it
because they were afraid the shock
would be too much for me.
Your train is late.
Maybe I can help you.
How?
The day before I die
I shall kill the pimp that
made my daughter into a whore.
The day after I die,
I shall help you find
justice for yourself.
Emilio.
Emilio.
Emilio.
Where have you been?
I went to look for a priest.
I found my man last night.
I carved my name in his chest
and slit his throat.
What did the priest say?
He denied me my last rights.
No.
State attorney
called this morning.
They opened a letter
Emilio had left.
He wanted you to have his stuff.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Yeah.
Well, Emilio doesn't have
any next of kin, you know.
No, I didn't know that.
Yeah.
It's funny,
I got a letter for
him just this morning.
No return address.
No note.
Just a newspaper clipping.
Hey, wait a minute.
Walter Johnson Black
was found dead in his downtown
apartment this afternoon.
Investigators say that
the gruesome murder has
all the earmarks of
a ritual killing.
The victim's throat was cut
and his chest severely slashed.
Johnson had a long police
record going back...
Hey.
Nothing.
Pardon me, pardon me.
Okay.
How do you like that?
Somebody sending
something like that
to somebody in a place like this.
Terrible.
You okay, Arnold?
Yeah, I'm all right.
Just a little headache.
Want something?
No, I'll be all right.
I'll be all right.
Okay, try to get a little sleep.
Yeah, yeah.
Man down!
Subject, Arnold Masters.
Male Caucasian.
Age 33.
74 and a quarter inches.
179 pounds.
Time of dead,
approximately 12:52 AM.
Cause of dead, to be determined.
Preliminary examination
prognosis, shock.
Now, let's take a
look at his heart.
I'm about to make an incision
above the fourth rib,
diagonally toward
the lower abdomen.
We will bear the
area of the heart.
That's the God damnedest
thing I've ever heard.
You perform an autopsy on a
patient that was still alive?
Dr. Commanger, the
man was medically dead
when he was brought to...
If the papers get hold of this
we're gonna look like a
bunch of Frankensteins.
Dr. Commanger,
may I point out...
Oh, George, just shut up.
You haven't killed anybody yet.
Get out of my office and
try to keep your mouth shut.
Now what about the patient?
What kind of shape is he in?
As near as I can tell,
he was in a deep state of shock
over the death of another patient,
which might explain...
Never mind that.
What kind of shape is he in today?
Right now?
He seems controlled,
rational.
No outward stress.
Okay.
Send Mr. Masters in here.
Yes, doctor.
Patients jumping over walls.
Autopsies performed on patients
while they're still alive.
You have any idea
what would've happened
if we killed Masters
before that paper came out?
I'm sure Mr. Masters would've
been justifiably upset.
Well, Mr. Masters.
And how are we feeling today?
You certainly gave
us quite a scare.
Have a chair.
Actually, I sent for
you to come up here
because I have some
very good news for you.
The official word
just came through.
A man came forward last night
and confessed to the crime
for which you are committed
to this institution.
You're hereby released
from this institution
as all charges against
you have been dismissed.
I really don't know
how a thing like this
ever could have happened,
but after all, it's
not the first time
an innocent man has
been unjustly accused.
We certainly hope
that you'll take this
in the proper spirit
and go on and live a
successful and happy life.
Please, don't hesitate
to ask us to do anything
in our power to help
you in your efforts
at rehabilitation from something
that must have been a
terrible ordeal for you.
Dearest Mom,
I really don't
and have been for some reasons
couldn't, now I find myself.
I'm feeling.
Please write.
I will always love you.
Arnold.
Come on, darling.
Nobody's gonna bite you.
Except me.
Why don't you start the fire,
while I get us something to drink.
Okay.
How're you doing, darling?
I'm fine.
Paul.
Yes?
Do you come here often?
If you're asking,
do I bring women here often?
The answer is, no.
No, I wasn't asking that.
Why, of course you were
and I expect you to.
That's why I'm such a good doctor
and you're such a good patient.
It's because we
understand each other.
Here, try some of this.
Nature's tranquilizer.
Let me give you a little
free psychiatric advice.
You're cheating on your husband.
For the first time.
It's only natural that you
feel a little tense
in the beginning.
Paul.
Please, I'm not through.
You see, my dear,
here you are, with your analyst,
to whom you've
transferred all your
incestuous feelings you
suppressed for your late father.
Stand up.
Beautiful.
Someone as sensual
and beautiful as you
shouldn't be wasted.
Oh, father, I love you.
I love you more than anyone.
I love you more than anyone.
Did you hear that?
No, nothing.
I love you more than anyone.
What is it?
Be quiet.
I love you, my darling.
Hear what?
Beautiful.
Paul.
Come on, darling.
No one's gonna bite you.
Except me.
What is it, Paul?
I love you, my darling.
What's the matter with you?
Do you think you can
make a fool out of me?
Who is that out there?
Paul, what is it?
You don't hear
anything, I suppose.
No, nothing.
Paul, are you all right?
All right, who is it?
Who's out there?
Here I am, darling.
Follow me.
Here I am.
Over here.
No one's gonna bite
you, except me.
All right, who is it?
Who's out there?
No one's
gonna bite you, my darling.
Come on, darling, don't be afraid.
Come on, darling, don't be afraid.
Arnold Masters,
although abnormally
attached to his mother,
and by nature, a recluse,
an antisocial behavior,
is emotionally a
person who would...
You did not see anyone,
is that right, Mrs. Turner?
Would you answer the
question, please?
No.
And where were you at this time?
I was on the floor.
What were you doing on the floor?
He was kissing me.
Is that when
he began to act strangely?
What do you mean, strangely?
Look forward, please.
He was lying on floor
with a naked woman.
You were naked, weren't you?
Would you answer the
question, please?
Yes.
Yes, what?
Yes, I was naked.
So, you didn't hear anything?
No.
How can you explain that?
I can't.
You don't believe me.
I'd like to believe
you, Mrs. Turner,
but a man is dead
and you were the
last one to see him.
Well, I didn't do anything.
Somebody sure as hell did
and you were obviously on
intimate terms with Dr. Taylor.
Can I go?
Where was your
husband during all this?
I've told you everything.
I wanna go home.
Would you take
Mrs. Turner home?
Well, I don't get it.
He fired that shot
gun at somebody.
There's no trace of blood
or no footprints other than his.
And I know damn well
she didn't do it
because she's not big
enough to break his neck
the way we found him.
You sure about her old man?
I checked him out.
He's been in Chicago
that passed six months
on a business deal.
He spent a lot of
time away from home.
Now, Mr. Shaffer,
are you having those
bad thoughts again?
It's just that these
uniforms always shrink.
You don't know how
uncomfortable they are.
Now, Mr. Shaffer,
don't get any ideas.
It's just that this
uniform is strangling me.
You're lucky to have
me, Mr. Shaffer.
To massage your legs.
To clean up the mess
you make in your bed.
I'm on my feet all day
and I don't have anyone
to take care of me.
I have to do it all by myself.
Most men don't know how to
massage woman, you know?
I bet you do, though.
I bet you were the most
gentle man in the world.
And I can usually tell.
Well, let's see now,
you're not due for another
enema till 9 o'clock,
so I think I'll relax
and take a shower.
I'll be back in a few minutes.
Why don't you take a little nap?
Dave.
Yeah, just a second.
Shower door's jammed
and so are the faucet handles.
When was the last time
you heard of anybody
scalding to death in the shower?
It's a new one, all right.
Two freak deaths in
less than 12 hours.
Yeah, busy day.
Listen, I talked to the manager
and I check out the water heater.
Everything's working all right.
The coroner said she
had first degree burns.
That water had to be scalding.
Oh no, not out of
that water heater.
I guarantee it.
Then I don't get it.
I just don't get it.
Look at it the other way,
nobody else could've
done it to her.
It's impossible.
Yeah, it looked like
an accident all right.
It looks like.
Both doors locked from the inside.
The manager had to
break the front door in
when the water was running out
into the hall this morning.
The old man she's taking care
of is a terminal cancer case,
strapped to his bed.
He sure as hell couldn't
have done anything.
What about him?
Did he see or hear anything?
No, no.
This morning, when they
found him, he was in a comma.
He only had a few
days to live anyway.
Well, I don't know how
she got burned so bad,
but it had to be an accident.
What else could it be?
Marv, go back to that cabin
where Dr. Taylor was killed
and walk through it again.
I've been all over that area.
Maybe we overlooked
something, somewhere.
I was very careful.
Look, if you got
some sleep at night
instead of jumping in
and out of different beds
you'd have some energy
for police work.
Car 23, car 23.
Moving out the highway,
up toward the Big Rock.
Car 23, received.
Marv, what's happening?
We had a date for lunch today.
Yeah, well, the old
man's got a hair, baby.
He wants me to check
out the accident
at the cabin ground yesterday.
He seeks foul play.
Christ, he sees foul
play in everything.
Blow the whole damn day,
running around out
there in the woods.
You're a bastard.
You probably have some other woman
stashed out there, somewhere.
Oh, I wish I did.
Check you later.
Sowash, move your ass.
I want a report back
here by this evening.
Talk to anyone that
might have seen them.
And stop using police equipment
to straighten out your sex life!
Right, chief.
Son of a bitch is everywhere.
You stupid son of a bitch.
You'll be sorry when you catch me.
Maybe I better slow down
and show that guy
where to get off.
Help! Help! Help! Help!
Help me! Help!
Help!
I can't control it.
Pull over.
I said, help!
I can't slow down.
Oh, God help.
God, help me!
Oh no!
God!
And you did have your siren going?
Yes sir, but he just
kept on going faster.
Now, you say here
that when you pulled up
along side of him to flag him,
he was behaving strangely.
Yes sir.
What does that mean?
Behaving strangely?
Well sir,
I don't know how to
describe it exactly.
Well, you sure as
hell better find a way
to describe it exactly
because that man, who
was acting strangely,
was not only a policeman,
but he was a friend of mine
and now he's dead.
And I'm God damn well sure
that I'm gonna find
out how it happened.
Do you understand me, sergeant?
Yes, sir.
I am sorry, sir.
I'm sorry too.
I shouldn't take this out on you.
All right.
Go ahead, continue with it.
Well, sir,
when I finally got
up along side of him,
he turned to me
and he was yelling.
Now, I couldn't hear
what he was saying,
but, well sir, it looked to me
like he was yelling for help.
Is that when he side-swiped you?
Yes sir.
It all happened pretty fast.
But sir, to me, it
didn't look like,
well it didn't look
like his hands were on
the wheel of the car.
Now, I could be wrong, I know.
Nah, you could also be right.
Okay, sergeant.
That's enough.
Yes, sir.
We've been all over the car.
As we can tell, there's no sign
of any mechanical failure.
Well, we set the funeral
for next Wednesday.
What's that?
His personnel file?
Oh yeah, yeah.
What're you looking for?
A connection.
Between those three?
That's right.
You think this is
some kind of conspiracy?
Dave, I don't know.
I'm just looking.
Listen, your upset.
So am I.
Dave, I got three
dead bodies on my hands
and not one God damn reason.
I gotta find one.
You want some coffee?
Yeah, thanks.
Wait a minute.
I never realized that Sowash
was the arresting officer
in the Masters case.
You weren't around for that one.
You were in the FBI.
In the big city.
But he never mentioned
that case to me.
Now, Masters just got
released yesterday morning.
Well, he wasn't too
proud of the case.
But anybody could have
made the same mistake,
even you or me.
Dr. Taylor,
he was a court appointed psychiatrist
on the very same case.
Is that the connection
you're looking for?
Go check out Martha
Burnson's nursing registry.
See if she had any
connection with this Masters.
What if she did?
How could Masters have anything
to do with any of this?
I don't know, Dave,
but I'm sure as
hell gonna find out.
Excuse me.
Who are you?
I didn't mean to startle you.
Are you Arnold Masters?
I am and this is my home.
And who, may I ask, are you?
I'm a police officer.
It. Morgan.
Good.
For a moment, I thought you
might have been a prowler.
What do you want?
I'd like to talk to you.
Come in, please.
Sorry about the
condition of the house.
Got a little run down
while I was away.
Oh, may I offer you a drink?
Thanks.
I have milk, pomegranate
juice and lemonade.
Milk.
There you are.
Thanks.
You're welcome.
I realize you been away.
Just got back yesterday.
I was wondering, have you
had time to read any newspapers?
Yes, yes I have.
You, by chance, read
about the Taylor killing.
Yes, I did read about that.
Terrible, wasn't it?
What about Martha Burnson's death?
Oh, the woman who
died in the shower.
Yes.
Your mother's nurse.
And Dr. Taylor, he
testified at your trial.
Just what are you getting at?
Your arresting officer.
He was killed this morning.
Yes, I heard that on the radio.
I see what you're getting at.
All those people were
somehow connected with me,
weren't they?
That's quite a
coincidence, isn't it?
Lieutenant, I understand
it's your responsibility to
investigate every detail,
no matter how remote.
But I understand that these
were accidental deaths.
Looks that way.
Because there is no other
logical explanation, is there?
No.
Not yet.
Are you implying that I
had anything to do with this?
You said that.
Not me.
Because the police
wouldn't want to unjustly
accuse me of a crime.
Again.
Oh, you mean, like
Sgt. Sowash did?
Exactly.
Perhaps the good sergeant
died of a guilty conscious.
He should have known better
than to drive that fast.
Well Arnold, thanks for the milk.
Anytime.
I'll be seeing you.
Oh, and incidentally,
the news reports stated
that the sergeant
was killed in a car crash,
but it didn't say
anything about speeding.
I'm a great believer in justice.
Perhaps justice found
its way to these three.
I wonder.
I wonder if justice will
find its way to any others.
Well, we'll just have to
wait and find out, won't we?
Dave, make up a list
of judge, jury,
prosecutor, witnesses.
Everybody connected to
the Arnold Masters trial.
You on to something?
No, just make up
the list, will you?
Morgan.
Yeah, I want Masters on
a 24 hour surveillance.
No, I'll get an order
for a phone tap,
but I also want a
mobile unit standing by.
I don't want this guy out
of our sight for one minute.
Right.
I'm very impressed, lieutenant.
With what?
With the way you're
going after Arnold Masters,
full speed ahead.
We're not going after
Masters, Miss Scott.
Doctor Scott.
Doctor.
We're not going after him.
We're simply watching him.
You don't think the
way you're doing it
comes under the
category of harassment?
I told you that when I
spoke to him last night
he all but said that he had
something to do with this
and that he wasn't finished.
Forgive me, lieutenant,
but your interpretation
of Arnold's remarks
may reflect more what
you would like to believe
than what Arnold actually meant.
Doctor, I didn't bring
you down here to analyze me.
Yeah?
We'll be right there.
Masters just left his house.
We're tailing Masters.
Would you like to come along?
I had other plans for the weekend,
but since I'm here, I'd
be fascinated to see
how small town law
and order operates.
Just what did you bring me
down here for, lieutenant?
First, you can tell me.
When he was your patient,
did he ever threaten revenge?
No.
He maintained he was
innocent, which he was,
but I never heard any threats.
Okay, then I'd like
you to talk to him.
See if you notice any changes.
Anything out of his
normal behavior pattern.
Hold it a second.
Well, what'd he say?
Nothing.
He bought three lamb
chops for his cat,
commented on how high the
price of meat was going.
Said thank you very much and left.
Highly significant.
What do you mean?
That he noticed the
price of meat has gone up.
Very funny.
Let's follow him back
to the stake out house.
It. Morgan, I am very tired.
I drove over 300 hundred
miles since early this morning
and I was looking forward to
a little rest this weekend.
What do you see?
A man feeding a pussy cat.
This morning, he sat in
that chair for three hours
and didn't make a move.
Maybe he was tired.
What's a matter?
I think he...
Well, I'm not sure, but
I think he's asleep.
Well, let's wake him up
so you can talk to him.
Anything to help you with
your obsession, lieutenant.
If you knew what my
real obsession was,
you might not be so obliging.
With my luck,
it'll be necrophilia.
He's not answering.
Frank.
Check the tap on his phone.
It's ringing.
And he's not moving.
What do you want me to do?
Let it ring.
Wrap it up, Ed, we got him cold.
Land deal doesn't have to
be ratified by the state.
It implies sections 26, 54 A.
Article 43 of the
tax code structure.
That's never been changed
and challenged only once.
Dover versus Martindale
and Dover lost.
Meaning, what's good
for him is good for us.
That should make your client happy
and a few sheckles
to cut up between us?
Oh hey, by the way,
it wouldn't do any
harm if we can get
the contractors to cut
us in for twelve percent
of all future
dealings in that area?
He should go for that too, huh?
Bye.
Christ, I gotta call my
broker this afternoon.
Sanders here.
Get me CF.
CF, Sanders speaking.
I'll be there, at the doubles
match, in fifteen minutes.
We should be able
to beat these guys.
I know, but not too badly.
I wanna lock up the
equity funding proxy sales
at the same time.
Bye.
Stopping off at my building
to check things out.
If I'm not there every minute,
they screw everything up.
Shirley, make a note,
tell the God damn contractor
that I ordered early
Roman lettering.
What did I get?
Beverly Hills Imperial.
And he'll say I changed my mind,
but if he'll reread
the specifications,
he'll find out that I can
really stick it to him.
What he doesn't
know from contracts,
he doesn't know from buildings.
Read this back to me on Monday.
Shirley, tell Max to
86 the beige carpeting
and swing over into royal blue,
which should go nicely with the
prints of the keen paintings
that the kid at UCLA
is hustling up for me.
Shirley, make a note to call Phil
and see if I can make
an under the table deal
with Sam for those Louis
the 14th telephones
out of the Rothenberg foreclosure.
Shirley, I got it.
I got it.
Call the plumber first
thing in the morning.
The reception will have an
imitation Trevi Fountain
cascading behind two of the
most beautiful receptionists
you've ever seen.
Next to you, huh?
I love it all
Every stick, every brick
All of it mine
He's waking up.
Hello.
Hello, Arnold?
Who is this?
Dr. Scott.
Oh, hello.
I'm in town, just for the day.
I wondered if I could
come by and see you.
Oh, certainly, certainly.
Do you have my address?
Yes.
15 minutes all right?
Yes, yes, yes.
Sure.
Bye.
What's a matter?
I feel a little like
a police informer.
Look at it this way,
if he's done nothing wrong,
then you'd be helping him.
I suppose so.
Oh, keep him by the windows
so we can see both of you.
If there's a problem,
we'll be there fast.
That's hardly necessary.
He isn't dangerous.
Keep him by the window anyway.
Hello Arnold.
Hello.
Oh, won't you come in, please.
Sure.
Would you like to sit down?
Thanks.
Oh, may I get you something?
Oh, no thank you.
I just wanted to see how
you were getting along.
Oh, fine, fine.
I'm adjusting.
Trying to get a job, you know.
About the nightmares?
Oh, they're all gone.
Good.
Could I see that, please?
No.
That was Emilio's, wasn't it?
It's mine now.
What does that mean to you?
Why do you wear it?
I like it.
Why do you like it?
I think I'll make some tea.
I make very good tea.
I don't want any.
Thank you.
I want you to be open with me.
The way you used to be.
Arnold, are you in
some kind of trouble?
Masters!
Lieutenant.
Dr. Scott.
What is it?
You better come with me.
Are you working with the police?
Of course not.
I came here to see you.
I assume this is a real
emergency, lieutenant.
It is.
Look, Arnold, I came
here to see you because...
You don't owe me any explanation.
You better go with the lieutenant.
He has a real emergency.
Don't you, lieutenant?
That's right.
That son of a bitch knows.
What're you talking about?
You see the smile he just gave me?
Well, he knows.
Knows what?
A crane, unattended,
mysteriously drops
a cornerstone on
Harvey B. Sanders.
If that crane was locked
up and nobody was there,
how could it have killed him?
That's what's driving me crazy.
If you'd pardon the expression.
I know what you mean.
Getting interested, doc?
Yep, I guess I am.
And it's Laura, lieutenant.
Then it's Jeff, doc.
Dinner?
Where?
My place?
Sure.
You're not a bad cook for a cop.
Purely self defense.
And self taught.
Your wife didn't educate you?
I didn't say anything
about being married.
Well, you didn't have to.
I looked around your bedroom
and I saw her picture.
With a little boy.
Doc, that's an
invasion of privacy.
Probably.
Where are they now?
Phoenix.
She remarried.
She always wanted to be in
the same place, you know?
Have everything organized.
I went away to become an FBI man.
I thought it would be exciting.
It wasn't.
So, when I had enough of that
I came back here to be with her.
Just a little too late.
She already found somebody else.
Doc, I'm beginning to
sound like a patient.
I was just curious about you.
Yep, and I was
doing all the talking.
Well, now it's my turn
to be curious about you.
Oh, I come from a
small town in Arkansas.
You probably never
even heard of it.
Blytheville.
Blytheville?
The only trouble was that
everybody always watched
everybody else there.
Nobody every did anything
very interesting.
Well, what brings you out here?
I mean, to that hospital.
I did my residency there.
Well, I wanted a private
practice for awhile,
but I suppose what really
interests me the most
is helping people who are
on the outer fringes.
So I went back to the hospital.
Everybody's always got
his eye on you there too.
Well,
I'm sure tomorrow is
gonna be a very long day.
So rather than waste a whole
lot of time fencing around,
why don't we just go to bed?
I'll meet you there.
As soon as you're finished.
I'm finished.
I didn't come here to hurt you.
I wanted to see you.
Why?
You were my only friend.
Come out here, so I can see you.
I can see you and that's enough.
Should I be afraid of you?
Not you.
Did you kill those people?
All the time I
was in the hospital,
I thought about you.
About how beautiful you are.
I've been watching
you all evening.
How could you do that?
I watched you make love to him.
I wish it had been me.
Laura?
Laura?
What's the matter?
I wanna go to where you're
watching Arnold's house.
And I wanna go right now.
He hasn't moved out
of that chair all night.
Was he asleep earlier?
Yeah.
Up until about 15 minutes ago.
Uh huh, uh huh.
What the hell is this all about?
Look, I'm telling
you that I saw him.
I saw him as clearly
as I see you right now.
That's impossible.
I am a trained psychiatrist.
I've spent four years
of medical school,
four years in internships...
I don't care.
I have worked at the
same mental hospital
for the last seven
years of my life.
I've been psychoanalyzed
by the best doctors
in the whole world.
I am not insane.
I was not sleepwalking
and I know a hallucination
when I see one
and I am telling you
that I saw Arnold Masters
in your apartment.
Where you going?
I am going to see an old
professor friend of mine.
He's at Redlands University.
If I leave here right now, I
can be there by nine o'clock.
If I drive you there,
we can be there by 8:30.
All right.
Now, what you're seeing
is energy.
Energy.
Every object has an energy force,
an aura around it.
Now, this was suspected
for many centuries.
As a matter of fact, many
artist claim to have seen
this aura and painted it as
a halo around their figures.
But it wasn't until 1939,
when the Russian couple
Semyon and Valentina Kirlian
succeeded in actually
photographing this,
that we had any scientific
evidence of its existence.
Now, this aura is not static.
It varies, which is
very interesting.
And we, in this
university, at this time,
are experimenting
with certain types
of mental and physical disorders
to see if we can find
any practical application
of this principle.
Ah ha!
Do you recognize this slide?
Huh?
It happens to be the one we took
just a half hour ago,
of each of your hands.
If I may say so,
by the amount of energy
visible on that film,
yours is a relationship
definitely worth cultivating.
If we learn nothing more,
we will at least have a lucrative
mate matching or marriage
counseling business here.
Well now, doctor, this
is all very interesting.
But does any of this
relate to Arnold Masters?
I can't say, precisely,
but many of us in
parapsychology believe
that the energy force in any human
can be controlled.
And it's conceivable
that this energy
can be projected, propelled.
What we call an
out-of-body experience.
Then you're telling me that
that could explain
how Arnold Masters
killed people while he,
or rather as you say,
his body, was miles away?
It could explain it.
But I don't want to
jump to conclusions.
I'm merely suggesting
certain avenues
that you might be wise to explore.
You know, in our enlightened days,
we know of only four
types of energy.
Gravitational, electromagnetic
and the weak and
strong nuclear forces.
But the existence
of nuclear forces
was not even suspected
before this century.
Now, I'm not prepared to say
with any degree of certainty
that we have found
every force in nature.
Are you?
There must be at
least one more force,
operating on a physical level,
which would tend to
support psychic phenomenon.
There must be.
Could you spell it out,
doctor, in layman terms,
just how he killed them?
If he did.
If he did.
It's possible that Mr. Masters
has so learned to control
the art of releasing energy
from his living body
and that this energy,
or spirit, if you will,
is malevolent, mean, angry.
And this spirit goes
out to murder those
whom he thinks have done him harm.
That's what I thought you meant.
Well, it's not that
incredible, lieutenant.
I venture to say,
that even you have,
at one time or other,
experienced some
psychic phenomenon.
Well if I have, I
sure don't remember it.
Well all right, let's see.
Have you ever thought
of a dear friend
you hadn't seen in years
and suddenly there
is a phone call?
Or did you ever experience
doing or saying something
in a certain place once before,
in precisely the same way?
Have you ever had a stab of
anguish for a dear loved one
and the very next day,
a fateful telegram?
Doctor, I'm sorry to be
so slow getting into this,
but this is so far off
for a small town cop.
So were those four deaths.
You're not alone.
There are many extremely
intelligent people
who are simply unwilling
to accept this.
I have been teaching and
studying physic phenomena
for 35 years,
but I can understand
your reluctance.
Still, if I could observe
Mr. Masters, first hand,
perhaps I could tell you more.
Okay.
Let's go.
He may be in a trance.
Sorry, I really can't
tell from so far away.
Then let's go get a closer look.
Masters.
Masters?
Lieutenant, I know the
laws of your department,
but don't we need a search
warrant or something?
Look, doc, we came
by here to see him.
When there was no reply,
we became concerned.
We found the door
opened and we came in.
That's just the way it happened.
No pulse.
No breathing.
No heart beat.
No corneal reflex.
No nothing.
He was in this same state
when they found him in
his cell at the hospital.
When they pronounced him dead.
In a strict sense,
he is medically dead.
Doctor, did you notice
the amulet around his neck?
Yes.
I wonder what it might represent.
He got it from another patient.
The man left it for him
after he killed himself.
All right, what do we do now?
Wait for him to return.
Wait?
Isn't there something you can
do to pull him out of this?
No.
You might notify all of
the potential victims,
if you wish.
I already have, if
that will do any good.
I doubt it.
Prices, prices, prices.
Up and up.
The government tells me
how to run my business.
You tell me how to
run my business.
What's a man to do?
I'll tell you what to do.
Try living on welfare
with food stamps to
feed your children.
Well don't blame me.
I didn't vote for him.
Oh yes you did.
You just don't want
to admit it right now.
Well, what's the difference?
We're all a bunch of thieves.
Will you put some
meat in this package?
That's what I'm paying you for.
Carbohydrates good for the kids.
I'm gonna report you to
the food and welfare people.
Do me a favor and take
your business somewhere else?
I will report you to the NAACP.
Report, report.
One of these day, I'm gonna
give it up and go to Florida.
In the meantime, will you
take your hands off the scale?
How much do I owe you?
Four, twenty-two.
Jesus.
Jesus lived on bread and
water for 40 days and 40 nights.
It was not Jesus, it was Moses.
Food stamps?
A man can't pay his
bills with food stamps.
You'll take them damn food stamps
or I'll report you.
Report?
Report?
Don't you come back here.
I'll come back here if I
want to come back in here.
And give my regards to the kids.
He's coming back.
He's almost back to normal.
What're you doing here?
I'm Dr. Gubner.
We came to make sure
that you're all right.
We were very worried
about you, Arnold.
That's very thoughtful of you.
Were you very worried?
Not a bit.
Why not?
Because the doctor, here,
tells me that you have
some sort of psychic way
of getting out of your body
and committing murders.
That's a very interesting
theory you have there, doctor.
But you best keep it to yourself
or else these good people
just might have you committed.
Hey.
You can stop pretending.
Cause I know you're doing it.
Somehow.
But what do you think
you can do about it?
Oh, I can put you
back in that hospital.
Or maybe I'll put
you were you belong.
Do you really think
you can challenge me?
Yeah.
Because I'm not afraid
of freaks like you.
You're all hung up on
mom, aren't you Arnold?
That's your big problem.
You can't provoke me, lieutenant,
and I'm not stupid enough to
give you an excuse to shoot me.
But we'll meet again sometime,
when you're alone.
All alone, except for me.
Mr. Masters, I'm
not a detective.
I'm a parapsychologist.
You are not capable of dealing
with what's happening to you.
Perhaps Dr. Scott
and I can help you.
Arnold, let us help you, please.
Get out.
Oh, lieutenant.
I think you'll find some
real bargains tonight
at Lemonowski's butcher shop.
I understand he has some
choice cuts available.
Fresh.
Lemonowski.
Lemonowski.
Dave. Dave.
Help.
Lemonowski.
Lemonowski.
Hey, Lemonowski.
Oh my god.
My god.
Well, doctors, what do we do now?
Wait for him to
kill somebody else?
We can try having him committed
and we might be able
to work with him,
but that would take weeks.
Months.
I hate to disagree doctor,
but it will take more
than weeks and months.
More likely, years.
And even then, lieutenant,
there's no guarantee
that we will know more
than we know now.
But I've got five dead
people on my hands right now
and I don't know when the
hell this thing is gonna end.
The end will be a
major breakthrough
for science and
mankind, if we succeed.
What about the next poor
guy who gets his throat cut?
Or maybe hacked up
in some butcher shop?
He's not gonna give a
damn about your theory.
I'm sorry, I can't be tied
down to your set of values.
You are a police lieutenant
and I'm a practical scientist.
Wait a minute.
Didn't you tell me
that when the energy
force leaves his body,
he is clinically
and medically dead?
Clinically and medically, yes.
Thank you very much, doctor.
I won't be needing your
services any longer.
What are you
thinking, Dr. Scott?
I'm thinking the
lieutenant is planning
to kill Arnold Masters.
Exactly what I'm thinking.
We can't let him do that.
How can we stop him.
We must persuade Masters
to come under our protection.
We tried that once.
And we must try again.
He's dead.
There's no doubt about it.
Everything seems to be in order.
What're you doing here?
I think the question might be,
what are you doing here?
This is none of your business.
I don't want you to get involved.
Lieutenant, do you
realize what you're doing?
Yes, I'm acting as judge,
jury and executioner,
but I don't want you
to become involved.
Either of you.
Why?
Because it will
make me feel better.
The medallion.
He wasn't wearing the medallion.
Dr. Gubner, what
are you doing?
It'll still be in the house.
Dr. Gubner?
Dr. Gubner?
Dr. Gubner.
Search the other side.
Don't overlook anything
that might have meaning.
- Dr.
- Scott, come quickly.
I found something!
He shouldn't have
come into her room.
I tried to keep it so nicely.
My mother never hurt anyone.
All I ever tried
to do was help her.
But they wouldn't let me
and now it's late.
So very, very late.
What can I do now?
Of course, Arnold.
Everybody knew that you loved her.
Everything I love dies.
be assumed impossible?
The universe begins
to look more and more
like a great thought,
than a great machine.
Yeah! Yeah!
Go on! Go on!
I need my mother.
Help me, warden.
He's not my mother!
Attention all personnel,
we have a patient attempting...
Not my mother.
No.
Dr. Scott, Dr. Scott.
Please report to the fifth floor.
He tried to bust out again.
Is he hurt?
No, he's okay.
Arnold.
Arnold, this is nothing
but a strong sedative.
No!
No.
It's okay.
I gotta get outta here!
Get the hell off!
No!
No!
No, no!
Oh no.
Oh no.
No!
He'll be out soon.
I don't get it.
Just when he seems to be
getting so much better.
Why does he do that?
I wish I knew.
I guess, tomorrow we'll have him
in intensive
behavioral management,
where we bust in the guy
trying to break outta here.
I don't know.
Maybe I brought him
along too quickly.
I don't mean to...
It's too bad that we
gotta put him in there.
Those others.
Oh, yeah.
Too bad.
You know, I talked
to all the doctors
and I tried to stop this,
but I figure that, if
everything goes well,
you should be back
in my unit very soon.
Arnold,
I know that you can be helped.
I'm going to keep trying.
I didn't kill anyone.
And if I didn't kill
anyone, then I'm not insane.
And I'm not going to confess
to something I didn't do.
Arnold.
If you need anything,
you get word to me.
I'm sorry about what
happened the other night.
And I know that you'd
help me if you could,
but you can't.
Doesn't look crazy to me.
I don't like him!
I don't like him in here!
I don't wanna die in here.
I'm a lawyer.
I can get you out of here.
My lawyer got me
fifteen to twenty.
I'm gonna kill the guy.
I'm waiting for a train.
Save a seat for me.
I watch from here every day.
One is due, soon.
That's a nice thing about trains,
they're always going somewhere.
I killed my own daughter.
She had become a whore.
They say, maybe I'm crazy,
but they do not understand
an act of honor.
I didn't kill anyone.
My mother was sick
for a long time.
I stayed with her and
I took care of her.
This doctor was treating her.
Determined that she had a tumor.
The operation was expensive.
I couldn't afford to pay him.
We had no insurance.
Oh, there was a house.
An old house.
But my mother wouldn't
sell that, no matter what.
The doctor refused to operate.
I argued with him.
I lost my head.
People in the office
saw me cursing him.
I ran away.
But I came back.
I was going to beg
him to reconsider.
He was on the floor,
dead.
I guess,
when I reached for the scalpel,
I got some of his blood on me.
I ran to the police and
I told them everything.
Because they needed a fall guy,
because they took everything
I said and they twisted it.
They charged me with murder.
My lawyer sold me out.
Trial was a joke.
What the hell is the difference?
I believe you.
They said they'd have a
nurse look after my mother.
But they didn't
and she died.
For days that nurse
had not been to see her
in all that time.
They didn't tell me about it
until six months
after it happened.
Didn't tell me about it
because they were afraid the shock
would be too much for me.
Your train is late.
Maybe I can help you.
How?
The day before I die
I shall kill the pimp that
made my daughter into a whore.
The day after I die,
I shall help you find
justice for yourself.
Emilio.
Emilio.
Emilio.
Where have you been?
I went to look for a priest.
I found my man last night.
I carved my name in his chest
and slit his throat.
What did the priest say?
He denied me my last rights.
No.
State attorney
called this morning.
They opened a letter
Emilio had left.
He wanted you to have his stuff.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Yeah.
Well, Emilio doesn't have
any next of kin, you know.
No, I didn't know that.
Yeah.
It's funny,
I got a letter for
him just this morning.
No return address.
No note.
Just a newspaper clipping.
Hey, wait a minute.
Walter Johnson Black
was found dead in his downtown
apartment this afternoon.
Investigators say that
the gruesome murder has
all the earmarks of
a ritual killing.
The victim's throat was cut
and his chest severely slashed.
Johnson had a long police
record going back...
Hey.
Nothing.
Pardon me, pardon me.
Okay.
How do you like that?
Somebody sending
something like that
to somebody in a place like this.
Terrible.
You okay, Arnold?
Yeah, I'm all right.
Just a little headache.
Want something?
No, I'll be all right.
I'll be all right.
Okay, try to get a little sleep.
Yeah, yeah.
Man down!
Subject, Arnold Masters.
Male Caucasian.
Age 33.
74 and a quarter inches.
179 pounds.
Time of dead,
approximately 12:52 AM.
Cause of dead, to be determined.
Preliminary examination
prognosis, shock.
Now, let's take a
look at his heart.
I'm about to make an incision
above the fourth rib,
diagonally toward
the lower abdomen.
We will bear the
area of the heart.
That's the God damnedest
thing I've ever heard.
You perform an autopsy on a
patient that was still alive?
Dr. Commanger, the
man was medically dead
when he was brought to...
If the papers get hold of this
we're gonna look like a
bunch of Frankensteins.
Dr. Commanger,
may I point out...
Oh, George, just shut up.
You haven't killed anybody yet.
Get out of my office and
try to keep your mouth shut.
Now what about the patient?
What kind of shape is he in?
As near as I can tell,
he was in a deep state of shock
over the death of another patient,
which might explain...
Never mind that.
What kind of shape is he in today?
Right now?
He seems controlled,
rational.
No outward stress.
Okay.
Send Mr. Masters in here.
Yes, doctor.
Patients jumping over walls.
Autopsies performed on patients
while they're still alive.
You have any idea
what would've happened
if we killed Masters
before that paper came out?
I'm sure Mr. Masters would've
been justifiably upset.
Well, Mr. Masters.
And how are we feeling today?
You certainly gave
us quite a scare.
Have a chair.
Actually, I sent for
you to come up here
because I have some
very good news for you.
The official word
just came through.
A man came forward last night
and confessed to the crime
for which you are committed
to this institution.
You're hereby released
from this institution
as all charges against
you have been dismissed.
I really don't know
how a thing like this
ever could have happened,
but after all, it's
not the first time
an innocent man has
been unjustly accused.
We certainly hope
that you'll take this
in the proper spirit
and go on and live a
successful and happy life.
Please, don't hesitate
to ask us to do anything
in our power to help
you in your efforts
at rehabilitation from something
that must have been a
terrible ordeal for you.
Dearest Mom,
I really don't
and have been for some reasons
couldn't, now I find myself.
I'm feeling.
Please write.
I will always love you.
Arnold.
Come on, darling.
Nobody's gonna bite you.
Except me.
Why don't you start the fire,
while I get us something to drink.
Okay.
How're you doing, darling?
I'm fine.
Paul.
Yes?
Do you come here often?
If you're asking,
do I bring women here often?
The answer is, no.
No, I wasn't asking that.
Why, of course you were
and I expect you to.
That's why I'm such a good doctor
and you're such a good patient.
It's because we
understand each other.
Here, try some of this.
Nature's tranquilizer.
Let me give you a little
free psychiatric advice.
You're cheating on your husband.
For the first time.
It's only natural that you
feel a little tense
in the beginning.
Paul.
Please, I'm not through.
You see, my dear,
here you are, with your analyst,
to whom you've
transferred all your
incestuous feelings you
suppressed for your late father.
Stand up.
Beautiful.
Someone as sensual
and beautiful as you
shouldn't be wasted.
Oh, father, I love you.
I love you more than anyone.
I love you more than anyone.
Did you hear that?
No, nothing.
I love you more than anyone.
What is it?
Be quiet.
I love you, my darling.
Hear what?
Beautiful.
Paul.
Come on, darling.
No one's gonna bite you.
Except me.
What is it, Paul?
I love you, my darling.
What's the matter with you?
Do you think you can
make a fool out of me?
Who is that out there?
Paul, what is it?
You don't hear
anything, I suppose.
No, nothing.
Paul, are you all right?
All right, who is it?
Who's out there?
Here I am, darling.
Follow me.
Here I am.
Over here.
No one's gonna bite
you, except me.
All right, who is it?
Who's out there?
No one's
gonna bite you, my darling.
Come on, darling, don't be afraid.
Come on, darling, don't be afraid.
Arnold Masters,
although abnormally
attached to his mother,
and by nature, a recluse,
an antisocial behavior,
is emotionally a
person who would...
You did not see anyone,
is that right, Mrs. Turner?
Would you answer the
question, please?
No.
And where were you at this time?
I was on the floor.
What were you doing on the floor?
He was kissing me.
Is that when
he began to act strangely?
What do you mean, strangely?
Look forward, please.
He was lying on floor
with a naked woman.
You were naked, weren't you?
Would you answer the
question, please?
Yes.
Yes, what?
Yes, I was naked.
So, you didn't hear anything?
No.
How can you explain that?
I can't.
You don't believe me.
I'd like to believe
you, Mrs. Turner,
but a man is dead
and you were the
last one to see him.
Well, I didn't do anything.
Somebody sure as hell did
and you were obviously on
intimate terms with Dr. Taylor.
Can I go?
Where was your
husband during all this?
I've told you everything.
I wanna go home.
Would you take
Mrs. Turner home?
Well, I don't get it.
He fired that shot
gun at somebody.
There's no trace of blood
or no footprints other than his.
And I know damn well
she didn't do it
because she's not big
enough to break his neck
the way we found him.
You sure about her old man?
I checked him out.
He's been in Chicago
that passed six months
on a business deal.
He spent a lot of
time away from home.
Now, Mr. Shaffer,
are you having those
bad thoughts again?
It's just that these
uniforms always shrink.
You don't know how
uncomfortable they are.
Now, Mr. Shaffer,
don't get any ideas.
It's just that this
uniform is strangling me.
You're lucky to have
me, Mr. Shaffer.
To massage your legs.
To clean up the mess
you make in your bed.
I'm on my feet all day
and I don't have anyone
to take care of me.
I have to do it all by myself.
Most men don't know how to
massage woman, you know?
I bet you do, though.
I bet you were the most
gentle man in the world.
And I can usually tell.
Well, let's see now,
you're not due for another
enema till 9 o'clock,
so I think I'll relax
and take a shower.
I'll be back in a few minutes.
Why don't you take a little nap?
Dave.
Yeah, just a second.
Shower door's jammed
and so are the faucet handles.
When was the last time
you heard of anybody
scalding to death in the shower?
It's a new one, all right.
Two freak deaths in
less than 12 hours.
Yeah, busy day.
Listen, I talked to the manager
and I check out the water heater.
Everything's working all right.
The coroner said she
had first degree burns.
That water had to be scalding.
Oh no, not out of
that water heater.
I guarantee it.
Then I don't get it.
I just don't get it.
Look at it the other way,
nobody else could've
done it to her.
It's impossible.
Yeah, it looked like
an accident all right.
It looks like.
Both doors locked from the inside.
The manager had to
break the front door in
when the water was running out
into the hall this morning.
The old man she's taking care
of is a terminal cancer case,
strapped to his bed.
He sure as hell couldn't
have done anything.
What about him?
Did he see or hear anything?
No, no.
This morning, when they
found him, he was in a comma.
He only had a few
days to live anyway.
Well, I don't know how
she got burned so bad,
but it had to be an accident.
What else could it be?
Marv, go back to that cabin
where Dr. Taylor was killed
and walk through it again.
I've been all over that area.
Maybe we overlooked
something, somewhere.
I was very careful.
Look, if you got
some sleep at night
instead of jumping in
and out of different beds
you'd have some energy
for police work.
Car 23, car 23.
Moving out the highway,
up toward the Big Rock.
Car 23, received.
Marv, what's happening?
We had a date for lunch today.
Yeah, well, the old
man's got a hair, baby.
He wants me to check
out the accident
at the cabin ground yesterday.
He seeks foul play.
Christ, he sees foul
play in everything.
Blow the whole damn day,
running around out
there in the woods.
You're a bastard.
You probably have some other woman
stashed out there, somewhere.
Oh, I wish I did.
Check you later.
Sowash, move your ass.
I want a report back
here by this evening.
Talk to anyone that
might have seen them.
And stop using police equipment
to straighten out your sex life!
Right, chief.
Son of a bitch is everywhere.
You stupid son of a bitch.
You'll be sorry when you catch me.
Maybe I better slow down
and show that guy
where to get off.
Help! Help! Help! Help!
Help me! Help!
Help!
I can't control it.
Pull over.
I said, help!
I can't slow down.
Oh, God help.
God, help me!
Oh no!
God!
And you did have your siren going?
Yes sir, but he just
kept on going faster.
Now, you say here
that when you pulled up
along side of him to flag him,
he was behaving strangely.
Yes sir.
What does that mean?
Behaving strangely?
Well sir,
I don't know how to
describe it exactly.
Well, you sure as
hell better find a way
to describe it exactly
because that man, who
was acting strangely,
was not only a policeman,
but he was a friend of mine
and now he's dead.
And I'm God damn well sure
that I'm gonna find
out how it happened.
Do you understand me, sergeant?
Yes, sir.
I am sorry, sir.
I'm sorry too.
I shouldn't take this out on you.
All right.
Go ahead, continue with it.
Well, sir,
when I finally got
up along side of him,
he turned to me
and he was yelling.
Now, I couldn't hear
what he was saying,
but, well sir, it looked to me
like he was yelling for help.
Is that when he side-swiped you?
Yes sir.
It all happened pretty fast.
But sir, to me, it
didn't look like,
well it didn't look
like his hands were on
the wheel of the car.
Now, I could be wrong, I know.
Nah, you could also be right.
Okay, sergeant.
That's enough.
Yes, sir.
We've been all over the car.
As we can tell, there's no sign
of any mechanical failure.
Well, we set the funeral
for next Wednesday.
What's that?
His personnel file?
Oh yeah, yeah.
What're you looking for?
A connection.
Between those three?
That's right.
You think this is
some kind of conspiracy?
Dave, I don't know.
I'm just looking.
Listen, your upset.
So am I.
Dave, I got three
dead bodies on my hands
and not one God damn reason.
I gotta find one.
You want some coffee?
Yeah, thanks.
Wait a minute.
I never realized that Sowash
was the arresting officer
in the Masters case.
You weren't around for that one.
You were in the FBI.
In the big city.
But he never mentioned
that case to me.
Now, Masters just got
released yesterday morning.
Well, he wasn't too
proud of the case.
But anybody could have
made the same mistake,
even you or me.
Dr. Taylor,
he was a court appointed psychiatrist
on the very same case.
Is that the connection
you're looking for?
Go check out Martha
Burnson's nursing registry.
See if she had any
connection with this Masters.
What if she did?
How could Masters have anything
to do with any of this?
I don't know, Dave,
but I'm sure as
hell gonna find out.
Excuse me.
Who are you?
I didn't mean to startle you.
Are you Arnold Masters?
I am and this is my home.
And who, may I ask, are you?
I'm a police officer.
It. Morgan.
Good.
For a moment, I thought you
might have been a prowler.
What do you want?
I'd like to talk to you.
Come in, please.
Sorry about the
condition of the house.
Got a little run down
while I was away.
Oh, may I offer you a drink?
Thanks.
I have milk, pomegranate
juice and lemonade.
Milk.
There you are.
Thanks.
You're welcome.
I realize you been away.
Just got back yesterday.
I was wondering, have you
had time to read any newspapers?
Yes, yes I have.
You, by chance, read
about the Taylor killing.
Yes, I did read about that.
Terrible, wasn't it?
What about Martha Burnson's death?
Oh, the woman who
died in the shower.
Yes.
Your mother's nurse.
And Dr. Taylor, he
testified at your trial.
Just what are you getting at?
Your arresting officer.
He was killed this morning.
Yes, I heard that on the radio.
I see what you're getting at.
All those people were
somehow connected with me,
weren't they?
That's quite a
coincidence, isn't it?
Lieutenant, I understand
it's your responsibility to
investigate every detail,
no matter how remote.
But I understand that these
were accidental deaths.
Looks that way.
Because there is no other
logical explanation, is there?
No.
Not yet.
Are you implying that I
had anything to do with this?
You said that.
Not me.
Because the police
wouldn't want to unjustly
accuse me of a crime.
Again.
Oh, you mean, like
Sgt. Sowash did?
Exactly.
Perhaps the good sergeant
died of a guilty conscious.
He should have known better
than to drive that fast.
Well Arnold, thanks for the milk.
Anytime.
I'll be seeing you.
Oh, and incidentally,
the news reports stated
that the sergeant
was killed in a car crash,
but it didn't say
anything about speeding.
I'm a great believer in justice.
Perhaps justice found
its way to these three.
I wonder.
I wonder if justice will
find its way to any others.
Well, we'll just have to
wait and find out, won't we?
Dave, make up a list
of judge, jury,
prosecutor, witnesses.
Everybody connected to
the Arnold Masters trial.
You on to something?
No, just make up
the list, will you?
Morgan.
Yeah, I want Masters on
a 24 hour surveillance.
No, I'll get an order
for a phone tap,
but I also want a
mobile unit standing by.
I don't want this guy out
of our sight for one minute.
Right.
I'm very impressed, lieutenant.
With what?
With the way you're
going after Arnold Masters,
full speed ahead.
We're not going after
Masters, Miss Scott.
Doctor Scott.
Doctor.
We're not going after him.
We're simply watching him.
You don't think the
way you're doing it
comes under the
category of harassment?
I told you that when I
spoke to him last night
he all but said that he had
something to do with this
and that he wasn't finished.
Forgive me, lieutenant,
but your interpretation
of Arnold's remarks
may reflect more what
you would like to believe
than what Arnold actually meant.
Doctor, I didn't bring
you down here to analyze me.
Yeah?
We'll be right there.
Masters just left his house.
We're tailing Masters.
Would you like to come along?
I had other plans for the weekend,
but since I'm here, I'd
be fascinated to see
how small town law
and order operates.
Just what did you bring me
down here for, lieutenant?
First, you can tell me.
When he was your patient,
did he ever threaten revenge?
No.
He maintained he was
innocent, which he was,
but I never heard any threats.
Okay, then I'd like
you to talk to him.
See if you notice any changes.
Anything out of his
normal behavior pattern.
Hold it a second.
Well, what'd he say?
Nothing.
He bought three lamb
chops for his cat,
commented on how high the
price of meat was going.
Said thank you very much and left.
Highly significant.
What do you mean?
That he noticed the
price of meat has gone up.
Very funny.
Let's follow him back
to the stake out house.
It. Morgan, I am very tired.
I drove over 300 hundred
miles since early this morning
and I was looking forward to
a little rest this weekend.
What do you see?
A man feeding a pussy cat.
This morning, he sat in
that chair for three hours
and didn't make a move.
Maybe he was tired.
What's a matter?
I think he...
Well, I'm not sure, but
I think he's asleep.
Well, let's wake him up
so you can talk to him.
Anything to help you with
your obsession, lieutenant.
If you knew what my
real obsession was,
you might not be so obliging.
With my luck,
it'll be necrophilia.
He's not answering.
Frank.
Check the tap on his phone.
It's ringing.
And he's not moving.
What do you want me to do?
Let it ring.
Wrap it up, Ed, we got him cold.
Land deal doesn't have to
be ratified by the state.
It implies sections 26, 54 A.
Article 43 of the
tax code structure.
That's never been changed
and challenged only once.
Dover versus Martindale
and Dover lost.
Meaning, what's good
for him is good for us.
That should make your client happy
and a few sheckles
to cut up between us?
Oh hey, by the way,
it wouldn't do any
harm if we can get
the contractors to cut
us in for twelve percent
of all future
dealings in that area?
He should go for that too, huh?
Bye.
Christ, I gotta call my
broker this afternoon.
Sanders here.
Get me CF.
CF, Sanders speaking.
I'll be there, at the doubles
match, in fifteen minutes.
We should be able
to beat these guys.
I know, but not too badly.
I wanna lock up the
equity funding proxy sales
at the same time.
Bye.
Stopping off at my building
to check things out.
If I'm not there every minute,
they screw everything up.
Shirley, make a note,
tell the God damn contractor
that I ordered early
Roman lettering.
What did I get?
Beverly Hills Imperial.
And he'll say I changed my mind,
but if he'll reread
the specifications,
he'll find out that I can
really stick it to him.
What he doesn't
know from contracts,
he doesn't know from buildings.
Read this back to me on Monday.
Shirley, tell Max to
86 the beige carpeting
and swing over into royal blue,
which should go nicely with the
prints of the keen paintings
that the kid at UCLA
is hustling up for me.
Shirley, make a note to call Phil
and see if I can make
an under the table deal
with Sam for those Louis
the 14th telephones
out of the Rothenberg foreclosure.
Shirley, I got it.
I got it.
Call the plumber first
thing in the morning.
The reception will have an
imitation Trevi Fountain
cascading behind two of the
most beautiful receptionists
you've ever seen.
Next to you, huh?
I love it all
Every stick, every brick
All of it mine
He's waking up.
Hello.
Hello, Arnold?
Who is this?
Dr. Scott.
Oh, hello.
I'm in town, just for the day.
I wondered if I could
come by and see you.
Oh, certainly, certainly.
Do you have my address?
Yes.
15 minutes all right?
Yes, yes, yes.
Sure.
Bye.
What's a matter?
I feel a little like
a police informer.
Look at it this way,
if he's done nothing wrong,
then you'd be helping him.
I suppose so.
Oh, keep him by the windows
so we can see both of you.
If there's a problem,
we'll be there fast.
That's hardly necessary.
He isn't dangerous.
Keep him by the window anyway.
Hello Arnold.
Hello.
Oh, won't you come in, please.
Sure.
Would you like to sit down?
Thanks.
Oh, may I get you something?
Oh, no thank you.
I just wanted to see how
you were getting along.
Oh, fine, fine.
I'm adjusting.
Trying to get a job, you know.
About the nightmares?
Oh, they're all gone.
Good.
Could I see that, please?
No.
That was Emilio's, wasn't it?
It's mine now.
What does that mean to you?
Why do you wear it?
I like it.
Why do you like it?
I think I'll make some tea.
I make very good tea.
I don't want any.
Thank you.
I want you to be open with me.
The way you used to be.
Arnold, are you in
some kind of trouble?
Masters!
Lieutenant.
Dr. Scott.
What is it?
You better come with me.
Are you working with the police?
Of course not.
I came here to see you.
I assume this is a real
emergency, lieutenant.
It is.
Look, Arnold, I came
here to see you because...
You don't owe me any explanation.
You better go with the lieutenant.
He has a real emergency.
Don't you, lieutenant?
That's right.
That son of a bitch knows.
What're you talking about?
You see the smile he just gave me?
Well, he knows.
Knows what?
A crane, unattended,
mysteriously drops
a cornerstone on
Harvey B. Sanders.
If that crane was locked
up and nobody was there,
how could it have killed him?
That's what's driving me crazy.
If you'd pardon the expression.
I know what you mean.
Getting interested, doc?
Yep, I guess I am.
And it's Laura, lieutenant.
Then it's Jeff, doc.
Dinner?
Where?
My place?
Sure.
You're not a bad cook for a cop.
Purely self defense.
And self taught.
Your wife didn't educate you?
I didn't say anything
about being married.
Well, you didn't have to.
I looked around your bedroom
and I saw her picture.
With a little boy.
Doc, that's an
invasion of privacy.
Probably.
Where are they now?
Phoenix.
She remarried.
She always wanted to be in
the same place, you know?
Have everything organized.
I went away to become an FBI man.
I thought it would be exciting.
It wasn't.
So, when I had enough of that
I came back here to be with her.
Just a little too late.
She already found somebody else.
Doc, I'm beginning to
sound like a patient.
I was just curious about you.
Yep, and I was
doing all the talking.
Well, now it's my turn
to be curious about you.
Oh, I come from a
small town in Arkansas.
You probably never
even heard of it.
Blytheville.
Blytheville?
The only trouble was that
everybody always watched
everybody else there.
Nobody every did anything
very interesting.
Well, what brings you out here?
I mean, to that hospital.
I did my residency there.
Well, I wanted a private
practice for awhile,
but I suppose what really
interests me the most
is helping people who are
on the outer fringes.
So I went back to the hospital.
Everybody's always got
his eye on you there too.
Well,
I'm sure tomorrow is
gonna be a very long day.
So rather than waste a whole
lot of time fencing around,
why don't we just go to bed?
I'll meet you there.
As soon as you're finished.
I'm finished.
I didn't come here to hurt you.
I wanted to see you.
Why?
You were my only friend.
Come out here, so I can see you.
I can see you and that's enough.
Should I be afraid of you?
Not you.
Did you kill those people?
All the time I
was in the hospital,
I thought about you.
About how beautiful you are.
I've been watching
you all evening.
How could you do that?
I watched you make love to him.
I wish it had been me.
Laura?
Laura?
What's the matter?
I wanna go to where you're
watching Arnold's house.
And I wanna go right now.
He hasn't moved out
of that chair all night.
Was he asleep earlier?
Yeah.
Up until about 15 minutes ago.
Uh huh, uh huh.
What the hell is this all about?
Look, I'm telling
you that I saw him.
I saw him as clearly
as I see you right now.
That's impossible.
I am a trained psychiatrist.
I've spent four years
of medical school,
four years in internships...
I don't care.
I have worked at the
same mental hospital
for the last seven
years of my life.
I've been psychoanalyzed
by the best doctors
in the whole world.
I am not insane.
I was not sleepwalking
and I know a hallucination
when I see one
and I am telling you
that I saw Arnold Masters
in your apartment.
Where you going?
I am going to see an old
professor friend of mine.
He's at Redlands University.
If I leave here right now, I
can be there by nine o'clock.
If I drive you there,
we can be there by 8:30.
All right.
Now, what you're seeing
is energy.
Energy.
Every object has an energy force,
an aura around it.
Now, this was suspected
for many centuries.
As a matter of fact, many
artist claim to have seen
this aura and painted it as
a halo around their figures.
But it wasn't until 1939,
when the Russian couple
Semyon and Valentina Kirlian
succeeded in actually
photographing this,
that we had any scientific
evidence of its existence.
Now, this aura is not static.
It varies, which is
very interesting.
And we, in this
university, at this time,
are experimenting
with certain types
of mental and physical disorders
to see if we can find
any practical application
of this principle.
Ah ha!
Do you recognize this slide?
Huh?
It happens to be the one we took
just a half hour ago,
of each of your hands.
If I may say so,
by the amount of energy
visible on that film,
yours is a relationship
definitely worth cultivating.
If we learn nothing more,
we will at least have a lucrative
mate matching or marriage
counseling business here.
Well now, doctor, this
is all very interesting.
But does any of this
relate to Arnold Masters?
I can't say, precisely,
but many of us in
parapsychology believe
that the energy force in any human
can be controlled.
And it's conceivable
that this energy
can be projected, propelled.
What we call an
out-of-body experience.
Then you're telling me that
that could explain
how Arnold Masters
killed people while he,
or rather as you say,
his body, was miles away?
It could explain it.
But I don't want to
jump to conclusions.
I'm merely suggesting
certain avenues
that you might be wise to explore.
You know, in our enlightened days,
we know of only four
types of energy.
Gravitational, electromagnetic
and the weak and
strong nuclear forces.
But the existence
of nuclear forces
was not even suspected
before this century.
Now, I'm not prepared to say
with any degree of certainty
that we have found
every force in nature.
Are you?
There must be at
least one more force,
operating on a physical level,
which would tend to
support psychic phenomenon.
There must be.
Could you spell it out,
doctor, in layman terms,
just how he killed them?
If he did.
If he did.
It's possible that Mr. Masters
has so learned to control
the art of releasing energy
from his living body
and that this energy,
or spirit, if you will,
is malevolent, mean, angry.
And this spirit goes
out to murder those
whom he thinks have done him harm.
That's what I thought you meant.
Well, it's not that
incredible, lieutenant.
I venture to say,
that even you have,
at one time or other,
experienced some
psychic phenomenon.
Well if I have, I
sure don't remember it.
Well all right, let's see.
Have you ever thought
of a dear friend
you hadn't seen in years
and suddenly there
is a phone call?
Or did you ever experience
doing or saying something
in a certain place once before,
in precisely the same way?
Have you ever had a stab of
anguish for a dear loved one
and the very next day,
a fateful telegram?
Doctor, I'm sorry to be
so slow getting into this,
but this is so far off
for a small town cop.
So were those four deaths.
You're not alone.
There are many extremely
intelligent people
who are simply unwilling
to accept this.
I have been teaching and
studying physic phenomena
for 35 years,
but I can understand
your reluctance.
Still, if I could observe
Mr. Masters, first hand,
perhaps I could tell you more.
Okay.
Let's go.
He may be in a trance.
Sorry, I really can't
tell from so far away.
Then let's go get a closer look.
Masters.
Masters?
Lieutenant, I know the
laws of your department,
but don't we need a search
warrant or something?
Look, doc, we came
by here to see him.
When there was no reply,
we became concerned.
We found the door
opened and we came in.
That's just the way it happened.
No pulse.
No breathing.
No heart beat.
No corneal reflex.
No nothing.
He was in this same state
when they found him in
his cell at the hospital.
When they pronounced him dead.
In a strict sense,
he is medically dead.
Doctor, did you notice
the amulet around his neck?
Yes.
I wonder what it might represent.
He got it from another patient.
The man left it for him
after he killed himself.
All right, what do we do now?
Wait for him to return.
Wait?
Isn't there something you can
do to pull him out of this?
No.
You might notify all of
the potential victims,
if you wish.
I already have, if
that will do any good.
I doubt it.
Prices, prices, prices.
Up and up.
The government tells me
how to run my business.
You tell me how to
run my business.
What's a man to do?
I'll tell you what to do.
Try living on welfare
with food stamps to
feed your children.
Well don't blame me.
I didn't vote for him.
Oh yes you did.
You just don't want
to admit it right now.
Well, what's the difference?
We're all a bunch of thieves.
Will you put some
meat in this package?
That's what I'm paying you for.
Carbohydrates good for the kids.
I'm gonna report you to
the food and welfare people.
Do me a favor and take
your business somewhere else?
I will report you to the NAACP.
Report, report.
One of these day, I'm gonna
give it up and go to Florida.
In the meantime, will you
take your hands off the scale?
How much do I owe you?
Four, twenty-two.
Jesus.
Jesus lived on bread and
water for 40 days and 40 nights.
It was not Jesus, it was Moses.
Food stamps?
A man can't pay his
bills with food stamps.
You'll take them damn food stamps
or I'll report you.
Report?
Report?
Don't you come back here.
I'll come back here if I
want to come back in here.
And give my regards to the kids.
He's coming back.
He's almost back to normal.
What're you doing here?
I'm Dr. Gubner.
We came to make sure
that you're all right.
We were very worried
about you, Arnold.
That's very thoughtful of you.
Were you very worried?
Not a bit.
Why not?
Because the doctor, here,
tells me that you have
some sort of psychic way
of getting out of your body
and committing murders.
That's a very interesting
theory you have there, doctor.
But you best keep it to yourself
or else these good people
just might have you committed.
Hey.
You can stop pretending.
Cause I know you're doing it.
Somehow.
But what do you think
you can do about it?
Oh, I can put you
back in that hospital.
Or maybe I'll put
you were you belong.
Do you really think
you can challenge me?
Yeah.
Because I'm not afraid
of freaks like you.
You're all hung up on
mom, aren't you Arnold?
That's your big problem.
You can't provoke me, lieutenant,
and I'm not stupid enough to
give you an excuse to shoot me.
But we'll meet again sometime,
when you're alone.
All alone, except for me.
Mr. Masters, I'm
not a detective.
I'm a parapsychologist.
You are not capable of dealing
with what's happening to you.
Perhaps Dr. Scott
and I can help you.
Arnold, let us help you, please.
Get out.
Oh, lieutenant.
I think you'll find some
real bargains tonight
at Lemonowski's butcher shop.
I understand he has some
choice cuts available.
Fresh.
Lemonowski.
Lemonowski.
Dave. Dave.
Help.
Lemonowski.
Lemonowski.
Hey, Lemonowski.
Oh my god.
My god.
Well, doctors, what do we do now?
Wait for him to
kill somebody else?
We can try having him committed
and we might be able
to work with him,
but that would take weeks.
Months.
I hate to disagree doctor,
but it will take more
than weeks and months.
More likely, years.
And even then, lieutenant,
there's no guarantee
that we will know more
than we know now.
But I've got five dead
people on my hands right now
and I don't know when the
hell this thing is gonna end.
The end will be a
major breakthrough
for science and
mankind, if we succeed.
What about the next poor
guy who gets his throat cut?
Or maybe hacked up
in some butcher shop?
He's not gonna give a
damn about your theory.
I'm sorry, I can't be tied
down to your set of values.
You are a police lieutenant
and I'm a practical scientist.
Wait a minute.
Didn't you tell me
that when the energy
force leaves his body,
he is clinically
and medically dead?
Clinically and medically, yes.
Thank you very much, doctor.
I won't be needing your
services any longer.
What are you
thinking, Dr. Scott?
I'm thinking the
lieutenant is planning
to kill Arnold Masters.
Exactly what I'm thinking.
We can't let him do that.
How can we stop him.
We must persuade Masters
to come under our protection.
We tried that once.
And we must try again.
He's dead.
There's no doubt about it.
Everything seems to be in order.
What're you doing here?
I think the question might be,
what are you doing here?
This is none of your business.
I don't want you to get involved.
Lieutenant, do you
realize what you're doing?
Yes, I'm acting as judge,
jury and executioner,
but I don't want you
to become involved.
Either of you.
Why?
Because it will
make me feel better.
The medallion.
He wasn't wearing the medallion.
Dr. Gubner, what
are you doing?
It'll still be in the house.
Dr. Gubner?
Dr. Gubner?
Dr. Gubner.
Search the other side.
Don't overlook anything
that might have meaning.
- Dr.
- Scott, come quickly.
I found something!
He shouldn't have
come into her room.
I tried to keep it so nicely.
My mother never hurt anyone.
All I ever tried
to do was help her.
But they wouldn't let me
and now it's late.
So very, very late.
What can I do now?
Of course, Arnold.
Everybody knew that you loved her.
Everything I love dies.