1
Dr. Gruber!
Doctor!
Mr. West!
Mr. West!
Get out!
Move back.
My god.
You idiots!
You'll ruin my notes.
I have to record
his vital signs!
No! No!
Dr. Gruber?
Dr. Gruber, How this happened?
Dr. Gruber?
He's dead.
Of course, he's dead,
the dosage was too large.
You killed him.
No, I did not.
I gave him life.
All right,
I'm gonna zap her again.
Charge up the paddles.
Come on, let's go! Let's go!
Sorry, doctor.
Hold the compressions.
Clear!
Straight line.
All right, let's call it.
Cain.
She just needs a little more time
for the drugs to circulate.
Cain, we have done everything
that can be done for this woman.
She has not responded.
She's gone!
Cain, your optimism is touching,
but a waste of time.
A good doctor
knows when to stop.
- Dr. Harrod, just...
- Take her.
And take her to the morgue.
Gangway...
Mr. Cain.
Hey, Mace!
I got another one for you.
They ain't locked.
Doc Hill's in the autopsy room.
Oh, thanks.
Don't know why they keep
locked doors around here.
Nobody wants in...
and ain't nobody gettin' out.
Yup.
Full house.
Oh, I'm sorry, Dan.
I didn't mean to scare you.
Oh, it wasn't too bad
Dean Halsey.
I just didn't know anybody was here.
You mean, "anybody else".
Dan, this is Herbert West.
He'll be joining you
in your third year.
He was doing independent
research in Switzerland
with Dr. Gruber shortly before he died.
Mr. West, this is Daniel Cain.
(One of Miskatonic Medical's
best young hopes
for the future of medicine.
What were you researching?
Death.
Alan, we don't see you
around here much anymore.
Well, I was just showing
our newest student,
Herbert West here,
the not-so-grand tour.
This should interest you, Carl.
He worked with Hans Gruber.
Mr. West?
This is our eminent brain researcher
and grant machine, Dr. Carl Hill.
I know your work, Dr. Hill.
Quite well.
Your theory on the location
of the will in the brain is...
interesting...
though derivative of Dr. Gruber's
research in the early '70s.
So derivative, in fact, that in Europe
it's considered plagiarized.
And your support of the 12-minute limit on
the life of the brain stem after death...
Six to 12 minutes, Mr...
West. Herbert West.
Frankly, Dr. Hill?
Your work on brain death
is outdated.
Carl, while I remember,
we're having a grant committee
meeting Thursday.
Megan and I would love it
if you came to dinner.
Well, I'd love to, Alan,
looking forward to it.
And looking forward to
seeing you in class, Mr. West.
Hi.
No. No.
Yes! Oh, yes!
Rufus!
Thanks a lot, buddy.
I have to go.
No, stay.
Daddy knows I'm here.
I don't care
what Dean Halsey knows.
Be reasonable.
If I didn't come home
one night...
just one night...
What would he do?
Expel me?
He's out of touch with the times.
That's just the way he is,
the world's last living Puritan.
I really hate it.
The day that you graduate,
the minute you get your M.D.,
I'll marry you,
and I'll help you, and I'll be with you
as much as I can until then.
I promise.
Back to square one.
Well, at least it gives me
a chance to housebreak you.
Housebroken, is it?
I'm going to have to teach
you a lesson, my girl.
What are you doing?
Dan.
Dan... stop, don't.
Dan, stop it!
Come, my pretty.
Dan, I don't like that.
There's not a jury in the world
that would convict me.
Dan, stop it!
Doctor Dan!
Dan, don't, come on, stop.
I really have to go.
Come here! Come to me.
- Oh.
- What?
Oh, shit.
Hi.
Can I help you?
You're
here about the apartment.
Yes.
Didn't we meet this morning?
You're...
West. Herbert West.
Excuse me just one sec.
Come in.
Thank you.
I startled you.
Yes, you did.
May I introduce my fiance,
Megan Halsey?
- Miss Halsey.
- Mr. West.
I'm afraid the place is still
kind of a mess, Mr. West.
Oh... Herbert.
So, you've
just come from Europe?
Switzerland.
What was Dr. Gruber like?
He was pretty famous.
Yes, pretty famous...
Does this building
have a basement?
Oh, yes.
Yes.
I think this will be just fine.
I have my things outside,
shall I move in now?
Look, I have to go.
I think you and Mr. West
have a lot to discuss
before you decide anything.
Oh, I've decided.
Well, I'd like-
You know, you'll never even
know that I'm here.
Dan, I...
Except, of course,
on the first of the month.
Mr. West?
Miss Halsey?
You didn't say why
you left Switzerland.
There was no more
I could learn there.
Do we... have a deal?
Done.
Done.
You make the incision
at the base of the skull...
cutting away
enough of the faschia...
to get your fingers in...
and then grasping firmly
with both hands,
you pull the skin forward
over the head,
very much like peeling
a large orange.
Once the skull is plainly visible,
you take the bone saw...
And you cut around the perimeter.
And there you have it,
ladies and gentlemen,
the human brain.
Once the brain stem
of an individual,
I'm talking about the reticular
activating system,
heart regulation,
respiratory center.
Once these activities cease,
the brain can only survive
an additional six to 12 minutes.
Six to 12 minutes.
Until...
brain death brings about
an irreversible conclusion.
We all want to retain
our personalities
in some idyllic afterlife.
We all pray for some miracle,
some drug, potion, pill.
Perhaps, though,
it takes something else.
Perhaps it takes desire,
an obsessive desire.
Perhaps it ta...
We will discuss the location of the will
in the brain structure
at another time.
Mr. West!
I suggest you get
yourself a pen!
Class dismissed.
How can you teach such drivel?
These people are here to learn
and you're closing their minds
before they even have a chance!
What are you here for,
Mr. West?
You know, you should have
stolen more of Gruber's ideas,
then at least you'd have ideas!
Mr. West!
It is going to be
a pleasure to fail you.
I would like to propose a toast
to the National Science Foundation
for recognizing the genius
of Dr. Carl Hill,
and for awarding
Miskatonic Medical School
its largest grant ever.
Your new laser drill is going
to revolutionize neurosurgery.
To the foundation,
and to Miskatonic.
It's all right, sweetheart,
you can drink up.
We're celebrating.
I know, Daddy,
but I have to go soon.
After preparing such a feast,
you must be tired.
I have a study date.
With Daniel?
Yeah.
Daniel Cain'?
Herbert West has moved in
with him, hasn't he?
For the time being.
That must be him Excuse me.
So, your daughter
is seeing Cain, eh?
You think that's wise, Alan'?
Dan!
Hello, sir.
Dr. Hill.
Would you join us
for a glass of wine?
Actually, we have some
work to do.
Why don't you study here?
Well, I've her home soon,
don't worry.
Well then, one last toast?
To Megan...
my esteemed colleague's capable,
beautiful, loving daughter,
the obsession of all
who fall under her spell.
Dan.
No.
Please!
Okay, what is it?
I don't know, it's...
Look, it's not you, really.
It's just a lot of little things.
Like what?
Well, West is always in his room
with the door closed.
I mean, do you ever see him?
Does he ever eat?
I told you, he's a little cracked.
He bothers you, too.
No, don't be ridiculous.
Rufus is terrified of him.
When West comes in,
he runs and hides.
Rufus hides
and runs all the time,
it's standard cat activity.
Yes, but not when we're together,
then he's all over us trying
to get your attention and...
Where is he?
I haven't seen him
since we got here.
It's okay, he's around here.
I haven't even heard him,
usually he at least knocks
something over when I'm here.
Pss pss pss pss.
Rufus... Rufus... Rufus.
Pss pss pss pss.
Come on, you fat cat.
Here, kitty!
Rufus.
Come on now, you mad animal.
Don't you try to hide from me.
I know all of your tricks.
Rufus? Where are you, boy?
Here, kitty.
Here, kitty!
Here, kitty.
Rufus. Hey, boy!
Rufus?
Rufus?
Rufus.
Rufus?
Hey, boy.
Rufus, are you in here?
Here, boy.
Here, kitty.
Rufus?
Oh, Dan, I think it's...
What are you doing in my room?
- How dare you come in...
- Dan!
What's the matter?
What's the matter?
I thought I was renting
a private room, Dan!
Meg, what the hell
are you doing in here?
- I...
- Would you please leave, now!
Easy!
In the fridge.
I was going to show you.
Shut up.
What happened?
It was dead when I found it.
You killed him.
He hated you!
Meg. It suffocated.
It knocked the garbage over and
it got its head stuck in a jar.
You weren't home,
so I put it in there.
I certainly didn't think
you'd want to find it like that.
I didn't want
to stink the place up.
I was going to show you.
You couldn't call, or write a note?
I was busy pushing bodies around,
as you well know,
and what would a note say, Dan?
"Cat dead, details later"?
I knew you were fond of it.
You killed him, I know you did.
He killed him.
Besides, I do not
like people in my room!
All right, that's enough.
I think you both better leave, now.
What the hell is this?
That is none of your business.
Yeah, I think it is my business!
Just as it is none of my business
that you're sleeping
with Dean Halsey's daughter.
You know, I would not want
to see a fellow student,
especially one
as promising as yourself,
be thrown out of school,
out of the profession...
on moral ground.
I think Dr. Halsey
just might understand.
Oh, do you?
Well, you may well be right.
Are you sure you want
to find out?
Herbert?
Herbert.
Herbert!
You hear that sound?
West! West!
West, what is that?
Quiet!
Get off of...
Cain!
Get out of here!
Get it off of me!
Stay away!
Later!
AW, shit.
There he is! Shit.
Don't move.
Look out!
There it goes under the stairs,
it's under the stairs.
Okay, I got it.
I got it.
Oh.
Look out!
It's really quite simple.
All life is a physical
and chemical process, correct?
It stands to reason then, that if one
could find extremely fresh specimens
and recharge that chemical process,
bang, we have re-animation.
- The theory is not new, West.
- But my reagent is.
Read.
"With various animating solutions,"
"I have killed and brought
to animated life,"
"a number of rabbits,
guinea pigs, cats, and dogs."
I've broken the 6 to 12 minute barrier.
I've conquered brain death.
"With the higher animals
and the consequent"
increased strength of solution,
reaction has become more violent...
and my research
has become more difficult.
Which is why
I need you to help me.
Help you?
You are the perfect person
to assist me.
You're hard-working, bright,
people respect you,
and you have access
to certain authorities.
We can defeat death.
We can achieve
every doctor's dream.
You'll be famous... and live lifetimes.
You haven't done this on people?
I've done all I can here.
I'll need new lab space.
You will help me.
- No!
- Why? Because it's mad?
No, because I don't
believe you.
How can you say that?
You've seen the results.
No, Rufus wasn't dead
to begin with.
You drugged him
and reduced his vital signs.
You lowered his body temperature.
He couldn't have been dead.
Do you agree
that he's dead now?
Do you agree
that he's dead now?
West, no!
West, stop!
I'll show you.
- Then you'll help me.
- No!
Yes, you will.
That is why I brought the infernal beast
back to life in the first place.
- In the brain?
- Of course.
Don't expect it to tango,
it has a broken back.
God! Why does
it make that noise?
Birth is always painful.
It was dead.
Twice.
- Oh, it's him!
- Baby, what are you doing here?
It's Rufus! HOW did...
- Come on, let's go upstairs.
- Oh! Oh, my god.
Herbert West has effected
re-animation in dead animal tissue.
Mr. Cain, I'm surprised.
No, I've seen it.
He brought back a dead animal,
a cat, back to life.
I hadn't expected such nonsense
from you, Mr. Cain,
but I should have guessed it
when you took up with Mr. West.
I know he's unstable,
but I've seen the results,
and so has your daughter.
What have you been doing
with my daughter?
She walked into an experiment.
You've involved Megan
in your insanity?
I never intended to involve her.
Tomorrow morning, you will
submit to me a written apology
for this entire affair.
These experiments were clearly beyond
the scope of your legitimate studies.
They've obviously interfered with
your ability to do your class work.
If any equipment from the hospital
or from the laboratories
of Miskatonic University were involved
in any of this unauthorized activity,
criminal charges
may be pressed.
You will, in any case, have
your student loan rescinded.
My loan?
I won't be able to continue school.
As for Mr. West,
he needs submit no apology.
You may tell him that he may
continue with his research
without the impediment
of an education.
As of now, he is no longer
a student of this university.
Sir, can we please just discuss this?
I think you're being blinded
by your emotions.
That will be all, Mr. Cain.
Don't take this out on Meg.
She tried to stop me.
I said that will be all.
- Oh, they keep on a comin', don't they?
- Oh, yeah.
You ain't got my lunch
under there, have you?
Yeah, one meatball
run over by a semi.
Ew!
I lost my appetite. You gonna
be around for a while?
I might go catch me
some coffee.
- Take your time.
- You got it.
Meatball?
Just put your shoes on.
Oh, damn, if we get caught...
Oh, well, what will they do?
Embalm us?
Let's go.
Burn victim.
- Here's your meatball.
- Oh.
Shotgun wound to the head.
Oh, god, he's rotten.
- Malpractice.
- Shit.
Let's go, we're not going
to find anything.
Wait. Wait!
Yes, I think you.
How long?
He arrived early this evening.
John Doe, apparently just dropped dead.
No record of any damage.
It's almost perfect.
Why "almost"?
Could be heart damage.
Then let's just find another one.
No! We do not have time!
All we need tonight
is a specific, conscious reaction.
He's been dead for hours.
Any evidence of re-animated
consciousness will justify proceeding.
Start the recorder.
Start the damn recorder!
Make the entry.
October...
Tenth.
Tenth.
- Subject: Male.
- Age?
Age, early twenties.
- Physical condition?
- No deformities.
Appears to have been in
excellent physical condition.
Apparent cause of death...
what?
Heart failure.
Heart failure.
Time, 10:33 PM.
10:33 PM.
15 cc's.
15 cc's of reagent being administered.
He loves me,
we're getting married.
He's mad! I've seen this happen
to medical students before.
Good ones!
Dr. Harrod, is Mr. Cain loose
in this hospital?
In the morgue, I think, doctor.
I specifically told
Dr. Riley to suspend him,
and to take him off the floor
if he reported to work!
Dr. Riley's been
in emergency surgery for four hours.
I haven't seen him.
Time elapsed.
15 seconds.
Something should
have happened by now.
It's not working.
Let's get out of here!
Obviously, the human dosage
factor is unknown.
Increasing the dosage,
20 cc's of reagent.
- Herbert, let's go!
- No!
Damn!
Page Mr. Cain and have him report
to Level L security desk,
and make sure
that she stays right here.
You can't stop me! I followed you here,
and I'm gonna follow you
- until you listen to me!
- Megan!
- I love him!
- You're my daughter,
and you'll do as you're told!
Sit down, Miss Halsey.
Mr. Cain will be up soon,
you can discuss it then.
Don't blame him, Daddy!
We failed.
Come on, let's go!
I mean, someone
could be coming any minute!
He failed! Not I!
Mr. Cain, Mr. Daniel Cain,
please report
to the security desk, Level L
Oh, god.
Cover him up.
- Let's go!
- All right!
Grab him!
Stop!
It listened to me.
Cain?
Cain?
Cain, open up this door.
Help!
Get help!
Is West in there with you?
You're in a lot of trouble,
both of you!
No!
Let go!
Stop!
For god's sakes!
Dan... look out.
Come on.
Find the recorder.
- Herbert... no.
- Did you see him react?
He listened to me.
It made a conscious act.
He heard you as an animal would.
Herbert, no, you can't be serious!
Hell, you may be right.
It'd probably been dead too long.
It wasn't fresh enough!
We probably only revived the senses
and the instincts, so, come on!
Help me get him up.
Is he dead?
Of course, will you
give me a hand here?
Now, he interrupted an important
experiment in progress.
Granted, it was an accident.
But this is the freshest body
that we could come across
save of killing one ourselves,
and every moment that we spend
talking about it costs us results!
Now will you give me a hand?
Dan, we can bring him back to life.
Okay.
Now, get the recorder.
Find my serum.
This is a dream.
Fiction.
Here. Do his other hand.
Oh, good.
Unbreakable plastic, one of
man's few durable inventions.
Certainly more durable than this.
We need you in the crash room.
Coming.
12 cc's being administered.
The dosage lessened in accordance
to the freshness of the subject.
5 seconds.
Come on.
I'll show you.
15 seconds. I'll show you!
17 seconds.
Re-animation at 17 seconds!
The eyes opened!
Doctor. Dr. Halsey,
you once did me a favor by
letting me into your medical school.
Doctor?
Welcome back to life.
Daddy?
Dan?
Damn the bitch.
Megan... Meg?
Dan, what is it,
are you all right?
Dan, he's trying to speak,
the recorder!
No!
Daddy!
Daddy, no!
No! No, Meg, don't go near him!
What the hell happened here?
Dan, you all right?
Who's that?
That is Dean Halsey, sir.
You see I came down here
to visit Mr. Cain,
who was here working
and Halsey entered
and started ranting at us,
rather irrationally.
No!
He was just angry!
Daddy!
Meg. What happened?
Who's that over there?
Just a corpse.
You see, Halsey came in,
grabbed that thing,
and, well, went crazy.
Dean Halsey?
Dean Halsey!
Arrest them!
I'm calling the police!
Oh, Daddy!
Shock... don't worry.
Daddy.
He can't hear you, or see you.
That's a one-way mirror.
What is wrong with him, Doctor?
Will he ever be...
Until we know exactly what
happened to him,
there's no way to determine
his course of recovery.
That's why I need you
to sign a release,
so that I can perform
exploratory surgery on him.
Is that absolutely necessary,
Dr. Hill?
I know how difficult
this must be for you,
but I'm convinced that your father's
problem is neurological.
Of course, we'll take
every precaution.
You must trust me.
I want to take a look at the
right frontal lobe.
I'll open the skull here...
I don't want to know.
Just help him.
Please, doctor.
Please let me talk to him.
No.
I must insist you leave his
treatment up to me.
I want you to think of me as someone
you can come to with your problems.
Or if you're ever lonely.
I know you're all by yourself now.
I'm going to take care
of him, doctor,
and I'm going to find out
what happened to him.
What are you doing here?
I've been waiting for you.
I have to tell you.
What did you do to him?
What did you and West do
to him to make him like that?
It was... it was horrible.
I didn't...
What did you do to him?
He's not insane.
He's dead.
No. No.
You're insane,
you are insane, no!
You know it's true, Meg.
You know it's true.
No.
Daddy. Daddy.
I'll tell you, Meg, everything.
Good evening, Mr. West.
What do you want?
I want to know why Halsey's
heart fibrillated.
I don't have to talk to you.
Why his pulse is erratic.
I've told everything I know
to the police.
Why he cries out in pain.
You can leave now, doctor.
When we both know
he is quite dead.
Interesting little laboratory
you have here.
Mr. West, I recognize this?
What do you want?
Yes, we are both scientists.
Let us get to the point.
I want your discovery.
Whatever it is that gives the
dead the appearance of life.
Oh, it is not the appearance
of life, it is life.
This is not magic, as you say,
I am a scientist.
I'll have you locked up
for a madman...
or a murderer.
You will do...
what I tell you to do.
Ingenious, Mr. West.
Your extension of that old fool
Gruber's work is really quite...
brilliant.
Has Dr. Hill examined
your father?
Yes.
He wanted to do exploratory
surgery on him.
Oh, shit.
Then he'll find out.
Eventually he'll find out.
Let us see...
my new serum at work?
Dead cat tissue.
Reagent.
Magnificent.
Yes, Mr. West.
I will be famous.
Laid to rest.
Yes.
Parts.
I've never done whole parts.
Wesssssst
Yes, doctor.
It's Herbert West.
What are you thinking?
How do you feel?
Yooooooou.
" You."
Baaassstaaard
Dan!
Oh my god, what has Hill
done to him?
Looks like a laser drill.
Your father's been lobotomized.
That's it.
My work! My work!
What's going on?
My work is gone.
It's all gone.
He took my serum!
Except for what
I have upstairs.
Who?
What happened here?
Hill.
Hill took my serum!
My notes! Everything.
Herbert, you're insane!
- Now, what happened here?
- I had to kill him.
What?
He's dead?
- Not any more.
- No, Herbert.
This has gotta stop!
Look, he tried
to blackmail me, Dan.
Enough is enough!
And he wanted you to disappear!
Oh. Oh.
Oh, that's why he did
it to Halsey.
What? You've seen Halsey?
He lobotomized him, so he could
control him in case
he ever tried to talk or tell
somebody what happened.
So he could protect his discovery.
- Yes.
- Very clever.
I gotta tell Meg.
What does Meg
have to do with this?
Hill's got this weird file on her,
it's full of napkins and hair
and photographs.
I think he's projected some sort
of psychotic need onto her.
Yes.
Alan.
Alan.
Oh... yes...
Alan.
It's... time for you...
to come out now.
Is that you, Dr. Hill?
Of course it's me.
Break time.
That's... better.
Meg? Meg!
Dan? Dan...
- I was so afraid.
- What is it?
What's the matter?
Well... I don't know.
I was just worried about you.
Why?
L...l just feel horrible
about everything.
I guess I'm just getting paranoid.
It's just...
so hard to lose you.
You should go away.
Transfer to another school.
Don't worry about me.
You're the one
that should get away.
Go live your life.
Find somebody.
I tried to hate you.
I wanted so much to hate you.
I love you.
No! Daddy!
Dr. Halsey.
No, Daddy!
Oh, no, Daddy!
Daddy! Daddy!
The door.
Oh... yes.
Dan? Dan?
Dan?
Come on.
Oh, well, you'll be all right.
Meg!
Oh my god.
Where, Herbert?
He's at the hospital I imagine.
Can you stand up?
Let's go.
Oh... Meg.
I've... always...
admired your beauty, my dear.
I think I've always loved you.
You will love me.
You will.
Please!
Please stop!
Let me go!
That's it, my dearest Meg...
more passion!
- Oh my god!
- Yes, my love!
I must say, Dr. Hill...
I'm very disappointed in you.
You steal the secret
of life and death,
and here you are trysting
with the bubble-headed coed,
you're not even
a second-rate scientist.
Mr. West.
I'm actually glad to see you.
It saves me the trouble
of having to send for you.
You'll never get credit
for my discovery.
Who's gonna believe
a talking head?
Get a job in a sideshow.
I wonder why
an intelligent young man like yourself
should make such a foolish,
fatal mistake,
of coming here to challenge me.
Oh... l have a plan.
So do I.
Let go of me!
Enough!
I will show you power, Mr. West!
My discovery,
a laser surgical drill.
It makes possible a new
technique in lobotomy,
which results in total mastery
of the human will.
Re-animated subjects
have proven to be the best.
They will give me power!
Undreamed of power.
Stay behind me.
Daddy, listen to me.
It's Megan, Megan!
- Hill, they'll kill her!
- Then I'll give her life!
Look at me!
Meg, come on!
Let's go! Come on!
Wait!
I am not through here!
Megan, no!
- Let me go!
- I told you, I have a theory!
- Overdose!
- No!
Herbert!
Look out!
Daddy!
My notes.
MY notes!
Let's go.
Come on!
My god! Megan!
Take her into number three!
Bring her this way!
Hurry, hurry,
she's got nothing.
Activating.
Air on.
Somebody give me some paste!
On three.
Okay, everybody off.
Clear.
Nothing.
Bringing back air.
The trachea's fractured.
She's fixed and dilated.
No response.
Cain... Cain.
I love you.