Madhouse

Synopsis: The psychiatric intern Clark Stevens comes to Cunningham Hall, a mental healthy facility administrated by Dr. Franks, for a training period before his graduation in medical college. He gets close to the resident Sara and to Ben London, a dangerous patient lodged in cell 44 in the basement of the clinic. Clark becomes intrigued with a boy, who seems to be a ghost, and finds that Dr. Franks does not use real medication in the patients. A further investigation shows hidden dark secrets in the clinic.
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Director(s): William Butler
Production: LionsGate Entertainment
 
IMDB:
5.6
R
Year:
2004
91 min
259 Views


He's over there!

He's this way!

This way! This way!

Hurry up!

Hello? It's Clark Stevens

from Farley University.

Hello? I'm looking

for Dr. Franks.

Excuse me, do you know where

I can find Dr. Franks?

It doesn't like it

when you say that!

- And it doesn't like you!

- Leave him alone.

Can't you tell he doesn't

like you touching him like that?

It doesn't like it

when you say that.

And it doesn't like you

either, Puddles!

It's too f***ing bad!

That's enough, Puddles.

I'm Dr. Hendricks.

Clark Stevens.

Welcome to Cunningham Hall.

Thank you very much.

I hope you don't mind

I let myself in.

No, we've been expecting you.

Well, my train

ran a little late.

And it's hard to find a cab

to take you out here.

- Yet here you are.

- Yes, here I am.

We should probably begin with

a series of psychiatric tests...

to make sure we start with

a clean bill of mental health...

Followed by

a thorough physical.

- Betty.

- Mr. Franklin.

What did we talk about when we said

no more pretending we're a doctor?

- But, but I was...

- I know, Mr. Franklin.

Why don't you go back in the rec

room and make yourself at home?

Nurse Hendricks is going

to serve Pudding Pops.

- Won't that be nice?

- Very nice.

- Good boy!

- It was nice to meet you.

- Hi. I'm Betty Donner.

- Clark Stevens.

I'm the Administration

Coordinator.

I'm sorry I missed you up front.

I just stepped away for a moment.

Don't worry about it.

I'm glad to finally meet you.

Same here. We are so excited about

your coming in to lend us a hand.

I'm excited about

getting to work.

Wonderful.

Wonderful.

Perfect. I'll have your badge

ready for you in a few days.

I need you

to fill out these forms...

so you get school credit.

Blue card on the bottom's

for emergency information.

Your keys to the kingdom.

- Thank you.

- And your walkie-talkie.

That's how

we communicate here.

You'll stay in a cottage on

the south side of the building.

Well, there's only

one thing left.

- What's that?

- To meet the big cheese.

Dr. Franks.

Very good.

Hello, Betty.

I take it this place has

been around for a while.

Since 1918.

You should have seen the shape it

was before we spruced it all up.

It took our patient

clean-up committee...

a year and a half

to get it to this point.

They've done

such a marvelous job.

Absolutely.

No, I'm sure.

It's just...

It seems a little rundown.

Not particularly conducive

to rehabilitation.

For some of the patients,

that will never happen.

- Get me out of here.

- Carl!

I shouldn't be here!

No one should.

- Carl...

- It's okay.

They don't let you go home even

when they know you're better.

Why do you say that?

Because the people

running this place...

are really the crazy ones.

Guilty as charged.

Now run along. Go on, scoot!

Have a seat.

The doctor will be

with you momentarily.

- Good luck.

- Thank you very much, Betty.

'Einstein also believed...

some chronic

schizophrenics were...

misdiagnosed due to possible

psychokinetic conditions...

such as their ability to see

paranormal activities.'

Not a pleasant way to receive

mental health treatment.

I received your records

from the university.

4.0 average. My, my.

You have the potential to follow

in your grandfather's footsteps.

Thank you.

I hope so.

My internship here is all

I need to get my degree.

- Then what?

- Well...

to take residence in a mental

health facility as a counselor.

That goes without saying.

What's going on with these?

Put them in a cup, Polly.

Sorry, Dr. Franks.

My minor, sir,

is in administrations.

I'd love to work in a place

like Cunningham Hall.

Maybe design

an updated curriculum.

I researched the building

and its operating procedures.

I made notes.

Little changes

we might implement...

during my stay.

Mr. Stevens...

I hope you understand what

you've gotten yourself into here.

- I'm sorry?

- This isn't a summer camp.

We have neither funding nor time for

anything but patient maintenance.

I absolutely understand that

has to be the priority, but...

You want to empty bedpans

to make your grades better...

great.

But you're not in class...

reading about life

in a mental institute.

You've arrived.

I didn't mean any disrespect.

I just thought...

Let me be blunt.

You're not here to think.

If you want to be on my staff, I

want you to focus on the objective.

- That is?

- Maintenance of the mentally ill.

Make no mistake.

There are serious reasons why...

a person would be

locked up in here.

Where is this wonder boy

I have heard so much about?

Dr. Morton, Dr. Douglas.

- Clark Stevens.

- Nice to meet you.

It is you.

I'd recognize you anywhere.

I met your grandfather...

at the Chicago Conference of

Mental Health Sciences in '75.

He and I

went on such a bender...

I was discussing our operating

procedures with Mr. Stevens.

We've come

to an understanding.

Introduce him to Sara, then she

can give him the grand tour.

I like to give my favorites

a little extra.

You never know when

you might need a little favor.

Noted.

So you survived

the Franks interview.

- Yes. Just barely.

- Some say it's the worst...

shock treatment

the hospital offers.

I can't argue with that.

He's kind of a shark, the

bottom line's if you work hard...

he'll hire you full-time.

That's what he did with me.

I would just ideally love

to help change this place.

Improve it a bit.

That's what we all say...

until the third time

you're stabbed with a pencil.

Point taken.

When did you

start working here?

Last year.

I served the same

internship you did.

So you graduated last year?

You're a year older than me.

Which means you have

to do everything I say.

Come on. I'll be your

tour guide today.

This is B ward.

Group therapy's in there.

Showers, med station.

We keep it locked

for obvious reasons.

Also we keep some low

security risk patients here.

Ladies' rooms.

Your duties will range

from monitoring patients...

sitting on

group therapy sessions...

to assisting staff.

Speaking of which, brace

yourself. Nurse Hendricks.

Sara.

- You must be Clark.

- Yes, indeed. Nice to meet you.

- He's the new intern.

- Of course he is.

I'm Anabelle Hendricks,

head nurse.

- Pleasure.

- I wondered where you went to.

Seems to be a regular

occurrence lately.

I'm sorry, I haven't

been feeling well.

You'll assist Nurse Hendricks

as well as other staff.

- I look forward to it.

- So do I.

It will be nice to have

a little muscle here.

May I speak with

you in the office, please?

Sure.

He's been up there...

for months.

Who has?

- We need to change the prescription.

- I signed off on everything.

You need to be there

at precisely...

Sara?

Do you understand?

- Ready for more?

- Sure.

- Enjoy your stay here, Clark.

- Thank you very much.

What a b*tch. Come on.

That's Crystal.

She's our resident

nymphomaniac.

- Come on.

- Where are we going?

To the unpleasant part

of this job.

Where we keep

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William Butler

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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