“Pickman’s Model” is the fifth episode of the horror anthology series, but starts off a two episode H.P. Lovecraft series. Each episode, streaming on Netflix, lasts about an hour. The short story appeared in the Weird Tales pulp magazine in 1927. It was also adapted in a Night Gallery 1971 episode. Lovecraft is not for young people, too influential and dark, this ep is especially dark and adult in all content, I would say 20 or 21 years old would be questionable. This episode debuted on October 27th and the series debuted on October 25th. Each episode has a different director, in this case, Keith Thomas. He made his film debut on The Vigil (2019). The Cabinet of Curiosities is hosted by director/writer, Guillermo del Toro, like Rod Serling in the Night Gallery. Here he notes the artist’s saying, “I paint what I see”, he inserts a key into the cabinet that opens all of its doors in a pagoda-style cabinet. He opens a sketchbook that has glimpses of the show and places a figure of the director in the center.
This shifts to the show’s beginning, a museum gallery of strange objects, then to a spinning whirlpool of bones. It opens to a large house in “1909, Arkham, Massachusetts.” This is the standard setting for Lovecraft stories, seemingly normal, with darkness in the corners. Instead the house, is William Thurber (Ben Barnes) sketching Rebecca (Oriana Leman) like one of his French girls. Barnes starred as the lead in Dorian Gray (2009) about another painting, and I also recognize him as the lead in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008). Leman was Carly Miller in the Locke & Key series based on the Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodgriguez graphic novel. They suddenly hear her father arriving home. He quickly puts on his coat, artist’s bag, and kisses her before leaving on his bike.
Next, he arrives at Miskatonic University, another classic Lovecraft setting which has a number of occult books, as well as funding infamous expeditions. His colleague, Joe (Seamus Patterson) , and himself attend an art class run by Bosworth (Thom Marriott). He tells the students about the student art prize, the winner is displayed at Arkham Gallery, Thurber is the last year’s winner. Bosworth brings in the male model and introduces the class to new student, Mr. Pickman (Crispin Glover). The older model puts a cloth across his lap and holds out a pole, like some classical artwork of Zeus. Thurber is almost finished and sees Pickman wildly slashing his charcoal on his painting. He goes to wash his hands and notices that Pickman has added a gold gash on the model’s side, like blood, spilling down his side. Pickman turns to see Thurber’s interest and Bosworth sends him back. He returns to his painting.
At a tavern, he has gathering with his friends who gossip about Pickman, they mention he is from old money and that his mother from Arkham committed suicide. Then, Thurber picks up that Pickman draws in the cemetary. Later, he sees Pickman drawing who says his first name, Richard. Thurber calls him Dickie and continues belittling him with that name. Pickman has been sketching a dead cat that he says was food for rats. This alone should warn Thurber away, but he is intrigued by Pickman’s art. Pickman shows Thurber his sketchbook, we hear faint growling, and Thurber sees bizarre visions. Pickman with his strange accent says artwork should show the truth. Thurber asks where these truths can be found and Pickman says, “Where fear lives.” He continues his paintings, drinks, but is frustrated he can’t reach what Pickman has painted. The next day, Thurber walks into a hallway of students with their artwork for the prize.
He is not submitting for this year. Thurber asks about Pickman who is showing his artwork that moment. Bosworth and the other judges burst out offended at Pickman’s art. Thurber slips in to see Pickman folding up covers for his painting. He says it was the “wrong audience.” Thurber tries to invite him out with his friends, but Pickman asks if he wants to see the paintings and walks out. At Pickman’s apartment, Thurber sees a man grasped by clawed hands, but Pickman wants to show him more. He explains that his descendant, Lavinia, was burned at the stake for being a witch. Thurber sees the painting with Lavinia (Megan Many) with sinister grin, next to a eyeless man, and other members of her coven. Pickman says she had killed her husband and fed her coven his body! Screams are heard and Thurber tries to shake off the disturbing visions. Thurber leaves the apartment, wretches in a corner, as a carriage comes up.
He sees within the carriage, a woman with a black-veined chest, and an older man there too. The carriage stops and the woman gestures Thurber to enter! He sees a horrifying vision and then wakes up in the morning! Thurber finds his shirt ripped and then gets a knock at his door. Joe is there to tell Wil that it is afternoon and he is late for Rebecca’s party. They are dressed to the nines including Rebecca who has a blue dress and chapeau worthy of the Titanic. She introduces her aunt, Mrs. Creighton (Wendy Lyon). They give some small talk about art, but he sees a dark, smoky form walking across the party, Lavinia! Mrs. Creighton sees he is disturbed. The darkness has already entered in Will’ Thurber’s waking life. The thing to do is act normal even if there are dancing Elder Things or bloody faces. He excuses himself to take a drink.
Rebecca startles him and introduces him to her father, Charles (Laurie Murdoch). Thurber sees that he looks exactly like the man in the carriage! Again, oh, that’s interesting is the correct response. Then, he sees a dark face behind Charles, Thurber stumbles back in horror. Rebecca hurries to catch up to him and he points out the woman with her father. Thurber looks back and sees that it is just Charles’ wife. Rebecca draws back and asks him to leave. He knocks at Pickman’s apartment door and finds it open. The apartment is emptied with only disturbed faces on the wall. This moves to “1926”, at a club, Joe is discussing Modernist art when a question is asked to the expert. It is William Thurber now with a moustache and white streaks in his hair. He returns home to his son and wife at play. Thurber also sees the covered painting very much like the one wrapped up by Pickman.
He sees his wife, Rebecca, and son, James (Remy Flint). This is Flint’s first film. Apparently, Thurber has gotten things to normal in the seventeen years, married, and has a young son. He looks at his son’s pictures and then sends him to bed. Really after encountering Pickman, the Thurber family needs to move away, maybe to somewhere peaceful like Cleveland? Thurber wakes up in pain, hears music coming from a room, so he opens the door. He is covered by an unnatural, green light and sees a dinner party. Correct, response, hope you enjoy your dinner of a person, goodbye. Thurber sees beetles crawling on the dishes and an octopus on a human head! They suddenly turn to him, Lavinia at the head of the table, and Thurber is shocked awake! Typical horror movies draw you in, possibly daring you to keep looking, this is should be the cautious part of reading Lovecraft. It is the same problem with Thurber, the darkness stays with you, turn it off if it is too disturbing and walk away. There is no escape in Lovecraft’s world once you step in it. “Pickman’s Model” captures the Lovecraftian tone for this episode of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities!
Four Cabinet Keys out of Five!
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