A Bucket of Blood

At the Jabberjaw cafe in Los Angeles, a crowd of Generation X hipsters watches a rotating lineup of performance artists vying for attention. Maxwell proclaims that life is nothing but a homeless traveler on the RTD of art, setting a cheeky mission for the scene. Mayolia performs monologues with a toy monkey, Cuff and Link photograph roadkill, and Stupid Girl strips nude on stage while playing the cello.

Walter hears his landlady's cat Frankie behind the wall and tries to cut it free. In the attempt, he kills the animal. This grisly discovery would spark the first dead-pet sculpture that fuels his later crimes.

The next morning, Walter covers up the dead cat with plaster and presents it as a new sculpture called Dead Cat. The work immediately generates attention among the Jabberjaw regulars and other artists. The sculpture marks Walter's entry into a twisted art persona.

Dead Cat's success brings Mayolia close to Walter; she secretly places a necklace containing a nickel bag of heroin around his neck. The gesture marks a turning point as Walter's criminal life begins to intertwine with his art. The drug connection foreshadows the violence to come.

Lou, the undercover cop, tracks Walter back to his apartment and confronts him about the heroin. In the confrontation, Walter kills Lou with a frying pan and hides the body by plastering it into a new sculpture called the 'Murdered Man'.

Leonard discovers the original Dead Cat sculpture and the rumored 'Murdered Man'. He initially considers calling the police, but a customer offers a large sum for Dead Cat, so Leonard decides to cover up both murders by remaining silent.

A party for Walter features Alice, who initially belittles his growing fame. Despite the insult, she agrees to pose nude for his new statue, complicating Walter's perception of himself as an artist. The evening deepens the tension around his art and his control over others.

Alice taunts Walter about being a virgin, pushing him into a rage. He strangles her in his apartment, adding another body to the increasingly monstrous art project.

At an art show, Walter reveals his true feelings to Carla. She tells him she does not love him, but she agrees to model for his work, blurring the line between creator and subject.

Carla discovers Alice's body concealed within the nude sculpture and is repulsed by Walter's true nature. She runs away, fearing for her own safety.

Art critics begin praising the 'brilliance' of a 'creation within a creation'. Walter's statues are finally broken apart by the police partner, revealing the corpses hidden inside. The discovery confirms Walter as a killer in front of his friends.

Walter is cornered by a pursuing officer and his friends. He mixes a fresh batch of plaster as the police break down the door, and his body is found spattered with plaster; he has hanged himself rather than be captured.

The Jabberjaw's ruin impacts those around Walter: Carla is left mute by the trauma, Leonard burns the club for insurance money, and Maxwell dies trying to imitate Walter's ‘suicide art’. The tragedy alters the lives of the regulars forever.

Cuff and Link, who always challenged Walter, finally become successful artists and live together as roommates. Mayolia transitions into television, becoming the host of a successful children's show. The cafe's legacy ends with new careers born from tragedy.