IMDb > Altered States (1980)
Altered States
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Altered States (1980) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   8,090 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Ken Russell
Writers:
Paddy Chayefsky (novel)
Paddy Chayefsky (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Altered States on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 December 1980 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Fantasy more
Tagline:
When he heard his cry for help it wasn't human more
Plot:
A Harvard scientist conducts experiments on himself with a hallucinatory drug and an isolation chamber that may be causing him to regress genetically. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 4 nominations more
User Comments:
Don't miss human interaction and the power of touch more (99 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

William Hurt ... Eddie Jessup
Blair Brown ... Emily Jessup
Bob Balaban ... Arthur Rosenberg
Charles Haid ... Mason Parrish
Thaao Penghlis ... Echeverria
Miguel Godreau ... Primal Man
Dori Brenner ... Sylvia Rosenberg
Peter Brandon ... Hobart
Charles White-Eagle ... The Brujo

Drew Barrymore ... Margaret Jessup
Megan Jeffers ... Grace Jessup
Jack Murdock ... Hector Orteco

Francis X. McCarthy ... Obispo (as Frank McCarthy)
Deborah Baltzell ... Schizophrenic Patient

Evan Richards ... Young Rosenberg
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Additional Details

Runtime:
102 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Spanish
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby | 70 mm 6-Track (MegaSound encoding)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In his autobiography, director Ken Russell said he tried mushrooms during the making of the film, which resulted in a bad trip. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: The introductory story is set in 1967, but exterior shots of the streets shows a VW Rabbit and a Plymouth Volare, both 1970s cars. more
Quotes:
[First line]
Arthur Rosenberg: The tank itself was unusual in that it was vertical, and looked like an old boiler.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Beerfest (2006) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
7 out of 11 people found the following comment useful.
Don't miss human interaction and the power of touch, 10 November 2006
10/10
Author: Mark Branson from United States

Certainly, Altered States took on its cult status due to the sfx of Hurt's altered consciousness (the film was the "head film" of the 1980s like 2001: A Space Odyssey was for those in 1968). However, the compelling part for me is not the "trip" but the touch. On the next viewing, pay particular attention to the climactic scene in the hallway. Ken Russell frames the sequence effectively and shows us that we must maintain our humanity by simply reaching out to touch on another. If we don't, we are lost.

Human touch is iconographic--from the Creation of Adam to ET--and in a world where we are "wired" 24/7--we are still out of touch. I believe this film is important for revisit because it reminds us of the power of touch.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (99 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Altered States (1980)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Am I the only one who laughed at this? B-J-C
uhh awesomeness567
Jessup sees Jesus mrmikeob
HEEEELP!!SOME QUESTIONS..... jimpemmas
Forced Hollywood Ending? byzantym
Interesting Truth to Movie (Mushroom) KamatariTheScythe
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