Altered States (1980)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Ken Russell

Writers:

Paddy Chayefsky (novel)
Paddy Chayefsky (writer)

Release Date:

25 December 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Fantasy

Tagline:

When he heard his cry for help it wasn't human

Plot:

A Harvard scientist conducts experiments on himself with a hallucinatory drug and an isolation chamber that may be causing him to regress genetically.

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Scientist | Sensory Deprivation | Female Nudity | Isolation Tank

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

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

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | 70 mm 6-Track (MegaSound encoding)

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Italy:VM14 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:18 (1982) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

In his autobiography, director Ken Russell said he tried mushrooms during the making of the film, which resulted in a bad trip.

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.

Quotes:

[First line]
Arthur Rosenberg: The tank itself was unusual in that it was vertical, and looked like an old boiler.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Beerfest (2006)

Don't miss human interaction and the power of touch

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.