Altered States(1980).An American researching different states of consciousness with the aid of mind altering drugs and an isolation chamber begins to experience disturbing physical changes in his body that point toward an evolutionary regression. Written byKeith Loh <loh@sfu.ca>... Synopsis Altered States(1980)
Movie Title: Altered States(1980)
Run Time: 102 min
Rating: 6.8 / 10
Genres: Drama |Fantasy |Horror |Sci-Fi |Thriller
Release Date: 25 December 1980 (USA)
Director: Ken Russell
Writer: Paddy Chayefsky (written for the screen by),Paddy Chayefsky (novel)... and other credits
Actor: William Hurt,Blair Brown,Bob Balaban
Okay, the character of Dr. Eddie Jessup is kind of a pompous ass, and there are a few groaner moments of, call it, self-importance.
But this movie breaks real ground.
One of my all time favorites.
And I'd like to point out that everyone is crazy about the much-touted and notoriously-expensive hallucination sequences, ...
Of course if you've seen Russel's "Tommy," some of the over-the-top sequences will look familiar and tinged with peculiar British-isms. And then there's the ending - well, it's controversial, that's for sure - anticlimax or not ?
But for me the most electrifying parts are the ensemble cast acting.
In the scene where Blair Brown is trying to cope with the trauma of the events in the isolation tank room, there's a very beautifully conceived long single shot through house windows. Russel needs credit especially for the argument between Balaban and Haid - some of the best acting I've ever seen - character actors hardly EVER get to put this kind of stage-acting energy on film. It stays with me still. They truly seem absolutely furious with each other, their lines overlap, it's absolutely convincing.
Some of the greatest effects of this movie are simply good movie craftfantastically back-lit, and the music comes up and cross-fades into the next scene - it's breathtaking.
- when Jessup first sees the love of his life walk through the door,
It's the moments like that, and the very intro of the movie, with the slow title crawl, the deadpan lines read by Balaban, the first shots of Hurt in the tank, the eerie music ... This movie still stands out, still looks good,... and stands superior to other, more recent imaginings of internal hallucination become external.
