Altered States (1980)

Directed by

Ken Russell

Genre

drama film, fantasy film, horror film, science fiction film, thriller film, science fiction horror film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 42m

Rated

R

Rating

6.7 of 10 from 772 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A scientist experiments with sensory deprivation and psychoactive drugs to explore altered states of consciousness. His experiments trigger terrifying physical and psychological transformations.

trippyvisceralunsettlingcerebralsurrealintensefreneticbody-horror

What happens

Altered States is a 1980 American experimental surrealist science fiction horror film directed by Ken Russell, and adapted by playwright and screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky from his 1978 novel of the same name. The novel and the film are based in part on John C. Lilly's sensory deprivation research conducted in isolation tanks under the influence of psychoactive drugs like mescaline, ketamine, and LSD. The film features the elements of body and psychological horror. Chayefsky withdrew from the project after disputes with Russell and took his name off the credits, substituting "Sidney Aaron", his actual first and middle names. The film stars William Hurt, Blair Brown, Bob Balaban, and Charles Haid. It marked the film debut of Hurt and Drew Barrymore (in a small role). The film score was composed by John Corigliano and conducted by Christopher Keene. Warner Bros. gave the film a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 25, 1980, followed by a wide release in February 1981. The film garnered generally positive reviews from critics, and was nominated for Best Original Score and Best Sound at the 53rd Academy Awards. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

More like this

• The Lathe of Heaven (1980)
• The Shining (1980)
• X (1963)
• Scared to Death (1980)
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
• Peyote Queen (1965)
• The Aliens Are Coming (1980)
• The Thing (1982)