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Warner Bros. Pictures
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In the basement of a university medical school, Dr. Jessup floats naked in total darkness. The most terrifying experiment in the history of science is out of control... and the subject is himself.
A research scientist explores the boundaries and frontiers of human consciousness. Using sensory deprivation and hallucinogenic mixtures from Native American shamans, he explores these altered states of cognizance and finds that memory, time, and reality itself are states of mind.
Wuchak
Mar 11, 2019 · via TMDB
***“Night of the Apeman” mixed with some pretty heady material*** In the late 60s and mid-70s, a psychopathologist (William Hurt) from the New York/New England area honestly seeks ultimate truth and the origins of humanity through dubious experiments with sensory deprivation mixed with drugs, including a potent mixture used in ceremonies by Mexican AmerIndians. This leads to altered states of consciousness and amazing primordial revelations. Blair Brown is on hand as his romantic interest while Bob Balaban and Charles Haid appear as his colleagues, the latter a scientific version of a Pharisee. Directed by Ken Russell, “Altered States” (198o) is a mature sci-fi drama with elements of mystery/horror. It comes across as a meshing of movies like “Wolfen” (1981), “An American Werewolf in London” (1981), Russell’s later “The Lair of the White Worm” (1988) and “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968). One of the fascinating things about the movie is that it shows how a person can reach other realms while in an isolated location through the power of the mind/spirit, albeit in this case with the assistance of drugs. I can relate to a degree. For instance, eleven years ago I was sleeping in bed (during the day) having an intense dream when my wife burst into the room to wake me up. The smoke alarm outside the door was blaring like crazy, but there was no smoke or fire (or heat). The intense energy evoked by my dream obviously set it off because, as soon as I woke, it suddenly stopped. This happened again the next week. What can explain this except the untapped power of the mind and focused energy? Anyway, the apeman sequence is one of the best parts of the movie and recalls those werewolf flicks noted above (of course “Wolfen” isn’t really a werewolf picture). But “Altered States” is so much more than a standard creature feature or nature-runs-amok flick. The apeman make-up is great and the bizarre imaginings are similar to the same in “The Lair of the White Worm.” While I disagree with the evolutionary nonsense (humans didn’t evolve from apes, rolling my eyes), this is a fantasy about finding the truth by Ken Russell and so I don’t expect those kinds of details to be accurate anyway. Blair is winsome in a girl-next-door kind of way and Russell doesn’t fail to capture her beauty (and I’m not tawkin about the top nudity), although that’s there too, if you’re interested. I suggest using the subtitles since a lot of the jargon is pretty technical. It helps the viewer to stay with the story if you can understand what the characters are saying and discussing. The movie runs 1 hour, 42 minutes and was shot in New York City (including the Bronx Zoo); Boston; Sierra Tarahumara, Chihuahua, Mexico (the rock formations); Burbank Studios and a VA hospital in Los Angeles. GRADE: B
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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William Hurt
Professor Eddie Jessup
Blair Brown
Emily Jessup
Bob Balaban
Arthur Rosenberg
Charles Haid
Mason Parrish
Thaao Penghlis
Echeverria
Dori Brenner
Sylvia Rosenberg
Peter Brandon
Hobart
Charles White-Eagle
The Brujo
Drew Barrymore
Margaret Jessup
Jack Murdock
Hector Orteco
Francis X. McCarthy
Obispo
Evan Richards
Young Rosenberg
Paul Larsson
Charlie Thomas
John Larroquette
X-Ray Technician
George Gaynes
Dr. Wissenschaft
Hap Lawrence
Endocrinology Fellow
James Glennon
Camera Operator
Jordan Cronenweth
Director of Photography
Rick Baker
Makeup Artist
Dick Smith
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Rick Baker
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Ken Russell
Director
Stuart Baird
Associate Producer
Willie D. Burton
Sound Mixer
Paddy Chayefsky
Novel
Paddy Chayefsky
Screenplay
Runner's High
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Dec 25, 1980
Aug 17, 1999
Warner Home Video #17353 [𝐕𝐇𝐒📼] 𝟭𝟬𝟯 mínutєѕ
Jun 1, 2004
Warner Bros. [𝐃𝐕𝐃📀] 𝟭𝟬𝟯 mínutєѕ
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Bicara Cinta
2020
The Pied Pipers of Harlow
1965
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
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