Review of Altered States (1980) by Mikael B — 25 May 2009

Altered States gets high marks for the acting and its boldness in presenting the subject matter. Director Ken Russell loves using incredibly jarring imagery in his movies, and it is fun to compare notes if you have ever had similar "experiences" like those in the film.

William Hurt stars as Dr. Jessup, a driven but still sympathetic scientist investigating the experience of water-filled sensory deprivation tanks. To his great satisfaction he believes that these experiments may be causing him to change genetically (i.e., externalize his drug induced delusions which Dr. Jessup believes reflects something profound about our origins). It brings great weight to the material when the hero reverts to a primal form as his recompense for delving into the unknowable reaches of humanity.