Review of Altered States (1980) by Tristan G — 11 Nov 2007

Pretty intense assault on the senses. This film, about a man who gets experimented on by some mysterious Mexican magic mushrooms and begins to de-evolve, is harsh and electrifying, but it's fascinating and moving at the same time.

When William Hurt turns into the monkey and gets attacked and chased around by dogs, things get even more interesting than they already are. At the end, I felt sorry for him and his wife and all that was happening to everybody, but I liked how everyone just wanted to discover more and more.

There's a lot to take in, and some of the stuff that he changes into is pretty fucked up, but the film works.