Film Review: Altered States (1980)

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(source: tmdb.org)

When science fiction wants to be “hard” science fiction and deal with the “science” aspect more seriously, it usually consists of works set in the new worlds explored in outer space. In 1970s “hard” science fiction began to include works that explored inner space or different realities which could be found or reached by each individual. This concept, boosted thanks to popularity of psychedelia and New Age, found the way to manifest itself on big screen. Probably the best example could be found in Altered States, 1980 film directed by Ken Russell.

The film is based on the eponymous novel by famed American screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky who also wrote the script. The protagonist, played by William Hurt, is Dr. Edward Jessup, young scientist whose research on schizophrenia and his own childhood experiences with religious visions led him to explore concept of alternate realities by experimenting with sensory deprivation. The plot begins in 1967 when he meets and falls in love with young anthropologist Emily (played by Blair Brown), who would become his wife. Seven years later, he was still obsessed with his research that he became estranged from the family. He comes to Mexico where he consumes mushroom, used by local Indians in shamanistic rituals during which all participants have the same visions. He returns to America and begins to experiment by combining sensory deprivation in flotation tank with the drug and his visions increasingly show distant past, making him convinced that he experiences genetic memory imprinted by his distant ancestors. Those experiments begin to have serious consequences for health and Jessup, to his horror, discovers that they begin to alter his physical appearance and transform him into primitive hominid.

Altered States represented the last film in the career of Paddy Chayefsky. Production, finished months before Chayefsky’s death, was beset by many problems related to Chayefsky’s displeasure with Russell, ultimately leading to Chayefsky disowning the film. British director was, for his part, displeased with dialogue in Chayefsky’s script, seeing it as boring and too pretentious, but he was contractually obliged to keep it in film. His solution was direct such scenes with characters muffling words, talking quickly or talking over each other. Russell was more interested in visual aspect of the film, and the subject, which deals with visions and hallucination, seemed tailor-made for his trademark scenes featuring various weird and grotesque images. This is especially evident in the first part, when Jessup’s visions feature crucifixes and similar Christian imagery; in the second part his visions are more broader and look much like the those in the second part of 2001: A Space Odyssey, in many ways enhanced by very good special effects for early 1980s, and some even featuring embryonic forms of CGI.

What makes this film ultimately work is brilliant acting by William Hurt in his first major film role; he plays his character in an understated but effective manner, with audience understanding and sympathising with his desire to unlock the mysteries of the universe. He has very good chemistry with Blair Brown, actress who played his wife in a very convincing way. Both actors appear naked for relatively large parts of the film, but those scenes are hardly exploitative and they actually perfectly serve the story.

Main problem with Altered States, like in many initially promising science fiction films, happens when it tries to become horror film and features some kind of Bug Eyed Monster. Idea of Jessup’s visions manifesting in reality is never properly explained and looks like a cheap attempt to deliver some cheap thrills. Russell, on the other hand, directs the scenes featuring “de-evolved” Jessup trying to survive in modern city very confidently, although at times they look like they belong in another film. The even more serious problem, at least for more cynical part of the audience, appears at the very end when Jessup, faced with the realisation that he can’t comprehend or fathom the great truths he was supposed to find, embraces familiar setting of normality and our world, embodied in his wife and children. Despite those compromises that provided conventional Hollywood happy ending, Altered States can still be recommended to the audience that demand science fiction films that have intriguing concepts and dare to venture into less travelled roads.

RATING: 7/10 (++)

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