Just saw "Altered States" last night... WTF?

[Hi There, Am Pam]

My kind of movie... one that explores esoteric topics, but doesn't make much sense. It's kind of cross between very deep philosophical material, and pseudo-science-fiction. One minute, they're talking about very accurate portrial of some scienctific concepts of evolution & consciousness, and the next they're talking about physical genetic regression (which is of course, needless to say, impossible). Still, it makes for one hell of a mind fuck with those visuals and horrible 80's special effects.


And the cheesey aspect of the 80's effects just adds to the strangeness of the movie. Not something I'd want to see often, but it's worth viewing just because there isn't anything else quite like it.

I honestly think the movie could have been a perfect cult classic if it stayed more on topic & accuracy of recreating the depervation tank + drug hallcinations. There is enough mind-blowing material that is real that it seems like a waste to make it fiction.

[Hi There, Am Pam]

Then again, perhaps it's the fictional part of the movie that makes it a perfect cult classic. It's so laughable and riduclous.

[vaya con dios]

What makes it from being one of the best motion pictures of all time is the god as fucking awful ending. The idea that love cures all, even deep psychological and physical body tremors and nightmares.

Come on.

Want a real good one? Look into Jacob's Ladder, or even The Jacket.
Also, the book Altered States is more of a better look... even the author hates the film.

[motorcyclemptiness]

I've seen this movie at the video store and the box always looks interesting, but it's placed in the 2 fer a dollar section. That doesn't turn me off, but it just looks like the box has faced the window for three years and faded terribly under the sun's harsh rays cos it's never rented.

[Hi There, Am Pam]

Originally posted by vaya con dios
What makes it from being one of the best motion pictures of all time is the god as fucking awful ending. The idea that love cures all, even deep psychological and physical body tremors and nightmares.

I agree completely, I expected him to reach an epiphany on the origin of life, but it was made into a parable about the power of love. *cue Huey Lewis*

The Jacket, now that was a real probe into the psyche of a war victim. I'm about to speak about the ending of that movie, so it's time for the prerequist long, empty space....

































Ok, so again, the ending did have the same type of "supernatural" non-sense, but the very idea seemed to be more entertaining and intentionally fictional than in Altered States, which just seemed like "How do we end this movie?" type of ending. But the recreation of a war victim who is reliving their hellish moment was extremely well done.



Another movie along these lines is the Cell. Now most of the movie itself wasn't all that great, but in terms of creating a thematic movie with a creative nightmare psychological state, it was perfect. Everything from the killer's cape which streched along the wall, to the horse which gets sliced up, the idea of being in the mind of an abused killer is something which allows the movie to get away with things other movies couldn't. It's one of those movies that has a great premise, but lacks in other places.


Well, anyway, Rhonda, you should get the movie if for no other reason than to take in a rare bizarre experience. It's definetly one of those movies worth seeing, even if it doesn't fulfill most of the normal cinema needs.

[vaya con dios]

Originally posted by motorcyclemptiness
I've seen this movie at the video store and the box always looks interesting, but it's placed in the 2 fer a dollar section. That doesn't turn me off, but it just looks like the box has faced the window for three years and faded terribly under the sun's harsh rays cos it's never rented.


Haha. Take Two Video did that for years, and I'd always see that Carrot Top movie all faded out in the window the same way...

[vaya con dios]

Also, it's on DVD for like $5 just about anywhere. Just FYI for anyone who digs cheap DVD's, or even the bargain bins at Walmart.

[Hi There, Am Pam]

I got it from Amazon.com used for like, $2. It cost me more to ship it than for the actual DVD. I <3 Amazon.com's used vendors.


Another movie I'm considering seeing, on a recommendation, is "What the Bleep Do We Know?!?". I've heard the science in it is somewhat flakey though, so it's hard to know if it's worth seeing. My psychatrist actually recommended both of these movies.

[vaya con dios]

I've heard it's pretty boring, but I've not seen it either.

March Of the Penguins has been my main favorite docu this year.

[motorcyclemptiness]

What the Bleep Do We Know looked real dumb, and I read some shitty reviews, cos I was once asked to go see it and I flat out refused.

That annoying deaf lady is in it, too.