Altered States – Criterion

Director: Ken Russell
Screenplay: Paddy Chayefsky (as Sidney Aaron)
Based on a Novel by: Paddy Chayefsky
Starring: William Hurt, Blair Brown, Bob Balaban, Charles Haid, Dori Brenner, Thaao Penghlis, Miguel Godreau
Country: USA
Running Time: 103 min
Year: 1980
BBFC Certificate: 18

Altered States, which is being released on UHD and Blu-ray by The Criterion Collection, is based on a Paddy Chayefsky novel, adapted by the esteemed author himself. The film is reportedly very faithful to the source material, as you might imagine, though Chayefsky did fall out with director Ken Russell, who was only brought on to the film after arguments with the writer had already got the original director, Arthur Penn, fired during pre-production. Chayefsky had creative control of the film, so you’d have thought he could have taken Russell off the project too, but according to his contract, Chayefsky couldn’t fire Russell at this stage unless he took over the directorial role himself. So, instead, the writer changed his credit for the adaptation to another name (Sidney Aaron), and production continued.

Whilst it was Chayefsky’s ‘baby’, so to speak, and Russell was brought on later in the process, the film is a great fit within the director’s filmography. Despite not being known for making science fiction films, Russell was adept at making visually bold and experimental films about obsession.

I must admit, from Russell’s filmography, I’d only seen The Devils previously, but I was blown away by its bombastic approach and extraordinary visual style. So, I ventured into Altered States with a hope to find something similar.

Altered States tells a Faustian tale, which follows Dr. Edward Jessup (William Hurt), a brilliant but obsessive scientist who becomes consumed by his experiments into the origins of human consciousness. Using sensory deprivation tanks and hallucinogenic substances derived from indigenous rituals in Mexico, Jessup seeks to uncover the primal state of human existence – what he believes to be the most fundamental layer of being.

As his experiments progress, Jessup begins to experience increasingly vivid and terrifying hallucinations, blurring the line between subjective experience and physical reality. His body and mind undergo literal transformations, seemingly regressing through stages of human evolution. These experiments strain his relationships, particularly with his wife, Emily (Blair Brown), who fears for his sanity and safety as he delves deeper into his dangerous quest for ultimate truth.

Well, I certainly did find another eye-popping assault on the senses with Altered States. There’s quite a lot of dense scientific and philosophical dialogue in the film, but, coming from Chayefsky, it feels genuine and can be deeply thought-provoking. However, even if the complex dialogue and heavy themes go over your head (I won’t lie – a lot went over mine), you can appreciate the film as a sheer experience.

This is largely down to the frequent hallucinations we see when Jessup is experimenting on himself. Russell throws a barrage of bold, sometimes disturbing imagery at the screen. Some of the religious symbolism and effects look a little clunky now, but the overall effect is immensely powerful.

This is aided by an incredible score by John Corigliano. It was his first film soundtrack, and he only did a few following this, preferring to stay with contemporary classical music, despite being nominated for an Oscar for his work on Altered States. His score blends romantic cues with atonal passages that perfectly complement the trippy visuals.

Working alongside Russell to craft the stunning imagery was cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth. He’s probably best known for shooting Blade Runner, but his work here is equally as stunning.

The practical makeup effects are very impressive too. These were handled by influential special effects makeup artist Dick Smith, who revolutionised the latex bladder technique that he first used on The Exorcist. He advances this effect even further in Altered States and would go on to work on films such as Scanners.

In fact, there were a number of important special effects artists involved in making the film, many of whom were yet to work on their more famous titles. As such, whilst a more intellectual and surreal film, the special effects of Altered States can be seen as being influential on the body horror and effects-heavy sci-fi films that would follow in the 80s.

The film, indeed, turns into more of a horror movie in later scenes, when Hurt devolves into a wild primate. I could see some being put off by this segment, but I think it’s pulled off effectively enough to make it work. Plus, the denouement that follows, whilst sounding corny on paper, is powerfully realised. Reportedly, this final sequence went through several changes, as the original plans weren’t working. The effects artists had to think on their feet to come up with something spectacular that didn’t take away from the drama unfolding on screen.

The cast is key to grounding this stylistic chaos with some kind of humanity. Altered States was William Hurt’s film debut after working on stage. He perfectly captures the intelligence and obsession of his character.

Blair Brown is also highly effective as Jessup’s wife. It’s good to see that what could simply be the ‘love interest’ character is given intelligence and depth. She also becomes the heroine of the film as it moves on.

On a side note on the cast, I didn’t realise Drew Barrymore appears as one of the kids of the Jessups. It was only when listening to the commentary that I found out.

Overall, Altered States is a stunning cinematic experience that should be watched on a big screen with the sound up high. It may seem a little dated and heavy-handed in spots, but if you surrender to Russell’s heady approach, it’s a remarkable trip.

Film:

Altered States is out on 18th August on 4K UHD & Blu-Ray in the UK, released by The Criterion Collection. I watched the Blu-ray disc and the film looks incredible. It’s clean, detailed, and the colours are rich. You get two choices of audio – 2.0 or 5.1. I opted for the former and thought it sounded flawless.

Disc/Package: