IMDb >
Altered States (1980)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsAltered States (1980) More at IMDbPro »
Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
25 December 1980 (USA)
more
Tagline:
When he heard his cry for help it wasn't human more
Plot:
A Harvard scientist conducts experiments on himself with a hallucinatory drug and an isolation chamber that may be causing him to regress genetically. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars.
Another 1 win
&
4 nominations
more
NewsDesk:
(12 articles)
Former MGM Chief Daniel Melnick Dead At 77; Many Classic Films To His Credit
(From CinemaRetro. 16 October 2009, 9:58 AM, PDT)
The Planting of Dan Melnick and the Death of Hollywood Cool
(From Huffington Post. 15 October 2009, 3:36 PM, PDT)
(From CinemaRetro. 16 October 2009, 9:58 AM, PDT)
The Planting of Dan Melnick and the Death of Hollywood Cool
(From Huffington Post. 15 October 2009, 3:36 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Not just for the FX...
more (99 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | William Hurt | ... | Eddie Jessup |
 | Blair Brown | ... | Emily Jessup |
| Bob Balaban | ... | Arthur Rosenberg |
| Charles Haid | ... | Mason Parrish |
| Thaao Penghlis | ... | Echeverria |
| Miguel Godreau | ... | Primal Man |
| Dori Brenner | ... | Sylvia Rosenberg |
| Peter Brandon | ... | Hobart |
| Charles White-Eagle | ... | The Brujo |
 | Drew Barrymore | ... | Margaret Jessup |
| Megan Jeffers | ... | Grace Jessup |
| Jack Murdock | ... | Hector Orteco |
 | Francis X. McCarthy | ... | Obispo (as Frank McCarthy) |
| Deborah Baltzell | ... | Schizophrenic Patient |
 | Evan Richards | ... | Young Rosenberg |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
102 min
Country:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby |
70 mm 6-Track (MegaSound encoding)
Certification:
Singapore:M18 |
Italy:VM14 |
Australia:M |
Finland:K-16 |
France:-12 |
Norway:18 (1982) |
Sweden:15 |
UK:18 |
USA:R |
West Germany:16 |
Iceland:16
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Goofs:
Continuity: The recording which Emily listens to of Eddie's first drug induced tank trip isn't the same as the original dialog. Some of the wording is changed and the loud primal "grunt" which alarmed both Mason and Arthur has been replaced with a sound much more resembling that of a monkey.
more
Quotes:
[First line]
Arthur Rosenberg: The tank itself was unusual in that it was vertical, and looked like an old boiler.
more
Arthur Rosenberg: The tank itself was unusual in that it was vertical, and looked like an old boiler.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Murphy Brown: Altered States (#8.1)" (1995)
more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (99 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Altered States (1980) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Requiem for a Dream | Slaughterhouse-Five | Performance | Liquid Sky | Trainspotting |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Drama section | IMDb USA section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |
Okay, the character of Dr. Eddie Jessup is kind of a pompous ass, and there are a few groaner moments of, call it, self-importance.
But this movie breaks real ground.
One of my all time favorites.
And I'd like to point out that everyone is crazy about the much-touted and notoriously-expensive hallucination sequences, ...
Of course if you've seen Russel's "Tommy," some of the over-the-top sequences will look familiar and tinged with peculiar British-isms. And then there's the ending - well, it's controversial, that's for sure - anticlimax or not ?
But for me the most electrifying parts are the ensemble cast acting.
In the scene where Blair Brown is trying to cope with the trauma of the events in the isolation tank room, there's a very beautifully conceived long single shot through house windows. Russel needs credit especially for the argument between Balaban and Haid - some of the best acting I've ever seen - character actors hardly EVER get to put this kind of stage-acting energy on film. It stays with me still. They truly seem absolutely furious with each other, their lines overlap, it's absolutely convincing.
Some of the greatest effects of this movie are simply good movie craft - when Jessup first sees the love of his life walk through the door, fantastically back-lit, and the music comes up and cross-fades into the next scene - it's breathtaking.
It's the moments like that, and the very intro of the movie, with the slow title crawl, the deadpan lines read by Balaban, the first shots of Hurt in the tank, the eerie music ... This movie still stands out, still looks good,... and stands superior to other, more recent imaginings of internal hallucination become external.