Altered States (1980)

I think this one is due for a remake. The 1980 sci-fi film with William Hurt and Blair Brown is a long-time favorite of mine but I think it's time for a remake with today's technology and sound quality. I'm surprised it hasn't been done already. Any other fans of the film here agree? Who would direct, and who would be cast in Hurt's role? Or, they could do a sequel, with Hurt having a supporting role...that might be even better.

 

I think doing a current remake would ruin it.

 

I need to see it again, but found it very interesting when I first saw it years ago. For some reason I've always associated this movie with "Brainstorm", though I think I liked "Altered States" better. Didn't the TV show "Fringe" borrow the water tank isolation chamber concept this movie?

 

I liked it.

 

Excellent score by John Corigliano.

 

I disagree. I think better visual effects would ruin the film for me. I thimk that the visuals work perfectly for a Ken Russell film. Everything will be remade one day simply because Hollywood is so scared.

I also don't think there's anyone I. Hollywood that could do a decent remake without running the material.

Indeed. Abrams indicated that was a tribute to Russell's film and Paddy's novel which were very influential on a young J.J.

 

The tank isolation and Blair Brown.

 

I like it as it is. Loved the film at the time and saw it twice in the same week.

 

I recently read an interview with John Dykstra in an old Film Comment about how hard they worked to ensure the special effects were integrated naturally into the film. At the advent of CGI, they were remarkably sensitive to and prescient (see CGI sucks thread) about how it could be misused. I think his commitment is evidenced by film's creative success.

 

Great movie. It really freaked me out as a kid.

 

The best thing about the film is Paddy Chyefsky's script which even the terrible Ken Russell couldn't manage to destroy. It's an amazingly smart script full science and mysticism rattled off without apology to the tent pole crowd. A favorite movie of mine.

 

I was living in Indiana in 1980 and couldn't understand why the local corn fielders were so fond of 'shrooming (picking wild mushrooms). Then I saw this film.

 

How do you replace Ken Russell's weirdness?

 

Maybe throw a couple of Wachowski at it.

 

David Lynch could do a sequel!

 

Cronenberg gets my vote! But I can't imagine him doing one at this stage of his career.

 

Me too. Still kind of does. Has a really weird vibe to it.

 

One of those movies that I remember being advertised when I was a kid (I was 12 in 1980). Never got around to seeing it. There are quite a few movies like that.

 

I didn't know this movie was out on BD, how could I have missed it? Having a look at the release year got my answer: 2012. That was the year I had my "accident" (a big and silly one), so no surprise I didn't know it was being released on BD. I have ordered already, I can't wait to see it on HD.

 

Nice transfer wish there were some good special features discussing the issues between Paddy and Ken that impacted the film (for example, Paddy felt thst Ken was having them deliver their dialogue too quickly as I recall among other things).

 

I rented it because of this thread and the movie does not hold up. Ending was dumb.
Its really just a trippy weird film that doesn't make a lot of sense
Look quickly for John Laroquete and Drew Barrymore (as a little girl)

Also I saw it on DVD and picture quality was good

 

I remember seeing this in the theater on my 8th birthday. For some reason, I didn't get to pick the movie, even though it was my birthday. I wanted to go see "Any Which Way You Can", but that was quickly shot down. I remember walking in the theater to watch "Altered States", and spent the next two hours totally disinterested in the movie (it certainly wasn't geared for the eight-year-olds in the audience). I was too young to understand what was going on, and nearly all of the content went right over my head. In retrospect, I don't know what my parents were thinking with that choice, since it wasn't age appropriate for me. Perhaps it's something I should revisit now, with the luxury of seeing it from an adult perspective.

 

That is an odd choice. If I had an 8 year old and there is Ken Russell horror/sci-fi on the left or Clint Eastwood and a funny monkey on the right, it would be "Right turn, Clyde!"

 

I saw it at the theater way back when and got totally freaked out. At one point I had to fight the urge to run out of the theater. Seriously. Afterwards one of my friends said he felt stoned even though he wasn't. This was around the time subliminal imagery was in the news and I've always wondered if Russell slipped a few spooky stii frames in there.

 

I would if I was you. Old movies are usually the best ones. Cool film.