Altered States is the Best Horror Movie You've Never Seen - Swholloween 6

[@glennsampson5945]

The seven-eyed goat is probably a reference to the 7 horned 7 eyed goat mentioned in the Book of Revelation (of Saint John the Divine). To me the scariest thought expressed in the movie occurs towards the end after the final experiment when Hurt's character regresses all the way back to Darwin's primordial life form -- the first living organism on earth. Hurt's character describes being in the state of that first life form as an all consuming meaningless nothing That life itself is a meaningless empty nothing. The movie also illustrates the power of love. Love and human connection is the only thing that saves Hurt's character from that horrible empty nothingness of existence.

[@Swholli]

It's definitely the movie's most powerful message in my opinion; in the end love and human connection are the real meanings of life. Also I was not familiar with the Biblical reference to the goat so that's a cool new addition to my knowledge the next time I watch it!

[@emilywilhite5807]

Thank you for covering this movie. It’s rarely discussed and I adore it.

[@Swholli]

It's a classic film that rarely gets talked about in cinephile circles (at least, not in the ones I frequent) and it definitely deserves to be discussed more

[@EekDaFreek]

My best friends and I seen this at the movies in 1980, we liked it so much that we went to my brother's house and stole 3 hits of Purple Microdot and tripped our asses off

[@Swholli]

This movie made me want to drop acid and watch nat geo docs to see if I regress

[@robertaxel]

It's still hard to believe Hollywood made this, a movie that wasn't afraid to go all the way over the top. So many movies seem as if they're made by a committee of accountants, but not this one....

[@Swholli]

Right? Like, not it overuse a phrase but, Hollywood would never make something like this today. It'd be an indie horror thing that maybe was lucky to get a streaming deal let alone release to major theaters.

[@SY-ok2dq]

This film came out in 1980. Don't forget that the 70s was a very creative period for (U.S.) big studio type films, where many films with rather downbeat endings and subject matter that wouldn't have been commercial in say, the mid 80s and later, were produced. Think of films such as "The Conversation" (1974) directed by Francis Ford Coppola - one of the leading directors among the new wave of young directors of the 70s, along with Spielberg, Scorsese, and de Palma - a very sombre film, critical of government, modern society, modern values etc. with an unsettling ending. It was a box office flop at the time, but nevertheless, the fact that it was made - starring actors like Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest and Cindy Williams (with a pre-fame Harrison Ford in s small role!) and directed by Coppola hot off the mega success of "The Godfather" - and distributed by Paramount Pictures, is a testament to the kinds of risks that were taken by major U.S. distributors and studios in the 1970s. Of course, the 70s were the peak period of Coppola's career, when he made his career defining films, kicking off with the huge success of "Patton" in 1970 (didn't direct but he co-wrote), "The Godfather" parts 1 and 2, "The Conversation", and "Apocalypse Now". Then there are the films of maverick auteur Robert Altman, such as his biggest hit, "M*A*S*H" (1970) - alarmingly, the lyrics of the theme song "Suicide is Painless" (Couldn't get a song like that released today!) were written by Altman's then 14 yr old son. Altman went on to make the acclaimed films "McCabe and Mrs.Miller" (1971), "Nashville" (1975) and "3 Women"(1977). The film version of "Catch-22" came out in 1970. It was directed by Mike Nichols, who's had a very illustrious career, and starred big names of the period Alan Arkin, Jon Voight, Art Garfunkel, Orson Welles, and Martin Balsam. The 70s saw the success of such films as "The Exorcist" and "The French Connection" by William Friedkin, one of the many young American directors to break through in this time period. The 70s were a good time for emerging British filmmakers such as director Nicolas Roeg, whose films "Performance," "Walkabout", "Don't Look Now," and "The Man Who Fell to Earth" all came out in the 70s. And don't forget that Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" was released in 1971. The 70s were a very eclectic period, with lots of horror and slasher films starting to become popular ("Texas Chainsaw Massacre" etc.) big budget all-star disaster films ("Towering Inferno" etc.) the rise of the summer blockbuster ("Jaws") and sappy romances ("Love Story") as well as the 1st round of Vietnam War/Vietnam vet films like "Coming Home," "The Deer Hunter" and as mentioned, " Apocalypse Now." It should be noted that the 70s was a period where film restrictions (and what the public was willing to accept being screened) were greatly loosened, following the 60s counter culture and the effects of the Vietnam War and Watergate scandals, and that was reflected in the diversity of films produced or distributed by major film companies. Then the 80s came along, Reagan was voted in, the Cold War was at its height, right wing conservative values, materialism and yuppie culture were on the rise. And mainstream American film reflected that.

[@likewise4gaming]

Saw this movie the year it came out. I was 5 at the time. It freaked me the fuck out.

[@markelijio6012]

"Altered States" was Sir Ken Russell's first US feature as helmer. Released in 12/26/1980 by Warner Bros with William Hurt, Blair Brown, Bob Babalan and Charles Haid. All of which I have enjoyed "Altered States" and it was great fun. Nominated for 2 Oscars in 1981 including John Corigliano's "all-stops-out" original music score. Enjoy!

[@deslennis7652]

Saw this as a child on TV, fucked me up. Loved that intro too!

[@Lunchladydoyle]

Thanks for reviewing this film. I’m a huge William Hurt fan and this and Kiss of the Spider Woman are my two favorite performances of his. The religious hallucination scene is definitely scary, disturbing and gory enough to qualify as horror. The ending of this film doesn’t quite stick for me. Blair Brown is terrific as Eddie’s wife. They have on screen chemistry and you believe them as a couple so when things go haywire you’re invested in her struggle to stop the experiment before it’s too late. Altered States asks some cool questions, has killer effects and visuals and it’s freaky and original enough that everyone should see it at least once.

[@SY-ok2dq]

I watched "Altered States" on TV (obviously, edited down for a mainstream commercial TV network) as a kid, maybe my early teens. Just the once. The idea of the sensory deprivation tanks was very intriguing to me, and I remembered the weirdness of the idea of Hurt's character undergoing some kind of transformation - degeneration - into a caveman type. I vaguely remembered the caveman running amok in a zoo and killing and eating a goat. And I remembered the scene where he was discovered, lying face down on the ground. Also, the scenes where he goes off and has that hallucinogenic experience with that tribe - I recognized the actor playing his guide as the guy from "Days of Our Lives" daytime soap, which I sometimes watched back then. After watching scenes from the film again, I'm struck by how young William Hurt is in this (his film debut). I guess I was used to his appearance in later films like "A.I.", even though I remember him from his peak 80s films such as "Body Heat", "Children of a Lesser God," "Kiss of the Spiderman" and "Broadcast News". It was just so long ago that I saw those films that I'd forgotten how he looked then. The 80s was definitely his peak period of fame and film work - he was a big name then, nominated for Academy Awards a few years in a row as well as winning once. But he seemed to fade rather quickly from that peak, from the early 90s onwards. I only came to know of the allegations of alcohol abuse and physical domestic/partner abuse, maybe in the early 90s, to a small degree. I didn't know how bad it was until reading about what Marlee Matlin wrote about Hurt in her memoirs, just recently when I heard about Hurt's death. The 80s were a time when domestic violence was mostly swept under the rug and was only starting to be seen as a societal problem and a serious issue, and when the rights of women and children were not as recognized. If it had happened today, Hurt would've found himself immediately canceled and possibly facing criminal prosecution (if the defendants had wanted to pursue it, that is). Hurt was never a favorite of mine, or an actor whom I followed a great deal (although I thought of him as a top notch actor, who often appeared in excellent films). But I was disappointed to hear about his abusive behavior. I can only hope that he tried to address his past and did not abuse more women (after Matlin and his previous girlfriend who also claimed physical abuse). He seemed to have a bit of a rocky history as far as women. A bit of trivia: his first wife took on his last name professionally as an actress. Mary Beth Hurt divorced William (he'd been cheating on her) and went on to marry writer/director Paul Schrader.

[@slayerduval1]

You're about to get a lot of views. RIP William Hurt

[@Swholli]

Oh man, what a terrible way to learn about that news. He was such a fantastic actor and this movie actually means a lot to me after discovering it (which later became this video), may he rest in peace.

[@slayerduval1]

@@Swholli This is well done, by the way. I'll be recommending it!

[@africanchina1]

Bro. You're channel is extremely underrated. Youre very very genius. And your humor is incredible. You have to keep on doing these videos man

[@Swholli]

Thanks man, that means a lot. I've struggled getting back into youtube on and off for the last couple of years with this being my last serious outing. But honestly comments like these are why I keep trying and what pushes me every time to get back on the wagon

[@africanchina1]

@@Swholli Bro your sense of humor is amazing. U have to keep doing this.

[@scottmitchell1861]

One of my fav movies of all time. I have it on video tape but i dont have a video tape player. Lol. I actually did 24 hours in an isolation tank while on mushrooms. I met God but i never turned into an ape. Lol. Everyone should do it at least once

[@pillarheights1130]

Hey Scott, you have your trip report accessible? Would love to hear about it. Really would. Andrew Gonzalez

[@nicholasjanke3476]

THINGS I LEARNED FROM ALTERED STATES-1. A trained doctor wouldn't know how to read x-rays. 2. Having a nightmare about eating a goat can actually cause goat blood to appear in your mouth. 3. A scientist can bring a dangerous animal into his lab which can go on a rampage, kill two people, kill a zoo animal-and the scientist doesn't have to worry about facing criminal charges or even about being fired! (not after he was seen naked in the zoo after hours??? Wouldn't he end up in a mental institution?). 4. Technicians in Boston often examine gorillas. 5. The Mason Parrish character must be about the dumbest sci fi characters (even after he sees the weird x-rays, and sees Jessup outright changing on the monitor and the paranormal light show he STILL says he doesn't believe in the paranormal!? (though he does more or less admit that his friend Jessup did a scary experiment). 6. A display of brights can render people unconscious. 7. People don't age in seven or eight years. 8. A scientific experiment can be confirmed and proven without a camera or a tape recorder or without even any witnesses! (the scene where Jessup tells his wife on their porch that he's going to do a second transformation and prove his theories, but when we next see him going into the isolation tank he's all alone in the lab, with no camera or tape recorders and no way whatsoever to even collect data! How was he planning to prove anything? "Members of the faculty, my fellow scientists, the other night I changed myself into a neanderthal. No really I did!"

[@liamearly4883]

I remember an episode of south park made a reference to this film. It was the episode of where cartman was being disciplined.

[@jameshayes316]

I completely agree with you and the special effects remain remarkable even by today's standards. There has yet to be a better portrayal of an early human species as well as the one that appears in this film.

[@taylorb.4320]

Definitely important to discuss the religious symbolic component of the goat.

[@ThornbushTilemaker]

I think Altered States would make a great triple feature with From Beyond and The Serpent & the Rainbow.

[@blackreazor]

Yes!!!

[@Filipe1020]

It's a crime that you have such a little ammount of views man, I wish you the best.

[@grimmhead9583]

Good work! Keep it up!

[@CuzCutz]

William Hurt and Drew Barrymore both made their big screen debuts in this movie!

[@somthingbrutal]

never really thought of this as horror. this is the movie that made me want to try LSD, unfortunately i didn't turn into some kind of primordial energy state :(

[@Swholli]

I consider it sci-fi psychological/existential horror. It's the dread you feel when you think too hard about being a conscious, living human lol Also, it's inspired by the Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or at the very least an homage to it. It's rooted in horror and uses science fiction to explore its concepts. Also also, yeah me too- and while I haven't done any hallucinogens (yet) no matter what substance I alter my state (ba-dum-tish) with, I just can't seem to activate monkey mode

[@somthingbrutal]

@@Swholli going down the horror route it could also fit into the cthullu mythos or the 40K universe

[@lindsayobrien7950]

Very good 👍 ultimately love and human connection overcome existential hell❤️This movie made a lasting impression on me

[@nicholasjanke3476]

Altered States was based on a real scientist's bizarre isolation tank experiments. Paddy Cheyavski said that he had an idea for a modern day Jekyll and Hyde story. Ironically two of William Hurt's best films Altered States and the second Hulk film, both were about genetic science fiction.

[@bk138gt6]

Great video for an underappreciated film

[@RSEFX]

Love this film. Everyone I knew at the time (and still know) all saw this film. In fact, went back to see it multiple times. I wound up clipping all the reviews, articles etc, and got copy of the original shooting script...and even have a toy model (which illuminates) of Hessup's first ancient deprivation cylinder. And I worked with Ken Russell on one of his last projects and got to chat all about this movie. Thanks for covering it.

[@movies4u2016]

This video is awesome I subscribed.

[@TheOnlyOneStanding8079]

Altered States and Scanners are the best Sci Fi horror movies in the early 80s

[@Swholli]

Man, I do also love Scanners. Best practical head explosion put to celluloid.

[@TheOnlyOneStanding8079]

@@Swholli you can watch it on KZbin right now

[@SY-ok2dq]

I had never thought of "Altered States" as a horror film. I suppose if I had to categorize it I would have said sci-fi. Although being written by Paddy Chayefsky it seems to fit in more with the paranormal creepy stuff that he's more well known for. Apparently Chayefsky was so annoyed with how it was filmed, and by his interaction with director Ken Russell (who went on the become associated with more bizarre horror stuff) that he had his name taken off and a pseudonym was used in the credits. Thinking about it, sci fi tends to readily lend itself to horror. Think of Frankenstein, or films like Cronenberg's "The Fly," and "Existenz." Also films like "Splice" or "Alien".

[@kiddcool2720]

So glad, I'm not the only one who noticed. Love this movie

[@darrelavery9809]

I'm 56 so I was around back then and saw it on cable.

[@RSEFX]

I'd say it's not really a "scary" movie. I think "disturbing" is a much more accurate word to describe it. It t trades in dread and existential terror. Yes, it has moments with actual horror movie type imagery, but the overall intent is much deeper than just physical splatter stuff to pay off the advertised horror movie ingredients. What is being mined here is the deeper in us fears, those from which there is no simple stlker/slasher (etc) to be caught and played off the stage. Instead, there are things here that are very personal to every person, things that have no off-switch in reality. The movie ends, but the "horror" continues....IF one thinks about it afterwards for too long. Better, as suggested, is the seeking of the possibilities to seek love than dwell in...the kind of pit that Jessup decided to jump deep deep into .

[@rorytennes8576]

Best review of A S I have seen. Thanks.

[@virgilvollmar3296]

I was wondering where south park got that from lol

[@somthingbrutal]

one of the directors other movies well worth a watch is The Devils but go for the BFI release it's the most complete cut available

[@Swholli]

Ooh, yes I've not seen that, I'll have to check it out- thanks for the recommendation!

[@mirzaghalib8659]

yo son... that cauldron had zero candy inside... how dare you lie to us like that!

[@janekim2771]

I love this fucking movie, great commentary !

[@ScratchthechalkBoard]

Dr.Frankenstein should be the Patron Saint of Scientists 🙃

[@garypotter5569]

"Ye shall be as gods."

[@jenwejbe]

FINALLY! A man after my heart...for the loving films like I do (well, with me...I was born, raised, & LOVE my hometown of Hollywood, Ca.). Alot of (I think) films like this... basically, great original scripts with imagination but we're marketed like the high budget funded films that had a high marketed & advertised film. This is a high rated film in my top 10. Another film I suggest to you to see (if you haven't) is another film that's been overlooked is a John Hughes film called "Dutch" starring a vary funny Ed O'Neill, I can't remember the kid's name forgive me, and Joe bats Williams has a small part but relative to the film. This movie is freaking hilarious and I was shocked that it is so poorly at the box office. Rest in peace William hurt

[@markelijio6012]

You mean, JoBeth Williams?

[@Swholli]

That’s probably what she meant, I imagine it was autocorrect lol

[@yardarm5]

You got it right Enjoyed totally Newts war🧐

[@djhinton570]

One of my favorites, something about all the sex drugs and crucified lamb beings.

[@EekDaFreek]

This is before we knew what Ayahuasca was/is

[@timmiller1954]

No, William S. Burroughs wrote about taking it in 1963.

[@Swholli]

“Archaeological evidence of the use of psychoactive plants in northeastern Amazon dates back to 1500-2000 B.C.”

[@nicholasjanke3476]

William Hurt became a star with Altered States and the Big Chill. Then after awhile his career faded and he ended up doing cameos in films. When he played Ross in the Hulk 2 that really rivatalized his career.

[@georgetollisonbuffett]

That was so untrue.

[@kevinbremer3581]

Well, after The Big Chill he did go on to do Children of A Lesser God, Broadcast News and Kiss of the Spider Woman, for which he won an Academy Award. His career took a dip, but the movie that kicked it back in was A History of Violence, for which, at less than 10 minutes of screen time, he won raves as well as an Academy Award Nomination.

[@SY-ok2dq]

Hurt became a star after "Body Heat" and this was cemented by a role in the star-studded ensemble cast of "The Big Chill." But his career continued on the upswing in the 80s after "Chill", with acclaimed roles in a slew of high profile films: Children of a Lesser God, Kiss of the Spider-Woman, Broadcast News, The Accidental Tourist. Hurt won an Oscar for Spider-Woman and waa nominated for an Academy Award or for other awards, for those other roles. Hurt was a high profile, A list star, constantly at awards ceremonies, throughout the 80s. It was somewhere in the mid 90s (The Doctor in 1991 got him very good reviews; Hurt starred in a 1991 Wim Wenders film Until the End of the World, which saw him pivot to some European and small, independent films such as Smoke in 1995 an indie success, making him less visible) that Hurt became less prominent. Hurt was the male lead in Jane Eyre (1996) - European director Franco Zeffirelli. But he was increasingly doing more supporting roles such as in "One Good Thing" 1998, a high profile film that co-starred Renee Zellweger and Meryl Streep in another Oscar nom role, and in another award nominated film, "Sunshine" (1999) for another European director Istvan Szabo, co-starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz. Plus a major role in the big budget studio film "Lost in Space" reboot in 1998 which was not a success. There were supporting roles in highly publicized films such as A.I. in 2001, directed by Steven Spielberg and a big event, "Tuck Everlasting" in 2002, and "The Village" in 2004 which was much anticipated as M.Night Shyamalan's next big film. All this before his acclaimed role in "History of Violence".

[@SY-ok2dq]

@@kevinbremer3581 Arguably, Hurt's career hit its zenith in the mid/late 80s with his Oscar win plus all those major films, for which he was also nominated for a couple of them, or getting great reviews. I made the point that his career pivoted in the 90s as he worked on smaller films e.g. Smoke, or with European directors e.g. a few films in France, plus films for Wim Wenders, Franco Zeffirelli and Istvan Szabo. Then all the supporting roles or major roles in ensemble casts in the major films mentioned im my other reply here. Such films as A.I., or The Village (which was I think, a box office success as so many people rushed to see M. Night Shmayalan's next film) - in the 2000s, before History of Violence.

[@elduende367]

Seen it ... Your channel doesn't apply here!

[@garypotter5569]

~ 4:30 your anti-theistic religion is showing.

[@custer2449]

STOP saying "literally". You sound like a teenager.

[@Swholli]

Do I sound literally like a teenager or figuratively

[@custer2449]

@@Swholli literally. so stop it.

[@custer2449]

@i Stop saying "basically", "clearly" or "like" as if you are a mall rat. ))) All kidding aside, clean up your speech patterns. "Clearly"--Politicians. "Basically."--Teenagers. "Literally". --Journalists. "Like I was like going to like the maaaallll."--Mall rats. "If you have any questions, call Bill or myself."--Status English - wrong but executives speak that way or write that way. "If you have any questions, call Bill or me."--Correct English - as God intended.

[@custer2449]

@@Swholli btw, Altered States is definitely one of my favorite flicks of all time. You are spot on with your analysis. Bravo.

[@cadleo]

Its not a horror movie.

[@eugenesutherland7185]

Psychological horror

[@18dot7]

Damn, I remember watching it on LSD.

[@Swholli]

That sounds like an absolutely mind bending trip, I love it

[@blackreazor]

Ngl the snake. The heads. The primal feeling It was all there on my dmt trips.

[@badado]

Just finished watching it. ill ne honest i was dissapointed be suse it wasnt all thst scary. Tjought provokong, intriguing concepts and great visuals, good acyonh. But the characters snd overall the storys execution snd final act didnt stick the landing to me. But you did great job bro! . i have it a like. Btw does anyone think he likes almost exactly like MASON from Alteref States!!? 😂😂 👍🏼👍🏼 Good job bro. I wonder if the book os alot better?? 🤔

[@kevinbremer3581]

You don't want to take a minute or two to go through your comment and fix the 12 or so errors in this thing? Kind of a chore to decipher what certain words you meant.

[@Titan52berg]

Where did you study grammar?