MovieChat Forums > Altered States (1980) Discussion > Why did I just lose 107 minutes of my li...

Why did I just lose 107 minutes of my life?!

posted 15 years ago by Silvrhelm
43 replies | jump to latest

Seriously though. I watch a lot of films, specifically a lot of sci-fi films.
At the time of watching Altered States I was pretty damn stoned.
Seems like it would be a pretty good state of mind to be in to enjoy this film.

However After the first half of the film Id seen about 30 minutes of 'story' I use that term loosely, and about 25 minutes of completely random BS dream sequences.

Each dream sequence (I could be very wrong) seemed about like 4-6 minutes. This is just far too long to watch a bunch of random religeous/sexual imagery. It didnt freak me out, it didnt inspire thought. It was just random and weird.

I dont get the point, I stuck with the movie because Id heard good things about it and when it finally got to the point. It wants me to believe that this guy regressed into 'the missing link' because of a halluconegenic (sp?, whatever) drug and an isolation tank.

Where the hell is the sense in that it makes no sense, and its not like some films that make no sense but you can forgive it because it was cool. It was just lame.

Seemed like the whole story only existed so the director could make a film full of random BS and claim it was art, or maybe even science? What the hell do I know. I have no idea what the director was thinking.

Im presuming someone is going to say that I just didnt 'get it'. Well Id appreciate it if someone could explain it to me because what I just saw was pretty awful.

[–] cliff_niblr031 13 years ago

I would have thought being stoned would have been an advantage in your situation.

So, other than NOT making musicians "better" at their craft drugs also do not help when watching a character in a film take an experimental psychodelic trip through sensory deprivation.

"Drugs are bad, m'kay..." Mr. Mackey from South Park.

[–] dwbatterson 9 years ago

You mean psychedelic (not "psychodelic"). ;-)

[–] henryonhillside 12 years ago

Drop some acid or Adam (MDMA) and you'll get it instantly. Remember, keep breathing.

[–] drmohamedosama88 12 years ago

I wasted 102 minutes only !!!

http://www.imdb.com/list/-YoExAydfKs/

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] Dark_Star1 10 years ago

Seemed like the whole story only existed so the director could make a film full of random BS and claim it was art, or maybe even science? What the hell do I know. I have no idea what the director was thinking.

Im presuming someone is going to say that I just didnt 'get it'. Well Id appreciate it if someone could explain it to me because what I just saw was pretty awful.

Don't ask me to clear it up for you, because I don't have a clue either. This was a horrible movie - quite possibly the worst major release picture I've ever seen.

I have never seen a movie with more painfully terrible dialogue, and in most cases the delivery was even worse than the lines themselves. It was like the "actors" were just reading lines from a teleprompter, without ever rehearsing any of them. I gave it a "2", and that was generous. Complete piece of pointless, pretentious, ponderous crap.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Dark_Star1 10 years ago

Oh, look at what you did. That's so cute! You quote a line out of context and use it to insult someone who disagrees with you about a movie.

I would imagine that if you don't have the intellect to assemble a lucid, rational argument, 4th-grade level neener-neener "clever" retorts will have to suffice. Make sure you remember to print out a copy, so that when you brag about it to your friends at recess tomorrow, you can prove to them that you actually scored your major coup.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Dark_Star1 10 years ago

And still no actual attempt to rebut my post. Just three more paragraphs about what a genius you are and what a bunch of morons everyone is who disagrees with you. Blah, blah, blah... it seems to be the only thing you come here to talk about.

Obviously you find that subject quite fascinating, but isn't there some other message board somewhere where you could go to discuss that? Then you could leave this one for the half-dozen or so members of the human race who for some inexplicable reason aren't interested in discussing that, and just want to talk about... you know... movies.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Dark_Star1 10 years ago

I'm willing to discuss films with others, just not people like yourself who clearly have no taste.

Oh, gosh, you made that one easy, didn't you? "I won't argue with you because you're too stupid for me to waste my time on."

Nice. I'll have to remember that one in case I ever get myself into an embarrassing argument and need to find a back door to duck out of.

You claimed that ALTERED STATES is just about the worst Hollywood film ever made.

Actually, no, I never said that.

So now the question becomes, are you deliberately distorting what I said in order to strengthen your argument in relation to mine, or is it an honest mistake on your part? Were you just reading carelessly, or are your reading comprehension skills poor?

You're hardly someone I'd want to deconstruct this movie with, being that you obviously have no idea what you're talking about.

Says the guy who can't even read English. Perhaps there's a 7-year old living in your neighborhood who could read my posts out loud to you and explain the words with which you have trouble. Would that make it easier for you?

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] wireless-phil 10 years ago

You must be one of the young punks that wasn't around back in the 80s.
No wizz bang stupid junk you kids watch today, or in the last 10-15 years.
Computer generated graphic wasn't even used back then because it was still in its infancy, no one had it yet but the computer programers and the labs.

When you finally dry behind the ears, watch it again.

[–] KobiyashiMauru 10 years ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914

[–] 10 years ago

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