MovieChat Forums > Altered States (1980) Discussion > uhh

uhh

posted 18 years ago by awesomeness567
9 replies | jump to latest

what is this movie about?

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] awesomeness567 18 years ago

yeah, i know, but the plot outline doesn't explain very well, dumbass.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] awesomeness567 18 years ago

i would but i don't want to waste my time with something stupid. for all i know, this movie might be stupid, so i want to know what it's about. so either tell me, or stop posting.

[–] brad_close 18 years ago

The movie is about a psychologiest (I think... can't remember exactly what his qualication was) who is using a combination of psychotropic drugs and sensory deprivation tanks to study altered states of consciousness. On a research trip to New Mexico, he encounters a Native American tribe who have a recipe for an incredibly powerful hallucinogen. He takes the drug back with him to the city then begins to test it on himself. Things get really strange when he starts to regress genetically ie he begins to devolve for the duration of the "trip".

That's pretty much the basic plot. Any more than that and I start to give away spoulers, meaning the movie wouldn't be worth watching.

Is that helpful?

[–] awesomeness567 18 years ago

yeah, thanks.

[–] Davidreefer 16 years ago

it's mexico, not new mexico.

[–] Jaythestingray 16 years ago

I just watched it and Im still trying to figure it out. Let me know if you can! lol

[–] gnolti 15 years ago

What is AS "about"? Well, for starters, it's a parable of the all-consuming narcissism of modern man, and how one's intense self-centeredness can make one a monster. It's also a variation on the old theme of how scientific curiosity can get the better of anyone, e.g. Frankenstein, Demon Seed, etc.

These are all "high concepts" Hollywood seldom explores anymore, so it's no surprise that a film like AS would leave many viewers confused.

There, daddy, do I get a gold star?