Altered States
Altered States is a 1980 American science fiction horror film directed by Ken Russell, and based on the novel of the same name by playwright and screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky. The film was adapted from Chayefsky's 1978 novel and is his final screenplay. The novel and the film are based in part on John C. Lilly's sensory deprivation research conducted in isolation tanks, under the influence of psychoactive drugs like mescaline, ketamine and LSD. The film features elements of both psychological horror and body horror.
| Altered States | |
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| Directed by | Ken Russell |
| Screenplay by | Paddy Chayefsky |
| Based on | Altered States 1978 novel by Paddy Chayefsky |
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| Cinematography | Jordan S. Cronenweth |
| Edited by | Stuart Baird |
| Music by | John Corigliano |
Production companies | Cinema Research Corporation; Laser Media Inc; Optical House Inc; R/Greenberg Associates; Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
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Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $14.9 million |
| Box office | $19.9 million |
Chayefsky withdrew from the project after disputes with Russell and took his name off the credits, substituting "Sidney Aaron", his actual first and middle names. The film stars William Hurt, Blair Brown, and Bob Balaban, and marks the screen acting debuts of Hurt as well as Drew Barrymore. The film score was composed by John Corigliano (with Christopher Keene conducting).
Altered States received a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 25, 1980, before a wide release by Warner Bros. in February 1981. It garnered generally positive reviews from critics and was nominated for Best Original Score and Best Sound at the 53rd Academy Awards.