Altered States

Part of the special series NACHTBLENDE

“Men will literally turn into a gorilla instead of going to therapy.” Ryley on Letterboxd

After THE DEVILS and CRIMES OF PASSION, this is Ken Russell's third film at Nachtblende - and in all likelihood not the last. THE HELL TRIP is the British director's first studio Hollywood production and impresses not only with its still fantastic effects and the wonderfully crazy drug trip plot, but also with the terrific performance of William Hurt, who died in 2022.

Professor Eddie Jessup (William Hurt) is a scientist in search of the answers to the big questions: Where do we come from? What makes us who we are? Who are we? To do so, he resorts to questionable methods of consciousness expansion, whether it's the consumption of hallucinogens or hallucinating in dark water tanks. The experiences he has in the process not only develop a strong potential for addiction. In fact, he believes he is making groundbreaking observations. But these gradually change the scientist, both mentally and physically...