Oregon daily emerald., January 27, 2005, Page 7, Image 7

■ Forgotten film
Material far from mainstream in
Altered States‘God Told Me To’
The films' subject matter includes interesting drug trips
and social commentary about faith and religion
BY RYAN NYBURG
PULSE EDITOR
Sometimes movies slip under the
radar of public consciousness unde
servedly, gaining no notice despite
the many qualities that recommend
them. Sometimes they are missed be
cause their material is intractably
separated from mainstream culture.
I've recently come across two films
that fit into this latter category. The
first deals with different states of hu
man consciousness and the origins of
man. The second deals with the true
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nature of faith and the extremes it can
take peopieto. Both come to conclu
sions that are in their own way pro
found but remain removed from the
ideas and philosophies expounded in
the majority of popular cinema.
1980's "Altered States" cobbles to
gether a wide range of esoteric mate
rial into a film that deals with the histo
ry of man and the origins of life. It
concerns the brilliant but eccentric
physiological researcher Eddie Jes
sup (William Hurt in his debut role)
who experiments with isolation tanks
r
and hallucinogenic drugs. This isn'ttoo
absurd of a beginning, seeing as such
research was actually done in the
1960s by scientists such as isolation
tank inventor John Lilly.
Jessup believesthatthrough such
experimentation he can reach the col
lective past of mankind, both in a
physical and mental sense. The film
builds a moody atmosphere through
the majority of its first half and like any
good horror film holds off on the
shocks for as long as possible. The
real scares start up when Jessup ac
tually succeeds in regressing himself
to a primitive form. Despite warnings
from friends and family he continues
FILMS, page 11
ALTERED STATES
Courtesy
The 1980 film “Altered States” was the debut film for William Hurt and Drew
Barrymore. The film was disowned by author Paddy Chayefsky.
BUS SERVICE MAY CEASE ON
FEBRUARY 1st, 2005.
LTD Wants to Make Sure
You Still Have a Way to Go.
As early as February 1st, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Local 757,
may go on strike. Lane Transit District (LTD) will not be able to operate bus
service during the strike. Once a settlement has been reached, LTD will
be committed to getting buses back on the road as quickly as possible.
LTD’s Guest Services office will be closed but if you call 687-5555 we will
have staff to assist you.
What you can do:
► Register at ltd.org for carpool-matching. It’s easy and fast. Sign up to
drive as well as ride.
► RideSource will continue to run and serve those passengers who are
eligible. We expect demand to increase significantly. Medical
appointments may be given priority over other trips.
► Go to the LTD website for information on ways to get around and links to
the City of Eugene for Bike Path Maps and links to PeaceHealth and other
major employers.
Please plan ahead. For further information,
log onto www.ltd.org or call LTD at 687-5555.
Lane Transit District