Altered States
Altered States is a 1980 American science fiction body 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.
| Altered States | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ken Russell |
| Screenplay by | Paddy Chayefsky |
| Based on | Altered States 1978 novel by Paddy Chayefsky |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| 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. |
Release date |
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Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $14.9 million |
| Box office | $19.9 million |
It marked the film debuts of William Hurt and Drew Barrymore. 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 score was composed by John Corigliano (with Christopher Keene conducting). The film was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Sound.