There's a gateway in our minds
That leads somewhere out there, far beyond this plane
Where reptile aliens made of light
Cut you open and pull out all your pain
Tell me how you make illegal
Something that we all make in our brain
Some say you might go crazy
But then again, it might make you go sane
-TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN, Sturgill Simpson
I have always been curious about psychedelics. The idea of hallucinating and dissociating are both equally fascinating to me, and i would love to experience both of those sensations as soon as i can. and its not just for old hippies and way to young hippies, even the slightest bit of googling will show you how these type of drugs (LSD, Psilocybin, DMT, ETC) are being used as a surprisingly effective medicine for PTSD, Depression, Substance abuse problems, and so much more. i am not going to embarrass myself any further by talking about something i know so little about, so i highly recommend you do you own research on the subject. but until then, then trip out on this wild ass movie together shall we?
Respected scientist and terrible father Edward Jessup (William Hurt) decides to combine his experiments in sensory deprivation tanks with powerful hallucinogenic drugs, convinced that it may help him unlock different states of consciousness. The experiments are a success at first, but as Jessup continues his work, he begins to experience altered mental and also physical states. As he spends more time in sensory deprivation, his grip on reality begins to slip away.
if you were expecting this movie to be a nearly incoherent hour long drug trip, you will be (Pleasantly?) surprised. a lot like the movie HABIT, this movie focuses on a regular scientist losing himself to a force he can never fully understand. it happens slowly at first, and by the time realize exactly what you have signed up for its to late to back out. with movies that jump back and forth from surreal hallucinations to real world characters the real world stuff can feel slightly boring, but the characters really make the whole movie fascinating to watch.
i love this movie for the same reason EX MACHINA is my favorite movie, it constantly gives you problems to make that critical thinking part of the brain go into overdrive. Are schizophrenics simply observing a layer of reality we cant see? why do so many schizophrenics have religious delusions? which religion (if any) is the closest to being accurate? how and why do deprivation tanks effect the brain? where do these hallucinations come from? can religious experiences be scientifically explained? are we in some way able to tap into the millions of years of evolution contained in our subconscious? how did this dude in monkey makeup get permission to punch an elephant?
and perhaps the most relevant question of all, why arent you watching this movie right now
woah dude/10
--here's a lot more info on the whole psychedelics thing--
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