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- Cameron Yee
Another journey into the reaches of the mind comes courtesy of Warner Home Video, but like its release date companion “Brainstorm,” the ideas prove more compelling than the big screen execution. The film does get a fine Blu-ray presentation, though the bonus material will likely leave fans wanting.
Altered States
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Studio: Warner Home Video
Packaging/Materials: Blu-ray “Eco-Box” keepcase
Year: 1980
Rating: R
Running Time: 1:42:44
MSRP: $19.98
THE FEATURE
SPECIAL FEATURES
Video
AVC: 1080p high definition 1.78:1
Standard definition
Audio
DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: Spanish 2.0
Stereo
Subtitles
English SDH, French, Spanish
None
The Feature: 3/5
It’s going to be a long, strange trip for psychologist Edward Jessup (William Hurt). His personal eccentricities have led to a professional obsession with mind altering substances and experimental states of consciousness, which he believes will lead him to some great truth about human existence. It’s gone so far that his marriage to Emily (Blair Brown) has fallen apart, and his closest friend and sometime assistant Arthur (Bob Balaban) is starting to question his mental stability. Using a mysterious concoction he picked up in Mexico, Edward begins to experience more than just hallucinations during his time in the sensory deprivation tank, but what seems to be a full blown regression into a more primitive physical and mental state. Where once only his mind was at risk from the experiments, it’s now become his body and indeed his very existence.
“Altered States,” based on the novel by Paddy Chayefsky, explores some rather far flung ideas about the human mind and consciousness, but ultimately comes up short providing a satisfying payoff to the questions it poses. It’s not that the story requires some concrete explanation of what is happening to Edward; in fact it’s a rushed and overly sentimental conclusion that proves frustrating, not the ambiguity of it all. With the visual effects-laden middle act being so much stronger than the rest, it makes the movie seem like a mere excuse for bizarre imagery and special effects, when at its core it’s interested in (and capable of) being much more. Strong performances by Hurt and Brown add a necessary human dimension to the story, but the eventual overemphasis on their characters’ relationship proves to be the film’s greatest issue.
Video Quality: 4/5
Presented in 1080p with the AVC codec, the transfer approximates the 1.85:1 aspect ratio by filling the entire 16:9 frame and features deep blacks, pleasing depth of color and impressive detail in skin and fabrics. Contrast at the lower end of the spectrum looks a touch compressed, giving the image a lot of contrasty “pop” but it may not be the most pleasing to some. A few moments of softness look like focusing errors, but the picture appears free of artifacts from digital noise reduction or sharpening measures.
Audio Quality: 4/5
Dialogue in the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is consistently crisp, clear and detailed. Channel separation in the film’s early scenes sounds a bit too discrete, with highly localized room and crowd noises; however, by Edward’s first hallucination, the mix has a satisfying spread and balance throughout the array. Low frequency effects are non-existent, but the track exhibits pleasing depth and range throughout.
Special Features: 0.5/5
Theatrical Trailer (2:15, SD)
Recap
The Film: 3/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 4/5
Special Features: 0.5/5
Overall Score (not an average): 3/5
Warner Home Video delivers a fine high definition presentation for a promising, but flawed, exploration of the human mind and consciousness. The meager special features won’t please fans looking for a little more behind-the-scenes, but should prove satisfactory to those just interested in owning the film itself.
Altered States
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Studio: Warner Home Video
Packaging/Materials: Blu-ray “Eco-Box” keepcase
Year: 1980
Rating: R
Running Time: 1:42:44
MSRP: $19.98
THE FEATURE
SPECIAL FEATURES
Video
AVC: 1080p high definition 1.78:1
Standard definition
Audio
DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: Spanish 2.0
Stereo
Subtitles
English SDH, French, Spanish
None
The Feature: 3/5
It’s going to be a long, strange trip for psychologist Edward Jessup (William Hurt). His personal eccentricities have led to a professional obsession with mind altering substances and experimental states of consciousness, which he believes will lead him to some great truth about human existence. It’s gone so far that his marriage to Emily (Blair Brown) has fallen apart, and his closest friend and sometime assistant Arthur (Bob Balaban) is starting to question his mental stability. Using a mysterious concoction he picked up in Mexico, Edward begins to experience more than just hallucinations during his time in the sensory deprivation tank, but what seems to be a full blown regression into a more primitive physical and mental state. Where once only his mind was at risk from the experiments, it’s now become his body and indeed his very existence.
“Altered States,” based on the novel by Paddy Chayefsky, explores some rather far flung ideas about the human mind and consciousness, but ultimately comes up short providing a satisfying payoff to the questions it poses. It’s not that the story requires some concrete explanation of what is happening to Edward; in fact it’s a rushed and overly sentimental conclusion that proves frustrating, not the ambiguity of it all. With the visual effects-laden middle act being so much stronger than the rest, it makes the movie seem like a mere excuse for bizarre imagery and special effects, when at its core it’s interested in (and capable of) being much more. Strong performances by Hurt and Brown add a necessary human dimension to the story, but the eventual overemphasis on their characters’ relationship proves to be the film’s greatest issue.
Video Quality: 4/5
Presented in 1080p with the AVC codec, the transfer approximates the 1.85:1 aspect ratio by filling the entire 16:9 frame and features deep blacks, pleasing depth of color and impressive detail in skin and fabrics. Contrast at the lower end of the spectrum looks a touch compressed, giving the image a lot of contrasty “pop” but it may not be the most pleasing to some. A few moments of softness look like focusing errors, but the picture appears free of artifacts from digital noise reduction or sharpening measures.
Audio Quality: 4/5
Dialogue in the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is consistently crisp, clear and detailed. Channel separation in the film’s early scenes sounds a bit too discrete, with highly localized room and crowd noises; however, by Edward’s first hallucination, the mix has a satisfying spread and balance throughout the array. Low frequency effects are non-existent, but the track exhibits pleasing depth and range throughout.
Special Features: 0.5/5
Theatrical Trailer (2:15, SD)
Recap
The Film: 3/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 4/5
Special Features: 0.5/5
Overall Score (not an average): 3/5
Warner Home Video delivers a fine high definition presentation for a promising, but flawed, exploration of the human mind and consciousness. The meager special features won’t please fans looking for a little more behind-the-scenes, but should prove satisfactory to those just interested in owning the film itself.