I love this movie so much

Good movie but grossly overrated

Absolutely the worst movie.

Absolutely Fantastic

Scientist Eddie Jessup (William Hurt) is doing experiments on himself--taking hallucinatory drugs and using an isolation tank. However it starts affecting his molecular structure and he may be regressing. His wife Emily (Blair Brown) loves him but can't get him to stop.A REAL weird film full of trippy hallucinations and questionable science. It moves quickly and characters speak VERY fast so you're given little time to think how impossible this all is. I saw this originally in Megasound back in 1980. It was so intense I saw it three times :) This was justly nominated for Best Music and Best Sound. Brown and Hurt are great in their roles and Charles Haid is hysterical as Mason Parrish. My only complaint is the ridiculous ending. I just saw it again last night at a theatre and the audience was in hysterics laughing at the end. Still this is highly recommended.

Stubborn and determined research scientist Eddie Jessup (a fine and credible performance by William Hurt in his film debut) subjects himself to sensory deprivation and takes hallucinogenic drugs in order to explore alternate states of consciousness and discover the basic primordial roots of human evolution. However, Jessup finds himself teetering on the brink of madness after he regresses to a dangerous primitive state. Although director Ken Russell brings his trademark wild'n'trippy sensibility and flair for bold and alarming mind-roasting imagery to Paddy Chayefsky's smart and provocative script, he fortunately manages for the most part to keep his more self-indulgent impulses under control and grounds the fantastic premise in a plausible everyday reality. Moreover, the story not only acquires extra substance and resonance from its key themes about science, religion, the meaning of life, and the origins of man, but also has a surprising additional poignancy thanks to the touching central love story between Eddie and his concerned wife Emily (a winningly sharp and spunky portrayal by Blair Brown). The ace acting by the superior cast keeps this picture on track: Hurt and Brown do sterling work in the leads, with sturdy support from Bob Balaban as bookish and loyal colleague Arthur Rosenberg, Charles Haid as the huffy and disapproving Mason Parrish, and Miguel Godreau as a crazed caveman. Jordan Cronenweth's striking cinematography offers a wealth of breathtaking outré visuals. Kudos are also in order for Dick Smith's remarkable make-up, the dazzling special effects, and John Corigliano's moody'n'melodic score. A truly unique and fascinating film.

Those who have had the Psychedelic Experience know that it is an Impossibility to Verbalize and almost as much of an Impossibility to Create a Visualization. This is the Inherent Ineptitude of all Movies about "The Trip". But Director Ken Russell was never one to shy away from the Impossible. He Revels in Prickly Scenarios and Blasphemy (especially Religious). But any Blasphemy will do because it is Provocative.In this Film the concept of finding "The Truth" through the use of Sensory Deprivation Tanks and a Dose of Magic Mushrooms is nothing really more Deep for Russell or the Audience then some sort of Entertaining Experimentation. Audiences hardly ever have a Good Time at a Ken Russell Film, but here there is more to have Fun with than most.There is an Extraordinary amount of Crackling Imagery and Scintillating Sound all Wrapped around an Academic Rap. None of it means much and is there as sort of Guide Rails to hold on too while the Movie takes its Roller Coaster Ride into the Subconscious by way of Genetic Imprints, and then Deconstructs the Primal Scream of the Birth of Man.This is only Deep if you let it and most likely that was not the intent of the Director. More so the Author, Paddy Chayefsky who ran Fast and Far from this Filmed Version of His Novel. As Entertainment it is Atypical, Bizarre, Colorful, Vibrant Fun.

I saw this movie at about age 16 and thought it was a masterpiece. Now, it's still a very good movie- but I do get irritated by some of the gratuitous Star Trek-like special effects. Still, some scenes in the movie stuck with me long after I saw them, mostly the blasphemous religious imagery. (Proof this movie disturbed me: Right after first watching- my power suddenly went out. We were the only house on the block with no power. I took that as a sign and ran to the nearest hotel for the night.) It really doesn't make too much sense now, considering there is no aspect of the film that involves something that could "attack" the viewer in real life. But the thoughts of crucified eight-eyed goats and bleeding bibles really anchored themselves into my brain. Overall very well done film- I would say a good starter cerebral film for a teenager looking to explore the genre.