Altered States (The Criterion Collection) 09/25 Blu-ray (Rental)

The ultimate cinematic head trip of the 1980s, British renegade Ken Russell’s first Hollywood production—adapted by the legendary screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky from his own novel—is part hallucinogenic freak-out, part gonzo creature feature, part transcendent love story, all played at a fever pitch. When researcher Eddie Jessup (William Hurt) begins using himself as a test subject for his mind-expanding psychological experiments, it sends him on an increasingly dangerous, substance-fueled odyssey from humankind’s primordial past to the outer limits of consciousness. It’s all visualized by Russell in a psychedelic supernova of out-there imagery that encompasses everything from the pagan to the cosmic sublime, culminating in a brain-wave-blasting battle between the mind and the heart. BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES New 4K digital restoration, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack Alternate 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack New audio commentary featuring film historian Samm Deighan Archival interviews with director Ken Russell and actor William Hurt New interview with special-visual-effects designer Bran Ferren Trailer English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing PLUS: An essay by film critic Jessica Kiang