I found Altered States very disappointing
 

I just watched it, thinking it was going to be a mindfuck. But it wasn't, despite the trippiness and gruesome imagery.

I like it, overall, but the tripping scenes are the best part. It's a very simple film despite that. Also see the same director's "Lair of the White Worm" and "Gothic". Both films aren't that great, but they have some of the weirdest hallucinagenic scenes ever filmed.

Lair of the White Worm has a vampire-lesbo who wields a dragon-horn strap-on and you say it's not "that great"???

it doesn't get any better than that!

"Lair" is definitely better.

"Altered States" is good, but certainly a letdown after all the high-praise it always receives.

it starts off great, but ends up dumping shit in the very face of the audience. imho.

The best part is when he freaks out on that goat. That shit cracks me up every time.

I always think Ken Russell is a bit like a 14 year old school boy who forgot to grow up. I mean that in both a good and a bad way.

Yeah, it's a good way for Tommy and The Devils (his best movie I've seen anyway, damn good) and a bad way for Altered States. The movie is like Terrence McKenna for dummies, and I think McKenna was a silly hippie dork to begin with.

Strangely, it's one of the first VHS's I ever got too. My mom bought that for me at Wal-mart for $5 when I was 13.