I’m probably one of the few people on the planet who has sentimental feelings about this movie, a truly oddball piece of work from legendary oddball director Ken Russell. Altered States announces itself as a Transmission from Planet Weird in its very first moments, where wires float in what appears to be a copper hot water heater with a porthole. Then up into the frame drifts William Hurt wearing dark goggles with his head ensconced in some kind of clear, round space helmet. And we’re off.

This is really Hurt’s film; its story is the story of his character, Edward Jessup, a Harvard professor with a mystical streak who likes to float for hours in an isolation tank. He also develops a certain fondness for the psychedelic mushroom amanita muscaria, and when he decides to mix the two, trouble ensues.

I don’t want to say too much, on the very slim chance that you haven’t seen Altered States and would like to. I recommend it, but not without qualifications: It walks a very delicate line between deep and campy, scary and silly, and sometimes stumbles and treads all over that line. But not unlike Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, it is loaded with such energy that it jumps right over the normal categories to become an animal completely its own. And speaking of animals…well, no, that would be a spoiler.

There will be more to say on this topic, but for now I just want to get something up there, quiet the nagging voices. Happy Monday, everybody.