A highly fascinating movie whose subject matter has remained vividly in my memory since first seeing it twenty-six years ago. Christopher Walken is very competent in his role as an eminent scientist, who, alongside Louise Fletcher, invent a technology that can record someone's perceptions and senses, on all levels.

Despite numerous obstacles in getting the film off the ground, and particularly finished, it is a truly wondrous and thought-provoking piece of cinema. Natalie Wood (playing Walken's wife) died before completion of the movie and the studio nearly scraped the whole project until the director, Douglas Trumball, fought bitterly to salvage it. Even for the early 1980's the special effects are mesmerizing and stunning. There is one particular sequence--which I will not give away here--that still persistently intrigues me to this day.

Overall this movie stands the test of time (except for a couple "silly", goofy scenes) and contains very touching, emotional elements between Walken and Woods. Unfortunately the films visceral quality loses a great deal if not seen on a big screen; preferably in Omnimax (or Cinerama back then), but it's still a must-see and highly recommended.

A classic that predated Total Recall, Matrix, but in my view is just as relevant today as it was back then. An all around excellent movie, great acting, and a superb ending. This is one of my all time favorite movies. Walken and Natalie Wood are just superb together, and the plot and story to this day amazes me. This movie joins the ranks of Altered States.