by Andrew Bauman

In the film Altered States, Dr. Jessup seeks the “first truth” by way of psychoactive chemicals coupled with physical sensory deprivation. To reach his goal he ingests the drug and places himself in an isolation tank, a chamber where he floats in total darkness. Through the use of this tank he allows an experience totally uninhibited – he is cut off from both his body and (for the most part) the outside world. Despite the cerebral nature of his studies, Jessup goes through physical mutations as the experiments progress. The experience's gravity of impact manifests in a tangible form – his body begins to reflect his mind. This mirrors the cinematic experience; the theater is an isolation tank.