1981_03 The Daily Collegian March 1981

              Pegea-ttarteltyCellntea,Mard.g,t1
'Altered States' visually interesting
Br Angela Cirwy
Altered States refers, In part, to
alteredI state* of mind, not unlike those
induced by LSD. In that sense, it teem*
an anachronism-j film out of its
d*cad». The 1960s were years of Tlmo-
?T.^**v"ted. «P«*te»*nt*tlon wfth
hallucinogens like LSD
.LT/h*t^t*nd Suw* **»'' •mbelllsh
th* psychological Journey back to the
contdoutnett of original man with an
actual physical trantformation. Or. Ed.
Review
die Jetsup (William Hurt), of Harvard
Medical School, takes the Journey with
the aid of a potion he discovers while
vititing  an   Indian   tribe  in   Mexico
With hlmtelf as tubject, he and two
colleague* experiment with the drug,
each trip drawing him closer to the dawn
of man'* evolution and ultimately to
the plasm,c origin of life itself, J***up
struggles to return to a stale of normalcy
through the redeeming love of his wife
(Blair Brown).
Paddy Chayefsky wrote the book from
which the screenplay was adapted Time
magazine sutes that he was so distressed at the rapid delivery of lines by
the actors that he disassociated himself
from the screenplay by using a pteu-
donymn in the credits (Sidney Aaron).
For director Ken Russell. Altered
States it a departure from hit musical
biographies, but not from hit interest
in the mind and the imagination. In a
recent interview, he said, 'My films
are generally about th* mystique of
th* creative process, and In Altered
States we have somebody challenging
that mystique with science...All of the
hallucinations are very, very carefully
storyooarded. which is relatively easy
Thi* lead* to dreaming up th* techniques to realize the storyooard, which
i* the problem.*
The film open* on a scene of Jessup
immersed in • dark, vertical tank of
warm water. He it wearing dark goggles
and hi* head i* electrically wired and
sheathed in a glass bubble. The** early
experiment* by Jettup yielded hallucinatory religious experience*, and
piqued hi* later interest in discovering
original self through drug-induced mind
trip*.
One colleague describe* Jessup a* a
"high-handed, arrogant prick, but brilliant.' Jessup is so attuned to interior
•religious' experience, he hallucinates
while making love with the physical
antrhopologist he meets at a party and
later wed*. (Crucifixet. a bible, a many-
eyed unicorn, a bloody goat and
scene flash before his mind in chaotic
»*quence). Though they appear incompatible (to her. 'Life oown 't hav* great
truth*; we spend our lives convincing
oursetve* that we'r* alive*), they wed.
And he admits that he Is uncomfortable
with women and it considered a little
'nuts * by hit colleagues.
The marriage flounders after seven
years. She it off to Africa and he to
Mexico in search of the rumored drug
called 'the first flower,' capable of
evoking old, even priordial memories
Emerging from four-hour trip* In a
dark, wondowle** tank, he assumes ever
more primitive states When Jestup becomes actually transfigured, the film is
reminiscent of the mad-scientist films,
but here the monster he creates it him-
teff.
A* h,s laboratory assistant Arthur
(Bob Balaban) says. These tank trips
can get pretty 'creepy.' But his
"creepy' emergence at ape-man it more
humorous than frightening-a note I
expect unintended by Russell.
The acton are relatively unknown, but
it itn't for that reason they fall to capture our Imagination. Hurt is ebulliently
wild-eyed when in the throes of awakening consciousness and unappealing
-*-" - • normal state. His beatific
lany-    pressions   are   vaguely   embarrassing,
rape    He reminds one of the early Anthony
Perkins at his most eccentric but without
the presence which aroused curiosity
about him. Blair Brown at hit love interest is adequate but really no more
charming.
Charles Hal as colleague Dr. Mason
who goes out on a professional limb to
collaborate with the 'mad* *ctenti*t is
the one character of warmth and humor
delic show i* dazzlngfy bizarre: a montage of firework*, lizards, icons, plasmic
masses. What do they mean? Are they
symbols from the depths of • collective
sizedJ*600' "'* ** ,Un* hvP0*e'
Jessups conclusion: 'Th* final truth
of all this is that there Is no final truth-
truth is what's transitory.'
In the tradition of science fiction
Chayefsky seems to make a moral statev
ment, but ft is somt '
Finally,  truth  i*  love. „   „
Producer Howard Cottfried •>„„„
over dinner before filming with a group
of accredited academic sdentfrts to
discutt the feasibility of altered states
of contciousneii leading to physical
transitions which would occur and then
reverse themtelve*: An interesting proposition, but the blend* of tcience fiction,
horror and suspense is not altogether
satisfying. The film is primarily interesting  visually.  And then,  not very.
Letters to the Editor
Candidates endorsed
To the Editor:  .
Today the citizens of Fresno will elect
four members of a teven-member city
council I would like to encourage the
university community to vote for Karen
Humphrey if you live in the McLane area
and Joe Williamt if you live in the
Hoover area.
The importance of the student vote
ha* been substantially increased due to
ihe advent of district elections. No
longer are city council members elected
by the city at large, rather, they are
voted on by members of the districts
which they represent.
Thlt has created a situation where the
Importance of the student vote hat been
drastically increased. It now only .requires about 4,000 votes to be elected
to the dty coundl; and with more than
16,000 students attending CSUF, each
and every one of your votes can have an
impact in this election f
Students have been a silent majority
too often. Help us put an end to that
!? .0^d?'in*, ** ""y "*** l**k offi-
dalt which will respond to our concerns.
Humphrey it a rriember of the Fresno
Planning Conviruision and is a former
newscaster wfth Channel 30. Her interest In Ae university has been clernon-
"r,tarf * K * "■ "e in the
wo. m ui« university nas been i
ttrated through her active role
ctefeat of Proportion 9 and her »
nest to protect housing around
would take the time to meet with students and listen to our ideas and input
in order that the university needs
could be reflected in coundl decisions.
Humphrey care* about people and would
certainly be the best candidate for the
office
William* is presently the councilman
who represents the university district
My convictions for Mr. Williams are
not as strong as that for Humphrey.
His votes on the coundl have sometime* lead to the conversion of local
apartments to condominiums, the Califomian being one.
But on an overall basis, when one
considers all of the issues which will
face us in the future, I fed he is likely
to be the better candidate to represent our distrirt. After speaking with
Mr. Williams, I am convinced that he
too would be willing to work with the university and, on an overall basis, represent u* well on the dry coundl.
My endorsement of Humphrey and
Williams comes after meeting with all
of the other candidates for these positions, and I hope you too will support
them. But even more importantly, you
must take the 10 or IS minutes to go to
your polling place and vote for the candidates of your choice. It is the only
way. that your voice, will be heard. If
you are uncertain where your polling
Piece is, calf the elections department (488-3246). ^^
tion of government representatives. And
even if you don't like what government
or politician* represent, they are all we
i!)?      ^ a!fl our   representative*.
toda of them and vote
Jeff B. Watson
Legislative Vice President
Associated Students
For the vote
To the Editor.
Get out and Vote! that is the theme of
15U?£?Li f„,ectioo, *chedu|« «*-
March 2nd from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m in the
Free Speech Area around the podium
i^i^ftl^.i^*1**'0"* **
March 3rd. There will be a variety of
Sr, ikI^ faI'fl"d r*m«*"Oer r» tup-
M^^avotEro'vowehotoon
Martha Davis
that help! support the rest of th* athletic
program, the major sports are by no
meant more important than the mlnor
There should be equality within the
program that reflects the percentage!
S*« tatter* Page3
~eX-- *"TTt ™—"* "»»«nd CSUF.
Sh* would be « courKilperson who
willing-      With the district elections, students
i rci ic    hiy* „ kiut 5^ 8iven 1he opponuni_
ty to have a strong impact on the elec-
Cagers congratulated
To the Editor:
rZ !^Me' and -"PPort*" have put
out to protest the proposed cutback
of five minor sport*.
It I* important for thi* university to
?C0«n;leJthet"«»*sity of having a
Averted atWetic program, which
reaches a broad range of student* it
it my opinion that even though football and basketball rjroduceT%venue
The Daily Collegian
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235**-* M Cw. at »*„*, ««, ag*-
S^VeeAs,
ba*      "
Letters to the Editor
of students r**ch*d. . -^ -j_—-
a deep tens* of test at th* cut of three
women's sports that, even with the
addition of women's cross country
will set women's sports back two steps.
I would Ilk* th* newly formed B.A.C.
(th* coalition of the five sports to
be cut) to know that they have my total
tupport and ■ympathy in this crisis.
Martha Davis, Senator
B.A.G commended
To th* Editor:
This tetter cc    ....   J
lions of President Luis Sepulveda
the vacant Astodated Student Sen*te
potts. There are two points I would
like to raise.
First, tlnce the year Is coming to a
close, hU appointments will have very
little time to accommodate therrttervet
tothdrrsewr^rtten.
Secondly, during the next month th*
Senate will focus heavily on next year'*
budget.
Luis made his recommendations to
the Senate on Tuesday. One of hi*
recommendation*, despite her Ngh
level of motivation, has no prior experience in the A.S. Therefore, the will be
effectively crippled for at leatt a month
while teaming the 'ropes' of the Senate.
This will have a rjetrimental effect on
the budget and, ultimately, the inter-
eittof all CSUF itudents.
Seeing the unde»irablllty of thlt and
with an eye towards Lult't past recommendation!. I contetted her appointment and offered my servket. I have
been an active member of the Finance
and Budget committee of the A.S. for
thlt year.
Since a great part of the senate s
bu!iness passes through Finance and
Budget, I am fully aware of the iwu**,
and I know the ropet. I trutt that the
senators' will take this Into cowidera-
tion when they vote iwt..'Tu*sd«,
ChrisKaufman
Athletic suggestion
To the Editor:
The athletic program I* in ne*d of
funding for minor sports and women's
athletics.
$%m.
Th* athtetlc director has proposed    perforrrianc* to far thlt year. Japan,  Colombia.  They  ar*  without
the elimination of five sports: badmln-        Boyd Crant ha*, one* again, put forth question the most courteoui, diligent
•—*—" "-1- **- studant* of student* I've ever hadth* joy of working
ef.Wefeel with.
He feels it Is the only way to salvage ccetfldentthettlto CSUF baiaa^l teem
and maintain a competitive Division 1 will continue Its winning streak and go
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaz-    am ^ w ^ ^ pj^ ehgwtpfc—"■*
rt so others       "•*• only unfortunate part Is thi
feelthatthe to the politio c4 rational rankings,
l* unfair to has not been named In the top 30
j b-jn- cm of the nation. I believe thi* will <
to win the PCAA- champtonship.     prirru^ly"r»lping to grv* thdr American
* of thlt caliber, so they »hould    ^yj hbw( being share croppert,  his
tuUted and withed the best of    family paid th* rent with the date* they
th* remainder of the year,    grew, then loaded what was left over
onto their donkey, peddling the harvest
Sincerely your*,    ^h,	
JeHB. Watson   .ndwhatatessonl
LegisUtive Vice President       M ,ni, particular Urn* in our ebbing
history, I think we need all th* awaken-
As sedated Students
ing of
the remaining sports.
I feel that cutting a sport so other*
can survive is unfair. I also fei '      "*~
IjtflltMltes^ of ttanatten.r better                           Teal issver forget b.._
uMalVto^wrXi>ro*wHnotJ*l^ wiwln the next few weeks b*«au*e *v«ry    th* opportunity of reedteg aloud toione
^^.ttVnte^f^'K on^t!*«h*de^,hl,reco,,   <^*J*l^*£^™Ze
!n^teCrO4$°<*,<,U*tt0OthrtWM ^ntetooofte«.thatCSUFta.«h-j   ofKJ^^tyT^*^
We, the students, have a response- letfcteanssofthtsa
bility to maintain our programs. This responsibility has been neglected. We
have not increased the Associated Student and IRA tee at CSUF tlnce 1958
Yet, by comparing Our university Division 1 program to other university
Division 1 athtetlc programs, our student body has not attempted to match
the  budget- areas   (atoletfct,   music, ■ j.^^^^^^^^^^^^^—
drama, ag. •<«•) with the cost of living
rrr^*WoutK^r<n,toa,t Tuition doubled?
Our team! need tupport from the stu- To the Editor-
dents.  Not only nw'l^ut fiiwjdal , ^Afg,^ there is currently « pro-
support as wel. The^present funding ^ ^ wdu)<J ^^ Sacrur^xo
from students is $93,000 (M4.000 IRA [h?T would double out-of-state tuition
r* s^00^si^^ ail? Sft ^^»*^i^« £?•*»-»
less  than  10 percent of  the overall $12o per unit
budget. At the very least, by imct fall the
I urge the ttudentt to tax tlwrntehre* ^^ m/ ^j, ^ r,|i€<j w j*4_
by instituting a fee solely for sthtet^ ^^ ^following y«r. I think
a fee that will go specifically and totally ^ „ ^ ^ un,„r7but terribly unto non-revenue producing sports. fortunate   because a major portion ot
If the  *tudent!  will  Join  together ^ f|WncU| ourden will fall on foreign
and ask the Attodated Student Senate $tudtnU .
and IRA committee to pait a referendum ,j inc,^,,^ tuition discourages or
and put it on the March.ballot, we may wvertJ j^ individual* from seeking
have a chance. Please hdp u» tupport ^ ^ ^fhKgOon here, I 'm ture sorn*-
our "minor sports." in thi* *g* of n«w Arrwrican l»olationl»m
. 5,ncere'v' and   oerpetual   chauvanism—will   be
Vicki Rutiedge {^'TMr^willb.miiguWed.
 can get. We should
 grateful to our foreign visitors. They bring u* not only revenue,
but a precious cultural gift: knc**4«dge
of a greater world.
Michael McCuIre
Lecture
Department of English
Student -Faculty- Staff
ASHWl^NrezJTJAYWOlMHIP
WedneefJar, March 4, 7:30 p.m.
Pax Dei Chape'
University li>ligiou* Center
8811E. Shaw Ave.
(Aero** from Lab School) j
SpoxujoredBy
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The application deadline is April 17, 1981. Affirmatiee. Action/
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