1980 marked the film debut of Altered States, a science fiction movie that took liberal creative license with the man who invented the floatation tank (aka sensory deprivation tank), John Lilly.

Altered States wasn't a cinematic masterpiece, but it excelled at sparking interest in the strange water box that the main character Eddie Jessup (played by William Hurt in his movie debut) climbed into and was transformed in. The curiosity this film generated helped a new float center in Chicago get off the ground in 1982. 25 years later, SpaceTime Tanks is still going strong. My discovery of SpaceTime Tanks and float tanks as a therapeutic tool has made a major impact on my quality of life, so I owe a huge debt to Altered States.

It's almost 28 years later and I'm surprised by how many people still remember and talk about Altered States. The movie reviewer at GenX Movies said "Seeing this movie as a wide-eyed 18 year old was a phantasmagoric and mind expanding experience." Here's the movie trailer for your enjoyment.