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Dreams 101: What are some films on dreams and altered states of consciousness A-J?
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Altered States (1980) American classic and film adaptation of a novel by Paddy Chayefsky: His final film and the only novel he ever wrote. Both are based on actual research conducted by John C. Lilly's done in isolation chambers under the influence of psychoactive drugs. William Hurt (in his film debut) shines as University professor, Edward Jessup, who while studying schizophrenia discovers other altered states of consciousness are as real as our waking ones. Through a series of session in the isolation tank, an evolutionary regression begins to take place with disturbing physical changes for Jessup (both inside and outside the chamber) eventually pointing towards a vast nothingness underlying existence.
Appointment with the Wise Old Dog: Dreams in a Time of Crisis (1998) This documentary presents transformative biopic of David Blum (introduced by Yo-Yo Ma), an accomplished conductor/cellist whose confrontation with cancer brings him guidance from his dreams. The film contains many beautiful and poignant pictures of these dreams painted by Mr. Blum particularly the appearance of a deceased pet dog from David's childhood as a guiding spirits and healing influence in the years leading up to his death.
Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) (1920) is a silent horror film by German director Robert Wiene and written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. Told in a flashback by Francis, the protagonist, about when the carnival came to his hometown and his best friend Alan and girlfriend, Jane are enticed by Dr. Caligari to see his amazing somnambulist Cesare who has been asleep for 25 years in a cabinet. Under Dr. Caligari's influence Cesare is able to predict the future when awake. Afterwards Francis is plagued by horror and death. This film is more about the hypnagogic state and has been called one of the most influential Expressionist films ever made.
Dreams (1990) (AKA I Saw a Dream Like This, or Such Dreams I Have Dreamed) A magical realism film based on actual dreams of Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa: The film is divided into eight dream segments highlighting different stages of his life. Kurosawa is known for his films based on literary geniuses such as Ran loosely based on William Shakespeare’s King Lear and film adaptation of The Idiot (1951) by Fydor Dostoyevsky.
Dreamscape (1984) In this sci-fi thriller, Alex Gardner (Dennis Quaid) is a young psychic pressured by his mentor Dr. Novotny (Max von Sydow) to be a part of a dream research project called "dreamlinking.” Alex is hooked up to electrodes and thereby able to project himself into the nightmares of others as both observer and participant in the dream in hopes to affect some treatment for the patient with dire consequences. Also see the film The Cell with similar premise.
Jacob's Ladder (1990) A psychological thriller film directed by Adrian Lyne written by Bruce Joel Rubin, stars Tim Robbins as Jacob Singer; a U.S. soldier during the Vietnam War. The film is an intricate web of Vietnam flashbacks, Jacob's memories (and hallucinations) of his former life (with his children and wife, Sarah) to his present day relationship with girlfriend, Jezebel played by Elizabeth Peña.
A highlight and the movie’s ‘center’ is when Jacob's friend and chiropractor Louis (played by Danny Aiello) comes to his rescue citing the 14th century Christian mystic Meister Eckhart—"Eckhart saw Hell too; he said: 'the only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of life, your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you,' he said. 'They're freeing your soul. So, if you're frightened of dying and... and you're holding on, you'll see devils tearing your life away. But if you've made your peace, then the devils are really angels, freeing you from the earth.'" A modern take of the Book of Genesis’ Jacob’s Ladder, Dante’s Inferno, the Tibetan Book of the Dead and the hypnopompic state all rolled into one. See also Manchurian Candidate
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