Weird Studies Episode 206 – On Ken Russell's 'Altered States': Live at Indiana University Bloomington
A live, raucous deep dive into Ken Russell’s cinematic fever dream and its mashup of mysticism, psychedelics, and institutional science. They riff on Lovecraftian dread, alchemy vs. experiment, and cinematic spectacle. Conversations pivot to love as a corrective force, initiation rituals, and how imaginal phenomena might materialize.
01:21:22
Film As Cinematic Reality
- Ken Russell's Altered States stages science and mysticism as a spectacle that can induce altered perception in viewers.
- Phil Ford argues the film treats reality as cinematic imagery, making film a medium for experiencing the 'real' as image.
Faustian Science Versus Human Life
- The film frames scientific probing as a Faustian risk that may reveal truths human minds cannot handle.
- J.F. Martel reads the ending as a comic redemption where love restores human life against the pull of infinite truth-seeking.
True Versus Real: Bergson's Distinction
- Phil Ford contrasts 'true' (propositions about things) with the 'real' (what's present to experience) using Bergson's analytic vs. intuitive distinction.
- He suggests art and sympathetic intuition let us 'become' objects and touch the real beyond detached analysis.
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Intro
00:00 • 7min
Setting Up Altered States Screening
07:11 • 6min
First Reactions to the Film
12:57 • 33sec
Weird Science and Lovecraftian Fears
13:30 • 4min
Comedy, Tragedy, and Romantic Resolution
17:31 • 2min
Truth vs. The Real
19:54 • 4min
Becoming One with the Object
23:32 • 2min
Science Meets Religion and Ritual
25:31 • 1min
Ahab, Moby Dick, and the Quest for Meaning
26:54 • 4min
The Film as Spectacle and Cinematic Thought
31:22 • 4min
Imaginal Objects and Materialization
35:32 • 10min
Magic as 'Using the World Wrong'
45:12 • 2min
When Science Uses the World Wrong
47:40 • 5min
Alchemy, Operator Influence, and Experimentation
52:30 • 5min
Love as the Right Use of the World
57:03 • 18sec
Audience Q&A: Science, The Fly, and Particulars
57:22 • 8min
Hierophant, Institutions, and Personal Vision
01:05:28 • 6min
Modern Initiation: Video Games and Archetypes
01:11:43 • 9min
Closing Anecdote and Final Thought
01:20:27 • 44sec
Outro
01:21:12 • 55sec
#5484
• Mentioned in 9 episodes
Matter and memory
Henri Bergson
Henri Bergson's 'Matter and Memory' delves into the relationship between consciousness, memory, and the material world.
Bergson challenges traditional views of memory as a static storehouse of information, proposing instead a dynamic, evolving memory that shapes our perception of reality.
He explores the role of perception in action, arguing that we perceive only what we can act upon.
The book's central theme is the interplay between the material and the mental, emphasizing the active role of consciousness in shaping our experience.
Bergson's ideas have influenced various fields, including psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy.
#35
• Mentioned in 283 episodes
Frankenstein
Mary Shelley
Written in epistolary form, the novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant and ambitious scientist who, driven by Enlightenment-era ideas of progress and science, creates a living being from dead body parts.
However, upon seeing the creature come to life, Frankenstein is horrified and abandons it.
The creature, shunned by society due to its appearance, seeks revenge against its creator, leading to a series of tragic events.
The novel explores themes of guilt, loss, and the emotional and moral consequences of scientific hubris, blending elements of Gothic and Romantic literature.
#12693
• Mentioned in 4 episodes
Introduction to metaphysics
Gregory Fried
Martin Heidegger
Richard Polt
This book is a revised and edited version of Martin Heidegger's 1935 lecture course.
It delves into the metaphysical condition of modern man and philosophy, particularly focusing on the Presocratics and the concept of 'Being'.
Heidegger critiques the traditional understanding of 'Being' as established by Plato and Aristotle, and argues for a return to the original notions of 'Being' as understood by Heraclitus and Parmenides.
The work also marks a significant shift in Heidegger's thought, emphasizing language as the site of the meaning of 'Being'.
#20119
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
The Secret Life of Puppets
Victoria Nelson
#41
• Mentioned in 267 episodes
Moby Dick
Herman Melville
Moby-Dick is a novel that tells the story of Captain Ahab's maniacal quest for revenge against Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whale that bit off his leg.
Narrated by Ishmael, the story follows the crew of the whaling ship Pequod as they embark on a journey that explores themes of obsession, man vs.
nature, and the existential questions of good and evil.
The novel is rich in detailed descriptions of whale hunting and life aboard a culturally diverse crew, and it has become a cornerstone of American and world literature.
#897
• Mentioned in 40 episodes
Doors of Perception
Aldous Huxley
In this book, Huxley recounts his first psychedelic experience with mescaline in May 1953.
He describes how the drug altered his perception of the world, making ordinary objects and experiences take on profound aesthetic and philosophical significance.
Huxley draws on various philosophical and spiritual traditions, including those of William Blake, Meister Eckhart, Plato, and Buddhism, to contextualize his insights.
The book challenges conventional views on perception and reality, suggesting that certain substances can reveal deeper aspects of existence that are normally filtered out by the human brain's 'reducing valve'
#2516
• Mentioned in 18 episodes
On Fairy Stories
George Orwell
In "On Fairy Stories," J.R. R.
Tolkien explores the nature and significance of fairy tales, arguing that they are not mere children's stories but profound expressions of human longing and imagination.
He delves into the concept of 'eucatastrophe,' a sudden and joyful turn of events that transcends the ordinary, and how it relates to the Christian narrative of redemption.
Tolkien's essay is a rich tapestry of literary criticism, mythology, and personal reflection, offering insights into the creative process and the power of storytelling to shape our understanding of the world.
He emphasizes the importance of fantasy literature in providing escape, consolation, and a glimpse into the deeper truths of existence.
The essay remains a cornerstone of fantasy literature studies and continues to inspire writers and readers alike.
#2470
• Mentioned in 18 episodes
American Gods
Neil Gaiman
American Gods is a kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth and across an American landscape that is both eerily familiar and utterly alien.
The story follows Shadow Moon, an ex-con who, upon his release from prison, finds his world turned upside down.
His wife has been killed, and he is offered a job by the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, who is actually the Norse god Odin.
Shadow becomes entangled in a battle between the old gods of myth and folklore and the new gods of technology, media, and money.
The novel is a blend of mystery, satire, sex, horror, and poetic prose, taking the reader on a road trip across America to encounter a variety of unusual characters and roadside attractions.
It explores themes of cultural identity, the power of myths, and the changing values of American society.
#317
• Mentioned in 84 episodes
The Divine Comedy
Dante Alighieri
The Divine Comedy is an Italian narrative poem begun around 1308 and completed around 1321.
It is divided into three parts: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.
The poem discusses the state of the soul after death and presents an image of divine justice, describing Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
It is an allegory representing the soul's journey towards God, drawing on medieval Catholic theology and philosophy, especially Thomistic philosophy.
The work is considered one of the greatest in Italian literature and Western literature, and it helped establish the Tuscan language as the standardized Italian language.
#3047
• Mentioned in 15 episodes
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson
The novella tells the story of Dr. Henry Jekyll, a well-respected scientist, and his mysterious and malevolent alter ego, Mr. Edward Hyde.
Jekyll’s experiments with a potion lead to the physical and moral transformation into Hyde, an embodiment of his darker impulses.
The story explores the theme of the duality of human nature, the struggle between good and evil, and the consequences of tampering with the natural order.
The narrative unfolds through the investigations of Mr. Gabriel John Utterson, a London lawyer and friend of Dr. Jekyll, who uncovers the sinister relationship between Jekyll and Hyde.
#54461
Dhalgren
Samuel Delaney
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This episode was recorded before a live audience at Indiana University Cinema as part of Weird Academia, a series of events that brought much high strangeness to Bloomington, Indiana, in January 2026. The discussion followed a screening of Ken Russell’s 1980 cinematic fever dream, Altered States. In it, JF and Phil explore the weird intersection of mysticism, psychedelics, and institutional science, and they close with a brief Q&A with members of the audience.
Visit Weirdosphere to enroll in Phil Ford's upcoming course, A Musical Tarot.
References
Weird Academia and the Center for Possible Minds
Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Roger Penrose, physicist and mathematician
Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
Samuel Delaney, Dhalgren
Henri Bergson, Introduction to Metaphysics and Matter & Memory
H. P. Lovecraft, American writer
Herman Melville, Moby-Dick
Aldous Huxley, The Doors of Perception
Clement Greenberg, American essayist
G. K. Chesterton, English writer
David Cronenberg (dir.), The Fly
Michael Garfield, podcaster, writer, musician
Weird Studies episode 205 on the Hierophant
Victoria Nelson, The Secret Life of Puppets
Neil Gaiman, American Gods
J. R. R. Tolkien, "On Fairy Stories"
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