Oliver Reed, Tommy was a potent and intoxicating musical that still packs an aural, visual and dramatic punch. The similarly musically themed, but less successful, Lisztomania followed Tommy later in 1975, while in 1977 Russell directed the disastrous pseudo-biopic, Valentino , a film he described as his greatest professional mistake. Despite these setbacks, critical and commercial redemption was soon found in the shape of Russell's first American made feature, the bizarre sci-fi story, Altered States (1980). Featuring a young William Hurt in his first screen role and shot by future Blade Runner cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth, this adaptation of Paddy Chayefsky's novel would go on to be hugely influential thanks to its hallucinatory visual style and beguiling score. Unfortunately, Altered States represented the pinnacle of Russell's commercial exposure and his supposedly difficult behaviour on set meant that his time in Hollywood was brief. Though he continued to make theatrical films right up until 1991's Theresa Russell starrer, Whore, Russell's career post- Altered States was one of critical and commercial decline. Two of the films released during this period were the oddball gothic horror films, Gothic (1986), which starred Gabriel Byrne, and The Lair Of The White Worm (1988), which featured Amanda Donohoe and a young Hugh Grant. Though overlooked at the time of their release, both have developed something of a cult following and are interesting additions to Russell's filmography, even if only for their curiosity value. Ironically, the most highly regarded feature of Russell's late career was his adaptation of