Newsgroups: alt.drugs
Date: Fri,  6 Nov 1992 18:08:16 -0500 
From: "Daniel S. Efran" <de0t+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Acid activities
	<1992Nov6.105410.14246@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>

Absolutely the best all-around film to watch is "The Wizard of
Speed and Time."  It's a bit hard to find but absolutely worth
it.  It's funny, it induces a positive state of mind, it's packed
with 'subliminal messages' (really!), and it's got the most 
mind-blowing animation sequences you've ever seen, in terms
of sheer don't-blink-ness.  It was written, directed,
starred-in, and packed with special effects by one guy, Mike
Jittlov.  He's amazing.  There's a stop-motion sequence with
FULL-SIZE movie equipment (lights, tripods, about ten thousand
film canisters), in which Jittlov even animates himself.

Don't blink when watching this film.  You'll regret it.

Also, I second the opinion that the Alien movies are cool --
especially if you already like them, of course -- a FOAF saw
the third one for the first time (in a theater) on LSD and
enjoyed it (despite the terrible script, dialogue, casting, plot...)
-- it's a very visual film.  [Not altogether cheery, though, so
keep "Wizard of Speed and Time" handy if you want to get
happy again afterwards.  My FOAF followed it in the theater
by Lethal Weapon 3 and was pleased to have done so.  (The
opening title sequence is great.)  As someone else mentioned,
things like Wayne's World work too for cheering-up after
depressing films.  Or try Ferris Buehler's Day Off.] He also
watched the first 2 Alien films back-to-back (on video) on
another occasion and enjoyed the experience immensely.

Other good films to try are:
-- Platoon: if you're experienced enough at tripping to deal
with The Wall, you can probably handle this too, and it's
really intense.  Not happy though, see the comment about
antidotes above.
-- Yellow Submarine: of course.  Check out the Sea of Holes.
-- Battle Beyond the Stars: old parody of the Star Wars 
genre, I thought it was great when I was a little kid, and I
suspect that means it would be good on a trip.  Haven't tried
it though.
-- Robocop: another not-for-beginners, but *incredibly cool*.
-- Akira: an animated masterpiece of psychedelia.  Check out
the trails on the motorcycles.  The soundtrack is beautiful --
it's good by itself, too, for trips or nitrous.
-- Risky Business: probably really good.  Another good 
soundtrack, and some really surreal happenings.  A film that's
probably too surreal for drugs is After Hours.
-- Batman Returns: probably really good.  Wonderful imagery,
Catwoman (meow!), and no distracting plot to worry about.
-- Fantastic Planet: weird animated science-fiction film.
-- Allegro Non Troppo: this is like Fantasia, only different: the
funny parts are funnier, and the psychedelic parts are more
psychedelic.
-- Hudson Hawk:  I don't understand why this film did so 
poorly.  It's a great cross between an adventure film and a
parody of one, a little like Sneakers or Indiana Jones 3 (but
more like Sneakers).  (Those two are good too.)  The
Machine in the introduction is just beautiful to enhanced eyes.
All that movement, and color, and the grinding of wooden
gears... it's a little like the effect of the beautiful orrery in...
-- The Dark Crystal:  absolutely recommended.  A complete
fantasy world (no human actors AT ALL!  And you keep 
forgetting that....), great images, the above-mentioned orrery:
what more could you want?
-- Labyrinth:  not as good as Dark Crystal, but made by the
same team.  Great crystal-ball stuff by Michael Motion (you
only see his hands).  There's a tape about him available from
Great Performances (check your public-tv station for the 
address) that's good too.

Well, you get the idea.  Really any film you enjoy straight is
good, especially if it's surreal or intense.  

Disclaimer:  I don't do drugs.  Really.  I got all these opinions
by mental telepathy from drug-using strangers.  

	---Daniel Efran
----------------------------------
An it harm none, do as you Will.
Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.
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