Psychedelics have come a long way in the film industry. They can be seen in early 1960s film experiments by filmmakers like Jonas Mekas, Jordan Belson and Stan Brakhage as their movies gave several instances of recreational drug use. These films use figurative scenes that grow into shapes or figures that signify hallucinations and mythical figures.
Such experiences soon found their way into mainstream movies like Kubrick’s 2001 Space Odyssey in 1968. To reenact a psychedelic trip in a film is however not as easy as it sounds and accurately converting the experience into images is something filmmakers have had to deal with for a long time.
The 21st century has seen a massive recurrence in the creation of psychedelic movies. Supported by the growing acceptance of psychedelics by the society, these films are having a more successful run than when they were introduced in the 60s. Additionally, a change in film spectator behavior, with more online groups sharing these movies has also helped.
Let’s look at some of the best psychedelics movies that you can watch today:
Midsommar (2019)
Directed by Ari Aster, Midsommar is a folk horror film that stars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor and William Jackson Harper. The film follows a group of friends who travel to Sweden for a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in a festival that is held every 90 years. They later find themselves in the tight grip of a cult.
The movie will walk you through Dani’s (Pugh) realization that her boyfriend Christian is self-centered. The horror film’s long climax begins when Dani is given a strong dosage of psychedelic drugs and becomes the ‘Queen’ of the cult, leading the rituals. The final scenes of the movie are trippy and more of hallucinations and nightmares than reality.
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2011)
Thai director Apichatpony Weerasethakul is known for his meditative films. This one in particular is about a man with a terminal kidney illness who is visited by the ghosts of his wife and son. He is in constant meditation and hopes to meet them when he reincarnates.
The movie’s use of long shots, well thought out effects, natural sounds and remote locations give it a realistic touch.
Enter the Void (2009)
Set in Tokyo, “Enter the Void” focuses on the main character, Oscar’s out of body experiences. The whole story is based on a series of events that happen on one fateful evening.
It all begins when Oscar has his first DMT experience, and the events that follow lead to a fateful encounter with the police. This triggers several flashbacks with Oscar’s spirit hovering above the scenes.
Director Gasper Noe made another film, Irreversible, to be able to fund this film.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Directed by David Lynch, Mulholland Drive is a surreal neo-noir mystery. The movie is basically about an aspiring actress (Naomi Watts) who has just moved to Los Angeles and befriends an amnesiac woman. The story also focuses on other characters including a Hollywood director. Psychedelics feature prominently in their lives, and that’s why this movie makes it to this list.
Walking Life (2001)
An experimental philosophical adult animated docufilm, walking life is directed by Richard Linklater. It highlights a wide variety of philosophical issues such as existence, reality, dreams and lucid dreams.
Throughout the movie, a young man goes through successive dreamlike realities. In these realities he meets people and has insightful philosophical conversations with them, constantly shifting from one reality (conversation) to the other, sometimes in the middle of the conversation.
These movies will do a fair job of introducing you to psychedelic states, but nothing can beat the research-backed information shared by companies like Pure Extracts Corp.
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