la sostanza - the substance DVD Italian Import

Albert Hofmann may be better known for his famous bikeride than for his deep and profound spiritual and philosophical insights. Here we get an impression of him close to his 100th birthday and what a 'wise old man' in the truest sense. "A chemist who is not also a mystic is not a real chemist".But this intriguing movie also shows highly interesting historic clips. Including a most hillarious scene with gigling soldiers unable to follow orders under the influence of LSD.Amongst the interviewed Stan Grof stands out with thoughtful comments and strong presence. And we even get some old clips from his days in Prague and at Spring Grove.Plus the usual - and inescapable - suspects like Ken Kesey and Leary. Some rare and trippy footage and wise words from Caroline 'Mountain Girl' Garcia. Both Kesey and Leary ofc giving the likes of Nixon and Reagan (the then governor of California) the perfect excuse for banning the substance.Immense amount of information packed into the 90 mins. Watching it quite like a flashabck in itslef. Also have to mention the brilliant soundtrack by Marcel Vaid and some poignant clips with Hendrix and Grateful Dead.Absolutely essential for heads old and new and everybody interested in sober views on the potentialities of mindexpanding 'drugs'.

DVD shows two advertisements for other films. Then a picture of the cover shows and remains, and a voice says the sentence on the cover ‘One drop changes everything’. This keeps repeating! Just sat down to watch. Very disappointing!

There is little doubt that LSD transformed the latter part of the 20th century. It was instrumental in fostering creative thought that lead to a revolution in biology, the discovery of the structure of DNA and the Polymerase Chain Reaction; the introduction of new forms of musical expression, and the development of microcomputers and computer graphics! The fearful and willfully ignorant response of American legislators to widespread use of LSD by young people in the 1960's, was to state that the drug had no recognized medical use. This despite the fact that there were scientific reports numbering in the thousands indicating promise for the therapeutic use of LSD in treating neurosis, alcoholism, drug addiction, and the anguish of terminal illness. This wave of repression and hijacking of medical practice through poorly conceived laws and their costly enforcement is only now beginning to lift. This is the first film to look at Albert Hofmann's story in a broader and more balanced historical treatment.Richard Yensen, Ph.D.

Have recently been reviewing various documentaries on Psychedelics, and this is one of the very best. It presents a balanced history of the discovery, early use and later renaissance of LSD, with video clips that also show that Hofmann remained, throughout the hysteria and hype around his discovery, as serious scientist and deep thinker on the implications of his work.

A wonderful and honest account of the story of LSD from Hofmann's discovery, through the 1950s experiments in psychiatry, the 60s counterculture, right up into the 21st century and the re-emergence of psychedelics in the treatment of PTSD, addiction, depression, and fears related to death and dying. If you have any interest in the human condition, consciousness, and psychedelics get this brilliant DVD!

A very interesting DVD. A good exploration through the past 50-60 years of how this substance shaped aspects of popular culture.

cool slow wonderful

IMHO, this is the best video documentary on the subject.