New Wave Film Task

Design Brief

In my film, I want to reflect on the isolation due to lockdown in the UK has had on people mental state

I want to repurposed news footage from the daily coronavirus infection counts to the speeches made by Boris Johnson.

This will hopefully create a social realism film aesthetic similar to the opening scene in La Haine (1995) by using montage to showcase the current state of the UK during the pandemic as we are panicking and increasingly getting frustrated with our leader for inaction and half measures.

However, unlike La Haine (1995), I want to intercut this montage with footage from someone in isolation who is losing the mind while also showcasing the events unfolding during lockdown like university students trapped inside their dorms forced to pay for classes that could have been done at home.

Will use M.I.A's song Paper Planes in the soundtrack as the lyrics which are about a grifter taking money are contrasted with the politicians like Boris Johnson as they take money from students and leave to rot in their dorm rooms as the virus claims whole sections of school like Manchester University.

I already have a lot of footage from public transport looking at the empty streets in lockdown so I will

contrast that interior shots looking out of windows indicating the UK's wish to go outside and leave this pandemic behind us and to signify the cramped space the character is locked in during lockdown. 

I would love to film this in a university dorm room however for my own safety concerns and due to current lockdown conditions that seem unlikely so I will have to make my own home feel as compact as possible by using close-ups and low key lighting making the visibility, this will make the environment/setting seem more claustrophobic.

I want to create a merge of techniques from Hong Kong New Wave and British New Wave by having the overarching onstage sequence be realistic and invoke social realism films like Kes (1969)  I want to combine that with my section of someone going made in isolation by using Hong Kongs New Wave techniques such as the work of Wong Kar-wai as he creates a dream-like atmosphere. However, unlike Wong Kar-wai, I want to use this effect such as slow-motion (slow shutter speed) and overlaying images to create a nightmare that my character desperately wants to escape.

My use of low angles and dutch angles in these shot of my character screaming will hopefully create a further sinister unhinged tone by making the audience look up at this character in a crooked position giving them an image of power but in combination with the dutch angle, it also showcases the lack of control he has over his own mental state as the madness causes them to act out and scream in there isolation.

I will use my Panasonic Camcorder with a 55mm Zoom Lens, however, to create the most natural style possible for my film for the sake of realism I will only be using the standard lens focal range of 35 to 50mm, as this is the most accurate lens type with the human eye due its focal length being the same as our eyes themselves making us feel present like we are in the scene ourselves.

My use of this camcorder for my production will create a home video quality to the footage, similar to the 40mm home films of the past which I will be mimicking with overlays and scratched effects to my footage. I will combine the footage of my camcorder to the footage gathered on my phone emphasising my inspiration for realism from British New Wave, as unlike film cameras like the "Sony Pxw-fs7 II and 18-110mm Lens" which are used in actual film production to give a sleek clean look to the footage synonymous with films while I want to have faults and grain in my footage making it seem more natural as the faults in cheaper cameras like those in iPhones make the film seem more authentic.

 and will be using mostly closeups and handheld camera. I plan to use filters and overlays in post-production to add grain and texture to my footage giving it a home video aesthetic. Much like films in the found footage genre as I will be taking some inspiration for the nightmares from found-footage horrors like The Blair Witch Project (1999) and Rec (2007). For this reason, I will be using natural lighting rather than bringing key lights this is due to my montage being of establishing shots of naturally lit environments mixed with news footage that has already been shot meaning I can't alter the lighting choices but the interior shots with my subject going mad will use low key lighting will be best to create my intended sinister atmosphere.

Due to the current lockdown, I will be shooting inside my house so there is no real need for a risk assessment. But during the shoot, I will be handling a knife so in advance, I have dulled the blade and have placed a medkit just off-camera on set on the off chance I accidentally cut myself.

New Wave Film

Evaluation

Overall I believe my production was a success, I created a film that followed my initial idea and plans for what I wanted to make my film about the context of the current state of the UK in 2020 and showcase that through a montage and through the descent into the madness of a character isolated in lockdown. My editing to the beat of the song with the montage created an engaging film and the chaotic mix of my "nightmare" imagery made the film feel sinister. This was also achieved by having vocational glitches in the montage to make the audience feel uneasy.

The sound of a news interview and Boris Johnson's speeches clearly indicated the current panic of the UK government as cases of Covid rise, my use of sound in the nightmare periods of the montage which I purposely used a lack of sound for some of them and loud static and screams in others and perfectly showcased the desperation form both the public as I increased a shots shutter speed to make the image look more jittery and distorted and I overlayed the same image making it seem like multiple people were screaming and form the government to get things back to normal and I executed my plane to use the song Paper Planes to showcase how the public feels betrayed by johnson and how the current university students trapped in their dorms see him and the university boards as thieves. 

I accurately followed my inspirations for the film with my use of close-ups coming from Hong Kong Cinema like Fallen Angels (1995) and the use of real news footage to create an environment of social realism/British New Wave like in Kes (1969).

Overall I think my use of camera and lighting was successful in creating my intended cramped/claustrophobic feeling with my use of closeups and my shot choices that fill the frame more during the "nightmare" sequences when cutting back between the montage however I think this effect could have been improved from a small like 2.2:1 which is used in 70mm frame as by having this black bar on the sides of each shot would make these shot feel tighter and more cramped like when used in Lighthouse (2019) which uses aspect ratio to make the characters feel trapped, adding to there forced isolation on an island in the middle of a vast sea. But I successfully created my intended natural look to my film with my use of 35 to 40mm focal range as it mimicked the human eye and with my use of overlays and scratches to the footage in post-production to mimic old fashioned home videos.

My lighting could have been more experimental, yes my low key lighting made the setting feel naturalistic due to my use of actual lighting fixtures in my house but if I mixed experimental lighting with my use of low key it could have added to the dream/nightmare aesthetic seen in my inspiration Hong Kong New Wave cinema, like how coloured lighting is used in The Mood for Love (2000) to create the dreams each character has for the future.

In my opinion, I achieved my goal by showcasing the state of the UK during the pandemic through my use of footage showcasing the rules of coronavirus like social distancing to further provide the context to the isolated establishing shots. But if I wanted to improve my footage I would like to find a more condensed/small environment to film my character's descent into madness as it could then more accurately recreate the state of students in universities, which was one of the main events I wanted to highlight in my montage with my use of still images.

Reference List:

La Haine (1995) Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz

Kes (1969) Directed by Ken Loach

Fallen Angles (1995) Directed by Wong Kar-wai

The Blair Witch Project (1999) Directed by Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick

Rec (2007) Directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaz

Paper Planes (2007) by M.IA

The Lighthouse (2019) by Robert Eggers

The Mood for Love (2000) Directed by Wong Kar-wai

Giallo Video Essay

Giallo Video Essay

Evaluation

In my Giallo New Wave video essay, I discuss the origins of the wave from the yellow covered pulp novels originating in the 1920s and '30s that were which inspired the man who meant consider to be the creator of the new wave Mario Bava and his inspiration like Alfred Hitchcock. I broke down the wave into its building blocks how it inspired early slasher horror in 1980s America and analysed 3 films from Giallo auteur Dario Argento and how they represented Italian fears of female independence with the rise of the sexual revolution and the counter culture movement as well as the transition of Italy's economic transition from rural poverty to Urban and rich in the 1960s. This was due to the “Economic Miracle” that took place over the 1940s and 1950s as trade union restrictions were lifted after the fall of fascism within Italy and the increase in the making of consumer products. Britannica.com.

However, in my opinion, I could have better improved this video essay in multiple ways, from a technical standpoint I would have liked to individually label the footage throughout the video in order to better credit my sources to Harvard referencing standard but due to time constraints, I thought I would better focus on other aspects of the video like my analysis of my 3 chosen films. I would have also liked to improve my microphone audio in some segments of the video, due to lockdown I have been able to record my audio in a soundproof environment meaning I had to construct and schedule my voiceover but unfortunately not all my audio was up to my standard.

In order to improve my video, I would have liked to discuss in more detail about Italy in the 1970s and how this impacted Dario Argento's work from the discussion of The 1970s form the law on divorce and 1978 law on abortion, Life in Italy "Life In Italy 1970s To 1980s". But to be honest, adding these aspects to my analyse on Dario Argento's films would have been extra credit as I already discussed how the rise of women independence from men was found in his films.

Overall, in my opinion, I successfully created a video essay that showcased the origins of the wave and its context through the 60s and 70s, yes there could have been some technical improvements but I completed my goal to educate those who watch it on what Giallo is and how it still influences work today.

Peer Assessment Data Breakdown

I showcased my video essay to my class during one of our sessions, after they had watched it they provided me with comments about how to better improve my video essay and what worked well within it.

My classmates enjoyed the clear structure throughout the video essay as I outlined the troupes of the New Wave with elements of filmmaking from the use of sound (Exaggerated/Foley) and cinematography techniques (P.O.V/Handheld) commonly used in Giallo.

They thought I successfully educated them on the context and impact of the new wave, from Italy's Economic changes of the time to the sexual revolution of the '60s and seeking of female independence within Italy and the world at large. This was due to my use of editing, which clearly showcased the experience of a Giallo film while visual providing evidence to my talking points such as my examples of Early 80's slashers inspired by this movement like Black Christmas (1974) and Halloween (1978).

However, they had issues with technical elements in the video such as the slight error in the text before my breakdown of The Bird with a Crystal Plumage (1970) as well as a lack of detailed description of the two auteurs I reference in the video Mario Bava and Dario Argento, they thought I should have given them more context within the video about there influences and how that impacted the new wave and overall more in-depth origin of both of these filmmakers as artists. My classmates also had issues with the length of the video and thought it could have been shortened to a more exact length.

Reference List:

Peer Assessment Data Collected from the Following Participants: Katerina Angelides, Cameron Butler, Alexander Wyness, Kateisha Thandy (HNC Students)

Life in Italy "Life In Italy 1970s To 1980s" Published by Ancos, Jan 16, 2017, Available (Online) at:

https://www.lifeinitaly.com/history/life-italy-1970s-1980s/

Britannica.com "The Economic Miracle Industrial Growth" Available (Online) At:

https://www.britannica.com/place/Italy/The-economic-miracle

Black Christmas (1974) Directed by Bob Clark

Halloween (1978) Directed by John Carpenter

Crystal Plumage (1970) Directed by Dario Argento

Giallo New Wave Research

Giallo Research

Defining a new wave, an artistic movement in the film that influenced future filmmakers and captures the culture and zeitgeist of the time period.

I will be concentrating on the niche horror movement in Italian cinema known as Giallo, the evolution took place as the nation’s political climate became more unsettled and film-makers strove to outdo one another’s kill scenes and gore effects, often at the expense of character and plot.

Giallo = Yellow, from the yellow pulp crime novels in the '20s and '30s, this was later the word to describe the genre as these novels were adapted and the storylines and tropes carried over to the genre. Giallo was concentrated in the "1968's and 1978's" however my 3 films I will be analysing will be in the late 70s but I will also talk about its origins in the 60s and how social issues/context of the time effected and were explored in these films. Muchadoaboutfilm.com

The Giallo Genre (plural, Gialli) are Italian-produced murder-mystery thrillers which feature scenes of excessive violence often originally choreographed which blur the lines between art and exploitation cinema. Films of the Giallo genre usually include strong elements of horror and eroticism, the latter often in the form of voyeurism.

Wonderfulcinema.com

According to Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani the directors of Giallo inspired films like Let the Corpses Tan (2017) define a Giallo films plot in 3 different categories with an interview with CineFix.

"1. It's a who done it with a black-gloved killer
2. Its a conspiracy involving manipulating parties
3. Erotic violence" 

Social Issues/Context Explored in Giallo

Economic Miracle of the 1960s

As Italy transitioned into the 1960's they had a huge economic boost transforming there rural poor country into an urban richer cultural hub within Europe.

Due to the fall of the previous fascist restrictions allowing further trade unions in the 1940s which increased the production of consumer goods from typewriters to Vespers within Italy, which was then further amplified by the Korean War in the 1950s creating this significant economic change in just under two decades an “Economic Miracle” as it was dubbed during the time. Giallo used this social change through there protagonists who were often outsiders in Italy and showcases how the citizens of Italy felt like these outsiders/tourists as the fast and radical change of there nation confused and intrigued them showcased through the main character's common troupe in a Giallo film being a main character's obsession/need to solve the murders one of the most notable examples being in The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) as the lead conducts an investigation to solve a set of murders after witnessing an attack in an art gallery (example of there found significance as a cultural hub). Britannica.com

Italian Economic Miracle, the 1960s - Film 16062

Changes Caused Sexual Revolution/Fears of Female Independence

The new waves showcase of violence towards women usually through phallic imagery such as knife penetrating a female victim can be seen as a fear of the new sexual freedom women which had started through the creation of the Contraception Pill in 1961 which kicked off the sexual revolution of the '60s, This could be seen as a graphic metaphor for the fears of sex outside of marriage as the violence mixes with voyeurism and the male gaze these techniques could be a nightmare male perspective as they seek to control and contain woman's sexuality and how Italy's former conservative religious ideals had begun to change with the modern era.

The Giallo new wave also showcases fears of female independence through the use of female characters in their films whether it's outlining men's loss of masculinity in Deep Red (1975) or through the fear of organised female groups like the coven of female witches in Suspiria (1977). Inspired by the 1970s forming of the law on divorce and the 1978 law on abortion in the Italian government, Life in Italy. Showing the further drift away from female dependency on men, as women had begun to form there own political groups of female activists against male-orientated governments and systems and these characters in Giallo films representing this fear by men that they were being made redundant by women. 

Clip from The Sexual Revolution 1961 by Moments of History

Mario Brava

Regarded as the earliest creator with his work is one of the first examples of Giallo films as a Director, Screenwriter and effects artist for films, however, his work was not what popularised the genre and style. Most known for his work like, The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) and Blood and Black Lace (1964).

Born on 31 July 1914 he originated as a painter he adapted into a cinematographer and eventually becoming a director due to the dubbing of Italian films into the native language of films they were released in (which continued throughout the Giallo movement) he and the rest of early Italian Cinema focused on visual elements as a painter Mario founded the New Waves bright colours and their non-dialogue orientating around composed and beautiful shots rather than a linear narrative. After his various saving of abandoned projects in the 1950s, he created Mask of Satan/Black Sunday (1960) his first film which was inspired by the British hammer horrors Bava tested the censorship rules of horror and established the international interest of horror. This testing of boundaries were the origins of his creation of Giallo which he established through his inspirations of Alfred Hitchcock films leading to the groundwork of all Giallo Blood and Black Lace (1964). Despite his lack of success in the mainstream Bava's impact on Italian horror/the horror genre as a whole cannot be understated.

Mario Bava - The Genremaker by History of Horror

 

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963)

Blood and Black Lace (1964)

Dario Argento 

Regarded as formerly the most prolific Giallo film director who brought the genre and style to its height in between the '70s and '60s. A true Auteur of the Horror genre his work influenced both Italian, as well as the rise in horror in American cinema in the 80, 's such as his Demos movies. However, his most famous work released at the height of the Giallo new wave (1968 and 1978) most known for his films: The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), Suspiria (1977) and Deep Red (1975). FilmSchoolRejects

Born on 7 September 1940, Dario Argento started out his career as a film critic his father worked in films and his mother was a photographer. He was immersed in cinema from an early age as it honed his photo-like imagery in his films. Having a vivid imagination he crafted dream and nightmare worlds which he constructed with colour and his love of writers like Edgar Alan Poe, whos crazed paranoia greatly impacted his work. So when he quit being a film critic after crafting his image loving taste in cinema leading to his focus on cinematography. Getting his start in westerns like once Upon a Time in the West (1968) which he co-wrote. He then directed his first film The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) which was twisted and extended the troupes of Giallo into the '70s and the rest is history as his nightmare and explorations of social issues from fears of women's independence (outlined in films like Suspiria) through his psychedelic colours and imagery as he elevated the Giallo New Wave at the height of its popularity.

Documentary: Dario Argento - An Eye for Horror (2000)

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

Suspiria (1977)

Deep Red (1975)

The 3 New Wave Films I am Analysing

My three films from this wave that I will be analysing are all going to be from the Dario Argento height in the genre, starting with The Bird with the Crystal Pilgrimage (1970), Deep Red (1975) and Suspiria (1977) and how he was inspired by the work of Mario Brava. I will discuss how these films inspired the early origins of the slasher sub-genre in America during the 1980s, overall how these films changed horror and cinema forever.

The Bird with the Crystal Pilgrimage (1970)

Synopsis

Dario Argento's directorial debut "An American expatriate in Rome witnesses an attempted murder. He learns later that it's connected to an ongoing murder spree in the city, and decides to do his own investigation, despite being personally targeted by the killer" IMDB

Written and Directed by Dario Argento starring Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno this film was his directorial debut Dario Argento this movie inspired by the Fredric Browns novel "The Screaming Mimi" which had its own adaptation in 1958 this is wildly considered by critics like Mark Kermode as "the Benchmark for a Giallo film" BFI. This movie mixes both sexuality and psychology snd is the reason why Giallo movies have continued with the emphasise of sex and violence in future instalments and comments on fears of independent women.

With Cinematography by Vittorio Storaro who would later work on films like Apocalypse Now and the last emperor and is a perfect example of Dario's love of haunting beautiful imagery from being trapped in a glass box to an art piece almost killing the protagonist in the last confrontation.

The 1st of his self-named animal trilogy which would include Giallo classics like The Cat O' Nine Tails (1971) and Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971), this was the film that started his path into changing horror forever.

Deep Red (1975)

Synopsis

"A jazz pianist and a wisecracking journalist are pulled into a complex web of mystery after the former witnesses the brutal murder of a psychic." IMDB

Deep red or Profondo Rosso in its native Italian using the mystery elements of the Giallo an underrated classic of Dario Argento who directed and co-wrote with Bernardino Zapponi and starred David Hemmings, Daria Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia in his finest Giallo film in my opinion. This is due to it perfection in the structure of a Giallo film if you are looking for the Giallo film to define Giallo Deep Red certainly does that as it uses the aspect of mystery which Giallo was founded on with its use of stunning visuals to create a film that would perfectly capture the methods of this Wave of Cinema. And would inspire people like Guillermo del Toro's career as a filmmaker and even inspire the modern horror of Saw (2004) with its mascot Billy being inspired by the puppet in this film.

This film also expressed fears of female independence at the time with the female reporter in the film out doing the protagonist in many aspects considered to be more masculine at the time and showcases examples of female characters with just as much death and complex motives as males in films, which for the time period and even today is unfortunately not popular in the way we write stories.

Suspiria (1977)

Synopsis

"An American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to the realization that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders." IMDB

Made after the success of Deep Red Dario Argento directed and wrote Suspiria with Daria Nicolodi and stared Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci. Argento's peak of narrative and visual experimental as he mixes bright colour and music to create a maddening horrific multi coloured nightmare its use of synth music which can be cited as a clear piece of inspiration for the horror soundtracks of legends like John Carpenter who uses the same synth techniques to create a similar atmosphere in the majority of his filmography.

This film is definitely Dario Argentos best technical accomplishments form a film form the set design of the school to the lighting and camera positioning and techniques this film is a technical marvel that holds up even today as he utilizes large environments to make dream world on-screen feel real. This is also due to collaboration with the soundtrack done by Goblin which creates such an original and emotional film that hypnotizes you with each film making aspect it demonstrates.

Reference List:

WolfCrow.com, "What is Low-Key Lighting?, What is low-key lighting, and how do you apply it in cinematography?" (Online) Available at:

CineFix, "Everything you Need to Start Watching Giallo" (Online)  Sep 21, 2018, Available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYyMuWhQNno&ab_channel=CineFix

Robinson P "Dario Argento: The King of Giallo" (Online) Peyton Robinson, September 25, 2020, Available at:

https://filmschoolrejects.com/dario-argento-the-king-of-giallo/

Stranger T "Defining the Giallo Film" (Online) May 25, 2018, Available at:

https://muchadoaboutcinema.com/2018/05/25/defining-the-giallo-film/

Breschi D "1968 in Italy: Revolution or Cold Civil War" (Online) April 9, 2008, Available at:

http://www.telospress.com/1968-in-italyrevolution-or-cold-civil-war/

Britannica.com "The Economic Miracle Industrial Growth" (Online) At:

https://www.britannica.com/place/Italy/The-economic-miracle

The Sexual Revolution 1961 Published on Jun 14, 2018, by Moments of History

Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror (2000) Directed by Leon Ferguson

Mario Bava - The Genremaker published on Jul 11, 2020, by History of Horror

Life in Italy "Life In Italy 1970s To 1980s" Published by Ancos, Jan 16, 2017, Available (Online) at:

https://www.lifeinitaly.com/history/life-italy-1970s-1980s/

Sources I plan to use within my Video Essay:

The Bird with the Crystal Pilgrimage (1970):

IMDB, Roger Ebert Review, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) Directed by Dario Argento, (bloodymurder.wordpress.com 2012)

Deep Red (1975):

IMDB,(Tyson Willis 2013) Senses of Cinema, Dario Argento: Giallo and Profondo Rosso (Deep Red)

Suspiria (1977):

IMDB, Roger Eberts Review, Little White Lies (2017) The surreal, singular genius of Dario Argento’s Suspiria, Suspiria Cinema Snob, Suspiria (1977) - re View

Easy Rider (1969) "Acid Trip" Scene Analyse

In the clip from Easy Rider (1969), the use of the camera, lighting, editing and sound was used to reflect the era of the film's creation (The 1960s) but also was used to show the decline in the counterculture movement which I believe was the intended/preferred reading by the filmmakers.

The "Acid Trip" scene metaphorically indicates the downfall of the counterculture movement in the '60s by showing how the ideals of "doing your own thing" became a too vague of philosophy for people to follow leading to mass disillusionment which finalised in drug addictions and mental breakdowns which are both shown in this scene, as the characters experience a crisis of faith while taking acid in a graveyard.

In the start of the scene, we see the two main leads Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) and their female companions Mary (Toni Basil) and Karen (Karen Black) sitting on the steps of a cemetery.
The camera is used in a medium shot at a slightly high angle as we look down on them as they begin taking Acid, by having this shot at a high angle this imposes weakness on the characters as it is used to convey power dynamic to the audience as they look down at them with pity. This links to the preferred reading of the director and social issues at the time as we see the once-proud rebellious counterculture members (Wyatt and Billy, hippies) looked down at like lost children.
This is further proven by the use of non-diegetic sound as a metallic clang mimics church bells due to the graveyard setting, the use of this sound effect throughout the scene seems to act as a metaphor for religion which conveys the crisis of faith both these characters are having throughout the scene and many actual counterculture members in the 1960's had also begun to realize as unlike the boundaries of religion which kept order the fluid nature of this movement began to crumble.
The use of editing also conveyed this preferred reading as it rapidly cuts while mimicking the effects of acid the characters are experiencing to religious imagery such as the closeup of Billy (Dennis Hopper) hugging an angelic female statue in the graveyard. The mise en scene of Billy's performance as he cries while hugging the statue mimics that of a mother and child, the statue acting as a motherly figure while also being metaphoric for stability and structure of religion and Billy acting as the child and the members of the counterculture movement seeking a path to guide them after there downfall.
The use of high-key and natural lighting in this scene also conveys this seeking for meaning experienced by Billy and the counterculture movement of the time as the camera begins panning towards the sky revealing more natural light and eventually becoming high key as they sun acts as divine light as it shines down from the heavens (sky) as it shines over the camera creating a lens flare effect.
This lens flare effect creates disorientation in combination with the editing, from frantic jump cuts between the panning and stationary camera to the use of a fisheye lens. This scene perfectly represents the effects of the acid on the characters as you just like them feel lost and afraid in this cemetery, this, of course, links to the feeling experienced by the counterculture members during there downfall.

Overall, in my opinion, this scene uses the techniques of the camera, editing, sound and lighting to create a reading intended by the filmmakers to show the decline of counterculture through the contrast of the structure and hope that religion provides to its members to there lack of guidance following the vague code of conduct of "doing your own thing" that failed to provide fulfilment to the members of the counterculture movement.
However, this religious motif could just be the result of the setting and be a metaphor for the existential crisis most people on acid go through, but in my opinion, there are easier ways for a filmmaker to create a "mad trip" experience without the use of religious imagery.

Reference List:

Easy Rider (1969) Directed by Dennis Hopper