The Substance: Albert Hofmann's LSD (2011)

The Substance: Albert Hofmann’s LSD: Directed by Martin Witz. With Trevor J. Roling, Hanspeter Müller, Mario Scarabelli, Albert Hofmann. In 1943, the year in which the first A-bomb was built, Albert Hofmann discovered LSD, a substance that was to become an A-bomb of the mind. Fractions of a milligram are enough to turn our framework of time and space upside down. The story of a drug – its discovery in the Basel chemistry lab, the first experiments by Albert Hofmann on himself, the 1950s experiments of the psychiatrists, the consciousness researchers, the artists. Could it actually be possible to find a path to the core of our human existence by means of a chemical? Spirituality at the flick of a switch? Do the enigmatic effects of this drug really help us to better understand the human soul? Could LSD be an instrument of contemporary psychiatry? Of modern brain research?

“By chance I came across this movie on TV today and must say that it truly is an eye opening experience.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNot only does the substance increases your awareness as such but this movie makes you aware how absurd in retrospect step by step a whole generation was impacted by a coincidence.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe movie is extremely well crafted. A first rate documentary which is as mentioned eye opening.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFantastic editing, music and speed…. A historical movie about a special time…u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt accurately describes how from the lab it arrived at the streets in quantities which today seem hard to believe. For someone who is now about 40 and was too young to have lived the 50ies and 60ies it enables to understand the psychedelic and Hippie movement. By the editing and the intense interviews you do have a feeling of actually reliving the times. The Director has truly shown sensitivity and also a certain pragmatism which makes this movie very pleasurable and entertaining.”