Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, The Fisher King) directed this colorful, stylized, pseudo-psychedelic $21-million adaptation of the 1971 Hunter S. Thompson classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey into the Heart of the American Dream, about stoned sportswriter Raoul Duke, Thompson's alter ego, on a wild drug-crazed road trip, a paranoid plummet into the belly of the beast, with his pal, lawyer Oscar Zeta Acosta. Originally serialized in Rolling Stone (November 1971), the
book catapulted Thompson headfirst toward the Kerouac-Mailer-Capote pantheon and jump-started the entire movement of "gonzo journalism." Carrying a suitcase of drugs, Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp with shaved pate) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro) drive a red convertible across the Mojave from L.A. to Vegas, where Duke has an assignment to cover the Mint 400 desert motorcycle race. As the drugs kick in, Duke ventures into voiceover, filling in the blank spots and narrative gaps. "This is not a good town for psychedelic drugs," says Duke, but even so, they consume vast quantities, eventually escalating to ether. Duke notes that with ether "you can actually watch yourself behaving this terrible way, but you can't control it." The two trash their hotel room, and Gonzo goes back to L.A. Thinking the hotel room holocaust will lead to an arrest, Duke begins a drive back to L.A., but after an odd encounter with a highway patrolman (Gary Busey) and a telephone conversation with Gonzo, he returns to Vegas to cover the District Attorney Convention on Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs in the glitzy Flamingo Hotel. This time the drugged-out duo trash their Flamingo room. The crazed carnival atmosphere segues into a carney casino, Bazooko's Circus, where a barker (Penn Jillette) spiels amid aerialists, clowns, and a rotating carousel bar. Gonzo worries over runaway teen Lucy (Christina Ricci), who paints portraits of Barbra Streisand. Soon the hallucinations begin: Duke sees Gonzo transmogrify into a demon with breasts on its back, and an acid vision of a Vegas bar features large legit lounge lizards (courtesy of monster makeup man Rob Bottin). Flashbacks depicting Duke's intro to the drug scene jump back to love-Haight relationships in San Francisco's Summer of Love. Cameos and guest stars include Mark Harmon, Cameron Diaz, Flea, Lyle Lovett, Harry Dean Stanton, Ellen Barkin, Tobey Maguire, and Hunter S. Thompson himself. The film features a Geffen Records soundtrack mixing rock of the period with Vegas lounge tunes. Over the years, various script adaptations came and went as did numerous talents; people connected with past efforts to film Thompson's book include Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and writer-director Alex Cox. Shown in competition at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
It may start off as a lighthearted, excess-filled, party-road-trip movie, but Depp is reigned in a little towards the end as his character (a stand-in for Thompson) poetically bemoans the sad failure of the late-60s ideals and values.
This is the best acid-inspired movie since Roger Corman's The Trip - and it is a darn sight more accurate in its depiction [of] the highs and the lows, the terrible confusion alternating with lucidity, the excitement that gives way to paranoia.
Gilliam shows that there is something appealing about drug highs. It wouldn't be honest to say otherwise. And, yes, they'll destroy you. It's honest about that too.
Raoul Duke: The possibility of physical and mental collapse is now very real. No sympathy for the Devil, keep that in mind. Buy the ticket, take the ride. "Four days, Three nights, Two Convertibles, One City."Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is easily the most perfect adaption of a book ever done. I can't think of a
movie that captures everything about the book like this one does. Terry Gilliam was obviously the perfect choice for directorial duties. Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro could not be better in their drugged out, over the top performances that the source material called for. Most importantly, it's Hunter S. Thompson, enough said. I've read a lot of Thompson's work(Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail, The Rum Diary, Hell's Angels, etc.), but Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas has always been my favorite. I've probably read ten times by now and it just never gets unfunny. That is exactly how I feel about the movie too. It just doesn't get unfunny. The reason, Deep's portrayal of Thompson. It is perfect in every way. If you haven't read the book, you'll probably think it is a little too over the top, but it really couldn't be more on the money.Basically this movie is a man and his attorney in Las Vegas, where he is supposed to be covering a race. They bring a lot of drugs and are out of their minds all the time and begin to get extremely paranoid. The plot is all over the place when there is one. But if you've ever done drugs, you know that shit isn't straightforward when you're on them. Paranoia and hallucinations don't follow a plot line. They do whatever the fuck they want.This is probably the best pure drug movie you can see. I say "pure drug movie" because it isn't about addiction or rehabilitation. This is like Cheech and Chong, but add more narcotics and hallucinogens, plus a lot funnier situations and actors. I would say this is a must see for Thompson fans, but every Thompson fan has already seen it twenty times.
January 31, 2011
Melvin White
Super Reviewer
Truly capturing the bizarre yet philosophical world of Hunter S. Thompson, director Terry Gilliam along with stars Johnny Depp (one of his absolute best performances) and Benicio del Toro deliver one of the most visually hypnotic experiences I've seen in some time. Definitely not for everyone though!
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