Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Reviews

• The book is better

  
  By A2V3P1XE33NYC3 on 2004-08-18
  The only thing I remember thinking about this movie when it appeared in theaters was "Why release a film version of this now?" Who thought Hunter S. Thompson's seminal novel about drug addiction and Las Vegas would play to a savvy 1990's audience? At least the studio did the right thing by hiring Monty Python member and auteur of the bizarre Terry Gilliam to lens the picture. Outside of Luis Bunuel or Salvador Dali, I can't think of any other artist who could pull off such a wacky, unusual project. Thompson's novel, if you're not familiar with it, recorded the exploits of a journalist (Thompson himself) and his lawyer (Thompson's real life legal eagle) as they descended into one bleak bout with narcotics after another, all while supposedly covering the Mint 400 motorcycle race for Rolling Stone magazine. The novel theoretically details the search for the real America--or at least the American Dream--in the early years of the 1970s. Finding allusions to an ephemeral American paradise is difficult in the extreme in a book chock full of crazed drug abuses because the hilarity of two guys tottering on the edge of insanity again and again tends to obscure any meaningful message. But Thompson did pull it off.
  
  Aside from a few scenes, Gilliam's film version largely fails to convey Thompson's fundamental themes. That the movie fails to do so should not surprise the audience. Cinema, after all, must rely on grandiose images and over the top antics to grab attention. Not every film falls prey to bombastic delivery, but "Fear and Loathing" cannot help itself. There's simply too much weirdness going on, too many metaphysical oddities popping up every few minutes, to worry about elucidating subtler themes. Within the first few minutes of the film, we know exactly what sorts of strange things will unfold. Hunter Thompson (Johnny Depp) and his lawyer (Benicio Del Toro, nearly unrecognizable under all that hair and sweat) roar down the highway on their way to Las Vegas and the Mint 400. Something's not quite right with these two. Their condition probably has a lot to do with the arsenal of narcotics stashed in the trunk of the car. They've got pills, booze, and a host of other powders and tonics designed to keep a person in the twilight zone for the next thirty years. They've even got a jug of ether, the fools. And they're driving. Fast. No wonder that hitchhiker (Tobey McGuire, by the way) decides to flee from the vehicle.
  
  And that's the movie in a nutshell. Depp and Del Toro move from one wildly implausible scene to another, hallucinating madly and always an inch away from complete mental and physical breakdown. These two yucks stumble around a casino flipping their lids over the lights, sounds, and strange people they encounter. Thompson sees tables full of people morph into evil looking dinosaurs. The lawyer, locked in the bathroom, ponders dropping a tape player blaring Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" into the very bathtub in which he sits. This dynamic duo survives many incidents, including car crashes, a day spent at a police officers' convention, and the kidnapping of a local youth. You can imagine what their hotel rooms look like after a few days of such activities-well, you probably can't. Throughout it all, the guys try as hard as they can to maintain appearances. Depp's character provides plenty of voiceovers to help keep the audience afloat in a sea of narcotized blackouts. "Fear and Loathing" resembles more a giant stream of consciousness bender than a coherent film. What does it all mean? Good question.
  
  A scene in the film explains part of the mystery. Thompson, in a reflective mood during a rare moment of actual work on his story, undergoes a flashback where he sees himself at a concert in the late 1960s. He waxes morosely on those lost days when the youth of America thought they could change things for the better. As we all know, nothing really changed. America eventually pulled out of Vietnam, but the flower children grew up and sprouted suits and cell phones. At least a few grew up; many perished as their addictions became too much to handle. Thompson and his lawyer represent the latter stages of the 1960's Counterculture. No one would have thought about using ether or going on two week binges during the Summer of Love, but by the time the early to mid 1970s rolled around, the halcyon glow of yesteryear has turned into a nightmare. These two characters are essentially the living, walking hangover of a bygone age. When you look at the movie in this way, the hilarity drains out of the whole thing quite rapidly. Heck, when you see Hunter Thompson today on a talk show, as I did recently, his shambling, incoherent speech doesn't garner a whole lot of chuckles from these quarters. His condition is depressing, and so is "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."
  
  The movie's good points include the two principal actors' performances and Gilliam's sure handed direction. Johnny Depp has probably never turned in a bad performance, and he continues his winning streak here as the hectic Thompson. He's got the look, mannerisms, and attitude of the gonzo journalist down cold. Del Toro frightens as the surly, monstrous lawyer. Most of the credit for this intriguing film falls on Terry Gilliam's shoulders; he's always at home creating believable scenes of altered reality, and this movie has more than its fair share. While I think "Brazil" and "Twelve Monkeys" are vastly superior to "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," Gilliam has yet to disappoint me with any of his films. Give this one a shot if you're up to massive weirdness a metatectonic scale. I recommend reading the book first, though.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Get the Ten Strip on the Desert Strip

  
  By on 1999-10-15
  "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" Review

  Though it was greeted with lukewarm reviews and mediocre ticket sales, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" was a wonderfully made movie that catches every essence of Hunter S. Thompson's word. The movie follows Thompson's drug induced alter ego, Raoul Duke (played by Johnny Depp), and his doped up Samoan attorney, Dr. Gonzo (played by Benecio del Toro), as they travel in pursuit of the "American Dream." Based on the 1971 novel of the same name, the (drug) counterculture comedy was a roller coaster ride on LSD. Due to its graphic depiction of drug use and its effects, the film was looked at as a "plotless movie about drug addicts." I found these reviews a little hard to swallow, though. True, the movie is about drugs and how those on them function differently from the "sober" half of society. Those who are opposed to drugs on the screen (or drugs in general) could easily damn the movie for its content. Moreso, though, it is a lifestyle that few get to see. It is an ADVENTURE for the ambiguous "American Dream." Being undefined, this pursuit is almost aimless. This, however, does not mean the movie does not have plot. The search for the "dream" and their experiences with others is the real story here. It just doesn't have any real closure. Throughout the film, the story follows the book pretty closely. The movie begins with Duke and Gonzo speeding through the desert on their way to the Las Vegas. Being a writer, Duke has been sent to cover the Mint 400 Race, a motorcycle exhibition that takes place in the desert near Vegas. Having received the assignment while "relaxing" with Gonzo, Duke decides to make the trip more "pleasure" than "business." They purchase a new car (the Red Shark) and fill its trunk to capacity with nearly every drug imaginable. Upon arriving in Vegas, the duo begins their mad drug fed romp through the "sin city." They terrorize the desert town without trying to get caught. Their diet, consisting mainly of grapefruits and the contents of their trunk, provides them with enough sustenance to stumble from casino to casino. Duke attempts to report on the Mint 400, but finds no glory (and no hint of the American Dream). For a time, the two are seperated, as Gonzo returns to LA for business. Upon his return, the duo continue their search for the "Dream," but quickly find interest in other activities (infiltrating a police officer conference while under the influence, drinking pure adrenaline, trashing a room and assaulting a maid, etc.) In the end, the two give up their mission and leave Vegas with unpaid hotel bills and alot of angry citizens. From start to finish, the movie pretty much parallels the book. There are even times when pieces of dialogue are verbatim. One scene that definitely does not appear in the movie (and is very oblique in the book) was a chapter based on a static recording made by "Thompson." In it, he and Gonzo make inquiries of the vague "American Dream" to dime store waitresses who can offer no real directions. With the storyline and the material similar to the book, the originality and flair of the film comes from a mix of the elements. First, the cast is a stupendous gathering of Hollywood's finest underlings - Christina Ricci as the depressed, Streisand infatuated tag along; Cameron Diaz (for a minute) as a spellbinding TV reporter; Gary Busey as the righteous but accepting Highway patrol officer; Benecio del Torro as the unbearable but faithful (to the "Dream") Dr. Gonzo. Secondly, Johnny Depp delivers the performance of a lifetime as the eccentric and insightful Raoul Duke/Hunter S. Thompson. Also, people who have seen Thompson in interviews on TV would know that Depp truly embodied the writer in both body movements and speech. Third, with artists like Jefferson Airplane, Three Dog Night, and Bob Dylan on the soundtrack, the psychedelic music that accompanies the film is both fitting and mood inspiring. Fourth, and lastly, "Fear and Loathing" would never have come to the screen in the format it did if the film had not been placed in the capable and crafty hands of director Terry Gilliam. With movies like "The Fisher King" and "12 Monkeys" under his belt, Gilliam has proven himself to have an original touch and an eye for the abnormal. These can be seen in the wide angle shots of desert, the extreme close ups of the panic stricken characters, the dark lighting that accompanies the hallucinations, and the special effects that enable the audience to tread lightly on the drug trips. In the end, I saw "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" as one of the better films of 1998. The acting was commendable. The directing, superb. And all in all, a damn good movie to watch if you wish to find the "American Dream" for yourself.
  
  

• Buy the ticket; take the ride

  
  By A7A1VNPVK4FLB on 2003-02-17
  If, when you rent this film, you are expecting a Cheech and Chong film, think twice. People frequently compare the two, but Fear and Loathing is not only infinitely better, it is not the screwball comedy everyone seems to think it is.

  Johnny Depp plays Raoul Duke, alter ego to gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, who wrote the book this film is based on. He is sent on an assignment by Rolling Stone to cover a motorcycle race in Las Vegas. Coming along for the ride is Dr. Gonzo (aka Oscar Zeta Acosta), Duke's repulsive attorney, played by Benicio del Toro. The two rent a very expensive convertible and bring along with them a case full of illegal drugs.

  The film is essentially the journey of two drug-fueled madmen through one of the most unfriendly cities in the country, but it's also a study on what life was like in 1971. In the end, as funny as it may be, it's really a docudrama. Gilliam directs the film in his classic "nightmarish" style, creating a truly hellish vision of America. But the biggest surprise of all is how true the screenplay is to the novel. Sure, like any adaptation, some good stuff is taken out, but if you compare what's written down, there isn't that much of a difference.

  Most enjoyable, however, are the performances. Johnny Depp is hilarious as Duke and Del Toro, despite how disgusting his character is, is nothing short of a scene stealer. The film is also ripe with cameos, the most memorable are the ones delivered by Harry Dean Stanton, Tobey Maguire, Gary Busey, and of course, Flea of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

  I recommend this to any Gilliam/Thompson fans, though in order to enjoy it, you need to watch it in a generally filthy atmosphere, and for some of you, you may need to see it more than once to really appreciate this. Overall, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a very good film filled with moments that stick with you for a long time.
  
  

• Extreme entertainment

  
  By ABSPNQOOFJVGZ on 2000-03-10
  Prepare yourself for a wild journey into the world of bright lights, flashy people, and non-stop substance abuse. Hunter S. Thompson's book about covering a motorcycle race in Las Vegas through pure "gonzo journalism" has been excellently adapted for the big screen by former Monty Python member Terry Gilliam. The movie stays very true to the story, the product of one of the founding fathers of the drug culture of the 70's. This movie covers both extremes: you will love it or hate it, and it won't allow you to stay anywhere near the middle. People who are interested in the drug culture and beat culture, or even a cynical look at one of America's craziest cities, will probably find themselves enjoying the film immensely, laughing and gasping at the insane antics of a drug-abusing "doctor of journalism" and his attorney. People looking for a more down to Earth experience without the odd visual trip and inexplicable dialogue will only be confused and repulsed, wondering what kind of person enjoys this kind of thing. Johnny Depp's performance is absolutely first-rate, Benicio Del Toro sheds the mediocrity he produced in The Usual Suspects, and cameos by Gary Busey, Cristina Ricci, and Thompson himself add to the perfect blend of acting that make this film one of the best of its kind.
  
  

• The critics were wrong again

  
  By A2HQF5HTLXRUR8 on 2001-01-23
  I find it sad that much of the country bases it's movie selections on the opinions of hacks like Leonard Maltin. I can see why this wasn't a mainstream success due to it's waaaaaay out in left field mentality, but because of all the negativity this great film remains unseen by many. As people come around to the acting genius of both Johnny Depp and Benecio Del Toro (and they will), they will inevitably want to see their earlier works and then, finally, they will see what all the hype wasn't about.

  Terry Gilliam absolutely NAILED Hunter's book. The visuals are incredible and alarming. The angles, strange and enticing. I heard that they filmed this movie without a script, just the book in hand. After reading the book, I believe trying to write a script for it could have severly dampened the impact.

  Now for the drug use... If you are the type of person who realized that Fight Club wasn't really about the fighting, then you will also realize that Fear & Loathing isn't really about the drug use. According to the big dog movie critics only a stoner will appreciate this movie, which leads me to believe that only idiots become professional movie reviewers.

  If you appreciate ground-breaking cinema, truly innovative directing, first-rate acting and are looking for something different... the ramblings of a gonzo journalist could be just the thing.
  
  

• Don't stop! We're in bat country!
  By A3NM0RAYSL6PA8 on 2003-01-14
  How could a movie like this be made in the late 1990's, when the caricature of a civilization that Thompson saw in Las Vegas has spread across the country and found itself in every local mall, fitness center, specialty shop, and Longaberger party? Yet, in this hideous state of the world, Terry Gilliam somehow found enough people with enough money to thrust this film into mainstream distribution, showing that there was still at least a shred of hope at this late stage in our de-evolution.

  There's a lot of drug use in this movie, but it comes across as noble and necessary self-medication against the creeping rot of ordinary culture and "normal" mental states. The main characters have no choice but swallow and smoke as much as they possibly can to preserve their humanity. And swallow and smoke they do.

  This is colorful, spontaneous and well-crafted affair. Don't expect your parents to either enjoy or understand it if they are over the age of 40, and the odds of them liking it if they are under 40 are still low. It is just too odd, long, despairing, and simultaneously carefree for modern sensibilities. Oh well. Enjoy.

  And please, whatever you do, don't do drugs. You're liable to find yourself ogling reptiles at the local bar and grill.
  
  

• "Let's get one thing straight...CAN YOU HEAR ME?!?"
  By on 2002-11-20
  Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas is without a doubt the greatest dark comedy of all time. This is no joke, this film is absolutely flawless. I found myself at times laughing so hard it was all I could do to catch my breath. The picture was directed brilliantly by Terry Gillam and the casting was perfect. Johnny Depp play Thompson's alter-ego Raoul Duke. A reporter whom must go to Las Vegas for the weekend to write a column on a race being held. Along side him is his "Samoan" attorney Dr. Gonzo. And off the pair goes to Las Vegas with a suitcase full of drugs. As Raoul describes "two bags of grass, four hits of sunshine acid, a quart of rum, a quart of tequilla, a mass collection of multi-colored uppers, downers, laughers, twenty-five pellets of mescaline and a pint of raw ether". This begins the wildest trip in cinematic history. Before they even arrive to Vegas, Raoul has snorted ether, smoked some weed and done two hits of sunshine acid. His lawyer the "samoan" has snorted ether, snorted cocaine and eat some mescaline. Thus ensues the two into a nightmarish "trip" that leads them to the wildest weekend in Vegas...EVER! A must have for fans of the late 60's and early 70's...if you know what I mean. Don't forget to purchase the 2-disc criterion collection 1/8! The DVD will contain both the theatrical version and an unrated version of the film!
  
  
• Madness, Politics, Drug Use and Mean-Tempered Cops
  By A4PJAZH8S6OYA on 2003-02-01
  This DVD finally gives one of Terry Gilliam's lesser-loved (but brilliant!) films the red carpet treatment. The commentary from Gilliam is crazed and passionate; Depp and Del Toro really show off their wit, charm, and intelligence along with producer Laila Nabulsi's back-stage insight, and the last commentary is a rather odd and screwball one from Thompson himself. I won't tell you a thing about the last commentary. You've got to buy this and check it out on your own. (Here's a hint: 'Screeee-ahhhh! Raaaaaaaagh!' *other assorted sounds*)

  The second disc is crammed with some great goodies as well - Depp reads letters written to/from Thompson. There's a great BBC documentary showing HST and Ralph Steadman undertaking a trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Another gem is a snippet from an audio-book recording of Fear & Loathing with Jim Jarmusch as Raoul Duke! All definitely worth it.

  Fear and Loathing isn't just a drug movie (as all the extras on the DVD will reiterate over and over again) - it's a truthful, imaginative, twisted, and subversive take on the death of the most idealistic decade and generation. We get to see it all through the eyes of two renegade professionals, one a journalist and the other a lawyer, both fighting the good fight against scum and villainy.

  We can't stop here! THIS IS BAT COUNTRY.
  
  

• As your attorney I advise you to see this film...
  By A2QG12Y2Q3SII3 on 2005-01-03
  Johnny Depp is excellent as Hunter S. Thompson, and Benicio del Toro is great as his lawyer, the late Oscar Zeta Acosta. Yeah, yeah, I know... Bill Murray was good as the great HST in Where the Buffalo Roam too, but Depp just has this style... and Fear and Loathing is just SO FUNNY! Some reviewers mentioned that you don't have to be drugged up to enjoy this movie and they are right, altho I can say from experience that it makes the movie 10x better! This movie almost mirrors the book but witnessing the characters in motion and seeing the scenery and places instead of just reading about them is just AMAZING. Terry Gilliam is briliant and accurately portrayed some of Ralph Steadman's best rederings from the book (HST's fav British illustrator). The movie also has the weirdest cameos by some of the most random A-listers and... pseudo-celebrities; like Penn from Penn and Teller, Cameron Diaz, Christina Ricci, Gary Busey, Flea from Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and even Tobey Maguire as one of the FREAKIEST LOOKING HITCH HIKERS. And the best thing about this movie is everytime I watch it (and I watch it A LOT) I see something I never noticed before. Even HST makes a breif appearance! Some may believe this is a movie for druggies and that it doesn't make any sense, but that's not true. It's a collection of musings, observations, and ideaologies written by one of the most controversial, outspoken yet brilliant journalists of all time. The book/movie was compiled from 2 trips Thompson made to Vegas, but he claims that he was searching for the American Dream. Did he find it??? Uhhhh... well watch the movie and see for yourself... ok by the end of the movie it's hard to tell but the adventure is worth it, hard conclusion or not. *hint* in the book the American Dream was supposedly a huge dilapidated black building down the street from some taco restaurant or something, or so someone claimed....
  
  
• A psycheldelic journey to the American dream now better than ever on DVD!
  By A1COW0UIB5HA9J on 2006-05-23
  A jouranlist from L.A. known as Raoul Duke ( Johnny Depp) with his lawyer Dr. Gonzo ( Benico Del Toro) are in search for the American dream in Las Vegas in the year 1971, as they are trying to cover for a story involving a motorcycle race but go into a journey of a trip involving drugs and hallucinations even if it involves harrassing the tourists, bothering the locals and trashing some hotel rooms that they stay in.
  
  A bizare, entertaining and mesmerizing dark comedy drama from the director of "12 Monkeys" Terry Gilliam and based on the classic book by Hunter S. Thompson is a odyssey of a flick that is one of the most misunderstood flicks there was. Originally opened in 1998 in theaters, it was panned by some critics but has became a midnight movie favorite since then and i anticipated this movie since i saw the cool ads back then but didn't see it in theaters as i only saw it on video as it blew me away. Featuring an all-star cast like Cameron Diaz, Christina Ricci, Gary Busey, Harry Dean Staton, Ellen Barkin, Tobey Mcguire, Fea and Lyle Lovett this is a mind-blowing and provactive fun flick that may not be for all tastes but if you want to view what it is to be in the eyes of a junkie then i recommend this movie.
  
  This 2-Disc Criterion Edition DVD has awesome picture and sound quality with chockloads of extras like three audio commentaries, deleted scenes, storyboards & set design galleries, "Fear and Loathing on the Road to Hollywood" 1978 BBC documentary with Hunter S. Thompson and illustrator Ralph Steadman, still gallery, publicity materials and more.
  
  A fantastic underrated flick on a deserving Criterion DVD is a must see if you like stoner comedies or who want a good freak out flick.
  
  Also recommended: "21 Grams", "Where the Buffalo Roam", " Natural Born Killers", "Pulp Fiction", "Repo Man", "Fight Club", " Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle", " Blue Velvet", " Wild at Heart", " Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me", "Heavy Traffic", "Half Baked", "American Pop", " Dazed and Confused", "Naked Lunch", "A Clockwork Orange", "Requirem for a Dream", and "Crimewave".
  
  
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
  By A3PM7CTXMNLMBC on 2008-06-22
  A Review of the DVD: "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"
  
  Starring:
  Johnny Depp,
  Benicio Del Toro
  
  Director: Terry Gilliam
  
  Writing credits:
  Hunter S. Thompson (book)
  Terry Gilliam (screenplay)
  Tony Grisoni (screenplay)
  Tod Davies (screenplay)
  Alex Cox (screenplay)
  
  Run Time: 118 Minutes
  Released: 1998
  
  Hunter Thompson practiced total immersion journalism. He called this form reporting gonzo journalism.
  
  Hunter Thompson drove to Las Vegas to report on a motorcycle race and ended up writing a story about himself writing a story about a motorcycle race. If he would have written a conventional report on motorcycle racing it would have been interesting to motorcycle enthusiasts for a few days. Since he wrote a gonzo story he had a very wide canvas and he used it well to create a classic.
  
  Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro do justice to the outrageous characters created by Hunter S Thompson. The reader might be turned off by the obstreperous behavior, extreme self indulgence and offensive inconsiderate language. If you can look past this offensive conduct and you will see that Hunter S Thompson gave us an insight into the American character of the 1970's.
  
  See also: Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library)
  
  Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream
  
  Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
  
  I completely enjoyed this film and recommend it to others.
  
  
  
  
• An intense trip....
  By A3A7BJDWEE7WS8 on 2001-04-17
  Fear and Loathing was one of those movies that upon its release garnered some raves from some critics, some absolute pans from others, and not much interest at the box office. That's fine though, as this is a cult film through and through and has gone on to become a classic on home video and dvd. Terry Gilliam has put together one of the most amusing looks at the drug culture, las vegas, and the effects of both in this adapatation of the novel by Hunter S Thompson.

  Jonny Depp and Benecio Del Toro both give amazing performances here, the kinds that should have gotten them academy award nominations. Depp portrays the writer Hunter S. Thompson who is on assignment to report on a motorcycle race at first, but along the way with help from his attorney and a lot of drugs, begins a search for the american dream itself, and wether or not it still can be found. Depp spent months before filming began with Thompson learning his voice, his mannerisms, outlooks, etc and it shows in the film as this is possibly the best performance I have seen from an actor who has given many great performances. Del Toro gained 45 pounds before filming to play the crazy samoan Dr. Gonzo, Thompson's attorney and drug friend. Del Toro goes all out here playing gonzo as a madman with a penchant for doing way too many drugs and going off the rocker as a result.

  Video is sharp and clear throughout, and sound is well mixed. Extras include a spotlight on, deleted scenes, notes, trailer, etc. The film itself also features numerous cameos from the likes of Gary busey, Christina Ricci, Flea, Mark Harmon, Cameron Diaz, and even Hunter S Thompson himself. Make no mistake you will either love this film or hate it, and personaly, I love it. If you have ever been involved in the drug culture, been interested in it, or even have an open mind towards films that break new ground, then you'll appreciate this as the masterpiece that it is. So grab the dvd, sit back, and prepare for a very enjoyable sensory overload of an experience.
  
  

• There's No Escape from Bat Country
  By A2ZLROGIL2V7GV on 2002-10-11
  "We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold."

  When you hear those words at the very beginning of the movie, you know you're in for a wild life. So my advice is that you buy the ticket and take the ride! You're just about ready then, aren't you?

  Get in!

  In this wickedly funny and entertaining dark film, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," Terry Gilliam captures the humor and chaos in Hunter S. Thompson's literary masterpiece. Not an easy task if you ask me. If this film were done wrong, it would've been a terrible tragedy. Fortunately, it was done right.

  Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro star as Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo. When a writing assignment is given to Duke, the two go to Vegas for the ultimate trip. (Trust me, "trip" is the appropriate word.) With a trunk full of every single kind of drug you can imagine, the two are off to Vegas. But soon everything spins out of control and the writing assignment is no longer the only things on their minds.

  Johnny Depp is hilarious as Raoul Duke. Why he didn't win an Academy Award for his performance is beyond me. He even lived with Hunter for a couple of months to get his character down right. Now, that is some serious research. And Del Toro is awesome as the Samoan attorney Dr. Gonzo. (You wouldn't even recognize him if it weren't for his voice.)

  Terry Gilliam did an outstanding job at directing this risk-taking film. We actually feel like we're on drugs while watching. Forget D.A.R.E.! Have the kids watch this movie and they'll never want to do drugs! Gilliam does a remarkable job of capturing Thompson's genius and placing it onto film. The images we are given are dark and surreal, and are out of this world.

  The DVD is not too bad as well. There's a few extras that you'll find very entertaining. Not a lot, but there are a few. Including a behind the scenes feature, the theatrical trailer, deleted scenes, and more. (Watch the trailer, it's one of the funniest ones I have ever seen. It'll give you an idea of what you're in for.) The picture and sound quality are very high quality, although I wish the movie were presented to us in Dolby Digital 5.1 instead of 2.0. Oh well.

  I read the book after the seeing the movie, and it actually helped. Just picturing Depp and Del Toro enriched the story that much more. Depp with the cigarette always in his mouth as he narrates always stands out in your mind, and that's why it was that much funnier. Yes, I thought the book was a little better than the film, but let me say this, the film did a remarkable job of staying true to the book. The two are very similar.

  Here's two things I would like to make clear: 1) No, you do not have to be a stoner to enjoy this movie. I have never done drugs, and seeing this movie makes me NEVER want to do drugs. Ever. But guess what? I still enjoyed the film and found it funny as hell. 2) The reason why there's not much of a plot is because this is all based on a TRUE STORY. Real life doesn't have plot, I'm sorry to say. Life can't always have a distinct and notable climax or resolution, now can it?

  All in all, I really enjoyed this film, and thought it was very misunderstood by a lot of people. Yes, this is one of those films you're either going to love it or hate it. There are no guarantees that you will like it, but then again, isn't that always the case? I say take the ride. Take the chance. Dare to be different. If you want something that doesn't fall into the category of "ordinary," then this is the film for you. Extremely hilarious and terribly freaky at times, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" is a different kind of film experience you do not want to miss.

  I also recommend reading the book as well. It is quite the experience...
  
  

• one of my favorites.
  By A2DWWRAP1FUBES on 2004-12-23
  i have seen a lot of reviews saying you will only enjoy this movie if you are high. thats the farthest thing from the truth. almost every review i've read says its just a movie about drug use with no plot. apparently a chestnut is watching the movie, because there is an obvious plot. saying this movie is only about drugs, is like saying fight club is only about guys beating the crap out of each other, requiem for a dream was only about drugs, american history x is only about black people hating nazi skinheads, and pulp fiction has no plot.
  
  if you can only focus on the violence/sex/drug use in movies, you should stick to watching the many adventures of winnie the pooh.
  
  
• Very Underrated!!!!
  By A1Y6WI6JQDCUBI on 2004-12-31
  I dont consider myself a fan of Terry Gilliam, but I found this movie amazing, creative, funny and bizarre. With this film I have learned that the critics sucks! I have seen many "high quality" films and I found this film very satisfactory. It is a different Road Movie and now it have become one of my all time favorites and my # 1 film in Cult genre.
  
  
• About amazon's review...
  By A3E5KFCYN26O2B on 2006-06-28
  I disagree with Jeff Shannon's official Amazon.com-endorsed review of this film. He virtually slanders it as junk, whereas it obviously has some worth as it has been accepted as a Criterion Collection film. I don't think he read the book, nor do I think he watched the movie more than once. Hunter Thompson was one of the brightest stars of the 20th century, regardless of his drug habits, and this relatively loyal adaptation of his brilliant novel attests to that.
  
  
• Made me rethink the movie
  By A2JMZYMAO5VDG2 on 2003-02-26
  I must admit, when I first saw the movie at the late, lamented Worldwide center (second run movie house) in Manhattan, I thought it was noisy and unfocused, and a lesser effort by a brilliant director. I bought the DVD anyway, mainly because any Terry Gilliam movie is worth having, and Criterion versions doubly so. Well, my opinion of the movie has done almost a complete 180 degree turn. Perhaps the movie, coming out during the epicurian excess of the Clinton years, seemed like a sad relic of decades gone by-sort of an art house Cheech and Chong movie. But now, with the nation and the world in such turmoil, and the divide between the left and the right in this country moving back to center stage, the movie feels completely of, and perhaps ahead of, the times. Far from being a pro-drug movie (Duke and Dr. Gonzo are never held up to be the good guys, and their various "trips" are scarier than anything the anti-drug legions can come up with.) this is a movie about anesthesia, One group may use drugs, another may use money, or power, or sex, but the effect is all the same. These are people trying to escape from the reality of their existence, and for our "heroes", the anesthetic doesn't so much wear off, but pulls them even deeper into the horror.

  The movie itself is an overlooked gem, but the good folks at Criterion have packed the dvd and companion disc with some of the best features they've ever attempted. A Terry Gilliam commentary is always welcome, and Depp and Del Toro have their say, but how about a commentary by Hunter S. Thompson in full gonzo mode. Well, it's here, and the second disc covers both the film's checkered life (especially the WGA screenplay flap: who'dve thought that arbitration was so fascinating), and the historical context of "Fear and Loathing", including some footage of the real Dr. Gonzo, Chicano attorney Oscar Ceasar Acosta (who's been missing since the mid-70's) reading from one of the books he authored. In short, the disc succeeds as both a film, and as a study of a much misunderstood era in recent history. I'm not sure yet, but it may just be the best DVD purchase I have ever made. Thanks, Hunter Thompson, Terry Gilliam, and Criterion.
  
  

• Very good film for unconventional folks
  By A2EYYAKH4VF70T on 2003-09-17
  This movie not about drugs, violence, sex, or the love generation, it is about something much more basic... something that in the United States we call "The American Dream". . That is some kind of sense of righteous destiny in a place where good always triumphs over evil and nice guys finish first. The book is about that, or rather the realizations that it's not true: the death of The American Dream.

  Basically, most folks believe that it is their right -- as long as they aren't hurting anybody else... they pretty much should be allowed to do what ever the heck they want to do, even if, and maybe especially if... the things they want to do harm themselves.

  This movie is based on the book of the same name -- which it follows closely -- written by Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, whose alter ego basically is Raoul Duke. Thompson liked this movie adaptation of his book. The book was what Uncle Duke saw as a failed attempt at Gonzo Journalism... that had at its heart that sometimes the best truth is encased in fiction.

  Some other more recent movies have, in their own ways, also been about the same subject matter: "American Psycho", "Gladiator" and even, in a rather weird kind of way... the Lord of the Rings movies.

  The American dream either died somewhere along the way or did it simply never really existed at all, and we are somehow just mourning its passing like a bunch of drug crazed wacko's in the same way lots of other folks on a long strange religious trip mourned the death of a flat earth? Many of us believed in The American Dream once, we were raised to believe in it. But then something happened... something bad? Nixon took office and started defecating on the Constitution? Maybe we just woke up -- grew up? Who the heck knows really, because I doubt we really ever understood just what we believed in at the time.

  To quote a line from the book (from the wave speech): "History is hard to know, because of all the hired bulls*, but even without being sure of "history" it seems entirely reasonable to think that every now and then the energy of a whole generation comes to a head in a long fine flash, for reasons that nobody really understands at the time-and which never explain, in retrospect, what actually happened."

  The book and movie are, in some kind of way, an examination of ourselves... in the way you sometimes hear that an unexamined life is not worth living... the problem is that, when we look deep into the inner core being of ourselves...sometimes we find nothing. Which leads to the "paradoxically benevolent BS" -- "the desperate assumption that somebody-or at least some force-is tending that Light at the end of the tunnel".

  Which is why, in my opinion, a lot of people don't like this movie. They are uncomfortable thinking about themselves in ways where the conclusion isn't clear and succinct. They want to believe they are holding on to life firmly by the handle. They want to live in a world where everything makes sense. Of course, they are wrong. Or maybe, in the unkindest cut of all, they are perfectly correct. The world does make sense - and airplanes are supposed to crash into tall building and thousands must die in order to feed the egos of the small groups of evil men who run the world. These are scary places and times, ones where you don't need drugs or alcohol to be scared. But then maybe only the truly sane are getting whacked out on acid and heroin.

  There are lots of good extras on the DVD's, the best are:
  - A few scenes cut out of the film
  - Three excellent commentary tracks from the Director, Actors and Hunter Thompson.
  - A BBC documentary
  - Johnny Depp reading from selected letters by Thompson

  It is a very good movie if you are open to uncomfortable thoughts.
  
  

• Don�t see this straight
  By ABN5K7K1TM1QA on 2000-06-10
  Funny, garish version of the Hunter S. Thompson novel directed by Terry Gilliam with the usual Gilliam brush strokes: cluttered sets, Monty Python remembrances, funky camera angles, relentless energy and a satirical eye. His "shoot me if you find a plot," and "torture me first if you find a subplot" style is regressed to after the agreeable hiatus of "12 Monkeys." Of course such a chaotic style goes well with gonzo journalism on a bad acid trip-a VERY bad acid trip.

  Johnny Depp plays Hunter S. Thompson as Doonesbury's Duke with the FDR cigarette holder and pastel shades. Benicio Del Toro is offensively loutish as Dr. Gonzo, a fake Samoan from East L.A. or thereabouts. Most of this is pretty "bad," but Depp got the cartoon character down pat. The psychedelic and day-glow sets, populated with lizards and ugly Americans, splashed with glaring reds and pinks, etc., captured well not only the "fear and loathing" but the seventies Las Vegas milieu as well. The voice overs from the novel seemed a bit miraculous in the movie since at no time is Duke ever coherent or sober enough to write. Piping Debbie Reynolds's "Tammy's in Love" into the Duke/Gonzo hotel room amid the brain cell mayhem was an inspired cultural juxtaposition. Ditto for the Barbra Streisand portraits.

  Best scene: Gonzo and Duke watching a clip from "Reefer Madness" at the narc's convention. Second best scene: Duke being admired by the highway patrolman who wants a kiss. Most fun: trash driving those two big Caddy convertibles.

  One of the amazing things about Gilliam is how he can make fun of people without their seeming to notice. Hunter S. Thompson looks like an idiot here, and Gilliam is really satirizing the sixties/early seventies drug culture just as surely as he trashes the cops. His rapier is razor sharp, so sharp you don't feel it until you look down and see the blood on your hand.
  
  

• A weird trip back to the drug culture of 1971
  By A17FLA8HQOFVIG on 2001-05-01
  Starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro, this film version of Hunter Thompson's 1971 novel is an exaggerated personal oddesy into the excesses of the drug culture. The story is meaningless as is the plot, just a couple of guys with a lot of drugs and a lot of cash who spend a frenzied weekend in Las Vegas.

  One of the successes of this movie, which decidedly is not for everyone, is that it manages to get into the head of the drug takers who just keep going and going and going. They are true "garbage heads", which means they take everything and anything in any and all combinations. There's lots of LSD, cocaine, uppers, downers, poppers, grass, and a seemingly unlimited supply of pharmaceuticals. They take these drugs constantly, in every scene, and special visual effects recreate their internal trips. It's hilariously funny and also disgusting, especially the vomit scenes which I'm especially sensitive to.

  The writterly skill of Hunter Thompson is shows through in occasional voice-overs and newsreel clips of the time, putting the whole piece in context and actually re-creating a special time and place in American history. I liked it but it's probably a little too weird for most people.
  
  

• misunderstood...
  By AK5YTG74EW6PI on 2003-11-07
  Here's something for Brandon DiSabatino (reviewer): I have read Joyce, Nietzsche, Sartre AND Burroughs.
  I have never considered "Ulysses" to be a reason not to make exciting art just for the heck of it. Jim's whole story is just a ramble. A beautiful sprawling wonder of a ramble, but a ramble nonetheless. Do you accuse Joyce's work of being empty?
  I have never considered "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" to be a bible for the supression of fast paced fiction (remembering here that Thompson has repeatedly hinted that this 'autobiographical' piece is far more a novel than anything else).
  I did not find anything that denounced good cinema in "Existentialism"; exactly the opposite, to be frank.
  And as for Burroughs (consider "The Naked Lunch"): Do you REALLY think that Old Bull Lee would be at odds with Hunter S.?...REALLY??? It was part of this old heroine addict's dream for the world to see people like Thompson running around a tarnished America without a leash.
  I realise that in this instance, what I am about to say could be seen as something of a "pot-calling-the-kettle-black" statement, but did you honestly think that your review would be helpful to anyone that wasn't a so-called 'intellectual'?
  I loved this film. I loved it BECAUSE it wasn't about anything; BECAUSE it was different, and although all the classic reading of past years is of course still applicable to modern living, it just isn't, in fact couldn't be, anything like "Fear and Loathing."
  Bloom's exploits in "Ulysses" are indeed interesting and frequently bizarre, but to the general public today, it simply won't mean as much as it did when it was written. The vocabulary used by Dublin's bohemian residants of bygone days was indeed got down pat by Mr. Joyce, but when it comes to recounting hallucinatory experiances in a desert, surrounded by some of the world's most venal and destructive ideals, Leopold Bloom and his kidney breakfasts just do not--cannot--pass muster!
  On more than one occasion, I have actually mentioned Ulysses as a valid latter day comparison to Fear and Loathing and other films of it's ilk, but I've never tried to set the two up as competitors. Kerouac's "On the Road" also strikes a similar chord.
  This is a film that you need to relax into from the writer's point of view (this being, after all,the whole point of reading((and watching movies)). The writing flows, if only you let it. People who seek to debunk Thompson in the way that DiSabatino does in his review are invariably anal people without any sense of creative fun; the kind of creative fun that all the best writers of bygone eras expounded until their voices were horse with the shouting.
  You need to chill. I mean, "Erasehead" for crying out loud! Get a grip.
  If you're not stunted in all the ways that Thompson hates, then you have to see this film. Totally brilliant, and at times, totally misunderstood.
  (Mr. DiSabatino has since replied in another review on this page and made clearer his original review's intent. We understand eachother better than I first thought. Well met, sir.)
  
  
• Scientific analysis on "Fear and loathing" (hey, come back!)
  By A2TZKXU6Q0EDNP on 2003-11-21
  I have completed the awesome feat of actually watching "Fear and loathing in Las Vegas" through and I have conducted a major scientific analysis on this flick. I consulted my neighbors who all happen to be highly esteemed scientists and they provided me with some interesting opinions about what this film might be about. I have to add at this point, that i live in an apartment building inhabited only by sociologists, psychologists, ornithologists and marxists, and i often discuss with them matters of art that seem to escape me. These are the conclusions I gathered from my discussion with them:

  1. "Fear and loathing.." actually DOES have a plot. The fact that a spectacularly overwhelming majority of the audience failed to see the plot is besides the point. The same amount of people also failed to understand Einstein's theory. Be careful though. This does in no respect mean that "Fear and loathing..." is an ingenius film much the same as Einstein couldnt direct a film even though he might've been a genius. Get it? Me neither..

  2."Fear and loathing..." has as much of a plot as all David Lynch's films do together. To anyone disputing this or needing it to be explained i recommend the highly succesful detox programm called "Watch Fear and Loathing again. And Again. Part II".

  3. "Fear and loathing.." is a state of the art...art film, which actually is filmed real time by a director seriously suspended in between reality scapes and played by actors who are actually beyond tripped out with the purpose of providing us with a complex and therefore difficult to understand map with the limits of the human mind. It could have been French.

  4. "Fear and Loathing..." is NOT a film. It is actually part of a secret government programm aimed at discouraging our youth in experimenting with a plethora of different drugs simoultaneously. Judging from the reviews here though the programm has failed. Your tax dollars at work once again.

  5. "Fear and Loathing..." will be undisputably understood when Part Two is released (Fear and Loathing in Modevideo) which is due for release in 50 years time. Those alive till then will be awed at the cosmogonic meaning of this film and will ultimately understand how silly they were when they were young and missed the idea because of their naivity.

  6. "Fear and Loathing" is actually an alien film recovered during a UFO crash in South Siberia. The original has -of course- been kept from the public eye and this an adaptation providing us with a glipse into the alien mindset. Did you notice the scene at the beginning with the reptiles at the bar. Well, WINK! Do we have to spell it out for ya????

  I do admit that the aforementioned analysis theses are somewhat contradicting. But, I must also admit that i consider myself to be intellectually inadequate to pinpoint which one comes closest to the truth. I think that in reality we all are.
  This is a film to be treasured for the ages. And, to be incomprehended for an equal amount of time. Peace...
  
  

• No one and everyone is at the wheel at the same time�
  By AD0J5KK4WQXNS on 2004-01-09
  Fear and Loathing is just outright "wet your pants" hilarious at every junction. Not only does Del Toro sport the best beer belly in the business but Depp's take on Hunter S. Thompson just goes to show what a talent he is because the performance is 610% perfection in every department. This film just cracks me up!

  The problem with this film is that it assaults mainstream movie-goers unconditionally from start to finish by never conforming to the standards that keep them "safe" inside their shell. If you don't let go then chances are you are another false member of that which Hunter S. Thompson is expounding about - the crook called the "American Dream". The person on your left is laughing. The person on your right is sitting smug faced. The one behind is complaining and the one in front is crying. The result is that if you hate this movie you hate it because you can just never understand it, like the business guy who walks into the toilet only to see a grown man sniff LSD from another's felt sleeve. The person leaves confused, will never understand it, because he has never experienced anything like that and has no clue what it is all about. People will try and deal with all of this by labelling it somehow. "Drugs! Its all about those druggies and only druggies will get it!" some may cry out. The truth is that people who may have done drugs will know a little about the unconventionality that this film is based on but yet again there are many others who will also get it, but never have done drugs. This film attacks a certain type of personality - those who are stuck so far up their own orifice with the American dream that they have limited their perceptions of life indefinitely and remain wooden throughout the rest of their existence.

  Here we see two guys just make it to freedom of the "self" in any way that they can. The movie is one big trip of letting it all go and is by the far a screaming ride of absolute insanity from start to finish. There is not many mainstream Hollywood productions that do this and Gilliam's take on it is done passionately. This is just a wholly original riot of a move about utilizing mayhem and madness to transcend the banality of chasing phantoms that very few will obtain. While masses delude themselves with power and riches, the rest will just put their feet up and play with the cards that they have been dealt.

  This movie is a wonderful experience that just goes to show that not everyone in life is an Ikea slave debaser of themselves. This is a film that has some humanity sown in among the insanity. Love or hate it, it is still needed and fills that cultural void nicely.
  
  

• No plot Not funny - a massive disappointment
  By A339INPBSBMT2G on 2004-11-28
  This is unquestionably the worst film I have ever had the misfortune to watch. And I say this as a big fan of Terry Gilliam (loved Brazil), Johny Depp and Benicio Del Toro as well as of the subject of the movie Hunter S. Thompson. There are a great many problems with the movie: it lacks a coherent plot line; whatever story-line exists will be lost on those unfamiliar with Thompson's book "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas; it indulges the actors in one long crude skit of bombastic drug humor (like a drunk - not funny to those who are sober). More fundamentally, the movie breaks with the book in the one element that makes the book coherent and vibrant and that is its political, social and cultural commentary. Thompson has a keen eye for capturing the American weltenshaung, and doing so in poignant and insightful ways. The movie makes a faint nod at this element of Thompson's work by placing the character Thompson and his sidekick "lawyer" in a convention of district attorneys and police chiefs discussing the "drug problem' whilst the main characters are stoned out of their mind. This could have been a good movie- even perhaps a great one had the producers shown more moxie in inserting some of Thompson's pointed social commentary. Instead it digresses into something resembling a two hour flatulence joke - funny to those involved but mind-numbingly dull to those watching.
  
  
• I've never seen anything quite like this
  By AWGQMYFLFB6UV on 2000-01-03
  This movie made me laugh so hard I thought I was going to stop breathing. I mean, I always though ether was used for knocking out paitents going into surgery. What a trip, one constant stoned adventure scary at times. Make sure you take at least 10 hits off the bong before watching this one
  
  
• ROTFLMAO
  By on 2000-03-30
  In case you don't know what ROTFLMAO means, it's internet shorthand for "rolling on the floor, laughing my a** off". I am not one to laugh out loud in a theatre and generally I don't go for comedy films anyway. "Fear and Loathing" is the exception to both of those claims. This is one of the most "un-politically-correct" films in years, and a much more realistic pictures of some people some of us actually knew in the 70's who took psychodelic drugs as a normal, everyday thing. Completely irresponsible and dangerous, the storyline is completely believable. Johnny Depp nails Hunter Thompson cold and is simply hilarious. Terry Gilliam practically turned the book into the script verbatim. In fact I've never seen a closer film adaptation of a book. I saw the movie in the theatres and this was one of the first DVD's I ever bought. DVD extras include several scenes not used in the movie and a making-of documentary. One really good deleted scene involves Thompson and Gonzo drinking at the police convention in Vegas next to a visiting cop. What's wonderful is the way these guys work off of each other as they develop a total line of bull to feed the cop who hangs on every word. It's a classic snowjob, but was edited out because it moves slowly and has no bearing on the actual story. Still, it helps to show the great interaction of the characters and you won't see it anywhere but the DVD. Isn't that what DVD's were supposed to be for ? I normally agree with many news reviews of movies but not in this case. This movie never got the accolades it deserved. Except from me of course. This is bat country ! Buy it, watch it, love it for life, but as Simon & Garfunkel once said to Mrs Robinson: "most of all we've got to hide it from the kids, koo-koo-ca-choo..."
  
  
• Another great movie by Terry Gilliam!
  By A2EMRD0L2XOYHP on 2000-01-06
  Terry Gilliam has to be my favorite director of all time (Plus he did those crazy animations in Monty Python's Flying Circus! Weeeeeeeee! ) and THIS has to be my favorite movie of all time! I read the book and loved it, then I found out that they were making a movie directed byyyyyyyy: TERRY GILLIAM! It takes the exact words from the book and hardly changes a thing! Everytime I watch a movie based on a book, its always a disappointment. But this time, it wasn't! The movie's visuals were great! Great acting by Johnny D. and the rest of the cast! It even has a short semi-hidden appearance of Hunter S. Thompson the writter of the book! This movie was crazy! 5 stars all the way!
  
  
• "We can't stay here, this is bat country!"!!!
  By A2QH5NMHW1KTJ1 on 2004-03-24
  This movie is a masterpiece, and also very very funny. It is a near perfect adaptation of Hunter S Thompson's novel. The book was based on the true story of a drug crazed self proclaimed doctor of journalism and his sidekick turned loose in Las Vegas to cover a dirt bike race called the mint 400. Thompson, known as Raul Duke (Depp) and his attorney Oscar Zeta Acosta known as Dr.Gonzo (Del Torro) run amok in their desperate search for the American dream. Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Torro are absolutely great in this movie. And the cameos are great: Flea, Lyle Lovett, Gary Busey, Christina Ricci, Tobey Maguire, Ellen Barkin, Cameron Diaz, Steven Schirripa, and even Dr. Thompson himself all make an appearance in the film. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a savage journey into the heart of the American dream. If you haven't seen it, you need too, and fast.....
  
  
• repetitive/dull
  By A84UFSF2SZS2W on 2005-03-02
  Someone I know once told me this film is brilliant and I had to see it. I had my doubts... the haze of drug-addled minds and the chaos of long, drugged-up scenes in no way appeals to me. I approached this film with a cautious but open mind. I did manage to get through the film in which Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro are both brilliant. Still, the story in no way interested me. That is not to say it would not be entertaining for some people who enjoy this kind of "storytelling". The drugs, after all, are integral to the story and how events played out. Watching, though, makes me rather... ill. In light of Hunter S. Thompson's recent suicide, I would suggest that interested parties read his works rather than watch this. Maybe you have to be on drugs yourself (or incredibly... imaginative?) to enjoy this fully.
  
  
• Quite loathsome
  By A78IGBF7TAWLH on 2000-01-13
  This supposedly gonzo, stream of consciousness, day in the life of 2 drug addled miscreants is a real loser. At times I felt repulsed. Its only redeeming quality is the authentic 1971 atmosphere. See it if you must, but do so on an empty stomach.
  
  

• Where the Buffalo Roam
• Blow (Infinifilm Edition)
• Trainspotting - Director's Cut (Collector's Edition)
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream
• Requiem for a Dream (Director's Cut)