World Famous Comics: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Criterion Collection
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Criterion Collection
Starring: Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Tobey Maguire, Ellen Barkin, Gary Busey Directed By: Terry Gilliam Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Criterion Number of Items: 2 Region Code: 1 Release Date: February 18, 2003 Running Time: 118 minutes Theatrical Release Date: May 22, 1998
Amazon.com: The original cowriter and director of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was Alex Cox, whose earlier film Sid and Nancy suggests that Cox could have been a perfect match in filming Hunter S. Thompson's psychotropic masterpiece of "gonzo" journalism. Unfortunately Cox departed due to the usual "creative differences," and this ill-fated adaptation was thrust upon Terry Gilliam, whose formidable gifts as a visionary filmmaker were squandered on the seemingly unfilmable elements of Thompson's ether-fogged narrative. The result is a one-joke movie without the joke--an endless series of repetitive scenes involving rampant substance abuse and the hallucinogenic fallout of a road trip that's run crazily out of control. Johnny Depp plays Thompson's alter ego, "gonzo" journalist Raoul Duke, and Benicio Del Toro is his sidekick and so-called lawyer Dr. Gonzo. During the course of a trip to Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, they ingest a veritable chemistry set of drugs, and Gilliam does his best to show us the hallucinatory state of their zonked-out minds. This allows for some dazzling imagery and the rampant humor of stumbling buffoons, and the mumbling performances of Depp and Del Toro wholeheartedly embrace the tripped-out, paranoid lunacy of Thompson's celebrated book. But over two hours of this insanity tends to grate on the nerves--like being the only sober guest at a party full of drunken idiots. So while Gilliam's film may achieve some modest cult status over the years, it's only because Fear and Loathing is best enjoyed by those who are just as stoned as the characters in the movie. --Jeff Shannon
A trip to remember Awesome trip into the world of Dr. Gonzo and his assistant. Hilarious movie, but not for kids. My favorite part was the pathetic attempt to operate civilly while in the depths of ether.
this movie was hilarious great movie.....just one long drug induced romp, from renting their car to driving to vegas, to checking in at the hotel ,covering the motorcycle race, to the crazy night or nights at the hotel...it wasn't too clear if that was one night or more, but when he woke up in the lizard tail costume i almost pissed my self. a lot of paranoia and miscommunicated messages, i thought both j depp and b. del toro were great and totally pulled of their roles. plus alot of unexpected cameo's....gary busey: the gay cop.....cameron diaz: the reporter in the elevator.....christina ricci: acid dropping streisand painting underage chic......toby mcguire: the hitch hiker....i'm sure there were a couple more but i was too high to take notice, yeah you heard me right, i was high, if you watch this movie sober you pretty much kill the effect, hence the 60 some odd 1 star reveiws....next time try getting blitzed and pop it in, i'm sure your ratings will jump higher.
Jumping, Leaping...but Standing Still When Rolling Stone was a news breaking, avant garde tabloid, Hunter was in full career and frequent contributor. 'Fear and Loathing' was hot gossip from an insider of the times. He was already reporting on the decline of the 60s, and every release into the bowells of the continent gave us fresh, candid, riotous, and bile-filled updates. The mania driving the exploits is captured in Gillam's film. Depp is a credible fill for Hunter. While not considering myself a stiff-upper-lipped bod, I'm left pondering how the guy managed to survive as long as he did. His books now seem as nostalgic to me as those times. And the film, for all its authenticity, well, it was boringly repetitious after the initial 20 minutes. By then, I'd opted for the subtitle's to help me through Depp's mumbled lines; another thing not required with a liesurely read.
Very funny movie That's it, just one of the funniest movies I've ever seen... I am not gonna lable it a drug movie, a gonzo movie, or whatever... Just pure comedic genius.
RIP Hunter S. Thompson This movie is one of the few that was based on a book that is truly done correctly. The effects are great. The story never deviates from the book. The movie did not leave anything important out nor did it add things that were not originally in the book. And you gotta love Hunter S. Thompson, because this book is a memoir / non-fiction. He was / is crazy-cool!
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