Fear and Loathing

What's up everybody? I haven't posted in awhile, sorry about that, but now I'm back from outer space and I just walked in and saw that look upon your face saying, 'Hey, where'd you go?'. I recently watched 'Where the Buffalo Roam' and 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'. I've seen these movies many many times of course, but when you watch them both on the same day it's quite an experience. These two films are about a fellow named Hunter Stockton Thompson. Or as he was known Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. He was a sports journalist mostly, best known for creating what is called Gonzo journalism. Whereby the author's involvement in the story becomes more important than the story itself. This is the case with these stories turned films.

Released in 1980, 'Where the Buffalo Roam' stars Bill Murray as Thompson and Peter Boyle as Carl Laslow (real name Oscar Zeta Acosta), Thompson's lawyer and partner in crime. This film follows Thompson and Laslow from a hospital, to a San Francisco courtroom, the Super Bowl and beyond. Murray's portrayal of Hunter is more true-to-life than Johnny Depp's portrayal of Raoul Duke, Thompson's drug-crazy character from 'Fear and Loathing', though Depp's speech and mannerisms are spot on to Thompson himself and Murray's is a bit more stiff. In both films Thompson's narrative carries us through most of the action. This is a good thing as his writing is both eloquent and insane. Both actor's have Thompson's slightly slack-jawed Kentucky quick speech down very well, only adding to the character Thompson was, or created. One of the film's best lines, also one of Thompson's best quotes, sums up the persona of Thompson: "I hate to advocate weird chemicals, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone... but in my case it's worked."

Many actors, writers, and directors wanted to bring more of Dr. Thompson's work to the big screen, but thankfully none of them made it happen until Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro and Terry Gilliam came together to make 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas', released in 1998. Based on the book of the same name, this is true Gonzo journalism and even Thompson says anyone who would write that and claim it to all be true would be crazy. Depp plays Thompson, or more accurately the character based on Thompson named Raoul Duke. Del Toro is opposite in the role of Dr. Gonzo, based on real life friend and attorney Acosta. Joined by a suitcase full of drugs, Acapulco shirts, and a convertible; they decide to turn Las Vegas on it's head. Duke is supposed to be covering an off-road dirt bike race, but he and Gonzo have other plans. Their chase of the American Dream leads them from one casino to the next, even through a proverbial hornet's nest at a DA's convention, in "the foul year of our Lord, 1971." With appearances by Tobey McGuire, Christina Ricci, Cameron Diaz and if you believe it there's more. This is one of the best films I have ever seen; the content is lewd, so not everyone will like it, but I'll no doubt do blogs about movies with even worse content that is not so hated on, so it's fair. Acting, writing, notable directing by Terry Gilliam (you'll read his name again), cinematography, all excellent...and done in the face of adversity nearly the whole time. It's a movie you will either watch once, or all the time.

Well that's it for now, it was a strange and weird journey, but I've made it home safely thank you kindly. I think this could be, my best work.

The Movie Doc Thompson