Movies on DVD: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Probably the quintessential drug movie of our time (Easy Rider taking that crown for the previous generation in all liklihood), Hunter S. Thompson’s book of the same name about one of his experiences in Gonzo Journalism (Wikipedia and fear-loathing.com both have explanations) receives the cinematic treatment. It’s a tale of too many drugs and too few reality checks, and somehow has a lot to do with the Vietnam war. Light on the story, heavy on great acting from both Johnny Depp and Benecio Del Toro, this is not a film for anyone who is not interested in getting inside the mind of a weird and wild drug abuser. Raoul Duke’s epic journey to Las Vegas to cover a dirt bike race certainly turns into something that is quite different almost immediately; he and Dr. Gonzo engage in drug-fueled debauchery of all types, fueled of course, by the infamous list of substances any fan of the movie can probably quote to you: “We had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a saltshaker half-full of cocaine, and a whole multi colored collection of uppers, downers, laughers, screamers… Also, a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether, and two dozen amyls. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.” Terry Gilliam lends his special touch and penchant for unique visual styles to this movie, creating memorable scenes of fantastical imagery; the version of Circus Circus that appears in the movie is especially notable in this regard, even if you’ve never done any of these drugs before, you’ll feel like you have after this film is done with you. Although somewhat slow moving in parts (yeah, there’s two hours of this ridiculousness), Fear and Loathing is overall a very well done film in most aspects, and certainly well worth checking out, and who knows, maybe you’ll even have an acid flashback.

My IMDB Rating: 8 Stars