Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Having never been on enough drugs to truly identify with Fear and Loathing, I find it a hard movie to watch. This is my third time sitting through it, the first time being awake for it's entirety. I originally saw it in the theater when it was released, but fell asleep after about 30 minutes. I rented it a few years after that, same result. But this time, I was determined to finish.
The movie is about a journalist, Raoul Duke, who goes to Vegas to cover a dirt bike competition. He's high on something the entire time. So is his "lawyer", Dr. Gonzo. He may actually be a lawyer, but he doesn't act like one. Gonzo does provide great advice, like "I advise you to go to Vegas high off your ass". I'm paraphrasing. Once in Vegas they commence to go on a 7 day bender. There's no plot beyond that. The story is really just a slice of life of out of control junkies in a larger than life setting. In the end, as Duke comments on the 60s drug culture, you get the feeling he's a nihilist.
Fear and Loathing is a film only Terry Gilliam could direct. No other director could create this effect. His movie captures the spirit and feeling of unrestrained drug use. The camera work is frequently spinning out of control, just like the characters. It's a surreal journey, at which Gilliam excels. Oliver Stone might have done well with this subject, but it would have felt much darker. While hardly happy, the mood of Fear and Loathing is madcap and upbeat, in the end.
I'm amazed by the sheer quantity of drugs Duke and Dr. Gonzo consume. Again, not experienced with drug use, but it seems like they should OD at some point. They'll take one drug, then another, and while high on something they snort coke. Assuming Hunter S. Thompson did this in real life, his experience endorses heavy drug use. After all, he lived to be almost 70 and committed suicide. Not saying one should take drugs, but his example flies in the face of what I was taught.
The movie is full of special guest stars. Cameron Diaz, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Mark Harmon, Gary Busey. Most of them don't even have dialogue. Makes me wonder why they were so eager to appear.
Review: 2+2+3+2+2 = 11
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