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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "We can't stay here, this is bat country!"!!!
Review: 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.....

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A weird trip back to the drug culture of 1971
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Review: How could anyone not love this artistic display inside the mind of hunter s. thompson? I think that their are two kinds of people that enjoy this film, an immature druggie who doesn't understand the value of the 1960s and 1970s, and a deeper more sophisticated audience who can really understand the plot and make something of it. If you do not ponder about this movie, nothing will come of it. I have seen many films, even though I am only 15, but this one is very memorable to me and I adore it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: a story of his reporter and his lawyer
Review: In the book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas there is a reporter and his lawyer that go to Las Vegas to cover a coupe stories. While they are in Las Vegas they experiment with a lot of different drugs. In the course of doing all these drugs they get paranoid about getting caught by the cops or other people around them. In some cases they even think that people are out to kill them so they carry a gun with them and in other cases they even turn on each other accusing each other of being cops ready to bust them for all the drugs they have.
Some of the characteristics of the reporter are that he is a drugy and that he is always strung out. He is a very complicated person and you could never predict what his next move will be. The reason why I like this character is because he is an individual and he doesn't care about what anybody thinks of him. Anything and everything he does, he does because he wants to and he doesn't think about what anybody would think.
A very interesting topic about this book is that it is all about drugs. When people do drugs it makes reading or hearing about there lives more interesting. If this book was the same in every aspect except the drugs there would be nothing interesting about it. There would be nothing to grab you into reading this book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Extreme entertainment
Review: 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.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: "As your attorney..." I advise you to read the book first
Review: Terry Gilliam's almost faithful adaptation of the gonzo journalism classic will probably most appeal to those who like the book and fans of strange cult movies. The film begins with a light, adventurous mood as HST's alter ego Raoul Duke (Depp) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (del Torro) zoom across the desert with a trunkful of illegal substances and then stumble their way through a debauched Vegas in a pyschedelic haze. Depp's performance is incredible; he IS Thompson, capturing his mannerisms and speaking style (I didn't think his mumbling was that hard to understand; it grows on you.) But the second half of the film takes on a darker tone as their trip goes into the dark side of drug use, becoming at times difficult to watch. I found myself looking at the clock, wondering when it would be over. I was also disappointed that the movie omitted some essential parts of the story concerning their quest for the American Dream. Still, remarkable that someone even made a film of this unique book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The extras alone are worth the price!
Review: I like this film, and I think Terry Gilliam was the best person to direct it. One only need watch BRAZIL to see that Gilliam is altering his consciousness in some deep way. But, I am also the first to admit that this film isn't for every one. However, if you're even remotely interested in Hunter S. Thompson, the 50 minute BBC documentary on him that the good folks at Criterion have included on the second disc is worth the price of this set. You can't lose.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"
Review: Fear and loathing may be the greatest movie i have ever seen, the first time i seen it i thought it was stupid as i did not understand it. Its the type of movie you must pay real good attention to if you wish to understand it. The 2nd time i watched it i was alone and paid attention to it and i absoulutly loved it. i have watched it 4 or 5 times since then. This movie is not for everyone though, its hard to understand, if you don't catch the beggining don't bother watching the rest cuz you won't get it at all, it will be a meaningless drug movie. The drugs are an integral part to this movie and it is part of the reason i love this movie so much so check it out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Outstanding adaptation
Review: I'm a huge fan of the book, and got the DVD with only modest expectations. This is one shining instance where the DVD adds color to the book, without changing the internal content.

Johnny Depp does an outstanding job becoming Hunter S., under the guise of Raoul Duke. Despite Depp's familiar features, you lose him to the part. Benicio Del Toro is unrecognizable as the 300 pound Dr. Gonzo. Again, the actor becomes subsumed to the part.

In addition to capturing the mania of the book, the DVD also captures some of the prose. Describing Vegas as the city where you can see the high water mark of America in the 60s, he describes the core of his Feat and Loathing belief. The DVD is truly a gonzo experience. If you liked the book, you'll love this.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The most asinine movie I've ever attempted to watch.
Review: I'm on a bad roll here. Last week I rented Dumb and Dumberer which would have kept the above title had I not gotten hold of this "gem". It was so bad I didn't waste the final 25 minutes it would have taken to finish the disk. Really bad acitng by the two main stars and the voices were not even in sync. Johhny Depp doing Jeff "Jurasic Park" Goldblum totally stoned for two hours has to be the most aggrevating film experience I can recall. Pointless would recap it in one word. Enough time wasted on this project. There isn't any way to rate here without at least one star- I'd certainly not even give it one.


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