- Actors: Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Tobey Maguire, Ellen Barkin, Gary Busey
- Directors: Terry Gilliam
- Writers: Terry Gilliam, Alex Cox, Hunter S. Thompson, Tod Davies, Tony Grisoni
- Producers: Elliot Lewis Rosenblatt, Harold Bronson
- Language English
- Classification: 18
- Studio: 4front
- VHS Release Date: 3 Sep 2001
- Run Time: 118 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004R77A
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,405 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Product details |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The original co-writer 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 film-maker were squandered on 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 humour 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 in Las Vegas is best enjoyed by those who are just as stoned as the characters in the movie. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Watching this film is the legal equivalent of ingesting several dozen magic mushrooms. It's based on Hunter S. Thompson's novella of the same name, about journalist Raoul Duke's trip (both literal and, uh, pharmaceutical) across the deserts of Nevada. This isn't Terry Gilliam's finest film or Johnny Depp's best role, but it's a passable version of the book. The one thing this film does lacks is the manic, ad-libbed style of Thompson's text version. Still, it features flying Manta Rays (!) so it has its plus points!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I first watched this film, ripped, twisted - out of my mind at a friend's house in SW London...
I laughed and laughed, 'til I thought I would black out... This is a film that provokes extreme reaction. Luv it or hate it - there's no middle ground... It's a film you cannot explain to ANYONE that has not seen it already... They'll think you're mad, tainted with the insanity and lust for life that infected the Duke and Dr' Gonzo on their shotgun, headlong flight into debauchery...
Be careful - if you're weak you may find yourself wondering about mescaline, ether and all manner of crazy things... "what could happen?... Hmmmm". Do not try this at home!!!!
Seriously tho'... this film needs a number of screenings to get into the head of Thompson and the good Doctor... The dialogue is rapid-fire and at first incomprehensible... Give it time and you will reap the rewards that will have you espuousing the wisdom of Thompson's narrative, to strangers, who will stare at you like dog's that have just been shown a card-trick...
Watch the film... read the book... watch the film again... in that order...
Thing's will mAKE SENSE NOW... AND ALL THE THING'S YOU ONCE HELD DEAR WILL FADE TO GREY AND LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN...
For Sale: One Vincent Black Shadow... never ridden, only dropped once... Only $1000
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
The first time i saw this film i laughed for ages- its one hell of a trip for depp and his 'attorney'. Seeing depp in such a state followed up by his commentry such as his drug influenced line : 'did the uneaten french fries account for the presence of junkies' just winds it all up. A classic film, but not to everyone's tastes.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not at all what I expected
I really hated this film. Before purchasing it, I had read many reviews raving about it, but when I watched it myself, I struggled to force myself to watch it all the way through. Read more
Published on 27 April 2008 by S. Steen
i refuse to let anyone not love it
one of my favourite films of all time. twisted, magical, hilarious, memorable, unmissable and keeps you glued to the screen! Read more
Published on 1 Feb 2005
A truly amazing film
Well,I'd never heard of the film until one night, a little worse for wear, when a friend put it on.
I did not have a clue what was going on in the film, but found certain... Read more
I did not have a clue what was going on in the film, but found certain... Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2004 by Amy Hartwell
Drug crazed madness
A very difficult adaptation from book to film, Gilliam has managed to create a wierd yet wonderful masterpiece that will have it's place in the cult film category and rightfully... Read more
Published on 6 Aug 2004 by Craig Symonds
A drug crazed frenzy
A brilliant film for anyone into the world of drugs. From mad hallucinations to the 'fear' this film has almost everything and it's acted perfectly. Read more
Published on 4 Aug 2004 by "moe_the_bartender"
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Simply put it is a bizare piece of cinema.
If you have read the book (which is brilliant), you may enjoy the film. Read more
Published on 16 Mar 2004 by chris
great....
i really enjoyed this film! it gives insight into the drug abuse during the 60's and 60's, which helps people who were not around during that time ( like me) to understand what was... Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2003 by nny
Here you go Jeff Shannon, here's the point you missed.
There's one thing that bugs me about this movie - I knew people like Jeff Shannon would miss the point (see the Amazon 'review' of the film). Read more
Published on 16 May 2003 by Sam Pearson-Moore
The funniest movie of recent years
I saw this movie in the cinema and I can honestly say I laughed pretty much from start to finish and the whole car journey home. Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2002
Possibility of phyical and mental collapse, is now very real
Johnny Depp is this film. Terry Gilliam directs competantly as always and Benidicio Del Toro is aptly convincing as Depp's attourney. Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2002 by "james_dude_franklin"
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
