Fear
and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Hunter S. Thompson's classic 70's novel of sex, drugs
and politics seems simply unfilmable. It's is so tripped-out
and so psychedelic, it seems impossible to put it on
celluloid. Still, one would like to see it there. And
if it has to be made and you have your choice of directors,
who do you want? Terry Gilliam seems a logical choice.
He seems perfect for the task. His films are so imaginative
and so unique that one sees him as being able to make
the novel come to life on film.
Well, Gilliam fails. It's sad too. The film seems
promising as it begins, but Gilliam loses his way as
it progresses. The film starts, as the novel did, on
the road with Dr. Gonzo (Johnny Depp as Hunter S. Thompson
as Gonzo) and his lawyer Raoul Duke (Benicio Del Toro)
on their way to Vegas. Gilliam immediately makes us
aware that this is a nonsensical drug film and he assumes
we've read the novel. The film just goes. And much is
explained when the druggy duo pick up hitchhiker Tobey
Maguire, who looks awful with long, blonde hair. Lots
of things in the beginning are pretty tripped-out and
funny. In fact the film is humorous quite often. It's
just not enough to save the work.
The film is also really cool when the two get to Vegas
and check into a hotel. There is an awesome scene where
Depp's Gonzo has a tripped-out reaction to the ever-morphing
face of Katherine Helmond as a desk clerk. And then
the design from the carpet comes right off the ground
and begins to wrap around Depp's leg. It's a wicked
effect that perfectly defines what happens in your head
when your tripping.
But Gilliam can't keep up this pace forever. The film
should be like Alan Parker's "The Wall" but it isn't.
This film needs animation and computer effects and rock
music and wicked editing and lighting. Well, it has
all that, but not in the right combination or in the
right sequence. Something is missing. By the end of
the film, we fell like we've just come down from a lousy
acid trip.
Depp wastes his time here even if he does turn in
a remarkable Thompson-like performance. Depp is the
"do anything" guy and he has no surprises left for us.
We know he is capable of doing anything. His previous
appearances has assured us tremendously. And he's good
here. He's just stuck in a bad film. Del Toro is good
too but he has to play such a pathetic asshole. Why
would anyone hang around this guy? If I was high and
this guy came around, I'd get the fuck out of there
as soon as I could. He's a fucking downer.
Gilliam peoples the film with lotsa familiar faces,
but most of them are so heavily made up they are unrecognizable.
No less than Ellen Barkin, Gary Busey, Cameron Diaz,
Flea, Mark Harmon, Lyle Lovett, Christina Ricci, Harry
Dean Stanton, Tim Thomerson, and James Woods appear
in the film. No one adds anything. I didn't even see
Flea or Thomerson or Woods in here. Where were they?
It's a tremendous waste of talent. Ricci does nothing.
Ellen Barkin is good but trapped in a horribly meaningless
sequence. It's a bummer.
If "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" were an acid trip,
after two hits I'd take what was left back to the guy
I bought it from and ask for my money back. It's like
those drugs you do that suck and you know you've wasted
your money, but you just keep doing them anyway - hoping
you'll get high. Instead, they just give you a headache.
The trip goes nowhere and does nothing and you feel
cheated.
Note: Script by Alex Cox, Tod Davies, Tony Grisoni
and Gilliam. Cox and Davies work may have been discarded.
Music by Ray Cooper (who also appears in the film
somewhere). Pop songs by Big Brother and Holding Company,
Buffalo Springfield, Brewer and Shipley ("One Toke"),
Tom Jones, Yardbirds, Jefferson Airplane ("White Rabbit"),
Youngbloods, 3 Dog Night, Bob Dylan, Booker T & the
MGs, Perrry Como, Debbie Reynolds, and the Dead Kennedys
("Viva Las Vegas").
Review written in 1998
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