Hi 72 / Lo 50
|
Hi 72 / Lo 50 |
Student Publications
©1991-2007
Last modified:
Contact:
|
Volume 72, Issue 107,
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Life & Arts Buy ticket, take ride on psychedelic trip Drug-fueled comedy, ‘Fear and Loathing,' adds an stylish spin on the search for the American Dream by JAKE HAMILTON
Before Johnny Depp sailed the Caribbean on the infamous Black Pearl in Pirates of the Caribbean, before Benicio Del Toro crossed borders to escape a web of corruption in Traffic, and before Tobey Maguire swung through the skies of New York City in Spider Man, they all had one thing in common: They all rode through bat country together. In the opening scene of 1998's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, a drugged out writer named Raoul Duke (played with devilish intensity by the great Johnny Depp) informs his equally drugged out attorney Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro) that they shouldn't pull over for a hitchhiker (Tobey Maguire) because they are in "bat country." Bat country, of course, is named for the bat hallucinations Raoul is having after dipping into the "two bags of grass; 75 pellets of mescaline; five sheets of high-powered blotter acid; a salt shaker half-full of cocaine; a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers; a quart of tequila; a quart of rum; a case of beer; a pint of raw ether; and two dozen amyls" that he has stored in his trunk. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is not for everyone. In fact, it's not for a lot of people. But if you can manage to hold on for two hours of whacked out hallucinations and over-the-top ramblings of several off-the-wall characters, you might be able to appreciate one of the most stylish movies of the 1990s. Based on the infamous book by Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas chronicles the two-day psychedelic odyssey of Duke, which was modeled after Thompson himself, and Dr. Gonzo as they drive across western America toward Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race and search for the American Dream in the 1970s. The film is not based on plot substance but remains a solid work because of its peculiar humor and unique style. Relying on the assumption that the audience will stick around if it makes it past the first five minutes, director Terry Gilliam (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) delivers a vast world where the line between reality and hallucination is fuzzy at best. Depp chews up the screen in one of the best performances of his career, using exaggerated mannerisms to make Duke stand out among Depp's long line of peculiar characters. Depp spent four months with Thompson to try to learn the iconic author's behavioir. Most of the clothing Depp wears in the film is Thompsons' actual threads from the 1970s. But perhaps the best performance comes from Del Toro as the 300-pound Samoan attorney Dr. Gonzo, a role for which he reportedly gained more than 40 pounds. It is rumored Del Toro improvised many of his scenes, including licking the cocaine off of his briefcase in the infamous opening episode. The story of the making of the film is just as interesting as the product itself. For the full experience, rent the Criterion Collection version of the DVD, which features several commentaries and making-of documentaries to give viewers a better appreciation of the cult classic. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, with its psychedelic style, eclectic soundtrack and scene-stealing performances from two of the best actors of our time, could be considered one of the most underappreciated films of the 1990s. The tribute to Thompson remains one of the most appealing films to come out of a decade where style often meant more than substance. Welcome to bat country. Send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu |
To contact the
To contact other members
of
 |