“We were
somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the
desert, when the drugs began to take hold."
With that line, possibly among the greatest ever
to open a book or film, “Fear and Loathing in
Las Vegas” begins. We see two drug addled
maniacs, Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, speeding down
a desert highway in a read convertible. Duke
(Johnny Depp) believes he is being attacked by a
horde of vicious bats. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro)
sings along loudly with the music on the radio.
They are heading to Las Vegas where Duke plans
to write a story on a motorcycle race. Their
back trunk is filled with almost every illegal
drug known to man.
“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is made up of
moments like these. There is no plot to speak
of, only a series of subplots, each involving
the main characters and a lot of drugs. This is
not an uncommon movie plot. How many movies have
we had to sit through about two stoners who go
do crazy things for the duration? Yeah, quite a
few. What makes “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”
different, is it’s sense of time and place. Yes,
what our heroes do on the drugs is funny, but
the reason the film is great is not because of
what they do on the drugs, but because of WHY
they are on the drugs.
Based on the semi-autobiographical novel by the
late Hunter S. Thompson, the film is a comedy on
the outside, but an explanation of the 1960s on
the inside. Raoul Duke is an alias for Thompson
himself, and Dr. Gonzo may represent Oscar Zeta
Acosta, a lawyer and personal friend of
Thompson. Before I get into why the film is
deep, it is important to discuss why it is
funny.
Thompson practiced Gonzo Journalism, which is
quite simple, really: you fill yourself up with
as many drugs as possible and you observe
whatever you need to observe and write down what
you need to write down. The drugs would give you
a bizarre and demented look at the story.
Because of this, Thompson’s writings were always
funny. He was a clever and strange man (when he
and Depp first met, they spent the evening
rigging propane tanks with explosives and
shooting them with shotguns), and his writing
should definitely appeal to those with a strange
sense of humor.
Therefore, only one man could’ve directed this
film and one man only: Terry Gilliam. This is
the man whose ideas were often turned down by
the Monty Python Troupe for being too extreme.
On the DVD, Gilliam admits that he had never
done acid before. Quite shocking, actually. If
this is Gilliam OFF drugs, I can’t even imagine
him on them. Gilliam uses a wild and swooping
camera to capture the dementia and
disorientation caused by drugs. The
hallucination sequences are accomplished in
typical Gilliam fashion: he overcomes a low
budget by using pure creativity. Simple CGI or
robotics recycled from other films make up many
of the funnier or freakier effects. Only in a
Thompson writing or in a Gilliam film will there
be a sequence where everyone in a room becomes a
giant lizard and blood begins to fill the room.
The effect could have been treated as
disturbing, but Gilliam’s style and the
performances of the actors makes the scene a
comic gem.
Ah, the performances. There are really only two
main characters in the film, but there is never
the need for any more. Depp, balding, sweaty,
talking in a fast monotone with a cigarette
constantly dangling from his mouth, BECOMES
Thompson. Del Toro gained 40 pounds and become
virtually unrecognizable for his role. Both
actors disappear so completely into their roles
that one forgets that they are actually actors
within the first five minutes.
Imagine a film about two druggies starring Pauly
Shore and Andy Dick. It would be a horrible
mess. Usually, though, when you make comedies
about druggies, those are the kind of actors you
get. When two of the finest actors working today
take on such a role, though, the effect is
strange, and a little shocking. How long has it
been since two stoners going on zany
misadventures actually been funny? Note the
sequence where the two of them attempt to enter
Bazooko’s Circus Casino while high on ether.
Their capability to speak nearly destroyed and
their physical movements restricted to that of a
child learning to walk, they turn walking into a
building into a crazy journey. Only great actors
can do it this well. Only great actors can move
this funny. Only great actors can deliver
dialogue this funny. Given to another actor,
these ramblings and childish excursions would be
a waste of time, but in the hands of Depp and
Del Toro, they become real moments in comic
history.
Yes, it is a funny movie, but while it proves
that the effects of drugs are funny, the film
takes a clear anti-drug stance during it’s other
scenes. With shocking suddenness, the humor
stops and the violence starts. Did Thompson know
what he was doing was wrong? Anyone who wants to
do drugs after watching this must be a
masochist. Gilliam himself says on the DVD that
he cannot see the film encouraging anyone to do
drugs. This definitely requires further analysis
and further reading of Thompson on my part.
What truly makes “Fear and Loathing in Las
Vegas” a great film though, is two monologues,
written by Thompson, performed by Depp. Without
giving them away, here is the gist of them:
during the 1960s, people thought they could make
a change. They banded together to say what they
thought was write and to make a change. By the
late 1960s, though, nothing had been
accomplished. The movements had fallen apart.
Thompson and Gonzo are relics of the ‘60s. They
don’t fit into society, they don’t want to fit
into society. Drugs had once been a factor that
bound millions of people. Now, it’s all they
live by. It’s touching, sad, and rings
completely true with history. Note the scene
where Depp becomes afraid once inside the above
mentioned Bazooko’s Circus Casino. The casino is
meant to represent the Circus Circus Casino, the
turning point where Las Vegas started to become
family friendly. It’s the right-wing version of
America that Thompson fought in the ‘60s taking
over the last city where he can feel at home.
Top it off with a fantastic soundtrack, and you
have a great movie. It’s certainly not for
everyone, though. The humor does not appeal to
many people, and many I know have found it to be
either to gross or disturbing. If you can
stomach it, though, you may find the film to be
truly rewarding. It’s one of the best films of
the 1990s and one of my all time favorites.
©
Written by Jacob Hall
Richard
Propes' Comment
This
unique film garners a touch of respect from me,
but it remains one of my least favorite Depp
performances.
TC Candler's Comment
For the
most part, this film seems to be either loved or
hated. I must admit that I wasn't fond of
it the first time around. However, I am
willing to give it another chance because there
are too many people that I respect who champion
its brilliance. I am sure to revisit the
film some day... Perhaps my opinion will change.
