Plot
In 1971 Raoul Duke, a doctor of journalism has been sent from LA to Las Vegas to cover the Mint 400 Motorcycle race. He travels with his lawyer, Dr Gonzo – and the pair engage in a drug fueled road “trip”.
along the way they meet an assortment of colouful characters, all the while experimenting with mind altering hallucinogens.
Direction/Choreography
Directed by Terry Gilliam, with Cinematography by Nicola Pecorini.
The camera work, and angles are exactly what I expect to see from a Terry Gilliam movie. His absurdist style is perfect for this film.
According to reports both Oliver Stone and Martin Scorsese were in line to direct this. Both would have done this film justice with themselves having as zany films in their own filmography (U-Turn/Bringing out the Dead).
There are some hilariously ‘fake’ green screen moments as well, when Raoul and Dr Gonzo are driving through the streets of LV in one of their ‘high’ states.
Cast/Characters
Johnny Depp (who was friends with Hunter S Thompson) plays Raoul Duke (aka Hunter S Thompson). His narration throughout is direct excerpts from the novel of the same name (also released in 1971).
Depp even went as far as to have his head shaved (by Hunter S Thompson himself), for the role. How he was not nominated for anything for this role is blasphemy.
Benicio Del Toro plays “Dr Gonzo” – who is based on Thompson’s real life lawyer/friend Oscar Acosta. He too abuses drugs in excess, and has wild drug trips throughout the film.
There is a slew of celebrity cameos, including (but limited to) Cameron Diaz, Toby Maguire, Katherine Helmond, Craig Beirko, Gary Busey (hilarious as the lonely cop who chases Duke), Chris Meloni (as the gay concierge at the second hotel that Duke arrives at) , Christina Ricci (as Lucy, the teen that Dr Gonzo meets later in the film), and Michael Jetter (one of the speakers at the Anti Drug Convention that Duke covers in the second half of the film).
Dr Thompson himself appears briefly in a blink and you’ll miss it moment.
Breakdown
From the get go, you know that this is not going to be a traditional narrative film, or one with a traditional protagonist. The film is based on the novel of the same name by ‘Gonzo’ journalist Hunter S Thompson, who would often put himself into the topics that he was writing on.
We meet ‘Raoul Duke’ and his lawyer “Dr Gonzo” as they are road tripping (pun intended) through the deserted road between LA and LV.
They have many a crazy moments, such as picking up a hitchhiker (Toby Maguire), attending the race that they have been hired to attend, among others.
The drug tripping is frequent and constant throughout the film with real depictions of drug use (that Thompson was famous for), and a hilarious moment later in the film where Dr Gonzo gives Raoul a fictional drug, that he shouldn’t take too much of… but he of course takes too much!
While a majority of the dialogue is drug paraphernalia talk, there are some truly dramatic moments such as when he is discussing the end of the war and the years that have passed. It is just a testament to the genius of Dr Thompson, and the craziness of the era in which he lived.
There is a terrific soundtrack with many songs of the 70’s that worked for the era the film is set, including such greats from Jefferson Airplane ‘Want Somebody to Love’ and ‘White Rabbit’.
Overall
As someone who as never done hard drugs, this will be as close to a psychedelic trip as I’ll ever get.
Amazing performances, with a killer soundtrack – and some truly beautiful dialogue from the great man himself. I read this book decades ago, and remember the film being a near perfect adaptation. Only Johnny Depp could have truly brought the man to life on screen.
Difficult to watch if you are easily offended.
4/5
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