Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Movie Review 1998

Hunter S. Thompson's 1971 cult memoir arrives on the big screen about 20 years too late to have any meaning or much entertainment value. Director Gilliam, never one to shy away from weirdness, overdoes everything in trying to capture the wretched excess of the book. Thompson's screen alter-ego Duke (Depp) packs his Caddy with illicit drugs and his equally wasted lawyer (Del Toro), and heads for his next writing assignment--to cover a drug enforcement conference in Vegas. Depp does a great job of impersonating the completely wasted and unlikable Thompson, while Del Toro passes out and pukes a lot in the sidekick role. It's most definitely a one-of-a-kind trip, but not one that most people will be willing to take.

Distribution

Universal Studios Home Video, 100 Universal City Plz., Universal City, CA 91608-9955, Phone: (818)777-1000, Fax: (818)866-1483, URL: http://www.universalstudios.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 119 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Road Trip, Drug Use & Abuse, Viva Las Vegas!, Period Piece: 1970s, Writers, Technicolor Yawn, Flashback, Law & Lawyers, Waiters & Waitresses, Art & Artists, Special FX Wizards: Rob Bottin, Thumbs Up

Screenplay

Terry Gilliam, Alex Cox, Tony Grisoni, Tod Davies

Cast

Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Christina Ricci, Gary Busey, Craig Bierko, Ellen Barkin, Cameron Diaz, Flea, Mark Harmon, Katherine Helmond, Michael Jeter, Penn Jillette, Lyle Lovett, Tobey Maguire, Harry Dean Stanton, Tim Thomerson

Cinematography

Nicola Pecorini

Director

Terry Gilliam

Other

Lesley Walker, Chris Gorak