Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Criterion Collection

Rating:
Summary: Not for the closed mind and weak heart..
Review: this is a cool film based on two estranged fellows who viewed life in their semi-sober drugged perspectives... big time casting.. good production values, weird non-mainstream visuals, and drugs. drugs. drugs..

saw excerpts of this film on cable before and did not understand the direction of the film, honest.. now, a totally complete perspective.. good film if watched with open mind and eyes...

not the nicest of transfers for a criterion release but nice packaging with transparent slipcase. Yes Got that one right!! Transparent!! Nice Opening menus on Disc one. Galing! A person's hand is shown painting the film's title on a white wall ...The other menus are so difficult to navigate though.. extremes!! i think they want audiences to feel the drugged moment and see it through the character's eyes.. just trying to justify.. DTS sound rocks!!! not consistent/equalized though throughout the film... loaded with features and film supplements.. one interesting feature is "how fear and loathing was marketed and disguised as a mainstream film"... very honest objectives and strategic marketing plots/manipulation for audiences to see.. overall, worthy of your time and money..

You'll have to own this CC!!


Rating:
Summary: The estatic trip of a lifetime
Review: "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", takes place in the dying days of the flower children in the late seventies. But this has no relevance because almost everything in the film gives no insight to what eactly is going on. This is the beauty of the movie mainly because it almost makes the viewer see this drug binge involing Johnny Depp, and Benicio DEl Toro from their own dillusional experience, with ether ,Acid,coke, and a small army of uppers and downers. The film shows the highs and lows from this ample sized portion of drugs ingested by the two main characters. The plot twists constantly when the high stakes became a problem with the law and several hotels. The intent put by Hunter Thompson was to find the american dream but the thought of this isnt very apparent in the movie. Regardless its a great flick and well worth watching

Rating:
Summary: A Cult Classic
Review: One of the most difficult movies to watch for many people. Very funny in a dark way. Basically the ultimate drug movie from beginning to end during a time in American history when drugs were hugely popular. Unforgettable scenes of note:

1. Tobey Maguire's character (young kid who looks like and old man) sweating incredibly in the back seat of the convertable as Gonzo and Duke are tripping on acid and practically holding a gun to his head.

2. Gonzo puking out of the car and onto the car next to them and screaming at the old couple next to them while Duke is driving and holding a gun in the air, within a few seconds the old man next to them leans over across his wife and screams I'll kill you! I'll kill you! as he is banging his fist on the window.

3. The ether binge at the Circus, Circus where they can barely walk through the turnstiles.

and much much more craziness

Rating:
Summary: "Get Lost In The Myth"
Review: First of all, anyone who says this movie sucks just doesn't understand. It's just over their head and it's not for them to get. Hunter S. just died so I'm sure many of you have looked at this DVD, and it's worth buying. Before making this film, Depp went and spent a while with Hunter S. in Woody Creek mimicing his every move, and it shows because his performance is flawless. There are a few parts that Gilliam put in that shouldn't have been, like the scene where Duke throws the coins at the midget. Hunter S. denounced that scene. But he put the "waves" speech in the movie which is very important, one of the most important pieces of dialogue in the movie. If you are a fan of the culture of the late 60s and early 70s then you'll like this film, it symbolizes the time through the weirdness and the idea that people shouldn't believe everything they see.
The performances by Del Toro and Depp are great, but it wouldn't be anything without the book, so you should at least read something by Hunter S. before watching this movie, you'll grasp the concept better. Overall, it's a great homage to the man and I have a feeling that there are gonna be some more films based on Hunter S. Thompson books. For those who don't like it, get over it.


Rating:
Summary: Completely bent!
Review: Johnny Depp cemented his status, in my humble opinion, as one of the greatest actors of our time with his portrayal of HST in "Fear and Loathing...". He was quirky, off-the-cuff (off-his-rocker), and Benicio del Toro exploded with rage and insanity. It goes to show what a mad genius director like Terry Gilliam can do for a book that, I'm sure by all accounts, many considered unfilmable. Every character is a mess, the movie is a mess, deservedly so. It's a good mess. It taxes the limits of our gullibility and takes us to the precipice of fiction vs. reality, and then kicks us overboard. I watch this film once a year, and I am all set to read the book for the first time. Hunter S. Thompson was a balls to the wall writer, and he will be sorely missed.

Rating:
Summary: Depp and Del Toro get wasted in drug endused boredom
Review: Unfortunately I tend to divert the critics a lot of the time and a lot of the critics did not like this movie....I however am on the neutral side to this movie...yes it's like being in la-la land with a couple of guys who go on a adventure in which you dont know what it's about half the time but the one reason I liked this is the fact that Johnny Depp (Blow, Secret Window) is damned believable in his performance even though Benicio Del Toro (21 Grams, The Way Of The Gun) sometimes is. The movie itself is one big huge drug endused acid trip circling the air, filling the screen with over-the-top nonsense and digusting dizzy conversations bouncing around off the walls trying to make your head explode. This film just might of giving Depp his weirdest and strange performances ever. Spot cameos by the following: Tobey Maguire (Spider-man 1-2), Craig Bierko (The Thirteenth Floor), Mark Harmon (Summer School), Tim Thomerson (Near Dark), Penn Jillette (Penn and Teller Get Killed), Cameron Diaz (Vanilla Sky), Lyle Lovett (The New Guy), Flea (Back To The Future 2), Gary Busey (Lethal Weapon), Christina Ricci (Buffalo 66)), Michael Jeter (Open Range), Harry Dean Stanton (Paris, Texas), Christopher Meloni (Tv's Law and Order:SVU) and Ellen Barkin (The Big Easy). Look fast for the following actors: Jenette Goldstein (Near Dark), Richard Riehle (Office Space) and Verne Troyer (Austin Powers 2 and 3). Hunter S. Thompson, who just passed away, fans of his might find some value to this movie....and to the rest, I say this once....every movie if crappy or not...watch it once...then if you dont like it...then dont watch it again...that's my advice.

Rating:
Summary: One of the WORST movies of the 90s or ever
Review: This has to be the 3rd worst movie of the 90s since "Armageddon and Titanic". This movie is plotless and pointless with Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro on drugs and visiting Las Vegas for no reason at all and have hallucinations. The movie soon turns into one unwatchable mess with odd camera angles and some pathetic scenes that make no sense at all. A bunch of well-known stars Tobey Maguire,Cameron Diaz,Penn Jillette,Flea,Ellen Barkin,Christina Ricci,Mark harmon,and Harry Dean Stanton appear in wasted cameos and the two role leads(Depp and del Toro) are wasted and give some of the worst performances of their careers. The movie's author Hunter S.Thompson appears in a cameo. This one dosen't deserve one star or a Criterion Collection DVD. Please don't waste money or time on this mess because this isn't even a so good,its bad movie.