Rating: 
Summary: 'I think I'm getting the Fear........'
Review: For those of you who own Criterion DVDs already, you know about the high quality and what to expect. If you don't own any Criterions, and you love 'Fear and Loathing...', buy this DVD right now [although I warn you that you may unfairly- or quite rightly- judge all other DVDs you get after this one].
Dr. Thompson's Gonzo commentary [well, really, it's producer Laila Nabulsi asking him various questions] is fantastic- he even tries to call Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro, respectively, towards the end of the commentary, but seeing as it was well past midnight, neither answered the phone.......Also included is the weird but interesting 'Omnibus' BBC documentary piece- as if the DVD wasn't cool enough, this alone makes it worth owning.......
Hell, even Johnny Depp reading various correspondence to and from the Doctor is entertaining. And that's only scratching the surface- there's so much more on the second disc, not to mention the other two commentary tracks, which are also incredibly fascinating....... Even the packaging is cool!
I can't say enough about it. If you're only curious about the film and haven't yet seen it, go read the book and dig that first. Then come back and get this DVD. Hours and hours and hours of pure Gonzo entertainment await you!
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: Forget the crappy movie-only DVD that came out a few years ago, this is the one to get. Criterion has released a massive 2-DVD set that features THREE audio commentaries: one by Terry Gilliam (which is entertaining and informative as all of his commentaries are), one by Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro and producer Laila Nabulsi (this is worth a listen if only because Depp and Del Toro have NEVER done a commentary before), and finally, the man himself, Hunter S. Thompson contributes a strange and hilarious audio track as only he can. It is very rare that three audio commentaries for one movie can be distinctive and entertaining in their own right -- these ones are. The movie is presented in a stunning anamorphic transfer AND an aggressive, atmospheric DTS soundtrack -- Fear and Loathing has never looked and sounded better. The DVD of supplemental material is a wonderful treasure trove for Gilliam and HST fans. It's broken up into two sections: extras dealing with the film (including a hilarious featurette on HST filming his cameo for the movie) and extras dealing with the book (including rare archival material on Oscar Zeta Acosta -- the real Dr. Gonzo). Wow! If you love this movie then pick this edition up immediately. It is well worth the price!
Rating:
Summary: We can't stop here, this is bat country!
Review: Amazing stuff, this was. My friend and I watched it while downing shots of Bicardi and cookies, and it was a totally hilarious flick, the way Raoul talked, and the unpredictable crazy antics of his lawyer. I constantly find myself telling people not to ...with me, I am Ahab, and warning friends not to stop here, this is bat country. The only flaw that I see in this movie is that it lasts a bit too long, so you're at the stage of getting bored and turning it off. That aside, it was a great flick.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best overlooked films ever!
Review: This is quite possibly one of the funniest movies I have ever seen in my entire life! Raule Duke and his attorney Doctor Gonzo set out to report on a motorcycle race and end up in search of the American dream. Depp and Del Torro give the preformance of a lifetime. I still watch this movie to the day and pick up on something that I missed the previous time.
Rating:
Summary: A Gorgeous Creation
Review: With the war in Vietnam growing and Nixon in the office, the joy of the 60's were over and the joylessness of the 70's were in. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is the story of two men, Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, looking around and asking themselves "What the hell happened?." To rekindle the spirit of the 60's and report on a bike race, the two men venture out into the hell that is Las Vegas with a convertible tank full of gas and a brief case full of dope, acid, either and beer. Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a brilliant film that shows a great love for the material it is based on. The book, by Hunter S. Thompson, is a savage journey with 2 people you know are just going to go off and do something wild at anytime and the film is the same way. It took a lot of intelligence and talent to write the book and the film takes a lot of intelligence and talent to adapt. Nicola Pecorni's cinematography is very original and it see's the world threw one eye. Johnny Depp walks, talks and even drives like Thompson. Fans of Thompson, that have seen how he acts, will most definitely be astounded by Depp's portrayal. Dr. Gonzo, played by Benicio Del Toro, is his finest hour. These are two wonderful, brilliant performances in a wonderful, brilliant film.
Rating: 
Summary: This Ain't No Chick Flick
Review: I bought this DVD for the commentaries. I still don't know if I should have! But I love Terry Gilliam.
When I first saw this movie, I felt like I was left out of the joke. Now I get the joke, at least. But I also feel, unlike before, there is poignancy to this plot. These guys are making themselves sick--they're using drugs to alter their perceptions, 24-7. Reality being so unappealing. So empty. So uncool. And what about the folks they meet on their journey? They're shadows, jokes, or victims. (The victims are women.)
It's a funny movie, but should I laugh? Maybe I will eventually.
Why did I buy this? I thought it would be easier to take, all these years later. It is, but.... Oh well! May as well watch it again! It is, after all beautifully filmed. The sets and the lighting are just extraordinary. Commentaries are cool, too, but I wish Depp and Del Toro had recorded theirs together. Their interaction would have been a scream!
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece!
Review: I will be honest with you. The first time I saw this movie i thought it was absolute rubbish. I couldn't see the point of making this movie. I felt that there was no structure to the story or movie and also felt that the director wasn't in a right state of mind (In my opinion Terry Gilliam's movies are bad). But I acknowldged that this movie had stupendous acting by the greatest actor of our generation Johnny Depp and the ever superb Benicio Del Toro. But I watched the movie again to see if there was something that I was missing, something that I didn't get and boy was I right! This movie amazed me! I thought that Gilliam's vision was excellent and the directing was brilliant along with the comedy and the idea of "searching for the American dream" which by the way anybody in any part of the world can relate to. This is one of the most important movies made in the last ten years along with Fight Club. I have seen this movie 10 times by now and I first saw it a month ago! Go pick up this Special Edition DVD! It is definitely worth it for all you people who like different, challenging and creative movies.
Rating:
Summary: Take the Criterion Ticket!
Review: Finally, a new and improved DVD edition has come out to serve this wonderful and insane movie justice. Finally it is here: "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: The Criterion Collection." This is a 2 disk collection does more than improve the movie experience, it's like a complete new experience all together. First the movie: Based on Hunter S. Thompson's brilliant and darkly funny novel, we follow the more than colorful Journalist Raoul Duke and his crazy attorney, Dr. Gonzo on a crazy trip to Las Vegas. What starts out as a job turns into the search for the American Dream in the early 70's. And with them they have a trunk full of every single drug you can think of and then some. As the search for the dream is underway, the two will experience things that nightmares are made of. There's no words that can describe the experience, you just have to see it for yourself. This is an insanely hilarious movie, but at the same time it's frightening as well. You really get to feel what these two characters are experiencing with every upper, downer, and other various drugs they consume in a short amount of time. Johnny Depp is terrific as Duke and Benicio Del Toro is outrageous as the crazy and uncontrollable attorney. Terry Gilliam did a fantastic job of orchestrating this chaotic circus of destruction. I think this movie wouldn't had been nearly as effective if it were in the hands of someone else. Now, what the Criterion Collection has to offer: The last version of this movie wasn't too bad, although there wasn't a lot of extras. Now, there's tone of them! You have 2 disks instead of one this time around. The picture and sound quality is more than impressive (you even get the choice of watching it in DTS!). You can tell that a lot of work went into improving those two things. (The original version wasn't even Dolby Digital 5.1, I don't think). The extras included are: 3 commentary tracks (1: Director Terry Gilliam, 2: Actors Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, and Producer Laila Nabulsi, 3: Author Hunter S. Thompson and Producer Laila Nabulsi), documentaries on Hunter S. Thompson, original trailer and TV spots, rare materials on Oscar Zeta Acosta, and tons more! I love the commentary tracks. Those I think are the big stars of the DVD set. All in all, I am VERY impressed with this newer version of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." It's one of my favorite movies and I am glad that they finally have released a DVD set to do the movie justice. If you're a big fan of the movie, then run (not walk) and get this Criterion Collection as soon as you can! Take the trip, if you dare. And make sure you watch out for those bats! You may want to keep that fly swatter handy...
Rating:
Summary: Fairly impressive Criterion DVD
Review: I was surprised to see Terry Gilliam's 1998 film, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, on The Criterion DVD. The extras are innumerable and the film itself, eclectic, funny, and irreverrant.Although some of the film is filled with technical and continuity foul-ups, the film is great and can be best enjoyed in a film festival with Bunel's The Discreet Charm of the Bougeoise, Easy Rider, Cronenberg's Naked Lunch. Plenty of Patience is required to watch this movie. Sometimes the two lead characters' personalaties can wear thin after a while and the halucinations can be a bit much.
Rating:
Summary: I WILL ALWAYS LOVE THIS MOVIE, but...
Review: Ok, as dumb as this sounds off to be, over a dozen of my friends have told me that the Universal DVD of "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas" is the TRUE way to go. Umm...okay. I have just purchased the Criterion Collection edition of the movie, and it is BY FAR, the best version of the movie available!
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