Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Director:

Terry Gilliam

Writers (WGA):

Hunter S. Thompson (book)
Terry Gilliam (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

22 May 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Give us your brain for two hours and you will never be the same again.....(Icelandic)

Plot:

An oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychadelic escapades.

Plot Keywords:

Hedonism | Motorcycle | Knife | Dwarf | Racism

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	Raoul Duke
Benicio Del Toro	...	Dr. Gonzo / Oscar Z. Acosta
Tobey Maguire	...	Hitchhiker
Ellen Barkin	...	Waitress at North Star Cafe
Gary Busey	...	Highway Patrolman
Christina Ricci	...	Lucy
Mark Harmon	...	Magazine Reporter at Mint 400
Cameron Diaz	...	Blonde TV Reporter
Katherine Helmond	...	Desk Clerk at Mint Hotel
Michael Jeter	...	L. Ron Bumquist
Penn Jillette	...	Carnie Talker
Craig Bierko	...	Lacerda
Lyle Lovett	...	Road Person
Flea	...	Musician
Laraine Newman	...	Frog-Eyed Woman

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Portugal:M/16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Iceland:16 | Canada:PG | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hungary:14 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Fear and Loathing LLC

Trivia:

The Bazooko Circus Casino was modeled closely after the Circus Circus Casino in Las Vegas, which was mentioned in the original book. The real casino refused to have anything to do with the film, and even forbade the use of its name. The casino sign shown in the film replaces Circus Circus' neon clown's pinwheel with a mallet, and the interior shots were partially filmed in the (now closed) Boardwalk Casino in Las Vegas. The carousel-themed "Merry-Go-Round" bar in the real Circus Circus (called the "Horse-A-Round" bar) revolves in the opposite direction as the one depicted in the film.

Goofs:

In one scene while leaving the hotel room at the Flamingo the numbers on the door clearly read 2075. In a later scene when Duke and Gonzo are leaving the room the numbers on the door say 2073.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Raoul Duke: [narrating] We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember saying something like:
Raoul Duke: I feel a bit lightheaded. Maybe you should drive.
Raoul Duke: [narrating] Suddenly, there was a terrible roar all around us, and the sky was full of what looked like huge bats, all swooping and screeching and diving around the car, and a voice was screaming:
Raoul Duke: Holy Jesus. What are these goddamn animals?
[swatting the air]
Raoul Duke: Huh! Huh! Huh! Fucking pigs.
Dr. Gonzo: Did you say something?
Raoul Duke: Hm? Never mind. It's your turn to drive.
Raoul Duke: [narrating] No point in mentioning these bats, I thought. Poor bastard will see them soon enough.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film (2006)

Soundtrack:

My Love, Forgive Me (Amore Scusami)

The art of character acting...

I think the people who reviewed this film are a bit warped for thinking of it as anything less than a masterpiece. This film comes from the glorious days of Johnny Depp taking obscure roles in films and totally immersing himself in the character. Benecio Del Toro's performance was second to none, and I cannot for the life of me comprehend why someone would think this to be the "worst movie ever". God save us that we actually have to think a little when we sit in those awful theatre seats. Heaven forbid we're required to use our imagination a little bit and not have it handed to us in the form of Hollywood mindless pap. The film, del toro, Depp, and of course, Gilliam are all brilliant. I pity the fools who gave this movie a negative review and fail miserably in articulating their reasoning.