explain 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' to me...

[lespaulreedsmith]

has anybody seen this movie? I quit doing drugs 20 some years ago and this movie almost made me have a flashback...:worried
Is there a plot or theme to this movie other than 'hey kids, don't do drugs...'?:messedup

[eurotrashed]

basically the plot is this. Drugs, drugs, drugs, drugs, more drugs, las vagas, drugs.

I couldn't handle the movie, I just wanted one scene where they weren't on drugs so I could have a break

[TwoTubMan]

<<<SIGH>>>

You had to be there.

The 70's rocked.

[Joe Robinson]

Read the book. The author is Hunter S. Thompson. Neither the Johnny Depp movie nor the Bill Murray one do the book justice.

[DiazDude]

Read the book. The author is Hunter S. Thompson. Neither the Johnny Depp movie or the Bill Murray one do the book justice.

The book is the thing but I'll give some credit to Depp. He lived with Thompson and picked up on a good bit of his vibe but face it NOBODY could truly channel him.
The film was a flashback for sure. From what I remember from those days. :bong

[wcmiller]

Read the book. The author is Hunter S. Thompson. Neither the Johnny Depp movie or the Bill Murray one do the book justice.

From what I remember the book was great!

[Darkburst]

It's about the American Dream.

[HEY!YOU!]

Some things are just about the experience.

[live-I-evil]

Well he was supposed to go to vegas to write a report on a race that was happening there. Then drugs were added. Then you saw the film. Definitely an intense movie and an excellent book and though I love both Where the Buffaloes Roam and Fear and Loathing, Joe Robinson is right when he says the books were better. I think it's pretty funny, however, that Bill Murray said that after he played Hunter he could never get it out of his personality. Later Depp studies Hunter's way, makes the movie, and says the same thing. I guess the guy was really the character that his writing makes him out to be.

[greggorypeccary]

It's about the American Dream.

Isn't it the death of the American Dream?

I miss HST, his writings would have been interesting over the past couple of years if he was still with us...

[brdstl]

I believe he was on the search for the American Dream but found out it was dead. It's been awhile since I've read the book or watched the movie. I usually read the book every summer. It's one of my favorites by HST.

[Dickie Fredericks]

I loved the movie. Never read the book.

[Jagsound]

It really is a hell of a book, lots of genuine laughs.

The movie was good, and Mr Depp was excellent but the overall atmosphere of the book could not be recreated, although maybe I was doing something that helped when I read it! No I wasn't, it's a great book and one that you can read more than once.

[greggorypeccary]

Dicky - if you loved the movie, you MUST read the book! It's an easy one to knock out in a couple of hours.

[whitehall]

+1 on both the movies sucked as compared to the book. Just read the book, great story, you'll laugh your ass off.

[Gas-man]

Has anyone ever said, in the history of the universe, that the movie was better than the book?

Every time, it's "The book is sooo much better".

I read the book many times, as did many 19 year olds in college. The movie bored me to tears.

When you are 19 or 20 you tend to think HST is the Greatest Thing Ever.

[pir8matt]

The message sneaks in at the end, but its more about the death of hippie flower-power optimism than anything else, IMO. The thought that the world could have been changed by a bunch of kids doing acid and giving each other flowers coming to grips with the crushing reality that the world is a scary and weird place full of sickness and fear and violence, etc.

And drugs.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/rockstrigoi/Johnny-Depp---Fear-Loathing-in-Las-.jpg

[Jade]

I dug the book, AND the movie. And although it's very rare that you find a movie that captures everything from the book, I thought Depp's rendition of HST was brilliant.

"No sense in telling him about these bats... The poor bastard will see them soon enough for himself".

Jade

[sethr]

When you are 19 or 20 you tend to think HST is the Greatest Thing Ever.

I still feel that way, and I'm pushing 60.

[Bones]

It was 50 times better and easier to follow than Eraserhead, I'll tell you that much.

[BobbyFudge]

Nothing compares to the book..the visual made complete by Ralph Steadman.

[sfarnell]

My favorite part of Where the Buffalo Roam is when HST commands his Doberman to attack "Nixon's" balls.:rotflmao

[Tonekat]

Read the book, you'll enjoy the movie more afterwards.

[greggorypeccary]

I still feel that way, and I'm pushing 60.

Thanks man, I feel the same way (though a young 40!).

[scott]

I love the scene where he wakes up with an aligator tail tied to his ass, a tape recorder taped to his chest, wearing hip waders in a room full of water.........with a WTF has been going on for the last few days look on his face.......Ive never been quite that bad but I can only imagine...

[Etingi]

I love the movie for the dialogue and narration - basically the parts closest to the book. The first 30 minutes are still the funniest I've ever seen. I don't enjoy it quite as much after the Lucy scene.

[Prodigy]

Watched the movie probably 20 times or so....Once about 3 or 4 times in a row while on mushrooms years ago....TRIPPYYYYYY! Take the ticket. I'll remember your face.

[Formula1]

Haven't read the book YET but the first half of the movie may be the funniest thing I've ever seen. The camera work is amazing.

[EL34]

read the book. The author is hunter s. Thompson. Neither the johnny depp movie nor the bill murray one do the book justice.
+1000.

[mprvise]

this movie almost made me have a flashback...:worried

I've only seen this movie once - in the theater when it first came out. During that scene in the hotel lobby where the carpet starts getting freaky... whoa... :cool:

Another vote for read the book. I read it several years before the movie and remember coming out of the movie being a bit disappointed.

[Mike9]

Time back way back someone gave me that to read when I was under the weather. 'Bout two chapters in I was in stitches - one of the best reads of the 70's. :Devil