Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Plot

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

Release Year: 1998

Rating: 7.6/10 (112,416 voted)

Critic's Score: 41/100

Director:
Terry Gilliam

Stars: Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Tobey Maguire

Storyline
The big-screen version of Hunter S. Thompson's seminal psychedelic classic about his road trip across Western America as he and his large Samoan lawyer searched desperately for the "American dream"… they were helped in large part by the huge amount of drugs and alcohol kept in their convertible, The Red Shark.

Writers: Hunter S. Thompson, Terry Gilliam

Cast:

Johnny Depp
–

Raoul Duke

Benicio Del Toro
–

Dr Gonzo

Tobey Maguire
–

Hitchhiker

Ellen Barkin
–

Waitress at North Star Cafe

Gary Busey
–

Highway Patrolman

Katherine Helmond
–

Desk Clerk at Mint Hotel

Michael Jeter
–

L. Ron Bumquist

Mark Harmon
–

Magazine Reporter

Penn Jillette
–

Carnie Talker

Craig Bierko
–

Lacerda

Lyle Lovett
–

Road Person

Flea
–

Musician

Laraine Newman
–

Frog-Eyed Woman

Harry Dean Stanton
–

Judge

Tim Thomerson
–

Hoodlum

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

Release Date: 22 May 1998

Filming Locations: Ambassador Hotel – 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $18,500,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $4,335,095
(USA)
(25 May 1998)
(1126 Screens)

Gross: $10,562,387
(USA)
(19 July 1998)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

During Raoul Duke's acid trip in the bar of the hotel when he first arrives in Las Vegas, you hear "Roger Pratt, please report to the front desk" being said on the PA. Roger Pratt worked with director Terry Gilliam on
Monty Python and the Holy Grail,
Brazil,
The Fisher King, and
Twelve Monkeys as his cinematographer – but not on Fear and Loathing.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized:
When Duke is trying to calm Gonzo down with the mace, Dr. Gonzo screams and whines, but his mouth is closed

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.

User Review

The art of character acting…

Rating: 10/10


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.