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When Hunter S. Thompson's ashes were blasted out of a cannon last month, fans and critics alike agreed there couldn't have been a more appropriate send off for the self-styled gonzo journo who shot himself in February. They'd also doubtless agree that it is with unnervingly accurate timing that the '98 Hollywood version of Thompson's best known work, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, finally makes it onto DVD. Terry Gilliam's brave stab at translating Thompson's psychedelic comedy is fronted by Johnny Depp as the author himself heading out on the mother of all road trips with his unhinged Samoan lawyer (Benicio Del Toro) in search of the American dream. A convertible laden with bad drugs and good alcohol assist them along their merry way in a movie that, whilst far from a masterpiece, captures the essence of Thompson's novel to a tee. 1980's Where The Buffalo Roam features the mighty Bill Murray providing a very different take on the author that is both drug and booze-addled, but also fleshed out into far more of a three-dimensional character than Depp's version. Alas, whilst the film itself remains the definitive choice for serious Hunter fans, age has withered its appeal somewhat and it lacks the fall-down-funny set pieces of Gilliams film. As a double pack selling for under 20 notes, though, this box is a bargain. |
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Where the Buffalo Roam / Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas