175 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

[exte]

Rolling Stone pays tribute with this wonderful cover. If anyone knows how I can get that in poster size, PM me please.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

In a recent interview, Gilliam talks briefly about the success of the movie on DVD thanks to the Criterion edition:

Question: THE IMPRESSION IS THAT 'FEAR AND LOATHING' WAS NOT A HIT.

Gilliam: It wasn't a hit, it made its money! It was made cheaply. It was always going to be a limited release, not a release, it was also the worst campaign I've ever seen, to sell that movie. What it has ? here's what particularly about 'Fear and Loathing,' you know, the Criterion Collections, the DVDs? They've finally broken into Wal-Mart, they've never been sold in Wal-Mart, the first one of the films to be sold in Wal-Mart is 'Fear and Loathing.' It's actually, the success has been at the DVD level.

The rest of the interview is here

[Cinesimilitude]

God, Gilliam can't talk straight at all. Listening to it on his commentaries it is semi apparent, but reading it aloud is just bonkers.

I'm kind of like that when I talk, and It's usually due to a crazy amount of ideas and such going through my head. I wonder how much is going on in his head all the time.

[Lino]

I wonder how much is going on in his head all the time.

Does this give you an idea?

[skuhn8]

In a recent interview, Gilliam talks briefly about the success of the movie on DVD thanks to the Criterion edition:

Question: THE IMPRESSION IS THAT 'FEAR AND LOATHING' WAS NOT A HIT.

Gilliam: It wasn't a hit, it made its money! It was made cheaply. It was always going to be a limited release, not a release, it was also the worst campaign I've ever seen, to sell that movie. What it has ? here's what particularly about 'Fear and Loathing,' you know, the Criterion Collections, the DVDs? They've finally broken into Wal-Mart, they've never been sold in Wal-Mart, the first one of the films to be sold in Wal-Mart is 'Fear and Loathing.' It's actually, the success has been at the DVD level.

The rest of the interview is here

wow. kind of reads like Dean Moriarty at the end of Kerouac's On the Road.

[Kirkinson]

When reading that interview it's important to keep in mind that you're dealing not only with Gilliam's absurd speaking habits, but Paul Fischer's grade-D writing. Consider this line from the concurrent Heath Ledger "interview" on Dark Horizons which Paul Fischer also takes credit for, though I'm positive I've seen most of the quotes he uses in other interviews:

Ledger laughs when asked to appear the iconic Gilliam wit the more serious Ang Lee, his director on Brokeback Mountain.

[Floyd]

I just wanted to discuss the documentary a bit. How hilarious and strange is it when Hunter in the Nixon mask rides the bike or shows up at the pool and when Bill Murray and him together are holding picket signs? I revisit the doc more than I do the film. There is also that other feature that shows the real and overweight good Doctor wearing a see thru black shirt that is extremely funny. The disc really has excellent special features even if I didn't like the film (which I do). Although it has that typical problem with Gilliam in that the film drags and goes overly long. This is my favorite film of his though with Baron Munchausen a somewhat close second.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

I just wanted to discuss the documentary a bit. How hilarious and strange is it when Hunter in the Nixon mask rides the bike or shows up at the pool and when Bill Murray and him together are holding picket signs? I revisit the doc more than I do the film. There is also that other feature that shows the real and overweight good Doctor wearing a see thru black shirt that is extremely funny. The disc really has excellent special features even if I didn't like the film (which I do).

Yeah, the extras are top notch on this one. It is amazing what Criterion was able to scrounge up for this one. Have you seen Breakfast with Hunter of which a segment was shown on the Criterion set? It's quite good and features more of the good doctor's wild antics... best of all it shows what went down when Alex Cox showed up to HST's Aspen ranch and tried to pitch his version of Fear and Loathing.

What really impressed me was the commentary tracks. Not only does Gilliam deliver his usual fantastic commentary but they also got Depp and Del Toro -- both of whom never do commentaries (although, Depp has gone to do one for Pirates of the Caribbean) AND the biggest coup getting Hunter to do one which has to be one of the craziest, most incoherent and entertaining tracks I've ever heard.

[skuhn8]

Although it has that typical problem with Gilliam in that the film drags and goes overly long.

To comment on Hunter's death a bit it would seem he completely overshot his expectations of how long he was going to live and his body finally was catching up to his activities. I know that Warren Zevon called him the finest writer to ever live and I don't know if it is that far off.

Such a quote would only prove that Zevon is an idiot, though I do appreciate the scribblings of Thompson (may he RIP).

BUT I love your comment on Gilliam as that finally summarizes my opinoion of him: he really is the director that time and time again gets away with the "director's cut" (post-Brazil of course, and even then thanks to dvd....). His films are a pleasure, but there's that strange quality about them that we would enjoy more if we would learn after the fact that he had to "fight to have that included".

We've entered a new era in the dvd age...when we are in a position to critique the outtakes, the deleted scene---and pass judgment if they were worhty or not.

Gilliam is really one of those directors---and I struggle with his films, and love him throughtout--that seems to hit that issue head-on.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Rolling Stone plans to publish the note HST wrote before he killed himself:

Hunter S. Thompson note reveals despair
Words to be published in new Rolling Stone

Thursday, September 8, 2005; Posted: 12:04 p.m. EDT (16:04 GMT)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Rolling Stone, the magazine that was home for years to Hunter S. Thompson, will publish a note written by the gonzo journalist days before he committed suicide in February.

Douglas Brinkley, the presidential historian who is also Thompson's official biographer, writes that a February 16 note may be Thompson's final written words. It reads:

"No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun -- for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax -- This won't hurt."

Hunter left the note for his wife, Anita. He shot himself four days later at his home in Aspen, Colorado, after weeks of pain from a host of physical problems that included a broken leg and a hip replacement.

Written in black marker, the note was titled, "Football Season Is Over."

Brinkley writes in the magazine, on newsstands Friday, "February was always the cruelest month for Hunter S. Thompson. An avid NFL fan, Hunter traditionally embraced the Super Bowl in January as the high-water mark of his year. February, by contrast, was doldrums time."

Most of Thompson's early writings appeared in Rolling Stone. In pieces of great length, he often portrayed himself as a wildly intoxicated observer and participant.

The writer's ashes were blown into the sky in Woody Creek, Colorado, amid fireworks on August 20.

[denti alligator]

Universal is reissuing their version of this next week. Did their disc also have the surround mix problems? Any reason why Criterion couldn't just re-press this with fixed sound (assuming the tracks do exist)?

[Person]

Anchor Bay will be releasing, Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride: Hunter S. Thompson On Film on September 4.

[denti alligator]

No reviews of Universal's HD DVD mention the missing foley track, but then again, few of the reviews of the Criterion mentioned it (including DVDBeaver, where the sound of the CC is rated above the Universal disc). Does anyone know if the missing foley track is only a problem with the Criterion?

[CSM126]

I have no certain knowledge but I would find it weird if it was. I do believe Universal prepared the sound mixes (I could swear I read an e-mail from someone at Criterion that said this. I may be remembering wrong though. I'm not sure) so either this mix was brand new and exclusively made for the CC...or I don't know.

[denti alligator]

Why would Universal have gone out of their way to make two audio tracks (DD and DTS) just for Criterion? I don't get it.

[CSM126]

Why would Universal have gone out of their way to make two audio tracks (DD and DTS) just for Criterion? I don't get it.

I dunno. Why'd they prepare the transfer for Criterion's Dazed and Confused? Life's great mysteries?

[agnamaracs]

I've noticed that the last couple years' worth of pressings (i.e. copies I've seen in stores) have a peculiar issue with the front insert. It looks smaller, like about 1/3" at each end was trimmed off, or like it was printed in the wrong size. Pretty sure the case still says first pressing.

What the hell?

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

Coming to Blu February 2nd from Universal.

[dad1153]

^^^ Without Criterion's bounty of (worthy) extras. I've never owned or seen this movie but, even as a high-def whore that gives HD releases preference over SD one's, I'd get the Criterion DVD set over Universal's barebones Blu (and the years-old HD-DVD) version.

[Adamscurse]

I've noticed that the last couple years' worth of pressings (i.e. copies I've seen in stores) have a peculiar issue with the front insert. It looks smaller, like about 1/3" at each end was trimmed off, or like it was printed in the wrong size. Pretty sure the case still says first pressing.

What the hell?

Just received a copy of this with the same problem, contacted JM,no reply as yet.

Also Solaris has similar issue, though it's more like an inch missing, this results in the text being distorted around the edge of the case, very frustrating!

[BWilson]

Does anyone know why Universal released this themselves on Blu? With all the incredible extras that Criterion has, why wouldn't they let Criterion handle the Blu?

[CSM126]

One would hope it's because Criterion scoffed at using that awful, filtered master for HD and decided to take the time to start a new one.

[eerik]

Criterion's Blu-ray announced for April 2011.

Universal's Blu-ray was released in February 2010. So here's my random thought/speculation: Universal allows Criterion to do Blu-ray upgrades but at least a year after Universal's own release.

[flyonthewall2983]

Blu-Ray.com

[manicsounds]

The review doesn't mention if the 5.1 track has been 'corrected' or not, compared to the DVD release.