Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

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

Director:

Terry Gilliam

Writers:

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

Stars:

Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Tobey Maguire

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Johnny Depp	...	Raoul Duke
Benicio Del Toro	...	Dr. Gonzo
Tobey Maguire	...	Hitchhiker
Michael Lee Gogin	...	Uniformed Dwarf
Larry Cedar	...	Car Rental Agent - Los Angeles
Brian Le Baron	...	Parking Attendant (as Brian LeBaron)
Katherine Helmond	...	Desk Clerk at Mint Hotel
Michael Warwick	...	Bell Boy
Craig Bierko	...	Lacerda
Tyde Kierney	...	Reporter
Mark Harmon	...	Magazine Reporter
Tim Thomerson	...	Hoodlum
Richard Riehle	...	Dune Buggy Driver
Ransom Gates	...	Dune Buggy Passenger
Laraine Newman	...	Frog-Eyed Woman

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.

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Plot Keywords:

drugs | hallucination | 1970s | lawyer | journalist | 

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Taglines:

Four Days, Three nights, Two Convertibles, One City

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive extreme drug use and related bizarre behavior, strong language, and brief nudity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 May 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$18,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,338,590, 24 May 1998

Gross USA:

$10,680,275

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,680,275

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fear and Loathing LLC, Rhino Films, Shark Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the book Hunter S. Thompson listens to "Sympathy For The Devil" by The Rolling Stones, but the rights to play it in the film were too expensive for the production budget.

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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.

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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 ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The Ralph Steadman drawings from the book are put in with the credits, along with the Gonzo & Duke in the Red Shark picture that takes up the whole screen at the end.

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Connections

Featured in Honest Trailers: Pirates of the Caribbean (2015)

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Soundtracks

My Love, Forgive Me (Amore Scusami)
Written by Vito Pallavicini, Sydney Lee, and Gino Mescoli
Published by Gil Music Corp.
Performed by Robert Goulet
Courtesy of Columbia Records
by arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Slippery Mice

This is far from your everyday movie, and only for those with a deep appreciation for the diversity of film-making, or fans of Hunter S. Thompson. This does not mean those mentioned will enjoy it, although definitely respect the attempt. I personally found it fascinating. To portray a permanently drug induced state to the big screen was done with creativity and subtle humour. You could expect nothing less from director Terry Gilliam who has played such a massive role in the brilliant and original Monty Python works.

Having never read any of Hunter S. Thompson's work, I get the impression that justice is done for the adaptation to the big screen. An absolutely quality cast must be credited for this, ensuring a natural performance is achieved. Las Vegas which features strongly throughout the movie seems to be so appropriate when dealing with this subject matter, they just seem to go hand in hand.