Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Terry Gilliam, 1998)

It just can’t get any better. What a strange, surreal, fantastic experience. I don’t remember liking the film this much the first time I saw it (this being the second time). I think that that having seen all the avant-garde and experimental films I have, that in hindsight this movie isn’t that crazy at all − it’s all to do with perception. (Maybe also having now finished my journalism degree I can relate more to the character?) Actually, I think it’s because I have really matured as a film-goer. While the first time I may have been a little put-off by Depp’s baldness and what was for me at the time, extreme drug taking and bizarre cinematography, now I see that the filmmaker has to take part in the movie as well. This one was genius! And it was the most thrilling feeling − probably the closest you can get to having this feeling without actually taking drugs. (Here's the trailer for the film.)

My opinion of Hunter S. Thompson has also changed. It’s like it’s suddenly dawned on me − Johnny Depp was right in admiring this novelist. Some of his descriptions, like the one about the wave crashing in San Francisco, were really poetic. While going over some of the quotes from the film, I notice that Thompson wrote in a very energetic way, using lots of questions − his style is quite intriguing. The whole film was imagination and creativity mixed with poetry. Now I really want to read the novel. I also have to mention a strong factor in my enjoyment of this film was the soundtrack. From my first time watching it, I had got the song “Viva Las Vegas” but now with Rolling Stones, a remake of “My Favourite Things” (from The Sound of Music) that played at the start, Tom Jones’ “She’s a Lady”, some Bob Dylan and plenty of other groovers, this film really made me feel like I was in the ‘70s, experiencing an almighty high.

5/5