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Gonzo: Focusing on the Work of Hunter S. Thompson

BuzzSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:30:46 -0700

Hunter S. Thompson isn't always associated with terms like "brilliant writer" or "inventor of gonzo journalism" or even "patriot." By the time his famous work Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was adapted for film in 1998, he was becoming a caricature and a symbol of a bygone era. Just as there is irony in one of history's most complicated revolutionaries, Che Guevara, being boiled down to an Urban Outfitters t-shirt, it is equally reductive to oversimplify Thompson as some kind of drug-addled delinquent without a cause.

Now that I've seen what will likely be referred to as the definitive documentary about Thompson's life by the Oscar-winning director of Taxi to the Dark Side, it's clear that reducing him to a kind of hipster icon who lived only to push the boundaries of consciousness with extreme substance abuse is terribly simplistic and inaccurate. Through the folks who knew him well (Jimmy Carter, publisher of Rolling Stone Jann Wenner, George McGovern, his first wife, etc.) the picture that emerges from this movie is of a man who was a walking, talking challenge to the status quo.

To read what surprised me about the good doctor's life and why this is an entertaining jaunt through recent history, read more.

Sure, the guy enjoyed ingesting large amounts of drugs. Yet, the most striking part of the documentary is that his drug abuse wasn't your run-of-the-mill self-destructive cycle of an addict, but rather the fuel used during this extraordinary man's most productive years to pump out pages of writing that was, at that point in history, unlike anything anyone had ever read.

The movie is bookended by the requisite biographical details of where he was from and how his life ended, but the most entertaining and historically interesting part of the movie is the period in which he was riding high on his talent (roughly 1965-1975). And if there is a nit to be picked, it's that the movie is probably too long. Focusing on his most productive years could have been enough. The downward spiral ending in suicide, followed by the lavish, celebrity-studded memorial services might have been better told in some ending text and pictures during the credits.

During this productive period he was pretty busy: riding and living with the Hell's Angels, writing and publishing books and articles, running for sheriff of Aspen and covering the 1972 election for Rolling Stone.

The movie is narrated exclusively through Thompson's words, either from old footage or readings done by Johnny Depp (who befriended Thompson when he was preparing to portray him in Fear and Loathing). It's clear from these words that, in addition to being madly, bitingly hilarious, he was deeply committed to certain ideals. The film is nostalgic and informative, but what makes it also tragic is how much Thompson cared for this country. It feels as though everything he did came from a deep love and fascination with the American dream. Even more compelling was his laser-like obsession with the people he saw as a threat to that dream.

Enemy number one: Richard Nixon. Some of the most side-splittingly funny moments of the documentary come from readings of his most acerbic prose directed toward Nixon, a man he basically regarded as the root of all evil. My other favorite moment is his run for office in Aspen where he brings "freaks" and "hippies" to the small town, and shaves his head so he could say he was running against the long-haired guy. Make no mistake about it: this movie has a point of view, with the director often visually depicting the parallels between Thompson's world then and what's going on now.

It's the emphasis on Thompson's words, his work, and his hope for the forces of good to triumph in America that makes this documentary riveting. It might have been easier to focus on the drugs and the hilarity that often ensued wherever he went. But more than just being a blast to hang out with, Thompson was a transcendent talent who ruthlessly criticized the establishment.

Photos courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Movie Preview: Gonzo: The Life & Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

BuzzSugar — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 13:30:09 -0700

This new documentary from the Oscar-winning director of Taxi to the Dark Side takes a look at the life and times of Hunter S. Thompson. Johnny Depp, who portrayed Thompson in the 1998 film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas narrates the story which aims to show how Thompson's unconventional lifestyle and worldview led to the invention of gonzo journalism.

The trailer looks insanely fascinating and paints a bigger picture of Thompson's life than the drug-addled boozer he's generally portrayed to be.

From the movie's web site:

The film addresses the major touchstones in Thompson's life - his intense and ill-fated relationship with the Hell's Angels, his near-successful bid for the office of sheriff in Aspen in 1970, the notorious story behind the landmark Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, his deep involvement in Senator George McGovern’s 1972 presidential campaign, and much more.

The movie will open July 4. To watch the preview for yourself, read more.

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Oscar Movie Preview: Taxi to the Dark Side for Best Documentary

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

As part of my coverage of this year's Oscars, I'll be posting the trailers for as many of the Best Documentary and Best Foreign Film nominees as I can find. Since it's often harder to see these films in theaters, it's nice to at least get a taste of them before Oscar night - not to mention that it might help you when you fill out your Oscar ballot.

Documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney made his mark on the film world in 2005 with Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, an Oscar-nominated film about the sordid rise and fall of the energy giant. A couple of years later, Gibney has returned with another film about a different kind of corruption. Taxi to the Dark Side focuses on interrogation, torture, and abuse seemingly condoned by the US government as a part of the war on terror.

As with Enron, where Gibney started with a book about the scandal, this movie has its roots in a New York Times article about an Afghan taxi driver beaten to death while in military custody. That story - and its subsequent coverup - open a window into larger questions of power, abuse, and winning by any means necessary.

The movie is currently playing in a number of theaters around the country. Have any of you checked it out? To watch the trailer, just read more.

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