We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. - Raoul Duke
The Film
The late Hunter S. Thompson appears in Terry Gilliam's (Brazil, The Fisher King) adaptation of his novel, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, for only a brief few seconds (somewhere... Hitchcock is inhaling ether while swatting at demonic crows), but it is a cool moment in a film that left more viewers confused than satisfied. If anyone could appreciate Thompson's words, it was probably Gilliam who made a career dealing with the absurd as one of the founding members of Monty Python, but the director leaves too much relevant content from the novel out for the film to really do the book justice.
Johnny Depp (Raoul Duke) and Benicio Del Toro (Gonzo) behave like they are under the influence of numerous banned substances, and I don't believe for a second that they filmed the entire picture completely sober. Depp (21 Grams, Pirates of the Caribbean) does a really frightening job dealing with all of Duke's hallucinations (just say no kids -- unless you want to end up on a cocktail of Abilify and Zanax) and while its confusing to watch, it's also quite mesmerizing. Del Toro (he's also my attorney) is both hilarious and psychotic; the elevator scene with Cameron Diaz and his outburst in the bathtub are some of his best work.
The film moves along at a blistering pace and when it ends you feel like you need to take a bath; and a glass of warm milk and bedtime story from your mommy. The subject matter certainly isn't for everybody, and viewers who have not read the book will conclude rather incorrectly that it is a film only about drugs (a lot of them and how to fry your brain over a weekend in the city of lost wallets and cell phones).
The imagery is really quite striking and while the film is confusing and incomplete, it packs a rather powerful wallop. Having experienced some rather surreal moments in Las Vegas, I can relate to the film and some of its less refined moments.
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. - Raoul Duke
The Picture
The one good thing about having an ISF-calibrated projector, LCD, and plasma, is that you really see the difference with the contrast and brightness. The Universal transfer looks like the contrast has been pushed way too high; whereas the Criterion transfer looks like the brightness and contrast have been toned down, rather significantly. Blacks are deeper on the Criterion transfer and the level of shadow detail is in a different league altogether.
My favorite parts of the film take place in the desert and I found that the Criterion transfer looks far more natural; the image is more film-like and just pops. The 1080p transfer offered in the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio has a high bit rate and looks quite stellar. There is no question that the new Criterion transfer is a major step up from what came before.
The Sound
One would think that a film like Fear and Loathing would be dream material for a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix; there is a lot going on all over the place and the score by Ray Cooper is simply fantastic. Call me crazy (I did watch this film under the influence -- it was kosher wine so it's not the same), but the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix sounds better to these ears. The dialogue is crisp and bold, the soundstage wide, and the overall presentation just sounds more balanced. Even the bass is quite potent on the 2.0 mix. Either way, the audio mix is vastly superior to the DVD and the first Blu-ray release from Universal.
The Extras
This is one of those rare films where the bonus material may be more interesting than the film itself. Criterion has always followed the "less is more" mantra, so those looking for 20+ hours of bonus material are going to be truly disappointed -- this is not Lord of the Rings that we are talking about, although I think the late Hunter S. Thompson would have had a field day making fun of that series.
Criterion has included just about everything that a true Gonzo fan would need; including a fantastic documentary on the real Oscar Zeta Acosta (Del Toro gets damn close), and a hilarious commentary with Johnny Depp and Del Toro that is far more illuminating than the film.
Terry Gilliam may be many years removed from Monty Python, but he still comes across as a loon; which is a very good thing when trying to make a movie out of Thompson's chaotic novel.
Final Thoughts
Criterion pulled out all of the stops on this transfer, and while the film has some seriously dull sections, it is a fitting legacy to the late Hunter S. Thompson and a major step-up from the DVD and the first Blu-ray transfer from Universal. Devotees of the late-Gonzo should add this to their collection immediately -- before the ether starts to set in.
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