Writer Hunter S. Thompson, who died in 2005, was credited with something called gonzo journalism. A gonzo journalist inserts himself into the story and speaks from the first person narrative. Thompson’s writings, whether from his short stories or his novels, have been adapted into movies with varying degrees of success.
This weekend one of Thompson’s novels, “The Rum Diary,” finally makes it to the screen after some time in production. Probably only getting a wide release based on Johnny Depp’s box office clout, Jeff and I took it in on Monday night. Our reviews will be available on Friday along with the new episode of The Film Fix.
In this installment of The Streaming Wars, I suggest a couple of films based on Thompson’s work.
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Where The Buffalo Roam (1980): Bill Murray stars as Hunter S. Thompson along side his devoted lawyer Lazlo (played by the late Peter Boyle). The film is loosely based on Hunter’s own experiences in trying to cover both the Super Bowl and the 1972 Presidential Election while ingesting way too many drugs and alcohol. The source material is Thompson’s short stories “The Banshee Screams for Buffalo Meat” and “Strange Rumblings in Aztlan.”
1. Netflix: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Where_the_Buffalo_Roam/1117032?trkid=2361637
2. Amazon: $2.99 Rent/$9.99 Buy – http://www.amazon.com/Where-the-Buffalo-Roam/dp/B000ID378Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319483600&sr=8-2
3. Blockbuster: $2.99 Rent/$9.99 Buy – http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movieDetails/38282
4. CinemaNow: $2.99 Rent – http://www.cinemanow.com/Rent/Movies/10471,0,5,,1,4,0/1000,0,5,,1,4,358639/Where-The-Buffalo-Roam.htm
5. YouTube: N/A
6. iTunes: $2.99 Rent/$9.99 Buy
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998): A largely niche audience favorite from director Terry Gilliam starring Johnny Depp as a Hunteresque journalist accompanied by his nutty lawyer Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro). The movie has taken on cult status and is held in high regard mainly by young people who may have engaged in recreational use of pharmaceuticals. Depp has infused much of his work since with elements of his characterization of Duke in “Vegas.” Certainly, his Rango portrayal in the animated hit film of the same name was an outgrowth of the Duke persona.
1. Netflix: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Fear_and_Loathing_in_Las_Vegas/11819434?trkid=2361637
2. Amazon: Free for Prime Members/$2.99 Rent/$9.99 Buy – http://www.amazon.com/Fear-Loathing-Las-Vegas/dp/B000ID1J0E/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1319483893&sr=1-1
3. Blockbuster: $2.99 Rent/$9.99 Buy – http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movieDetails/118578
4. CinemaNow: $2.99 Rent – http://www.cinemanow.com/Rent/Movies/10471,0,5,,1,4,0/1000,0,5,,1,4,9614/Fear-and-Loathing-in-Las-Vegas.htm
5. YouTube: $2.99 Rent – http://www.youtube.com/movie?v=K4UfyLRbIyc&feature=mv_sr
6. iTunes: $2.99 Rent SD/$3.99 Rent HD/$9.99 Buy SD/$14.99 Buy HD
Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008): Solid documentary tribute from Oscar winning director Alex Gibney. The screenplay is by Gibney but based on the writings of Thompson.
1. Netflix: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Gonzo_The_Life_and_Work_of_Dr._Hunter_S._Thompson/70084132?trkid=2361637
2. Amazon: Free for Prime/$2.99 Rent/$9.99 Buy – http://www.amazon.com/Gonzo/dp/B001MY8KSW/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1319484117&sr=1-1
3. Blockbuster: $4.99 DVD-By-Mail – http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movieDetails/271971
4. CinemaNow: N/A
5. YouTube: N/A
6. iTunes: $3.99 Rent/$14.99 Buy
