In episode #8 we discuss our second Terry Gilliam movie: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Raoul Duke and his Samoan attorney Dr. Gonzo embark on a drug-filled trip through Las Vegas. Based on the story by Hunter S. Thompson, starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Criterion Collection

Directed by Terry Gilliam (who also directed Brazil which we discussed in episode #4).

Terry Gilliam also directed the movie Twelve Monkeys

Based on the Novel by Hunter S. Thompson which itself began as a two-part series in Rolling Stone magazine

Notable Cast:

Johnny Depp also appeared in:

The Rum Diary (not Rum Punch) - was another movie based on a Hunter S. Thompson novel

Pirates of The Caribbean (where he based his character on Keith Richards)

Mortdecai

Benny and Joon

Benicio Del Toro

Tobey Maguire

Tobey was made up in a similar manner to Chris Elliott (who appeared in There’s Something About Mary and Groundhog Day)

Also starred in The Cider House Rules with Charlize Theron

Cameron Diaz

Christopher Meloni

Gary Busey also appeared in Rookie of The Year

Flea (from the Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Penn Jillette

Verne Troyer

Mark Harmon

Katherine Helmond (appeared in Who’s The Boss and Brazil)

David Brisbin (appeared in Hey Dude on Nickelodeon)

Christina Ricci

Raiders of the Lost Ark was originally rated PG

The Royal Tenenbaums was rated R (which we discussed in episode #6)

Powder (produced by Disney) was rated PG-13

The Journey of Natty Gann was rated PG (even though it featured dog fighting)

The Hangover was another drug-filled Las Vegas based movie

Vegas Vacation also featured some sketchy Las Vegas casinos

Adaptation was another movie based on a writer (Charlie Kaufman)

Music:

White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane

Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again - Bob Dylan

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Hollyridge Strings (Originally by The Beatles)

Viva Las Vegas - The Dead Kennedys

One Toke Over The Line video from the Lawrence Welk Show. (Originally by Brewer & Shipley)

Justified (FX television series) was based on the short story Fire In The Hole by Elmore Leonard

The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas