Goodbye Hunter S. Thompson
My my plate was full when I got the news that Thompson had passed, which was a really, really sad thing. I'm a huge fan of Thompson, and with a couple of drinks in me chances are I'll end up saying lines from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. "We can't stop here! This is bat country!" is a personal favorite.
One of my more prized possessions is the special-edition DVD of Fear & Loathing, which includes a commentary track by Thompson and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a feel of him. Just thinking about the book, and the movie, have caused me to laugh so many times in my life, let alone think, that I can't imagine my frame of reference without them.
That commentary track just makes the DVD, and he goes completely nuts through out all of it. In many places it's barely related to the movie as he goes off on the oddest tangents and stories, but when it is it's even funnier to hear him rant like a drunken ape. Everything from getting it made and where he's thrilled about how things turned out, where he's not, and where seeing something seems to trigger a flashback and you're in for a really weird story.
IIRC, it includes Johnny Dep talking about how he went to visit Thompson, who took him out back beside the house, gave him a hand gun, and they got to work shooting vials of nitro for a big boom. There are plenty of nutballs in the world, and original thinkers (assuming there is a difference) but few who could express it in ways normal people could take in, even if they had to sorta turn their head and squint a little to make it out.
Just make sure you get that DVD, just for the commentary track, and make sure you have some alcohol in you while you watch it. I'm sure there are other things you need to pick up while you're out, like say milk and bread and cigaretes, so you have no excuse... I'd also recommend you not watch that commentary track alone, and have someone with you to keep you grounded. Stepping into Thompson's world without an anchor just isn't a good idea...
Posted by drunkenbatmanFebruary 28, 2005, at 02:53 PM
Comments (8)
Posted by: Oliver at February 28, 2005 03:47 PM
I've got the book and the regular DVD (sans commentary), but if you say the special edition is that good i'll buy that too.
With Fear and Loathing joining The Big Lebowski as one of my most favourite films it seems our taste in movies is pretty similar drunken one... if you say you loved Lost in Translation too then the similarity will be uncanny!
Posted by: internuggler at March 1, 2005 03:35 AM
we'll never get out of this place alive. impossible to walk in this muck, no footing at all...
TELL ME ABOUT THE *$@%ING GOLF SHOES!
Posted by: Alex Metzger at March 2, 2005 06:44 PM
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone - but they've always worked for me."
Posted by: at March 22, 2005 05:52 PM
When the going gets weird the weird turn pro!
With the passing of the good doctor, we have witnessed the death of fun. Hopefully he is zapping Nixon with a cattleprod and chasing angels or devils away with some sort of Mace or firearm. GONZO FOREVER
Posted by: Ian Flux at August 27, 2005 04:56 PM
Having Hunter pass away was a huge blow to my crew and my family. I never was fortunate enough to meet him but I like to think that if we did we'd have hit it off. There was nobody and there never will be anybody like him again. His words were my sanctuary, my vacation from my own brain, my total and utter inspiration. I hope as the years pass I can become half the man he was. If you have any interest go ahead and e-mail me, because through his work I've developed a sort of torch-carrying gonzo style of writing based around a life that's at least been half as crazy as his thus far. He was more than a pioneer. He was a legend. Losing him was as bad as losing Cash, Dean Martin, George S. Patton...all the greatest Americans who did things their way. Damnit Hunter, now I gotta go blow a couple hundred bucks on a tattoo to commemorate you! Pigfucker!
In my more morose times I think my old man (Vietnam vet - R.I.P.) is in some other dimension drinking some obscure top-shelf alcohol and shooting cardboard stand-ups of George W. Bush with a machine gun.
BEWARE THE FLAGGOTS! GONZO WILL NEVER DIE!
Posted by: Steve Sharkey at October 26, 2005 10:57 AM
I have sort of come to Hunter late, but boy am I glad I did. Unfortunately he was dead by the time I picked up one of his books. That guy could write. His words were so crisp and once you start reading him you just cant stop. I have become obsessed and have purchased every book he wrote and even a couple of biographies. I am slowly working through them. As for the good doctor I bet he his having fun wherever he is. I dont think he will rest in peace thats for sure.
Posted by: ginny at February 20, 2006 08:49 AM
I think I have all of Hunters school records from Male High School, Would like to be able to contact his wife to see if she'd like to have them but really know nothing about him or his wife.
Yeah, my favorite part is when he recommends that all young people should read the book of Revelations. Also, what is that awful noise he periodically makes?