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Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
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Genre | Special Interests |
Format | Subtitled, Dolby, Closed-captioned, Multiple Formats, NTSC, Widescreen |
Contributor | Johnny Depp, Hunter S. Thompson, Alex Gibney |
Language | English |
Number Of Discs | 1 |
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Product Description
In Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, Director Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side) Creates a Portrait of One of Journalism's Most Controversial and Talented Superstars. Famous in the 1960S for His Wild, Self-Coined "Gonzo" Style of Reporting, Thompson's Most Famous Adventures Include Riding with the Hell's Angels, Chasing the American Dream in Las Vegas, and Covering the Volatile George McGovern Political Campaign. The Fact That Thompson Did Most of His Reporting While Throwing Back Large Quantities of Wild Turkey and Illegal Drugs Led to Some of the Most Bizarre and Imaginative Journalism the Writing World Had Ever Seen. Gibney Pieces Thompson's Life Together Using Archival Footage and Recordings and Interviews with Those Closest to Him, Including His Former Wives and Son, and the Artist Ralph Steadman. Director: Alex Gibney Featured: Gary Hart, George McGovern, Jann Wenner, Jimmy Bu, Audio: Dolby Digital - English Subtitles - Spanish - Optional Additional Release Material: Additional Audio Material - a Fond Farewell (3) Additional Footage - a Final Farewell Audio Commentary - Alex Gibney, Director Deleted Scenes (4) Hightlights - 1. Home Movies / Audio Recordings 2. The Arsenal - Thompson's Fire Arms Inventory Running Time: 120 Minutes.
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 1.78:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- MPAA rating : R (Restricted)
- Product Dimensions : 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.72 ounces
- Item model number : 4314082
- Director : Alex Gibney
- Media Format : Subtitled, Dolby, Closed-captioned, Multiple Formats, NTSC, Widescreen
- Run time : 2 hours
- Release date : November 18, 2008
- Actors : Johnny Depp, Hunter S. Thompson
- Subtitles: : Spanish
- Language : Unqualified
- Studio : Magnolia Home Ent
- ASIN : B001EDFSIQ
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
- Best Sellers Rank: #39,750 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #524 in Documentary (Movies & TV)
- #641 in Special Interests (Movies & TV)
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find this documentary to be a decent and informative film about Hunter S. Thompson, with wonderful flashbacks to the late 60s. They appreciate the visual quality, with one customer noting how well the art is presented, and another highlighting the great blend of footage. Customers value the documentary's historical context, with one mentioning how it brings back memories of the 72 election.
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Customers find the documentary to be decent, with one customer noting it's the best history of Hunter Thompson's life to date, while another appreciates the great blend of footage featuring him.
"...Jann Wenner was interesting too, to see the perspective of Thompson's editor, what it was like to be on the receiving end of a writer's journey...." Read more
"...What an amazing documentary. I have read many of Hunters books including his letters. Such an amazing documentary and writer...." Read more
"...It is well presented, it appears to be honest, and it covers a lot of Hunter's best work, including his Sheriff's campaign in Aspen, his work on the..." Read more
"...Great documentary on life and times of the great gonzo journalist. Brings back great memories for the 72 election, Nixon andWatergate...." Read more
Customers find the documentary worth watching, with one noting it offers a different perspective.
"Awesome!..." Read more
"Very interesting and informative. Sad to lose such a powerful thinker." Read more
"Worth watching for a different perspective on the 60's and a counter-culture writer's life...." Read more
"...Loved the documentary as a whole...." Read more
Customers find the documentary informative, with one review highlighting its use of unseen resources and another noting it serves as an excellent introduction to Hunter S. Thompson's life.
"Very interesting and informative. Sad to lose such a powerful thinker." Read more
"...A great history of the times and an amazing insight into one of the most unique and influential writers of our times...." Read more
"...Other than that you get a pretty good idea about HST, but I insist that you do not watch this movie and run around acting like that was all there..." Read more
"...His death is a tragic loss. This documentary will help future generations to understand the life and times of this great American journalist and..." Read more
Customers appreciate the visual quality of the TV series, with one noting how well the art is presented.
"...I think, Steadman is given quite a bit of screen time and the art is shown quite well, not just in brief flashes...." Read more
"...A great history of the times and an amazing insight into one of the most unique and influential writers of our times...." Read more
"...Loved the documentary as a whole. It is well presented, it appears to be honest, and it covers a lot of Hunter's best work, including his Sheriff's..." Read more
"...but it's also educational, giving the viewer a pretty good snap- shot of the late-60s/early 70s - when HST thrived......" Read more
Customers appreciate Thompson's writing, with one describing him as a great American journalist and writer.
"...and an amazing insight into one of the most unique and influential writers of our times...." Read more
"...Great documentary on life and times of the great gonzo journalist. Brings back great memories for the 72 election, Nixon andWatergate...." Read more
"...generations to understand the life and times of this great American journalist and writer." Read more
"...who wants to see the complete picture of one of the greatest literary talents in history." Read more
Customers appreciate the TV series' historical content, particularly its wonderful flashbacks to the late 60s, and one customer mentions how it brings back memories of the 72 election.
"...A great history of the times and an amazing insight into one of the most unique and influential writers of our times...." Read more
"...the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Wonderful flashbacks to late 60s and 70s, Aspen, Woody Creek, the surreal cartoons Ralph Steadman,in..." Read more
"...It was an amazingly vital and dynamic period of our history, and will probably never again be matched during my life or the life of my children...." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2012Worth watching for a different perspective on the 60's and a counter-culture writer's life. The film mixes documentary clips with the Johnny Depp 'Fear and Loathing' film, which kind of works in a way. I enjoyed seeing Ralph Steadman's story of encountering Thompson, and actually seeing Steadman in the process of creating his art. Artists will like this part I think, Steadman is given quite a bit of screen time and the art is shown quite well, not just in brief flashes. Jann Wenner was interesting too, to see the perspective of Thompson's editor, what it was like to be on the receiving end of a writer's journey. Some great TV clips from the Hell's Angels book era are shown too, like from the 'Whats My Line' show, and seeing an actual Hell's Angel riding his Harley into the TV studio on camera is priceless. The scene of the Chicago convention riots really reminds me of the Occupy police riots, and how if anything, the police and America as a whole are even more fascist now than in the 60's. Anyway, in the end it is kind of a sad testimonial to the dead-end of drugs and alcohol. For all of Thompson's evangelism of peyote, it didn't seem to do him much good spiritually or mentally, or even as a writer, though the vision of Las Vegas as populated by lizard people is not too far off.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2025Have seen this video a few times before I decided to buy it at a fantastic price.
What an amazing documentary. I have read many of Hunters books including his letters. Such an amazing documentary and writer. This video has interviews with presidents, politicians, writers and actors. A great history of the times and an amazing insight into one of the most unique and influential writers of our times. Johnny Depp narrates much of the video with some help from Hunter’s son and wife.
Highly recommended.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2009I actually imported this to the UK and I'm glad I did. The expected postage time was around 3 weeks, but it arrived after about a week's wait.
Loved the documentary as a whole. It is well presented, it appears to be honest, and it covers a lot of Hunter's best work, including his Sheriff's campaign in Aspen, his work on the Hell's Angels, and the obvious Fear and Loathing. I would have liked to see more footage of Hunter himself, but as far as I'm aware, not that much exists. I think it proves HST is much more than just a drug-addled crazy.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2017HST, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Wonderful flashbacks to late 60s and 70s, Aspen, Woody Creek, the surreal cartoons Ralph Steadman,in the Rolling Stone with its original newsprint tabloid format. Great documentary on life and times of the great gonzo journalist. Brings back great memories for the 72 election, Nixon andWatergate.
Complements a re-read of Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 and serves a prep and comfort to current times.
I purchased the video after learning I couldn't find the streaming source.
Go ahead, "Buy the ticket, take the ride."
- Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2010This is a good movie for anyone that is interested in HST, however, for me it seemed that i would rather have seen a few more interviews with Hunter, rather than an interview with someone about Hunter, i relize this movie came post-HST, but there are plenty of interviews with him out there. Other than that you get a pretty good idea about HST, but I insist that you do not watch this movie and run around acting like that was all there was to him, unless you plan to read at least one book by him as you dont really get a good grasp on a lot of the stories that are out there about the doctor and there a lot of them. This is a informational and a good movie for a backround about Hunter, but please, please, please read his works to find out about HST in his own words, theres nothing quite like it, you will see here as it is always said the movie is never as good as a book.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2013I first heard the legend of Dr Thompson as a freshman at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He visited the campus when I was a Sophomore and inspired me with his remarks about the Politics of the time (1979). His death is a tragic loss. This documentary will help future generations to understand the life and times of this great American journalist and writer.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2014Good job, but I would like to see Hunter's relationship with his neighbor Floyd, oh darn, I forget his last name. I realize Hunter's life hand endless facets, but his neighbor Floyd is worth a book by himself. While I'm on the subject, Hunter's neighbor and landlord would need a appearance in a good book about Hunter.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2012If you have not heard of this man, you will be amazed by all of his connections with famous people. The adventures
he had were surrealistic- I feel he was unique, investigating drugs, consuming large amounts of alcohol and no run-ins with police. It is a fascinating movie and there are other movies based on his adventures, with Johnny Depp
whom was also fascinated with Hunter S. Thompson.
Top reviews from other countries
- Gary FuhrmanReviewed in Canada on March 18, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars A balanced view of a careening life
This two-hour documentary is almost as entertaining as Terry Gilliam's film of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but presents a much more rounded portrait of Hunter Thompson, carrying us though all stages of his career as a notoriously fast and loose cannon. His legendary drug consumption, his penchant for gunplay and his radical re-invention of journalism are all on display here, along with his unique brand of political idealism and his outrage at the betrayal of the American Dream during the Nixon years.
Despite the fast pace and lively style of the film, director Gibney has not done it in "gonzo" style, sticking pretty much to the evidence and to chronological order rather than inserting vociferous opinions as Thompson himself often did. In addition to the many interviews with Thompson and others (including such public figures as George McGovern, Gary Hart, Jimmy Carter and Pat Buchanan), the film uses old footage masterfully, sometimes adding a bit of re-enactment (including clips from the Gilliam film) when it's needed to keep the story moving. The result is often hilarious, ultimately tragic, and as consistently engaging as any film biography i've seen. There's a generous slection of extras too, including many anecdotes about Thompson and a gallery of Ralph Steadman's "gonzo" drawings. A good disc to own if you want to dig deeply into the soul of late-20th-century Americana.
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yukkoReviewed in Japan on May 8, 2011
5.0 out of 5 stars これを見てファンになりました!
映画館に観に行って最高にしびれました!手元に置いておきたいと思ったので、即Getし音楽も自分の好みでカッコいいと思うのでよく部屋で流しています★憧れの人を持つのは人生がより楽しくなるからいいですね!Hunter is my HERO!!
- Michelle SReviewed in Canada on December 1, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing writer and a very good biography
I loved Hunter S Thompson. A lot of what he had to say still resonates with me. This little book is like having a highlights book at hand to remember when, where or why he said some of the things he said. His death was a great tragedy, but at least it was on his own terms.
- B. H.Reviewed in Canada on September 23, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars A Much Welcomed Documentary
His writings inspired and influenced a generation. This film deals with not just the legend, but with the man himself. His ups, his downs. It gets quite personal. I, like many, was saddened upon learning of his passing. So, this is a very welcomed trip through the life, and mind, of a gifted observer of the world around us.
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marjorieReviewed in Canada on March 25, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars MALADE
Super intéressant.
Bien fiscelé. Belles images, bonnes tounes.
à voir et revoir et partager. C'est là qu'on comprend tout l'impact de son oeuvre!