Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Analysis: An American Meditation

[@WeirdMachinations]

Retroactively given a B+ grade

[@pegcity4eva]

High as balls on shrooms watching it. I felt like i was in the movie

[@rocksparadox]

It's a reptile zoo!

[@homebreaux]

Lol it was dxm for me. Absolutely bonkers.

[@adamproductions4529]

4 tabs deep for me

[@jacobhawkinsmusic]

I was on acid watching it for the 4th time. The first 3 times had been sober. I had loved this movie prior to watching it and knew what to expect, yet I still felt this way! Great way to describe it. I've tried for years to explain it, but I could never. The movie felt like it was happening in real time and I definitely saw a couple things I hadn't noticed sober.

[@cagada245]

Lmao when they driving through the desert my couch turned into the car and I could feel the wind through my hair, this movie with psychedelics is the only way to watch

[@StayPhased]

Doing an edit on this movie, and this is more than enough research than I could have asked for. Great job, 10/10. The first time I watched it, I was on acid and had a panic attack halfway through. Watching it back sober, it's a timeless classic. Arguably one of Depp's best performances.

[@jimtroeltsch5998]

Its also one of the most loyal and literal translations from book to film, for what that's worth. It's almost literally page for page from the book. I like when movies take inspirations and use creative license when making a film from a book, but it's also cool to see a book be so loyally translated into film and still work well. The book is unique and so maybe why it works so well as a film, though also the characters and the actors who portray them (Depp and Del Toro) carry much of the film through all its hallucinatory insanity and introspection. It's like one long "introspective nightmare" as Raoul Duke says of the Adrenacrhome.

[@theDiReW0lf]

It’s so word for word that I stopped reading the book after 20 pages or so. What annoys me the most is 90% of ppl who love this movie/book are either teens who just smoked weed for first time, squares who quote “lol this is bat country,” and basically just being labeled as a “stoner movie.” If the beats had On the Road, the hippies had Fear and Loathing (which dialed that to 11), wtf is our On the Road? And I think that was the point. Those days are gone and Hunter knew it when he wrote it. Fast forward 50 years and here we are in stale, clean, digital world with 156,000 security cameras on every corner, ai facial recognition, no alcohol served after halftime of NFL games, self driving cars, literally every facet of your life controlled by your phone. I think Fear and Loathing will continue to be more and more relevant every year as we get closer to full blown Blade Runner. 🤡

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

@@theDiReW0lf Blade Runner? 5th Element.

[@prod.j4ck313]

I was captivated by this movie when I first watched it last year--I found the drug scenes really funny and I enjoyed the fluidity/absurdity of the plot, but I couldn't figure out why it resonated with me so deeply. You provided an explanation for why I reacted to this film in that way. I'd like to offer some constructive criticism, but only because you did such an excellent job on this video; I think the structure of your analysis would really benefit from a more granular approach (i.e. picking specific lines of dialogue or scenes that reflect the themes you want to highlight). I think that making those connections would make your argument a lot stronger. You're the artist though, so it's your decision whether or not you take that feedback hahaha. Sorry for the long comment but this was a really great video. Liked and subbed.

[@rneff2249]

This is an insanely good analysis of this movie. keep doing vids man

[@WeirdMachinations]

Thanks I appreciate it. Going to try and hit it hard in 2024

[@deadbeats4894]

Most realistic psychedelic drug depiction in cinema. I have othing but love for Hunter. What an adventure to "document" Having a suitcase stuffed with copious amounts of every drug I want, traveling the country on someone else's dime is my American dream.

[@theDiReW0lf]

Goddamn right it is.

[@comotuabogada]

Thanks for the video❤ Awesome analysis 🎉

[@WeirdMachinations]

Glad you enjoyed it I have plenty more you can check out if you’re interested

[@quillclock]

damn another underrated. well done! earned yourself a sub for sure. your other content is pretty neat too

[@joshrodriguez4104]

I can say from experience this is exactly what it feels like to be rolling for days without knowing what time or place it is and how much time has passed since you’ve taken the drugs this movie is a perfect example of how it feels to be on an extraordinary amount of psychedelics without losing total grasp of reality things just blend together and it’s hard to know from right and wrong

[@A5A1A5]

i loved this movie but couldn't put my finger exactly on why, this video spoke my mind

[@WeirdMachinations]

I appreciate that, means I did a good analysis. It would mean a lot if you would subscribe and share the channel, thank you!

[@thisnoteislegaltender]

A great video!

[@Schlingelkind]

Was that opening quote mirrored, so we quite literally reflect (on) it? 🙃

[@macfilms9904]

"The Circus Circus is what the whole hep world would be doing Saturday night if the Nazis had won the war."

[@frog7115]

rlly good analysis

[@theDiReW0lf]

Made first comment before watching full vid but yeah. You nailed it. It’s funny because I didn’t think of this movie until after my buddy drove my car to airport en route to rehab (reminded me of final scene) as I blasted lines trying to wake up in passenger seat, realized my phone was lost, then had to drive back from LaGuardia airport with a bathing suit, work boots on, cracked windshield, expired registration, and zero fucking clue how to get home. That was after delaying the flight to rehab 3 times and gaslighting everyone just to party more. Your point about the modern world is the real crux of it. Combo of him just having had a kid and panicking + me fed up to death with the stale, iPhone obsessed world + both hating jobs led to a year of drug fueled chaos that makes this movie look amateur. Because we got away with it, kept our jobs (well… until now lol), and had the time of our lives. IN THIS DAY AND AGE. And now that I’m fired and nothing was accomplished except wiping my bank account and getting into legal trouble… maybe I’ll write my own Fear and Loathing while the memories are still fresh. I regret absolutely nothing and have never had a year of consistently amazing/scary times. And now I’m sober realizing how goddamn bad I want to do it all over again. And how I never will because it truly was a perfect storm. Maybe we did find the american dream after all 🤷

[@jpmtlhead39]

The scene when they Park the car on the hotel lobby and Gonzo get out of the car ( trying to get out) and with those little steps of him starts step by step,all the scene on the Hotel lobby ,its just Hilarious. Makes my stomach ache just for the uncontrolable laughing. To me,the Best scene of this Masterpiece of a movie. Ive seen this movie at least some 30 Times,call me whatever you want,but when i need a good laugh in my life,there he goes into the CD player,again, and all the stress and bad thoughts just disappear at warp speed.

[@morganneher8643]

“Is this not a reasonable place to park?” 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@jpmtlhead39]

@@morganneher8643 for them is so good as any place else,but were the lights and colours who gave them away.

[@UncleVegetable]

I suggest you read more of Thompson’s books.

[@theDiReW0lf]

This was actually the story of my 2023. My boy went to rehab twice, I got 2 dui’s. Still didn’t find the American dream. Maybe this year 😎 “They’re able to skirt past it with their skills as scumbags” Yeah… yeah that sums it up 😂

[@predalien1413]

Eh not really didn’t get that back door pony.

[@CloseUpLover]

Hello I like the video very much, you should do video on The Thin Red Line

[@WeirdMachinations]

I haven’t seen that one, I’ll watch it and see if I can come up with an analysis of it, thanks!

[@CloseUpLover]

@@WeirdMachinations Oh man, what would I give for a chance to see it again for the first time! Enjoy :)

[@Scottygthreethousand]

Is it therefore an advocate for anarchy, as a political ideal?

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

The same quote opened Hell's Angels.

[@WeirdMachinations]

Interesting! I didn’t know that, it must have been a quote Thompson really liked

[@Misserbi]

It is interesting to consider a world that has no greed, selfishness, and competative trickery. If those things were left out what would all lie about?

[@theDiReW0lf]

Then lying would be even more unbelievably overpowered and bang, we’d have a world of greed, selfishness, and trickery in a matter of weeks. I think the best you can do is be a good person, be friendly, give benefit of doubt.. but LEARN their games. Because if you don’t, you’re going to be used as cannon fodder. Society has always been corrupt and full of scum. But the problem today is everyone is glued to their phones literally being taught to ostracize and hate each other. Gee. I wonder why? Couldn’t be that a society of everyone distrusting each other living paycheck to paycheck is GOOD for the government, right? Nahhhh that CAN’T be it. ✌️

[@ironman4122]

Very well done sir👍Thank you! I would love to see your views on other movies of this genre, if that exists.🖤💛🤟✌️

[@aidancrayon1263]

He did a video on Big Labowski if you consider that a similar film👍

[@hux_x299]

this is nice

[@tasteslikepennies2549]

You're totally not wrong about the way it portrays drug use. The first time I saw this movie I was on four hits of acid. When he tried to check in the motel and the carpet started crawling up his leg I lost my shit and ran out of the theater

[@quillclock]

i like your pfp ;D

[@ChrisSuswal-de9tj]

I know everybody treats psychedelics differently but being on them just to go into a claustrophobic movie theatre would already freak me tf out, let alone watching this movie lol

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

​@@ChrisSuswal-de9tjI watched Phantom of The Paradise on acid.

[@micmcbane8726]

First off they are not heroes. They are just people of the time they lived in. If you look at it now you cannot do what they did. You have conformed to the new way. Hunter Thompson was an alright writer. Easy Rider was a better movie, trying to find the American dream. They lost it.