Watch the trailer for Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson right here on Fancast.
Hunter Stockton Thompson is quite a mythical figure in the eyes of many. Most know him by his reputation as the insane gonzo journalist who absorbed insane amounts of illicit substances and ranted about the powers that be. You know, the one Johnny Depp played in the movie, and as anyone knows, skipping the reading and waiting for the movie is all anyone needs to know to get the gist, right?
Not exactly. This new documentary from Alex Gibney focuses more on Thompson's earlier work - specifically his time spent with the Hell's Angels and his groundbreaking campaign to become the sheriff of Pitkin County, Colorado as a pro-drug and pro-freak candidate. In fact, the public image of Thompson's fame is treated as more of a curse than a blessing, asserting that the man was trapped by that whole gonzo era and became a prisoner to it, thus whittling away his future relevance.
It's an interesting and enlightening work about an uncompromising and crazy brilliant writer that tends to be over-celebrated and under-read, and anyone only tangentially familiar with the man should really check this film out.
Watch a clip of Hunter Thompson campaigning to become the sheriff of Pitkin County.
See Johnny Depp as Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas.
