It’s the 20th Anniversary of Fear and Loathing and Gilliam’s Work is as influential as Ever

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was released on May 22nd 1998, making it twenty years old this month. Despite being a box office failure at the time of release, Terry Gilliam’s adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s novel of the same name soon became a cult classic. Much like the other eleven films directed by Gilliam, Fear and Loathing has stood the test of time, and themes from the film still remain highly influential today. In fact, a number of top auteurs have confessed that the former Monty Python member has been a major inspiration to their work.

Why was Fear and Loathing such a Cult Hit?

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (2/10) Movie CLIP – The American Dream in Action (1998)

When Fear and Loathing was initially released, Gilliam had already made a name for himself as an inventive and visionary filmmaker. His 1985 dystopian science fiction film Brazil was voted the 54th Greatest British Film of all Time, and the 1995 neo-noir time travelling adventure Twelve Monkeys was a box office success which earned $168 million worldwide. Despite these triumphs, Fear and Loathing was a commercial flop which only brought in $10.6 million, $8 million short of its production budget. The critical response was grim as well, with Roger Ebert writing that it was a “horrible mess of a movie.”

Gilliam had previously said that he wanted the film to divide opinion. He said, “I want it to be seen as one of the greatest movies of all time, and one of the most hated movies of all time.” It seems that the creator achieved this aim, as after the DVD release it began to gain cult status. One of the reasons for this rise to prominence could be the stream-of-altered-consciousness style, with stream-of-consciousness being a popular cinematic trope – even more so around the late ’90s/early ’00s – and included films such as Waking Life and Charlie Kaufman’s Adaptation. Yet another could be audience preference for Las Vegas. According to Betway casino site, filmmakers are drawn to the city because of its glamorous nature. The entertainment capital of the world was used as the backdrop of the hugely successful The Hangover franchise, as well as Oscar-winning movies Rain Man and Leaving Las Vegas. Another reason for Fear and Loathing’s growth in popularity could be because of Johnny Depp. The American actor achieved worldwide fame soon after the release of Gilliam’s film thanks to his turn as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in 2003. Fear and Loathing was re-screened at numerous cinemas and festivals, and some critics began to appreciate the film for its escapism and originality.

Which Directors have Been Inspired by Gilliam?

Quentin Tarantino on Terry Gilliam as Sundance Institute Mentor // SiriusXM // Stars

There are a number of legendary directors who attribute some of their success to the inspiration they got from Gilliam. Quentin Tarantino is easily one of the most recognised directors on the planet, and the Reservoir Dogs creator said that working with the Monty Python man helped him make the final step into his career as a director. This proved to be important, as Tarantino has since gone on to release masterpieces such as Pulp Fiction in 1994 and Inglourious Basterds in 2009. Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson recently credited Gilliam as one of his primary influences. He stated how Brazil helped him realise that “intimacy could be achieved through bigness.” Seeing as how Johnson went on to mastermind the latest Star Wars adventure which is now the tenth-highest-grossing film of all time, Gilliam’s impact has clearly been effective. Gilliam’s latest project, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, is due to be released this year almost twenty years since its inception. The movie was due to follow Fear and Loathing, but between now and then there have been eight failed attempts to make the picture. Initially, Depp was due to collaborate with Gilliam for a second time and star as Toby Grisoni. Now, that role is being played by Kylo Ren actor Adam Driver.

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote will bring Gilliam back into the spotlight, but many in the film industry will attest to the fact that the visionary director’s influence is always around. Now, how about a binge of some of his best offerings before the new feature comes out? Starting with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, of course.

References & Sources:

• rogerebert.com – Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
• betway.com – Casino in Popular Culture
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  gizmodo.com – Terry Gilliam’s Work Is Way More Influential Than You Probably Realized