Product Description

Gonzo journalist hunter s. Thompson covers nixon and the 1972 super bowl with his manic lawyer lazlo. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 08/01/2006 Starring: Bill Murray Bruno Kirby Run time: 98 minutes Rating: R Director: Art Linson

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15868 in DVD
• Brand: Universal Studios
• Released on: 2005-02-01
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 96 minutes

Amazon.com
Bill Murray is in his early-career, shambling glory as Hunter S. Thompson, the gonzo journalist with a fondness for Wild Turkey and firearms. While Murray does not do as exact an impersonation of Thompson as Johnny Depp (in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), he does capture Thompson's dazed, anarchic nature. Unfortunately, the movie around him is just anarchic: a series of episodes (true or invented) from Dr. Thompson's career, circa 1968-72. The haphazard structure is probably meant to suggest the spirit of the counterculture or something, but it's just flabby storytelling. Thanks to Murray's blissful delivery, there are scenes that have a stoned giddiness to them: Thompson and his attorney (Peter Boyle) terrifying an unsuspecting hitchhiker, or Thompson alone in a men's room with Richard Nixon. Neil Young contributes some music, and Murray warbles "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" while drunkenly piloting a plane. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

WARNING! Do not buy the DVD, Buy the VHS (it's on Amazon)
WARNING! Do not buy the DVD, Buy the VHS (it's on Amazon)

I am a huge Bill Murray fan and have seen this movie at least 50 times. I obviously like it and I rank it near Murray's top behind Ghostbusters, Shack, Stripes and Ground Hog Day. However, one of the the great aspects of the movie is its amazing soundtrack: Jimi Hendrix's ax grinding staccato of Purple Haze as Thompson boards the Zoo press plane, Bob Dylan's Highway 61 on the road, Neil Young and more...

For some reaosn or another, the producers of the DVD cheaped out and put some candy-licking 80s mall music in its place because they did not want to pay for the rights to these phenomenol tracks.

STOP! If you have an ounce of respect for classic Bill Murray, do not buy the DVD. Furthermore, do not watch this decoy cotton candy Debbie Gibson meets Mr. Rogers DVD and walk around saying the movie sucks. You may only say that if you saw the original version. It's available on Amazon.

-The Doomed (obscure movie reference)

(don't buy it unless the cover has a typewriter on the front)

Here are the original tracks...
BUFFALO STOMP/Neil Young
ODE TO WILD BILL #1/Neil Young
ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER/Jimi Hendrix
ODE TO WILD BILL #2/Neil Young
PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE/The Temptations
HOME, HOME ON THE RANGE/Neil Young
HIGHWAY 61/Bob Dylan
I CAN'T HELP MYSELF/ Four Tops
ODE TO WILD BILL #3 WITH DIALOGUE/Neil Young
KEEP ON CHOOGLIN'/Creedence Clearwater Revival
ODE TO WILD BILL #4/Neil Young
PURPLE HAZE/Jimi Hendrix
BUFFALO STOMP REFRAIN/Neil Young

I Just Finished Watching The Newer DVD 02/01/05
Just a 'heads-up" for all the fans of the original soundtrack. This new DVD edition released today by Universal, has the same soundtrack as the Anchor Bay DVD release. This is really a pity and just goes to show you what a studio will do to make a quick buck. This year is the 25th anniversary of this movie and I would think that Universal would want to do this right, but this is not the case. Loud boo's and hisses for Universal Pictures!

I agree. DO NOT Buy the Anchor Bay release of this film!
Anchor Bay bought the rights to this film and for some reason only included a couple of the original songs. And they still advertise on the package that there is music from Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. This music was taken out! Curse their flagrant lies! The music they added is some horrible studio band. The original music is a key part to this film. Why would any respectable video release company change an origianl film, and on top of it boast an advertisement for something that is not there? Find an original version of this film and
BOYCOTT ANCHOR BAY!