In the cult film “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” Johnny Depp drives an iconic red car through the outskirts of the famous metropolis. However, the car was not just any car; it belonged to the eccentric writer of the novel it was based on.
Which film is it about? Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is considered a cult film today. It was released in 1998 and was an adaptation of the novel of the same name. The author behind the book was Hunter S. Thompson, a legendary figure who became known for his extraordinary reports during the hippie era.
He also wrote novels, including the autobiographical book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It tells the story of sports journalist Raoul Duke, who travels to Las Vegas with his lawyer to report on a race.
The problem is: The two men have a suitcase full of drugs with them. And they are not only carrying it around but also consuming it in large quantities.
The story was filmed by Terry Gilliam, who has created some cult films like Brazil, 12 Monkeys, or Time Bandits. With Johnny Depp in the lead role, it seemed that all elements for a cult movie experience were in place. His appearances in other films sometimes cost a lot of money.
The story, the director, and the main actor were thus set. Only the right car was missing, which you can see in this excerpt:
Driving through the desert in a convertible
What was wrong with the car? Johnny Depp and his co-star Benicio del Toro spend a significant portion of the film in a stylish red convertible. They speed over the straight highway in the desert surrounding Las Vegas.
However, the film production first had to find such a car. Surprisingly, the writer of the source material, Hunter S. Thompson, offered his own car. After all, the story of the film was based on his own experiences. So why not drive the real car?
The red Chevrolet was nicknamed “Red Shark” and significantly contributed to the now-iconic images from the film. After filming, Johnny Depp personally drove the car back to its owner’s house. The actor and the writer were good friends, after all.
On MeinMMO, fans of eerie stories can find seven more films with Johnny Depp.
Does the author himself appear in the film? His own experiences, his own car – all that was left was an actual appearance of the writer. This is also present in the film.
In a party scene, Johnny Depp, as Duke, stumbles across the dance floor when he notices a gentleman who is dressed almost identically. This man is Hunter S. Thompson himself. Because Depp’s character is highly intoxicated at this moment, he thinks of him as a hallucination. You can see the scene on YouTube here.
In general, clear parallels can be seen between Depp’s costume and the appearance of the real Hunter S. Thompson.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is thus a film in which the spirit of its creator is palpably present throughout. Have you seen the film? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments. Disney paid Johnny Depp 68 million dollars for a seven-minute appearance.
