Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 1, 2023

It's been said before, quite possibly even by me in a previous review, but Terry Gilliam seems to live by the motto "nothing succeeds like excess". The erstwhile animator for and participant in Monty Python's Flying Circus has one of the most fascinating filmographies in contemporary cinema, and for anyone not already acquainted with Gilliam's visionary tendencies as well as what might be charitably called a lack of discipline might do well to take a very deep breath and dive headlong into Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, a film that has had a somewhat controversial history but which still provides a dazzling, drug fueled cornucopia of weird images and both bizarre and hilarious story elements.

Years ago in a previous life a I managed so-called temporary service, and let's just say I had a very colorful array of folks apply to be temporaries. Among them was an individual who signed in as Roman A. Clef, and that immediately caught my literary attention, since in its original French formulation roman à clef refers to a book that has a core based in real life but which has been overlain with fictionalized elements. And that's exactly what Hunter S. Thompson's original source tome provided, albeit in the style that would become known as "gonzo journalism". How could something so weird and personal ever be translated into film form? Probably no one other than Terry Gilliam (or just perhaps someone like David Cronenberg) could have ever even come close.

In this freewheeling, anarchic version, the "stand in" for Hunter S. Thompson is Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp, perfectly cast), who is a journalist ostensibly on a road trip to Las Vegas with his buddy Dr. Gonzo (Benicio del Toro) to cover an off road motorcycle race. Suffice it to say that any "normal" journalistic pursuits soon face an epic of drug taking and other outrageous behaviors, many of which resulted in some fairly serious approbation from those old school nineties' audiences not quite accustomed to either Thompson's or Gilliam's "take no prisoners" approach. The result is frankly kind of like being on drugs (or so I've heard), with an absolutely hallucinatory ambience that makes any "narrative" aspects actually kind of irrelevant after a while.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas kind of hilariously was an early release on HD-DVD, and then on Blu-ray by its home studio Universal. Those wanting more information on the completely, well, gonzo plot are encouraged to read Ken Brown's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Blu-ray review of that version. Ken's review also provides an opportunity to compare screenshots and assess the slate of supplements (as usual, Arrow is the easy winner in that category). I may be a bit more immune to some of Gilliam's more hyperbolic tendencies than Ken is, based on some of his reactions, even if our overall scores match.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from Arrow's previous standalone 1080 release, which offered a 4K scan of the negative. Per Arrow's James White, Arrow returned to the veritable drawing board and/or scanner for the 4K release, with a new 4K scan for this release. One way or the other, this 4K UHD release does not offer a 1080 disc. For that reason, the 2K score above has been left blank.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Arrow Video with an HVEC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.35:1. Arrow's insert booklet contains the following information on the restoration:

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas has been exclusively restored by Turbine in partnership with Arrow Films and is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio with 5.1 and stereo sound.

The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 4K resolution at Company 3, Burbank. The film was restored in 4K resolution and colour graded in HDR/Dolby Vision by LSP Medien, Uelzen. The SDR grade from Arrow's prior Blu-ray restoration served as the primary grading reference, which was supervised and approved by Director Terry Gilliam.

The 5.1 mix was remastered by NBC Universal.

Arrow's 1080 release provided some noticeable improvements over the old Universal Blu-ray, and that trajectory continues with this really appealing 4K UHD version. Gilliam's films could be described as being made for this format in general, what with their tendencies toward outrageous images and palettes almost drenched in vivid colors, and that is probably particularly true for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Gilliam's repeated use of bizarre wide angle lenses, which intentionally distort the image in various hallucinogenic ways, also provide some extreme close-ups at times that offer superb fine detail levels, but even in relatively "normal" framings, overall detail levels remain surprisingly consistent despite what might be called the psychedelic haze overrunning so much of the imagery. Gilliam is on record as stating some of his special effects may not have been completely organic looking, and I think an argument could be made that the 4K UHD version's increased resolution may point up a bit of the artificiality in selected moments like the casino carpet coming to life under the influence of LSD (speaking of which, I think the colour grading company in Uelzen might have wisely reconsidered the last letter of its name for this particular project). But it's the palette that probably enjoys the most gobsmacking effects in this version. Kind of interestingly, while Dolby Vision and/or HDR do add considerable warmth to several sequences, it's more in some subtle tweaks to hues that this version attains its most distinctive flavor. In that regard, some of the interior oranges for example are somewhat more skewed toward red in this version, if only slightly. Other actual primaries are just incredibly vivid and well suffused, as if the viewer were, well, on drugs. Grain can be a bit "insect like" at times, which is probably unintentionally hilarious given Raoul's tendency to hallucinate various beasties at times. On the whole, though, I found grain resolution to be tight and organic looking. There are still a few very minor blemishes that still accrue despite the restoration efforts (keep your eyes peeled toward the left of the frame in some of the opening moments with Depp and del Toro in the car), but nothing of any import in my estimation.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas offers DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 options. Ken was appreciative if not overly enthusiastic about Universal's own release, and while I concur that even in this version the rear channels are kind of sporadically engaged, they are clearly in the mix at times (go stand next to them when the "bats" are afflicting Duke in the early going), and, as Ken noted with regard to the Universal release, there's clear panning and directionality at various junctures, especially once the drugs start kicking in, so to speak. There's an obviously hallucinogenic quality to the sound design that is probably only (chemically?) enhanced by the fact that (again as Ken noted in his review) there seems to have been pretty abundant ADR in post, so that there's almost an "Italian" dissociative quality to some of the dialogue. Fidelity is problem free, and a lot of the music in particular is really robust sounding. Dialogue (including Duke's voiceover) is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Terry Gilliam is moderated by Phil Stubbs.


• Savage: Finding the American Nightmare (HD; 11:47) features Ian Christie discussing both Gilliam and the film.


• The Gonzo Papers (HD; 19:50) is an interview with producer Laila Nabulsi, who talks about the challenges of adapting the book for a screen version.
• Grim Memories and Bad Flashbacks (HD; 12:10) is a reminiscence with Benicio del Toro.


• Ignore this Terrible Drug: Art and Style (HD; 30:28) is a nicely produced retrospective featuring a number of participants in the production, including cinematographer Nicola Pecorini, production designer Alex McDowell, costume designer Julie Weiss and editor Lesley Walker.


• Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film (HD; 1:17:31) is an archival documentary from 2006 that has a glut of interviews, including some really weird moments with Gary Busey.


• Hunter Goes to Hollywood (HD; 10:39) documents Thompson's cameo in the film.


• Deleted Scenes (HD; 11:48) can be played separately or together, and with or without an optional commentary track.


• Electronic Press Kit offers several archival promotional pieces:

  Spotlight on Location (HD; 10:35)

  
  

  Behind the Scenes (HD; 4:26)

  
  

  Interview with Terry Gilliam (HD; 2:42)

  
  

  Interview with Johnny Depp (HD; 4:58)

  
  

  Interview with Benicio del Toro (HD; 00:33)

• Theatrical Trailers

  Trailer 1 (HD; 2:15)

  
  

  Trailer 2 (HD; 1:41)

• TV Spots (HD; 3:53) offers seven short promotional pieces which can either be played separately or in aggregate.


• Image Galleries (HD)

  Storyboards by Terry Gilliam

  Opening Sequences

  
  

  The Mint Hotel

  
  

  Baker

  
  

  The Flamingo Hotel / DA Convention

  
  

  Adrenochrome

  
  

  Duke Drives Gonzo to the Airport

  
  

  Final Sequence

  Production Designs

  
  

  Production Stills

  
  

  Publicity Gallery

Additionally the keepcase insert is reversible, and Arrow provides its typically nicely appointed insert booklet. Packaging features a slipcover.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I am an unabashed fan of Terry Gilliam's often patently bizarre films, even if I am also simultaneously aware of how "unkempt" they can be at times. I have to say on at least one level there has probably never been a more perfect marriage between source writer and cinematic adapter than Hunter S. Thompson and Terry Gilliam, but that means that those unacquainted with either and/or both may be in for a rather eye and ear popping experience with this film. Technical merits are first rate, and to my eyes this "new, improved" 4K scan offers a more nuanced palette than Arrow's previous perfectly excellent 1080 presentation with the same nicely precise detail levels. Supplements are very enjoyable. Highly recommended.