Before seeing Gonzo I wasn’t that proud to be a fan of Hunter S. Thompson.
A bit like Che Guevara, his anti-authoritarian image has a lot of appeal, but he and Che are deeply flawed as role models. Che’s problem was that he was a violent murderer… Whereas Thompson just seemed very, very drug-munched.
I suppose because (I’m guessing like a lot of younger people) my introduction to Thompson was the film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I thought his drug-crazed adventures were his most remarkable point.
After seeing Gonzo I had new-found respect for Thompson.
I knew Thompson ran for Sheriff of Pinkin County, and the brilliant bit where he shaves his hair off so he can refer to the standing sheriff who had a crew-cut as “My long-haired opponent”. But seeing footage of his attempt, it wasn’t a random stunt, it was a stunt Thompson cared deeply about and really wanted to work.
And his involvement in the 1972 Presidential Campaign… Wow. New to me.
Gonzo is full of Thompson’s funny antics, but it’s a fantastic and informative documentary too. Some great music in there as well. Highly recommended.
