Review of Where the Buffalo Roam (1980) by Stuart K — 17 Jan 2012
Before Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) and The Rum Diary (2011), producer/director Art Linson had a go at a film based on events in the life of Hunter S. Thompson. Taken partially from Thompson's books Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 and The Great Shark Hunt.
The film is very funny and weird, and boasts a spirited, inspired take on Thompson. It begins with Hunter S. Thompson (Bill Murray) trying to write an obituary on his friend Carl Lazlo, Esq. (Peter Boyle).
It first flashes back to 1968 in San Francisco, where Lazlo breaks an absolutely plastered Thompson from a hospital, to write an articles on youngsters getting particularly harsh sentences for possession of marijuana.
The film jumps forwards 4 years to Thompson covering Super Bowl VI in Los Angeles, where he recreates the game in his hotel suite, and ends up with Lazlo smuggling weapons to freedom fighters, and later that year, causes trouble on the press plane while covering the 1972 presidential election campaign, from getting press members high on drugs to encountering Nixon.
It's all over the place, and while Depp's two takes on Thompson work better, Bill Murray gets the good Doctor's mannerisms and ticks down perfectly, shame it didn't do well, and Murray should have continued with more films like this.
This review of Where the Buffalo Roam (1980) was written by Stuart K on 17 Jan 2012.
Where the Buffalo Roam has generally received positive reviews.
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