Johnny Depp narrates, Nixon lurks, and Hunter S. Thompson fires guns at typewriters.
“Gonzo” is a Molotov cocktail tossed into the heart of American media.
Thanks to Jack Picone for putting this on my doc partner Rob Kelly’s radar via the New York Film Academy’s spotlight on Alex Gibney docs. We rank Gonzo #7 in our list of “The Best Alex Gibney Documentaries”.
Trailer for “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson”
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- In 1970, Hunter ran for Sheriff of Aspen, Colorado, on the “Freak Power” ticket. He shaved his head just so he could call his crew-cut opponent “my long-haired opponent.” He almost won.
- He helped destroy Edmund Muskie’s 1972 presidential campaign by floating a fake rumor in Rolling Stone that Muskie was addicted to a Brazilian drug called Ibogaine. Totally made-up. But devastatingly effective.
- Thompson’s legendary drug binges weren’t exaggerated. He wrote under the influence of LSD, mescaline, coke and booze.
Watch “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson”
You can watch “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson” on Prime Video. Or check the latest streaming options on JustWatch.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 88/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 83/100 (Users); 85/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: Alex Gibney directed this 118-minute doc. He’s also the filmmaker behind “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room,” “Going Clear,” “The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley,” and more.
Release Date: July 4, 2008
My Review of “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson”
The Setup
This isn’t just a doc about a journalist—it’s about a man who became the story.
“Gonzo” covers Hunter S. Thompson’s writing from the 1960s through the mid-1970s, including his drug-fueled coverage of the 1972 Nixon campaign and his invention of “gonzo journalism.”
Through home footage, Depp’s narration, and interviews with friends like Tom Wolfe and Ralph Steadman, we get both the man and the myth—often inseparable.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Archival footage of the Hell’s Angels’ trial after Thompson embedded with them to write his breakout book “Hell’s Angels.”
- Ralph Steadman, the British illustrator who gave Thompson’s books their freaky edge, recalls their first acid-fueled meeting.
- Tom Wolfe explains how Thompson took the New Journalism movement and blew it apart by putting himself in the center of every story.
- We see the wreckage of his 1972 coverage of Nixon vs. McGovern—his reporting was hilarious, brutal, and dead-on.
- Coverage of Thompson’s suicide in 2005, and the cannon funeral financed by Johnny Depp to launch his ashes over Aspen, as requested.
Cameos
- Tom Wolfe, author of “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” shares first-hand stories of Hunter’s early rise
- Ralph Steadman, Thompson’s illustrator, whose splatter-ink style came to define the gonzo aesthetic
- George McGovern appears, recalling Hunter’s passionate defense of his doomed 1972 campaign
- Jimmy Carter and Pat Buchanan offer wildly different takes on Thompson’s reporting
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Thompson took up residence at Woody Creek, Colorado, building his fortress-like compound “Owl Farm” where he holed up with guns, drugs, and typewriters.
- He kept a sign above his typewriter that said “Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride”—a phrase that became his life motto.
- He once covered the Kentucky Derby while too high to see the race. He turned in a barely coherent piece that became a cult classic.
- The funeral cannon used to shoot his ashes was built by Zambelli Fireworks, and stood over 150 feet tall.
Wrap Up
“Gonzo” doesn’t just tell Hunter’s story—it lets him narrate his own legend. A must-watch for anyone curious how one drug-fueled madman rewrote the rules of journalism—and dared America to follow.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc