who played the attorney in fear and loathing

by Elza Fadel 10 min read

Benicio del Toro
Alongside Duke was his traveling companion and attorney Dr. Gonzo, played by Benicio del Toro. Gonzo kept pace with Raoul's near-constant drug intake, which led him into many risky situations, even going so far as to abandon Duke at one point.
May 22, 2018

Who are the actors in fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?

lawyer Wendy Altman-Cohen ... principal eyewear Ricarda Ankenbrand-Lindes ... office production assistant (as Ricarda Marie Ankenbrand) Herach Arzounian ... medic: second unit Jimmy …

Is fear and Loathing in Las Vegas based on a true story?

May 22, 1998 · Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: Directed by Terry Gilliam. With Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Tobey Maguire, Michael Lee Gogin. An oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychedelic escapades.

What happened to Oscar Acosta from fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Full Cast & Crew. Johnny Depp stars as a writer on assignment who goes on a drug-fueled binge in Las Vegas with his …

Was John Cusack almost in fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?

Jan 15, 2019 · Who was the lawyer in fear and loathing? Oscar Zeta Acosta Oscar Zeta Acosta. The Mexican-American lawyer and activist played a prominent role in Hunter S. Thompson’s 1971 classic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as “Dr. How did …

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Buy the ticket, take the ride. Raoul Duke and his attorney Dr. Gonzo drive a red convertible across the Mojave desert to Las Vegas with a suitcase full of drugs to cover a motorcycle race. As their consumption of drugs increases at an alarming rate, the stoned duo trash their hotel room and fear legal repercussions.

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Who was the lawyer in Fear and Loathing?

Oscar Zeta AcostaBased on a real trip that gonzo (hence the name) journalist Hunter S Thompson took with Oscar Zeta Acosta, a Mexican American lawyer and activist (who mysteriously disappeared), Terry Gilliam's cinematic adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a cult-classic hit.Jan 27, 2021

Is the lawyer in Fear and Loathing real?

Oscar "Zeta" Acosta Fierro (/əˈkɒstə/; April 8, 1935 – disappeared 1974) was a Mexican-American attorney, politician, novelist and activist in the Chicano Movement.

Who was the real Dr. Gonzo?

Oscar AcostaHow 'brown buffalo' Oscar Acosta, best known as Hunter Thompson's Dr. Gonzo, inspired his own TV doc. Detail from a portrait of attorney and author Oscar “Zeta” Acosta, taken in the early '70s for the publication of “The Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo.”Mar 21, 2018

What did Oscar Zeta Acosta do in the Chicano Movement?

A radical, hard-living lawyer and activist, Acosta helped lead the East L.A. school walkouts in 1968, successfully argued or brought attention to the court cases of many defendants associated with Movement actions, and even ran for sheriff of L.A. County in 1970, representing the La Raza Unida party—he lost but did ...Oct 13, 2021

Did Hunter S. Thompson go to jail?

Charged as an accessory to robbery after being in a car with the perpetrator, Thompson was sentenced to 60 days in Kentucky's Jefferson County Jail. He served 31 days and, a week after his release, enlisted in the United States Air Force.

Where is Hunter S. Thompson House?

Owl Farm, Thompson's “fortified compound” in Woody Creek, Colorado, is dark and silent outside.Jul 12, 2019

Is gonzo in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas real?

Gonzo journalism Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was a fictionalised account of two trips Thompson made with his friend Oscar Zeta Acosta from LA to Las Vegas. It was published by Rolling Stone magazine in 1971 under the byline of Raoul Duke, but Thompson's name does appear.Feb 12, 2017

Who was Dr. Gonzo in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?

Dr. Gonzo was the lawyer compatriot of Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He didn't want his real name used partly to do with the copious amounts of drugs and partly because it sounds a bit cooler than Oscar Zeta Acosta - although not by much.Apr 2, 2018

Was Dr. Gonzo real in fear and loathing?

He was a driven, hell-raising attorney who was involved in high-profile civil rights cases in Los Angeles in the late 1960s and early '70s and inspired the character of Dr. Gonzo in Hunter S. Thompson's surreal book “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.”Jun 5, 1998

What kind of doctor was Hunter S Thompson?

For his 1970 article in Rolling Stone, 'The Battle Of Aspen', Hunter co-opted it just because he could. He also referred to himself as a Doctor of Divinity on many occasions. Many of his acquaintances came to call him the good doctor and that stuck as well. Hunter never received his actual doctorate in anything.

What did they take in fear and loathing?

We had two bags of grass, 75 pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a salt shaker half full of cocaine, and a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers … and also a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of Budweiser, a pint of raw ether and two dozen amyls.Nov 11, 1971

Is where the buffalo roam a true story?

Where the Buffalo Roam is a 1980 American semi-biographical comedy film which loosely depicts author Hunter S. Thompson's rise to fame in the 1970s and his relationship with Chicano attorney and activist Oscar "Zeta" Acosta.

Storyline

The big-screen version of Hunter S. Thompson's seminal psychedelic classic about his road trip across Western America as he and his large Samoan lawyer searched desperately for the "American dream"... they were helped in large part by the huge amount of drugs and alcohol kept in their convertible, The Red Shark. — Laurence Mixson

Did you know

In the book, Hunter S. Thompson listens to "Sympathy For The Devil" by The Rolling Stones. The rights to play it in the film were too expensive for the production's budget.

FAQ 3

What are the differences between the theatrical version and the Criterion Collection Director's Cut?

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By what name was Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) officially released in India in English?

When was Fear and Loathing released?

By the time Fear and Loathing was released as a Criterion Collection DVD in 2003, Thompson showed his approval of the Gilliam version by recording a full-length audio commentary for the film and participating in several DVD special features.

What is the movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas about?

It was co-written and directed by Terry Gilliam, and stars Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro as Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, respectively. The film details the duo's journey through Las Vegas as their initial ...

Who played Duke in the movie?

During the initial development to get the film made, Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando were originally considered for the roles of Duke and Gonzo but they both grew too old. Afterward, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi were considered for the duo, but that fell apart when Belushi died. John Malkovich was later considered for the role of Duke, but he grew too old as well. At one point John Cusack was almost cast (Cusack had previously directed the play version of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, with his brother playing Duke). However, after Hunter S. Thompson met with Johnny Depp he became convinced that no one else could play him. When Cox and Davies started writing the screenplay, Depp and del Toro committed to starring in the film.

What is Duke's mission?

They pick up a young hitchhiker and explain their mission: Duke has been assigned by a magazine to cover the Mint 400 motorcycle race in Las Vegas.

Who wrote the script for the movie "Rhino"?

Cox started writing the screenplay with Tod Davies, a UCLA Thompson scholar. During pre-production, Cox and producer Laila Nabulsi had "creative differences" and she forced Rhino to choose between her and Cox. She had an arrangement with Thompson to produce the film and the studio fired Cox and paid him $60,000 in script fees. Thompson's disapproval of the Cox/Davies script treatment is documented in the film Breakfast with Hunter.

Who won the Best Foreign Actor Award in 1998?

Terry Gilliam was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival while Johnny Depp won the Best Foreign Actor award from the Russian Guild of Film Critics in 1998.

Did Cox and Davies get removed from the credits?

When the film approached release, Gilliam learned that the Writers Guild of America (WGA) would not allow Cox and Davies to be removed from the credits even though none of their material was used in the production of the film. According to WGA rules, Gilliam and Grisoni had to prove that they wrote 60% of their script. The director said, "But there have been at least five previous attempts at adapting the book, and they all come from the book. They all use the same scenes." Gilliam remarked in an interview, "The end result was we didn't exist. As a director, I was automatically deemed a 'production executive' by the guild and, by definition, discriminated against. But for Tony to go without any credit would be really unfair." David Kanter, agent for Cox and Davies, argued, "About 60 percent of the decisions they made on what stays in from the book are in the film – as well as their attitude of wide-eyed anarchy." According to the audio commentary by Gilliam on the Criterion Collection DVD, during the period where it appeared that only Cox and Davies would be credited for the screenplay, the film was to begin with a short scene in which it is explained that no matter what is said in the credits, no writers were involved in the making of the film. When this changed in early May 1998 after the WGA revised its decision and gave credit to Gilliam and Grisoni first and Cox and Davies second, the short was not needed. Angered over having to share credit, Gilliam publicly burned his WGA card at a 22 May book signing on Broadway.

Who was Acosta's friend?

Friendship with Hunter S. Thompson. In the summer of 1967, Acosta met author Hunter S. Thompson. In 1971, Thompson wrote an article on Acosta and the injustice in the barrios of East Los Angeles, as well as the death of Salazar, for Rolling Stone magazine, titled " Strange Rumblings in Aztlan ".

Who is Oscar Acosta?

Oscar " Zeta " Acosta Fierro ( / əˈkɒstə /; April 8, 1935 – disappeared 1974) was a Mexican-American attorney, politician, novelist and activist in the Chicano Movement. He was most well known for his novels Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo ...

Where was Oscar Acosta born?

Life and career. Oscar Acosta was born in El Paso, Texas, to Manuel and Juanita ( née Fierro) Acosta, from Mexico and El Paso, respectively. He was the third child born but second to survive childhood. Acosta had an older brother, Roberto, born in 1934. After the family moved to California, the children were raised in the small San Joaquin Valley ...

Where did Acosta work?

In 1967, Acosta began working locally as an antipoverty attorney for the East Oakland Legal Aid Society. In 1968, Acosta moved to East Los Angeles and joined the Chicano Movement as an activist attorney, defending Chicano groups and activists.

Where did Marco Acosta go missing?

In May 1974, Acosta disappeared while traveling in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico. His son, Marco Acosta, believes that he was the last person to talk to his father. Acosta telephoned his son from Mazatlán, telling him that he was "about to board a boat full of white snow." Marco is later quoted in reference to his father's disappearance: "The body was never found, but we surmise that probably, knowing the people he was involved with, he ended up mouthing off, getting into a fight, and getting killed."

Where did Acosta go to college?

Following his discharge, he worked his way through Modesto Junior College. Acosta went on to San Francisco State University where he studied creative writing, becoming the first member of his family to get a college education. He attended night classes at San Francisco Law School and passed the state bar exam in 1966.

Synopsis

Raoul Duke and his attorney Dr. Gonzo drive a red convertible across the Mojave desert to Las Vegas with a suitcase full of drugs to cover a motorcycle race. As their consumption of drugs increases at an alarming rate, the stoned duo trash their hotel room and fear legal repercussions.

Cast

Johnny Depp Benicio del Toro Tobey Maguire Christina Ricci Ellen Barkin Gary Busey Cameron Diaz Mark Harmon Katherine Helmond Michael Jeter Penn Jillette Craig Bierko Lyle Lovett Laraine Newman Harry Dean Stanton Tim Thomerson Flea Christopher Meloni Troy Evans Debbie Reynolds Jenette Goldstein Verne Troyer Gregory Itzin Buck Holland Richard Riehle Mary Gillis Hunter S.

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Overview

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a 1998 American adventure black comedy film adapted from Hunter S. Thompson's 1971 novel of the same name. It was co-written and directed by Terry Gilliam, and stars Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toroas Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo, respectively. The film details the duo's journey through Las Vegas as their initial journalistic intentions devolve into an explora…

Plot

In 1971, Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo speed across the Nevada desert. Duke, under the influence of mescaline, complains of a swarm of giant bats, and inventories their drug stash. They pick up a young hitchhiker and explain their mission: Duke has been assigned by a magazine to cover the Mint 400 motorcycle race in Las Vegas. They bought excessive drugs for the trip, and rented a red Chevrolet Impalaconvertible. The hitchhiker flees on foot at their behavior. Trying to reach Vega…

Cast

• Johnny Depp as Raoul Duke
• Benicio del Toro as Dr. Gonzo
• Tobey Maguire as The Hitchhiker
• Ellen Barkin as The Waitress at North Star Cafe

Production

In January 1976, Texas Monthly announced that Larry McMurtry had signed a contract to write a screenplay for a film adaptation. Martin Scorsese and Oliver Stone each tried to get the film off the ground, but were unsuccessful and moved on.
Rhino Films began work on a film version as early as 1992. Head of Production and the film's producer Stephen Nemeth originally wanted Lee Tamahorito direct, but he wasn't available until …

Release

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas underwent preview test screenings– a process that Gilliam does not enjoy. "I always get very tense in those (test screenings), because I'm ready to fight. I know the pressure from the studio is, 'somebody didn't like that, change it!'" The filmmaker said that it was important to him that Thompson like the film and recalls the writer's reaction at a screening, "Hunter watched it for the first time at the premiere and he was making all this fucking noise! Ap…

Reception

The film opened in wide release on 22 May 1998 and grossed $3.3 million in 1,126 theaters on its first weekend. The film went on to gross $10.6 million, well below its budget of $18.5 million. However, the movie reignited interest in Thompson's novel. Vintage Press reported an initial reprint of 100,000 copies to tie in with the film's release, but demand was higher than expected and forced the novel to go back to print a further five times.

See also

• Gonzo journalism
• The Rum Diary
• Where the Buffalo Roam
• List of films featuring hallucinogens

External links

• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas at IMDb
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas at AllMovie
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas at Box Office Mojo
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas at Rotten Tomatoes

Overview

Oscar "Zeta" Acosta Fierro was a Mexican-American attorney, politician, novelist and activist in the Chicano Movement. He was most well known for his novels Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo (1972) and The Revolt of the Cockroach People (1973), and for his friendship with American author Hunter S. Thompson. Thompson characterized him as a heavyweight Samoanattorney, Dr. Gonzo, in …

Motion pictures

The film Where the Buffalo Roam (1980) loosely depicts Acosta's life and his relationship with Thompson. Its name is derived from Thompson's article about Acosta, "The Banshee Screams for Buffalo Meat," in reference to Acosta's book Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo. Actor Peter Boyle portrayed Acosta, whose character is named "Carl Lazlo, Esquire" and Bill Murray portrayed Thompson.

Life and career

Oscar Acosta was born in El Paso, Texas, to Manuel and Juanita (née Fierro) Acosta, from Mexico and El Paso, respectively. He was the third child born but second to survive childhood. Acosta had an older brother, Roberto, born in 1934. After the family moved to California, the children were raised in the small San Joaquin Valley rural community of Riverbank, near Modesto. Acosta's father was drafted during World War II.

Friendship with Hunter S. Thompson

In the summer of 1967, Acosta met author Hunter S. Thompson. In 1971, Thompson wrote an article on Acosta and the injustice in the barrios of East Los Angeles, as well as the death of Salazar, for Rolling Stone magazine, titled "Strange Rumblings in Aztlan". While working on the article, Thompson and Acosta decided that a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, was in order, so that they could freely discuss the subject matter of the article away from any police supervision. Thomps…

Disappearance

In May 1974, Acosta disappeared while traveling in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico. His son, Marco Acosta, believes that he was the last person to talk to his father. Acosta telephoned his son from Mazatlán, telling him that he was "about to board a boat full of white snow." Marco is later quoted in reference to his father's disappearance: "The body was never found, but we surmise that probably, knowing the people he was involved with, he ended up mouthing off, getting into a figh…

Quotes about Acosta

Oscar was not into serious street-fighting, but he was hell on wheels in a bar brawl. Any combination of a 250 lb Mexican and LSD-25 is a potentially terminal menace for anything it can reach – but when the alleged Mexican is in fact a profoundly angry Chicano lawyer with no fear at all of anything that walks on less than three legs and a de facto suicidal conviction that he will die at the age of 33 – just like Jesus Christ – you have a serious piece of work on your hands. Espec…

See also

• American literature in Spanish
• Latino literature
• List of people who disappeared

Further reading

• Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo (1972), ISBN 0-679-72213-0 (Random House)
• The Revolt of the Cockroach People (1973), ISBN 0-679-72212-2 (Knopf)
• Oscar "Zeta" Acosta: the uncollected works. Ilan Stavans, editor. (1996) (Arte Público Press)