h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think that Terry Gilliam's adaptation of Hunter S Thompson's 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' is the truest adaptaion of a book I have ever seen on the screen. When reading the book I got the feeling of "Gee, aren't these guys just crazy and wild. They sure don't mind doing drugs and bagging out the establishment." But as soon as the film starts and the young hitchiker (tobey maguire) starts getting the rundown on how they got to be there -out in the desert in a red convertible- i realised that these were very dangerous criminal-types. Their antics on the page were hilarious but when given flesh in the shape of benicio del toro and johnny depp (excellent casting) were horrible and depraved: i'm sure it's just the way they wanted it.

I was especially impressed with the way the film followed the narrative of the book almost to the letter with flashbacks inside flashbacks and lurid realisations of the drug hell the characters were plunging themselves into. This was also helped by fast cuts to different hotel rooms in various stages of disarray while the protagonists are dressed in bizzare costumes.

But of course i had read the book a couple of times before the film was released, it is possible that people who hadn't read the book would have become infuriated with the sense of random chaos that permeated the film. And i would suppose the afformentioned high character hatability factor might turn a few punters away, but i recommend this movie heartilly. as i do to all terry gilliam movies.