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Trailer for "Gonzo"


Jahfin

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From: Hell's Angel The Life and Times of Sonny Bargar and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club

Hunter S. Thompson wrote an article in May 17,1965,issues of The Nation about the Hell's Angles and called it "The Motorcycle Gangs,Losers and Outsiders." I actually like the way it was written,even though some of the facts were exaggerated.After he article received a good reaction,Thompson came back to Oakland and hung around the club's favorite biker bar hangouts until he and I finally met face-to face.He told me he want to ride with the club and me and write a book about us.Since I liked the way he wrote,the Oakland and Frisco chapters let Hunter hang out with the club for a price,two kegs of beer.But as time went by,Hunter turned out to be a real weenie and a stone fucking coward.You read about how he walks around his house now with pistols,shooting them out the windows to impress writers who show up to interview him.He's all show and no go.When he tried to act tough ith us,no matter what happened,Hunter Thompson got scared.I ended up not liking him at all,a tall,skinny typical hillbilly from Kentucky.He was a total fake.

KB (pass) :thumbdown:

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The Angels were just pissed because at that time, the mid-60s, they were finally realizing they could profit tremendously from selling their image to the press and pop culture. Thompson had another plan, he wanted to show the world this was where society was heading, a bunch of lawless drug fueled barbarians on metal steeds out to live what so many proclaimed as reckless evil, but in fact was the true essence of the elusive "American Dream."

Edited to Add: I'm interested in seeing this picture solely because the director isn't a fan of Thompson's work. He actually thinks he's quite overrated. As Tom Wolfe famously said in one interview, he was the Mark Twain of the 20th Century. No one had the slick humor circulating in a piece like Hunter. Case point: The Kentucky Derby, 1970..his best work.

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The Angels were just pissed because at that time, the mid-60s, they were finally realizing they could profit tremendously from selling their image to the press and pop culture. Thompson had another plan, he wanted to show the world this was where society was heading, a bunch of lawless drug fueled barbarians on metal steeds out to live what so many proclaimed as reckless evil, but in fact was the true essence of the elusive "American Dream."

I don't know much about this man, other than he was a big fan of the Jefferson Airplane. Ironically, they were at Altamont when the Hell's Angels had that famous incident. Marty Balin also got beat by them, there. Any resentment carried over onto his favorite band, because of what he wrote?

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The Angels were just pissed because at that time, the mid-60s, they were finally realizing they could profit tremendously from selling their image to the press and pop culture. Thompson had another plan, he wanted to show the world this was where society was heading, a bunch of lawless drug fueled barbarians on metal steeds out to live what so many proclaimed as reckless evil, but in fact was the true essence of the elusive "American Dream."

Edited to Add: I'm interested in seeing this picture solely because the director isn't a fan of Thompson's work. He actually thinks he's quite overrated. As Tom Wolfe famously said in one interview, he was the Mark Twain of the 20th Century. No one had the slick humor circulating in a piece like Hunter. Case point: The Kentucky Derby, 1970..his best work.

Thanks for posting that... Sonny Barger wants to be the only person to kick dirt on the Angels rep, or to polish it wherever he sees fit.

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Any resentment carried over onto his favorite band, because of what he wrote?

None that I've ever heard or read. The counter-culture really embraced Hunter from the beginning because he wrote decadent pieces about American society that weren't being discussed in the mainstream media. His references of drugs and alcohol also won over the respect of many because it had never been done before in such a literal way. Gonzo journalism was the offset to the "hippie movement" of the 1960s, eventhough Hunter, who lived in San Francisco in 1965 right as the movement began, never claimed to be a hippie and in several instances actually denounces their whole lifestyle as a "joke." Read "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." That sums up the death of the 1960s "Movement" *In all aspects* better than any other piece of literature that can be distinctly connected to the people who lived that scene.

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I'm glad this thread was bumped. I missed it the first time around. I look forward to seeing this as my husband and I have long been fans of HST (back to the days of RS and Ralph Steadman).

Aw, that was GREAT. Thanks.

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Hi all,

First of Sonny,the Chief,Taz was the club and you would never say to his face,... :angry:

KB

Did i say something untrue? Sonny realized around the time Thompsons Hells Angels came out that he should be controlling the spin on his clubs public face.

Comprehend before you defend.

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Hi all,

Did i say something untrue? Sonny realized around the time Thompsons Hells Angels came out that he should be controlling the spin on his clubs public face.

Comprehend before you defend.

Yes you did.Now again would you say this to his face? :blink:

KB

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finally. as a collector, HST is the cream of my library. some of what he wrote tasted like shit, some smelled like shit, and some was shit-but you always knew that shit was involved. upfront, wrote quivering lines of mercury and ether, and stomped on some real toes. gotta love a writer like that.

i hope this film is good. great post-thanks for the link!

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Hi all,

Yes you did.Now again would you say this to his face? :blink:

KB

:rolleyes:

Okay, yes then.

How can Sonny Barger NOT want to be in control of his clubs public relations if he is "The chief" and whatever other terms of leadership you posted?

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I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the Fear and Loathing movie. I love those two actors and I knew Terry Gilliam would really do it up visually, but I barely understood a fucking word they were saying! Reading that dialogue in the book had me peeing my pants, so when I could barely hear it in the movie.... :(

Anyone else have that problem, or did Deep Purple damage my hearing for life? Or was it just that because they were supposed to be wasted the whole time.....even so, you'd think they'd want people to hear the dialogue.

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I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the Fear and Loathing movie. I love those two actors and I knew Terry Gilliam would really do it up visually, but I barely understood a fucking word they were saying! Reading that dialogue in the book had me peeing my pants, so when I could barely hear it in the movie.... :(

Anyone else have that problem, or did Deep Purple damage my hearing for life? Or was it just that because they were supposed to be wasted the whole time.....even so, you'd think they'd want people to hear the dialogue.

I think the dialogue is muddled on purpose to give people a sense of the chaos, and to illustrate that most of it is stream of consciousness. It's far from a single watch type of film.

I had to work at understanding A Hard days Night. :D

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I think the dialogue is muddled on purpose to give people a sense of the chaos, and to illustrate that most of it is stream of consciousness. It's far from a single watch type of film.

I had to work at understanding A Hard days Night. :D

Well, dammit. I wanted to hear it. The conversations between those two are the best ever.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Director Alex Gibney talks about his upcoming movie, Gonzo, which focuses on the life and work of the late journalist and writer Hunter S. Thompson during what's alleged to be his most provocative and productive period, from 1965 to 1975.

Thompson earned the nickname "Gonzo" after his first-person style of reporting that blended factual and fictional elements to emphasize an underlying message.

'Gonzo' Explores Life, Work Of Original Gonzo

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