"Where the Buffalo Roam" (1980): (Gonzo Journalism Video Risk) Warning, on the whole this film may receive a bomb rating from most critics or be dropped completely from review lists or books. While this film is a must for Hunter S. Thompson fans, it may be really confusing to those not acquainted with his work or legend. "Roam" has funny moments much the way Saturday Night Live skits start funny but the show as whole is unsatisfying--waining, becoming boring, and one note. Flashes of entertainment were enough to hold my attention and as a patient non-Thompson aficionado, I felt the film worth the rental price (hell, I bought the movie at Sinband's, the World's best, small-town, bible-belt, X-rated film store for a buck fifty and consider it a bargain).

The Plot: "Roam" is another film without purpose or direction for most viewers and even incomplete and intolerable for others. The story, if there is one, consists of the misadventures of reporter Hunter S. Thompson (played well by the great Bill Murray with hair, no bad comb-over) in the late sixties and early seventies. Thompson, inventor of something dubbed "gonzo journalism," a wildly violent drug induced reporting of the world, a surreal slant on things, ventures from one hotel room to another producing articles for a panting editor. Thompson is accompanied on his journeys by his "lawyer," Carl Lazlo, played in typical sprung form by Peter Boyle. The two men travel stoned and drunk through a drug trial, a super bowl, and the 1972 Presidential campaign.

The Review: I liked it and, at times, pop it in as background filler at gatherings. Its episodic approach is perfect for picking up and putting down. Thompson's monotone rants can be replayed for additional laughs. Still, it is not a great cinematic achievement--no Oscars were awarded for this one.

Thompson narrates the story from a fireside chat sort of setup. As the narrator, he slams Wild Turkey with his Doberman trained to attack Richard Nixon. We learn great insight about our narrator--he may have worn one-stars which stands to reason given his drug consumption.

Thompson is depicted as being constantly consuming some mind-altering substance and living to tell about it. This is not a biopic in which the narrator exposes the evils of drug use. Thompson is almost always dirty, mumbling, claiming to be a doctor, and fascinated with grapefruit.

A cool book called An Incomplete Education (which I highly recommend) lists Thompson as a minor American intellectual along with the likes of Malcolm X and Wilhelm Reich. Unfortunately, this movie does not lend credibility to such a ranking. Still, there are times where it looked as though the film was about to turn a corner. Let me know what your opinion was of the scenes in which Thompson resists Lazlo's crazy plans. Could there have been something important in Thompson's obvious moment of lucidity? Or, was there not enough money in the budget to follow up on the foundation laid? Or, was there just nothing more to Thompson?

Look for the midgets, they are slick at the party in the hotel room during the superbowl.

Jonathan Hickman