Product Details

• Actors: Peter Boyle, Bill Murray, Bruno Kirby, Rene Auberjonois, R.G. Armstrong
• Directors: Art Linson
• Writers: Hunter S. Thompson, John Kaye
• Producers: Art Linson, Mack Bing
• Format: Color, Letterboxed, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
• VHS Release Date: November 24, 1998
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (94 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305242135
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #134,190 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Bill Murray is in his early-career, shambling glory as Hunter S. Thompson, the gonzo journalist with a fondness for Wild Turkey and firearms. While Murray does not do as exact an impersonation of Thompson as Johnny Depp (in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), he does capture Thompson's dazed, anarchic nature. Unfortunately, the movie around him is just anarchic: a series of episodes (true or invented) from Dr. Thompson's career, circa 1968-72. The haphazard structure is probably meant to suggest the spirit of the counterculture or something, but it's just flabby storytelling. Thanks to Murray's blissful delivery, there are scenes that have a stoned giddiness to them: Thompson and his attorney (Peter Boyle) terrifying an unsuspecting hitchhiker, or Thompson alone in a men's room with Richard Nixon. Neil Young contributes some music, and Murray warbles "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" while drunkenly piloting a plane. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

423 of 433 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WARNING! Do not buy the DVD, Buy the VHS (it's on Amazon), November 25, 2002

By 

"dukecritic" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Where the Buffalo Roam (DVD)

WARNING! Do not buy the DVD, Buy the VHS (it's on Amazon)

I am a huge Bill Murray fan and have seen this movie at least 50 times. I obviously like it and I rank it near Murray's top behind Ghostbusters, Shack, Stripes and Ground Hog Day. However, one of the the great aspects of the movie is its amazing soundtrack: Jimi Hendrix's ax grinding staccato of Purple Haze as Thompson boards the Zoo press plane, Bob Dylan's Highway 61 on the road, Neil Young and more...

For some reaosn or another, the producers of the DVD cheaped out and put some candy-licking 80s mall music in its place because they did not want to pay for the rights to these phenomenol tracks.

STOP! If you have an ounce of respect for classic Bill Murray, do not buy the DVD. Furthermore, do not watch this decoy cotton candy Debbie Gibson meets Mr. Rogers DVD and walk around saying the movie sucks. You may only say that if you saw the original version. It's available on Amazon.

-The Doomed (obscure movie reference)

(don't buy it unless the cover has a typewriter on the front)

Here are the original tracks...
BUFFALO STOMP/Neil Young
ODE TO WILD BILL #1/Neil Young
ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER/Jimi Hendrix
ODE TO WILD BILL #2/Neil Young
PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE/The Temptations
HOME, HOME ON THE RANGE/Neil Young
HIGHWAY 61/Bob Dylan
I CAN'T HELP MYSELF/ Four Tops
ODE TO WILD BILL #3 WITH DIALOGUE/Neil Young
KEEP ON CHOOGLIN'/Creedence Clearwater Revival
ODE TO WILD BILL #4/Neil Young
PURPLE HAZE/Jimi Hendrix
BUFFALO STOMP REFRAIN/Neil Young

89 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I Just Finished Watching The Newer DVD 02/01/05, February 2, 2005

By 

R. L. Towler "Blatzman" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Where the Buffalo Roam (DVD)

Just a 'heads-up" for all the fans of the original soundtrack. This new DVD edition released today by Universal, has the same soundtrack as the Anchor Bay DVD release. This is really a pity and just goes to show you what a studio will do to make a quick buck. This year is the 25th anniversary of this movie and I would think that Universal would want to do this right, but this is not the case. Loud boo's and hisses for Universal Pictures!

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I agree. DO NOT Buy the Anchor Bay release of this film!, February 26, 2004

By 

Eric Reichmuth - See all my reviews

This review is from: Where the Buffalo Roam (DVD)

Anchor Bay bought the rights to this film and for some reason only included a couple of the original songs. And they still advertise on the package that there is music from Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. This music was taken out! Curse their flagrant lies! The music they added is some horrible studio band. The original music is a key part to this film. Why would any respectable video release company change an origianl film, and on top of it boast an advertisement for something that is not there? Find an original version of this film and
BOYCOTT ANCHOR BAY!