When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.

Hunter S. Thompson: a genius known for his crazy Gonzo-style journalism, love of booze, hallucinogenics and guns, and his forages into politics; has been depicted in film both directly and indirectly - most recently in The Rum Diary, released on DVD on March 5th.

I first came to be aware of Thomson through Johnny Depp's portrayal of him (under the persona of 'Raoul Duke') in Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. A film both hilarious and slightly unnerving, as it shows the dark side of the glitzy Las Vegas. What made this film so special was Depp's over the top performance...although he was not characterising Thomson himself per se, and without having read any of Thomson's work I still felt as if I knew much about his personality. After reading the text it was made clear to me that he was quite a character, and the cartoon images which adorned the covers of his books really seemed to reflect how he had come to be recognised.

My next encounter was the 1980 film Where the Buffalo Roam, starring Bill Murry as Thomson, and concentrating mainly on the 1972 presidential election. Although Thomson himself is said to have disliked this film, I thought Murry did an excellent job at playing the man behind the caricature persona, capturing his mannerisms to perfection.

Eventually, after his unfortunate suicide in 2005, the documentary Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thomson was released. This was narrated by Depp and included footage of Thomson from his best years, along with touching anecdotes from friends such as former president Jimmy Carter. Gonzo provided a great insight to the person Hunter really was, showing both his wild and softer side...as well as highlighting how much he meant and how greatly he is missed by those interviewed.

This brings us to the latest adaptation, The Rum Diary. Whilst not actually playing Thomson, Depp (again) takes another stab at his work. Noticeably, Depp uses the same accent as he does in Fear and Loathing, though his overall performance is flat and wooden. The film looks beautiful against the Puerto Rican landscape, but ultimately is a poor and unimaginative take on one of the smartest, funniest and original writers of the last century.