Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008) on Netflix

Plot summary

Hunter S. Thompson, the writer known for Gonzo journalism, is the subject of this documentary portrait. Interviews with his wives, fellow journalists, elected officials and friends fill out the account of his working life. It takes in his campaign for sheriff in a Colorado county, a book about the Hell's Angels, and articles for Rolling Stone on Las Vegas, Jimmy Carter and George McGovern. His connection to alcohol, drugs and guns runs through the story. Alongside home recordings that had not been shown before, audiotapes and writing Thompson never published, the film uses archival clips of Vietnam protests, political campaigns, the 1960s and a Hollywood movie.