Gonzo

Gonzo is a style of reportage, filmmaking, or any form of multimedia production in which the reporter, filmmaker or author is intrinsically enmeshed with the subject action (rather than being a passive observer).

Origin

The term "Gonzo" is often misattributed to Hunter S. Thompson, but was in fact first used by Boston Globe reporter Bill Cardoso, who, after reading Thompson's The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved, proclaimed "That is pure Gonzo!" (According to Cardoso, 'Gonzo' is South Boston Irish slang describing the last man standing after a drinking marathon. However, this usage is more likely inspired by the 1960 hit song Gonzo by New Orleans R&B keyboardist James Booker.) Thompson would instigate events himself, often in a prankish or belligerent manner, and then document both his actions and those of others. The term has also come into (sometimes pejorative) use to describe journalism (or generally any writing) that is broadly in the vein of Thompson's writing, characterized by a drug-fueled, stream of consciousness technique.

"Objectivity is a myth"

Gonzo also occurs when an author cannot remove himself from the subject he investigates. In some cases -- such as tornado chasing, wherein most documenting is done by the person driving the car and holding the camera -- the gonzo element is inherent. In most other cases, however, it is a deliberate and voluntary choice of the journalist, or the media firm for which he or she works. Thompson felt that objectivity in journalism was a myth. The term has now become a bona-fide style of writing that concerns itself with 'telling it like it is', not far from the New Journalism practiced by Tom Wolfe and Terry Southern.

Gonzo pornography

Similarly, in pornographic movies, "Gonzo" refers to productions where the camera operator or director takes an overt part in the action, either by talking to the actors or by being a performer himself or herself. Such movies often eschew narrative or plot, opting to present a roughly contemporaneous account of "actual" events. The intention of this is partly to involve the audience in the action, in a manner similar to the theater technique of breaking the fourth wall, but it is also economical and efficient as no one has to remember any lines. The term point of view or "P.O.V." may be used to describe this genre, whereas "gonzo" refers to adult movies that are simply without plotlines. A current example of gonzo pornography is the Meatholes franchise.

The popularization of Internet video in the early twenty-first century led to an explosion of amateur-produced gonzo porn. Websites such as Voyeurweb and DList allowed filmmaker-performers to promote their work to a wide audience for free, charging for more extensive content at personal sites run on free blog software. This was among the many innovative online marketing strategies developed at that time.

References

Film | Mass media

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Origin

"Objectivity is a myth"

Gonzo pornography

See also

References