What Are Gonzo Movies?

When you hear the term “gonzo” in relation to any form of media, whether it’s photography, artwork, or even journalism, it usually means you’re viewing the medium in its roughest form. Gonzo photography, for example, is a form of photography that usually includes some part of the photographer’s body in the shot. In many cases, in gonzo photography, the section of the photographer’s body that’s in the shot is in direct contact with the shot’s subject matter.

In photography, the term “gonzo” doesn’t necessarily mean that the photograph is explicit in nature or that is is specifically adult content. When looking at what gonzo movies are, however, most often the term gonzo movies is used to refer to a specific type of adult pornographic or sexually explicit film. In this context, the term generally means essentially the same thing as it does elsewhere - it refers to rough, unedited film that shows the original footage in its rawest form. 

Other "Gonzo" Movies and Medium

Although if you ask many people what gonzo movies are, adult films would be the first answer that comes to mind, in fact gonzo movies don’t necessarily have to be explicit or adult movies; the term is simply associated with these types of films because of their popularity.

In fact, any amateur or rough, unedited film footage can be considered a part of the “gonzo” niche, and some gonzo-styled films have become highly popular. Do you remember “The Blair Witch Project”? The movie that was filmed for an astonishingly small amount of money went on to become a mega-hit in theaters.

Other popular gonzo-styled movies include “Cloverfield” and “Paranormal Activity,” both of which were relatively inexpensive to make, but went on to make large sums of money in theaters. 

Gonzo Journalism

The gonzo style is not limited just to movies or photography either. One of the most popular mediums to be labeled with the term “gonzo” (mainly because of one man’s style) was the field of journalism.

• Hunter S. Thompson is credited with inventing “gonzo journalism,” a raw and uncut form of reporting that, while it confused many of his readers, was highly popularized through a number of different movies made about his life.
• One of his most popular exploits of all, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” was evolved from a raw, unedited, journal-styled book to a mega-hit movie that made millions in the box office. 

At any rate, whether it’s in a picture, a movie, or a news report, the term “gonzo” simply refers to any type of media where, rather than filming, photographing, or journaling on any particular subject, the person creating the media stops acting as an uninvolved observer and enters the media, becoming an active participant in his or her art form.

The only other criteria for the video or movie to be considered “gonzo” styled, the footage must appear to be uncut and unedited, keeping its unpolished appearance intact.