Gonzo
From Free net encyclopedia
- For the Muppet, see Gonzo (Muppet). For the Japanese animation studio, see GONZO.
Gonzo is a style of reportage, film making, or any form of multimedia production in which the reporter, filmmaker or creator is intrinsically enmeshed with the subject action (rather than being a passive observer).
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Origin
The term "Gonzo" is often misattributed to Hunter S. Thompson, but it was first used by Boston Globe reporter Bill Cardoso who, after reading Thompson's infamous Scanlan Monthly article on the Kentucky Derby, proclaimed "That is pure Gonzo!" According to Cardoso, 'Gonzo' is South Boston Irish slang describing the last man standing after a drinking marathon.Template:Ref (However, this usage is more likely inspired by the 1960 hit song Gonzo by New Orleans R&B keyboardist James Booker.) Thompson himself would instigate events, 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"
Image:Gonzo quote.PNG Gonzo also pertains to when a writer 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 (even though he was often accused of being too objective - not keeping the bigger picture in mind). 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 and 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 as no one has to remember any lines. Though usually the term "P.O.V." (point of view) is used to describe this genre, while "gonzo" refers to adult movies without plot (usually not 1st person perspective).