The Insider.com

Johnny Depp is one of most successful and highest paid actors in Hollywood's history, but not all of his films have been blockbusters, and his 1998 film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was a box office failure.

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This Pop Culture Rewind takes you back 14 years on this date when Depp was being interviewed about the film, which, despite being a fluke at the box office, grew to become a cult film over the years.

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The film was based upon a novel of the same name written in 1971 by Hunter S. Thompson, an author and journalist who was famous for his very involved style of journalism later termed as "Gonzo journalism."

"I think that the book is as relevant now as it was then. It covers a lot of ground," Depp said. "It's a very complex book. It's very deep. On the surface you could say it's some kind of wild joyride about two guys hammered on drugs...but, in fact, it is about a person who wants to find the American Dream."

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Check out the full flashback above to hear Depp respond to the film's potential controversy.

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