Filmmaker Blue Kraning: “Blasted!!! The Gonzo Patriots of Hunter S. Thompson”

· Apr. 5, 2010, 3:59 pm

Long before his 2005 suicide in Woody Creek, gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson said he wanted his ashes shot into the sky by a cannon of his own design. But Thompson's family couldn't afford to spend $2.5 million on the 153-foot gun he had in mind. So the Aspen Daily News started a contest for fans who own cannons. The winner would get to blast Thompson’s ashes. Actor Johnny Depp eventually stepped in and paid to build Thompson's own design, but those forgotten cannoneers are documented in a new film called Blasted!!! The Gonzo Patriots of Hunter S. Thompson. Director Blue Kraning talks to Dan Meyers.

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