In this guide, we’ll provide you with an overview of Doc Sportello, Inherent Vice, and related books and TV series.
Doc Sportello is a fictional character created by American author Thomas Pynchon. He is the protagonist of Pynchon’s novel “Inherent Vice,” which was published in 2009. Doc is a private investigator who operates in the fictional town of Gordita Beach, California, during the 1970s.
He is known for his laid-back personality, love of marijuana, and his tendency to get caught up in complex and often bizarre cases. Doc’s investigations often involve a cast of eccentric characters, including drug dealers, hippies, and corrupt law enforcement officials. Despite his unconventional methods, Doc is a skilled detective who is dedicated to uncovering the truth and helping his clients.
Inherent Vice Book (2009)
Part noir, part psychedelic romp, all Thomas Pynchon—private eye Doc Sportello surfaces, occasionally, out of a marijuana haze to watch the end of an era.
In this lively yarn, Thomas Pynchon, working in an unaccustomed genre that is at once exciting and accessible, provides a classic illustration of the principle that if you can remember the sixties, you weren’t there.
It’s been a while since Doc Sportello has seen his ex- girlfriend. Suddenly she shows up with a story about a plot to kidnap a billionaire land developer whom she just happens to be in love with.
It’s the tail end of the psychedelic sixties in L.A., and Doc knows that “love” is another of those words going around at the moment, like “trip” or “groovy,” except that this one usually leads to trouble. Undeniably one of the most influential writers at work today, Pynchon has penned another unforgettable book.
Inherent Vice Film (2014)
The neo-noir mystery comedy film, which is based on the book, is written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The cast includes Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Katherine Waterston, Eric Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio del Toro, Jena Malone, Hong Chau, Joanna Newsom, Jeannie Berlin, Maya Rudolph, Michael K. Williams and Martin Short.
Anderson’s adaptation of Inherent Vice had been in development since 2010; it is the first Pynchon novel to be adapted for the screen. It is Anderson’s second collaboration with Phoenix, following The Master, and involves a number of his other recurring collaborators, including producers Daniel Lupi and JoAnne Sellar, cinematographer Robert Elswit, editor Leslie Jones, and composer Jonny Greenwood.
Inherent Vice premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 4, 2014, and began a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 12, 2014. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising the performances, costumes and screenplay, but some criticizing the complicated plot.
It was nominated for several awards, including two at the 87th Academy Awards and Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Phoenix at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards. The National Board of Review named it one of the ten best films of the year. Some critics said that Inherent Vice has the makings of a cult film. In 2016, it was voted the 75th best film since 2000 in an international critics’ poll.
About Thomas Pynchon
Thomas Pynchon is an American novelist noted for his dense and complex novels. His fiction and non-fiction writings encompass a vast array of subject matter, genres and themes, including history, music, science, and mathematics. For Gravity’s Rainbow, Pynchon won the 1973 U.S. National Book Award for Fiction.
Hailing from Long Island, Pynchon served two years in the United States Navy and earned an English degree from Cornell University. After publishing several short stories in the late 1950s and early 1960s, he began composing the novels for which he is best known: V. (1963), The Crying of Lot 49 (1966), and Gravity’s Rainbow (1973).
Pynchon is notoriously reclusive from the media; few photographs of him have been published, and rumors about his location and identity have circulated since the 1960s. Pynchon’s most recent novel, Bleeding Edge, was published on September 17, 2013.
Key Questions About Doc Sportello and Inherent Vice
Was Inherent Vice Shot On Film?
Yes, the film was shot on film using Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2 Camera and Cooke Speed Panchro Lenses, Panavision Super Speed Lenses.
Who Plays Doc Sportello In The Movie?
The movie stars Joaquin Phoenix as Doc Sportello.
Who narrates Inherent Vice?
Narration in the movie is done by musician Joanna Newsom.
What was the budget for Inherent Vice?
The budget for the film was $20 million and the box office sales was $14.7 million.
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