Las Vegas & The Movies
To be completely fair, the early 60's weren't really the first screen action days in Las Vegas. Frank Sinatra's first movie, Las Vegas Nights was set back in 1941. However, the Rat Pack Days are always a good point to start.
The Rat PacksFive gentlemen in Las Vegas: Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop and Frank Sinatra. Good friends. Loved to party. And of course, they had their own favourite place to hang out, that was Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas (which was demolished in 1996, nowadays the site of the Venitian).
The Rat Pack Days begun in late 50's, somewhat as a reaction to the Cold War early days; the guys came up with the idea of having their own "summit of cool" in Las Vegas; it lasted seven years. As the Sands performing scene wasn't enough for them, the mighty five moved further to movies and recordings.
The seven years brought out seven films: Some Came Running, Ocean's 11, Sergents 3, 4 For Texas, Robin and the 7 Hoods, Marriage on the Rocks, and Cannonball Run II. Ocean's 11 (1960) is the most famous one, and also benefited from a modern remake (2001), starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. The action in new Ocean's 11 involves robbery scenes at Bellagio. The Rat Pack, released in 1998 for cable TV, includes scenes from The Sands.
The KingThe good old days gave us the classic Viva Las Vegas (1964), featuring Elvis Presley, who sings his heart out for the beloved "sin city".
Later, in 1970, the King starred a documentary filmed at the International Hotel, nowadays Las Vegas Hilton (Elvis: That's the Way It Is).
The 1979 Elvis, a memorabilia to The King, stars Kurt Russell. The story goes on in 1988 with Elvis and Me, inspired by Priscilla Presley's autobiography. The 1995 BBC documentary The Burger and the King: The Life and Cuisine of Elvis Presley seems to have closed the Elvis & Las Vegas series, up to this moment.
CasinoThis one, released in 1995, is the classic. It approaches "sin city" the way nobody dared before. The story is based on the almost fabulous life of Frank Rosendhale (impersonated by Robert de Niro), the best handicapper of all times, and his beautiful wife Gery (impersonated by Sharon Stone). Las Vegas made them rich and television made them famous.
"Casino" hit the box-offices, but Frank said director Martin Scorsese brought the spotlights on his own chopped vision of Las Vegas; blamed him that he was not really interested to either understand casinos or be faithful to the real story; thus, Frank Rosenthale would have told it differently.
The WinnerLas Vegas footage has proven a good luck charm for Francis Ford Coppola's famous nephew, Nicholas Cage. He started with Honeymoon in Vegas in 1992, grabbed an Oscar on the road with Leaving Las Vegas and made a come-back with Con Air in 1997; literally, Nick Cage forced his landing on the Hard Rock Hotel guitar...
Just another subjective list- 1971 - Diamonds Are Forever, from the James Bond (Sean Connery) series
- 1974 - The Godfather Part II
- The Rocky series (parts III and IV) included brief glimpses from Las Vegas
- 1987 - Heat, 100% Las Vegas made, starring Burt Reynolds
- 1988 - Rain Man, with Dustin Hoffman, action set mostly inside Caesars Palace
- 1991 - Bugsy, the story of Bugsy Siegel and the making of the Flamingo. Casts Warren Beatty and Annette Bening
- 1993 - Indecent Proposal. Some reviews advice to "save the money for slots"
- 1995 - Heat, this time starring Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, the only movie the two "monsters" have met
- 1995 - Showgirls, mostly a movie about... girls, including many scenes at Stardust
Iulia Pascanu writes for http://www.bestlasvegashotels.info where you can find more information about the best hotels in Las Vegas. Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:iuliap@gmail.com
Vegas Resources:
Las Vegas Wedding Invitation Wording - Help is Here
Wedding invitation wording can be found all over the Internet, but what about Las Vegas wedding invitation wording? This is where brides getting married in Las Vegas or brides having a Las Vegas themed wedding need help.
BlogWorld Set for Las Vegas, Nov. 8-9, 2007
Industry’s first-ever trade show and conference will blend corporate and individual interests in this prolific form of new media communications.
Luxury Las Vegas Home Available in Live Auction with Real-Time Internet Bidding on June 6
A luxury Las Vegas home featuring a gourmet kitchen and 6,500-square-foot custom-designed garage will be available at auction on June 6. The opening bid for this luxury 9,500-square-foot home is only $500,000. Live Internet bidding will also be available for the home and automobilia.
My Official Cheapskate Guide to Las Vegas
TRAVEL- The following is my penny pinchers guide to Las Vegas. The best way to cut your vacation costs is to travel cheap.
116 Degrees in Las Vegas? Atlantic City Option
So you have planned a trip to Las Vegas, forget that. It hit 116 degrees the other day.
Stay Two Nights, Get the Third Night Free at the Hampton Inn Tropicana Las Vegas
Exclusive Las Vegas Hotel Deal Valid Through September 30, 2008
JackpotCapital.com Sends Contest Winners to the Jackpot Capital, Las Vegas -- Online Casino's Jackpot Approaching a Million Dollars
JackpotCapital.com is sending two lucky players to the capital of casino jackpots, Las Vegas. If they're extra lucky, they could even win a million dollar jackpot in the process. In a special free contest, JackpotCapital.com will award an all-expense-paid trip to Las Vegas at the end of this month but the Mid-Life Crisis jackpot, currently over $800,000, could well be hit before then.
'Fashions on Fire,' a Fashion Show Event Scheduled for August 29th, 2007 at the South Point Resort & Casino in Las Vegas
21 Magazine is an event driven, bi-monthly publication. 21 Magazine is global gaming, travel, fashion, and luxury lifestyle. 21 Magazine features the best resorts and casinos across the globe, top day spas, chefs and amazing restaurants, gorgeous international models, entrepreneur success stories, celebrity red carpet events, celebrity profiles, etc.
WineRacks.com Launches Premium Cellar Combos at Remodelers? Show in Las Vegas
WineRacks.com launches contractor/installer program at October 9-12 2007 show.
Beach and Las Vegas Invitations Etiquette
Most couples getting married for the first time need recommendations with their weddings. Etiquette can be confusing and wedding invitation etiquette can top that list. Here are the best tips to loosen the tension and create an enjoyable experience when sending out your Las Vegas wedding invitations.
2007 International CES Exhibitor Profiles; the World's Largest Consumer Technology Tradeshow Runs Jan. 8th through 11th, 2007 in Las Vegas
The 2007 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) takes place Jan. 8 - 11 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas Hilton, and The Sands Expo and Convention Center/The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada. For in-depth information about 2007 International CES, bookmark and frequently visit http://cesweb.org/default.asp.
Don't Just Roll the Dice-How to Plan a Las Vegas Vacation
It's not surprising that Las Vegas visitors can maximize their enjoyment with a little planning. Considering the myriad of possibilities to be experienced in exciting Las Vegas, planning out your day (or night) is your best bet. Knowing what to see, and when, can help you save time, energy and money. A bit of research will narrow down your choices, and help you focus on only your favorite entertainment options.
Reviews Of Various Las Vegas Casinos
When person or couple visits Las Vegas, the problem or where to go and what to see becomes immediately apparent to the visitors. Gambling palaces are like mushrooms after a rain, they are everywhere in Las Vegas. There are some casinos that should definitely be on a short list of casinos to visit while in town.
Essentravel Offers More for Las Vegas Car Rentals
Essentravel provides more detailed information on car rentals in Las Vegas.
Trade Show Announcement: Good Luck Gamblers to Exhibit Newly Introduced "Gamblers Luck" Products at Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show
Good Luck Gamblers, LLC has announced that it will be demonstrating its newly introduced "Gamblers Luck" products at the 2008 Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show, from September 10th through September 12th.