A look at “Top 5 Las Vegas Films” Known as the “Entertainment Capital of the World”, Las Vegas is renowned for its exotic and lively atmosphere with extravagant resorts, housing world-class entertainment and casinos. When you think of Las Vegas, it is a perfect place for films to shoot in due to the vibe that the city brings.
So, if you plan to visit Vegas any time soon or just want to see what it looked like at various times, here are the top 5 Vegas-based films that will leave you hooked.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Directed by Terry Gilliam, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas takes place, well, in Vegas, with those emotions being turned up a dial during the film. The movie was adapted from Hunter S. Thompson’s book in 1971 of the same name. The film is the definition of a classic road trip that captures a particular spirit and essence in a certain time in American history, specifically the 1970s.
Journalist Hunter S. Thompson conceived the practice of Gonzo journalism, which is a method that meant storytellers are at the center of the action, pulling some crazy stunts, usually under the effects of various substances, all to uncover the essence and meaning of life. His novel is the most popular form of this style of reporting, and the 1998 film stays true to its source material.
The movie stars like Johnny Depp playing the eccentric journalist and Benicio del Toro playing his lawyer in arms. It mainly revolved around the road trip as the two of them travel across the Mojave Desert in their convertible. In turn, they take more substances, and the film becomes increasingly insane.
Essentially, it is a type of aimless filmmaking that may or may not appeal to everyone, but if you know the book and you like it, you may consider watching this one. The location known as the Circus is an actual location, but it was filmed at the Stardust Resort Casino because the previous one didn’t give the crew permission to film there.
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
When someone imagines being in Las Vegas, among the first things they may think of is the shiny lights and dazzling atmosphere of the casinos. While that may be true to some extent, there are other types of casinos like Joe Fortune Online Casino that work similarly but in a more immersive and safer manner. This is exactly the case for Sean Connery as Agent 007 in his last appearance of the character as he finds himself at the Whyte House casino to investigate a case.
As the title suggests, his investigation leads him to diamond smugglers and 007’s opponent is a filthy rich business magnate. The exteriors of Las Vegas in the film were shot around the city. However, for the Whyte House casino, the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino and the Las Vegas Hilton were the ones used instead during the production.
Viva Las Vegas (1964)
Las Vegas was the home turf of musical legend Elvis Presley, so people usually associate the place with him. The 1964 classic stars the actual King himself playing a broke race driver named Lucky Jackson who dreams of winning the Grand Prix. However, a meeting with a swimming instructor named Rusty played by Ann-Margret distracts him from his plans, which compelled him to stay in Las Vegas for longer so he can earn the money he needs to make his dream come true while earning her affection in the meantime.
During the film, you can see the core of Las Vegas being shot from the strip to its neon lights and the Golden Nugget Casino to the Flamingo. This is truly among the classic films in cinema history that Elvis Presley acted on.
The Hangover (2009)
The Hangover is one of the more recent and memorable films to have ever graced us with the place of Las Vegas. It is a classic Todd Phillips comedy about a group of friends who suddenly wake up in Sin City after a bachelor party remembering nothing of what happened previously. As the film progressed, we watched them look for the future groom, slowly recovering from increasingly absurd memories.
While the film may be too silly for some, it is self-aware of its over-the-top comedy and because of that, it may appeal to others as Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Bradley Cooper, and Zach Galifianakis are the highlights of the movie. And since in most of the film, the protagonists go from one Vegas location to another, there are too many to count.
Now You See Me (2013)
You may already know that the famous heist movie called Ocean’s Eleven was also shot in Las Vegas, but did you know that there was a second one called Now You See Me, which features a magician named Atlas played by Jesse Eisenberg. He and his team of illusionists, the Four Horsemen, put on shows that you’d typically not expect as their expertise and skills revolve around emptying bank accounts of rich and corrupt officials and giving back to audience members just like Robin Hood but with magic.
However, their play attracts the attention of FBI agent Dylan who is played by Mark Ruffalo and Interpol detective Alma who is played by Mélanie Laurent. They enlist the help of a debunker named Thaddeus who is played by Morgan Freeman to unravel their secrets.
Conclusion
These films are a testament that Las Vegas is truly a place of wonder and magic where filmmakers can take advantage of the vibe and atmosphere and create great pieces of cinema history. From James Bond to the Four Horsemen, there is so much that Vegas can offer filmmakers that it is a place ripe with cinema magic.
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