Oh, Las Vegas, the adult entertainment capital of the United States. It is the 26th most populous city in the United States and is known as the “hotbed” of Nevada as well as the state’s “money-generating monster.” Las Vegas is a sight to behold. It bills itself as the “Entertainment Capital of the World,” and it is well-known for its hospitality establishments as well as its thriving nightlife. However, this was not always the case. This location near the Mojave Desert did not begin to transform into the gambling destination that it is now known for until the 1960s when Clark County’s hotel expansion began. It wasn’t until this location near the Mojave Desert that it became possible.
In all honesty, there is very little else on the planet that can compete with the amount of variety that can be found in Vegas. Sin City is likely to have a location for almost anything that anyone could ever imagine looking for. Before the pandemic, approximately 42 million people visited the city’s main boulevards and downtown area.
This was even though online gaming establishments such as those listed, took a significant portion of the profits made by Strip casinos. As a result, many people are drawn to it because they believe it is a magical place that everyone should visit at least once. As a result, Hollywood and other film studios, as well as independent filmmakers, have always been fascinated by Las Vegas and frequently choose to include the city in the narratives that they bring to life on the big screen.
The titles listed below not only provide glimpses of the city known by many names but also make it the primary focus of the story.
1. Casino Casino
Martin Scorsese is widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in American cinema. Scorsese is a genre unto himself, owing to his films about the criminal underworld. Many film historians and average moviegoers consider Goodfellas, a biographical drama he directed and released in 1990, to be the pinnacle of the gangster film genre. The film is based on Nicholas Pileggi’s nonfiction book Wiseguy, which details the life of mobsters Henry Hill and his associates. Martin Scorsese directed it. Goodfellas was only a moderate commercial success, but it was highly regarded by critics and received six Academy Award nominations.
Following the failure of Cape Fear and The Age of Innocence to receive the same level of critical acclaim as Goodfellas, Scorsese felt compelled to return to his roots as a criminal storyteller over the next few years. As a result, in 1995, Scorsese released another film based on one of Pileggi’s books. This time, the winner is Love and Honor Casino in Las Vegas. The events depicted in the film were primarily based on real-life events that occurred in the life of Frank Rosenthal, a former casino executive. Even though the two films connected with audiences on roughly equal levels, Casino’s financial success was significantly greater than that of Goodfellas.
2. The Hangover
Despite popular belief, comedies only occasionally make a significant impact at the box office. Having said that, surprises can and do happen, and no one expected The Hangover, directed by Todd Phillips, to become the commercial success that it did when it was released in theaters in the United States on May 30, 2009. With a budget of only $35 million, it went on to become the tenth highest-grossing film of that year, earning a total of $469 million worldwide. Furthermore, it spawned two sequels, which grossed a total of $568 million and $362 million, respectively.
The original film has become ingrained in popular culture as a result of the character of Alan, played by Zach Galifianakis, the on-screen antics of comedian Ken Jeong, and a cameo appearance by Mike Tyson. The majority of the film takes place in Las Vegas and the surrounding area, and it has broken the record held by Eddie Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop for the previous 25 years to become the R-rated comedy with the highest worldwide grossing.
3. Oceans’11
Because there is no year attached to the heading at the top, the majority of readers are probably curious about which version of “Ocean’s 11” is being referenced. The one from the 1960s starring the Rat Pack, or the one from 2001 directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring an All-Star cast led by George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts. Both versions were released in theaters. The majority of people believe that the version of George Clayton Johnson’s story that includes more of a twist is superior. That’s not too far off, in my opinion. It covers a much broader range of topics and provides a more in-depth look at the glitz and glamour that most people associate with life in Vegas.
Despite an $85 million budget, the reimagining of Ocean’s 11 grossed $450 million in ticket sales after being released in theaters around the world. This ensemble feature film was so successful that Village Roadshow, Jerry Weintraub, and Section Eight Production decided to make two more films in the series, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen. The first of these two received mostly negative feedback from critics, whereas the second received praise from the same critics. Despite failing to match the success of the first film, both sequels grossed over $300 million at box offices around the world, making them profitable ventures for everyone involved.
4. Showgirls
All of the films on our list have made a profit and are now in the black. Showgirls is a 1995 erotic drama directed by the well-known Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven. The film remained in the red and was a failure in every way imaginable. During the development of the film, it was reported in the media that Carolco Pictures and United Artists paid writer Joe Eszterhas a significant sum of money for the rights to his Showgirls script.
During the film’s production, there was more speculation about whether or not it would be rated NC-17 due to its gratuitous sexual content. This time, the speculation was widespread. The plot revolves around a street-smart drifter, played by Elizabeth Berkley, who wants to make it big in Vegas as an erotic dancer.
The $40 million spent on the production of Showgirls was not recouped, and the film was nominated for seven Golden Raspberry Awards. Even though it is ridiculous and has a poor track record, it has achieved cult status. Furthermore, it has earned more than $100 million in revenue from the home video market in the United States alone. Furthermore, MGM celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2010 by releasing a Blu-ray that included all of the film’s most famous NC-17 moments.
5. Heat
When the name Burt Reynolds is mentioned, many people think of movies like Deliverance, Smokey, Bandit, Boogie Nights, the Cannonball Run, or Sharky’s Machine. Few people remember the 1986 neo-noir film Heat, directed by Burt Reynolds and written by the legendary screenwriter William Goldman. The heat was adapted from Goldman’s 1985 novel Edge Weapons. Goldman believes that the film’s production was a disaster because it had six different directors, three of whom were Robert Altman, Dick Richards, and Jerry Jameson.
Nick Escalante, a former mercenary who now works as a bodyguard for hire in Las Vegas, is the central character in the plot of the film Heat. Reynolds plays Escalante, a character who struggles with gambling addiction and wishes to relocate to Venice. Unfortunately, due to a complicated series of events, he finds himself in trouble with the son of a mob boss, and his life is in danger as a result. Despite its box office and critical failures, the 1986 film Heat offers an intriguing look at life in Las Vegas as seen through the eyes of the city’s residents. It was remade in 2015 as Wild Card, starring Jason Statham, with a screenplay that was nearly identical to the original.
