Casino – The Allure of Las Vegas Casinos
After the success of Goodfellas, the heir apparent to Mafia epics such as Raging Bull and The Godfather, Martin Scorsese signed on to direct Casino. The result is a taut, tightly wound crime drama that features a slew of powerhouse acting performances. From a screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi, the movie tells the story of mob-run Las Vegas casinos and how they lost their monopoly to huge gambling corporations with deep pockets.
Although it is a movie about the mob, there is no room for heroics in Casino. Every key character is mired in treachery, avarice, and violence. Instead, the movie is driven by its main characters, most notably Sharon Stone’s seductive Ginger. The actress delivers a performance that both builds on and inverts her star-making turn in Basic Instinct.
Despite the fact that most movies about casinos feature only a small portion of what is offered in real-life casino facilities, it is difficult not to get enthralled by their opulence and flashy lights. The glitz and glamour of these glass-and-steel temples to overindulgence are hard to resist. Gambling may be the main attraction in a casino, but they also offer top-notch restaurants, bars, shops, spas, and other luxury amenities that are sure to lure even those with no intention of gambling. However, there is a certain allure to casino games that isn’t found anywhere else, and these thrills are what makes these casinos so popular with moviegoers. Whether it’s the suspense of waiting for your next card or spin, or the excitement that comes from winning big, casinos have a special allure to them that keeps people coming back time and time again.