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Downtown Casinos in Film

Discussion in 'Downtown Hotels' started by FullPay, Sep 23, 2012.

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  1. FullPay

    FullPay When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro

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    I have been involved in the recent discussion about the film "Swingers" presenting their actors as being at the Stardust when the interior was actually shot at the Fremont. I have to say that I bought the interior as the Stardust, and I was there several times myself. I spend a lot of time with Las Vegas themed films looking at the background scenery, mostly trying to remember my first visit to the Holiday Riverboat casino before the implosion of the Aladdin. So I would ask if anyone wants to share some casino film memories, and specifically: in the movie "The Cooler" starring William H. Macy, were the interior scenes from the California?
     
  2. sammasseur

    sammasseur VIP Whale

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    Bachelor Party Vegas (2006) - Lots of Golden Nugget scenes
    Pay It Forward - Mermaids, Plaza, Golden Gate
    Casino - Plaza, Main Street Station, exterior view of California
    Get Him To The Greek - Plaza
    Next (Julianne Moore, Nicholas Cage) - Golden Nugget, Fremont Street canopy
     
  3. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

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    U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" video was shot on Fremont, pre canopy.
     
  4. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

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    Oh yeah, still pics in the Hangover in front of this:

    [​IMG]

    That is my desktop pic. A true Vegas iconic sign.
     
  5. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    Vegas Vacation has some canopy action.

    The Las Vegas Story has some cool pre-plaza train station images. Not sure where they filmed the casino part of it though. Maybe a set.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    Diamonds are Forever.....and it's "stirred, not shaken" as in how to make the proper Martini or Manhattan.

    By the way, you can search for films and TV shows shot in Las Vegas on IMDB.com. I found a 1975 episode of the Rockford Files was filmed in LV, and I was able to view it on Netflix via my Roku. Lots of scenes downtown and strip.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2012
  7. FullPay

    FullPay When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro

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    I found a list of films shot in Las Vegas about the time of my first visit, can't remember if 'Rain Man' had any decent exterior shots."

    'Hangover' a night time exterior in fron to the Atomic Cafe sign. Still haven't nerved up enough to walk down there.
     
  8. mjames1229

    mjames1229 # of visits includes only trips w/ hotel stays

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    The interior scenes of The Cooler were filmed in Reno at a closed casino. It had been the Flamingo Hilton, was used for The Cooler, then the casino reopened as the Golden Phoenix...

    Which closed two years later and is now a mostly-empty condo building.
     
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  9. Homeschool

    Homeschool Low-Roller

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    Scenes from the Stephen King miniseries The Stand were shot Downtown.

    Exterior shots of The Plaza were used in Back to the Future II as "Biff's" casino. My buddies and I we will always refer to it as Biff's :thumbsup:


    Homeschool
     
  10. Homeschool

    Homeschool Low-Roller

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    Oh, and the video for "Life Ain't Always Beautiful" by Gary Allan was shot Downtown, too.


    Homeschool
     
  11. Bazzito52

    Bazzito52 Low-Roller

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    Harry and Tonto (1974): Art Carney taking a leak on the Union Plaza. Also some interior scenes of the Plaza.

    In Cold Blood (1967): Authentic exterior shots of the downtown area as Hickock and Smith are arrested in Las Vegas and picked up by Kansas police.
     
  12. bsf436

    bsf436 Tourist

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    Honey I Blew Up The Kid, although a terrible movie, has some shots of Wet 'n Wild as well as pre-canopy Fremont St. Vegas Vic makes a canopy and you hear his "voice" welcoming you to Downtown Las Vegas. There is also a mistake in which the baby is clearly downtown, but the Circus Circus sign shows up behind him. Of course they also claim he is headed for the strip when we all know it is downtown.
     
  13. mraudit

    mraudit I wear this on the plane!

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    Some others

    Midnight Run, casino shots are in the old Aladdan. Some downtown shots. Rainman, excellent shots inside Caesers Palace, and the strip. Diamonds are forever have casino shots of Circus Circus casino with circus acts, and of course a super awesome downtown chase scene pre Plaza! Great shots there. Vegas Vacation has great shots of the Mirage, nice strip scenes, and of course, the Silver City Casino with all those great games, of course they were fake, other than WAR!! By the way, Silver City is now gone. Use to be across from the old Stardust. You have Honeymoon in Vegas with great inside Ballys shots. 21 that shows Planet Hollywood. Viva Las Vegas has extremly old Flamingo hotel shots.

    One more, Oceans Eleven with all the Bellagio scenes.
     
  14. Johnzimbo

    Johnzimbo VIP Whale

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    Saved by the Bell...Wedding in Vegas, I know part of this was filmed on Fremont Street before the FSE was built. It was filmed in 1993 or 1994 and one night I walked outside the El Cortez and saw they had the street blocked off to film a segment where the gang was driving wildly on Fremont Street.
     
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  15. M_ILIS

    M_ILIS VIP Whale

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    Albert Brooks' "Lost in America" has a scene of them driving their motorhome on Fremont Street (pre canopy) as well as scenes at Desert Inn.
     
  16. Joe Strummer

    Joe Strummer VIP Whale

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    "Lucky You "
    Eric Bana ?
    Drew Barrymore
    Robert Duval
    .
    Lotsa Binion's -
    and various other Vegas locations.
    .
    I walked by Binion's when they were filming the movie.
    I saw Duval sitting ( outside )in costume + talking on his cell.
     
  17. PopMegaphone

    PopMegaphone VIP Whale

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    Not a casino, but the flop house Sharon Stone's character stays in near the end of the film was The Ogden House which is now the El Cortez Cabana Suites.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2012
  18. mjames1229

    mjames1229 # of visits includes only trips w/ hotel stays

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    Oceans 11 (Sinatra version) has a view looking down Fremont St during the day from what is now the Plaza.

    Casino has almost that exact same view (only at night) but is actually taken from the Plaza.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2012
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  19. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

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    Yeah what restaurant were DeNiro and Stone in Casino in where they are overlooking the street and DeNiro goes off?
     
  20. Bazzito52

    Bazzito52 Low-Roller

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    It's the old Center Stage restaurant at the Plaza.

    Also some great scenes from that location in the short-lived "Crime Story" TV show. Not a movie, but lots of great Vegas locations.
     
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