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So many of our favorite (and not so favorite) movies have been filmed right here in Sin City. Although, nothing compares to seeing the lights of the strip in person, many people fell in love with Vegas through the movies that were filmed here. Here are our picks of the top 10 movies filmed in Vegas: 1) Casino- Honestly, does it get any better than this? A move about mobsters living in Vegas in the 70’s and 80’s starring Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci. If you love mob movies chances are you’ve seen Casino not once but dozens of times. Director Martin Scorsese knew exactly how to tell an otherwise dark story hidden behind a mask of glitz and glamour. What also puts this movie so near and dear to our hearts is that there is actually some truth behind it. In Vegas, things aren’t always as beautiful as they seem. In the film, Robert De Niro’s character, Ace, was the owner of Tangiers Casino which was actually filmed mostly at the Riviera hotel.
2) Indecent Proposal- Another classic movie that was filmed right here in Las Vegas. Shortly after getting married a young couple heads to Vegas to try to win money that they desperately need to make ends meet. After losing the little money the had left, the couple is approached by a millionaire who offers one million dollars to sleep with the man’s wife. What is a girl to do? The movie stars Demi Moore, Robert Redford, and Woody Harrelson. Most of the film was short at the Las Vegas Hilton and at the Mirage.
3) Go- A lesser known film, but still a great story. Go is the story of three people somehow connected to a drug deal gone wrong. The story is told through the eyes of three people who are unknowingly connected. The film was shot at the Riviera as well as the New Frontier Hotel and Casino. Stars of the movie include: Katie Holmes, Scott Wolf, and Jay Mohr.
4) Leaving Las Vegas- This Academy Award winning film is also among the top most famous Vegas films of all time. Nicolas Cage stars as a depressed screenwriter who movies to Las Vegas in order to drink himself to death. Instead he meets a prostitute and falls in love with her. The movie was shot all over the strip at locations such as: the Excalibur, Bally’s, the Flamingo, and Circus Circus.
5) Showgirls- A classic Las Vegas tale, this movie is the story of a young girl, played by Elizabeth Berkley, who sets her sights on Las Vegas in order to make it big as a famous showgirl when the city starts to get the best of her. The movie was filmed at locations such as: Spago, the Riviera Hotel and Casino, and the Stardust.
6) Fools Rush In- Mathew Perry and Salma Hayek star in a romantic comedy about a one night stand that leads to pregnancy. The couple decides to get married and later finds out how different they really are. The movie was filmed in Las Vegas and the surrounding desert of Nevada and Arizona.
7) Vegas Vacation- Another outrageous comedy in the National Lampoon legacy, Vegas Vacation stars Chevy Chase as the father of a family that head to Vegas for a vacation with his family. However, like in every other National Lampoon movie, everything that can go wrong does go wrong. On-site locations include the Chapel of the Bells, McCarren International Airport, and the Mirage.
8) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas- The movie that put Vegas on the map as the capital of sin and debauchery. An all star cast includes Johnny Depp, Benecio Del Toro, Christina Ricci, Tobey Maguire, Gary Busey, and Cameron Diaz. A slightly disturbed journalist and his wacky lawyer head to Vegas on a writing assignment. Along the way they go on a search for the American Dream while using almost every drug imaginable. The film was shot in locations such as: the Riviera, the Stardust, and the desert near Red Rock Canyon.
9) Get Shorty- Although only a few scenes were actually filmed in Las Vegas. This movie is a classic. A mobster goes after a big movie producer to settle a gambling debt and ends up in the movie business himself. Stars include: John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito. Only a few of the casino scene were shot in Las Vegas.
10) Oceans Eleven- We saved the best for last. Oceans 11 was not only shot in Las Vegas, the movie is everything that Las Vegas represents- the idea that anyone can get rich quick. A group of criminals joins together under to do the unthinkable—rob a casino vault. Even overcautious hotel mogul’s have weaknesses and the crew sets out to find that weakness and walk right out of the casino with millions in their pockets. Stars include: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, and Julia Roberts. Many of the scenes for the movie where shot either inside the Bellagio or right outside on the strip and in front of the famous Bellagio fountains.
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