More than 40 million people visit Las Vegas each year. Naturally, the vast majority of visitors to the city come from across the United States thanks to good road and air connections to the rest of the country. But the magnetic field of Vegas stretches right around the world, pulling in guests and gamers from all corners of the globe.
Outside of North American nations, the UK is the biggest contributor to that pilgrimage, with more than half a million Brits heading to see first-hand if what happens in Vegas really does stay there.
But you don’t have to have been there in person to recognise it. Las Vegas is a city that is instantly recognisable. The bright neon lights jumping and dancing back and forth along the strip, the legendary casinos that they illuminate, and the revolving door of A-list performers that take up residency in the Nevada desert are all iconic.
This global recognition is achieved primarily through Las Vegas’ inclusion in so many films and TV shows. From Friends to The Big Bang Theory, almost every major US television drama or sitcom with any longevity eventually has a Vegas episode or makes reference to the city.
There’s also a long list of movies that use the famous Vegas Strip or its casinos as a backdrop. Getting an exact number is tricky, but there are certainly hundreds. Amongst them, there are several stand-out productions that are worth watching over and over.
Casino (1995)
Las Vegas is famous for its casinos, but it has a lot of competition, today. Online casinos make it easier than ever to play popular table games and slots without needing to fly halfway around the world. Competition in the online casino market also means players are treated to a sea of promotions like a 30 free spins welcome bonus from Virgin Games and other leading brands.
But when Martin Scorsese released his legendary movie, Casino in 1995, the gaming landscape was very different as the concept of playing from your phone or computer was inconceivable to most.
Set two decades earlier, this epic crime flick that features big names like Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci has become an iconic Las Vegas film. It follows “Ace”, a member of a Chicago crime gang, who is sent to Vegas to run a casino. Things begin to head south, resulting in violence, betrayal, and plenty of action.
All this occurs with stunning period views of the city with its glowing neon lights and several famous casinos from that era.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Ocean’s Eleven (2001) is a remake of the 1960 movie of the same name. Featuring an ensemble cast of Hollywood big hitters like George Clooney, Matt Daemon, and Julia Roberts.
It depicts a suave gang of criminals led by Danny Ocean who plan to knock off three of Las Vegas’ biggest casinos on one of their biggest fight nights of the year. Using a mix of deception, technology, and violence, they attempt to break into a fortified safe, though there’s more than cash at stake as Ocean’s plot is one of revenge as much as it is theft.
The film is set in three of Las Vegas’ biggest and best-known casinos, the Bellagio, Mirage, and MGM Grand and offers stunning visuals of the gaming floors, casino exteriors, and the entire city.
The Hangover (2009)
The Hangover is an iconic comedy film from 2009 that follows the aftermath of a Las Vegas bachelor party that went wrong.
It shows almost every angle of Las Vegas, from the stunning B-roll shots of the Bellagio’s fountains to the small apartments that many of the city’s residents live in. Unlike most movies set in the Vegas, it truly is a story about the whole city, not just its casinos.
It’s more than that, too, as not only is it a showcase of just how beautiful Las Vegas is, The Hangover is hilarious from start to finish, with writing that throws up side-splitting surprise after side-splitting surprise.