Movie Magic in Tinsel Town
Between the flashing lights and the 24-hour excitement, it’s no wonder that the city of Las Vegas has served as the backdrop for dozens of television shows and movies. And with a location just a few hours from Los Angeles, the world center of filmmaking, it’s easy for production crews to hit Sin City for some on-location shoots, lending an air of authenticity to their projects.
For movie buffs or those who want to capture a little bit of Hollywood glamour, it’s not hard to find spots in and around the city that have featured prominently in their favorite shows and movies when they are taking a Las Vegas holiday. Need a little help? Check out these spots!
Reality Television
Reality TV thrives on creating drama among “real” people and where better to stir that pot than Sin City? Some of the most popular reality television programmes have filmed in Vegas. Fans of the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” have started flocking to the Palms Resort and Casino, owned by one of the housewives, Adrienne Maloof. Several episodes of the popular series were filmed at The Palms.
Before the Housewives were real, MTV’s “The Real World” opened to the door to reality shows and the 12th season of the show was actually filmed at The Palms. After the seven strangers got real in the huge suite for three months, the Palms opened it up for guests – if you’ve got around $12,000, you can stay in the Real World Suite for a night! Fans of the dating shows “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” will recognize several spots in and around Vegas. The show has filmed at the Bellagio, Monte Carlo and Mandalay Bay resorts, among others.
Scripted Television
Quick: name a television set in Las Vegas! You might have thought of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” And, like many people planning a visit to Vegas, you might want to know when the show is filming, so you can catch a glimpse. Unfortunately. “CSI” is actually filmed primarily on a sound stage in California, not on location in Nevada. Some scenes and exterior shots, were actually filmed in Sin City, but for the most part, “CSI” is shot off-site.
Movies
Unlike television, movies tend to be filmed in Las Vegas with some regularity. Fans of the film “The Hangover” will recognize the Riviera Hotel and Casino and Caesars Palace, where the film was shot; “Iron Man” starring Robert Downey, Jr. also shot at Caesars. The Riviera was used for “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” and served as the location for the movie “21,” along with the Red Rocks Resort Spa and Casino.
Another comedy, “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” filmed at Monte Carlo and the Fremont Street Experience. Fremont Street also featured in the classic James Bond film “Diamonds are Forever.” Fans of the Chevy Chase film “Vegas Vacation” will recognize the Mirage and MGM Grand; the Mirage also appeared in “Leaving Las Vegas.”
One interesting example of filmmaking in Vegas? The classic heist film “Ocean’s 11.” The original version, starring Frank Sinatra, was filmed all around Las Vegas, including the now-defunct Sands, Desert Inn and Sahara hotels. However, the 2001 remake, starring George Clooney, was largely filmed on a sound stage, with only exterior shots of the Bellagio Fountains used in the film. However, the second sequel to the film, 2007’s “Ocean’s Thirteen” did film in and around Las Vegas, at the Bellagio, Mandalay Bay and McCarran International Airport.
Las Vegas is full of sites and locations that visitors will recognize from their favorite movies and films. Maybe you’ll recognise a movie or TV show from the hotel you end up staying at! And with new productions happening all the time, you have a good chance of running into a crew filming something during your stay, whether a reality show, segment for a travel show or news programme, exterior shots or even scenes from an upcoming episode or movie. Keep your eyes out and you might just catch a little Hollywood glamour among the lights of Las Vegas.
Ana Kenneth is a Las Vegas native and movie buff who has appeared as an extra in several films shot in her hometown.
