There’s plenty of awesome casino films out there, including Casino and, er Casino Royale. But the ultimate in Vegas-based hedonism and frankly worrying ingestion of hallucinogenic substances, combined with some incredible Hawaiian shirts and a trip round some of Vegas’ most iconic casinos, is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. This film, based on the book by Hunter S. Thompson, sees Raoul Duke and Oscar Acosta travel to Las Vegas in order to find the American Dream, and isn’t a good film to watch after you’ve eaten some cheese or just before you go to bed.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream is an autobiographical work by the one and gonzo journalist only Hunter S. Thompson (sadly deceased), and illustrated by (equally nuts) visual partner Ralph Steadman. Raoul Duke, and his attorney, Dr. Gonzo, hit Vegas to find the American Dream through a drug-induced haze. If you are deciding whether to read the book or watch the movie- read the book. It’s miles better.
We don’t recommend you recreate any of the scenes in Fear and Loathing by the way (there is a good reason why Hunter S. Thompson is pushing up daises, and it’s got nothing to do with a healthy lifestyle) – but if you want to bring the book to life, there’s a few casinos that you’ll want to visit on a trip round Las Vegas. Or you know, pretend you’re visiting as you’re playing at an online casino. One of the best pieces of advice (or rather a comment) about Vegas from the book, is “Vegas Loves a Drunk”. Even if it it takes you 3 trips round the revolving door to get into the place and you’ve got your pants around your ankles, they’ll usher you win, pull up your smalls, serve you another Jack Daniels and show you to the tables. Gambling when intoxiated is much like Drink Driving. It seems a great idea at the time, but you’ll end up crashing and burning, but do the casinos give a damn? Hell, no!
An iconic scene in the movie takes place in the Circus Circus Casino – or at least would have done, if they’d agreed to being involved with the film. However, the Circus Circus Casino still does have that central revolving bar and disturbing circus theme to the casino, meaning you too can gaze at bearded ladies while you indulge in some blackjack.
When the two roving reporters of Fear and Loathing are covering the exciting, vaguely dangerous, Mint 400 race, they stay in the Mint Hotel – and while you might not be able to stay there now, you can at least be in the same place thanks to it being rebuilt as part of a new hotel, Binion’s Horseshoe.
Duke and Acosta also traverse the Las Vegas strip like any good tourist, parking on the sidewalk and terrorising locals where appropriate. Anyone online casino fan worth their salt will take the time out to visit at least a few of the places on the strip; just keep your eyes peeled for rampaging 427 Super Sport Impala Convertibles.
