Casinos and related gambling activities have played a big role in the worldwide cinema industry. This is from epic stories of gambling whizz-kids to action-packed tales of spies and their escapades.
Needless to say, gambling is all about highs and lows, which is the type of drama and suspense that many moviegoers adore. For the most part, there has been an intriguing interplay between movies and the gambling business, since they gain from each other in a variety of ways.
Is Hollywood Addicted to Gambling in Casinos?
Addiction, on the other hand, is a pretty strong term. However, it is reasonable to state that filmmakers are frequently enthralled with gambling. There are numerous stories of celebrities partaking in both legal and illegal gambling activities. This lends credence to the allegation that Hollywood is fascinated with gambling. But why is that?
Emotions Fascinations
Surprisingly, the answer to that question might be rather easy. If you've ever sat at a poker or blackjack table, or simply tried your luck at a slot machine, you know how emotionally fascinating it can be.
Wherever there is a gambling activity, the entire gamut of human emotions can easily be discovered. Depending on how the games play out for you, you will experience a range of emotions including excitement, happiness, rage, trepidation, sadness, and even heartbreak.
It can even develop to the point where gambling determines life and death circumstances. The primary goal of movies is to elicit emotion through showing emotional scenes, and gambling has enough of this.
Essentially, it portrays individuals in their actual shape or essence. There are several well-known gambling films accessible right now. Each of them brings gambling and film enthusiasts closer to the pleasure of gambling.
You may never be able to pull a James Bond and bet against criminals in Macau, but it is fascinating to watch things unfold on film.
Is it Just a Fact or a Fiction?
When it comes to movies, everyone's tastes differ. Having said that, the topic of whether a gambling film should be fiction or based on reality may be fairly subjective. There are a handful of fantastic movies on gambling legends for those who enjoy genuine stories.
Naturally, the purpose of these films is to show everything as closely as possible to genuine real-life occurrences. Poker players who play at the top online casinos in Canada, for example, can learn a few tricks by simply watching movies like High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story.
Although reviews differ, they do an excellent job of highlighting the life and poker career of some of the world's most successful poker players.
Imagination Display
It is critical to recognize that film is mostly about imagination. Many directors have perfected the skill of bringing fictional stories to life, resulting in films like Casino Royale and Skyfall.
Gambling is depicted extensively in several films, raising concerns about the veracity of such representations. In most circumstances, filmmakers will aim to be as realistic as possible.
However, in certain cases, they often go out of their way to add something out of the ordinary. Avid gamblers are frequently eager to point out such strange discrepancies in how gaming is portrayed. Evenfictional gambling stories must be based on true gambling events. The regulations remain unchanged.
Real-World Settings
However, the behaviors of the gamblers in the films are not the only elements that are based on reality. Unless you're watching a story about travels in space or on other planets, you'll notice that gambling movies are frequently set in real-world settings.
Macau and, of course, Las Vegas are two of the most famous gambling venues in films. These two locations have become go-to spots for filmmakers not only when they need to do gambling research, but also while they are filming the films. This not only makes the movie more relevant but also helps the casinos sell themselves. Very astute.
You ought to remember that gambling is only depicted in a few states in the movies. In New York, for example, casino gaming and card games are known to take place in more private places. Rounders, a poker film, is an example of how this is depicted in cinema (1996).
The film has now become a cult classic among poker fans, and you can learn more about it here. The majority of the poker games shown in the movie 'Rounders' take place in private settings, usually amongst friends or coworkers.
High-Class Settings
Casino sequences in films set in Europe typically have a diverse interpretation according to the location. James Bond is a well-known British cinema character recognized for living a high-class lifestyle.
Bond enters the opulent Casino de Monte Carlo in Monaco in GoldenEye (1995). The clip depicts the trip up to the casino, emphasizing its spectacular design and setting.
Bond's poker adventures take him to Montenegro in Casino Royale (2006). The backdrop is again quite high-class, which adds to the mood as 007 goes off against the villain, Le Chiffre, in a high-stakes poker game.
Although the casino sequences in Bond flicks are always staged in high-end venues, there are numerous scenes with casino gaming situated in various regions of Europe and America with a distinct ambiance.
The Criminal Factor
The majority, if not all, of the gambling movies that have been published, depict a purported link between crime and gaming. While this is not always the case, in reality, it is evident that the two frequently cross paths.
Films concerning crime are already highly popular, and films about gambling are also very popular. When you combine the two, you get incredible action-packed films.
Conclusion
Unlike a few years or decades ago, gambling is no longer invariably associated with heists, the mafia, gangs, or mobs. Right now, there is greater regulation and control, which makes it a legitimate industry, at least in most places.
Drama sells in the film industry. A gambling narrative is thrilling on its own. However, when a dash of crime is tossed into the mix, it transforms into a mind-blowing cinematic delight.