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Conference bookie::movies

Title:Movie Reviews and Discussion
Notice:Please do DIR/TITLE before starting a new topic on a movie!
Moderator:VAXCPU::michaudo.dec.com::tamara::eppes
Created:Thu Jan 28 1993
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1249
Total number of notes:16012

971.0. "Casino" by SHRCTR::SCHILTON (Press any key..no,no,not that one!) Mon Nov 20 1995 12:47

    What's the scoop on the new Scorcese film, Casino, that opens this
    Wednesday?  Starring Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesce and Sharon Stone, it
    looks like it'll be pretty good.  I think DeNiro runs the casino,
    Stone is his drug-addict wife, and I'm not sure of Pesce's role...
    
    It looks like a period piece, too, and seems to be set in the 70's. 
    
    Sue
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971.1CASINOPCBUOA::CHENARDMon Nov 20 1995 19:088
    It is set in the 70's with all those terrible
    clothes.  I think Joe Pesci is supposed to be
    his partner who does all the dirty work and
    DeNiro stays clean (that is what the previews
    show anyway).  Definitely looks interesting.
    
    Mo
    
971.2About what you'd expectEVMS::HALLYBFish have no concept of fireTue Nov 28 1995 15:4647
    I saw this over the weekend.
    
    Robert DeNiro plays a high-class gangster, Joe Pesci a low-class
    gangster who is a lifelong friend of DeNiro. Sharon Stone plays a
    high-class hustler. Not exactly a stretch for any of them.
    
    DeNiro gets put in charge of the mythical Tangiers casino in Las Vegas
    in 1973 (*I* lived in Vegas at the time!). Pesci, always a tough guy
    with an attitude problem, moves to Vegas to escape increasing heat 
    "back home". Stone is already there, living off her various talents.
    
    The movie has plenty of narrative from both DeNiro and Pesci, giving
    their thoughts about the events of the day. DeNiro would talk about
    the problems running a casino and gave a highly accurate explanation of
    what those problems are. He covers the counting room and the way money
    used to be (still is?) "skimmed" and sent to the bosses out of state.
    
    The basic storylines, none of which are credible, are:
    
    - DeNiro falls in love with Stone and wants to marry her
    - Stone has this thing for a lowlife scum played by Woody Harrelson
    - Pesci takes over the Las Vegas underworld
    - DeNiro has trouble getting his license to work in a casino and
      keeps shuffling papers before the gaming commission
    
    Eventually Pesci is barred from all casinos and starts to turn into a
    -really- nasty guy, DeNiro's marriage to Stone hits the rocks, Woody
    Harrelson's character keeps coming back like a bad cough, DeNiro
    doesn't get his gaming license and then things go downhill from there.
    
    This is a long movie but it was enjoyable enough (well, I'm not much of
    a fan of Pesci's violence but I notice they tended not to show the
    actual blows, cuts etc.) Scorcese is no Alfred Hitchcock but I'm pleased
    he tried to reduce the on-screen gore.
    
    I thought DeNiro's and Stone's costumes were, well, interesting. Some
    nice, some garish. The story is interesting enough, the acting is OK,
    including Don Rickles as the ever-scowling casino manager. The casino 
    (the real star) is presented honestly, all the good guys (loosely-defined) 
    win in the end, so I figure it was worth the trip.
    
    The background music, while pleasant, was all pre-1973 era. But it was a
    lot more pleasant than the actual contemporary music would have been.
    
    ***/*****,
    
      John
971.3Woods not WoodyNIOSS1::LEETue Nov 28 1995 15:516
    I believe the actor who plays Sharon Stone's pimp is
    James Woods (not Woody Harrelson).
    
    Do I have the name right?  He's the guy from Diggstown.
    
    
971.4Waddya think?SHRCTR::SCHILTONPress any key..no,no,not that one!Tue Nov 28 1995 16:003
    Would you recommend we wait for the video?
    
    Sue
971.5waiting may not be such sweet pleasureTNPUBS::MARCOTue Nov 28 1995 19:0512
We saw this film over the weekend and it is long and rambling without a lot of
focus.  Presumably it is a true story.  It certainly gives a very grim view of
Las Vegas and the role of the mob.   Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone are good. 
James Woods is the lover/pimp and is suitably sleazy but his role is minor.  Joe
Pesci plays the role of an enforcer--very violent and out of control.  I am not
sure if Pesci was out of control or if it was just his character.  Frankly, I am
getting very tired of Joe Pesci.  Every role seems to be the same for him.

Save your poor bum from uncomfortable seats and wait for it to come out on video
if you really must see it.  It is not classic Scorcese.

RA
971.6same director as GoodfellasMARLIN::COLEMon Feb 12 1996 18:575
    It's could almost be called "GoodFella's part II" ... if you see
    "Goodfellas", you'll see that it's the same type of movie, he just
    traded in Ray Liotta for Sharon Stone.
    
    It was entertaining ... but I liked "Goodfellas" better.
971.7POLAR::BRASSINGTONSettle Down you arm pitTue Jun 18 1996 06:565
    I rented it this weekend and thought it was good flick.  I thought Joe
    Pesci played an awesome nutcase.
    
    Pete
    
971.8POLAR::LYLEconfused as a baby in a topless barSat Jul 13 1996 16:007
    
    Seen it yesterday. Good film. Quite long tho....
    
    Man, DeNiro sure did have a lot of 'loud' clothes.
    
    Dave
    
971.9Good...SHRCTR::SCHILTONPress any key..no,no,not that one!Mon Jul 15 1996 12:5311
    I saw it Friday night, bordering on too long... 
    
    But, I liked it.  I thought it was a great "period piece".
    I thought DeNiro was perhaps a little "wooden", or not as
    expressive as he's been in some other things, but overall
    I liked him in it.
    
    Also, I thought Sharon Stone was terrific and James Woods
    is always so good as a sleaze, isn't he?!
    
    Sue
971.10STAR::65320::RIVERSNo commentMon Jul 15 1996 13:4210
    I was sort of under the impression that DeNiro's character was Mr.
    Reserved (hence, "Wooden") -- very much into NOT showing anything he
    felt.  So maybe it was the character rather than the actor coming
    through.  
    
    
    Just my two cents,
    
    
    kim
971.11SUBSYS::NEUMYERYour memory still hangin roundTue Jul 30 1996 14:3014
    
    	Rented this over the weekend. Overall I liked the movie, especially
    the narrative angle.
    
    Spoiler
    
    
    
    	In the very first scene, DeNiro's character is blown up and very
    specifically shown seated in the car, but in the end he is shown
    getting out before the big explosion. That was very Saturday morning
    serial movieish
    
    ej
971.12A big disappointmentTNPUBS::NAZZAROAin't no one gonna dog me downWed Jul 31 1996 14:518
    Overlong, needlessly violent at times, and the bad language was so
    pervasive it lost its effect.  I started counting how many consecutive
    sentences there were that Joe Pesci used the word f*ck.  Sharon Stone's
    mouth wasn't much better.  She seemed to me to be ranting more than
    acting.  Believe me, I'm no prude, but the endless assault of vulgar
    language in this movie really turned me off.
    
    NAZZ
971.13SUBPAC::GOLDIEResident AlienThu Aug 01 1996 12:4013
    
    
    I saw this in the movies and felt like I need a bath after wards....man
    I felt scummy and I was only watching.Every character was despicable
    but I kinda liked the story.I like De Niro...a lot!
    
    
    the saving grace about this movie
    
    
    Robert DeNiro's suits! 8)
    
    							ian
971.14Not as good as "Goodfellas"....HOTLNE::SHIELDSSun Jan 19 1997 03:5814