Cassino

If you haven't seen Casino yet, stop whatever it is you're doing, rush to the nearest video store, rent it, and watch it. Along with Mean Streets Casino is probably Scorsese's most underrated and unheralded picture. I would also venture to say that this is probably his most ambitious film. The film deals with a particular time period and a particular atmosphere and accomplishes an overwhelming achievement by creating and accurately portraying both. The art direction is splendid, most likely the best of any film Scorsese has ever done. The acting is superb. I never thought Pesci would be able to top his dynamic performance in Raging Bull until I saw Casino. Every time I watch this picture I fall in love with it all over again. This is the most honest depiction of Las Vegas, especially of the time period it was portrayed in. Scorsese's direction is flawless. Perhaps it is because I watch alot of Scorsese and Kubrick films, but I am becoming less satisfied with plot driven films and more enamored by films that possess the freedom that typical stories just don't seem to hold. Sharon Stone gives the best performance of her career, and as far as the editing is concerned, well if you believe like Kubrick and Pudovkin that a film is not shot, but built who better to have on your team than long time cohort, collaborator, and editor Thelma Schoonmaker. Ultimately, the genius of Scorsese is not just in the mastery of the medium, but in the understanding and appreciation for the necessity of great collaborators on all levels that Scorsese has consistently utilized throughout his career. Casino exemplifies not only the best of a Scorsese film, but transcends it. This film is truly a gem.

While re-watching "Casino" just now I kept thinking of Spielberg's words re: Kubrick. "Just try to stop watching one of Stanley's movies when you've already started," he said. "It's impossible".

Perhaps, with Kubrick's passing, Scorsese became the greatest filmmaker on the planet. "Casino" is just an unbridled jolt of cinema, a three hour movie that feels like an hour and a half, a breakneck pace that still allows for rare depth in its performances and characterisations. It's the best performance Sharon Stone ever put in; after the ridiculous "Basic Instinct" and "Sliver", they could have written her off if not for this. Her character's arc is tremendous.

More than anything, "Casino" is a showcase of what Pauline Kael called "film sense", that implacable quality that all great directors have. Like Spielberg and Kubrick, Scorsese has a gift for knowing exactly what shot should follow which, is an absolute master of camera movements, angles, framing such that the movie streaks across the screen like fast-moving water over rocks, never once stalling or slowing down.

It's brilliant, but it's not up with the director's greatest work like "Taxi Driver", "Raging Bull", or "Hugo", which is a truly underrated masterpiece. It's a notch below, but when Scorsese is a notch below his best, he's still streets ahead of everybody else.

Based on a true story, Martin Scorsese "Casino" is a motion picture about two characters and their chance to rule the desert paradise of Las Vegas… We are introduced in with all the lights, the noise, the flashing and the colors of the town that doesn't sleep day or night…

De Niro's character, Sam 'Ace' Rothstein, is based on Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, who was a hell of a handicapper… He was so good that whenever he bets, he could change the odds for every bookmaker in the country… Genius at what he was doing with numbers, he proved to a lot of guys in the Chicago Mob that he was a tremendous earner that he could make a lot of money for them… As a result, he was able to accomplish whatever bookmaking, handicapping, he wanted to do, with the umbrella of protection from those guys… 'Ace' runs the casino with an iron fist refusing any outside people cheating at his tables…

But he had a fatal flaw… 'Ace' always felt that he could logically and intelligently deal with things, even to deal with emotions… So he decides on making a life with a woman who, he knows, does not necessarily love him… Anyway with such a sexy wife and money to burn, 'Ace' was the epitome of opulence, confidence and power…

Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone) was fascinating… Great woman, truly beautiful, one of the best-known hustlers in town… For her, a guy like 'Ace' was the ultimate score… So the way to Ginger's heart was clearly money… 'Ace' knew that but he didn't care…What he wanted was to marry her…

Sharon Stone really stood up to the challenge in her role as a casino hustler who is so wild… She was young, fresh, confident, looking absolutely fantastic as the independent woman whom everybody desires…

Joe Pesci succeeds in his scary tough role as the strong man who has nerve, and isn't afraid of the cops… He was reportedly a mob hit man reputed to be a sadistic killer… (In one scene, his character is shown torturing someone by putting his head in a vise.)

To protect his friend and adviser, Nicky (Pesci) would beat to a pulp any street guys who messed with 'Ace' or didn't give him the proper respect… Over the course of their friendship Nicky delivered a number of these messages always making sure that 'Ace' didn't get his hands dirty… 'Ace' witnessed several beatings on his behalf… Nicky's mission was to show his worth to the family as an enforcer…

The clothes on De Niro looked very straight, more dangerous and very threatening… They were very important cues to his character, and again, to the progression of the story… 'Ace' was an extremely fastidious guy… And, of course, as you follow the story he starts out in more conservative colors and as things become more chaotic, the colors become more chaotic

Nothing you haven't seen before, Robert De Niro performs in a similar style to several he established his career playing and Joe Pesci can only play himself no matter what the role calls for. If organised crime capers are your thing, or you're a casino denizen, it's lucky 7s all round for you, although, on this occasion, it's complemented and elevated through an outstanding performance by Sharon Stone. She steals the picture as the addicted to anything femme fatale opportunist most men would aspire to tame and, if they did get that chance, they would soon discover the trophy wife from hell - Sam did, but don't let that put you off.

A complex, multilayered, beautifully directed film, Martin Scorsese's Casino is a masterpiece of destruction and betrayal. Few films take so many chances and succeed so wonderfully. It takes some of the basic formulas that were found in Goodfellas and applies them to another type of story - while Goodfellas' view was ground-level, telling the story of the "blue collar" gangsters of NYC, this film tells the story of the guys who controlled those guys. And it's fascinating to watch these people run Las Vegas, control the flow of money, and then fall from the heights of power due to lust, hubris, and greed. An amazing film that will hopefully get the recognition it deserves in the years to come.