Welcome to The Best Movies I’ve Never Seen! This is the part of the blog where I work my way through 100 films I’ve never seen that are generally considered to be great. You’re invited to watch along with me if you can find a copy or find it streaming. So grab some popcorn and let’s get started!

Casino

1995

Directed by Martin Scorsese

Quick synopsis… Martin Scorsese draws on Nicholas Pileggi’s book about Las Vegas in the 1970s and ’80s as inspiration for his tale contrasting the city’s glamorous exterior with its sordid interior fueled by excess — and the mob. Against this backdrop, the story chronicles the rise and fall of a casino owner with mob connections (Robert De Niro), his friend and Mafia underboss (Joe Pesci) and an ex-prostitute with expensive taste and a driving will (Sharon Stone).

Two Scorsese pictures in a row. Both pushing 3 hours in length… Wow…

I find I’m having a hard time not comparing this to Scorsese’s superior film, Goodfellas. I think that’s because it’s not only directed by Scorsese but also stars De Niro and Pesci. I mean… obviously this is a very different movie.

But is it really that different?

I’ve never been to Vegas. I’ve never stepped foot in a casino. So all I know about these fancy gaming parlors comes from what I’ve seen in movies and on TV. Therefore I absolutely cannot speak to how accurate this depiction of Las Vegas in the 70s and early 80s actually is. I can only assume that it’s pretty accurate, since the movie is based on a non-fiction book written by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay.

But it’s a movie… so I’m sure some portions were glamorized and dramatized to make it more palatable for moving-going audiences.

I enjoyed Casino. I was entertained… But this isn’t something I’ll come back to and watch repeatedly. Not that I’m saying I can sit through Goodfellas every day. But, to me, that one is worth watching more than once.

Having now seen Casino, it ranks at 676 out of 2,290 on my personal Flickchart list.

Have you seen Casino? What did you think? Was I unfair in comparing it to Goodfellas? Let me know what you think down in the comments!