Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 romantic drama starring Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shu and based on the semi-autobiographical novel “Leaving Las Vegas” by John O’Brien. The film Leaving Las Vegas is about a Hollywood screenwriter, Ben Sanderson, who travels to Las Vegas to drink himself to death after losing his job, family and friends to alcoholism. There, he meets a prostitute named Sera, and the two develop a friendship.
Watch the official trailer below:
“Leaving Las Vegas – Original Trailer HD (1995) Nicolas Cage Movie” by moviehungerclips
Due to a limited budget, some measures were taken to cut costs during filming. For example, the production couldn’t afford to shut down the Las Vegas Strip for filming, so scenes were shot in the middle of traffic. Despite its low budget, Leaving Las Vegas received many praises and Academy Award nominations. It also earned Nicolas Cage a Best Actor Oscar in 1996.
Nevada Filming Locations / Settings
Below are some of the filming locations used for Leaving Las Vegas.
Bally’s Casino Resort
“Ballys Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada” by Ken Lund is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Circus Circus
“Circus Circus Hotel” by David Stanley is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Flamingo Hotel
“Flamingo Hotel” by Boss Tweed is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Excalibur Hotel and Casino
“reflections” by brando.n is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Las Vegas Boulevard South
“Las Vegas Strip at Night” by Marco Verch is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Gold River / River Palms in Laughlin, NV
“River Palms Casino” by Rennett Stowe is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Sources: The Guardian / Variety / The Free Library