NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Leaving Las Vegas

Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 romantic drama film about a relationship between a suicidal alcoholic and a prostitute from Las Vegas, starring Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue, respectively. Ben Sanderson is a late-stage alcoholic who has hit rock bottom. Trashing all personal and professional ties to his L.A. existence, he sets off for the lights of Vegas on a mission: to drink himself to death. There he meets Sera, a beautiful, seen-it-all hooker. From the moment Ben and Sera connect, they form a unique bond based upon unconditional acceptance and mutual respect that will change each of them forever. The film was directed and written by Mike Figgis, based on a semi-autobiographical novel by John O'Brien. Two weeks after the production of the film had started, O'Brien committed suicide. A halt of the project was considered, but work on the film was continued as a memorial of sorts. Leaving Las Vegas is the title of: A 1990 novel by John OBrien A 1995 film starring Nicholas Cage and based on OBriens novel A song by Sheryl Crow, from her 1992 album Tuesday Night Music Club This is a disambiguation page â€” a list of pages that... Image File history File links Leaving_Las_Vegas_DVD_cover. ... Mike Figgis (born February 28, 1948) is an English film director, writer, and composer. ... John OBrien (May 21, 1960 - April 10, 1994) was born in Oxford, Ohio, where his parents, Bill and Judy OBrien were both students at Miami University. ... Mike Figgis (born February 28, 1948) is an English film director, writer, and composer. ... Nicolas Cage (born January 7, 1964) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Elisabeth Shue (born October 6, 1963) is an Academy Award-nominated American film actress. ... Julian Sands (born January 15, 1958) is a British actor. ... Mike Figgis (born February 28, 1948) is an English film director, writer, and composer. ... Declan Quinn was born in Chicago, Illinois circa 1957, and raised in Ireland by his Irish parents; he is a brother of the actor Aidan Quinn. ... This article is about the film studio. ... MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... â€œUSDâ€ redirects here. ... The year 1995 in film involved some significant events. ... A romantic drama film is a film that seriously studies the romantic nature of relationships between people. ... King Alcohol and his Prime Minister circa 1820 Alcoholism is the consumption of or preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the alcoholics normal personal, family, social, or work life. ... Prostitution is the sale of sexual services (typically manual stimulation, oral sex, sexual intercourse, or anal sex) for cash or other kind of return, generally indiscriminately with many persons. ... Vegas redirects here. ... Nicolas Cage (born January 7, 1964) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Elisabeth Shue (born October 6, 1963) is an Academy Award-nominated American film actress. ... Mike Figgis (born February 28, 1948) is an English film director, writer, and composer. ... John OBrien (May 21, 1960 - April 10, 1994) was born in Oxford, Ohio, where his parents, Bill and Judy OBrien were both students at Miami University. ... For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation). ...

Leaving Las Vegas was filmed in super 16mm^[1] instead of 35 mm film format, which is the basic film gauge most commonly used for motion pictures, although it is common for some art house films. After a limited release in the United States on October 27, 1995, the film received high critical praise. It made its nation-wide release on February 9, 1996, with moderate box office receipts, presumably because the film did not have a big marketing scheme, and it was fairly unknown until after the Academy Awards Ceremony of 1996. The critical success of the film did not surface immediately, however it was one of the most popular films for rental and sale in 1996 and 1997. 16 mm film was initially created in the 1920s as an inexpensive amateur alternative to the conventional 35 mm film format. ... 35 mm film frames. ... Film gauge is a physical property of film stock which defines its size. ... U.S. theatrical release poster for German New Wave director Werner Herzogs 1973 drama Aguirre: The Wrath of God An art film (also called an â€œart cinemaâ€, â€œart movieâ€, or in the US, an independent film or â€œart house filmâ€) is a typically serious, noncommercial, independently made film that... is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ...

Nicolas Cage received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in this film. Elisabeth Shue was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and the film also received nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director (Figgis). The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the awards given to actors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the awards given to actresses working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. ... The Academy Award for Directing is one of the awards given to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; the awards are voted on by other people within the industry. ...

Plot

Ben Sanderson (Cage) is a depressed alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter who has lost everything and almost everyone due to his incessant drinking. After finally losing his family and his job, he rids himself of all his possessions, and decides to commit suicide by alcohol consumption in Las Vegas. After arriving, he meets Sera (Shue), a prostitute, and a deep friendship and understanding develops between them. King Alcohol and his Prime Minister circa 1820 Alcoholism is the consumption of or preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the alcoholics normal personal, family, social, or work life. ... For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation). ... Vegas redirects here. ... Prostitution is the sale of sexual services (typically manual stimulation, oral sex, sexual intercourse, or anal sex) for cash or other kind of return, generally indiscriminately with many persons. ...

The film begins with Ben walking into a restaurant and borrowing some money from his colleague Peter (Richard Lewis). He then proceeds directly to a bar and starts drinking. He attempts to pick up a pretty girl (Valeria Golino) and fails. After leaving the bar he visits a prostitute, and succeeds only in getting his wedding ring stolen. (It shows up again on his finger later in the film) He is then fired from his job as a screenwriter for alcohol related issues and is given a large severance package. He is then asked what is he going to do now and he states "I think I'll move out to Las Vegas". He then comes home and starts emptying his house by stuffing bedding in garbage bags, and creating a bonfire in his backyard on which he burns photographs, clothes, and other possessions. He then leaves for Las Vegas. As he drives drunkenly down the Las Vegas Strip, he almost hits a woman in the crosswalk (who turns out to be Sera) who chastises him verbally before walking away. Ben then checks himself into a sleazy motel called The Whole Year Inn. Richard Lewis Richard Philip Lewis (born June 29, 1947) is an American comedian and actor. ... Valeria Golino (October 22, 1966) is an Italian film and television actress. ... An individual can face termination of employment, or job loss, for one of many reasons. ... A severance package is pay and benefits an employee receives when they leave employment at a company. ... The south end of The Strip; approximately one third of the entire Strip is represented here. ...

In the meantime, the film introduces Sera (Elisabeth Shue), a Las Vegas prostitute who works for a pimp, Yuri Butso (Julian Sands), a Latvian immigrant. Yuri and Sera "share a volatile relationship where Yuri is the dominator and Sera is the masochist."^[2] Russian mobsters are after Yuri for an unknown matter; therefore, Yuri breaks his relationship with Sera in fear that Russians may hurt her. It frees Sera to continue to build her relationship with Ben. Elisabeth Shue (born October 6, 1963) is an Academy Award-nominated American film actress. ... Julian Sands (born January 15, 1958) is a British actor. ...

On his second day in Las Vegas, Ben finds Sera, on the same street where he met her, introduces himself, and offers her $500 to go to his room for an hour. Sera agrees to go to his room, but she gets confused when Ben does not want to have sex with her. Instead, they just talk, and in the process they create an odd relationship with each other. Their relationship, however, is ultimately doomed; Sera has to promise Ben that she will never ask him to stop drinking, and Ben is not allowed to criticize Sera's occupation. At first the two are generally stable. Ben states that he is "totally at ease with this." (Sera's prostitution). However, after spending some time together, they both become more and more frustrated with the other's behavior. Over time, Sera attempts to get Ben to eat more healthily but sadly Ben refuses to even notice these actions as he stumbles for more alcohol. Finally, one night, Sera becomes so fed up with Ben's alcoholism that she begs him to go see a doctor. Ben, furious but far too intoxicated (possibly brain damaged at this point in the film, evidenced by his increasingly incoherent speech patterns) to express his feelings, goes out and brings another prostitute back to Sera's house. Sera returns home to find them together, and finally throws Ben out. Shortly afterwards, she is raped and beaten by three teenagers, and the injuries she sustains make her occupation publicly obvious. After being evicted, Sera finally receives a telephone call from Ben, who is on his deathbed. She goes to visit Ben, and they make love for the first time before he dies shortly after, in her arms while she sleeps.

Throughout the movie there are cut scenes to Sera who is explaining "what happened" to an unknown person (most likely a therapist). Psychotherapy is an interpersonal, relational intervention used by trained psychotherapists to aid clients in problems of living. ...

Production

Mike Figgis made this film possible by writing the script, directing, and composing the music for the soundtrack. In April of 1994, two weeks into the production, John O'Brien, author of the semi-autobiographical novel this film is based on, committed suicide.^[3] As a result, the production was stopped temporarily. Throughout production, Figgis had problems because permits were not issued for some street scenes.^[4] Hence, he filmed some scenes in one shot, to avoid any police contact.^[4] Also, Nicolas Cage researched his character by binge drinking in Dublin for two weeks and got a pal to videotape him under the influence so he could study his speech patterns.^[5] He later admitted that "it was one of the most enjoyable pieces of research I've ever had to do for a part."^[5] Mike Figgis (born February 28, 1948) is an English film director, writer, and composer. ... Drinking too much alcohol may qualify as binge drinking if it leads to at least two days of inebriation and the drinker neglects usual responsibilities The British Medical Association states that there is no consensus on the definition of drinking. ... Dublin city centre at night WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: DÃ¡il Ã‰ireann: Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central, Dublin South East European Parliament: Dublin Dialling Code: +353 1 Postal District(s): D1-24, D6W Area: 114. ...

The film was shot in Burbank, California, Los Angeles, California, Las Vegas, Nevada, Laughlin, Nevada, and Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. Due to the low budget, that was estimated at $4,000,000, Figgis decided to film using a super 16mm format.^[1] The film had a limited release on October 27, 1995. After receiving high praise from critics, Leaving Las Vegas made its nation-wide release on February 9, 1996. The United Artists company distributed the film to U.S. theaters, while RCV Film Distribution with Atalanta Filmes distributed the film to European theaters, and in Australia, 21st Century Film Corporation distributed the film on VHS and the theatres. Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , State County Settled 1781 Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government - Type Mayor-Council - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo - Governing body City Council Area - City 498. ... Vegas redirects here. ... Laughlin at night, with the Colorado River in foreground Laughlin is a census-designated place (CDP) in Clark County, Nevada, United States. ... Motto: E Mari Merces(Latin) From the Sea, Wealth Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Nova Scotia Established April 1, 1996 Government - Type Regional Municipality - Mayor Peter Kelly - Governing body Halifax Regional Council - MPs List of MPs Alexa McDonough Geoff Regan Michael Savage Peter Stoffer (Bill Casey) (Gerald Keddy) (Peter MacKay) - MLAs... â€œUSDâ€ redirects here. ... is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the film studio. ... 21st Century Film Corporation was a small scale theatrical distribution company formed by Israeli filmmaker Menahem Golan. ...

Cast

Nicolas Cage (born January 7, 1964) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Elisabeth Shue (born October 6, 1963) is an Academy Award-nominated American film actress. ... Julian Sands (born January 15, 1958) is a British actor. ... Richard Lewis Richard Philip Lewis (born June 29, 1947) is an American comedian and actor. ... Valeria Golino (October 22, 1966) is an Italian film and television actress. ...

Reception

Leaving Las Vegas premiered in Los Angeles, California in late 1995. The film was well received by critics scoring 82 metapoints out of 100.^[6] Such critics as Roger Ebert from Chicago Sun-Times and Rick Groen from Canadian The Globe and Mail gave this film 100 points. Roger Ebert said the following about the work the stars of the film have done, "they (the characters) are the drunk and the whore with a heart of gold. Cage and Shue make these cliches into unforgettable people."^[7] Leonard Klady from Variety stated that Leaving Las Vegas was "certainly among a scant handful of films that have taken an unflinching view of dependency."^[8] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received 94% overall approval out of 31 reviews.^[9] Overall, the film had a success at the box office grossing $32,029,928.^[10] Roger Joseph Ebert (born June 18, 1942) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American film critic. ... The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago. ... The Globe and Mail is a large English language national newspaper based in Toronto, Canada, and printed in seven cities across Canada. ... This article is about Hookers with hearts of gold. ... Variety is a daily newspaper for the entertainment industry. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The term box office can refer to either: A place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to a venue The amount of business a particular production, such as a movie or theatre show, does. ...

Awards

The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the awards given to actors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the awards given to actresses working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... The Academy Award for Directing is one of the awards given to directors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. ... The Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay is one of the Academy Awards, the most prominent film awards in the United States. ... Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture has been awarded annually since 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. ... Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama has been awarded annually since 1944 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. ... The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ...

Differences from the novel

The screenplay takes much actual dialogue from the book. Nearly every line that is spoken by Ben or Sera is repeated in the film; however, there are many differences. Sample from a screenplay, showing dialogue and action descriptions. ...

VHS and DVD releases

The video cassettes and DVD of the film were distributed by MGM.^[11] The video cassettes were distributed on November 12, 1996 in two languages, English and Russian, while the DVD was distributed on January 1, 2000 in English for USA and Canada only, later Australian and UK editions were released.^[12]^[13] The DVD contains a supplemental "Hidden Page" menu feature.^[11] MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

Spoofs

The success of Leaving Las Vegas has had a moderate effect on the media. It spawned a direct-spoof, Eating Las Vegas, about a binge eater who travels to Las Vegas to eat himself to death, and was referenced in the addiction documentary Super Size Me (2002). Super Size Me is an Academy Award-nominated 2004 documentary film, directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker. ...

Soundtrack

The following is a list of songs featured in the original soundtrack of the film.^[14]

This article is about the musician. ... Louis Allen Rawls (December 1, 1933 â€“ January 6, 2006[1]) was a Chicago-born American soul music, jazz, and blues singer. ...

Notes

^ ^a ^b Roger Ebert. Cage relishes operatic role in tragic 'Leaving Las Vegas'. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
^ Leaving Las Vegas. HollywoodBitchSlap. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
^ FILM REVIEW;Lurching Through a Life Of Alcoholic Abandon. NY Times. Retrieved on 2007-01-16.
^ ^a ^b Ryan Lampe. 'Leaving Las Vegas' reminds us performance counts. The Stanford Daily. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
^ ^a ^b Cage Did Serious Research For Alcoholic Role. WENN. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
^ The score from Leaving Las Vegas. MetaCritic.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
^ Roger Ebert (1995-11-10). 'Leaving Las Vegas'. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
^ Leonard Klady (1995-09-18). Leaving Las Vegas. Variety.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
^ Leaving Las Vegas. Rotten Tomatoes.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
^ 'Leaving Las Vegas'. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
^ ^a ^b DVD details for Leaving Las Vegas. IMDB.com. Retrieved on 2006-01-08.
^ Leaving Las Vegas (1995) VHS. Amazon.com. Retrieved on 2006-01-08.
^ Leaving Las Vegas (1995) DVD. Amazon.com. Retrieved on 2006-01-08.
^ Leaving Las Vegas CD. CD Universe.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.

Roger Joseph Ebert (born June 18, 1942) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American film critic. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Categories: 1995 films | American films | English-language films | Films about suicide | Films based on biographies | Films directed by Mike Figgis | Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award winning performance | Films shot in Super 16 | Romantic drama films The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, and video games. ... All Movie Guide is a commercial database of information about movie stars, movies and television shows. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

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