Got a question about the Robert DeNiro car bombing scene in Casino. The scene is shown twice, at the very beginning and at the end of the movie. He's clearly seen coming out of the valet (south) entrance of MSS, you can also see the Cal and the Union Plaza as the camera pans. BUT. In the scene at the end of the movie, you can see a Tony Roma's sign over the valet entrance. From what I can find online, Tony Roma's has always been at the Fremont, never at MSS. What's the deal?
I don't know about the scene in the movie but the actual location in real life is on Sahara Blvd just east of the strip. They take you to it on the Las Vegas Mob tour. There was a restaurant there when I took the tour many years ago. I don't know what is there now.
Thanks, PJ. I'm positive that that particular scene was taken at MSS. Look up "Casino car bombing scene" on Youtube, you'll see; remember that the scene is shown twice, first time is in the intro to the movie and it doesn't show all the location clues, but the second one near the end makes it very clear, and also shows that Tony Roma's sign above the entrance. That's what I'm trying to figure out. Not sure which scene in the movie was taken on Sahara, I'll look for it next time. Thanks!
Originally posted by: jstewa22
Got a question about the Robert DeNiro car bombing scene in Casino. The scene is shown twice, at the very beginning and at the end of the movie. He's clearly seen coming out of the valet (south) entrance of MSS, you can also see the Cal and the Union Plaza as the camera pans. BUT. In the scene at the end of the movie, you can see a Tony Roma's sign over the valet entrance. From what I can find online, Tony Roma's has always been at the Fremont, never at MSS. What's the deal?
Main Street Station was shuttered in 1991. When the movie was filmed in 1995, only the hotel was in use, by new-owner Boyd. Basically as overflow for Boyd's other downtown casinos. The MSS casino was closed, and hotel guests didn't use the doors that DeNiro is shown exiting.
You're right about Tony Roma's. I expect that the movie's producers just wanted to make the exterior look flashier. Boyd owns Fremont, where Tony Roma's was operating. So they may have had access to that sign and let the producers put it up on Main Street Station, to make the scene look more Vegas-y.
My guess.
That was the worst movie about Vegas ever made in human history. The hyperbole, added to all the outright nonsense, resulted in a typical Hollywood depiction of Vegas--heavily sensationalized and a very, very loose. relationship with the truth.
I even wonder about the veracity of the incident itself. Throughout the movie, the bad guys want someone gone, a thug shoots them in the back of the head. Why would they use something as unreliable as a car bomb to get rid of what's his name (Ace?)
Dan, thanks, this makes a lot of sense. So, you figure that they temporarily moved the Tony Roma's sign for the movie? Interesting.
Kevin, I know that Scorsese took plenty of poetic license, I've always liked that movie, even though it's loosely based on Lefty Rosenthal's and Tony Spilotro's and the Mob's involvement with the Stardust. I think Nick Pileggi discusses the car bombing in his book; not sure about its veracity.
Oh, here's another quiz question if anyone is interested: The restaurant parking lot scene, where DeNiro has James Woods beaten up, anyone know where that is? I do.
Right. You are talking about the scene.
im talking about where the actual event occurred the scene was based on. Frank rosenthal was bombed in a parking lot on Sahara Blvd ... it used to be Tony Romas which is probably why the film used the fremont st. That's the only Tony Romas left, Apparently The one on Sahara is an adult book store now. =)
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2016/dec/02/hustler-club-las-vegas-rosenthal/
