NFPA Conference & Expo

"Meet Me In Las Vegas" - A look back at films that feature Las Vegas, site of NFPA's Conference & Expo

Last up in our series of films that feature Las Vegas (NFPA C&E starts this weekend!) is the 1956 MGM musical "Meet Me In Las Vegas" starring dancer Cyd Charisse, a pre-"Bewitched" Agnes Moorehead, and a pre-"Gilligan's Island" Jim Backus. Lots of big staged production numbers in this film, which tells the simple story of a rancher (Dan Dailey) who falls in love with a Vegas ballerina (!?). The movie features lots of cameo appearances, including Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, and Peter Lorre. Sammy Davis Jr. sings "Frankie and Johnny" in the dance sequence below. Be sure to note how Charisse walks down the flight of steps at about the minute-and-a-half marker in the clip. Classic!

We want to hear from you! What's your favorite movie that takes place in Las Vegas? We might pick your movie to highlight in a future blog post. It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post".

"Vegas Vacation" - a look back at films that feature Las Vegas, site of NFPA's Conference & Expo

Have you ever gone to a casino and played "Rock, Scissors, Paper" or "Guess Which Hand"? The next movie in our series of films that feature Las Vegas is the 1997 comedy "Vegas Vacation", where Chevy Chase reprises his role as the bumbling patriarch of the Griswold family. In this movie, the Griswolds travel to Vegas after Clark earns a bonus check for inventing a long-life food preservative. Featuring "Cousin Eddie" (Randy Quaid) as well as cameos by Sid Caesar, Wayne Newton, and Christy Brinkley, this filmed earned more than $36 million and was the fourth in the Vacation film series (the only one not sponsored by National Lampoon).

We want to hear from you! What's your favorite movie that takes place in Las Vegas? We might pick your movie to highlight in a future blog post. It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post".

- Mike Hazell

"Ocean's Eleven" - a look back at films that feature Las Vegas, site of NFPA's Conference & Expo

Next up in our series of films that feature Las Vegas is "Ocean's Eleven", considered to be the first of the "Rat Pack" movies. Starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop, this 1960 film tells the story of a gang of World War II veterans who undertake grand-scale heists at five different Las Vegas casinos on New Year's Eve. Featuring all the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas strip, along with a bevy of Hollywood big-shots including Angie Dickinson, Caesar Romero, Shirley MacLaine, and Red Skelton, the movie was shot on-location during the day and wee hours of the morning. When he first heard about the film's plot, Sinatra supposedley joked, "Forget the movie, let's pull the job!" A remake of the film, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts, was released in 2001.

We want to hear from you! What's your favorite movie that takes place in Las Vegas? We might pick your movie to highlight in a future blog post. It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post".

- Mike Hazell

"Rain Man" - A look back at films that feature Las Vegas, site of NFPA's Conference & Expo

Next up in our series of films that feature Las Vegas is "Rain Man". This 1988 movie featured an Oscar-winning performance by Dustin Hoffman as Raymond Babbitt, an autistic man who is reunited with his brother Charlie (played by Tom Cruise) after their father's death. In the clip below, Charlie takes Raymond to Las Vegas when he learns that despite being autistic, his brother has an excellent memory and can win big money at the blackjack table by counting cards. The script was originally sent to Hoffman (for the role played by Cruise) and to Bill Murray for the role of Raymond.

We want to hear from you! What's your favorite movie that takes place in Las Vegas? We might pick your movie to highlight in a future blog post. It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post".

- Mike Hazell

"The Hangover" - a look back at films that feature Las Vegas, site of NFPA's Conference & Expo

Winner of a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), "The Hangover" is the next film in our series of movies that feature Las Vegas. Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, and featuring a cameo by boxer Mike Tyson, the movie offers a cringe-inducing look at a bachelor party gone horribly wrong. With a missing groom, a tiger lurking in the bathroom of the luxury hotel suite, a mysterious baby in the closet, and no memories from the night before, the guys need to re-trace their steps in order to find the groom and get him back to California in time for his wedding. One of my favorite lines: "This isn't the real Caesar's Palace, is it?"

We want to hear from you! What's your favorite movie that takes place in Las Vegas? We might pick your movie to highlight in a future blog post. It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post".

- Mike Hazell

From "Ocean's Eleven" to "The Hangover" -- looking back at films that feature Las Vegas, site of NFPA's annual Conference & Expo

It wouldn't have felt right if the film "Casino" was filmed in Topeka. Or if the setting for "Leaving Las Vegas" had been anywhere else but...well, Las Vegas! As we count down the final weeks to our annual conference, we thought it would be fun to highlight some films that feature our host city of Las Vegas in a starring role.

First up is the obvious choice: "Viva Las Vegas", the 1964 Elvis Presely musical that the New York Times said was "about as pleasant and unimportant as a banana split". Elvis plays "Lucky Jackson", a race car driver who travels to Sin City for its first Grand Prix road race. Lucky's attempts to raise money to purchase a new engine for his car are sidelined when he meets "Rusty Martin" (played by Ann-Margret), a local swimming instructor. The film features 10 musical numbers, the most exciting being the title track we're featuring below. Check out the classic Elvis dance move at about :32.

We want to hear from you! What's your favorite movie that takes place in Las Vegas? We might pick your movie to highlight in a future blog post. It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post".

- Mike Hazell

"Meet Me In Las Vegas" - A look back at films that feature Las Vegas, site of NFPA's Conference & Expo

Next up in our series of films that feature Las Vegas is the 1956 MGM musical "Meet Me In Las Vegas" starring dancer Cyd Charisse, a pre-"Bewitched" Agnes Moorehead, and a pre-"Gilligan's Island" Jim Backus. Lots of big staged production numbers in this film, which tells the simple story of a rancher (Dan Dailey) who falls in love with a Vegas ballerina (!?). The movie features lots of cameo appearances, including Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, and Peter Lorre. Sammy Davis Jr. sings "Frankie and Johnny" in the dance sequence below. Be sure to note how Charisse walks down the flight of steps at about the minute-and-a-half marker in the clip. Classic!

We want to hear from you! What's your favorite movie that takes place in Las Vegas? We might pick your movie to highlight in a future blog post. It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post".

"Rain Man" - A look back at films that feature Las Vegas, site of NFPA's Conference & Expo

Next up in our series of films that feature Las Vegas is "Rain Man". This 1988 movie featured an Oscar-winning performance by Dustin Hoffman as Raymond Babbitt, an autistic man who is reunited with his brother Charlie (played by Tom Cruise) after their father's death. In the clip below, Charlie takes Raymond to Las Vegas when he learns that despite being autistic, his brother has an excellent memory and can win big money at the blackjack table by counting cards. The script was originally sent to Hoffman (for the role played by Cruise) and to Bill Murray for the role of Raymond.

We want to hear from you! What's your favorite movie that takes place in Las Vegas? We might pick your movie to highlight in a future blog post. It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post".

- Mike Hazell

"The Hangover" - a look back at films that feature Las Vegas, site of NFPA's Conference & Expo

Winner of this year's Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), "The Hangover" is the next film in our series of movies that feature Las Vegas. Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, and featuring a cameo by boxer Mike Tyson, the movie offers a cringe-inducing look at a bachelor party gone horribly wrong. With a missing groom, a tiger lurking in the bathroom of the luxury hotel suite, a mysterious baby in the closet, and no memories from the night before, the guys need to re-trace their steps in order to find the groom and get him back to California in time for his wedding. One of my favorite lines: "This isn't the real Caesar's Palace, is it?"

We want to hear from you! What's your favorite movie that takes place in Las Vegas? We might pick your movie to highlight in a future blog post. It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post".

- Mike Hazell

"Ocean's Eleven" - a look back at films that feature Las Vegas, site of NFPA's Conference & Expo

Next up in our series of films that feature Las Vegas is "Ocean's Eleven", considered to be the first of the "Rat Pack" movies. Starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop, this 1960 film tells the story of a gang of World War II veterans who undertake grand-scale heists at five different Las Vegas casinos on New Year's Eve. Featuring all the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas strip, along with a bevy of Hollywood big-shots including Angie Dickinson, Caesar Romero, Shirley MacLaine, and Red Skelton, the movie was shot on-location during the day and wee hours of the morning. When he first heard about the film's plot, Sinatra supposedley joked, "Forget the movie, let's pull the job!" A remake of the film, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts, was released in 2001.

We want to hear from you! What's your favorite movie that takes place in Las Vegas? We might pick your movie to highlight in a future blog post. It's easy to respond: just click on the "comments" link below, enter your name (just your first name is fine) and your e-mail address (this will NOT show in your post), and type your comments in the white box. Then select "post".

- Mike Hazell