Leaving Las Vegas

For other uses, see Leaving Las Vegas (disambiguation).

Leaving Las Vegas
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Mike Figgis
Screenplay by	Mike Figgis
Based on	Leaving Las Vegas by John O'Brien
Produced by	Lila Cazès Annie Stewart
Starring	Nicolas Cage Elisabeth Shue Julian Sands
Cinematography	Declan Quinn
Edited by	John Smith
Music by	Anthony Marinelli Mike Figgis [1]
Production companies	United Artists Lumiére Pictures
Distributed by	MGM/UA Distribution Co. (United States) Entertainment Film Distributors [2] (United Kingdom)
Release date	October 27, 1995 (1995-10-27)
Running time	111 minutes
Countries	United States France [1] United Kingdom [1]
Language	English
Budget	$3.5–4 million [3] [4]
Box office	$49.8 million [3]

Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 drama film written and directed by Mike Figgis and based on the semi-autobiographical 1990 novel of the same name by John O'Brien. Nicolas Cage stars as a suicidal alcoholic in Los Angeles who, having lost his family and been recently fired, has decided to move to Las Vegas and drink himself to death. He loads a supply of liquor and beer into his BMW and gets drunk as he drives from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Once there, he develops a romantic relationship with a prostitute played by Elisabeth Shue and the film shifts to include her narrative perspective. O'Brien died from suicide after signing away the film rights to the novel. ^[5]

Leaving Las Vegas was filmed in super 16 mm ^[6] instead of 35 mm film; while 16 mm was common for art house films at the time, 35 mm is most commonly used for mainstream film. After limited release in the United States on October 27, 1995, Leaving Las Vegas was released nationwide on February 9, 1996, receiving strong praise from critics and audiences with many lauding the performances from Cage and Shue, the tone, the themes and Figgis's direction and screenplay. Cage received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama and the Academy Award for Best Actor, while Shue was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama and the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film also received nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director.

Plot

Ben Sanderson is an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter who has lost his job, family, and friends. With nothing left to live for and a sizable severance check from his boss, he heads to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. One early morning, he drives drunkenly from his Los Angeles home down to the Las Vegas Strip; he nearly hits a woman, Sera, on the crosswalk. She chastises him and walks away.

Sera is a prostitute working for abusive Latvian pimp Yuri Butsov. Polish mobsters are after Yuri, so he ends his relationship with Sera for fear that the Poles may hurt her. On his second day in Las Vegas, Ben looks for Sera, introduces himself, and offers her $500 to come to his room for an hour. Sera agrees, but Ben does not want sex. Instead, they talk and develop a rapport; Sera invites Ben to move into her apartment. Ben instructs Sera never to ask him to stop drinking. Ben says he will not criticize her occupation, and she thanks him.

At first, the pair are happy but soon become frustrated with the other's behavior. Sera begs Ben to see a doctor, which he refuses to do. While Sera is working, Ben goes to a casino and returns with another prostitute. Sera returns to find them in her bed and throws Ben out. Shortly afterward, Sera is approached by three college students at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. She initially rejects their offer by stating that she only "dates" one at a time but eventually acquiesces when offered an increased price. When she enters their hotel room, the students change the deal and demand anal sex, which she refuses. When she attempts to leave, they violently gang-rape her.

The following day, after Sera's landlady sees her bruised, she tells Sera to leave by the end of the week. Sera receives a call from Ben, who is on his deathbed. Sera visits Ben, the two make love, and he dies shortly thereafter. Later, Sera explains to her therapist that she accepted Ben for who he was and loved him.

Cast

• Nicolas Cage as Ben Sanderson
• Elisabeth Shue as Sera
• Julian Sands as Yuri Butsov
• Richard Lewis as Peter
• Steven Weber as Marc Nussbaum
• Emily Procter as Debbie
• Valeria Golino as Terri
• Thomas Kopache as Mr. Simpson
• Laurie Metcalf as Mrs. Van Houten
• French Stewart as Business Man #2
• R. Lee Ermey as Conventioneer
• Mariska Hargitay as Hooker at Bar
• Julian Lennon as Bartender #3 in Biker Bar
• Graham Beckel as L.A. Bartender
• Albert Henderson as Man at Strip Bar
• Carey Lowell as Bank Teller
• Vincent Ward as Businessman #1
• Lucinda Jenney as Weird Woman
• Ed Lauter as Mobster #3
• Mike Figgis as Mobster #1
• Danny Huston as Bartender #2
• Shawnee Smith as Biker Girl
• Bob Rafelson as Man at Mall
• Marc Coppola as Dealer
• Michael Goorjian as College Boy #1 (as Michael A. Goorjian)
• Jeremy Jordan as College Boy #2
• Xander Berkeley as Cynical Cabbie
• Lou Rawls as Concerned Cabbie

Production

Development

Mike Figgis based Leaving Las Vegas on a 1990 autobiographical novel by John O'Brien, who died of suicide in April 1994, shortly after finding out his novel was being used as the basis for a film. ^{[7] [8]} Despite basing most of his screenplay on O'Brien's novel, Figgis spoke of a personal attachment with the novel, stating "Anything I would do would be because I had a sympathetic feeling towards it. That's why I did Mr. Jones , because I think manic-depression is a fascinating, sad, and amazing phenomenon. It's not a coincidence that some of the greatest artists have been manic-depressives. That made it, to me, a fascinating subject that, alas, did not come out in the film." ^[9]

Casting

Figgis encouraged the lead actors to experience their characters' ordeals first-hand by extensive research. He told Film Critic: "It was just a week and a half of rehearsal. A lot of conversations. A lot of communication in the year before we made the film. Reading the book. I encouraged them [Cage and Shue] to do their own research, which they wanted to do anyway, and then ultimately the three of us got together and just started talking...talking about anything, not necessarily about the film or the script, about anything that came up." ^[9] Cage did research by binge drinking in Dublin for two weeks and had a friend videotape him so he could study his speech. He also visited hospitalized chronic alcoholics. ^[10] He said "it was one of the most enjoyable pieces of research I've ever had to do for a part." ^[10] Shue spent time interviewing several Las Vegas prostitutes. ^[11]

Filming

The limited budget dictated the production and Figgis ended up filming in super 16mm and composing his own score. ^{[6] [12]} He said "We didn't have any money, and we weren't pretending to be something we weren't. We couldn't shut down The Strip to shoot". ^[9] Cage recounted that he found the use of 16mm liberating as an actor stating in a 1995 interview with Roger Ebert:

"As an actor, having a 16-mm. camera in my face was liberating because it's much smaller, so you don't feel as intimidated by it. It catches those little nuances. Because as soon as that big camera's in your face, you tense up a little bit. Film acting is a learning experience about how to get over that, but I don't know that you ever really do." ^[6]

Figgis had problems because permits were not issued for some street scenes. ^[13] This caused him to film some scenes on the Las Vegas strip in one take to avoid the police, which Figgis said benefited production and the authenticity of the acting, remarking "I've always hated the convention of shooting on a street, and then having to stop the traffic, and then having to tell the actors, 'Well, there's meant to be traffic here, so you're going to have to shout.' And they're shouting, but it's quiet and they feel really stupid, because it's unnatural. You put them up against a couple of trucks, with it all happening around them, and their voices become great". ^{[9] [13]} Filming took place over 28 days during the autumn of 1994. ^{[14] [15]}

Release

Box office

Leaving Las Vegas had a limited release on October 27, 1995. ^[14] As it won awards from multiple film critics’ organizations and earned four Academy Award nominations, the film's release was expanded and it ultimately opened nationwide on February 9, 1996. ^{[11] [16] [17]} United Artists distributed the film in North America, while RCV Film Distribution and Atalanta Filmes handled the European release, and 21st Century Film Corporation distributed the film in Australia. MGM/UA reportedly spent less than $2 million marketing the film, which included TV spots and ads in industry publications. ^[14]

The film was a success at the box office, particularly considering its budget, grossing $49.8 million. ^[3]

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received an approval rating of 91% based on 53 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Oscar-awarded Nicolas Cage finds humanity in his character as it bleeds away in this no frills, exhilaratingly dark portrait of destruction." ^[18] It also holds a score of 82 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 23 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". ^[19]

Roger Ebert from Chicago Sun-Times and Rick Groen from The Globe and Mail gave the film high marks. ^[20] Ebert wrote, "If there are two unplayable roles in the stock repertory, they are the drunk and the whore with a heart of gold. Cage and Shue make these cliches into unforgettable people." ^[21] Ebert named the film "best of 1995", and would eventually rank it as the eighth best film of the 1990s. ^[22]

Leonard Klady from Variety wrote Leaving Las Vegas was "certainly among a scant handful of films that have taken an unflinching view of dependency." ^[23]

Accolades

Award	Category	Subject	Result	Ref.
20/20 Awards	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won
	Best Actress	Elisabeth Shue	Nominated
	Best Adapted Screenplay	Mike Figgis	Nominated	[24]
Academy Awards	Best Director		Nominated
	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won
	Best Actress	Elisabeth Shue	Nominated
	Best Screenplay – Based on Material Previously Produced or Published	Mike Figgis	Nominated
Awards Circuit Community Awards	Best Motion Picture	Lila Cazès and Annie Stewart	Nominated
	Best Director	Mike Figgis	Nominated
	Best Actor in a Leading Role	Nicolas Cage	Won
	Best Actress in a Leading Role	Elisabeth Shue	Won
	Best Adapted Screenplay	Mike Figgis	Nominated
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won	[25]
British Academy Film Awards	Best Actor in a Leading Role		Nominated	[26]
	Best Actress in a Leading Role	Elisabeth Shue	Nominated
	Best Adapted Screenplay	Mike Figgis	Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards	Best Director		Nominated	[27]
	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won
	Best Actress	Elisabeth Shue	Won
Chlotrudis Awards	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Nominated	[28]
	Best Actress	Elisabeth Shue	Nominated
Critics' Choice Awards	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Nominated
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards	Best Picture		Won
	Best Director	Mike Figgis	Won
	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won
	Best Actress	Elisabeth Shue	Won
Directors Guild of America Awards	Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures	Mike Figgis	Nominated	[29]
Golden Globe Awards	Best Motion Picture – Drama		Nominated	[30]
	Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama	Nicolas Cage	Won
	Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama	Elisabeth Shue	Nominated
	Best Director – Motion Picture	Mike Figgis	Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards	Best Film		Won	[31]
	Best Director	Mike Figgis	Won
	Best Male Lead	Nicolas Cage	Nominated
	Best Female Lead	Elisabeth Shue	Won
	Best Screenplay	Mike Figgis	Nominated
	Best Cinematography	Declan Quinn	Won
Jupiter Awards	Best International Actor	Nicolas Cage [lower-alpha 1]	Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards	Best Film		Won	[32]
	Best Director	Mike Figgis	Won
	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won
	Best Actress	Elisabeth Shue	Won
	Best Screenplay	Mike Figgis	Runner-up
National Board of Review Awards	Top Ten Films		4th Place	[33]
	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won
National Society of Film Critics Awards	Best Director	Mike Figgis	Won	[34]
	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won
	Best Actress	Elisabeth Shue	Won
New York Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Film		Won	[35]
	Best Director	Mike Figgis	2nd Place
	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won
	Best Actress	Elisabeth Shue	2nd Place
San Sebastián International Film Festival	Golden Shell	Mike Figgis	Nominated	[36]
	Best Director		Won
	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won
Sant Jordi Awards	Best Foreign Actor		Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role		Won	[37]
	Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role	Elisabeth Shue	Nominated
Society of Texas Film Critics Awards	Best Actor	Nicolas Cage	Won	[38]
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards	Best Foreign Film		10th Place
Writers Guild of America Awards	Best Screenplay – Based on Material Previously Produced or Published	Mike Figgis	Nominated	[39]

Home media

Video cassettes and DVD of the film were distributed by MGM Home Entertainment. ^[40] The video cassettes were distributed on November 12, 1996 in two languages, English and Russian, while the DVD was distributed on January 1, 1998 in English for USA and Canada. Australian and UK editions later were released. ^{[41] [42]} The DVD contains a supplemental "Hidden Page" menu feature. ^[43]

The film was also released on Blu-ray, HD DVD, and LaserDisc. ^[44]

Soundtrack

A soundtrack album, consisting mainly of film score composed and performed by Mike Figgis, was released November 7, 1995. ^[45] The soundtrack also included three jazz standards performed by Sting and excerpts of dialogue from the film. A version of "Lonely Teardrops" performed by Michael McDonald that features in the film is not included.

All tracks are written by Mike Figgis except as noted

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Performer	Length
1.	"Intro Dialogue" (dialogue)		Nicolas Cage as Ben Elisabeth Shue as Sera	0:32
2.	"Angel Eyes"	Matt Dennis, Earl Brent	Sting	4:02
3.	"Are You Desirable?"		Mike Figgis	2:43
4.	"Ben & Bill" (dialogue)		Nicolas Cage as Ben	0:30
5.	"Leaving Las Vegas"		Mike Figgis	3:12
6.	"Sera's Dark Side"		Mike Figgis	1:26
7.	"Mara"		Mike Figgis	4:28
8.	"Burlesque"		Mike Figgis	2:40
9.	"On the Street" (dialogue)		Nicolas Cage as Ben Elisabeth Shue as Sera	0:28
10.	"Bossa Vega"		Mike Figgis	3:14
11.	"Ben Pawns His Rolex/Sera Talks to Her Shrink" (dialogue)		Nicolas Cage as Ben Elisabeth Shue as Sera	0:37
12.	"My One and Only Love"	Robert Mellin, Guy Wood	Sting	3:36
13.	"Sera Invites Ben to Stay" (dialogue)		Nicolas Cage as Ben Elisabeth Shue as Sera	0:31
14.	"Come Rain or Come Shine"	Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer	Don Henley	3:41
15.	"Ben and Sera – Theme" (dialogue)		Nicolas Cage as Ben Elisabeth Shue as Sera	2:18
16.	"Ridiculous"	Phil Roy, Nicolas Cage	Nicolas Cage	1:03
17.	"Biker Bar"		Mike Figgis	3:44
18.	"Ben's Hell"		Mike Figgis	1:37
19.	"It's a Lonesome Old Town"	Harry Tobias, Charles Kisco	Sting	2:37
20.	"Blues for Ben"		Mike Figgis	1:56
21.	"Get Out"		Mike Figgis	1:49
22.	"Reunited"		Mike Figgis	3:28
23.	"Sera Talks to the Cab Driver" (dialogue)		Elisabeth Shue as Sera Lou Rawls as Concerned Cabbie	0:23
24.	"She Really Loved Him"		Mike Figgis	1:17
25.	"I Won't Be Going South for a While"	Angelo Palladino	The Palladinos	4:27

See also

• List of films set in Las Vegas

Notes

1. Also for The Rock.

References

1. "LEAVING LAS VEGAS: A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress". (1995). Washington, DC: Library of Congress Manuscript Division.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
2. "Leaving Las Vegas (1995)". BBFC . Retrieved March 18, 2024.
3. "Leaving Las Vegas (1995) - Financial Information". The Numbers . Retrieved August 24, 2014.
4. Feinberg, Scott (February 1, 2022). "Oscars: Six Contenders on the Challenges and Rewards of Making 2021 Indies". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved February 2, 2022.
5. Pirina, Garin (October 28, 2015). "Leaving Las Vegas and the Writer Who Didn't Live to See It". Esquire. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
6. Ebert, Roger (November 5, 1995). "Cage relishes operatic role in tragic 'Leaving Las Vegas'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 9, 2006.
7. Nashawaty, Chris (November 10, 1995). "Grieving 'Las Vegas'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 31, 2007.
8. Maslin, Janet (February 13, 2009). "FILM REVIEW; Lurching Through a Life Of Alcoholic Abandon". The New York Times . Archived from the original on April 12, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2007.
9. Noll, Christopher (February 18, 1996). "Viva, "Las Vegas!" – Interviewing Director Mike Figgis". Film Critic. Archived from the original on September 6, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
10. "Cage Did Serious Research For Alcoholic Role". WENN. August 9, 2000. Archived from the original on July 5, 2004. Retrieved December 9, 2006.
11. "'Vegas' Stars Cage, Shue Ponder Chances for Oscar". Sun-Sentinel. February 12, 1996. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
12. Boyar, Tracy (February 9, 1996). "It's Worth Watching for Leaving Las Vegas". The Free Lance Star . Retrieved August 16, 2010.
13. Lampe, Ryan (November 4, 2005). "'Leaving Las Vegas' reminds us performance counts". The Stanford Daily. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved December 9, 2006.
14. Puig, Claudia (January 10, 1996). "'Leaving' Preconceptions Behind? : As Acclaim Grows and Distribution Widens, 'Vegas' Seeks Mainstream Respect". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 11, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
15. "Leaving Las Vegas (1995) - Filming & production - IMDb". IMDb .
16. Weinraub, Bernard (February 14, 1996). "Oscar Nominations Are Just One Surprise After Another". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved October 11, 2022.
17. Simon, Jeff (February 18, 1996). "How Nicolas Cage Gambled on 'Vegas' -- and Came Up Big". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on October 11, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
18. "Leaving Las Vegas (1995)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved January 17, 2023.
19. The score from "Leaving Las Vegas Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved January 17, 2023.
20. Groen, Rick (October 27, 1995). "Film Review: Leaving Las Vegas". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on October 7, 2002. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
21. Ebert, Roger (November 10, 1995). "Leaving Las Vegas". RogerEbert.com . Retrieved March 22, 2022.
22. "Ebert & Scorsese: Best Films of the 1990s". RogerEbert.com. February 26, 2000. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
23. Klady, Leonard (September 18, 1995). "Leaving Las Vegas". Variety.com. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
24. "1996 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". www.oscars.org. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
25. "Past Wins - 1995". Boston Society Film Critics. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
26. "Film in 1996 | BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
27. "1988-2013 Award Winner Archives". Chicago Film Critics Association. January 1, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
28. "1996, 2nd Annual Awards". Chlotrudis Society. June 1, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
29. "Awards / History / 1995". www.dga.org. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
30. "Winners & Nominees 1996". Golden Globes. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
31. Dutka, Elaine (March 25, 1996). "'Leaving Las Vegas' Arrives in Big Way at Spirit Awards". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
32. King, Susan (December 17, 1995). "'Las Vegas' Glitters for L.A. Film Critics". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
33. "1995 Archives". National Board of Review. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
34. "Babe' Is Chosen as Best Film By National Society of Critics". The New York Times. January 4, 1996. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
35. "Leaving Las Vegas' Is Voted Best Film by Critics Circle". The New York Times. December 15, 1995. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
36. "San Sebastian Film Festival 1995 Awards". San Sebastian Festival. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
37. "The 2nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". www.sagawards.org. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
38. Taggart, Patrick (January 12, 1996). "Film Sense and Sensibilities". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
39. Dutka, Elaine (February 9, 1996). "Writers Guild Nominees Now Wearing the Smiles". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
40. "Leaving Las Vegas (1995) - All releases". AllMovie . Retrieved October 11, 2022.
41. Leaving Las Vegas (1995) VHS. ASIN   6304045824.
42. Leaving Las Vegas (1995) DVD. ISBN   0792838068.
43. "Leaving Las Vegas DVD". www.female.com.au. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
44. "Leaving Las Vegas Blu-ray". June 18, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
45. "Leaving Las Vegas CD". CD Universe.com. Retrieved December 9, 2006.

Further reading

• Litch, Mary M. (2010) [1st ed. 2002]. "9. EXISTENTIALISM – The Seventh Seal (1957), Crimes and Misdemeanors (1988), and Leaving Las Vegas (1995) [pp. 209–226]". Philosophy Through Film (2nd ed.). London: Routledge. ISBN   978-0415938754.

External links

• Leaving Las Vegas at IMDb
• Leaving Las Vegas at the TCM Movie Database
• Leaving Las Vegas at AllMovie
• Leaving Las Vegas at Rotten Tomatoes