MJ: Filming for Bringing Down the House is underway

[MJ]

For those of you wondering about the movie....here is some information. Filming should take a few months. See link at bottom.

MJ

BDTH Link

[Bettie]

The gossip column in the LVRJ tells me what show Kevin Spacey sees each night and where he gets his coffee each morning. I saw some of the filming at the Hard Rock last night when I went there for dinner. Vik took a picture, but they were running a smoke machine, so it probably came out fuzzy. All I really saw was that they were filming a few tables; I didn't really pay any attention.

Bettie

[MJ]

It will be interesting to see how the movie turns out and how true it is to the real story. If the book exaggerated, the movie will be on a whole another level.

I hope it's not some ridiculously embellished, garbage that gives people the idea that BJ is easy to beat. OTOH, I don't expect this film to be a tutorial on how to beat BJ. The purpose is entertainment, first and foremost. If all goes well it will be out by Summer.

[Trapper]

> I hope it's not some ridiculously embellished, garbage
> that gives people the idea that BJ is easy to beat.
> OTOH, I don't expect this film to be a tutorial on how
> to beat BJ. The purpose is entertainment, first and
> foremost. If all goes well it will be out by Summer.

I doubt the film will be out by Summer. The film just started production and many of the main cast members signed up in the last week or so (Kate Bosworth and Laurence Fishburne). Shooting typically takes eight to twelve weeks on a film of this level. Editing and post production generally takes at least six months. Movies are rarely released as soon as they are completed. A date is chosen by the distributor based on when they feel it will draw the biggest audience and the other movies scheduled for release. I'd guess the earliest it will be out would be late fall and probably later.

Would you want the film to be a tutorial on how to beat BJ? What effect do you think that would have on the quality of games offered? Why don't you want it to be "some ridiculously embellished, garbage that gives people the idea that BJ is easy to beat". Wouldn't that be in your best interest. Lots of new semi-ploppies with just enough knowledge to demand "beatable" games but not enough to cause casinos to tighten up further.

[Saboteur]

That's how it's usually done. Good for him.

[Trapper]

[Bettie]

as that title was used not too long ago by a movie with Steve Martin and Queen Latifah. It was being called "21," but they don't have clearance to use that in any official capacity yet, so it's currently being called "The Untitled Blackjack Picture."

They'll be all over the Strip this week, so I'm guessing it won't be hard to bump into them. They shot for three days at Red Rock last week. Umm, hello! Red Rock wasn't even built when the book was published, let alone when the events were supposed to take place.

Bettie

[Sun Runner]

> Umm, hello! Red Rock wasn't even built when the book was published,
> let alone when the events were supposed to take place.

I doubt it will be 'Blackbelt in Blackjack' either.

I just hope it's good. Glad to here Kate Bosworth is in it. Just watched 'Blue Crush' again just last night!

[Norm Wattenberger]

When Breaking Vegas first aired, hits on my site skyrocketed. In general interest in card counting jumped substantially. I was a bit surprised because Breaking Vegas did not make it look easy at all. The show gave the impression that you had to be an MIT student to qualify and then go through a back-breaking training regimen. And the end of the show had them losing much of their winnings, stripped in a back-room and experiencing internal squabbles. They really didn't make it pretty. Which is accurate. But rather a lot of people seemed to only see the good parts of counting. Of course that's a fault of many gamblers.

[Trapper]

but as I remember it is a morality tale. The young MIT counter that is the focus of the book comes to regret his mispent youth and all the damage that he has done. It plays into the traditional middle American views on gambling and high living. That's probably the main appeal to Hollywood of the story as Mezernich portrays it. Its a tried and true formual. The movie will probably emphasize the heat that is brought down on the team even more than the book does.

[Norm Wattenberger]

I have no doubt that the movie will have little relation to the book. Actually, I often respect the work of those that create dramatically different screenplays. The worry I have is that they will turn it into 'Ocean's Eleven.' There still is a concept, driven by casinos, that we are 'bad' people. This isn't helped by some of the antics of our own.

Unfortunately, as time goes by, and situations become more difficult - some people that we used to respect may be overcome by situational ethics. That is, perhaps, like it or not, 'Hollywood' may get it right. I know that my opinions over the last 30 years have definitely changed.

We'll have to watch.


Blackjack Scams

[ES]

It is the CASINOS that are truly EVIL. Consider the following.

1. The raison d'etre of a casino is to take players' money from them by offering games in which the house has a mathematical edge, which is little understood by the general public. They offer their customers little more that delusion that they can make money by playing, rather than working.

2. The casinos have used violence to deal with the few players who can get an edge by lawful means.

3. Preferential shuffling.

4. Deluding the public that 6:5 blackjack is a favorable game, because the least knowledgeable players think in terms of 6>3, rather than 6/6=1.2<3/2=1.5.

5. Replacement of blackjack tables with more unfavorable games like casino war, Carribean stud, let it ride, etc.

6. High minimum bets.

The evil is not limited to gaming operations.

7. The casinos know that second-hand tobacco smoke is a health hazzard to players, casino employees and state regulators, but they oppose efforts to make the casinos smoke-free.

[Sun Runner]

> It is the CASINOS that are truly EVIL. Consider the following.

> 1. The raison d'etre of a casino is to take players'
> money from them by offering games in which the house
> has a mathematical edge ..

Dude, it's been the raison d'forever.

> 2. (can't argue with that one.)

> 3. Preferential shuffling.

Get up and leave. (Please Don, don't take me to task again on this one.)

> 4. Deluding the public that 6:5 blackjack is a favorable game ..

The ploppie/victim. They didn't delude you did they? Play on.

> 5. Replacement of blackjack tables with more
> unfavorable games like casino war, Carribean stud, let
> it ride, etc.

What, you have them confused with the welfare office?

> 6. High minimum bets.

You blame them for wanting to keep your $1 to $5 spread off the table while more people than they can handle are waiting to spread $25 to $500. It's good economics. You want to blame someone blame all the degenerates with more money than sense.

> 7. The casinos know that second-hand tobacco smoke is a health hazzard to players ..

According to those that know, apparently, playing there at all is hazardous to your bankroll, your marriage, your relationships, and your continued future employment.

I started to say .. 'you should stay home' .. but in deference to Parker and his desire to be nice, which I respect .. I won't.