Las Vegas: The Glamor & The Glitter

Taking bits and pieces from a variety of sources, Las Vegas: The Glamor & The Glitter has the appearance of a welded together film and the seams often show. Meant to be a wide-ranging overview, the program opens with the historical founding and rise of Las Vegas, and includes a disproportionately extensive section on the building of the Hoover Dam. The establishment of the neon empire -intrinsically tied into mob activities-is given scant attention, and the program instead offers interminable shots of the lit up strip. In one of the casinos the camera catches professional gambler John Patrick who offers pointers on blackjack and roulette, but this section seems to be part of a larger piece on gambling since concepts Patrick says he will "get back to in just a moment" are not discussed. The tape concludes with a section titled "Las Vegas is Showtime and Magic" which mostly offers about 15 minutes of "rare photography of gorgeous showgirls performing in thrilling presentations." Rare? Hardly. Thrilling? Ditto. Falling somewhere between a history of and guide to Las Vegas, this program ends up being neither. Not recommended. (Available from: Panorama International Productions, P.O. Box 1255, Beverly Hills, CA 90213.)