Riassunto esame Lingua e linguistica inglese, Prof. Zazzeroni Elisabetta, libro consigliato The theming of America, Gottdiener

THE THEMING OF AMERICA:

theming is a general aspect of our culture. Suburban as well as central city venues are involved.

LAS VEGAS CASINOS

A quarter century ago, three architects (Roberto Venturi, Denise S. Brown and Steven Izenour) published

“Learning from Las Vegas” in 1972. They studied Vegas architecture of that time. Modernist architecture

avoided the use of symbol and instead emphasized austere, blank walls of glass and steel; simple, abstract

geometric shapes like the rectangles of the flat-roofed skyscraper built in central cities for decades. In the

late 60s and early 70s, there had been a rejection of modernism.

Las Vegas casino environment developed and articulated as international symbols (like computer generated

electronic light displays). There’s an overarching theme of modernism, with an explosion of lights, sound

and symbols.

The function of the Las Vegas environment is to seduce the consumer with the theming of money, sex,

food, gambling and nightlife. It’s one of the “pleasure zones” like Monte Carlo and the French Riviera, the

Greek islands, Rio de Janeiro, Disneyworld, Marienbad, the Taj Mahal. They are like an oasis in a hostile

context (Venturi).

Las Vegas captures the attention of potential gamblers passing by on the old highway. There’s a $5.7 billion

annual revenue from tourism. Casino theming fights the competition located elsewhere, including other

pleasure zone destinations around the world. There are elaborated signs, sculptures, three-dimensional

light-and-sound shows. Fantasy motifs are developed through language, images, neon, and other design

elements that connote a specific theme. There are also themed malls, with designed exterior and interior.

The Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino has an exterior designed as a Roman villa. It mixes Greek and Roman

elements; it reflects Hollywood ideas more than classical inspiration.

The Mirage Hotel and Casino has the theme of a “tropical paradise”.

The Mandalay Bay has an exotic Polynesian/Hawaiian fantasy theme. On the outside there are sand

beaches, palm trees, wave-making pool.

Going north there’s the Luxor, an Egyptian pyramid fantasy; the Excalibur, a medieval castle and King

Arthur themed environment. The New-York Hotel and Casino simulated a miniature version of Manhattan.

The Tropicana Hotel and casino has a tropical/Polynesian theme. The MGM Grand has 5005 rooms. With an

illuminated lion near the entrance. Aladdin has an Arabian Nights theme; Bally’s a Monte Carlo-type

setting. The Bellagio Hotel, Resort and Casino has high-quality dining, expensive designer shopping and

first-class room furnishings; it’s fronted by a fake lake (a simulation of Lake Como). Flamingo Hilton-luxury

and Hollywood glamor. Venetian Hotel and Casino-recreation of the Grand Canal of Venice, almost a mile

long, there are authentic gondolas. The Riviera hotel-casino uses a Monaco-French Riviera theme. In the

Tropicana Avenue there’s a general Tropicana theme.

The first themes were: wild West, Monte Carlo, and Riviera. Then they added Hollywood version of the

Arabian Nights fantasy; and more recently medieval Europe, Rome and ancient Egypt.

The downtown area (“Glitter Gulch”) is dominated by casinos specialized in gambling and by adult-

orientated hotel/casinos such as the Golden Nugget, with the theme of the Wild West.

The buildings themselves function as one large sign, each casino has a different theme.

Themed casinos at the southern end of Las Vegas Boulevard has come escalating density in pedestrian

traffic. Pedestrians never venture far from their casino of choice, because of hot weather and limited

attractions; but nowadays they found pleasure in walking among the casinos along the Strip in the new

symbolic space.

There are also specialized commercial shopping, restaurants and urban walker intermingle. The city itself

has become a theme: New York, Venice, Paris (Paris casino-hotel).

THE THEME PARK:

The most spectacularly successful themed environment is Disneyland, in California, followed by the much

larger Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. Themed parks have also been exported to Japan and France. They

are popular destination for planned family vacations.

Disney used merchandising in the early 30s. In the 50s it started the construction of Disneyland, and it

became a new form of commercial enterprise. It mixes social activi