Why Casino's Nicky Santoro Is One Of The Most Terrifying Villains In Film History

For many there are a few seminal Mob related movies made in the last 50 years. Films like The Godfather Goodfellas, The Departed, have all crafted some of the best characters in film. But Martin Scorsese's Casino delivers one of the best villains of them all with Joe Pesci's Nicky Santoro. Casino gives us a real dynamic between our main anti-heroes, and Nicky Santoro will forever be one of the best.

#casino #martinscorcese #nerdstalgic

Written by Adam Smith
Edited by Paul Ritchey

[Locadel]

I think Joe Pesci in the 80s and 90s was one of the most powerful actors. He can be so terrifying and hilarious at the same time, he was able to be intimidating and also do funny comedies. Lethal weapon series, my cousin vinny, racing bull, home alone, goodfellas, the irishman, casinò & with honors. This guy was and is legend and in Casinò was fucking great and very intimidating

[starwarsroo]

The shot in Sam’s sunglasses is one of my favourite ever and just highlights how Casino is one of the most stylish movies ever

[brentritchie]

Joe Pesci really made an impact on you in these movie roles as a gangster who was uncontrollable and unpredictable as well as being tough as nails and ruthless.
People with these traits are very hard to deal with as they go from calm to manic seemingly without reason.
He was the master of this character type.

[idylledoll]

Joe Pesci is the perfect example where you don't need to be big and tall to be absolutely imposing and intimidating.

[thegreatbourne]

The Bert and Ernie voiceover of that desert scene will forever be hilarious; but, yea. Nicky was absolutely terrifying. Like in the scene where he threatened to put bank manager to sleep.

[BenderWinsSportsBetting]

Frank Cullotta told me that the real life Tony Spilotro who this was based on was even more scary in real life and he could turn on a dime from happy to scary in a tenth of a second. Hard to imagine someone scarier than Nicky Santoro.

[himynameismrpink]

The thing that always gets me about Pesci is he has great timing whether it’s comedically or when it’s him being threatening and scary sometimes in the same movie

[Zapp__Brannigan]

"You've been fuckin' WARNED." - Nicky's last line to Sam in that exchange.

Pretty chilling, knowing who is saying it.

[John-Adams-Can]

The car Nicky is driving is my late buddy's car! He rented it to the movie crew. Also my other buddy is in the movie as a dealer. It was a great event in Vegas when they filmed that.

[Sul]

Pesci always had my heart rate up just by watching him. That man is the most intimidating intense person in movie history. Someone special for sure! :)

[TheWaynos]

i honestly thought Pesci should have won the oscar for Casino not Goodfellas - Tommy Devito was a great part, but Nicki Santoro was epic, complicated and terrifying. Sharon Stone was amazing too. Casino does not get talked about enough.

[popularchat]

I love the scene when Nicky is speaking with the banker about how he wants his money back.

[johnstevens]

Joe Pesci played this character and Tommy in Goodfellas absolutely perfect. I remember the first time I saw Goodfellas, the scenes were done with such honesty I found myself kinda disturbed. I was young but the character's willingness to use violence so quick and graphically left a impact on me. Casino captured these same feelings only 7 years later. Only Martin Scorsese could have filmed these movies in such a way, that to this day I still remember how I first felt when watching them.

[charlesc]

My father was a huge cinephile, and he actually introduced me to the film Casino when I was about 10 years old. I learned that he did this because of two things: because it was a great movie, and most importantly, to discourage me from anything related to gambling. I have to say, it worked wonderfully because 1. Ive turned into a cinephile myself, and 2. I have always had a disdain for gambling since then.. and also scared of Joe Pesci lol.

[Nick]

Yeah Nicky is scary but his brutal death and betrayal always said to me no one stays on top for long

[cristhianramirez]

The thing you didn't mention and it's important it's the apparent civilized and gentle persona he can pull at times, eg; when he is with his son or loaning money to that guy. The violent and unhinged behaviour is only interesting when are contrasted with his "caring father" moments

[JIMJAMSC]

Most of us have known a Nicky Santoto. In high school there were 3 Cecil brothers all separated by a few years. The youngest Percy was the definition of a hot head with the huge chip on his shoulder. If you had a problem with him, you had one with ALL his brothers. You fight him, you fought all 3 and their sister. Not the mob but close haha..

[bhekuyisembhele]

"Casino" is genuinely my favourite Scorsese film. It's a film I see atleast twice, every year. It never gets old for me. And Joe Pesci's Nicky Santoro is the ace to this film

[chrispatty]

I actually met Frank Rosenthal in 2001 in the casino I worked at in Kansas. Just meeting him was an honor and also scarred the sh*t out of me at the same time knowing the gangsters he worked with while running the Stardust casino in Vegas.

[michalyne]

Joe Pesci's inspiration for the character were real life mob guys that he was around growing up, the scene with which he demanded to know why he was so funny was quite literally lifted from a conversation a mob guy had in Pesci's presents during his youth in New Jersey.