Upamanyu Biswas
Rose Glass’ romantic thriller film ‘Love Lies Bleeding‘ dives into the world of 1980s bodybuilding through the relationship between gym manager Lou Langston, who runs Crater Gym, and Jackie Cleaver, an aspiring bodybuilder who wants to win a championship that takes place in Las Vegas. As the narrative progresses, Jackie hitchhikes her way to Sin City, and she is ushered into the grand halls of the Gold Plaza Hotel, where the USFBB Championships occur. The hotel hosts a contingent of musclebound participants as part of a glorious ceremony and their parade in front of the audience, which, unfortunately, turns sour for Jackie!
Gold Plaza Hotel: A Fictional Hotel
Gold Plaza Hotel in ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ is a fictional establishment conceived by Rose Glass and Weronika Tofilska, who wrote the film’s screenplay. The narrative presents the Gold Plaza as an illustrious building in the heart of Las Vegas where a bleary-eyed Jackie, who is pumped up by steroids, has to make her grand entrance as a competitor. Although it doesn’t exist in reality, the opulent hotel indirectly emphasizes the reputation of the bodybuilding championship, which inspires Jackie to leave home and travel so far.
While the Gold Plaza is fictional, an equally prestigious and iconic Las Vegas hotel exists in real life. Constructed in 1971, Plaza Hotel & Casino, located at 1 North Main Street, was one of the contributors to the city’s reputation as the center of glamour and flashiness. However, in the case of the Gold Plaza, its specific purpose within the narrative is to bring attention to the bodybuilding competition. Furthermore, like the hotel, the 1989 USFBB Championship also did not happen in reality.
As Glass was inspired by the premise of bodybuilding culture while developing the film, it made sense to place the major bodybuilding competition in a Vegas hotel – fictional or not – since the city is known as the entertainment capital of the world. During filming, the production team utilized the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 1901 University Boulevard Northeast in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to double for the Gold Plaza Hotel, where Jackie’s dreams are finally within touching distance.
Crowne Plaza Albuquerque is owned by IHG Hotels & Resorts, a British multinational hospitality chain. The establishment is situated on a 14-acre piece of land within the city’s heart to give the guests a “resort feel.” The hotel boasts several amenities, ranging from an Olympic-sized outdoor pool to a 24/7 fitness center. Its location enables the guests to visit several landmarks in Albuquerque, such as the historic Old Town and Balloon Fiesta Park, within a short distance. Even though the Gold Plaza does not exist in New Mexico, Crowne Plaza must impress the admirers of the romantic thriller.
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