Popular Culture Review 29.2
that afforded the consumer the best of everything . This Las Vegas landmark still does just that . The themes created by the replica statues remain much the same , as does the attention to the desires of male high stakes gamblers . However , the directors of Caesars Entertainment Corporation realized the market had changed . When gambling declined to fourth on the list of why people visit Las Vegas , management focused on improving amenities like five star restaurants , entertainment , and shopping .
A number of scholars contributed fresh meanings to an understanding of Sarno ’ s dream . Storey ’ s notion of high and low culture made clear how replications brought the art of museums to new purpose and audience . In so doing , the Palace became a dynamic part of popular culture . Ironically , the Palace , like ancient Rome , contains artifacts from around the world . Postmodernists Baudrillard , Jameson , and Venturi provided a basis for a close examination of the simulacrum , pastiche , and theme of this iconic landmark .
An additional study investigated various economic aspects of this modern hotel-casino . Stillman and Ritzer explained the implications of the tremendous monetary engine of this complex , which they described as a “ Cathedral of Consumption .” They elucidated the phenomenon of advanced capitalism , in that the value of goods may depend on the brand name or where the consumers bought them .
An examination of the replica art found in the gardens , casino , and Forum utilized the philosophy of Barthes in understanding the connotations of a work of art : what we don ’ t see is as important as what we do see . Benjamin ’ s thoughts shed light on the flexibility , decorativeness , and accessibility of replica art . These copies of famous art created a phantasmagoria of light and sound , a dream that was more than an
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