The world of bingo can sometimes seem like it’s just for the old folks out there but that’s not the case. When we see casino games in film we think glamour and prestige, but bingo has its place too, especially with younger players being involved in the game thanks to new tech and evolving features.
Here are the top pop culture scenes from bingo movies in our book.
Better Call Saul
This comedy spin off series is based on a character from Breaking Bad. Saul Goodman is the ambulance chasing lawyer that you need in your life, so it’s no surprise he’s into a bit of bingo. Not only is there an entire episode entitled ‘Bingo’ we even see the titular character getting in on the action with some fun bingo calls.
Why bingo, we hear you ask. Well the answer is simple, this lawyer wants to get all of the litigious old folks on his contact list to make some serious cash. What we love about this scene in Better Call Saul are the unconventional calls, something which is making a big splash in the bingo industry. Some halls are moving away from the old fashioned calls to make this hobby appealing to the younger players.
Hotel Transylvania
Anyone that has kids will have most likely seen this movie countless times. A rag tag group of monsters come together for the biggest party of the year, with predictably zany results. Hotel Transylvania perpetuates the theme that bingo halls have to be manned by a grumpy, elderly caller.
The young Frankenstein in this movie is the character that we relate to most, as who doesn’t get a bit competitive when they play? We like that this movie injects some of the younger audience back into the trope of playing bingo. We can also imagine ourselves playing in this spooky setting for a change of pace!
Bad Grandpa
We all know a relative that reminds us of Bad Grampa, the silly comedy from the Jackass team. In this movie, Johnny Knoxville dresses as an elderly man on his way to cause as much shock as possible. This is one of the few bingo films that really shows the diversity of the bingo hall. It also shows a range of ages and genders playing bingo, something that we don’t see too often.
Watching this scene, in which Grandpa is back at his shock tactics in the hall, helps to show the social side of bingo. While these ladies and gents might not exactly want to socialise with him, they’re drawn into the fun in no time. At least when you play online you get to pick the roomies you socialise with!
Online bingo (especially on new bingo sites) is still a deeply social experience, even though you might not be sitting in close quarters with your fellow roomies. Just think about chat language and bingo lingo, it just goes to show how often we all congratulate one another!
Rampage
This high octane thriller is just about the last place you would expect to see a bit of bingo but nevertheless, there is a bingo based scene in there. We can tell that whoever wrote this scene knows all about playing bingo and aren’t afraid to poke a bit of fun either.
In the movie, we follow the story of an assassin on the hunt for his quarry. This unexpectedly light-hearted moment comes when he pops into the bingo hall in full body armour for a snack. Of course, all the players are eyes down and don’t even notice the murderer in their midst. Let’s face it, we’ve all been that locked into a bingo game before – even online!
Again we see the range of different people playing the game, showing that bingo is far from just an old person’s pursuit. This is an unexpected appearance of the game but one that real fans will love.
Bingo is at the heart of British culture and these references to the game show that it has a place in the media we consume too. While it may not appear as opulent as gambling in the likes of Casino Royale, these scenes show that our perception of the game is changing.
