Television Commercials

[colinr0380]

Aoi Miyazaki has been one of my favorite young actresses ever since I first encountered her in Eureka (2000). I just happened on a collection of commercials she did for Earth, Music and Ecology (a recycled clothing company). The first little segment has her singing a Blue Hearts song -- but even more interesting is a sequence starting around 6:27 in where she appears to be in Finland (and speaking Finnish) -- and the content is VERY Kaurismaki-esque. Was he moonlighting doing commercials for Japan in 2011-2016?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LZbi_yuLdc

Follow-up to my own question

Eija Niskanen, a Finnish film professor friend on the KineJapan mailing list, confirms these commercials were indeed made by Kaurismaki. She also says that some of these were even filmed at Kaurismaki's own bar Corona and the attached Moscow Bar (which sadly don't exist any more).

Wow, that's amazing! And somewhat validating to know that Aoi Miyazaki has as much sugar in her coffee as I do!

[Michael Kerpan]

That seems to be a rather bottomless sugar jar.

Aoi Miyazaki is such a treasure.... (but what is Kaurismaki doing these days -- is he retired?)

[domino harvey]

Hadn’t seen this before: Smarienberg, a 1996 Smirnoff vodka commercial for the UK directed by Michel Gondry, which like all of Gondry’s best work has a compelling idea (here a novel approach to wipe transitions) and gets as much mileage out if it as is possible in 73 seconds

[colinr0380]

I remember that Smirnoff advert along with television (where it used to get cut up into smaller sections) getting shown all the time in full during the late 90s/early 2000s trailer reel in UK cinemas too. Which makes sense for its surround sound rumblings!

[colinr0380]

I really hate being preached to, particularly in advertising, but this deodorant advert works really well!. It also fits in with my wish to only receive my information about tote bags through the medium of bears. And I may have to try the line "You're just an over-farmed cod!" on my loved one and gauge their reaction!

(Although in the midst of the biggest rail strike in thirty years in the UK the line that: "I sometimes drive to work, even though the public transport is fairly reliable" hits with an added layer of irony at the moment!)

[domino harvey]

As part of a promotion for Louis XIII cognac, Robert Rodriguez shot a short film with John Malkovich that will premiere at Cannes in 2115

[Roger Ryan]

As part of a promotion for Louis XIII cognac, Robert Rodriguez shot a short film with John Malkovich that will premiere at Cannes in 2115

I remember when this was announced as having been shot nine years ago... and haven't thought about it again since. I hope the finished film is actually being preserved on 35mm film; otherwise, folks in 2115 may have a hard time finding compatible equipment to play 2015-era digital media.

[domino harvey]

How did it take me this long to realize that Robert Mitchum was the voice of those “Beef… it’s what’s for dinner” commercials? Granted, I had no idea who Mitchum was when these first aired, but still

[cdnchris]

If it makes you feel better, I don't think I realized who it was voicing those early commercials, either, and I knew who Mitchum was thanks to both Cape Fear films and Scrooged (I might have seen Night of the Hunter by this point but not sure). Yet I recognized his voice as the narrator in Tombstone.

Definitely recognized Sam Elliott in the later ones.

[hearthesilence]

I remember when Mitchum died, the news coverage did mention it and even reported on plans to keep using it until the current advertising campaign lapsed (i.e. they weren't pulling it just because he just died). With Jimmy Stewart dying the next day, I remember it was like wall-to-wall old Hollywood coverage on the news and it really sank in with news commentators that the large majority of that era was now gone.

Coincidentally, today is indeed the anniversary of Mitchum's death.

[Matt]

You've reminded me of the Jimmy Stewart Campbell's soup commercials. Everybody eat some beef and condensed soup in remembrance.

[Matt]

An ad for the 100% real Allied Injury Group apparently riffing on Seinfeld's Jackie Chiles character. Feels like they're going to get a cease and desist letter from Larry David's also 100% real law firm soon.

[colinr0380]

Michel Gondry recreated his Come Into My World music video for Kylie Minogue for a Chanel handbag advert with both Kylie and Margot Robbie