Mann Goes Commercial
A few months back, a co-worker told me that "I left everything on the field" during a presentation. I didn't know what that meant so he had to break it down for me. It's pretty obvious now and I can't believe I haven't heard that phrase before since I used to play football and am such a football nut now. But anyway, this spot started airing last weekend during the NFL kickoff. You can argue whether Mr. Steroid Shawn Merriman should be included in this spot, but what you can't argue is how good it is. Seamlessly put together with an ending that leaves you wanting more. As Jackson's hand breaks through the crowd to make the touchdown the screen goes to black and the phrase "Leave Nothing" comes up. Michael Mann directed the spot and as a nice little tip to himself, the music from The Last Of The Mohicans is playing underneath.
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14 comments:
LAzy,,,that is awesome. With your permission may I post this on my blog. Love this commercial. Thanks for sharing it.
I've seen that commercial so many times, and my brothers and I love it (especially the ending), but I had no idea that was Mann! Awesome.
Of Course Shea, link away.
I just saw this commercial Friday night while watching the Cards/Cubs game at a bar, and the crowd loved it.
Well, except that the Cards lost to those damn shitheads.
www.therecshow.com
I knew the music was from Last of the Mohicans (Yes, I'm a film score junkie), but had no idea Mann directed it. The commercial was a nice marriage of image and sound, but I hesitate to call any commercial good. Nevertheless, Mann knows what he's doing. No question.
Thanks for posting that, Pat. I have to join the "I didn't know that was Michael Mann" chorus as well.
I don't care what anyone says about Ali or Miami Vice, he captured the grind of an NFL player better in 2 minutes than Oliver Stone could in 140 minutes.
Ted,
I'm curious about your comment on commercials. Is it due to the overall badness of them, or something bigger?
Joe,
Your comment is interesting because it was this spot that made me look fondly back at Any Given Sunday. No doubt it is a deeply flawed movie, but Stone captured some pretty intense scenes. This spot made me go back on youtube and try to find the scene on the field with Bill Withers' Use Me playing in the background. I always love that scene because the music makes sense and it's such an interesting choice of music - one that doesn't feel forced.
Piper,
I have seen that spot and I am at a loss for words. It is truly amazing. Thank you for sharing it with the world!
It seems like Nike consistently doles out some great commercials. There was that ultra cool Maria Sharapova spot earlier this year ("I feel pretty...") which I posted on my blog and one with the Olympics a few years back that felt strangely like P.T. Anderson's signature camera moves.. but I was never sure.
Yet you still suck at Fantasy Football. Go figure.
I'm right there on the fence with Any Given Sunday. It's not a dumb movie or one that takes the audience for granted, but I never got invested in it emotionally.
Actually, there's some weird stuff going on in that movie. Lauren Holly beating up Dennis Quaid. Cameron Diaz as a league football owner. Jamie Foxx acting. That was a shock. There was a little too much glam for me, but the "weird" makes it stand out at least.
Hey Piper,
My comment you could say is "something bigger" but it's more a disdain for hyper-commodification and the overwhelming influence of corporate power via capitalism and consumerism. I have a problem with Nike, especially (along with Wal-Mart, McDonald's, etc.), but my comment was more geared toward the idea that we now aesthetically appreciate commercials as we do anything else; and advertising is the most blatant and overt site of the very things I try to fight against. Yes, I know, it's ultimately a lost cause since I do watch football and I do watch Hollywood blockbusters (all packaged and distributed by Viacom, Disney, GE), so I am as guilty as the next person. But my argument is that it pervades every aspect of our culture and lived experience, therefore one needs to consume responsibly, or as responsibly as possible. That's it in a nutshell.
Ted,
No arguments here. The key is that as you said, consumers remain responsible. I don't buy "the advertising made me do it" argument.
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