Posted 2 Feb 2007 · Report post Back in 2001 and 2002, BMW commisioned several top directors to make short films -- about six or seven minutes each. The series was called THE HIRE, and starred Clive Owen as the Driver. They also starred BMW cars, of course, but they were NOT commercials, or even promos (The cars often took a beating!).What they were was very concentrated, very intense cinematic short stories, like nothing I'd ever seen. Because of time limitations, the directors had to make every second count, make every word, every image, every gesture advance the story. You have to watch really carefully, or else you may miss something really crucial (like WHY the Driver blows off his old friend at the end of "The Follow.").The films were shown for a while on a BMW Internet site, then sold briefly on DVD, but neither source is available now. But lately they've shown up on YouTube. The quality of the play may depend on your browser' in some cases, the sound and image get out of sync. Anyway, here's a link to one example, "Hostage," directed by John Woo:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXuc7f2ivecAnd here's a link to a rundown of all the episodes at Wikipedia:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXuc7f2ivec Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 2 Feb 2007 · Report post Sorry, that Wikipedia link should be:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_films Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 2 Feb 2007 · Report post Anyway, here's a link to one example, "Hostage," directed by John Woo:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXuc7f2ivecI had never heard of these before. This one was gripping, so stylishly done. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 2 Feb 2007 · Report post Back in 2001 and 2002, BMW commisioned several top directors to make short films -- about six or seven minutes each. The series was called THE HIRE, and starred Clive Owen as the Driver. They also starred BMW cars, of course, but they were NOT commercials, or even promos (The cars often took a beating!).[...]I first heard about these when Clive Owen was being considered for the James Bond role.I searched the internet then but couldn't find them. Thanks very much for the link. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 2 Feb 2007 · Report post I thought Clive Owen would have been the ideal Bond, but he didn't want the job -- didn't want to get tied down in a series. Anyway, you should be able to find all the films at YouTube if you add the episode titles to BMW, Hire and Owen as search words.There's a saying I made up a while back (Well, maybe somebody else has also made it up*): "Art, like gold, is where you find it." The BMW films are a prime example.* For example, I'd thought "ideological wind-up toys" was original with me, but it turns out that it was used in a review of an Allen Drury novel 40 years ago. I think a few others, like "the hubris of altruism," "Darwinian existentialism" and the tag line I've adopted for my posts here are still mine alone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 3 Feb 2007 · Report post I thought Clive Owen would have been the ideal Bond, but he didn't want the job -- didn't want to get tied down in a series. If you're a fan of British detective stories and TV shows, I would recommend "Second Sight," a British mini-series starring Clive Owen as a DCI losing his vision. I found it gripping and Owen's performance enthralling.The entire series is available on DVD from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/3b6kw8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 3 Feb 2007 · Report post ----------http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXuc7f2ivecAnd here's a link to a rundown of all the episodes at Wikipedia:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXuc7f2ivecThanks for the link. Very gripping movie. The woman is from the TV show, "Cold Case," one of my favorite shows. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 3 Feb 2007 · Report post Sorry, that Wikipedia link should be:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_filmsThat was really good. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 3 Feb 2007 · Report post I thought Clive Owen would have been the ideal Bond, but he didn't want the job -- didn't want to get tied down in a series. I haven't yet watched the latest Bond; I fear disappointment. Clive Owen wouldn't have disappointed, or at least we know he has the talent. If you're a fan of British detective stories and TV shows, I would recommend "Second Sight," a British mini-series starring Clive Owen as a DCI losing his vision. I found it gripping and Owen's performance enthralling.The entire series is available on DVD from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/3b6kw8Thank you Jason! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 3 Feb 2007 · Report post If you're a fan of British detective stories and TV shows, I would recommend "Second Sight," a British mini-series starring Clive Owen as a DCI losing his vision. I found it gripping and Owen's performance enthralling.The entire series is available on DVD from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/3b6kw8Sounds good. Got to check that out! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 3 Feb 2007 · Report post I haven't yet watched the latest Bond; I fear disappointment. Clive Owen wouldn't have disappointed, or at least we know he has the talent. Thank you Jason!My wife and I saw CASINO ROYALE, and were rather disappointed. We thought Daniel Craig had about as much charisma as Mr. Potato Head, and while there were brutal scenes on the novel -- perhaps the most brutal of the series -- the movie version was brutality cubed. About the only good thing was the scenery in Montenegro.And yet other people we know, including women, LOVED it. Go figure.We're also huge fans of COLD CASE. Last week's episode about the double murder, with the killings linked in such an ironic way, was a real classic. There was another last season, about the black mother, all but one of whose sons are murder victims, that really tore us up inside. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 3 Feb 2007 · Report post My wife and I saw CASINO ROYALE, and were rather disappointed. We thought Daniel Craig had about as much charisma as Mr. Potato Head, and while there were brutal scenes on the novel -- perhaps the most brutal of the series -- the movie version was brutality cubed. About the only good thing was the scenery in Montenegro.And yet other people we know, including women, LOVED it. Go figure.We're also huge fans of COLD CASE. Last week's episode about the double murder, with the killings linked in such an ironic way, was a real classic. There was another last season, about the black mother, all but one of whose sons are murder victims, that really tore us up inside.hi JJ!Hmm, well you can be pretty sure I wouldn't love it, and I'm a woman . One of Bond's best attributes is his ability to be Hitchcock-like; ie no gore amid enormous ruin. From what you say and I've read, this one has had the gore-quotient upped. I don't support that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 3 Feb 2007 · Report post If you're a fan of British detective stories and TV shows, I would recommend "Second Sight," a British mini-series starring Clive Owen as a DCI losing his vision. I found it gripping and Owen's performance enthralling.The entire series is available on DVD from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/3b6kw8I watched both series, and I too found it gripping. Owen's gave a beautifully understated performance of a man containing his fear while continuing to function--successfully--as a detective. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 4 Feb 2007 · Report post I thought Daniel Craig did a great job with Bond. However, I'm still a big fan of Clive Owen. I thought he was quite good in Children of Men. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted 10 Apr 2007 · Report post Been a while.Here are links to four more of the BMW films at YouTube: Ticker, Ambush, The Follow and Powder Keg. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites