“Big Day” – Volkswagen
30 second Super Bowl Television Commercial
In my humble opinion, this is one of the best television commercials ever made. Since this post was created (2011) I’m certain that there have been some contenders for the title of “Greatest of all time”. But I have yet to see one that carries so much emotion without a single word of dialogue.
This Volkswagen Jetta TV spot which aired during the 2001 Superbowl. It is the most cinematic ad that I have ever come across telling a great story in only sixty seconds. The ad was directed by Dante Ariola and is called Big Day. The superb music is One Million Miles Away by J. Ralph. The man is played by Kevin Rahm. The beautiful bride is Carmen Nicole.
Quite simply, this is a masterclass of film-making in the short form. 50 different shots in 60 seconds, each furthering the story and the drama. And the speed of those cuts is rhythmical, varying the speed to the music and the escalating tension. The cinematography is perfect. Every shot feels like it was filmed during the magic hour of light. The storyline is a classic homage to the final minutes of The Graduate. The acting is wonderful, especially when you consider how little time they had to work with.
Expand the screen. Turn up the speakers. Sit back and enjoy one of the best commercials ever made:
Speak now, or forever hold your peace
Brilliant. They managed to tell an entire story in a minute without any dialogue. And it was done beautifully too! Definitely way up there in one of the best commercials I have ever seen, love the Volkswagen commercials. Thanks for sharing this!