In 1975 the first BMW Art Car ran in anger at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The initial voyage of the Alexander Calder 3.0 CSL was deemed enough of a success that additional art cars were commissioned by BMW. American Jenny Holzer was the latest, in 1999, to make art from a rolling canvas. That Holzer was the most conceptual of the artists used by BMW should have clued us in as what to expect next. Art critics have never felt completely at ease or comfortable with BMW on the art car project. Robert Hughes felt the whole concept was not worthy of discussion. This leads us back to what is art and what happens when it's taken out of the museums.
While Calder, Warhol, Stella, Lichtenstein and their sort may have direct appeal to many art fans, there has been the suspicion the art cars are a direct, elitist incursion, aimed by Munich at what Mercedes long has claimed as exclusive territory. In a bold move, BMW has outclassed the taxicab maker in Stuttgart by trading in its paintbrushes for a 16mm Eclair and declaring everyone's gone to the movies.
The first release, "The Ambush," is directed by veteran John Frankenheimer and is the most "Hollywood" of the films in tone and appearance. Fans of "Grand Prix" and "Ronin" will not be disappointed. Visually it is as slick and polished as "Ronin." Frankenheimer has the proper credentials; he is an accomplished driver (he used to run his Ferrari flat out on PCH at night and has run with Bob Bondurant) and is the last of the true old-school Hollywood directors. No digital computer effects here. His camera set-ups owe more to his 1964 film, "The Train," starring Burt Lancaster, than "Grand Prix." Frankenheimer creates absolute tension in the action scenes. His strengths are such that it is easy to take for granted. How many directors can that still be said of today after 45 years of making film? The weakness of "The Ambush" is the character that has hired the BMW and driver. He is too much a stereotype and comes across as weak and incidental. Best line: "You still alive?"
In five months BMW accomplished with its Internet film project what it had taken 25 years to do with the art cars. Overnight, it went from an elitist point of view to the mainstream of America via the laptop, wired directly to the MTV generation.
Product placement has a long, honored tradition in commercial filmmaking. Few critics have complained about such obvious references in movies or television, as consumerism is the driving force that makes their jobs possible. The contempt offered by some regarding the blatant attempt by bmwfilms.com to feature their product by using some of the most well-known directors in the world is misguided and suggests a separate agenda. But enough of the polemics; what about the films? The series, known as "The Hire," stars Clive Owen as no-nonsense, no-questions-asked Brit driver for hire. Five stories, five directors and, remarkably, in a landscape full of Bimmers, the cars are not the focal point. Since four of the five films were shot in L.A. and New York, it wasn't all that difficult as the streets of those cities are full of Munichmobiles. Running time is no less than five minutes, and the longest clocks in just under ten. There is no time for fluff or filler. The most enjoyable of the quickies is also the least satisfying artistically, because it is a parody of the subject it promotes. This is due in part to the rise of the music video, which has reduced the average attention span of many a viewer. Four of the five films are dialogue driven with generous amounts of wheelspin and handbrake turns. Just like I do every day.
Ang Lee's entry, "The Chosen," is the weakest of the five. A promising start of East meets West drifts into a presentation of the auto as ballet. The director of "The Ice Storm" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" took a promising treatment and simply failed to execute it to his usual high standards. A corny ending that will bring a smile to fans of "Dragonball Z" or "The Incredible Hulk" saves it. Predictable line: "It's for later."
"The Follow" breaks from the usual car-chase territory and offers an unsettling look at what by all accounts is an unsettling job. Owen narrates his thoughts on this particular gig in a sensitive yet unemotional manner. The direction by Wong Kar-Wai never offers a cohesive moment and is so loose that, by all accounts, it should have failed. Mickey Rourke is believable because he is playing Mickey Rourke. Following a movie star's wife that he suspects is unfaithful should be standard fare in the genre. "The Follow" succeeds because it plays the game but doesn't trust the rules. Best line: "Don't ever call me again."
Number four is the often hilarious "Star," starring Madonna and directed by husband Guy Ritchie, whose recent efforts include "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels." Owen plays his role as the driver strictly for laughs, and the comic cartoon violence as he pilots his BMW and precious cargo on a sideways tour through L.A. is both the strength and weakness of the film. As a music video, it should be in heavy rotation. Madonna's "Star" represents everything the tabloids claim a superstar is, and she good naturedly goes along for the ride. A music edit from pop to Wagner to pop again is one of the high points with Owen wearing the most ridiculous facial expression. Ritchie's film fails as a comedy, because the joke fades fast. If Frankenheimer represents the traditional approach, Ritchie is a director very much of the moment. The set-ups in "Star" just look like an advanced video game. But, then again, maybe that is the whole point. Best line: A meek Clive Owen mutters, "Okay" before starting the car.
The fifth and final film is a miniature masterpiece. "Powder Keg" as directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has such a blend of influences and images that it stands on it's own as an original. The subject matter of a poverty-stricken and corrupt military state in Latin America is as far away from Rodeo Drive and a new 7 Series Bimmer as imaginable. The story is all too familiar. A photographer on assignment for a U.S. newspaper captures a death squad at work and is wounded in the process. A quick view of "Powder Keg" will suggest Soderburgh's recent "Traffic" with the use of high-contrast 16mm b&w film. However, a more favorable comparison is William Friedkin's 1977 film "Sorcerer" for image intensity and Costa Gravas' classic "Z" for editing. The rumbling, eerie score could be Tangerine Dream and provides an edge. Scenes in "Powder Keg" have not been fashionable on cable and network news for sometime now, and the shock of being reminded that this is a problem and is not going to disappear makes Inarritu's little film all that much more important. Of the five efforts, his is the one that makes the biggest contrast against a backdrop of absolute misery and absolute opulence. The chosen BMW, an X5, is believable and fits in the story. Owen appears that he is a man racing against time and that this is a mission he must complete in contrast to his other jobs, which offered only a payoff. This one could be the end of the road. Lois Smith has a short role at the end of "Powder Keg" as the photographer's mother that puts director Inarritu in the class of John Cassavettes with capturing pure human emotion and dignity.
It is difficult to see what BMW will achieve from the film project in the immediate future. The Internet, while popular, is still in its infancy. BMW may have gotten a jump on everyone else and is laying the foundation for an eventual shift in how we view film, cars and news. Munich's first attempt, while flawed, suggests a courage and vision not expected from these times of corporate conservatism.
All films can be viewed at www.bmwfilms.com