In 2001 BMW commissioned some of the world’s most popular directors to make a set of short films featuring their cars. The continuing story line is about “The Driver”, played by Clive Owen, who narrates the films.
These are good short films, regardless of their provenance. Some have been shown to the Cannes Film Festival, with apparently high regard. Some are just plain fun.
I am going to post each of the films in as high a definition as I can find. I should say that this has been prompted by some comments a friend made about some recent posts, which he described as “Auto-porn”. In my defence, there were only three, admittedly in short succession. You can view the earlier ones by clicking on the “car” tag below.
This one, the first of the series, was directed by John Frankenheimer.
the plot
While escorting an elderly man to an undisclosed location, the Driver is confronted by a van full of armed men and is warned that the old man has stolen a large amount of diamonds. The old man claims to have swallowed the diamonds and that the men will likely cut him open to retrieve them. The Driver decides at the last minute to help him, participating in a car chase and shootout with the van. The Driver eventually evades his pursuers and watches their destruction. He then delivers the old man to a town nearby and asks the merchant if he did indeed swallow the diamonds. The client merely chuckles and walks away.
