The newest trend on the fashion block is to use short artistic films as ads. Bleu de Chanel, released just yesterday, is the latest Chanel short film. Although this one looks more like a commercial, it is directed by one of the most prominent living American directors to date: The legendary Martin Scorsese. The film/commercial is starring French actor Gaspard Ulliel--the new face of Bleu de Chanel. In the video below of "in the making," Ulliel admits, "I was surprised they got this huge director for this commercial. You definitely don't get a lot of occasion to meet a huge American director like this when you're a French actor. And who knows New York better than Martin Scorsese?"
(Bleu de Chanel short-film by Martin Scorsese after the jump).
Scorsese, who was born and raised in Queens, NY, decided to film most of the short in Astoria, Queens, as well as Time Square. The story line is about an actor who's arrived at some new found fame. And yet, he's realized that the world he's been admiring all along is in fact empty. This all becomes clear when he meets his first love-- forced to recognize the difference between real and synthetic, he decides to rebel against what is expected of him. Et Fini.
Scorsese, brilliant as he is, does not fail to deliver even in this abbreviated limitation of a tell-tale story captured in just one minute. The editing is captivating, complex yet extremely effective, not to mention the beauty of the film's cinematography. However, where it fails in this mighty big production of a commercial, is with French actor Gaspard Ulliel: who seems to be channeling a modeling role rather than focusing on his "craft?". Although he did get one thing right: He certainly would never have met the grandeur of someone like Scorsese, if he wasn't chosen to be the face of Bleu de Chanel. That--he "chanels" in perfect mode. Perhaps this is why the result is that of a commercial just short of becoming a short film.
See the videos below and join the NG conversation!
The Making of Martin Scorsese's Bleu de Chanel
Bleu de Chanel by Martin Scorsese
