The ad campaign for this year’s Oscars has been about famous movie quotes. There’s not a day goes by where I don’t see a cab with “FRODO!” on the roof. It’s not a terrible campaign, and I get where they’re coming from with it, but it’s lifeless in print.
Now the Academy has unveiled a series of TV ads directed by one of the great modern filmmakers, Spike Lee, and they finally bring the campaign to breathing, vivid life. Lee has taken regular people in New York City and has them saying the famous movie lines. I love what he’s come up with, especially in the juxtaposition between the quote and who is saying it. The guy reciting “Excuse me while I whip this out” is perfect.
The Big Screen Little Screen blog has all of the ads very handily linked – they live on YouTube, of course – so click over to enjoy them.