Scorsese-directed fragrance commercial released

(courtesy of Chanel)

In a tradition of illustrious film directors shooting commercials, from Ridley Scott's famous Apple ad in 1984 to Spike Jonze for The Gap in 2006, Martin Scorsese has directed a spot for Bleu de Chanel perfume.

The Oscar-winner joins the ranks of other film directors to hawk fragrances such as Baz Luhrmann ( Moulin Rouge) who did an ad for Chanel No. 5 and Frank Miller ( Sin City) whose recent ad for Gucci Guilty ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xKJW9ZfDjs) starred Chris Evans ( Captain America) and Evan Rachel Wood ( The Wrestler).

Scorsese's ad is a sleek visual of shadows and blue light with a fast-paced montage set during a press conference, featuring cutaways from a female journalist to a lush hotel love affair. It stars French actor Gaspard Ulliel who played the young Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal Rising.

The background music is "She Said Yeah" by The Rolling Stones from 1965's December's Children (And Everybody's).

Scorsese has expanded his repertoire from films to television recently, producing an HBO series, Boardwalk Empire, about gangsters during the American Prohibition period and directing the pilot. He is currently in production with a 3D film Hugo Cabret.

Other A-list directors who have shot commercials include David Lynch for Sony's PlayStation 2 and a Gucci fragrance, Wes Anderson for American Express cards, Michel Gondry for Smirnoff, Terry Gilliam and Spike Lee for Nike, the BMW campaign by Ang Lee, Guy Ritchie and Tony Scott, and David Fincher who started in advertising for Adidas.

Scorsese's Bleu de Chanel ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG-nnDlnWrA

RC