The line between homage and copy is subtle, though I admit I much rather prefer interpreting a classic film into modern protagonists than outright taking chunks straight out of old cinema and transposing it to modern commercials like they did with Delon and La Piscine for Eau Sauvage.
Here, for Dior Addict's new range of fragrances (comprising an Addict Eau Fraiche and Addict Eau Sensuelle), Daphné Groeneveld stars as the muse to a contemporary Roger Vadim...Interestingly enough, like the prototype, Brigitte Bardot herself, the girl's face isn't the prettiest thing about her, but her charm and very provocative wiles are.
The comparisons between the full almost 3 minutes director's cut with the original by Vadim are more apparent.
Music in the Dior commercial:"I love you, oh, no" di Stereo Total.
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Um, maybe I'm missing the more subtle elements, but it reminds me of Impulse ads (a cheap deodorant/scent spray brand for 13 year old girls), only done with serious money...
ReplyDeleteThe cat is cute - although it doesnt look very impressed.
"Homage" to old movies usually works favorably with me, but not in this case. Dior's add looks so plastic, as well as the girl - she lacks the grace of BB, as well as her youthful awkwardness. Instead of Brigitte there is a Barbie.
ReplyDeleteHah! Funny that you thought deodorant. I thought Panty Liner ad. All that skirt flipping and see-no-liner stuff. And she should have had bigger hair.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad that it wasn't done better.
And spritzing in the full sun, good bye decollete, hello sunburn, wrinkles and colour paddocking.
Portia xx
Pretty NO!
ReplyDeleteC,
ReplyDeleteha, that's an apt observation!! Hadn't thought of Impulse. I recall old ads here saying "if a stranger sends you flowers, you know it's Impulse" (actually must have been pretty successful if I remember it all these years later...)
I,
ReplyDeleteindeed Bardot had a mix of naivete and provocation about her. It worked, especially in more conservative times such as the 50s-60s.
Barbie is right *evil grin*
Portia,
ReplyDeletespoken like someone subjected to harsh sun :-)
Yes, you're right.
I bet they'd be disappointed to hear about the panty liner impression! (not that it matters, we're free to criticize if we want to)
B,
ReplyDelete:-D
The original always seems fresher. ;-)
After provocatively arrousing everyone (including male cats and a few flies in the bar) she ends up surrounded by a group of males (apparently there is no female population in St.Tropez) and everything looks like it's going to become somewhat inappropriate (x-rated). I expected a scene from an old classic where the act happens on the flipper machine. However, the director chose to follow the more indirect approach so the blond Lolita takes off grasping on the HUGE phallic bottle for dear life while she manages to look no less than orgasmic when she rubs it against her face. Subtle...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad this ad manages to avoid the stereotypes of sexual exploitation... The song is great!
K,
ReplyDeletehaha!! I didn't peg the bottle as phallic (can think of much more phallic ones, I guess), but you're absolutely right on the money on everything else. Hard to miss how it's...subtle. Then again, Dior has mastered non subtlety as an art form in recent years. I'm sure it's the Arnault effect. ;-)
yes, i too can think of more phallic ones...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/Francesco-Smalto/Fullchoke-9825.html
I don't know what brave soul would walk to the counter with one of those in hand. "Don't give me that look, I am buying this fragrant penis for my husband. It is our anniversary you know". And what a name!
The Dior Addict bottle however, although less biomorphic (and minus one function no doubt) still retains the basic proportions of a phallus. I can't point out all similarities as I would become too graphic. Just notice the proportions between transparent and silver part, the sprayer hole, the relief band in the bottom of the silver part and last but not list the button that resembles the tip of some article of clothing that many males use in special occasions...
Come on Elena, you are an art historian. I shouldn't have to spell it out for you. Again, it is not THAT subliminal ;)
Sue me, but I'm not crazy about Brigitte Bardot. I find her face not THAT beautiful, and her thighs are not too thin. In short, I'd rather pick any modern day model for a date ;) Plus, her "let's shock the elders" attitude sounds terribly dated.
ReplyDeleteThat said, her wannabe lookalike is not a great choice anyway. She seems to be devoided of any free will, just a puppet in the hands of the director. So she communicates no sexuality, no sensuality, no joy de vivre. She just seems to be waiting for the "cut!". Or for her daddy to take her home.
I love it...you lot are much too serious....It's fun!!
ReplyDeleteRob,
ReplyDeleteoh I'm not going to! :-D
Like I said, I don't find Bardot THAT beautiful either. Her face is rather commonplace, all her allure is her wiles, her body, her provocation (which for the time frame she did those things was very forward thinking, not outdated at all, though it seems fairly innocent to our modern eyes).
I'm a little scared to see you find her thighs "not too thin". I guess you meant "not too slim", right? Too thin thighs and one might as well not be a woman but a teenager boy. Or malnourished. Personally I find the trend for too thin thighs on models where the knee is wider than the thigh quite unpleasant. But that's me.
Her substitute in the commercial is "Barbie doll" material like a previous commenter said so much more eloquently and cleverly than me. She's indeed a puppet with no authentic sensuality of her own (at lest that transpires though the screen), clever observation.
At least the visuals are kinda fun.
Kostas,
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'm comfortable looking at it in that light for too long, LOL. I kinda dismissed it as a lipstick case imitation in sprayer form. Which of course makes it even worse!!! (imagine that bottle dangling off the lips of a woman putting on lipstick...wait, I guess it was a bit intentional all along).
JD,
ReplyDeleteit is kinda fun. I guess we're a spoiled lot. Brought up on clever and artful commercials like the Jacques Helleu Chanel commercials of the 80s-90s.
no I really love this commercial, it's fun
ReplyDeleteellielovesmakeup.blogspot.com