Reel Opinion - Cris Mudge

As this is the last newsletter proper to be sent out in '09, we thought we'd warm up your winter hearts with a spot of Mustard. Taking the well jostled reigns of the Reel Opinion this month is Mustard director Cris Mudge, giving his views on five choice spots from the freshly shipped November Editions.

Cris Mudge
Director
Mustard, London

John Lewis - 'Clue'

Agency: Lowe, London

Production: Therapy Films, London

Director: Malcolm Venville

John Lewis … the David Seaman of department stores; safe, reliable and trustworthy though definitely not as exciting as some of it’s more fashionable counterparts. And my mother in law’s favourite to boot! I think she’d like rather than love this ad and I’d have to agree with her. The track’s great and I like it’s simplicity and restraint which sets it apart from the other jingly jangly, snowdrops a falling, Christmas ads that are thrust down our necks like overcooked slices of turkey. Tastefully nice and nicely tasteful. A breath of fresh Christmas air.

Toshiba - Time Sculpture

Agency - Grey, London

Production - Hungry Man, London

Director - Mitch Stratten

‘When what we watch constantly redefines itself…’? Think I definitely need to go and change my telly to a Toshiba ‘coz mine stills picks up 20 year old episodes of ‘Allo ‘Allo and Only Fools and Horses! Interesting technique (though one that strangely feels a little bit dated already) but can’t really see anything past that.

Toyota - Ninja Kittens

Agency - Publicis Moho, Melbourne

Production - Exit Films, Melbourne

Director - Garth Davis

Well I never! A bunch of acrobatic cat people having a bit of a dust up with pool cues whilst other cat people play pinball and breakdance, then nicking anchovies and mesmerising the cat waitresses by swinging a light bulb before nicking the car and driving off. All very interesting, but I suggest laying off the egg nog.

Barclaycard - Glide

Agency - BBH, London

Production - Gorgeous, London

Director - Peter Thwaites

Now this is my mother in law’s favourite. She can recite the ad to me scene for scene and shot for shot (which annoyingly she frequently does) whilst chuckling to herself in all the right places. And rightly so. Good casting, good performance, good idea, good, good, good. Just sorry that I can’t claim it as my own!

Alberta's Libraries - Scrapbook

Agency - Rethink, Vancouver

Production - Holiday Films, Toronto

Director - Adam&Dave

This one’s totally flummoxed me. I’ve watched it a few times and can’t quite work out what the hell it's all about. Scrap booking can seriously damage your health it appears. Watching that makes me want to go and get all of mine out of the loft in the hope that I too can start clicking a stapler in a very comic way!