I wouldn't trust anyone who doesn't like The Italian Job...
Said Stereophonics frontman, Kelly Jones - and you know what he means. The Italian Job is one of those films that evryone (in the UK at least) knows, some may never have seen it, but everyone knows of it and what it's about. You only have to say 'You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off' and everyone knows instantly who said it and what film it came from. As The Italian Job got into the hearts of the British public, it soon became an icon and a cult following was born, mostly headed up by the Mini owners both in the Uk and around the world.

The advertising, music and marketing world has often borrowed the cult image of The Italian Job to promote anything they can - it's cheeky 'cool Britannia' ladish un-pc Britishness is something that many yearn for in this day of EU controlled political correctness gone-mad. Thankfully these paradies haven't been unsympathetically churned out rip-offs to get products off shelves, the people behind these campaigns are obviously fans themselves and hold the film dear to their hearts. From banks to breweries, The Italian Job theme has been inspirational. Films like Four Weddings, Lock, Stock and Snatch that have spearheaded the refreshed British film industry, pay homage to the values of The Italian Job - not surprising when their young Britsh directors grew up with it on the telly every Christmas! In fact the makers of Four Weddings were keen on doing a remake of The Italian Job several years back, probably using hugh Grant alongside the Mini's. Talks had taken place and with their use of a Mini in Four Weddings, there was obviously a fan in the production crew. They apparently decided to wait for Rover's new Mini to be launched, but obviously with BMW dumping Rover and taking the new Mini with them it all fizzled out - until Hollywood got interested and made their own version based in LA.


Apparently they had no brakes!

Polizia Alfa gets a soaking

Stereophonics on location in Turin


'Pick a Part That's New' CD

Stereophonics
Italian Job fans Stereophonics paid homage to the film when they shot the video for their track 'Pick a Part That's New' that was released in May 1999. The parody of the film featured a mixed bag of left hand drive Mk1's and Mk2's Minis. The three Minis, red, white and green (Italian flag I guess) are loaded with gold by the band then driven around some of the Turin locations made famous by the film. Also featured are the Polizia trying to catch them in an Alfa Guilia and a motorbike, which ends up in a lake! The video is even inter-cut with them playing, alongside a heap of bullion, in the back of a coach that's hanging over the side of a mountain - they've even got a gold drum kit and guitars - which the video suggests they have made from melting down the bullion! Apparently, they wanted to buy this off Paramount, but they wanted £20k for it, so they re-created it using a model coach.
The packaging for the single matched the video, with
Mini's on the cover for the 2 CD's, which includes the video and three prints. The video CD has a Mini interface with animated Minis and a balancing coach.

Watch the 'Pick a Part that's New' Video (1.2Mb)

 


The stunts were overseen by...

...Remy Julienne

Entering 'British Beef' truck

Tag line

Martini V2
Martini V2's 1999 advertising campaign was launched to coincide with the re-release of the film. The TV advert features a London gang in Italy nicking crates of V2, stuffing them into the back of three Mini's and pull off amazing stunts before ending up in the back of a lorry adorned with 'British Beef' livery. The truck even ends up balancing over a cliff due to skidding on a banana skin! It comes complete with mis-quote "Hang on lads... I've got an idea". Finishing with the tag line 'Italian Drink, British Bottle'!! The main man himself Remy Julienne was consultant for the Mini stunts. Alongside the TV campaign, miniature red, silver or black Mini Coopers were given away with each bottle of V2 sold across bars and pubs in the UK.

Watch the Martini V2 TV ad (500kb)



Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean colour Scene's album 'Marchin' Already' was promoted on the telly with an advert using four Rover Mini Coopers that travel through various tunnels and across bridges and past a pool in a built up city.

Watch Ocean Colour Scene's TV ad (1.3Mb)




Rover Mini 'Italian Job' Limited Edition
The Rover Mini Italian Job Special Edition was released in January 1993. It was astandard Mini Sprite with extra trim and decals. It was available in red, white, blue, and the popular British Racing Green. All models had white grilles, white Minilite copy wheels, and black bonnet stripes to represent the leather bonnet straps on the film cars. Special decals and bonnet badges were on the exterior, consisting of a crossed English and Italian flag with 'The Italian Job' white lettering - except on the white cars where it was in black. Interior upholstery and equipment was based on the Cooper, but with small Italian flags on the front seats and steering wheel. Halogen driving lamps were fitted at the front, the windows featured smoked glass, and the rear side windows opened like Cooper/Mayfair models. Later production models featured the interior bonnet latch and a modified grille. One unwanted alteration was the placing of the screen washer reservoir and pump in the boot, with a long pipe going up through the roof and down again into the engine compartment. This meant that the washer spray was particularly pathetic, and froze up completely in cold weather conditions.
Some dealers fitted extra lights and a sunroof, although none were fitted as factory standard. 1000 right-hand drive models were produced for the UK, whilst 750 left-hand models were sent over to Italy to contend with the Turin traffic. Doubtless they are still there, cutting up Fiat Cinquecentos, haring down piazzas and hiding in the carparks at Rover Garages!


One of Corgi's models

Rovers Italian Job Mini

Eddie Izzard to Corgi's?...
The Italian Job has been used everywhere, even the hilarious Eddie Izzard who is a huge fan of the film did a sketch about mice doing the heist - only Eddie could do that! As Eddie Izzard says, "If you haven't seen the Italian Job, then you probably haven't lived.

Nat West bank advertised it's business banking servcies with 'Get a Bloomin' Move On' as a tag line. Corgi has produced various models featuring vehicles from the film, some were special edition and are no longer available and are collectors items - as are original theatre posters that can run into hundreds of pounds.

Even band Blur came onstage to 'Get a Bloomin' Move-on' in 1994 in their 'Showtime' tour. Numerous bands have covered it themselves. There is even a band called 'The Self Preservation Society'. From Maygay fruit machines to mobile ringtones, The Italian Job gets everywhere. Before there was an official videogame, some early driving games featured Italian Job themes. In the Carmageddon Splat Pack, there is a Cooper driven by Mitchel Kane and in 'Grand Theft Auto', there is a mission where you have to blow up a bank using a car with a bomb in it. If you fail and the car explodes, a message says 'You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off the bank'. Now of course there is the official game, based on the 1969 film by SCi, and more recently Eidos released the official game for the 2003 remake.


G15's Album

Music Remixes
'Get a Bloomin' move' on has been remixed several times, the most notable is by band G15, using the original song mixed in with Charlie Croker quotes and renaming it 'Three Mini Coopers'. It is available on their 2001 album 'Gent International' released by the Squeaky Records label. Phil Jupitas and G15 remixed 'Three Mini Coopers' for the FIFA 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup, changing the lyrics to be relevant to the English footy squad and calling it The Japanese Job. Another remix is by little known 'Skidd' with quotes from the film, but the quality is excellent. Band Alabama 3 (who did 'Woke up this mornin, got myself a gun' used in The Soprano's opening credits) also did a remix on their album 'Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness' Special Edition, called Self Preservation Society Caine Club Mix.

Listen to 'Three Mini Coopers' by G15 (910Kb)
Listen to Phil Jupitas & G15's 2002 World Cup Remix (1.2Mb)
Listen to 'Getta Bloomin' Move On' Remix by Skydd (3.9Mb)

If you want to buy the G15 album which feature 'Tree Mini Coopers', check out the Merchandise section




Russ Swift

World Record holder...

...for parallel parking...

...with only 34cm to spare!

Mini Display Team
There is even a professional Mini display team, headed up by Russ Swift who holds the Guinness World Record for a handbrake turn to parallel park between two Minis. He beat his own previous record in 1999 by parking in a gap only 34cm longer than the Mini Cooper he was driving. For those who can remember, Russ first used this manoeuvre in the award winning Montego 'Car Park' commercial in 1988. Russ also holds other world records for his Mini stunt driving and still does shows today piloting the new (BMW) Mini Cooper.
www.russswift.co.uk


Funny Mini Ad
Quite a saucy TV ad that Mini released...

Watch Mini TV ad (513Kb)



New MINI tip hat to Michael Caine
The Best Roof Graphic Ever?
[This car actually belonged to a friend of mine who is a big Mini/Italian Job fan (he now has a rag-top Cooper S), here is the report that appeared on the MINI2 website] - Ed

Obviously that's a highly subjective thing but here's one that should probably belong on a short list of the best out there. I'll let Martin (Rakey on MINI2) explain for himself:

"A cold winters night in the pub with my mates in December 2002, told them I had test drove a MINI Cooper S, and wanted one, but wanted to something a little different. So we sat, drank a few beers, and decided in homage to my previous Mini Cooper, it should be black and white, then I felt this was not enough. So talked about how I could make it totally unique, and we came up with hundreds of ideas for the car, roof graphics was the main area of discussion. My final choice was made, a classic iconic image of my favourite actor.

Well a few people knew I was planning this, but here it is finally done and on me car. I would like to thank them for their encouragement and support (you all know who you are), but a big thanks has to go to Mad Brummie for putting me in touch with Russell at Action Graphics."



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