Jared Leto brings Mahler back to Venice with the spot for Gucci Guilty
The bond between Gustav Mahler and Venice will never die (unlike another famous death...)
Corruption, promiscuity and hints of darkness... the guilty atmosphere created for the Gucci spot just wouldn’t have been complete without Venice as the location and Gustav Mahler for the soundtrack.
After discussing the genius of director Spike Jonze with the Kenzo World advert, a manifesto for the anti-perfume spot, we can hardly fail to mention the success of a great classic.
With Gucci Guilty, Glen Luchford recreates the sensual atmosphere that used to define adverts for these precious, scented essences.
Jared Leto, actor, director, musician, singer-songwriter and, in case you had forgotten, also front-man of group Thirty Seconds to Mars, was the perfect choice to represent the aesthetic chosen by Alessandro Michele.
But what we like the most about this spot is the coherence with which the soul of Gustav Mahler emerges. The decision to use his Symphony No. 5 was just perfect and the Venetian setting almost compulsory.
The depth of the music helps us to lose ourselves in the opulent images.
Mahler’s Adagietto might well be the sound identity of Venice.
We see them together again here, but his connection with the City of Water dates back to the famous 1971 film “Death in Venice”, directed by Luchino Visconti.
The film’s music was mostly taken from Gustav Mahler’s repertory.
While planning the film, Visconti discovered that German writer Thomas Mann had been inspired by the composer when writing his novella “Death in Venice”.
In short, Mahler and Venice have a bond that we just can’t do without and the great skill of this spot was recognising and emphasising this connection.
CREDITS Starring: Jared Leto, Julia Hafstrom, Vera Van Herp Directed by: Glen Luchford Music by: Gustav Mahler, Symphony No. 5 by the Orchestre national Bordeaux Aquitaine & Alain Lombard
