The flying car stunt, take two

In 1979, for The Hunter, a film starring Steve McQueen, a car was pushed off the 17th floor of the west parking ramp at Marina City, landing in the Chicago River. Stephanie Simpson did not see this film until 27 years later, but when she did she would find it very inspirational.

(Left) Stephanie Simpson, from Leo Burnett Worldwide video, Making of Marina Towers.

Simpson was an art director for Leo Burnett Worldwide, the Chicago-based advertising agency with headquarters across the street from Marina City. Working on television spots for Allstate Insurance Company, she wanted to create a homage to classic chase scenes in films such as “The French Connection” and “The Hunter.”

The Marina City scenes were filmed mostly over a weekend in mid-October 2006, climaxing early Sunday morning on October 15 with the stunt. A crowd of about 300 people lined Wacker Drive between State and Dearborn Streets, watching a crew of 150 film the stunt from seven camera angles, including one camera mounted inside the car.

A black 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass was propelled by a pressurized air cannon off the 17th floor of the parking ramp. It executed a graceful somersault and plunged into the Chicago River, where Chicago Police tugboats helped retrieve it. The car was then hooked to a cable and lifted by crane onto Dearborn Street.

The Oldsmobile was heavily modified. All fluids were removed, since it would be landing in the Chicago River. The engine was removed to make the car lighter. The rear end was filled with foam to make it float when it hit the river and easier to retrieve.

The air cannon was bolted to a main support post of the parking ramp.

There were two loud explosions, once when the hydraulic device struck the rear of the car, and again seconds later when the car struck the water.

The cost of the commercial was estimated in excess of $1 million. Director Phil Joanou (left), who had directed feature films including “Gridiron Gang” and music videos for U2, told the Chicago Sun-Times, “We’re trying to create a cinematic experience. If I were shooting this for a $50 million movie I wouldn’t be doing it any different.” The stunt was done twice. Both cars reportedly went off flawlessly. James Dando, a tourist from Toronto, asked Chicago Tribune entertainment reporter Terry Armour, “Does this happen all the time in Chicago? It’s just something you don’t see every day.”

The spot aired for the first time during the Allstate Sugar Bowl college football game on January 3, 2007.

A chase scene earlier in the commercial, filmed October 13-14, featured a light blue 1971 Chevy Malibu that had been rented from a classic car owner.

This series of photographs by Chicago Sun-Times photographer Brian Jackson shows two “takes” of the stunt from different angles. In the images above left and below left, the car flies off the west tower parking ramp, past the east tower and IBM Center. By the third image, above right, with the State Street bridge in the background, the car is upside-down. In the fourth image, the car has landed in the Chicago River.

Chicago Tribune headline the next day, with photos by Chuck Berman.

	Frames from Leo Burnett Worldwide video, Making of Marina Towers. (Left) The air cannon used to propel the car off the parking ramp.
	A 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass, airborne off the west tower parking ramp, with the east residential tower in background.
	A camera inside the car filmed this when it was upside-down on its way to the Chicago River.
	The car sustained significant damage when it struck the water. Chicago police boats arrived immediately to help fish it out of the water.