The Cinematic Rivalry of "Supreme": A Tribute to the Golden Era of Racing
: Intermittent fake newspaper headlines are used as a storytelling device, a common cliché of the era's sporting films. Satire and Sporting Excess robbie_williams_supreme_official_video
: Drawing inspiration from classic racing films like the 1966 feature Grand Prix , the video uses multiple frames to show simultaneous action. The Cinematic Rivalry of "Supreme": A Tribute to
Released in 2000 as the third single from the album Sing When You're Winning , Robbie Williams' "Supreme" is celebrated as much for its high-concept music video as its orchestral pop sound. Directed by , the video is titled "Gentlemen Racers" in its opening credits and serves as a sophisticated tribute to the legendary British Formula One driver Jackie Stewart . A Digital Illusion of the 1970s Directed by , the video is titled "Gentlemen
While the video parodies the romanticized heroism and excess of 1970s racing, it concludes with Williams' signature self-deprecating humor. Despite a dramatic recovery from a mid-season crash, Bob Williams ultimately loses the world championship in an ignoble fashion. Just before the final race, he is struck by a sudden bout of diarrhea and becomes accidentally locked inside his caravan by his manager, who mistakenly thought the trailer was empty.
The video's most striking feature is its seamless blend of new and archival footage. Williams portrays the fictitious character , an arch-rival to Stewart during the 1969 and 1970 World Championships. To achieve a "near-perfect illusion" of a neck-and-neck title pursuit, digital compositing was used to insert Williams into original 35mm celluloid clips of Stewart, some of which were sourced from Stewart’s personal archives.