Mini Stars in "The Italian Job"
April 9, 2003
Mini joins a stellar cast that includes Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Seth Green, Mos Def, and Donald Sutherland, when it makes a big-screen appearance in Paramount Pictures' film, "The Italian Job," opening nationwide May 30th. A contemporary adaptation of the 1969 classic that starred Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, and the origina Mini, this updated version of "The Italian Job," directed by F. Gary Gray, pays homage to the original film and adds a modernized twist.
In "The Italian Job," mastermind thief Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) pulls off an amazing gold bullion heist from a heavily guarded palazzo in Venice, Italy, only to be double-crossed by one of his crew. Seeking revenge, Charlie recruits Stella (Charlize Theron), a beautiful nerves-of-steel safecracker, and along with his former gang, follows the backstabber to California where they plan to re-steal the gold by manipulating traffic signals and creating havoc on the streets of Los Angeles.
Inspired by the use of the original Mini Cooper, the new movie showcases Mini throughout the film, demonstrating the little car's agility as it maneuvers through traffic, careens down stairs, weaves through subway tunnels, and races down sidewalks as only Mini can.
The elaborate stunt sequences had Minis performing spectacular jumps, withstanding numerous bullet hits, and surviving a series of scrapes. Although audiences will see only three Minis -- one red, one white, and one blue -- filming the escape with the gold during the height of rush hour traffic in Los Angeles actually took 32 cars.
Additional info on the movie and cast can be found at the official www.paramount.com website.
Mini's origins began in the late 1950s as a new type of car designed to combat the Suez fuel crisis. The Classic Mini continues to be Britain's best-selling car ever. With over 5 million sold in the UK alone, the car remains a cultural icon around the world, driven by everyone from The Beatles to British Royalty. The Classic version was sold in the U.S from 1960-1967 and still enjoys a cult following to this day.
The Mini made its reentry into the U.S. market in March 2002 with the all-new Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S. The smallest car on American roads has a 2003 starting price of $16,975, and has taken the automotive world by storm with over 30,000 sold in the U.S. alone in the year since its re-launch.