MWCB - Barkley vs. Godzilla 1992

Michael Owens directed this commercial to promote the Nike Air Ballistic Force. The ultimate duel between the NBA superstar and the dreaded monster in the middle of Tokyo was produced by Industrial Light & Magic Studios, who were also responsible for the special effects of "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back." The commercial was originally intended only for the Japanese market, but Nike was so pleased with the result that they broadcast it worldwide. There is a fun 14-minute making-of the commercial on YouTube. It shows, among other things, the construction of a miniature Tokyo, the design of Godzilla's costumes, and the creation of animations by drawing with pencil and tracing paper on the actual film image (a short excerpt can be seen on the second slide). Almost as popular as the commercial itself are the Nike t-shirts that accompanied it and are still a grail for almost every Nike collector today. Who would have thought that the mighty Godzilla's weakness is basketball.