The 2017 Cadillac Escalade shines bright

Celebrated filmmaker Sam de Jong subverts expectations with Cadillac in his latest work

If ever there was a car company that has subverted and exceeded expectations, it would be Cadillac. With opulent, luxury cars in their history – but also some of the most powerful and exciting vehicles to ever roll off a production line – the automaker’s current vehicle lineup is full of surprises.

Cadillac’s latest creation is their first ever collection of original productions, created in collaboration with emerging filmmaker Sam de Jong. Heavily influenced by present-day youth culture, and with his trademark rich narratives and lavish, bright aesthetics, de Jong’s latest collection of short films follow the carmaker’s tradition of subverting expectations by casting cars as the stars, and putting them firmly in the limelight.

Or should that be in the headlights?

The 2017 Escalade, the latest iteration of Cadillac’s flagship model, features blazing headlights, made from 142 LEDs – which feature as the focus of Ladybird, arguably the most intense short film in de Jong’s Cadillac series.

We open on a man in an alleyway, mentally preparing himself for a showdown of some kind. He strides out into the street with the power of the Escalade’s 6.2 litre V8 engine, and walks into the centre of a circle of the SUVs.

With their headlights on, de Jong uses the 142 LEDs to cast an intense ambience into the night. The Escalade’s headlights are significant as they illuminate the ground adjacent to the car’s front and rear doors to provide a signature, luxury appearance. With five, fully-stacked light crystals, the man is bathed in the burning glow of the lights.

But, as the tension rises, Cadillac once more subverts our expectations to reveal that the man is in fact an actor on a set – and the cars are being used as lighting. Brilliantly functional, they are the jewels in the crown of this strong, luxury vehicle – and yet another instance of the American automaker surprising consumers even after 100 years.

This article was written in collaboration with Cadillac. For more information on the brand, see here or, to watch the full series, visit their YouTube channel here.

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