Chicagoans launch a pair of Oldsmobiles from 18 stories into river

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Those crazy folks in the Windy City... they shot not one Oldsmobile Cutlass off the top floor of the Marina Towers' parking deck into the Chicago River, but two. The staged accident was really part of a recreation of the famous scene from Steve McQueen's "The Hunter," remade by marketing agency Leo Burnett for Allstate Insurance. Leo Burnett engaged Phil Joanou ("The Gridiron Gang," U2 music videos) to direct the action-packed ads that are reminiscent of feature films. The results are spots based on scenes from movies like "The Hunter" and "The French Connection."

The high-speed chase orchestrated for the commercial "began under the 'L' tracks along Lake Street, curled around Wacker Drive, up Dearborn, into Marina Towers and up the circular driveway to the parking garage," according to the Chicago Tribune.

The commercials will begin showing on TV and in movie theaters in January.