Ever since Industrial Light and Magic dropped Jurassic Park onto the scene, it's rare to see a movie, TV show or advertisement that doesn't involve some form of CGI. It's amazing what can be done by a handful of programmers and a case of RedBull, but something gets lost in translation when computerized effects are used in place of their analog forbearers. The advertising firm IdeaCity recognized this and melded high-tech wizardry with old-school filmmaking to create an absolutely beautiful ad for BMW's new M3.

The edifice for the spot began with a tour of BMW's M facility in Munich, where the IdeaCity crew studied the inner workings of the M3's 4.0-liter V8. They had three complete engines shipped out to Belgium, where manifolds were cut, cylinders were shaved and lighting holes were drilled to mount special cameras, lenses and lights. After two weeks of intensive study and preparation, the team took another four, 20-hour days to film what happens inside the 420 hp mill during a single revolution. The completed spot was filmed at 10,000 frames-per-second and doesn't utilize any form of computer-generated effects. We've already watched it a half a dozen times and we think you'll do the same.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG5B7ztN1mc