From Snopes:
A complicated Honda Accord commercial required 606 takes to get right and was achieved without the use of computer-generated images.
There are several download links. It’s a 5 MB file but worth the wait, even on dialup. I’ve watched the thing a dozen times in the last hour, enthralled every time.
Wow.
D’oh! Sorry. I didn’t see those other threads.
I was recently at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and they had a German film from the 80s that followed the same principal, only it must have ran at least 20 minutes. It was probably the coolest thing I saw there.
Frankly, Scarlett, those threads are in GQ. You’re safe.
That is one of the finest commercials I’ve ever seen.
I wonder if that’s the one mentioned at the end of the Snopes page – the filmmakers are threatening legal action against Honda. They have German-looking names, but it doesn’t say where the film was made.
Scarlett try doing a search on BBCi – I’m pretty sure I read an article about a copyright infringement suit being brought against the car commercial… Hm. I’ll see if I can find the link.
Ah, here’s the BBC link. It seems that Honda has responded to their complaint and consideres the matter closed, but that was only last month, so who knows if the Swiss guys will go ahead and try for an infringement suit or not.
About 17 years ago, I was a dolly grip on an Anti Drinking and Driving commercial for the state of Nebraska.
We did 109 takes. Live. Of two “teens” ( actors in their late teens/early 20’s ). Over and over and over and over…and over. The same move in, booming up, the same line delivered.
The director was directing his first live actor shoot. He would say, and this is a quote I shall never forget,
.
–shudder–. I do have trouble wrapping my head around 600+ takes, however. The most I ever did wearing a Steadicam was 48 takes on a bit of dialogue that ran about 35-40 seconds. It took all morning and most of the afternoon.
I hope they sell a heck of a lot of cars. 
Cartooniverse
Cartooniverse - 109 takes for a PSA!? Did that director ever work again?
CGI or not, that Honda commercial is amazing. The fact that it apparently didn’t use any (or, virtually none) makes it all the more incredible. Why isn’t it being shown in the States?
60 second caps on spots? Who knows?
Yeah, dig it. 109 takes. I’ve no clue, I sure as heck never worked on a crew for him again.
Worst part? Two torn achilles tendons from the dolly work.
Second Worst Part? It was a PSA. We were on a 12 hour flat. We went FOR E-V-V-A-H.
Scarlett–I do believe it’s one and the same.