80s Decadent Tech: The E32 750iL Video Handbook

It has to be said that camera technology is one of the most sweeping advances over the last thirty years—we've gone from 4:3 to 16:9 and 2K, 4K, and 8K thereafter. Similarly, the way that we film has evolved alongside the technology. With smaller form factors and new techniques, the bulky, boring, and rigid practices of old have allowed for a much more fluid production methodology.

This old E32 750iL video handbook must've been a real tech-head's dream back in the late 80's—I mean, video? How cutting edge in a typewriter world. You could almost picture some big wig exec popping this tape into his private office's VCR and propping his feet up onto his desk with a fresh cup o' Joe, flanked by a briefcase telephone and a computer running the latest MS DOS system. Ah yes, the good life. I'm sure it made for some incredible country club conversations back in the day. 

At any rate, the video must have been penned and produced by the same company that made those anti-drug or driver's ed films we saw in high school. The smug big wig is indeed a central character along with two women and two "BMW engineers" who wear lab coats, so you know they're serious business. There's so much content in this video handbook, that one of them actually managed to grow a well-manicured mustache during the production. It's impressive. Much more than the acting.

Anyway, it's an entertaining film that highlights pretty much every feature the E32 had to offer and it makes me want to find a clean example just to drive around with this video's soundtrack in the background. One with a built-in cellular telephone, of course, now that the video taught me how to use it properly.