The Great Crunchie Train Robbery is one of New Zealand's most iconic and longest running ads. Made in 1975, the ad remained on television and in cinemas for more than 20 years.
Set in the Wild West, the ad starts with a Frank and Jesse James style pair of outlaws attempting to steal a chest full of Crunchie bars from a train, which then turns into a free for all as various other players try to either stop them or steal the Crunchies bars for themselves. It then turns into an Anachronism Stew as Arab bandits, Nazi soldiers and various other outsiders get involved.
The ad gained some fame outside of NZ when Kenny Everett featured it in a "Video Vault" segment on an episode of The Kenny Everett Video Show.
The ad can be viewed here
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Tropes:
- Anachronism Stew: What starts off a Train Job in the Wild West ends up involving Arab bandits, Nazi soldiers, WWII fighter planes and artillery,and a 1970s New Zealand police officer.
- Bad Habits: The preacher reading his bible turns out to be another outlaw planning to steal the Crunchies.
- Disguised in Drag: When the outlaws come out carrying the box of Crunchies, a respectable looking matron leaps up and rips open "her" blouse to reveal a sheriff's star
- Escalating Brawl: Once the chest of Chrunchie bars gets spilled, a fight for possession of them erupts that soon engulfs the entire train.
- Fanservice Extra: One of the passengers on the train is a sexy saloon girl who is being ogled by one of the outlaws before the robbery.
- Injun Country: The train carrying the Crunchies gets attacked by Indians.
- Never Mess with Granny: At the end of the ad, the person who ends up with all the Crunchie bars is the little old lady who sat calmly knitting through all of the chaos that erupted around her.
- Oral Fixation: One of the outlaws is constantly chewing on a toothpick.
- Outlaw: A Frank and Jesse James style pair of outlaws attempt to steal a chest full of Crunchie bars from a train, which then turns into a free for all.
- Preacher Man: One of the western stereotypes on board the train is a preacher reading his bible, although he turns out to be an outlaw in disguise.
- Runaway Train: Towards the end of the ad, the train runs off its rails and careens through the centre of town.
- Shoot Out the Lock: The outlaws shoot the padlock off the strongbox holding the Crunchies.
- Thriller on the Express: Takes place entirely on a train.
- Train Job: A pair of outlaws attempt to heist a chest full of Crunchie bars on a moving a train in the Wild West.
- Undercover Cop Reveal: When the outlaws come out carrying the box of Crunchies, a respectable looking matron leaps up and rips open "her" blouse to reveal a sheriff's star.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: The little old lady who is knitting ignores the robbery; a brawl that erupts around her; the train being attacked by Indians, Arabs and Nazis; and being fired on by artillery and a fighter plane and keeps calmly knitting.
- The Wild West: The setting for the ad.
