Rendezvous in Paris

[gruen911]

This film was apparently made in the early 70's. No one seems to know for sure what car was being driven: some say Ferrari, others Lambo, but the car sounds a lot faster than it is. My guess is it is a 4 cylinder small displacement motor with race cams and exhaust. Perhaps a 2002tii? Definitely not a Porsche 911. Maybe a 912 though or a 356.
Camera mounted on the front of the car and at around bumper level. Paris probably around 6am on a sleepy Sunday morning - well sleepy until he drove by
Anyone know more about this video (i.e. what car, when it was filmed, etc)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8Vo8iGLMwk

[Reza]

motobecane ? vespa ? i listened thru iphone speaker but almost sounded like a rev happy two stroke

[Eminence Gris]

Shot from the front bumper of a Ferrari. Many many re-duplications have altered the sound.

Full story here: http://www.spiritlevelfilm.com/rendezvous.html

[kentf14]

Ahh yes. Classic bit of film. I seem to remember reading somewhere that the car was actually a Mercedes 450SL (photos of the car with the front bumper mounted camera are out there) the audio was dubbed from another car. Still, an EPIC piece of driving. Makes me want to break the law!

Kent

[kentf14]

Here you go. Wikipedia saves the day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%27%C3...un_rendez-vous

[Eminence Gris]

Be aware that when Wikipedia entries say [citation needed] that's an unverified source.

[kentf14]

Of course [citation needed]. I do seem to remember finding a picture of Lelouch in front of the camera mounted Mercedes a few years back. I was totally obsessed with "C'était un Rendezvous" for a while

[kentf14]

I don't speak French, but check out the "Making Of" on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHn5Q15kaIA

There is a period shot @ the 35 second mark with the camera on a Mercedes FWIW.

[karlusmagnus]

I don't speak French, but check out the "Making Of" on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHn5Q15kaIA

There is a period shot @ the 35 second mark with the camera on a Mercedes FWIW.

Thanks kentf14. Really nice video with CL and Journo. They were 3 in the car, and the MB450 was used due to the pneumatic suspension, being soft, was perfect for the camera. CL was driver, as they decided last minute to do it, and do it in one take. Along Av Foch they were hitting 200km/h, along Ch Elysees about 130-150 km/h. Going along R.de Rohan (crossing Rue Rivoli), he had stationed a guy with a walkie talkie to let him know if there was traffic as it was one spot where he would be blind (really small street almost tunnel like) ... he went thru fine, but walkie talkie was broken, so they lucked out that no traffic. Later on they had to make a detour as a truck was blocking their way above Blvd Clichy, so he had to push it all the way to Sacre Coeur as they feared they would run out of film (due to detour at Rue Lepic - film in camera was 10minutes long I believe).
Car was CL's personal car. After they drove again in a 275GTB in order to overdub with Ferrari sound.

Route was as follows: Bd Périphérique at Porte Dauphine · Avenue Foch · Pl Charles-de-Gaulle · Av des Champs-Elysées · Place de la Concorde · Quai des Tuileries · Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel · R de Rohan · Avenue de l’Opera · Pl de l’Opéra · Fromental Halévy · R de la Chausée d’Antin · Pl d’Estienne d’Orves · R Blanche · R Pigalle · Pl Pigalle · Bd de Clichy · (aborted turn at R Lepic) · R Caulaincourt · Av Junot · Pl Marcel Aymé · R Norvins · Place du Tertre · R Ste-Eleuthère · R Azais · Pl du Parvis du Sacré Cœur.

They probably were hitting the horn, and perhaps put flashing light on car for semblance of police activity, to alert any drivers ahead in early morning light. Supposition based upon overdubbing used and red light reflected in a shot with bus half way through.

[Eminence Gris]

Fantastic discovery!

I understand enough French for this, but really, everything is in the visuals.