The Official "Rendezvous" (C'était un rendez-vous) Thread

....getting my .02 in before the old thread resurfaces.....
a low quality copy, but, I don't believe it
The audio does not match the video
(and I've got plenty of editing time in my past)
IMO the audio is pieced together from another source,
and matched *quite* well....

anyone else here with industrial-strength editing background?

james

 

I don't have the background you mentioned, but I think anyone can hear that the audio does not match with the video. The sound gives the impression that the car should travel much faster (probably recorded somewhere else). Also note the number of gear changes... Soundwise IMO it can't be a 275 GTB.

 

I found this description of the route that Claude Lelouch took through Paris in last June's ClassicCars magazne:

"Start at the Porte Dauphine near Boulevard Lannes and head east on Avenue Foch to the Arc de Triomphe. Go down the Champs-Elysees, and on into Quai des Tuileries, left through the Place du Carrousel and past the Musee du Louvre. Follow Avenue de l'Opera north past Place de l'Opera and then Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin into Rue de Clichy. The remaining route is tricky, but if you go north east on Rue Caulaincourt you'll come out behind the famous rendevouz point--the Basilique du Sacre Coeur in Montmarte."

(I apologize for losing the appropriate accent marks.)

So, what's the final conclusion? What kind of car was used? (The blurb I quoted above re-told the notion that the camera was indeed mounted on a 275 GTB.)

Interestingly, someone went over Lelouch's route with a Michelin map and a stopwatch, and discovered that the speeds are not nearly as swift as the sounds would lead you to believe.

--Matt

 

Another thread:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1320&highlight=rendezvous

 

Thanks for the link!

Here's the further information on the actual speed of the car in the video:

"Sumner Brown--an MIT techno-wizard--had analyzed the film in depth. Brown traced the route using a 10,000:1 Michelin street map and split it into 15 sections. The fastest bit is near the start: 1360 meters of the Avenue Foch are covered in 39.9sec, an average speed of 76.2 mph. And so it continues, street by street and meter by meter, much of it around 30 mph. The complete route being 10,280 meters, the average speed is just 46.9 mph."

--Matt

 

This info was further backed up by people retracing the actual route via car. Also, analysis showed that the gear shifting points and rev points did not match at all the level of acceleration or speed that analysis shows the car is actually achieving. I have also read that the car used was indeed a Mercedes 220 sedan. The sound is definitely dubbed on.

To me at least.... the fact that it is film magic and not reality does nothing to detract from the fun of the piece. Do people not enjoy Star Wars because its not real? Of course not. I love Rendevous and break it out to watch several times a year. Its a great piece of filmmaking!



Terry

 

Why do you say it can't be a 275? To my ear, that's a Columbo V-12. It also sounds like a Columbo V-12 that's not being revved to the limit, which is why there are a lot of gearshifts--something which also adds to the impression of high speed.

When I watch the movie, I can't possibly imagine overdubbing an engine noise, while it would be under a similar load, that would match the video that closely. Espcially with the technology available thirty-some years ago. It would be so extremely difficult to do that I simply believe that the engine sound is real.

I definitely would believe, however, that there are some added tire squeals. But perhaps not. The extremely low camera angle makes it difficult to determine the position and balance of the car. It certainly doesn't seem to be driven on the ragged edge of its cornering ability, and a lot of the tire squeal could also be the product of old tire technology and uneven road surfaces, including cobblestone.

By biggest question is: how did he mount the camera that securely to the bottom front of any car?

 

The whole thread...
http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1320&highlight=PARIS

Wax's post suggests it wasa MB 6.9 SEL
http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=42466&postcount=16

"for the french speaking people who read C. Lelouch autobiography written 6-7 years ago...:

The car used for the movie was Claude Lelouch' s own car at the time: A Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9 L.... not a Ferrari 275 gtb as suggested by the poster of the movie & a few people fouled by the soundtrack!
The soundtrack was dubbed.
Claude Lelouch was the driver.
He did not have the auth' from Paris Police at the time of filming.... so ended up in 'Le commisariat' for a few hours."

 

It's just my thought...
I am quite sure the sound is fake and added seperatly from the video itself. Some of the gear changes just sound awkward (like some footage in "Le Mans). Besides, he's really flying through the gears whereas the video shows that the car in question really doesn't go that fast at all (see the other thread). Just because the camera is so low, it only LOOKS very fast. Also, at some points I counted more than 5 upshifts... I haven't ever experienced the sound of a Matra sportsracer but this could well be it. The video sounds great, but no Ferrari 275 IMO.

 

Here are a couple of good articles:

http://www.400gt.com/vlg/vlg_files/lambo_and_misc/Rendezvous_story.jpg

http://www.400gt.com/vlg/vlg_files/lambo_and_misc/Rendezvous_Notes.jpg

Cheers,

Fred

 

theres no evidence to support that it was a ferrari used.

and something is definatly fishy with the film. i reckon it has been sped up somehow because things just dont make sense.

at the start why is the ferrari seemingly maxed out at top speed and only cruising passed the other cars? and why does it take him so little time to break down to take the turn at the big roundabout near the start?

 

Rendezvous was shot in the 70s, long before the F40. Word is that it was a 275 GTB.

 

Anyone seen this? I bought a copy of the DVD at the Goodwood Revivial..Oh my gawd..just unbelievable!

In short a Ferrari 275GTB is driven through Paris (in 1976) at a ridiculous speed by a Formula 1 driver (apparently), not stopping for traffic lights etc. and the sound is AWESOME! No camera trickery, just as it is.

If you haven't seen it I totally recommend it to you!

 

I have not seen it myself, but it is legendary.

 

Yea bought it a few years back. Got it on both DVD and Vid. Stig if ya want the video PM me ya address and i will post it out tomorrow, have not used the vid for years once i had it on dvd. Leave that with ya.
Yea the guy driving takes some chances dont he, through red lights and traring through streets.

 

Given that the film is only 8 minutes long, any chance of uploading a copy?

 

Personaly i would not know were to start uploading. But my dvd is up for any one to borrow to post it. Offers there.

 

Ya got PM, feller....

 

Don't upload it whatever you do.

Copyright infringment etc.

You'll get sued for £thousands if found out.

 

Note that there is quite a lot on this on this site...but don't search for it if you don't want to dispel the myths!

Jonathan

 

How can you be so sure it was a 275GTB and that the Driver was in Formula 1???

 

Part of the myth. Do a search on FChat if you want to know the truth, but I won't spoil it by repeating it here. In any case it is still well worth watching.

Jonathan

 

As above.

Angelis would have done a better job.

 

Not quite sure if that's a compliment or an insult.

 

I think it's both m8. I have to say in that sense it was a beautiful piece of English !