Another really good one in my personal collection is Rendezvous, an inexcusable but wonderful 9 minute drive across Paris, at about 5;30am, in a car with a camera fastened to the hood. The driver, never identified by director Claude Le Leouch, assuming it wasn’t him, doesn’t even lift has he blows the red lights down the approach to the Arc de Triumph. Then a quick jaunt to the Louvre, turn north and through the various districts (1st to 9th to 18th I believe) and ends up at the Sacre Coeur, where Le Louch steps into the headlights of the car and embraces his wife. A Rendezvous.
To quote one review on Amazon: “…nearly 30 years ago I saw the film on 35mm, and it was so intense, that the memory of it has never left me. It’s like watching Leo Kottke in full flight on his 12-string; you see it, you hear it, but nonetheless your mind refuses to accept that it’s possible. Buy it. Buy it now. And while you wait for it to arrive, practice holding your breath for 9 minutes, as you’ll need that ability….. “
Another reviewer notes: “…No streets were closed, for Lelouch was unable to obtain a permit…. …Upon showing the film in public for the first time, Lelouch was arrested…” Reckless driving of course… and he was convicted, although he has always maintained it was a professional driver… whom he has never named. The sound is simply the car, tires, street noises, pigeons, garbage trucks, etc. There’s nothing quite like it, and probably never will be."
One can get into the details of what car the film was made with, what car the sound track sounds like, blah blah blah. Some say the car never actually exceeds 100mph. Like that makes the monotonous blasting through red lights any safer! And then there are the pedestrians, trash trucks, and the lady walking her dog. Pigeons too. Watching this will make you shake your head,or laugh, or smile wryly, If you don't have any physical response, check your pulse. You may be dead. This is all 100% real, the camera is just making pictures. No CGI, no undercranking or overcranking, no dark room magic, no rotoscoping. THIS is how its done.
Top reviews from other countries
B. Wittig
Toller Kurzfilm, aber für 8:39 oftmals absolut überteuert angeboten
Reviewed in Germany on July 29, 2018
