105 replies to this topic

[racer69]

I bought this video today, bloody brilliant i think.

Who else has seen it, what are your thoughts on it.

[Viss1]

I've wanted to see it for a long time, but have balked at the US$50 price I seem to run into. May I ask where you bought it?

[petefenelon]

The noises the car's making do not match the speed it's doing. Yes, there's no trick camera work - but no, he's probably not doing more than 100mph up the Champs Elysees.

No trick camera work - but a fudged soundtrack.

Still fun though.

pete

[Viss1]

And now the inevitable... what kind of car was it? Most people say Ferrari, but I've also heard Matra.

[Ralliart]

A friend owns a copy and I saw it recently, over and over. I believe the box says it's a Ferrari that's being driven. I would concur that the soundtrack doesn't match the action and watched it without sound after awhile. The most impressive thing is that the driver never stops. In Europe probably 10 years ago, I happened to watch a video on TV that had a motorcyclist, with a camera mounted on the front of the bike, negotiating an autobahn or freeway somewhere in Europe. He didn't stop either, was going at a tremendous speed and the video lasted much longer than the Rendevous tape. Only saw it once and didn't catch the name but it was awesome.

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by Ralliart
A friend owns a copy and I saw it recently, over and over. I believe the box says it's a Ferrari that's being driven. I would concur that the soundtrack doesn't match the action and watched it without sound after awhile. The most impressive thing is that the driver never stops. In Europe probably 10 years ago, I happened to watch a video on TV that had a motorcyclist, with a camera mounted on the front of the bike, negotiating an autobahn or freeway somewhere in Europe. He didn't stop either, was going at a tremendous speed and the video lasted much longer than the Rendevous tape. Only saw it once and didn't catch the name but it was awesome.

Anyone else seen "Climb Dance"? Vatanen (IIRC) in a Peugeot 405Mi16 up Pike's Peak - magnificent!

pete

[Pyry L]

Originally posted by Ralliart
A friend owns a copy and I saw it recently, over and over. I believe the box says it's a Ferrari that's being driven. I would concur that the soundtrack doesn't match the action and watched it without sound after awhile. The most impressive thing is that the driver never stops. In Europe probably 10 years ago, I happened to watch a video on TV that had a motorcyclist, with a camera mounted on the front of the bike, negotiating an autobahn or freeway somewhere in Europe. He didn't stop either, was going at a tremendous speed and the video lasted much longer than the Rendevous tape. Only saw it once and didn't catch the name but it was awesome.

Allegedly a Ferrari 275 GTB...As for the motorcyclist video, there are quite a few of those around these days, though the one you could be referring to is the one of some guy called Pascal aka. "Black Prince" driving around the Paris Peripherique in broad daylight on a Kawasaki ZXR 750. He drove around the 35 km ring road in about 11 min. There is another one called Ghost Rider or something which was filmed by some nutters in Sweden...

Oh yes, Ari Vatanen is the driver in the Peugeot Pikes Peak video and the car was a specially modified 405 Turbo 16, IIRC with over 700 horsepower.

[Maindrian Pace]

The wheelman in the film is reputed to be Maurice Trintignant

[Slyder]

Where can I get this video? Or does it even exist at all?

The only Rendezvous I know is a French film with Juliette Binoche showing off and having some wild sex.

Or is she having sex with the drivers?

[cjpani]

Just got my copy this tuesday. Great stuff.
I must accept that the sound indeed does not match the speed, and there are a couple of corners where the wheels keep screeching long after the turn is completed.
And Slyder, no sex involved, although the end might just sugest it ;)

cj

[Viss1]

Originally posted by Ralliart
In Europe probably 10 years ago, I happened to watch a video on TV that had a motorcyclist, with a camera mounted on the front of the bike, negotiating an autobahn or freeway somewhere in Europe. He didn't stop either, was going at a tremendous speed and the video lasted much longer than the Rendevous tape. Only saw it once and didn't catch the name but it was awesome.

Sounds like a video I downloaded called "Rendezvous in Paris." It is a German-language film about 10 min. long - probably the one Pyry L refers to.

[Ralliart]

But the Rendevous tape runs 10 minutes, or 8 or something. This bike tape I just happened to see and I might have missed the first minute or something but it went on and on - maybe he was riding that ring again and again. He gave every indication of knowing where he was headed at all times and was relentless, carving through any traffic, and he encountered quite a lot, like a hot knife through butter. The recorded revs matched the speed and was done in the daytime. Hailwood going around the Isle of Man with a microphone in his helmet and a camera on the front of the bike matches it, though.

[Viss1]

Originally posted by Ralliart
This bike tape I just happened to see and I might have missed the first minute or something but it went on and on - maybe he was riding that ring again and again. He gave every indication of knowing where he was headed at all times and was relentless, carving through any traffic, and he encountered quite a lot, like a hot knife through butter. The recorded revs matched the speed and was done in the daytime.

Did it feature fade ins/outs of the rider being interviewed about the ride? If so, it must be the same one.

[Lotus23]

I've only seen "Rendezvous" once -- years ago. A well-connected buddy had a bootleg copy of it, which as I recall was the only way to find a copy early on. Later, it became commercially available.

I've heard the same Ferrari/Matra discussion. Surprising that all these years later the particulars have yet to come to light.

[Slyder]

Is this the movie you people are talking about?



;)

[karlth]

The Rendezvous short film made by the director of "Man and Women" was available on the net as a download, at least around 1 year ago. It was being used as an example of different encoding algorithms.

The police arrested the director at the screening of the film, or so the story goes.

[Ralliart]

The biker was not interviewed and was anonymous (sp?). One camera mounted on the bike and the sound of his motor.

[Cincy]

Rendezvous Fans go to this site ,www.techdroid.com/~3000gt/vid.html, for the Rendezvous Download! It also contains F40 (in traffic), McLaren F1 (in car) and other great Downloads. To purchase Rendezvous and other great videos go to www.motorsportscollector.com/VIDTop10html

Good Luck

Cincy

[Pyry L]

Originally posted by Ralliart
The biker was not interviewed and was anonymous (sp?). One camera mounted on the bike and the sound of his motor.

There are two versions of the video that I know of: one without any commentary and one which was ripped off RTL (you can see the channel logo) with a dubbed over interview but otherwise the same "tank cam" footage and audio. AFAIK the riders name was Pascal (that´s from the interview and other info available) aka. "the Black Prince" and that he later died trying to beat his own "record". This video should not be confused with "Rendezvous" as it has circulated named as "Paris Peripherique 11,04 The Illegal Record" among others.

[Lotus23]

Slyder, no that's a different film. The "Rendezvous" we're discussing had no characters in it to speak of. Strictly an in-car camera sequence -- at least that's the version I saw.

[Martin Roessler]

There seem to be a couple of "Rendezvous" on video....i have the "Rendevouz at the Ring" which shows 2 Films 30 min. each (in colour!!!). The first one is about Motorcycle racing in 1955 at the Nuerburgring...the second about a race in England (or Ireland?) in 1956. Both videos are very impressing....bought it for nearly nothing on ebay...

[Falcadore]

Originally posted by Slyder
Is this the movie you people are talking about?

;)

Slyder: this one

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0169173

[just me again]

I have just bought Rendesvous and i must say that i am not impressed, the sound is just awful .
I have timed the section that for me seamed the fastest ( Avenue Foch, 5000ft in 38 sec ) and calculated an average speed on app. 160km/h. including acceleration and braking for Arc de Triomphe, but there is just one problem, according to the sound there is no braking before Arc de Triomphe, and i just don't buy that he is going halfway round Arc de Triomphe without braking. .

Bjørn

[JohnH]

As famous and much discussed as this film is, I could never justify spending 50 bucks on something that only lasts 7-8 minutes.

JH

[ensign14]

Originally posted by JohnH
As famous and much discussed as this film is, I could never justify spending 50 bucks on something that only lasts 7-8 minutes.

JH

Yeah, you get longer in a brothel for that sort of money.

So I'm told.

[stuartbrs]

Just saw this film last night, the intro was in french and the guy definately says Jaques Laffite, but surely this isnt possible is it?

Nigel Roebuck wrote about this in his asknigel coloumn at autosport.com a short while ago.

I think its fantastic, even if the sound is out a little its a gorgeous sounding motor whatever it is.

[dretceterini]

Seeing this film one time was enough for me. I wouldn't pay $50 for it either.

[Breadmaster]

I bought it on DVD for £17 recently......expensive yes but lovely......

[Philip Whiteman]

The director's own account of filming, published in the 'Telegraph' on Saturday 15 March starts with the line: 'I drive like Trintignant... speedo stuck at 180 kph' - which seems to be both the source of one legend and confirmation of the calculated average for the Avenue Foch.

I thought the film was a spectacular bit of madness, and well worth buying. Watched it with my film-maker brother - fresh from his 'Be a Grand Prix driver' C5 series - and he confirmed my impression that the sound track was substantially real, albeit with the odd instance of 'drop-out' over-dubbed. He worked as a film editor for fifteen years or more, so I respect his opinion.

Clues to the fact it is a real recording include thumps from the tyres as the car goes over crossings and the changes in sound quality as it passes through arches and unusually narrow streets - extremely hard to fake. There are also two dud gear-changes, which suggests a non-professional driver: Lelouch now admits it was him, and he did own a 275 GTB at the time!

[DoS]

I have seen most of these films and (Rendezvous - Gateaway series - motorbike in paris ride...and the Ghostrider).

I have to say that the most impressive are the bike movies. Both guys are nutcases IMO and in the Ghostrider film you can see some trully jaw-dropping action. I ll probably buy his next film...

p.s. I am against street racing

[schlepper]

I have the $50 VHS and just bought the DVD of Rendezvous from these folks: http://www.spiritlevelfilm.com/. The DVD is of vastly superior quality as it's claimed to be restored and remastered and is only 15 Pounds.

We can pick the nits of authenticity and soundtrack synchronization into eternity and it'll still be one hell of an exciting drive through Paris that would be exceedingly difficult to be duplicated these days.

Any sources for the bike films, please?

[Ron Scoma]

Just wondering.....

Does anyone know the route the driver took?
I know where it ends but it would be interesting to retrace, at a sensible speed, the route.
Cheers,

Ron

[M3 Marc]

From www.thescuderia.net

...

The route, based on my reasonable, rather than detailed, knowledge of Paris, begins with a blast up the Avenue de la Grande Armee to the Arc de Triomphe (for which you think the Ferrari is never going to back off), and carries on flat out down the Champs Elysees. It is at this point that you realise there is to be no backing off, for red traffic lights or anything else; it takes a little getting used to.

Round the Place de la Concorde, and then left on to the Quai des Tuileries, alongside the Seine, past the Louvre. After avoiding a tardy bus, Lelouch then goes left, and finds his way quickly back to the Place de l'Opera, then the Place de la Madeleine, before heading out through the suburbs to Montmartre, finishing up at the foot of Sacre-Coeur. He parks, gets out, and embraces a beautiful girl. Fin .

...

Marc

[dolomite]

Originally posted by M3 Marc
From www.thescuderia.net

...

The route, based on my reasonable, rather than detailed, knowledge of Paris, begins with a blast up the Avenue de la Grande Armee to the Arc de Triomphe (for which you think the Ferrari is never going to back off), and carries on flat out down the Champs Elysees. It is at this point that you realise there is to be no backing off, for red traffic lights or anything else; it takes a little getting used to.

Round the Place de la Concorde, and then left on to the Quai des Tuileries, alongside the Seine, past the Louvre. After avoiding a tardy bus, Lelouch then goes left, and finds his way quickly back to the Place de l'Opera, then the Place de la Madeleine, before heading out through the suburbs to Montmartre, finishing up at the foot of Sacre-Coeur. He parks, gets out, and embraces a beautiful girl. Fin .

...

Marc

I've seen that before. I think it was written by Nigel Roebuck originally.

[wibblywobbly]

I've never seen "Rendezvous", but I can't imagine it being more exciting than the "Get Away In Stockholm" series of films. There are three in all, the second being my favorite. It features a mid-90s Toyota Supra and an Escort Cosworth, both tuned to 450bhp! I DLed all three from a site, which is now dead, but you can purchase them here . Enjoy!

[Viss1]

Originally posted by wibblywobbly
I've never seen "Rendezvous", but I can't imagine it being more exciting than the "Get Away In Stockholm" series of films.

I saw the 2nd. installment. The production quality is obviously better than Rendezvous, and the sequences are equally exciting.

[Pils1989]

Free DVD with subscription to Octane magazine

[Chickenman]

I saw the original " Rendezvous " in a Classic 70mm Theater a loooonnnng time ago. Was in a Trailer before the screening of " The Who's " Quadrophenia.

To see it in 70mm was awesome. At that time...mid 70's.... it was unbelievable.

To those of you complaining about the sound track.... Don't forget when this was made....and how it was made. A very, very illegal run through Paris. Camera strapped to side of vehicle and Mike strapped inside the car. May be " old Tech " today...but back then, it was something that made your jaw drop!!!

Edite: To remove traces of Foggy memory.... about when I watched this. Thought it was early seventies....obviously not before 1977

[Engineguy]

I first saw Rendezvous at a local Porsche Club gathering in about 1979-1980. It was the large format film version, shown by a member who worked for a local TV station, and I recall him setting up a borrowed large movie projector and fiddling with it a much longer time to get it going than what the film lasted. As I recall, the film, on a large screen, was higher quality than the pricey VHS tape I later obtained, viewed on a small TV screen.

Keep in mind that, compared to the in-car footage audio we're accustomed to today (i.e. F1 at 18-19,000 RPM ) production cars, even Ferrari V12's, have very low redlines (example: the Ferrari F50 V12 has a 8500 RPM limit). I was told the car was a Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona, which has max torque at 5500 RPM, max power at 7500 RPM, and 7700 RPM limit. Couple that with a less than professional driver (film director Claude Leloch himself), and the impression that he often stayed in a gear higher than optimal (trepidation?), and the sound seems credible.

Per a current Automobile Magazine article, Rendezvous Revealed, according to his notes, he made the run at 5:30am with a short bit of film left over from a movie he had just directed, and his crew of one, who was stationed at the most dangerous point, a blind exit from the Lovre's courtyard, failed to give him the expected signal, as the walkie-talkie didn't work. He kept his foot down anyway. Maps of the route are currently at www.automobilemag.com

The new VHS and DVD releases are said to be much higher quality and lower priced than the old VHS version... I will certainly get the DVD.

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by petefenelon

The noises the car's making do not match the speed it's doing. Yes, there's no trick camera work - but no, he's probably not doing more than 100mph up the Champs Elysees.

No trick camera work - but a fudged soundtrack.

I completely agree; there's no way that the video footage and the audio are 'as one'. In fact it's the magical noise of the Ferrari which acts as a distraction to this fact. When you analyse it coldly, there isn't one solitary instance of oversteer for starters! Considering the video is shot in often damp road conditions - cobble streets on occasion - with an engine note implying that the 'Ferrari' is being caned; and if that were indeed the case, some degree of tail-happiness would be almost unavoidable.

When you remove the audio while watching the DVD (or the linked stream) you'll notice these things, and others - like the fact that the car isn't actually being driven that hard at all. Illegally, yes, but not blindingly fast... It's the same sensation of 'speed' you get when karting (if you're not accustomed to it) manifested by being much lower to the ground than normal.

There's also a pretty poor moment of audio editing - I think it might be near an archway - when the engine note changes abnormally.

I have no reason to doubt that the origins of the audio are genuinely Ferrari 265 GTB, but the camera car ain't in the same league. It's small, not very fast, and doesn't get sideways.

It's a Mini.

[just me again]

I don't think anyone today knows what car was used for the Rendezvous. but i doubt it is a mini.
It's doing around 160-180km/h as topspeed on the Avenue Foch and that is some speed for a mini.
I think it's a car that has a topspeed of more than 180km/t. I believe that because it seems that the car is being drived at a speed the driver has chosen and not the topspeed of the car. As Twinny writes " the car isn't actually being driven that hard at all ".
Maybe there is a clue to what car it is in the fact that the car appeas(SP?) to be only understerring.
Wich cars are able to drive that fast, without a hint of oversteer??.

Bjørn

[Scuderia CC]

Here the video : http://mirror.rtor.n...ezvous20_04.mov

Best regards

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Twin Window
I have no reason to doubt that the origins of the audio are genuinely Ferrari 265 GTB, but the camera car ain't in the same league. It's small, not very fast, and doesn't get sideways.

It's a Mini.

As much as I'd like to see a hot Mini do the same run.....

How many on this board have actually been in a 275 GTB/4 Ferrari??

I have on a occaisions been a passenger in a very well driven example....although the scenery was a blur....there was never, ever a hint of what the average driver would experience as far as body roll or tail-happiness exhibited....

Can someone who actually owns one comment on how they handle on the ragged edge please?? maybe track day experience??

[Twin Window]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4

How many on this board have actually been in a 275 GTB/4 Ferrari??

My brother has driven examples from his time as a Ferrari engine builder at Terry Hoyle's. We spent quite a long time going through the DVD together, and his conclusion was that whilst the sound is genuine there is no way it matches the video.

Even an 'average driver' should be able to tell that the revs used in the gear selected on the audio would be far quicker than the speed you actually see on the vid, provided you can seperate the two that is.

I'll get my brother signed-up if I can extract him from three kids worth of post-Christmas debris.

[Catalina Park]

Stuart, I have to agree with everything about the soundtrack not matching the action and then there is the lack of action! The camera is fixed to the car so the attitude of the car should feed back into the picture but the car does not squirm at all! It should be sliding but dosent. It does not dive that much under braking, it just seems flat and straight at all times.
The 2CVs that he is passing should whiz past like telephone poles but they are keeping up rather well!
I was let down by all the hype.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Twin Window
My brother has driven examples from his time as a Ferrari engine builder at Terry Hoyle's. We spent quite a long time going through the DVD together, and his conclusion was that whilst the sound is genuine there is no way it matches the video.

Even an 'average driver' should be able to tell that the revs used in the gear selected on the audio would be far quicker than the speed you actually see on the vid, provided you can seperate the two that is.

I'll get my brother signed-up if I can extract him from three kids worth of post-Christmas debris.

Terrific ...the soundtrack is poorly cobbled together...

[275 GTB-4]

[quote]Originally posted by Catalina Park
Stuart, I have to agree with everything about the soundtrack not matching the action and then there is the lack of action! The camera is fixed to the car so the attitude of the car should feed back into the picture but the car does not squirm at all! It should be sliding but dosent. It does not dive that much under braking, it just seems flat and straight at all times.
The 2CVs that he is passing should whiz past like telephone poles but they are keeping up rather well!
I was let down by all the hype. [/quote]

Mike...repeat after me:

HQs squirm...275s do the opposite of squirm....

they just squat a tad and go

[quote]it just seems flat and straight at all times.[unquote] yes!! a very stable platform for all those ergs under the bonnett

[Fiorentina 1]

I heard it was Claude Ballot-Lena driving. My dad knows the route quit well, haven lived in Paris for 15 years, and he said it would not not be possible unless it was 5 a.m as it seems the video was shot at. There is one section where the driver does slow a bit, which is smart because he goes thru a blind intersection, and according to my dad there are always trucks on that road. It's towards the middle of the movie when he goes in between two building.

Nissan did a sort of rondezvous dvd (like a normal movie, it was controlled circumstances) in Prague to introduce the new Z350. It's cool, but no where as cool as the original!

But, someone here should know who really drove. You guys know everything!

[Catalina Park]

Sorry Mick but there is no proof at all that the car with the camera is a Ferrari. If you turn down the volume it could be any car!

My guess = Citroen SM ;)

In the 1980's there was a tv commercial that was shot in Sydney (I think it was for Yellow Pages or Australia Post) it was obviously baised on Rendezvous with the camera mounted low on the front of a car as it made its way through the streets of Sydney. Of course the do-gooders complained about the commercial promoting speeding on public roads and wanted it banned. The makers came back stating that the car did not break the speed limit at all. I went for a drive in my mini and found that what took 60 seconds in the commercial took me about 55 seconds in my mini!

[racer69]

If we want to know what the car was, we need to find the driver of the garbage truck!