The quick tour of Paris - An early morning 8 minute long race through the streets of Paris

I have found it. This is perhaps the most amazing video I have ever seen. I watch it twice a day, and three on bad days. You are in for it today. Little did you know when you got up this morning that you, you fans of Grand Theft Auto, you fans of fast cars and high revving engines, you fans of historic architecture and old world cities, You fans of the 70's (or is it early 80's?)... little did you know you would see this, this wonderful video that will forever change your perception of the world and the reality in which we live.

"Life is that which transcends the mundane and the everyday. Through such things as these we rediscover the exquisite, the spectacular and the wonder in daily life."

I ask you, did you really think that the beauty that is Grand Theft Auto was a virgin conception? That daredevils on motorcycles were the first to conceive of racing through city streets? That bicycle messengers, cabbies and motorcycle messengers should have all the fun? I smile at the initial shock and laughter and delight that this will bring to you, and I think you should subscribe to my podcast feed. I revel in the corruption such things bring to young minds and hope that their creativity will teach them safer and more noble hacks than this or even using your wit to social hack poor defenseless creatures.

Watch it: Rendezvous.avi (62mb)

UPDATED URL: rendezvous20_04.mov rendezvous20_04.mov whocares.de (35mb) — The last url is dead, this is just a quick update to another url I've found. The story of this film short has so facinated me I in fact have a whole nother post composed about it's history. This is truely fascinating stuff and I must say, though it is now 11 days after I originally posted this to my blog my interest in this subject has only just begun to peak, as has others interest. Look here for more on this fascinating piece of history in the future.

Fact finders and translators. I cannot read French. I'm a desperate idiot. To know more about this video is my wish. Your task, if you should so choose to accept it, is to translate this video, find out the history and report back to the comments board on this post. I suspect it shan't be to hard if you read French. Please and thank you.

Originally From: millerlife.net » Vroom! (thanks millerlife guy!)

Note: If millerlife.net gets smashed. I will bittorrent this. It's just that most podcast subscribers are not equipped to handle bittorent yet. Update: I will not be bittorrenting this as it is in fact copyright and the property of Spirit Films and I would not knowingly or otherwise encourage breaking their copyright. (Though I cannot stop others.) More info on where you can purchase this film on DVD soon.

UPDATE!: The mystery (at least it was a mystery for me) has been solved thanks to a reader, and the truth definitely does not disappoint. In part because the film itself is a legend and an enigma. Here is a quote from an excellent review from thespinningimage.co.uk.

It is the early morning in the Paris of the nineteen-seventies. A driver heads up the Champs Elysées in his unseen car at dangerous speed, and proceeds to rush through the streets of the city slowing down as little as possible. What's the hurry?

C'était un Rendez-vous was a film that became the stuff of legend for many years. Consisting of the view from the front of a sports car, director Claude Lelouch apparently strapped a camera on the vehicle and left it running as the car speeds along the city highways and back alleys. Lasting just under ten minutes, it feels shorter, such is the incredible momentum of the action, mesmerising the viewer with the images zipping by.

Not only is the film itself legendary, but stories have grown up around it, too. Is it true that Lelouch was arrested on its first showing in a Parisian cinema for dangerous driving? After all, the evidence is there and plain to see. And just who was the mysterious driver - Lelouch himself, or a famed Formula One racing star, understandably wishing to remain anonymous? Some say the man behind the wheel is an Italian taxi driver. And what make is the car, anyway? It must be an expensive sports model, judging by the thunderous noise of the engine.

Read the whole thing at: C'était un Rendez-vous Review (1976)

There is also an interesting article at POUR UN RENDEZ-VOUS. It appears to be an excerpt from the biography of Claude Lelouch the supposed driver, but the truth is it's in French and I do not fully trust the google translation let alone do I know anything about the source other than was posted in the comments. Perhaps someone can offer us a better translation. Until then:

Google translated version of "POUR UN RENDEZ-VOUS"