C’était un rendez-vous (direct translation: “It Was an Appointment”) is a short film made in 1976 by Claude Lelouch, showing a high speed drive through Paris.

The film shows an eight-minute drive through Paris in the early hours of the morning (05:30hrs), accompanied by sounds of a high-revving engine, gear changes and squealing tires. It starts in a tunnel of the Paris Périphérique at Porte Dauphine, with an onboard view from an unseen car exiting up on a ramp to Avenue Foch. Well known landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe, Opéra Garnier, and Place de la Concorde with its obelisk are passed, as well as the Champs-Élysées. Pedestrians are passed, pigeons sitting on the streets are scattered, red lights are ignored, one-way streets are driven up the wrong way, centre lines are crossed, the car runs on a pavement to avoid a refuse lorry. The car is never seen as the camera seems to be attached below the front bumper, judging from the relative positions of other cars, the visible headlight beam and the final shot when the car is parked in front of kerbstones on Montmartre, with the famous Cathedral Sacré Cœur behind, and out of shot. Here, the driver gets out and embraces a young blonde woman as bells ring in the background, with the famous backdrop of Paris.

Shot in a single take, it is an example of cinéma-vérité. The length of the film was limited by the short capacity of the reel, and filmed from a gyro-stabilised camera mounted on the bumper of a Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9. Comments from Lelouch prove that the vehicle that carried the camera was his Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9. A picture was released of Lelouch attaching the camera rig to his car. This model, which could reach a top speed of 235 km/h (146 mph), was only available with a 3-speed automatic transmission. Yet, one can hear gear changes up into 5th, as well as heel-and-toe down-shifting with a high-revving engine indicating speeds of well over 200 km/h. Calculations made by several independent groups showed that the car never exceeded 140 km/h (85 mph), while another estimated that the car had peaked at 220 km/h (136.7 mph). Lelouch himself claimed that the top speed achieved was over 200 km/h, somewhere between 230 km/h and 240 km/h. It is suggested that the sound was dubbed with the noise of Lelouch’s 275GTB, which has a corresponding number of gears and a similar engine note.

A making-of-the-rendezvous documentary indicates that Lelouch himself was the driver, that the car driven was the Mercedes, although the sound track is from a Ferrari. One observer was posted close to the Louvre palace at a blind junction (archway) to assist the driver.

Due to the increasing demand and the limited distribution of original tapes, the film has recently been re-mastered from the 35 mm negative and released on DVD.

The 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

It has been said that the film might indicate a criminally reckless disregard for the life and safety of pedestrians and motorists.

The distribution of the film could also be viewed as encouraging thrill-seekers to speed and disregard traffic laws (including red lights), again because of the claim by Lelouch that the movie portrays real live action (and thus is replicable by thrill-seekers), as opposed to cinematographic special effects.

Comments attributed to Lelouch indicate that he acknowledges the moral outrage over his method of shooting this film as valid. He also states that he was prepared to take the risks in making the film, but that he however was also ready to drop it in case he would have come across any inconsiderate risk (pedestrian, hurdle, etc.).

Thanks to Zach for sending this to me

I forgot how dope this song and video are. RIP Proof and smh at the horrible irony in this video.

Off the Kid Name Cudi mixtape

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Hadn’t seen this movie in a few years but just watched it again tonight…really really good. The guy who directed it also produced SNATCH and LOCK STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS

The closing credits use the song “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” by Joe Cocker, a remake of the Nina Simone version Lil Wayne sampled for the last track on the Carter 3

And here’s one of my favorite scenes of all time

I was strangely mesmerized by this when I flew to Oregon on Delta a few weeks ago. Turns out I wasn’t the only one. Check out this Atlanta Journal Constitution article

First it was Jimmy Spicer “Money (Dolla Dolla Bill Yall)” in 1983

Then it was Bomb The Bass “Megablast” in 1988

Then it was De La Soul “Bitties in the BK Lounge” in 1991

Then it was Mary J. Blige f. Keith Murray “Be Happy Remix” in 1994

Then it was Carl Thomas, produced by Just Blaze, “My First Love” in 2004

then AZ “Doing That” from 2006’s THE FORMAT

and finally Maino “Hi Hater” in 2008

I think this is one of the first music videos directed by Hype Williams
And how about “4 Alarm Blaze” featuring Jigga? When was the last time he rapped last in a song?

Love this video. That’s a Lamborghini SUV (Lamborghini LM002) too.