In the world of great films that feature cars, C'était un Rendez-Vous (1976) needs no introduction. Director Claude Lelouch received a lot of praise for the eight-minute movie from the cinéma-vérité crowd, but us car nuts love it for other reasons.
For me, it’s how the auricular aspect correlates with the visual composition of C'était un Rendez-Vous. Other than the Ferrari V12 soundtrack and the happy ending, what’s also amazing about this example of French cinematography is how fast the driver of the Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 could whiz past other cars and pedestrians one of Europe’s most congested cities, Paris.
Then again, have you ever wondered what sort of feeling the movie would exude if Lelouch would’ve used the noise of the Mercedes-Benz M100 engine? I certainly did, but I have this sneaking suspicion I might never find out. The next best thing is the burble of an American V8. More specifically, that of the Five-Point-Oh Coyote V8 employed by the Ford Mustang GT.
The following video is a tribute to Lelouch’s legendary drive and, as you’ll find out once you press play, an immersive VR experience. Yes, it’s a 360° video. The only thing that’s wrong with Ford’s effort is the length. At 1:34, it certainly doesn’t hold a candle to the original, but it’s a welcome nonetheless.
“I had goose bumps watching ‘C’etait un Rendez-Vous’ forty years later in virtual reality. At the time, my movie was about the feeling of freedom and the pleasure driving generates,” reminisces Lelouch. “I knew that Ford would do more than just a tribute to the original in this new version.”
When you think about it, Lelouch and the Mustang go a long way back. In the award-winning A Man and a Woman (1966), the main character drives a white-painted Mustang in the Monte Carlo rally. It’s particularly fitting, then, for C’etait un Rendez-Vous to be reimagined with a Mustang.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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