blogging by Andrew Wickliffe


Rendezvous (1976, Claude Lelouch)


A scene from RENDEZVOUS, directed by Claude Lelouch.

Okay, I’m not the only one who wondered if Rendezvous might have been dubbed. The short is a high speed drive through Paris—sometimes the pace seems questionable, like Lelouch was able to speed it up (which seems unlikely in most parts, because other cars move at a normal pace) and the traffic patterns are odd. No one really gets in the way of the car. But for the most part, Rendezvous is a transfixing eight minutes.

Still, the ending, which I guess is famous (commercials homage it), is a failure.

Lelouch creates this experimental film, then adds a weak narrative to it.

What’s most impressive, technically speaking, has to be the focus. It’s incredible Lelouch was able to keep the focus sharp; the short’s shot on 35mm.

Regardless of the controversy over the Lelouch’s methods—and that lame finish—Rendezvous is a great looking travelogue and very nearly sublime.

2/3Recommended

CREDITS

Written and directed by Claude Lelouch; director of photography, Jacques Lefrançois.


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