In 1976, French director Claude Lelouch released a nine-minute film depicting a car racing through the streets of a sleeping Paris. C’était un Rendez‑Vous gained popularity with car fans and saw releases in VHS and DVD formats over the years. Ford is offering its take on the classic, replacing the original Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 (which was dubbed with the sounds from a Ferrari 275GTB) with a Mustang and upgrading the footage to 360-degree views and virtual reality.
Lelouch helped with the remake of his film, entitled Re-Rendez-Vous, to celebrate its 40th anniversary. This is not his first time working with the pony car — the protagonist of Lelouch’s 1966 film A Man and a Woman drove a white Mustang in the Monte Carlo rally.
“I had goose bumps watching C’etait un Rendez-Vous 40 years later in virtual reality,” Lelouch said. “At the time, my movie was about the feeling of freedom and the pleasure driving generates. I knew that Ford would do more than just a tribute to the original in this new version. I am delighted to see the Mustang again and to close the loop fifty years after A Man and a Woman.”
In Re-Rendez-Vous, you control the view from the Mustang GT Fastback through your touchscreen or VR headset. The route is similar to the one in the original film, passing by landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe, Sacré Cœur Basilica, and Montmartre. Some parts of the path had to be changed, as some of the roads from 1976 don’t exist anymore.
“Mustang is a symbol of the freedom and thrill of driving. Recreating Lelouch’s cult short film ‘C’etait un Rendez-Vous’ was the perfect way to capture this spirit for a new audience,” Anthony Ireson, director at Ford Marketing Communications, said.
