Saturday, September 19, 2009

Classic cars for classy movies...


I already mentioned it here, but it always surprises me: there are about 750 movies shot yearly in Paris, according to the Paris town hall. Very often they are historical movies, that is why they have to bring "accessories" to the set, like in this photo that I took Place des Pyramides (1st arrondissement), a location that is often used for movies. Shooting a film in Paris is free - unless you use venues that belong to the city (museums, public buildings...), but you have to pay the parking fees! If you're a film maker and if you're interested in shooting your next movie in Paris, do check this site.

26 comments:

  1. I want one of these cars! I would drive up to next year's PDP picnic in the car and make it even more fun. By the way, here's a picnic item:


    http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3228126n&tag=contentMain;contentBody

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  2. One more thought: Place des Pyramides is not far from our picnic spot, just around the corner!

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  3. Beautiful. When I see a movie made in Paris I tend to pay more attention to Paris than the plot.

    There are a ton of movies shot in San Francisco, but I'm fairly certain the city charges for the privilege. I stumbled upon the filming of Mrs. Doubtfire late one night. I had no idea that the old actress was Robin Williams!

    People who like to watch filming can find out about locations here:

    http://www.onlocationvacations.com/category/daily-filming-locations/

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  4. Love the classic cars!! :)
    Wouldn't mind getting one some day! I keep seeing 1957 Chevy's around, man, these are REALLY cool cars, too bad you have to take out a loan to fill up the tank :( Last year, I saw an early model T in the neighborhood, that was pretty cool, too, then 2 weeks ago I saw a 40 y old Citroen DS, looked completely out of place in California but fun. Wouldn't mind owning a 2CV myself, for sentimental reasons.

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  5. Great buggies; great photo. It would be so much fun to drive around Paris in these!!

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  6. Between this picture and Carrie's last comment, I can see why they WERE called BUGGIES!

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  7. Gorgeous bug-eyed vintage numbers against a beautiful backdrop. Lovely, Eric!

    I'm glad my car doesn't have a crank, but my, it would make for awesome biceps...

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  8. See, he got down low for this one so we could admire not only the vintage cars, but the vintage architectural details as well. Thanks for the link, Eric—now I can make a film in Paris. Would you consider starring in it?

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  9. Je veux être à Paris. Vous avez créé ce désir pour moi. Pas le premier désir, mais encore fort.

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  10. I have never seen as many classic cars as in California, where I now live. It is totally part of he culture. Never saw a show like the one you photographed in all the (long) years I lived in Paris.

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  11. I love the setting. I admit I hardly notice the cars! It's the architecture that makes me swoon.

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  12. Oh, Petrea, I thought it was I that made you swoon! I am so hurt.

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  13. Wow. What a fabulous photo--setting, subject, angle ... It's a new fave! My godfather would have had a fit over those gorgeous cars.

    ET Suzy, I am the same about movies filmed in Paris. At the risk of revealing just how nuts for Paris (and perhaps just how nuts in general!) I am, I will share with you that I once rented a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie ... because it took place in Paris!! I didn't care one bit about the MK/A story, but I would watch just about anything for a glimpse of the city I love!

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  14. I've often wondered about the logistics of filming in such a busy city as Paris, so appreciate the link, thanks. The cars in the photo look poised and ready for action, as if they were the stars...perhaps they are.

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  15. That's great that Paris opens up to film-makers. I think in the UK we need a licence, but not sure...? These cars look great. Bit of a bumpy ride though...

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  16. I enjoyed everyone's comments today, but Parisian Heart captured my sentiments about Paris perfectly. And with a big laugh. Now I will confess my Tarzhayyyyyy story of yesterday.
    My car drove itself to Target(how can I admit to Bon Marche that I shop so beneath it?)and discovered a cushioned map of Paris that is a memo board. The next aisle had an Eiffel Tower sculpture for the wall that I will use to hang some jewelry. This will all blend with my Eiffel Tower lamp bought yrs. ago from there(?) or GASP, Kmart. Does anyone remember my ET bottle of olive oil I dumped to become my soap dispenser?
    I drew the line at the Hello Kitty Eiffel Tower shower curtain.
    Bon marche, Francophiles(and ET Suzy)!!!!

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  17. PHX I think many of us here are a bit nuts like PArisian Heart, I have rented many many movies JUST because they a re set in Paris.

    For instance, the new Pink Panther series, with Steve Martin. I love him as a comedian but these two movies are not excellent..... having said that, I've watched it more them once just because of the Paris shots!!!


    I recognise CITYRAMA sign behind the old cars! I've taken lots of tours from this agency. I love this area, love the cafes over there. Despite being a very touristy street, it's a delight to sit, have a coffee and stare at the Tuileries right in front of us.

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  18. Parisian Heart--Thanks for my Saturday moprning giggle. I confess that I do the same thing (although I don't think I could make it through an Ashley and Mary Kate movie).

    pdx-cdg: It is hard to resist anything Paris. My house looks like a theme park. A couple hundred Paris books (I collect antique books about Paris), Every wall with a Paris photo, Eiffel Tower Christmas tree ornament, Paris restaurant ashtrays displayed on a shelf, Francoise Hardy music playing half the time. My favorite is a little piece of art I bought at the weekend art market near Montparnasse. It's a Metro ticket with a cat drawn on it that says Chatelet. "Chat"elet. Cracked me up, had to have it.

    How great to have this forum to talk to others with my obsession.

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  19. I am enjoying this too much! I want to hear more... I'm sure Eric will allow us these amusing love stories to Paris today.
    (A theme park, lol!)

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  20. This is a great web site! I am linking to it from my Paris web site.

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  21. Mrs. Vandertramp I hear you. Talk about a theme park..... luckily there are not enough walls in my house to hang all the Paris frames I have.


    I have a bunch of Paris post cards waiting to be framed. But it will look scary to other people if they come into my house and see one more Paris item!

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  22. Monica: I know what you mean. I have run out of shelf space. Have you seen the postcards of famous French folks with a quote (photo of Sartre, "l'enfer, c'est les autres")? I have a bunch of those up at work. Confuses the hell out of most of my coworkers, but they give me a lift during the day, especially when it's a bad day and, Sartre for example, seems totally apropos. And my mousepad is one of Eric's from Zazzle. Hmmm...obsession is spilling over into the office.

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  23. Not being one for tchotchke, I have Renoir prints on the walls, a card with a Mark Riboud photo of the guy painting the ET, a card of an etching of a woman viewing Watteaus in the Louvre, a photo of a Matisse painting, a catalog from an exhibit of Lautrec and Montmartre in Chicago, cards from friends in Paris with beautiful photos of paintings and of Paris....yeah, I got stuff, too, but I draw the line on hanging jewelry from an ET from K Mart!

    All my Paris photos serve as my screen saver slide show, including golden Jean d'Arc in Place des Pyramides. (See, I made it back to the PDP photo...)

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  24. Our shower curtain is a black and white winter photo of Paris taken from the top of the Arc de Triomphe, looking toward the 7th e and beyond. I have a street map of Paris under the glass of our breakfast table. And, I have my Paris Daily Photo mug holding my pens on my desk. That's it. No nic nacks. Oh, wait. . . I lied! my mouse pad is a black and white photo of le Tour Eiffel. Yikes! So Eric, do you have mementos of any American, Australian, Asian or other European cities you've visited?
    -Kim

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