The Lookout

"Le Guetteur" or "The Lookout" is an exciting new French film currently in production. It is being directed by some famous Italian director, and it is supposed to come out next year. MOST importantly, the bank heist scene was filmed in August just below our window!!!

All of these photos were taken from my bedroom window. Seriously, it was that close.

First, they put a false "bank" front on the building (which normally has no red or gold accents):

Then, they shot lots of blanks and screeched lots of tires as plain-clothes policemen skidded up in front of the getaway car and blocked in the masked robber:

Then they did it again, and again, and again. Seriously. They must have filmed the exact same scene a million times... Gunshots and all. The noise drew quite a crowd of onlookers:

The gunshot scenes went on for several days. Then the car crash scenes begin. I have no idea how they managed to re-film cars crashing multiple times, much less multiple days... But they did. One crash happened directly below me. Then it happened again. And again. During Ollie's nap, of course:

I complain, but it was rather exciting to know it was all taking place just below us. We passed the movie trucks and trailers parked on our street for a couple of weeks before they finished the filming and cleared out... Needless to say, we will have to get a copy, even if it is in French.

Speaking of films on our street, though, if you'd like to see our apartment, you can join Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in "Rush Hour 3" for a car chase scene. The building in the left fore-ground as the clip opens is our apartment. The glass-front building at 0:05 is the same one that was turned into the bank for "Le Guetteur," and at that view, our apartment on immediately on the right of the screen. Most of the rest of the scene takes place in our little bitty neighborhood. How famous are we?!?!?!