Many people don't know where the radio d.j. was broadcasting from in the movie. He was broadcasting from the then closed Goldfield Hotel, in beautiful "downtown" Goldfield Nevada! I should know! I was a resident in this picturesque little town of 110 people (in 1971). The Goldfield Hotel has since found new life as a restored historical landmark. The town itself has surged in population due to new mining processes, and the re-opening of the long closed mines. During the movie, a scene picturing the front of the "Green Frog Market", you will see the faint glow of a freckle-faced, red headed little boy, gazing out of the window......yeah..it's me!! This movie was quite exciting in a town of 110 people!
208 Reviews
A great '70s movie
mikey_editor7 March 2006
This is the essential 1970s anti-hero movie. It is not supposed to make sense and I have often wondered if it were not meant to be someone's psychedelic dream. Nudity when nudity would not seem to fit; bad cops; beaten people out of sync with plot line. Sounds like a trip. The cast is excellent and this is one of Cleavon Little's last main roles as well as the last main role for the early love interest. John Amos is so underplayed he is almost unrecognizable, I'd love to see his commentary on the movie. And one guy is so ripping off James Dean (though as a racist) that it is unintentionally funny. I'd recommend it as an addition to any American tape library. A true cult classic.
Can you ever build enough speed on the road to escape your past & your pain?
tom-darwin7 April 2006
"Vanishing Point" asks the question and, like other films of this kind before "Smokey & the Bandit" brought the genre to an end, lets us ponder the answer on our own. Other than that, there's no point to this film except to demonstrate that the Challenger is one of the best-looking muscle/sports cars ever made. Get too far into this movie & you'll want to sell your children to have one. Kowalski is a '70s knight-errant, or a Greek mythological hero, just as you please. He rides his Hemi-powered steed on a quest to San Francisco, not for a "what," or a "why," or even for a lady fair, but only for "how fast." Does he seek redemption? Escape? Self-forgiveness? To stick it to the Man? Who cares? Knavish cops close in on him, lotus-eaters like Hovah (Darden) shun him, sirens (especially the stark-naked Texter, who would've stopped Burt Reynolds's Bandit faster than Sally Field ever did) want him to dally. Sharp-featured, Western character actor Anthony James has a hilarious, uncharacteristic turn as a gay hitchhiker. Humble, noble souls come forth to guide Kowalski like angels, including a scruffy snake-hunter (Jagger), chopper jockey & drug dealer Angel (Scott), and the blind deejay Super Soul (Little, who should've been a contender for the part of Howard Beal in "Network"). The Man's attempts to explain Kowalski are annoying distractions, so hit the "mute" button when you see scenes of cops in offices. And stop wondering why Kowalski, on his quest for speed, is always being overtaken & passed by other vehicles. Just put your brain in neutral, put your popcorn where it's handy, and buckle up.
The road can work on your mind.
L_Miller8 July 1999
Kowalski transports cars across the western US in 1970. He gets a gig transporting a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T from Denver to San Francisco and sets out at maximum warp, stopping only for gas and strategy. He commits no crime outside of speeding, and fleeing the cops who are trying to stop him simply because he will not stop. He finds allies along the way, including an old prospector, a DJ named Super Soul, and a hippie who seems to me to be an alternate ending to the life of Peter Fonda's character Wyatt in "Easy Rider". He drives and drives and drives until he meets his destiny in a tiny town on the California-Nevada border at 10:04 AM on some unnamed Sunday.
Why? Is it because of his past; ex-cop, ex-racer, tragically bereaved? Is it because of the truckload of speed he takes at the beginning of the movie (draw your own metaphors between Kowalski's internal use of the noun and external use of the verb)?
Or is it the road, the infinite expanses of the Southwest, the silence, the freedom, the sound of the motor surging, the tires spinning, the wheels gobbling up and sitting out the black asphalt? Who knows? Kowalski seems indifferent as to why he drives, only that he must drive, must evade, must get to where he is going and will not - can not - be stopped.
Do yourself a favor. Rent the original, don't see the '97 made for TV movie (it has some high points, but it's like watching the '99 "Psycho" before seeing the Alfred Hitchcock original). In fact, rent this and "Two Lane Blacktop" from Monte Hellman, and "Mad Max" and/or "The Road Warrior". Watch all of them in as close to one sitting as you can get.
If after watching these movies, you don't understand how they're expressions of the same call to the open road, return them and give up. Not everyone was meant to hear it, just like not everyone has perfect pitch or the ability to wiggle their ears.
This movie drove me (pun intended) to take the handle kowalski and buy a Challenger of my own (flame red, 1973, you see the 1970 R/Ts are very hard to get).
It probably won't do the same for you, but if you've ever been driving down the open road and wondered what would happen if you _didn't_ get off at the next exchange, in fact if you never got off at all, then this film is for you.
And I hope the next ignoramus who compares this masterful film to "The Dukes of Hazzard" loses his brakes and plows into a line of parked Harleys outside some bar with a name like Whiskey Junction or the Dew Drop Inn.
Why? Is it because of his past; ex-cop, ex-racer, tragically bereaved? Is it because of the truckload of speed he takes at the beginning of the movie (draw your own metaphors between Kowalski's internal use of the noun and external use of the verb)?
Or is it the road, the infinite expanses of the Southwest, the silence, the freedom, the sound of the motor surging, the tires spinning, the wheels gobbling up and sitting out the black asphalt? Who knows? Kowalski seems indifferent as to why he drives, only that he must drive, must evade, must get to where he is going and will not - can not - be stopped.
Do yourself a favor. Rent the original, don't see the '97 made for TV movie (it has some high points, but it's like watching the '99 "Psycho" before seeing the Alfred Hitchcock original). In fact, rent this and "Two Lane Blacktop" from Monte Hellman, and "Mad Max" and/or "The Road Warrior". Watch all of them in as close to one sitting as you can get.
If after watching these movies, you don't understand how they're expressions of the same call to the open road, return them and give up. Not everyone was meant to hear it, just like not everyone has perfect pitch or the ability to wiggle their ears.
This movie drove me (pun intended) to take the handle kowalski and buy a Challenger of my own (flame red, 1973, you see the 1970 R/Ts are very hard to get).
It probably won't do the same for you, but if you've ever been driving down the open road and wondered what would happen if you _didn't_ get off at the next exchange, in fact if you never got off at all, then this film is for you.
And I hope the next ignoramus who compares this masterful film to "The Dukes of Hazzard" loses his brakes and plows into a line of parked Harleys outside some bar with a name like Whiskey Junction or the Dew Drop Inn.
car chases galore
SnoopyStyle3 June 2019
Former stock car driver, heroic military vet, and ex-police officer Kowalski delivers cars across the country. He's driving a white Dodge Challenger to San Francisco on little rest and drugs to stay awake. He has a run-in with a couple of motorcycle cops which sets off a dragnet by Colorado State police. Blind radio DJ Super Soul (Cleavon Little) follows the chase listening to police radio.
This is only about the car chases. The characters aren't that engaging. Barry Newman needs something more. He doesn't have the darkness or the leading man charisma. The story needs tightening. Kowalski needs a consistent foil right from the start. As for the car stunts, they run off the road a lot and get plenty dusty. There is some interesting driving. They're not filmed quite at the excitement level of the iconic chase scene in its compatriot, The French Connection. One can see the evolution of the car chase but the filming style is a little static. There are a string of intriguing encounters from the snake man to the gay couple to the naked bike chick. They kept me interested despite not being that interested in the story. The chase never seems to be about anything deeper than a chase.
This is only about the car chases. The characters aren't that engaging. Barry Newman needs something more. He doesn't have the darkness or the leading man charisma. The story needs tightening. Kowalski needs a consistent foil right from the start. As for the car stunts, they run off the road a lot and get plenty dusty. There is some interesting driving. They're not filmed quite at the excitement level of the iconic chase scene in its compatriot, The French Connection. One can see the evolution of the car chase but the filming style is a little static. There are a string of intriguing encounters from the snake man to the gay couple to the naked bike chick. They kept me interested despite not being that interested in the story. The chase never seems to be about anything deeper than a chase.
Look back on your life torn asunder...then throw it into third gear and floor it.
Apollyon_Crash2 April 2004
Barry Newman is "Kowalski", an enigmatic figure who has tried everything in his life from stock car racing to the military, and failed at every one of his endeavors. Working as an auto delivery man, he gets an order to transport a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T to San Francisco, and makes a bet with a few friends that it can be done in an impossibly short time. After loading up on "ups" and throttling the car westward, he is soon pursued vigorously by the police and embraced by the public as something of a hero. During a time when national speed limits were all controversy, this film provides a compelling argument against them: A fast car in the hands of a capable driver is not dangerous. Even the police, so caught up in their own system, don't realize that they are the only ones causing accidents and endangering the public while blindly trying to keep up with and capture Kowalski.
While the film sounds at first to be a simple action film, it's really much more than that. Kowalksi's past is revealed little by little through flashbacks, making the film something of a character study. Kowalski's trip becomes a road trip of existentialism as he runs across various strange characters: Solitary hippies, gay bandits, a boogie-woogie snake handling Christian cult, and the blind soul station DJ (brilliantly played by Cleavon Little) who is attempting to guide him on his journey from within the car's radio.
Topping it off is a great soundtrack, breathtaking cinematography and direction, and automotive action that has seen no equal. This film manages to be both compelling and exciting. Just watch it already.
10/10
While the film sounds at first to be a simple action film, it's really much more than that. Kowalksi's past is revealed little by little through flashbacks, making the film something of a character study. Kowalski's trip becomes a road trip of existentialism as he runs across various strange characters: Solitary hippies, gay bandits, a boogie-woogie snake handling Christian cult, and the blind soul station DJ (brilliantly played by Cleavon Little) who is attempting to guide him on his journey from within the car's radio.
Topping it off is a great soundtrack, breathtaking cinematography and direction, and automotive action that has seen no equal. This film manages to be both compelling and exciting. Just watch it already.
10/10
Vanishing Point is quite a flawed movie in conventional terms - but it is interesting and intriguing partially for that reason
DaRick891 July 2012
Vanishing Point is a difficult film to assess in many ways. As a movie, it is quite flawed. The plot is obvious but ultimately quite shallow - centering around Kowalski trying to deliver a car across the country in record time. Kowalski's back story is hinted at, which makes the film a bit more interesting, but his back story takes up only a few minutes of the film.
The characters and performances are often vacuous, failing to leave an impression. Barry Newman is the chief culprit, turning in a most colourless, emotionless performance where he personally offers little insight into his character. The exception is Cleavon Little as the hyperactive DJ Super-Soul; his interplay with Newman is novel, some of his dialogue is memorable (indeed, his rambling about Kowalski and the 'police Nazis' was quoted by Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses twenty years later) and his input gives the film some badly needed impetus.
Luckily though, Vanishing Point works better on other levels. For instance, it has that early 1970's style that makes the film more compelling than it should be. Newman is chiefly responsible for this; he is certainly emotionless, but that allows him to develop an air of 'cool' that suits the film. The white Dodge Challenger is a very nice touch.
The early 70's style also allows it to work as a period piece; Kowalski encounters counter-culture hippies, religious fanatics in the desert and the police. The fractious state of race relations between blacks and whites at that time is also highlighted. On the downside, it does substantially date the film. It's a cult classic for a reason; as the failed 1997 remake demonstrated, a movie like Vanishing Point would not work nearly as well in another era.
It also works reasonably well as a straight driving film. The film is punctuated with enough car crashes and chases to move the film forward.
However, the film's real saving grace is in its many allegories. The largely empty plot does ironically enable this, because you can read whatever you want into the film. I therefore understand why the plot is so empty, because the many allegories punctuated within the film make it intriguing to watch. For instance, why did Kowalski's face shine towards the end? Why were there so many STOP signs? Was Super-Soul a spiritual guide to Kowalski? You can also have fun inventing allegories that weren't even intended - why was the Dodge Challenger white, for example?
Ultimately, Vanishing Point is not the easiest film to assess. In conventional terms, I would not rank the film particularly highly because the plot, characters, acting and dialogue are often unimpressive. As such, the casual movie viewer may not particularly identify with it. However, Vanishing Point is not a particularly conventional film; like most good films it moves itself forward well, but it is the film's style and allegorical nature that largely keeps the interest and pushes the film above the ruck of many other driving movies. I also admit that the film could not have been as effective as an allegory if the plot wasn't so insubstantial. With this in mind, I have decided to give it:
3.5/5 stars
The characters and performances are often vacuous, failing to leave an impression. Barry Newman is the chief culprit, turning in a most colourless, emotionless performance where he personally offers little insight into his character. The exception is Cleavon Little as the hyperactive DJ Super-Soul; his interplay with Newman is novel, some of his dialogue is memorable (indeed, his rambling about Kowalski and the 'police Nazis' was quoted by Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses twenty years later) and his input gives the film some badly needed impetus.
Luckily though, Vanishing Point works better on other levels. For instance, it has that early 1970's style that makes the film more compelling than it should be. Newman is chiefly responsible for this; he is certainly emotionless, but that allows him to develop an air of 'cool' that suits the film. The white Dodge Challenger is a very nice touch.
The early 70's style also allows it to work as a period piece; Kowalski encounters counter-culture hippies, religious fanatics in the desert and the police. The fractious state of race relations between blacks and whites at that time is also highlighted. On the downside, it does substantially date the film. It's a cult classic for a reason; as the failed 1997 remake demonstrated, a movie like Vanishing Point would not work nearly as well in another era.
It also works reasonably well as a straight driving film. The film is punctuated with enough car crashes and chases to move the film forward.
However, the film's real saving grace is in its many allegories. The largely empty plot does ironically enable this, because you can read whatever you want into the film. I therefore understand why the plot is so empty, because the many allegories punctuated within the film make it intriguing to watch. For instance, why did Kowalski's face shine towards the end? Why were there so many STOP signs? Was Super-Soul a spiritual guide to Kowalski? You can also have fun inventing allegories that weren't even intended - why was the Dodge Challenger white, for example?
Ultimately, Vanishing Point is not the easiest film to assess. In conventional terms, I would not rank the film particularly highly because the plot, characters, acting and dialogue are often unimpressive. As such, the casual movie viewer may not particularly identify with it. However, Vanishing Point is not a particularly conventional film; like most good films it moves itself forward well, but it is the film's style and allegorical nature that largely keeps the interest and pushes the film above the ruck of many other driving movies. I also admit that the film could not have been as effective as an allegory if the plot wasn't so insubstantial. With this in mind, I have decided to give it:
3.5/5 stars
A Dirge For A Dying America
AdamKey21 February 2004
Richard Sarafian's 1971 film "Vanishing Point" is, for starters, a fascinating study of those persons anthropologists sometimes term "marginal men"--individuals caught between two powerful and competing cultures, sharing some important aspects of both but not a true part of either, and, as such, remain tragically confined to an often-painful existential loneliness. Inhabiting a sort of twilight zone between "here" and "there," a sort of peculiar purgatory, these restless specters cannot find any peace or place, so they instead instinctively press madly on to some obscure and unknown destination, the relentless journey itself being the only reason and justification.
Disc jockey Super Soul (Cleavon Little) and delivery driver Kowalski (Barry Newman) are two of these specters, marginal but decent, intelligent men who can't or won't live in burgeoning competing cultures which in reality have offered them very little of worth or substance, despite their own personal sacrifices. Kowalski himself had tried to "fit in" with the Establishment as a soldier and police officer and later, attempted to do the same with the blossoming 1960s counterculture, but soon disappointingly found that they both were ridden with their own various forms of dishonesty and insincerity. Personal honor, self-reliance and genuine respect--Kowalski's stock in trade--were tragically valued very little by either, despite each one's shrill and haughty claims to the contrary.
Moreover, it's no accident Newman's character has a Polish surname; the Poles throughout their history have created a very rich and unique Slavic culture largely based upon just such a "marginality"--being geographically jammed between powerful historic enemies, Germany and Russia, and never being able to fully identify with either one, at often great cost to themselves. It's also no accident Little's character is blind and black, the only one of his kind in a small, all-Caucasian western desert town--his sightlessness enhancing his persuasiveness and his ability to read Kowalski's mind, the radio microphone his voice, his race being the focus of long simmering and later suddenly explosive disdain--all of the characteristics of a far-seeing prophet unjustly (but typically) dishonored in his own land.
The desert environment also plays a key role in cementing the personal relationship between and respective fates of these two men--to paraphrase British novelist J.G. Ballard, prophets throughout our history have emerged from deserts of some sort since deserts have, in a sense, exhausted their own futures (like Kowalski himself had already done) and thus are free of the concepts of time and existence as we have conventionally known them (as Super Soul instinctively knew, thus creating his own psychic link to the doomed driver.) Everything is somehow possible, and yet, somehow nothing is.
Finally, VP is also a "fin de siecle" story, a unique requiem for a quickly dying age- a now all-but-disappeared one of truly open roads, endless speed for the joy of speed's sake, of big, solid no-nonsense muscle cars, of taking radical chances, of living on the edge in a colorful world of endless possibility, seasoned with a large number and wide variety of all sorts of unusual characters, all of which had long made the USA a wonderful place--and sadly is no longer, having been supplanted by today's swarms of sadistic, military-weaponed cop-thugs, obsessive and intrusive safety freaks, soulless toll plazas, smug yuppie SUV drivers, tedious carbon-copy latte towns, and a childish craving for perfect, high-fuel-efficiency safety and security.
The just-issued DVD contains both the US and UK releases of the film; the UK release, I believe, is a much more satisfying film, as it has the original scenes deleted from the US version. As an aside, Super Soul's radio station call letters, KOW, are in fact the ones for a country & western station in San Diego.
Disc jockey Super Soul (Cleavon Little) and delivery driver Kowalski (Barry Newman) are two of these specters, marginal but decent, intelligent men who can't or won't live in burgeoning competing cultures which in reality have offered them very little of worth or substance, despite their own personal sacrifices. Kowalski himself had tried to "fit in" with the Establishment as a soldier and police officer and later, attempted to do the same with the blossoming 1960s counterculture, but soon disappointingly found that they both were ridden with their own various forms of dishonesty and insincerity. Personal honor, self-reliance and genuine respect--Kowalski's stock in trade--were tragically valued very little by either, despite each one's shrill and haughty claims to the contrary.
Moreover, it's no accident Newman's character has a Polish surname; the Poles throughout their history have created a very rich and unique Slavic culture largely based upon just such a "marginality"--being geographically jammed between powerful historic enemies, Germany and Russia, and never being able to fully identify with either one, at often great cost to themselves. It's also no accident Little's character is blind and black, the only one of his kind in a small, all-Caucasian western desert town--his sightlessness enhancing his persuasiveness and his ability to read Kowalski's mind, the radio microphone his voice, his race being the focus of long simmering and later suddenly explosive disdain--all of the characteristics of a far-seeing prophet unjustly (but typically) dishonored in his own land.
The desert environment also plays a key role in cementing the personal relationship between and respective fates of these two men--to paraphrase British novelist J.G. Ballard, prophets throughout our history have emerged from deserts of some sort since deserts have, in a sense, exhausted their own futures (like Kowalski himself had already done) and thus are free of the concepts of time and existence as we have conventionally known them (as Super Soul instinctively knew, thus creating his own psychic link to the doomed driver.) Everything is somehow possible, and yet, somehow nothing is.
Finally, VP is also a "fin de siecle" story, a unique requiem for a quickly dying age- a now all-but-disappeared one of truly open roads, endless speed for the joy of speed's sake, of big, solid no-nonsense muscle cars, of taking radical chances, of living on the edge in a colorful world of endless possibility, seasoned with a large number and wide variety of all sorts of unusual characters, all of which had long made the USA a wonderful place--and sadly is no longer, having been supplanted by today's swarms of sadistic, military-weaponed cop-thugs, obsessive and intrusive safety freaks, soulless toll plazas, smug yuppie SUV drivers, tedious carbon-copy latte towns, and a childish craving for perfect, high-fuel-efficiency safety and security.
The just-issued DVD contains both the US and UK releases of the film; the UK release, I believe, is a much more satisfying film, as it has the original scenes deleted from the US version. As an aside, Super Soul's radio station call letters, KOW, are in fact the ones for a country & western station in San Diego.
Inscrutable, existential early 70's car-chase flick
Wuchakk19 July 2015
Released in 1971, "Vanishing Point" stars Barry Newman as Kowalski, a pill-popping former racer and police officer, who bets that he can deliver a supercharged car from Denver to San Francisco in 15 hours. The police in four states try to apprehend him as a DJ (Cleavon Little) supports him on the airwaves. Dean Jagger plays a geezer Kowalski runs into in the desert.
This is a cult flick about the adventures of a rebel without a cause. While it has similarities to 1969's "Easy Rider," it's not as compelling and the subtext isn't as good (see my review of "Easy Rider").
The story is a big middle finger to what was called "the establishment" at a time when the Vietnam War was making a wreck of America's social cohesion. Kowalski was part of that establishment when he was a cop, but became disillusioned after he exposed corruption and was punished for it, but heralded by the counterculture. Kowalski had seen the underbelly of the "pig" and didn't want to be part of it. At the beginning he drives off the road and you see him looking at some derelict vehicles. He increasingly realizes HE is a derelict on the side of the road with nowhere to go. What better next stop than oblivion? The climax is his *beep* off moment to go out on HIS terms. Three years later "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry" sorta ripped it off. While that movie lacks the interesting (and ambiguous) subtext of "Vanishing Point," it's a more compelling watch. Despite the many car chases, "Vanishing Point" is surreal and even languid, embellished by a listless score (e.g the opening) and acid rock tracks throughout; while I don't like the former, most of the latter tracks are good and fit the ambiance of the movie.
Then there's the naked blond on the motorcycle sequence. Someone incredulously asked: "How could he possibly turn down a sexy naked blonde? What's his problem?!" I guess sexiness is in the eye of the beholder because I didn't find her all that sexy. Sure, she has a pretty face, but her body is nearly as un-curvy as a 12 year-old girl. But some guys prefer thinner women and that's cool; to each his own. In addition, Kowalski was still grieving over his true love. Moreover, the naked blond didn't play the game of seduction, which takes time and imagination. Instead she prematurely throws her entire hand on the table and it simply doesn't turn Kowalski on. Lastly, despite it being the "free love" era (1970), Kowalski was much older (and arguably nobler) than the average hippie; as such, he didn't feel it proper to take advantage of the mate of the guy who was selflessly helping him (at least not without his clear permission).
The movie runs 99 minutes and was shot in Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
GRADE: B-
COMMENTARY ON THE MEANING ***SPOILER ALERT*** (Don't read further unless you've seen the movie)
In an interview Barry Newman very seriously explained Kowalski's actions at the end: "He thought he could make it through; and that was the reason for the smile just prior to the impact." I don't question this since the actor himself would have more insights about the movie than the viewer, but even his answer is ambiguous. It could mean (and probably does) that Kowalski thought he could make it through to the other side, i.e. leave the physical plane for the spiritual one and the (possible) freedom thereof. After all, he sees "the light" between the blades of the bulldozers while approaching. Keep in mind that Kowalski was hopped up on a lot of drugs. As such, he doesn't commit suicide in the sense he wants to die, but rather kills himself in the accident because he BELIEVES he'll make it through; physically or spiritually, it doesn't matter. He believed.
This is a cult flick about the adventures of a rebel without a cause. While it has similarities to 1969's "Easy Rider," it's not as compelling and the subtext isn't as good (see my review of "Easy Rider").
The story is a big middle finger to what was called "the establishment" at a time when the Vietnam War was making a wreck of America's social cohesion. Kowalski was part of that establishment when he was a cop, but became disillusioned after he exposed corruption and was punished for it, but heralded by the counterculture. Kowalski had seen the underbelly of the "pig" and didn't want to be part of it. At the beginning he drives off the road and you see him looking at some derelict vehicles. He increasingly realizes HE is a derelict on the side of the road with nowhere to go. What better next stop than oblivion? The climax is his *beep* off moment to go out on HIS terms. Three years later "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry" sorta ripped it off. While that movie lacks the interesting (and ambiguous) subtext of "Vanishing Point," it's a more compelling watch. Despite the many car chases, "Vanishing Point" is surreal and even languid, embellished by a listless score (e.g the opening) and acid rock tracks throughout; while I don't like the former, most of the latter tracks are good and fit the ambiance of the movie.
Then there's the naked blond on the motorcycle sequence. Someone incredulously asked: "How could he possibly turn down a sexy naked blonde? What's his problem?!" I guess sexiness is in the eye of the beholder because I didn't find her all that sexy. Sure, she has a pretty face, but her body is nearly as un-curvy as a 12 year-old girl. But some guys prefer thinner women and that's cool; to each his own. In addition, Kowalski was still grieving over his true love. Moreover, the naked blond didn't play the game of seduction, which takes time and imagination. Instead she prematurely throws her entire hand on the table and it simply doesn't turn Kowalski on. Lastly, despite it being the "free love" era (1970), Kowalski was much older (and arguably nobler) than the average hippie; as such, he didn't feel it proper to take advantage of the mate of the guy who was selflessly helping him (at least not without his clear permission).
The movie runs 99 minutes and was shot in Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
GRADE: B-
COMMENTARY ON THE MEANING ***SPOILER ALERT*** (Don't read further unless you've seen the movie)
In an interview Barry Newman very seriously explained Kowalski's actions at the end: "He thought he could make it through; and that was the reason for the smile just prior to the impact." I don't question this since the actor himself would have more insights about the movie than the viewer, but even his answer is ambiguous. It could mean (and probably does) that Kowalski thought he could make it through to the other side, i.e. leave the physical plane for the spiritual one and the (possible) freedom thereof. After all, he sees "the light" between the blades of the bulldozers while approaching. Keep in mind that Kowalski was hopped up on a lot of drugs. As such, he doesn't commit suicide in the sense he wants to die, but rather kills himself in the accident because he BELIEVES he'll make it through; physically or spiritually, it doesn't matter. He believed.
Classic Masterpiece , one of my All time Favorite ( A+ Movie) My Ratings 10/10
THE-BEACON-OF-MOVIES-RAFA17 February 2020
This 70's cult classic gets better with age. It's not only the greatest car chase film of all time, it's a glimpse into early 1970's counter culture. As Super Soul says, Kowalski is the 'Last American Hero' - the last free soul lost in a country he no longer can exist in. The film has themes much deeper than it's credited for and if you watch it on bluray, give the commentary by director Richard C. Sarafian a listen.
Almost....
epsilon39 December 2002
As a fan of 70's movies I was really looking forward to this film. Unfortunately, I was let down by a few things.
The acting is reasonable, but with so little script, there's little characterisation to latch onto. I understand that the main character Kowalski is supposed to be a loner and doesn't say much, but if this is the case, the supporting characters need to bring something more to proceedings. As it stands, the only other character worthy of note is Super Soul and and although he does an adequate job of playing the stereotypical soulman, it's not enough.
I like films with a plot. I don't mind if it's drawn out or confusing as long as it's there and it makes me think. This movie so wants to be deep, and yet it fails. The idea that Kowalski is a symbol of freedom is all well and good, but since what he's doing is pointless and benefits nobody, how is he free? Because he decides to drive dangerously fast so he can get a better deal on some drugs when he gets home? I don't have a problem with the pro-drugs nature of the movie, but as for a statement of freedom, I don't see it. Lets say he runs over someone and kills them - how is he free?
In reading the reviews here, many people seem to have misinterpreted the meaning of this film. To me, it's more of a statement of a man's reaction against his despair at the downturn in his life. He feels so isolated and ruined - his previous jobs were ace racing driver and top cop and now he's a lowly car delivery man. He goes on one final pointless race, but this time it's against the world (hence his last self destructive act.)
It's one final act of defiance against a life with a rapidly vanishing point (hence the title in case you're not paying attention.) If it is to do with freedom, it's only in that he frees himself from his miserable life.
Even if this is the meaning behind it (if there is one at all) the film doesn't deal with it very well.
Likewise, the characters he meets along the way are woefully underused. The religious cult has little point (apart from perhaps symbolising the breakdown of traditional religious beliefs) and only just makes it onto the screen before its gone again. The two homosexuals he picks up on the road are disposed of before we know anything about them. The police officers are just stupid planks for him to run off the road a la Smokie and the Bandit. The traveling dude who collects snakes - he barely even had a chance to establish a character before he's gone again. The nude motorcycle rider - let's face it - she was just there for us guys to look at (not that I mind, but why not give her a reason to be there rather than some contrived idea that Kowalski rescued her when she was a kid?)
On the plus side, I did enjoy the car chases, although considering they're the main focus of the film, they weren't even as good as those in other movies (Bullitt, French Connection etc.) Likewise, the music was good, but not great. What I did like a lot was the fact that this is a period piece - it personifies a time when the hippy movement was breaking down and society was in a state of flux. It's stylised in a way that I really enjoyed and at times reminded me of Duel or more applicably Easy Rider.
To sum up, if you're a fan of 70's movies - this one could be for you. If you enjoyed Easy Rider, this isn't anywhere near as good but is well worth a look. Not a classic, but very interesting.
The acting is reasonable, but with so little script, there's little characterisation to latch onto. I understand that the main character Kowalski is supposed to be a loner and doesn't say much, but if this is the case, the supporting characters need to bring something more to proceedings. As it stands, the only other character worthy of note is Super Soul and and although he does an adequate job of playing the stereotypical soulman, it's not enough.
I like films with a plot. I don't mind if it's drawn out or confusing as long as it's there and it makes me think. This movie so wants to be deep, and yet it fails. The idea that Kowalski is a symbol of freedom is all well and good, but since what he's doing is pointless and benefits nobody, how is he free? Because he decides to drive dangerously fast so he can get a better deal on some drugs when he gets home? I don't have a problem with the pro-drugs nature of the movie, but as for a statement of freedom, I don't see it. Lets say he runs over someone and kills them - how is he free?
In reading the reviews here, many people seem to have misinterpreted the meaning of this film. To me, it's more of a statement of a man's reaction against his despair at the downturn in his life. He feels so isolated and ruined - his previous jobs were ace racing driver and top cop and now he's a lowly car delivery man. He goes on one final pointless race, but this time it's against the world (hence his last self destructive act.)
It's one final act of defiance against a life with a rapidly vanishing point (hence the title in case you're not paying attention.) If it is to do with freedom, it's only in that he frees himself from his miserable life.
Even if this is the meaning behind it (if there is one at all) the film doesn't deal with it very well.
Likewise, the characters he meets along the way are woefully underused. The religious cult has little point (apart from perhaps symbolising the breakdown of traditional religious beliefs) and only just makes it onto the screen before its gone again. The two homosexuals he picks up on the road are disposed of before we know anything about them. The police officers are just stupid planks for him to run off the road a la Smokie and the Bandit. The traveling dude who collects snakes - he barely even had a chance to establish a character before he's gone again. The nude motorcycle rider - let's face it - she was just there for us guys to look at (not that I mind, but why not give her a reason to be there rather than some contrived idea that Kowalski rescued her when she was a kid?)
On the plus side, I did enjoy the car chases, although considering they're the main focus of the film, they weren't even as good as those in other movies (Bullitt, French Connection etc.) Likewise, the music was good, but not great. What I did like a lot was the fact that this is a period piece - it personifies a time when the hippy movement was breaking down and society was in a state of flux. It's stylised in a way that I really enjoyed and at times reminded me of Duel or more applicably Easy Rider.
To sum up, if you're a fan of 70's movies - this one could be for you. If you enjoyed Easy Rider, this isn't anywhere near as good but is well worth a look. Not a classic, but very interesting.
simply one of the best car movies of all time.........
il_smith8 February 2005
the plot summary covers the story and yes! there is a story wrapped around one long car chase. the speed is real, the NOISE is real, that Challenger leaves black lines on the road........ I saw it when it was first released (when I was young and silly) and then spent 15 years trying to track down a Video copy of the movie (made more difficult as it had to be a PAL copy). I got the video in the '90s and still watch this amazing film. People rave about the chase sequence in Bullitt or The French Connection. Vanishing Point takes that excitement and extends it. Simply a great car movie for those who like a great car movie.... watch it
Drive On
j-lacerra31 March 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This is kind of an odd little movie, featuring the relatively obscure Barry Newman as the driver of a 1970 Dodge Challenger, who has made a bet that he can deliver this vehicle from Denver to San Francisco in 15 hours. Naturally, the various local highway patrols take exception to him accomplishing this feat, and ... the chase is on! We have a little bit of Easy Rider and a little bit of Sugarland Express mixed here with a sprinkle of Bullit and 'Bandit' for seasoning.
Flashbacks that are way too short are inserted to give us some insight into the character of Kowalski (Newman), and they serve to explain little. Newman displays the acting skill of a stick, and encounters characters who are all stereotypes: 'Cranky Old Wilderness Guy' (see Jeremiah Johnson), sexually liberated naked flower child, white racist country music types, sympathetic blind black guy, bumbling cops, etc. Particularly annoying is the usually enjoyable Cleavon Little as the blind DJ trying to help Kowalski.
In the end, in the UK version, Charlotte Rampling is employed to play a cadaverous hitch hiker (Death?), who Kowalski makes love to and then, of course, must race to a blazing suicidal crash.
Is this movie harmful? No. It passes its 97 minutes (UK) mildly entertaining. But the let down at the end has you asking, "What was that all about?"
Flashbacks that are way too short are inserted to give us some insight into the character of Kowalski (Newman), and they serve to explain little. Newman displays the acting skill of a stick, and encounters characters who are all stereotypes: 'Cranky Old Wilderness Guy' (see Jeremiah Johnson), sexually liberated naked flower child, white racist country music types, sympathetic blind black guy, bumbling cops, etc. Particularly annoying is the usually enjoyable Cleavon Little as the blind DJ trying to help Kowalski.
In the end, in the UK version, Charlotte Rampling is employed to play a cadaverous hitch hiker (Death?), who Kowalski makes love to and then, of course, must race to a blazing suicidal crash.
Is this movie harmful? No. It passes its 97 minutes (UK) mildly entertaining. But the let down at the end has you asking, "What was that all about?"
Could have been great...
headly6623 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Vanishing Point seems to be one of those films on the cusp between the 60's era psychedelia and the 70's tough guy cop chase movies. It has elements of both and could have been so much more had it focused more on the main character and less on the nonsense. In so many films of this type the lead meets up with the strangest people just to be strange and it adds little to the overall story. I recall the scene in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot where they encounter that crazy guy who shoots rabbits from his trunk and funnels the exhaust into the cars interior, why, we don't know and never find out. In Vanishing Point we have to two weird gay bandits in one of the most ridiculous scenes I have ever watched and a revival meeting in the desert that seems just thrown in and pointless.
The Dodge Challenger obviously is just incredible and is a star in it's own right and the shots of it screaming across the desert highways are just fantastic. I'm not sure of the whole delivery premise to begin with, he doesn't seem to care if the car is damaged, so why is he in a hurry to deliver it and didn't they have Dodge dealerships in CA in 1970???. Is it a death wish from the start? It's hard to see this now and realize that car was brand new and one of the true monsters of the road at the time. The movie is dated like most older films but I don't rate movies based on that, you have to take into account the time and not compare it to today.
Clevon Little's role is just incredibly stupid with him feeling the drivers moves or whatever and the music they choose does not fit the scenario at all, you would of expected a much harder soundtrack. I'm still not sure why there is a soul station in the middle of nowhere, and it must have one powerful signal to reach such a long distance. In fact the music here is so bad and forgettable I can't imagine anyone listing it as part of the reason they like this film. A lot of movies from this era used groups they thought were going to be popular or are friends of the producer, there is not one hit from the 60's or 70's here except "Mississippi Queen" which is used for ten seconds and in the wrong place.
More weird to be weird is the naked chick but I guess there is a running theme of wispy blonds in his past, but how in the hell would she have a collage of his history?
The ending is so disconnected from the rest of the movie, the crowd awaiting his arrival don't even seem to be in the same scene and it ends so anticlimactically. Why did they suddenly use a Camaro to blow up instead of the Dodge, you can even see the letters on the side nameplate. The beginning had a good feel to it and I can't imaging how great this would have been had it been more structured and been a straight action film instead of trying to become some religious message wrapped in a Challenger.
The Dodge Challenger obviously is just incredible and is a star in it's own right and the shots of it screaming across the desert highways are just fantastic. I'm not sure of the whole delivery premise to begin with, he doesn't seem to care if the car is damaged, so why is he in a hurry to deliver it and didn't they have Dodge dealerships in CA in 1970???. Is it a death wish from the start? It's hard to see this now and realize that car was brand new and one of the true monsters of the road at the time. The movie is dated like most older films but I don't rate movies based on that, you have to take into account the time and not compare it to today.
Clevon Little's role is just incredibly stupid with him feeling the drivers moves or whatever and the music they choose does not fit the scenario at all, you would of expected a much harder soundtrack. I'm still not sure why there is a soul station in the middle of nowhere, and it must have one powerful signal to reach such a long distance. In fact the music here is so bad and forgettable I can't imagine anyone listing it as part of the reason they like this film. A lot of movies from this era used groups they thought were going to be popular or are friends of the producer, there is not one hit from the 60's or 70's here except "Mississippi Queen" which is used for ten seconds and in the wrong place.
More weird to be weird is the naked chick but I guess there is a running theme of wispy blonds in his past, but how in the hell would she have a collage of his history?
The ending is so disconnected from the rest of the movie, the crowd awaiting his arrival don't even seem to be in the same scene and it ends so anticlimactically. Why did they suddenly use a Camaro to blow up instead of the Dodge, you can even see the letters on the side nameplate. The beginning had a good feel to it and I can't imaging how great this would have been had it been more structured and been a straight action film instead of trying to become some religious message wrapped in a Challenger.
Eyes chasing Eyes
tedg7 September 2009
Gosh, I had forgotten how powerful this is.
Seeing it again is a real lesson on how certain cinematic language, if presented purely, transcends. And for a US-made movie, it is pretty pure.
If you do not know it, the primary narrative is essentially no narrative: a muscle car speeding across the desert chased by police, initially for speeding and ultimately just to exert power. This fellow is Kowalski, a name imported from a landmark film. He simply drives. It is his life now. We see flashbacks. Find he was a Medal of Honor winner in Vietnam, a star racer and then a cop. There's a backstory about his being a good cop and turning in some rotten apples, so by degrees we come to understand the moral landscape.
There is only one other character, a blind black disk jockey who is listened to by apparently everyone. Guided by his eavesdropping on police radio, and some psychic ability.
This was after "Easy Rider" and instead of bold men moving into a life, we have life chasing an honest man. Same ethic, could even have been the same man. But he knows himself. He knows he is a cinematic creature, someone to be observed and dreamed about. He knows he carries his world with him. Always borrowed.
You can see Malick here, the notion that the character sees us seeing him, that he knows he is fictional and knows we think him not. You can trace it to the female version in "Thelma and Louise," where they have their end only because they know someone will watch. Its not like "Cool Hand Luke," or "Bonnie and Clyde" at all where the man decides. That comes from the Hollywood western.
Its derived from the "Breathless" tradition.
A good third of this film is spent on the "audience," the rural townspeople. These parts are filmed in a documentary style, with — it seems — real people who have come to watch the filming, having heard on the radio from a borrowed soul. They look dumb and bored, clearly with nothing better to do than watch, just like us.
Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.
Seeing it again is a real lesson on how certain cinematic language, if presented purely, transcends. And for a US-made movie, it is pretty pure.
If you do not know it, the primary narrative is essentially no narrative: a muscle car speeding across the desert chased by police, initially for speeding and ultimately just to exert power. This fellow is Kowalski, a name imported from a landmark film. He simply drives. It is his life now. We see flashbacks. Find he was a Medal of Honor winner in Vietnam, a star racer and then a cop. There's a backstory about his being a good cop and turning in some rotten apples, so by degrees we come to understand the moral landscape.
There is only one other character, a blind black disk jockey who is listened to by apparently everyone. Guided by his eavesdropping on police radio, and some psychic ability.
This was after "Easy Rider" and instead of bold men moving into a life, we have life chasing an honest man. Same ethic, could even have been the same man. But he knows himself. He knows he is a cinematic creature, someone to be observed and dreamed about. He knows he carries his world with him. Always borrowed.
You can see Malick here, the notion that the character sees us seeing him, that he knows he is fictional and knows we think him not. You can trace it to the female version in "Thelma and Louise," where they have their end only because they know someone will watch. Its not like "Cool Hand Luke," or "Bonnie and Clyde" at all where the man decides. That comes from the Hollywood western.
Its derived from the "Breathless" tradition.
A good third of this film is spent on the "audience," the rural townspeople. These parts are filmed in a documentary style, with — it seems — real people who have come to watch the filming, having heard on the radio from a borrowed soul. They look dumb and bored, clearly with nothing better to do than watch, just like us.
Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.
Exciting, But More Illogical Than "Gilligan's Island"
BoomerDT31 July 2015
I can remember reading a review for "VP" when it was released that said something to the effect of "I wouldn't want to be driving down the street of a drive-in movie after this ends and the kids in their cars are leaving" Being 16 years old at the time-the reviewer was absolutely correct. VP packed them in at the drive-ins, this was still the era of big engines and cheap gas. In a few years the Arab oil embargo, sky rocketing insurance rates, and pollution regulations would cripple the Detroit's muscle car industry, but Hollywood in the early 70's still made car chase movies like "VP," "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry" and "Smoky & the Bandit" in the tradition of Bob Mitchum's 1950's epic, "Thunder Road" that featured about 90 minutes of car chases weaved through a thin plot line.
VP has a minuscule plot that logic totally escapes any logic:
1) Kowalski is supposed to be driving this Dodge Challenger from Denver to SF for a car delivery service, presumably to someone who will take possession of a muscle car in mint condition. Kowalski completely drives the complete crap out of it, on and off road.
2) Kowalski leaves Denver around midnight, but we see him driving in daylight along the breathtaking stretch of I-70 adjacent to the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs, which is only 156 mi. from Denver. Where has Kowalski been all evening? (come to think of it, the only time we see him drive at night is leaving Denver)
3) We only see him stop once for gasoline. I would imagine that the 440 Magnum Dodge engine being driven at 120 mph might get 8mpg. So with a 20 gallon tank Kowalski is going to have to stop at least every hour & half. Speaking of which, why don't the police, instead of chasing him with cars, choppers and setting up roadblocks, just wait for him at the few gas stations that are few and far between in the remote sections of Ut & Nv?
4) the AM radio station, KOW that has the DJ "Supersoul" that aids Kowalski looks like it is in a tiny town in western Nv, I would guess 100 watts, yet Kowalski is able to pick this station up quite clearly all the way from Colorado.
Enough logic. great car chases. hot looking naked chick on a motorcycle shows up later for no reason. not a bad way to spend 90 minutes.
VP has a minuscule plot that logic totally escapes any logic:
1) Kowalski is supposed to be driving this Dodge Challenger from Denver to SF for a car delivery service, presumably to someone who will take possession of a muscle car in mint condition. Kowalski completely drives the complete crap out of it, on and off road.
2) Kowalski leaves Denver around midnight, but we see him driving in daylight along the breathtaking stretch of I-70 adjacent to the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs, which is only 156 mi. from Denver. Where has Kowalski been all evening? (come to think of it, the only time we see him drive at night is leaving Denver)
3) We only see him stop once for gasoline. I would imagine that the 440 Magnum Dodge engine being driven at 120 mph might get 8mpg. So with a 20 gallon tank Kowalski is going to have to stop at least every hour & half. Speaking of which, why don't the police, instead of chasing him with cars, choppers and setting up roadblocks, just wait for him at the few gas stations that are few and far between in the remote sections of Ut & Nv?
4) the AM radio station, KOW that has the DJ "Supersoul" that aids Kowalski looks like it is in a tiny town in western Nv, I would guess 100 watts, yet Kowalski is able to pick this station up quite clearly all the way from Colorado.
Enough logic. great car chases. hot looking naked chick on a motorcycle shows up later for no reason. not a bad way to spend 90 minutes.
a legend of freedom, not anything else
ak064 February 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I don't agree with the other reviewers' comments. The car was beautiful, the sound track was fine, OK, but those are not what are left behind in my memory. I think rating this film as a road film or a car film is severely underestimating its value as a legend of "freedom", what 70s were all about. I first saw this film in my early thirties. I was fascinated by the simple yet powerful expression of the will to reach freedom. All the reactions of Kowalsky, the naked rider, the blind DJ, the store owner, etc, they were all after "freedom". And the possibility of being deprived of freedom is the reason why Kowalsky commits suicide at the end. I will remember it as a perfect legend of freedom, and, despite its simplicity, one of the best films ever made.
Solid car chase movie
Leofwine_draca17 January 2014
VANISHING POINT is a mix of the classic car chase film and a more existential movie along the lines of EASY RIDER; the good news is that it's substantially better than EASY RIDER, and has a sheen of quality lacking in the more crowd-pleasing car flicks of the 1970s (like GONE IN 60 SECONDS and SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT).
Barry Newman, playing it understated, is the driver who's tasked with delivering a car cross country under a strict time limit. Before long, the cops are on his tail for speeding, and what follows is an intense pursuit flick with some great filming of high speed chases. VANISHING POINT is a film that's all about the visual, and it does look lovely, the director capturing the sleekness of the vehicles and by contrast the wildness of the desert locales very well.
And, of course, there's THAT ending, which is unforgettable once seen, and helps to add immeasurably to the experience. I think the story as a whole could have been a little more powerful - it's very slim, and there's barely any characterisation - but this is a classic production far above more recent Hollywood stabs at the genre (like DRIVE ANGRY).
Barry Newman, playing it understated, is the driver who's tasked with delivering a car cross country under a strict time limit. Before long, the cops are on his tail for speeding, and what follows is an intense pursuit flick with some great filming of high speed chases. VANISHING POINT is a film that's all about the visual, and it does look lovely, the director capturing the sleekness of the vehicles and by contrast the wildness of the desert locales very well.
And, of course, there's THAT ending, which is unforgettable once seen, and helps to add immeasurably to the experience. I think the story as a whole could have been a little more powerful - it's very slim, and there's barely any characterisation - but this is a classic production far above more recent Hollywood stabs at the genre (like DRIVE ANGRY).
More than just a car chase flick.
EbrosTheMonk22 May 2003
Warning: Spoilers
This movie held me spellbound the first time I saw it and is still capable of this after countless viewings. This is more than just a car chase movie, it actually has depth and a story to tell. The scenery of the great American West is also first rate and the soundtrack never fails to set the mood.
**THIS PARAGRAGH MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS** The story of the main character, an auto delivery driver named Kowalski unfolds as he takes delivery of a white '70 Dodge Challenger which is as he puts it `souped up to 160' and proceeds to drive it from Denver to San Francisco. His plan, however is to do this in 15 hours to win a bet. As Kowalski makes his journey his life is revealed to us through flashbacks and recollections which are usually triggered by what is currently happening to him in real time. Through these the viewer learns that despite his apparent lawless behavior, Kowalski is a man of good character. One of the big things that drew me into this movie is that it doesn't hand you the explanations on a silver platter. Instead it allows you to think about it and draw your own conclusions long after you've seen it. Certain other reviewers here have already done a great job of touching on the philosophies of freedom and individualism prevalent in this movie, so I won't waste the time trying to top those. I'll add that I feel this is a type of an expressionist film. Kowalski is kind of an `Everyman' (I think people can relate to him) who is on a journey to find his place in the grand scheme of things. Along his path he encounters various characters that watch over him and help him along, but there are also those who wish to shut him down. Whether you think the conclusion of Kowalski's journey is successful or not is up to you.
Another big plus is the realism in the driving scenes, where the drivers are actually driving their machines and occasionally things happen like tires going flat or the car needs fuel. Most modern car chase sequences leave me wanting with all of the computer generated car moves and general lack of realism (no, you can't shoot a car repeatedly with a .50 calibre machine gun without harming the occupants or engine). I know they sometimes got it wrong back then too, doing things like obviously speeding the film up. In this one though, they got it right. The driving here brings us into that realm of manhandling 4000 lbs. of American Iron, in all the glory of big-block V8 roar, screaming smoking tires, and hands flying over the steering wheel.
Another thing that's cool to me about this type of movie is the appearance of the car. At the beginning, the car is resplendent in gleaming chrome and white paint. As the story moves along, the car gradually gets a more dusty battered countenance. I won't spoil the end, but those who've seen it know.
The final things that tie this whole thing together are the soundtrack and scenery. They seem to go hand in hand, from the upbeat rock & roll as Kowalski starts out to the stirring guitar strains during the thoughtful moments. I also cannot say enough about the scenery, which really sucks the viewer in. It ranges from the mountains of Colorado, across Utah and into the searing Nevada desert.
In closing, I'll say that this is one of my favorite movies. It won't be understood by everyone, but those of us who fantasize about getting in a classic car and blasting down an open two-lane highway devoid of SUV's, sport sedans and minivans will likely get it.
**THIS PARAGRAGH MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS** The story of the main character, an auto delivery driver named Kowalski unfolds as he takes delivery of a white '70 Dodge Challenger which is as he puts it `souped up to 160' and proceeds to drive it from Denver to San Francisco. His plan, however is to do this in 15 hours to win a bet. As Kowalski makes his journey his life is revealed to us through flashbacks and recollections which are usually triggered by what is currently happening to him in real time. Through these the viewer learns that despite his apparent lawless behavior, Kowalski is a man of good character. One of the big things that drew me into this movie is that it doesn't hand you the explanations on a silver platter. Instead it allows you to think about it and draw your own conclusions long after you've seen it. Certain other reviewers here have already done a great job of touching on the philosophies of freedom and individualism prevalent in this movie, so I won't waste the time trying to top those. I'll add that I feel this is a type of an expressionist film. Kowalski is kind of an `Everyman' (I think people can relate to him) who is on a journey to find his place in the grand scheme of things. Along his path he encounters various characters that watch over him and help him along, but there are also those who wish to shut him down. Whether you think the conclusion of Kowalski's journey is successful or not is up to you.
Another big plus is the realism in the driving scenes, where the drivers are actually driving their machines and occasionally things happen like tires going flat or the car needs fuel. Most modern car chase sequences leave me wanting with all of the computer generated car moves and general lack of realism (no, you can't shoot a car repeatedly with a .50 calibre machine gun without harming the occupants or engine). I know they sometimes got it wrong back then too, doing things like obviously speeding the film up. In this one though, they got it right. The driving here brings us into that realm of manhandling 4000 lbs. of American Iron, in all the glory of big-block V8 roar, screaming smoking tires, and hands flying over the steering wheel.
Another thing that's cool to me about this type of movie is the appearance of the car. At the beginning, the car is resplendent in gleaming chrome and white paint. As the story moves along, the car gradually gets a more dusty battered countenance. I won't spoil the end, but those who've seen it know.
The final things that tie this whole thing together are the soundtrack and scenery. They seem to go hand in hand, from the upbeat rock & roll as Kowalski starts out to the stirring guitar strains during the thoughtful moments. I also cannot say enough about the scenery, which really sucks the viewer in. It ranges from the mountains of Colorado, across Utah and into the searing Nevada desert.
In closing, I'll say that this is one of my favorite movies. It won't be understood by everyone, but those of us who fantasize about getting in a classic car and blasting down an open two-lane highway devoid of SUV's, sport sedans and minivans will likely get it.
Interesting metaphor, but ultimately pretty boring to me
siderite4 June 2010
The movie is about a guy in a white car chasing through the desert parts of America while being chased by the police for speeding (or better said, not stopping for patrol cars). That's it. The scenery and the background 70's music is all that fills the movie.
Of course, it is also more than that, a metaphor of a man's journey through life. The ending was at the same time as I had expected it, although I really wanted it to have more meaning. Charlotte Rampling, back then young and terribly beautiful, makes an episodic appearance as the hitchhiker that knows our hero by name and says she had been waiting for him for forever. That's his absolution, the forgiveness, the abandonment of the real world and the acceptance of self. Or at least this is how I saw it.
Bottom line: if you are in a pensive mood you might appreciate both the allegory and the beautiful scenery, maybe even the hippy open road feel. Otherwise, you might be sadly disappointed. Myself, while I can't say I regret seeing "a cult movie", I also can't say it is a movie I really wanted to see.
Of course, it is also more than that, a metaphor of a man's journey through life. The ending was at the same time as I had expected it, although I really wanted it to have more meaning. Charlotte Rampling, back then young and terribly beautiful, makes an episodic appearance as the hitchhiker that knows our hero by name and says she had been waiting for him for forever. That's his absolution, the forgiveness, the abandonment of the real world and the acceptance of self. Or at least this is how I saw it.
Bottom line: if you are in a pensive mood you might appreciate both the allegory and the beautiful scenery, maybe even the hippy open road feel. Otherwise, you might be sadly disappointed. Myself, while I can't say I regret seeing "a cult movie", I also can't say it is a movie I really wanted to see.
Iconic, classic, and a "gift" for Mopar
A_Different_Drummer22 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
When Chrysler was first approached for this film, the executive who eventually green-lighted their participation could not believe that anyone would ever watch it. "It's basically a 90 minute ad for a car," he is reputed to have said. Understatement! This 90 minute ad became such a cult hit that an attempt was made to redo it (kindly notice my selection of the word "attempt" and we will discuss the remake no more in this life). Barry Newman had proved a reliable TV actor to that point, but no one had guessed that he would infuse the character of Kowolski with such (pardon the pun) drive. Don't want to give too much away on the off chance you have not seen this film yet, but other reviewers who have opined that this film is a metaphor for the demise of America (from the freedom of the open road, to a police state, with rules and penalties for breaking those rules) may not be far off the mark. See the original, not the AHEM-NEVER-TO-DISCUSSED remake, prepare for a look at the US when freedom was more than a 7 letter world, and prepare for what may possibly be Newman's best work in his career.
Quite fast ,but not enough.
air-man4 January 2003
Film wasn't bad.I watched it with pleasure.But it isn't a movie that you won't forget.Nice music,screenplay-o.k.Was there anything else worth mention? I saw many better films.This one just wasn't interesting enough! Even actors didn't seem to be natural...
Gonzo movie-making at it's best
RNMorton12 October 1999
Barry Newman is perfect in an episodic movie about an ex-cop, now drifter/car ferryman, who takes a friend up on a timed race from Denver to San Francisco in somebody else's car. Once Newman is detected speeding, a lengthy car chase ensues that covers several states. Nice photography of the Open West; great, understated performance by Newman. Some of the movie is dated, and the blind-DJ subplot can be annoying, but the non-stop action makes up for it. Infrequent showings on TV for many years, so watch it or tape it on one of it's rare appearances.
cool car chase picture, but more existential than you'd think
Quinoa19844 November 2007
My impression going into Vanishing Point was that of a road-exploitation picture of the period. And thanks to movie-geek Tarantino Death Proof hyped up by having a kind of image-placement (ala yellow jump-suit in Kill Bill) that superimposed for those who hadn't seen it a sort of expectation. While I didn't quite get the mother of all car-crash pictures- there are a few, don't get it wrong- it is a pretty interesting work of its times. It doesn't get nearly deep enough with its main character as some symbolic point of a fall from grace from authority or of disillusionment with the period, but it's somehow still a cool little movie. There's a feeling that something is going on underneath, the subtext to the whole facet of speed that a person takes (uppers) going along with a kind of car ride that Dr. Gonzo would probably not attempt. At the same time Barry Newman fills in the role as enigmatically as possible; we're never totally sure what this guy's motive is to go for broke in delivering a car across states to a little s***-hole town at 100 miles an hour, which makes it part of the fun.
It's a high-stakes story of daring cop-chases, detour through a desert, help from strangers, and a fatalistic ending that seems more bizarre and shocking than that of an Easy Rider. Not to say much for plot, though the writers do inject a strange co-plot (not quite sub-plot exactly) with a blind disc jockey, played by a spot-on Cleavon Little, who keeps tabs with Kowalsky as if he were an angel on his shoulder. The director also fashions out with a superb DP (who also worked on Chinatown) a good way making things not ever go too lighting paced or frenetic, but giving some level of breathing room of the open spaces, the long stretches of road, the desert, the rural towns, even Kowalski's face. And the sort of straightforward-but-not attitude to Kowalski's mission, in light of his history, adds to the thrills.
If it's only a little disappointing it's that it hasn't aged as well as it should've. Maybe it's not exactly a fault- it's proud to be in the 70s, with moments of grass and that naked woman on the bicycle as indicators of a 'far-out' period- but, for example, should the rock and roll not always be a consistent point with the scenes? Some songs do stand out, and at times it's toe-tapping even, but not many. And the suddenness of the ending marks as almost a cop-out; it's just too easy a way to end the flick when it feels like a bigger climax awaits. Vanishing Point doesn't have dynamite storytelling, but it does have a dynamite attitude, positioning itself in the frame of a B-movie to make its mark with a terrific car and a bad-ass behind the wheel.
It's a high-stakes story of daring cop-chases, detour through a desert, help from strangers, and a fatalistic ending that seems more bizarre and shocking than that of an Easy Rider. Not to say much for plot, though the writers do inject a strange co-plot (not quite sub-plot exactly) with a blind disc jockey, played by a spot-on Cleavon Little, who keeps tabs with Kowalsky as if he were an angel on his shoulder. The director also fashions out with a superb DP (who also worked on Chinatown) a good way making things not ever go too lighting paced or frenetic, but giving some level of breathing room of the open spaces, the long stretches of road, the desert, the rural towns, even Kowalski's face. And the sort of straightforward-but-not attitude to Kowalski's mission, in light of his history, adds to the thrills.
If it's only a little disappointing it's that it hasn't aged as well as it should've. Maybe it's not exactly a fault- it's proud to be in the 70s, with moments of grass and that naked woman on the bicycle as indicators of a 'far-out' period- but, for example, should the rock and roll not always be a consistent point with the scenes? Some songs do stand out, and at times it's toe-tapping even, but not many. And the suddenness of the ending marks as almost a cop-out; it's just too easy a way to end the flick when it feels like a bigger climax awaits. Vanishing Point doesn't have dynamite storytelling, but it does have a dynamite attitude, positioning itself in the frame of a B-movie to make its mark with a terrific car and a bad-ass behind the wheel.
Vanishingly Little Point
paul2001sw-129 August 2004
'Vanishing Point', a chase movie from the early 1970s, can be easily related to other films of the same (or similar) genres. From its predecessor 'Easy Rider' it takes the bleak beauty of western America, a rollicking soundtrack and a structure whereby the continuum of life on the road is punctuated by emblematic, but vague, encounters. Like Spielberg's 'Duel', it is minimalistic in form. But it's outlaw philosophy has more in common with later, sillier films like 'Smokey and the Bandit' and 'The Cannonball Run' (in 'Easy Rider', the heroes simply want to mind their own business; but in 'Vanishing Point', beating the system is the end in itself). This might make the film seem more political, except for the complete vapidness of its central concept: that "freedom" can be defined as the right to burn enormous quantities of oil at life-endangering speeds (indeed, it appears that one of the ways in which the mainstream has persecuted our hero is to attempt to prevent him from driving when drunk). One could say that this film proceeds under the false cloak of counter culturalism, while selling us the same macho dreams as any mainstream Hollywood product. Yet without the pseudo-philosophical justification, this is a movie without point or purpose, whose central character acts without any rational motivation.
For all that, the chase itself is gripping, though it's strange (especially for a European) to see what qualified as a sports car in America 30 years ago: this one has huge front and rear overhangs and ridiculously soft suspension. But the worst thing about this movie are its bizarre diversions from the main plot, which include: the cheesiest love scene I can remember; a strange, homophobia-tinged encounter with a couple of gay would-be car-hijackers; a racist attack, apropos of nothing; and, most oddly of all, a meeting with a motorcycling, naked blonde in the middle of the desert. The surprise ending which follows all this might have had an impact if the film that had preceded it had anything to say.
The only real reason for watching this film today is as a period piece, a strange mix of reactionary and hippie values that clearly mark it a product of its time. But freedom does not mean irresponsibility; nor does irresponsibility in itself bring freedom, however oppressive we find may the life we are expected to live. Watch 'Five Easy Pieces', a timeless classic from the same era, for a real exploration of these themes.
For all that, the chase itself is gripping, though it's strange (especially for a European) to see what qualified as a sports car in America 30 years ago: this one has huge front and rear overhangs and ridiculously soft suspension. But the worst thing about this movie are its bizarre diversions from the main plot, which include: the cheesiest love scene I can remember; a strange, homophobia-tinged encounter with a couple of gay would-be car-hijackers; a racist attack, apropos of nothing; and, most oddly of all, a meeting with a motorcycling, naked blonde in the middle of the desert. The surprise ending which follows all this might have had an impact if the film that had preceded it had anything to say.
The only real reason for watching this film today is as a period piece, a strange mix of reactionary and hippie values that clearly mark it a product of its time. But freedom does not mean irresponsibility; nor does irresponsibility in itself bring freedom, however oppressive we find may the life we are expected to live. Watch 'Five Easy Pieces', a timeless classic from the same era, for a real exploration of these themes.
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