Vanishing Point
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Movie Reviews of Vanishing Point
Movie Review: vanishing point the ultimate reflection
Summary: 5 Stars
Filmed in the early 70s just past the easy rider woodstock epilogg of the 60s generation this film has a gloomy mood, kind of a after christmas depression being one of the first of the 2nd half of the hippy era of the early 70s it looks dated but i think it is intended that way and in a good way. Barry Newman is a car delivery driver after a recent depressing life of vietnam veteran, corrupt law enforcement and possible suicide of his girlfriend. The film defines the mental statis and mind racing of many vietnam veterans of the turbulant 60s and early 70s who can side with him. He is spent and he knows it so he just dont give a damm anymore hes out for his last dash. The 70 dodge chalenger he drives simblizes its last hurrahh as well as the fast car from the factory was winding down with 1970 being the last year for cars to get faster. After that year they started cutting back in the energy crisis to follow. The dodge speaks of its mopar domination being the best of the speedy cars with the hemi supercharger and pistal grip 4 speed shifter. Although some may argue the car is the star thats ok as well. It looks good, sounds good, and owns the road, well for a little while. He is driving from denver to san francisco and meets some more depressed people along the way including cops, want a be [...] robbers, a desert burned out old man, hippi cult jesus freaks, a hippi biker, blind disjocky, and the best for the guys a naked blond riding a bike who ask him for sex but in his chronic depression turns her down. He is popping pills to stay awake and does not appear to have any water in the desert as his life is unquenched and very unsatisfied. Best is the europian vergion when he picks up a girl who desires and wants him but its only a temporary feel good, its only a dream then back to his nightmare his falling apart life. They block the road with 2 bulldozers but he could have went around them. Its like they gave him a choice and the car and him are in a flash like his life and the 60s history. This movie defines the period best and is like no other and never will be like another.Movie Review: A Low Budget Film That is Surprisingly Good
Summary: 5 Stars
You may need to be over 40 to appreciate the social contrasts of American life in 1971 and today. In April of that year an estimated 500,000 Americans were in Washington DC protesting against our involvement in Vietnam. Howard Hughes was still living; NASA sent a probe to Mars while the crew of Apollo 15 was riding for the first time in the Lunar Rover. Charles Manson and `family' were found guilty for the murder of Sharon Tate. The U.A.E. (United Arab Emirates) was formed this year, so was the Libertarian party in the USA. The Concord SST was doing flight tests, Intel announced their 4004 chip, and the movie Vanishing Point began showing in our local movie houses.The star of the movie is not the '70 Dodge Challenger; rather the star is the freedom the car and its driver are trying to attain through speed, and ultimately death. Most of us never know when we'll die, yet the character Kowalski seems to have one up on us. He has been running through life's trials like questions with multiple choice answers, eliminating the obvious wrong answers first.
The vast open spaces the cinematography so wonderfully capture frame the path to the Pearly Gates; rather a crack of light between the blades of a couple of CAT dozers that Director Sarafian refers to as a crack in the fence. Kowalski's soul is about to be set free and the Challenger is just the vehicle that can go fast enough to do it.
As Insurance company's rates soared for muscle cars and Emissions standards pummeled high output engines, the whole muscle car era faded to black in a few years. The movie Vanishing Point is a time machine - the beginning of the end.
The DVD version is by far my favorite which includes Mr. Sarafian's narration as an option. I would have loved to have heard Barry Newman and Clevon Little (sadly deceased in 1992), and or some of the crew with Sarafian discuss the making of the film. There's also a UK version of the film including the cut scenes with Charlotte Rampling (great scene). This is definitely one to add to your library. 5 Stars in my book.
Movie Review: It Still Holds Up Today
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw this in the theater in 1972 while restrained in the Marine Corps and was transported by the music, wide open desert spaces, anti-establishment themes, Kowalski's sense of fair play and nude hippie chicks on motorcycles. In other words all the freedoms I missed while being in the service. I really loved it then and was a little apprehensive about seeing it again as I wasn't sure it would hold up over the years. 36 years to be exact.
Well, the movie works on many different levels and it still holds up today for the same reasons it was a great "B" movie way back in the day. Now, the 1970 Dodge Challenger is a sweet, classic muscle car and just the sound of that engine revving over my home theater system is a nostalgic celebration. (Gotta get me one of those!) We miss Cleavon Little even more as he nearly steals the film as Super Soul the seemingly clairvoyant and misplaced desert DJ. We can still relate to the angst and frustration of not fitting in with mainstream society.
There are real humanistic themes here to go along with the weirdness and action. I appreciated Kowalski's sense of fair play, notice how when someone might be injured he usually stops, gets out of the car and determines whether they might need help. Nice touch. He does this in different ways all through the film. You really see the man behind the wheel as a person.
I did get concerned about the present value of this film during the first fifteen minutes because the early chases seemed rather like "Smokey & The Bandit". I was relieved that we move away from there quickly and head into deeper, darker waters. A very entertaining little film, indeed.
On the downside I would like to have seen some DVD extras like a "making of" segment or interviews and a 5.1 remix of the sound would have been great, too. I know, it's an old "B" movie, I'm just happy it's available at all!
Movie Review: "This radio station is named Kowalski..."
Summary: 5 Stars
Vanishing Point is one of the great existential counter-culture films of the 1970s. Like the similar-minded films, most notably, Two-Lane Blacktop and Duel, this car chase movie features an anti-hero protagonist who equates the open road with freedom and staying in one place for too long with death. For years we have had to suffer with pan and scanned VHS copies but now it has finally arrived on DVD in its original aspect ratio.Fans of Vanishing Point are in for a real treat as both the US and UK versions of the film have been made available on DVD. The UK version runs seven minutes longer and features a scene where Kowalski picks up a female hitchhiker.
Director Richard C. Sarafian contributes an engaging audio commentary. So little has been written about Vanishing Point and it is great to hear Sarafian talk at length about his experiences making the movie.
Also included are vintage TV spots and a theatrical trailer that features wonderfully kitschy ad copy: "Everyone wants a piece of his hide!"
Vanishing Point is a cult film that has endured over the years. UK music group Primal Scream named their 1997 album after the movie and even recorded a song entitled "Kowalski" that features samples from the movie. Audioslave took their love of the film even further and brilliantly recreated and condensed the movie into a music video for their song, "Show Me How To Live." The video incorporates actual footage from the movie and replaces Kowalski with the band. After years of obscurity, Vanishing Point has finally been given proper DVD treatment with an excellent transfer and made both versions available for fans to compare and contrast.
Movie Review: Kowalski throws in the clutch
Summary: 5 Stars
Anti-hero Kowalski has had an eventful and troubled life as a Vietnam vet, policeman, motorcycle racer, and off-track racer. He is now reduced to the more mundane job of a car delivery driver. In his latest assignment - delivering a car from Colorado to California - he starts down a path of self-destruction for no apparent reason. The car, a supercharged Dodge Challenger with no equal, has given him the chance to begin his journey out of society and into the abyss. He outruns the police in several states, brooding all the way over his past, and digs himself deeper and deeper into trouble with the law. He also meets a variety of characters along the way. His exploits are reported by a funky DJ and he becomes a counterculture hero.
Although Kowalski seems to drift through life with no purpose, like the protagonist in "The Stranger," he never loses his humanity. This is evident when he encounters a total jerk in a Jaguar who taunts him and engages him in a drag race. After the Jaguar driver runs off the road and crashes, Kowalski runs back to see if he is alright, putting himself at risk of being caught by the police, who are in pursuit and not far off.
The movie ages well. The early 70's images don't come off as corny, but rather as a clear snapshot of the time, much like "Saturday Night Fever" gives a snapshot of the late 70's. This is not just another car chase movie with fruit stands being knocked over. It's a thoroughly enjoyable tale of existentialism and defiance that reflects the tensions of the period.