Vanishing Point

[Ron H]

When the Chrysler executives were shown a private screening of the film they were shocked and appalled by the rampant drug use and nudity,they disassociated themselves and the company from the film. The movie probably sold a lot of Challengers, but none of them wanted to take the heat from the brass!

Interesting story and yet they gave them the cars for the flick (?) with no up front review of the script. Assuming this included all the new cop cars (no idea)...I mean the whole idea that a guy in a Challenger is going to outrun the cops and all...lol.

 

[padam]

Such a cool and funky movie. Really a period piece.
I never liked most of the music though. All of it needs replaced with metal. Show Me How to Live is perfect

One of my favorite scenes is when he is on the Nascar track, IIRC in a 65. That looks like a suicide ride in itself.
I would watch a lot more racing if they just showed in car cameras.

 

[guy gadbois]

This movie, imnsho, is one of only two that I know of - the other being 'An Affair to Remember' - where the remake is better than the original.
Feel free to start lobbing grenades...

 

[Ron H]

This movie, imnsho, is one of only two that I know of - the other being 'An Affair to Remember' - where the remake is better than the original.
Feel free to start lobbing grenades...

If I follow ya here, the remake of Vanishing Point is better than the original? If so, I’m not a red X guy; I’d be curious to understand why you found the remake better. IMO, the remake was a sad crappy cheap TV flick that tried to plagiarize the original (poorly), despite having a quality actor. This movie should have not had the same name or character. Embarrassing…lol, ya got my slant.

 

[SteveSS]

No one has mentioned Quentin Tarantino's tribute to Vanishing Point, Death Proof. Yeah, she does her own stunts.

 

[66 Sat]

Such a cool and funky movie. Really a period piece.
I never liked most of the music though. All of it needs replaced with metal.

I have to disagree with this. I absolutely love the soundtrack, have got the CD.
The first song after yours truly Super Supersoul does his introduction "The girl done got it together" and then "Where do we go from here" are just the perfect compliment to the beginning of the chase. The later tracks all fit the mood too, especially the final track "Over me" that plays before he crashes into the dozers.
This was my introduction to Mountain as well, can't beat the 70's music!

 

[Kern Dog]

For all of you Challenger owners who cringe during the final scene, one last fact. In the final legendary scene where Kowalski meets his end by slamming into two bulldozers at full speed, the car used for the collision and quickly followed explosion wasn’t actually a Challenger. In fact, the car used was actually a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro shell that had been filled with explosives. The Camaro was attached to a quarter-mile long cable system and then pulled to its death at high speeds by the 383-powered Challenger.

Thank you but I suspect that maybe 90% of the Mopar enthusiasts already knew that.
I'll bet that this Chevy guy didn't know....

 

[Kern Dog]

No one has mentioned Quentin Tarantino's tribute to Vanishing Point, Death Proof.

That is because the movie sucked. Typical Tarentino....Too much bullshit dialog building up to mediocre action....

 

[joe m]

 

[joe m]

Pics are from Tennessee it was a museum around gaitlinburg.

 

[guy gadbois]

If I follow ya here, the remake of Vanishing Point is better than the original? If so, I’m not a red X guy; I’d be curious to understand why you found the remake better. IMO, the remake was a sad crappy cheap TV flick that tried to plagiarize the original (poorly), despite having a quality actor. This movie should have not had the same name or character. Embarrassing…lol, ya got my slant.

Well Ron, my take on it is on a couple of different levels; the cinematography of the original leaves much to be desired and the story 'drags' a bit. My main objection to the original vs the remake is the underlying "theme/message" of the first one is decidedly left leaning, whilst the remake is more Libertarian/right leaning. Plus the remake has a happy(er) ending. Tho the original DOES have the girl on the bike...
YMMV etc, as always

 

[Ron H]

Certainly one’s preference, personal likes/dislikes. I’m old enough to remember the era when the original was made; IMO it was a fair reflection of the anti-establishment fad of the time. My like was the loose-meandering story, revealed within it, as the cops where trying to figure out just what Kowalski was up to, much more why. This being unlike some made for TV flicks that tried to tie everything together plot-wise in a nice-neat bow. The original left a fair extent to the viewer’s guesswork making this a cult-favorite movie. Again MO, and a nice job with the chase scenes given the technology at the time for a low budget movie requiring a lot of planning, staging, and filming miles better (pun here) than the remake. Funny thing is personally, never attached any left or right political slants on the flick while this could certainly be pondered on.

 

[BeatersRus]

Well Ron, my take on it is on a couple of different levels; the cinematography of the original leaves much to be desired and the story 'drags' a bit. My main objection to the original vs the remake is the underlying "theme/message" of the first one is decidedly left leaning, whilst the remake is more Libertarian/right leaning. Plus the remake has a happy(er) ending. Tho the original DOES have the girl on the bike...
YMMV etc, as always

imo,the story doesnt drag Half as badly as Bullitt does.
all anyone remembers about that movie is the car chase.
which is epic,but blah plot blah movie.

also,for those guys who said they Just saw Vanishing point,check out Dirty Mary and Crazy Larry.
the entire movie is good,has Many chase scenes,jumps car crashes And is actually believable and Really interesting to watch.
just dont blame me when you wake up the next day wanting a lime green 69 charger ;)

 

[BeatersRus]

Well Ron, my take on it is on a couple of different levels; the cinematography of the original leaves much to be desired and the story 'drags' a bit. My main objection to the original vs the remake is the underlying "theme/message" of the first one is decidedly left leaning, whilst the remake is more Libertarian/right leaning. Plus the remake has a happy(er) ending. Tho the original DOES have the girl on the bike...
YMMV etc, as always

the remake is nothing more than a sordid cash grab surfing off the originals Name.
total garbage storyline,and the CGI effects are atrocious.....seriously the dukes of Hazzard Remake was ten times Better than this.
if you want to watch fast n furious stunts,then Yes,the remake is your bowl of....whatever.
happy ending,lol,he gets a legit car given to him by gf,now he can stop stealing them gee whatta great ending and moral lesson.
farts loudly.

 

[guy gadbois]

the remake is nothing more than a sordid cash grab surfing off the originals Name.
total garbage storyline,and the CGI effects are atrocious.....seriously the dukes of Hazzard Remake was ten times Better than this.
if you want to watch fast n furious stunts,then Yes,the remake is your bowl of....whatever.
happy ending,lol,he gets a legit car given to him by gf,now he can stop stealing them gee whatta great ending and moral lesson.
farts loudly.

Ummmm... dont remember Kowalski being given a car... and his girlfriend/wife died. Apparently we have watched two different movies.
Whatever.
Oh, and I am - regrettably! - old enough to remember the era when the original was made Ron. I say regrettably as Im feeling pretty old today...but on the other hand, its not regrettable atall; what a great time. In fact, in one way - actually more than one - I wish I were older as the period between 1955 and 1985 (if you stretch it) was probably the greatest period in human history in many, if not most ways. As my friend AJ (born 1942) usta say 'There is a finite amount of fun in the universe; my generation used it all up. Sorry."

 

[Ron H]

Ummmm... dont remember Kowalski being given a car... and his girlfriend/wife died. Apparently we have watched two different movies.
Whatever.
Oh, and I am - regrettably! - old enough to remember the era when the original was made Ron. I say regrettably as Im feeling pretty old today...but on the other hand, its not regrettable atall; what a great time. In fact, in one way - actually more than one - I wish I were older as the period between 1955 and 1985 (if you stretch it) was probably the greatest period in human history in many, if not most ways. As my friend AJ (born 1942) usta say 'There is a finite amount of fun in the universe; my generation used it all up. Sorry."

Ok my wrong guess pard, as I’m in the geezer group as well, catching a few years of the era when muscle cars were daily drivers (as I drove daily). It was a great time to be around, yep: Drive-ins, outdoor theaters, cruising through our town with car buds, drag racing on the highways outside of town. The unrest around that time was pretty raw late 60’s and the hippie thing (I wasn’t a part of) wasn’t my cup a tea. I didn’t give much thought though back then as I would later, to the guys dying in Vietnam while I was cruising town with one date or another on a hot summer night. It struck me as a couple guys I knew eventually were among them and the rancid hoopla with politics. Just young & dumb with my draft card in the wallet. As coveted as that era was to me; also was a nightmare to others around my age and the 58,000 who came back home in boxes. It was reflection I pondered on later…not so much then.

Interesting that the original movie had many subtle ‘messages’ imbedded within, Nam vet, cop discharged, race clown, driver, love of his life that died…deterioration with his place life…then the mindset (as I interpreted the flick) **** it all! Lol, can’t tell ya how many times in my career, dealing with ****-wad bosses or clients where I had the thought to **** it all..

 

[OKDart]

I still don’t understand why he had to be in San Francisco by Sunday at 3:00 PM

 

[Kern Dog]

The remake had a decent storyline but didn't have the same "soul". Viggo mumbles too damn much and Jason Priestley was given the role as the DJ only because the remake was done at 20th Century Fox and the 90210 TV show was also on the same network.

I love the original. I have no desire to buy or own a Challenger though. I like their looks but don't enjoy the interiors or the overall feel of the car.
Vanishing Point took awhile to grow on me. I first saw it on TV in the late 70s. It wasn't until the 90s before I was able to rent a VHS copy and see the naked woman on the motorcycle!
The 2 sided DVD that came out in the early 2000s had the European version with the added scenes, including the ones with Charlotte Rampling. Those scenes really added to the story in a way that may have made the movie more enjoyable for those that just didn't understand. Charlotte was a hitchhiker that was the human embodiment of "Death". Kowalski spent time with her and was dead the next day. If you get a chance to see this version, I'll bet that you see it the same way as I did.

 

[chargervert]

I still don’t understand why he had to be in San Francisco by Sunday at 3:00 PM

He made a bet with his friend for the speed he was popping like tic tacs!

 

[Kern Dog]

He made a bet with his friend for the speed he was popping like tic tacs!

How weak were those pills if he had to take them multiple times in 15 hours ???