Vanishing Point, 1971

[Foxtrot X-Ray]

I spotted the Vanishing Point DVD yesterday, and it made it's way home with me .


Watched it last night.





Some thoughts.





The Script: Er... To me, it left o lot of questions regarding Motivations.


Other than the fact he was driving under the influence of Speed, WHY was he doing this?


At the end, WHY did he choose to die? It's all rather unclear..





Many of these issues were resolved, if not prfectly, in the 1997 remake Starring LOTR's Viggo Mortensen.





The Car: Sweeet. the Chally is definately on mon top 3 cars list.


The only mechanical details we're actually given are the fact that it's an 440 Six-Pack R/T, Four Speed.


Kowalski mentions it being "Hopped up over 160". Exactly what he means by this is unknown.


Over 160 miles per hour as it's top speed? Well, that IS pretty respectable...


I rather think he means it's an additional 160 Horsepower. Bringing the vehicle's rating up to... 550.


DEFINATELY Respectable.





It's mentioned in the dialog that it's "Possibly Supercharged", but I don't see anything to convince me of this.





The Action: Wow. This movie literally is a 90 minute chase scene.


In many shots, the random movements and slight losses of control thoughout really add to the excitement and realism.





The Music: With apologies to those who LIKE this sort of stuff.. It's the WORST sort of Early '70s Tripe with the exception of one song, Mississippi Queen by Mountain (I think).








One last comment before I open the mic for other user's comments..





I really, REALLY wish they could have restored the Unused footage, and possibly included as an Alternate Endging, the original Scripted Ending Where Kowalski makes it past the Bulldozer Barricade...

[Billy The Skid]

I think he was taking 'Speed' to stay awake.


It's one of my favourite movies, but I agree with ya they should have stuck with the scripted ending.

[Foxtrot X-Ray]

Oops. Sorry. Badly worded.


Wasn't meaning "Why was he taking Speed?"


It was the early '70s, that's why.





Meant Why OTHER than the fact he was taking speed was he running?





I man, we can make up theories all day long, but we aren't presented with enough infoo for a GOOD theory

[Interdictor]

It's exestential. (SP, I know) He's running from his demons and his past. He dies with a smile on his face. He is content, maybe for the first time in ages (if ever) He chooses to go out on a high note, in control of his destiny. "The last american hero, for whom speed (not the drug) means freedom of the soul." The film is definately a product of the 70's. One of my favorites. They just don't make movies like this anymore.

[Anklecranker]

Why was Kowalski doing these things?


Like most of the 1970's there was a subtle political message in American Films. The message was "Defining the plight against bureaucracy and oppressive government" [/font]


The message was that the ordinary man can have freedom from perceived tyranny and is willing to die rather that have his freedom restrained or worse taken away. He was driving the distance because "they said it can't be done, its illegal, he'll never make it". This was rebellion. [/font]


He ended the chase with the crash to accentuate his message with iron action versus hollow words or ideals. Remember Tienamin square in China? Do you have the mental image of the lone person standing in front of the tanks refusing to move? His only goal was to gain freedom and he was willing to back up his beliefs with action, even it it meant death. [/font]


This is a popular topic in cinema because iron action is rare and admirable. Think of it today how many are really willing to lay down their life for what they believe in? Not just talk ........but actually say " I will not move from blocking the tank" and back it up. [/font]


This is what separates heroes from ordinary men. Kowalski chose to exit as hero. He spoke with iron. [/font]


[/font]


[/font]

[Gordon Hayes]

[/font]


"I remembered a celluloid vision from deep in the past. Yes... from across a decade the ghost of Kowaski howled up from the Ashphalt, 1970 White Challenger, Colorado plates 0A 5599. The desert, the heat, a different car from a different country, but linked forever in a V8 bloodline".


"[/font]The film "Vanishing Point" depicts Kowalski as a burnt out man, his girlfriend had drowned surfing, he was disillusioned with his job as a police officer, and had quit. He is now an ex-race driver and decorated war veteran who has finally been pulled under ... and he started doing it his way. At that point he stopped fitting into the laws of society. To pay the bills and satisfy his instinct to move and drive, he took a job as a long distance delivery driver, working out of Denver Colorado, he would cross the country presumably delivering cars to dealers who needed a particular model or anyone else who could not be bothered with driving. In this lonely job his personal stability degenerates even further, his life is now leaking away, nightmares and broken dreams. At this point we meet Kowalski, and Kowalski meets the Challenger[/font].[/font] Kowalski picks up the pristine white Challenger late one Friday night, having had just returned from a drive west, he has not slept (demons in dreams?), and instead of sleep he elects to return to the highway, driving is the only release.[/font]

[/font]Exhausted, Kowalski requires a supply of Speed to get him back to San Francisco. While picking up the pills, Kowalski makes a bet with his dealer. Kowalski is now pumped up for the drive, so he bets the tab for the speed that he can have the Challenger in San Francisco by 3.00 pm Saturday. It is just after midnight on Friday.[/font]

[/font]So the wild ride begins. Kowalski is outside the law, but his gradually introduced background history and strategically positioned flashbacks establish him as a good guy anyhow.


"The Challenger was just another example of how nice a car could look before the windtunnel arrived on the motoring scene. It was low and wide, sporting the familiar "Coke" bottle shape. America had such a lovely formula back then, make them look tough, and make them powerful. What a wonderful option a 7.2 litre V8 must have been. How could anyone with blood in their veins not tick that box on the option list. So their choice of a base car was a good one, (actually not so much a choice as the cars were loaned by Dodge, who wanted to pump-up the image a bit). Nevertheless, the Challenger was a stand-alone monster. And it deserved its place in the film".




"the 1970 Dodge Challenger remains to me the high point of the marque, therefore it rates with me as one of my favorite cars. I loved its stance, its power, its sound, and its look. I envy any reader who has one.

Dodge produced many fine and famous performance cars, but for my money, it could only ever be a white Challenger".[/font][/font]


"Vanishing Point" now stands as a reminder of past and different times, when Hollywood films were made with an emotional heart rather than a special effects one. Directors realized an audience could have an attention span, and lastly, a time when fuel was cheap, and muscle cars ruled the black Earth. [/font]


http://www.lastinterceptor.info/influences.html[/font]

[v8interceptor]

Hey Gordon, I noticed that your Falcon in the Interceptor to LA video has the OA-5599 license plate. It's for the Vanishing Point movie right?

[Interdictor]

(speaking for Gordon) You got it. OA-5599, that's "Kowalski's last ride."