SusannahVanishing Point
January 19th 2008 22:52
VANISHING POINT (1971)
Starring: Barry Newman, Cleavon Little,
Directed By: Richard C. Sarafian
Yes, this is the film that Tarantino references in his half of the Grindhouse double feature Death Proof. The white Dodge Challenger car that the four women seek out in order to joyride being an homage to what is arguably the star of this cinema outing, the 1970, turbo charged, Dodge Challenger. Apparently the colour chosen for the car was white so it would stand out against the coloured backdrop of the Arizona landscape.
The film centres on Kowalski (Barry Newman, who looks like a more conventionally attractive Dustin Hoffman) whose first name we never get to hear because a cop is unable to pronounce it. His job is to transport cars; apparently he drives more than any of the other guys, too much, in fact, as his employer tells him. He takes the job of transporting the Challenger from Colorado to San Francisco, because, he says, he has to be “in ‘Frisco by 3pm Sunday,” even though the car is not due until Monday. He even takes a bet with his drug dealer, from whom he buys speed, that he can make it by then.
The film opens with the Challenger being pursued by cop cars and a helicopter. The time is given as 10.02pm, Saturday. We see a roadblock set up, with two bulldozers blocking the Challenger’s path. Three police cars are pursuing him from the other direction. The Challenger pulls off the road, Kowlaski gets out, appears to come to a decision, and then takes off again in the car at full throttle.
We then rewind to the events leading up to Kowlaski being wanted by the police. Taking the transportation job, he drives like a demon across the scenic Arizona landscape, with nothing but highway between him and his destination. There is plenty of entertaining car action, with Kowalski utilising the median divider between highways in order to evade cops who are trying to make him stop. There is one satisfying scene where a man in a Jaguar convertible tries to take on the Challenger, believing himself to have the superior car, only to end up in the water.
The cops are determined to make Kowalski stop, even though they know they can only charge him with misdemeanour offences, such as failure to stop, and excessive speed. In this sense the film is an anti-authoritarian, anti-establishment road movie, in the same vein as Easy Rider.
A local radio DJ, going by the on-air name of Super Soul (Cleavon Little – Blazing Saddles), learns of the polices’ vendetta against Kowalski by eavesdropping on the police frequency, and proceeds to make broadcasts warning him of the steps being taken to stop him. At times they even have a sort of psychic connection. Super Soul’s radio publicity also helps to make Kowalski into a sort of anti-hero, and he starts to develop a following among the people in the small Arizona towns through which he passes.
Also like Easy Rider, the plot is driven by a series of encounters, as Kowalski meets various people, some of who betray him, like the hitchhikers who attempt to car-jack him, and some of whom offer to help, such as the naked woman on the motorbike, and the snake catcher, who sells snakes to a local religious group.
As the film progresses, we gradually learn more about Kowalski’s past: his time in Vietnam, from which he was honourably discharged; how he used to be a police officer, but was dishonourably discharged for trying to expose a crooked cop; his time as a racecar driver, where he “could have won if he wanted to; he just didn’t want to;” and the death of his girlfriend. Thus life has treated Kowalski pretty roughly, and continues to disillusion him, informing the decision he makes when the events of the film meet up with the opening sequence, and we get a sudden conclusion to the odyssey of Kowalski and the Dodge Challenger’s journey.
In New Zealand this film has an R18. I have to say it is a lot less graphic than many other films with lower ratings that I have seen. There is a nasty bit of violence when the radio station gets raided by the police, but that is neither extended, nor gratuitous, and there is not actually that much nudity. So do not be put off by the warning as this is an entertaining film about a man and his awesome car. I can see why Tarantino likes it so much.
Starring: Barry Newman, Cleavon Little,
Directed By: Richard C. Sarafian
Yes, this is the film that Tarantino references in his half of the Grindhouse double feature Death Proof. The white Dodge Challenger car that the four women seek out in order to joyride being an homage to what is arguably the star of this cinema outing, the 1970, turbo charged, Dodge Challenger. Apparently the colour chosen for the car was white so it would stand out against the coloured backdrop of the Arizona landscape.
The film centres on Kowalski (Barry Newman, who looks like a more conventionally attractive Dustin Hoffman) whose first name we never get to hear because a cop is unable to pronounce it. His job is to transport cars; apparently he drives more than any of the other guys, too much, in fact, as his employer tells him. He takes the job of transporting the Challenger from Colorado to San Francisco, because, he says, he has to be “in ‘Frisco by 3pm Sunday,” even though the car is not due until Monday. He even takes a bet with his drug dealer, from whom he buys speed, that he can make it by then.
The film opens with the Challenger being pursued by cop cars and a helicopter. The time is given as 10.02pm, Saturday. We see a roadblock set up, with two bulldozers blocking the Challenger’s path. Three police cars are pursuing him from the other direction. The Challenger pulls off the road, Kowlaski gets out, appears to come to a decision, and then takes off again in the car at full throttle.
We then rewind to the events leading up to Kowlaski being wanted by the police. Taking the transportation job, he drives like a demon across the scenic Arizona landscape, with nothing but highway between him and his destination. There is plenty of entertaining car action, with Kowalski utilising the median divider between highways in order to evade cops who are trying to make him stop. There is one satisfying scene where a man in a Jaguar convertible tries to take on the Challenger, believing himself to have the superior car, only to end up in the water.
The cops are determined to make Kowalski stop, even though they know they can only charge him with misdemeanour offences, such as failure to stop, and excessive speed. In this sense the film is an anti-authoritarian, anti-establishment road movie, in the same vein as Easy Rider.
A local radio DJ, going by the on-air name of Super Soul (Cleavon Little – Blazing Saddles), learns of the polices’ vendetta against Kowalski by eavesdropping on the police frequency, and proceeds to make broadcasts warning him of the steps being taken to stop him. At times they even have a sort of psychic connection. Super Soul’s radio publicity also helps to make Kowalski into a sort of anti-hero, and he starts to develop a following among the people in the small Arizona towns through which he passes.
Also like Easy Rider, the plot is driven by a series of encounters, as Kowalski meets various people, some of who betray him, like the hitchhikers who attempt to car-jack him, and some of whom offer to help, such as the naked woman on the motorbike, and the snake catcher, who sells snakes to a local religious group.
As the film progresses, we gradually learn more about Kowalski’s past: his time in Vietnam, from which he was honourably discharged; how he used to be a police officer, but was dishonourably discharged for trying to expose a crooked cop; his time as a racecar driver, where he “could have won if he wanted to; he just didn’t want to;” and the death of his girlfriend. Thus life has treated Kowalski pretty roughly, and continues to disillusion him, informing the decision he makes when the events of the film meet up with the opening sequence, and we get a sudden conclusion to the odyssey of Kowalski and the Dodge Challenger’s journey.
In New Zealand this film has an R18. I have to say it is a lot less graphic than many other films with lower ratings that I have seen. There is a nasty bit of violence when the radio station gets raided by the police, but that is neither extended, nor gratuitous, and there is not actually that much nudity. So do not be put off by the warning as this is an entertaining film about a man and his awesome car. I can see why Tarantino likes it so much.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Great review, i did one of my own a while back if your interested click HERE to read it.
Good review, nice to see another fan of the rubber burning gem.
Comment by Cibbuano
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