Film Review: Vanishing Point

Director: Richard C. Safarian

Vanishing Point is one of the definitive road movies of the 1970's as the whole film is based around a car chase and features the hugely popular Dodge Challenger against the police. It was filmed in the American Southwest (mainly Nevada and Utah) and is known for its commentary on the racist attitudes of the region at the time. The film has since been the inspiration for other movies and music videos.

The 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Magnum

Kowalski (Barry Newman) is a car delivery driver and instantly picks up a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Magnum in white to be delivered to San Francisco from Denver by Monday after finshing his last delivery. Despite warnings by the service clerk about getting some rest, he buys some Benzedrine tablets from his dealer, Jake (Lee Weaver). He bets him that he can make it into San Francisco by 3.30pm the next day despite the delivery not being due till Monday. It doesn't take long before he is pursued by the Police for speeding and challenged to a race by another passing driver.

As the pursuit continues, a blind African-American disc jockey called Super Soul (the excellent Cleavon Little) supports Kowalski saying he is ''the last American hero'' and is able to talk to Kowalski somehow through his radio. As the chase continues more people tune in to here the progress and cheer Kowalski on but some people aren't happy with him or Super Soul.

Kowalski (Barry Newman)

The film wasn't popular upon it's release but gradually built up a cult following. Steven Spielberg said it was one of his favourite movies of all time and is similar in idea to his first feature film Duel. Quentin Tarantino also loved the film and features a similar chase with a Dodge Challenger in his Grindhouse feature Death Proof.

Kowalski is an iconic figure who is hard to understand in the movie. Why does he have to be in San Francisco by 3.30pm the next day? What happened to his old girlfriend Vera who haunts his day dreams? The film shows a great insight into the American Southwest at the time with snake catchers, hippies and racists galore. It's a simple film in terms of plot but is just engrossing to watch in the way the car chases are filmed and the superb scenery of the Nevada desert. Watch this movie and you'll instantly want to buy an old American muscle car and go drive across America, I know I did.

4/4 Classic road movie which leaves plenty of intriguing questions