The Vanishing (1993)

The boyfriend of an abducted woman never gives up the search as the abductor looks on.

Director:

George Sluizer

Writers:

Tim Krabbé (novel), Todd Graff (screenplay)

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Kiefer Sutherland, Nancy Travis

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Bridges	...	Barney Cousins
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Jeff Harriman
Nancy Travis	...	Rita Baker
Sandra Bullock	...	Diane Shaver
Park Overall	...	Lynn
Maggie Linderman	...	Denise Cousins
Lisa Eichhorn	...	Helene Cousins
George Hearn	...	Arthur Bernard
Lynn Hamilton	...	Miss Carmichael
Garrett Bennett	...	Cop at Gas Station (as Gareth Bennett)
George Catalano	...	Highway Cop
Frank Girardeau	...	Cop at Apartment
Stephen Bridgewater	...	TV Host (as Stephen Wesley Bridgewater)
Susan Barnes	...	Colleague
Rich Hawkins	...	Stan

Storyline

Barney teaches chemisty, and is planning to abduct a woman. Despite methodical planning and countless trial runs he always manages to mess things up. Then Diane, who is traveling with her boyfriend Jeff, unwittingly makes herself an easy target. The story is mainly from Jeff's viewpoint, as he searches for Diane. Barney watches him.

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Plot Keywords:

psychopath | moving in | flashback | gas station | diner | 

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Taglines:

If someone you loved mysteriously vanished how far out of your mind would you go to find them?

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for terror and violence, and for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 February 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

La disparue

Filming Locations:

Bellevue, Washington, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$14,543,394 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The cabin by the lake scenes were filmed at Camp Omache, a Boy Scout summer camp near Monroe, WA.

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Goofs

In the beginning of the film, when Barney is meeting his daughter at the bus/train station, as the bus pulls up, the camera angle widens and you can see the extras ("background") waiting at the top of the stairs for their cue to walk down. As the scene progresses, the woman in the jeans and red sweater and her male companion are seen coming down the stairs as Barney and his daughter begin to walk up the stairs.

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Quotes

Barney Cousins: Look, I know you think restoring this cabin is a crazy idea, but what if it's not? What if I'm learning about myself as I go, realizing that if I can do this, I can do anything. So I take a step,I think is this crazy, should I stop?... Then I think, not yet, there's always time to turn back, if I want to so, I take another step... and another... and another... until one day I realize I've crossed that line... and there's no turning back.

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Connections

Featured in Biography: Sandra Bullock: In the Driver's Seat (2005)

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Soundtracks

"QUITTIN' TIME"
Written by Ray Benson and Tim DuBois
Performed by Asleep at the Wheel
Courtesy of Arista Records

User Reviews

Hmmm...2 versions. Which should I watch?

As everyone who has reviewed this film here has mentioned, there are two versions of this movie, one Dutch, one American, both directed by the same fellow. Which should you see first? Which should you avoid, if any? Decide for yourself... I saw the Dutch version in 1994, and it absolutely blew my socks off. I was horrified, didn't want to keep watching it, but I was pulled in and couldn't stop until the brilliant, ultra-chilling, uncompromising finale. This was my first foreign film, and so I was completely unprepared for such a non-Hollywood experience. I will remember this movie for the rest of my life. Later on, I caught the American version in the theatres, watched it, a few thrills here and there, yadda, yadda. Jeff Bridges was pretty creepy, but quite frankly, I would have completely forgotten about it by now if it weren't for the original. It's not horrible, it just pales in comparison to a masterpiece.