Vanishing Point (1971)

During the 1970s, car delivery driver Kowalski delivers hot rods in record time but always runs into trouble with the highway cops.

Director:

Richard C. Sarafian

Writers:

Guillermo Cabrera Infante (screenplay) (as Guillermo Cain), Malcolm Hart (from a story outline by)

Stars:

Barry Newman, Cleavon Little, Charlotte Rampling

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Barry Newman	...	Kowalski
Cleavon Little	...	Super Soul
Charlotte Rampling	...	Hitch-Hiker (scenes deleted)
Dean Jagger	...	Prospector
Victoria Medlin	...	Vera Thornton
Paul Koslo	...	Deputy Charlie Scott
Robert Donner	...	Deputy Collins (as Bob Donner)
Timothy Scott	...	Angel
Gilda Texter	...	Nude Rider
Anthony James	...	First Male Hitchhiker
Arthur Malet	...	Second Male Hitchhiker
Karl Swenson	...	Sandy McKeese - Clerk at Delivery Agency
Severn Darden	...	J. Hovah
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends	...	J. Hovah's Singers
Lee Weaver	...	Jake

Storyline

Kowalski works for a car delivery service. He takes delivery of a 1970 Dodge Challenger to take from Colorado to San Francisco, California. Shortly after pickup, he takes a bet to get the car there in less than 15 hours. After a few run-ins with motorcycle cops and highway patrol they start a chase to bring him into custody. Along the way, Kowalski is guided by Supersoul - a blind DJ with a police radio scanner. Throw in lots of chase scenes, gay hitchhikers, a naked woman riding a motorbike, lots of Mopar and you've got a great cult hit from the early 70's.

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Plot Keywords:

on the run | driver | pursuit | blind man | existentialism | 

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Taglines:

It's the maximum trip... at maximum speed.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

R18

Did You Know?

Trivia

Original screenplay by Guillermo Cain included different songs than the ones in the film, and also had more songs in other scenes, some of which were deleted from the film or never filmed. For example; I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher, Ain't Got No by Nina Simone, Walking Through the Country by Grassroots, Coming Back To Me by Jefferson Airplane, Free The People by Salvation Army Sounds Triumphant which as director Richard C. Sarafian mentions in his commentary of the film was used in alternate ending of his original cut where Super Soul is not mourning Kowalski's death but instead yells "Yeah! He made it!"

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Goofs

In the construction area, Kowalski goes off the road to his left, losing the trim ring from the left front wheel. Later in the movie, the trim ring is back on.

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Quotes

Charlie: What do you think he's done?
Collins: Don't know.
Charlie: Well, what do you think?
Collins: I think he's gonna hijack that car to Cuba, hahahaha.
Charlie: Don't be ridiculous!
Collins: Hell, Charley, I don' know! Maybe killed somebody! Maybe stole that big dude o' his! Maybe both.

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Crazy Credits

The Fox logo is shown without the fanfare making it one of the first times this has happened.

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Alternate Versions

When first released in Brazil, the movie had some scenes cut, reducing the running time to 99 minutes.

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: The Zodiac Killer (2019)

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Soundtracks

Runaway Country
Composed & Played by The Doug Dillard Expedition

User Reviews

Soul challenger

The best road movie ever made. To appreciate it you have got to try and see it from the culture of that era. It is totally anti establishment as was the mood of half of America. So the police are all idiots, the 'good ol boys' are either violent rednecks or passive disapproving onlookers. Kowalski is going to give those mid west conservatives something they won't forget, he's going to shake things up for a day or two. Kowalski is simply the symbol of the many disenfranchised at the time. The story starts at the end. We hear a boring stifling radio news item on the price of grain. We see dreary looking bystanders who need to be turned on. Then Super Soul takes over the airwaves with his wild DJ antics and hippy music trying to jolt these people out of their fixed ways. The old and the new are clashing. This sets the mood we know from then it is rebellious. Other aspects the stunts the music the characters have been well covered below so there is no need to say more on that. Some have said that there is no point to this story or Kowalski's motives and have interpreted the title meaning that. But all a vanishing point is an artist name for the phenomena of perspective where two parallel lines seemingly meet and in the long straight roads of the journey we see plenty of vanishing points.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 March 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Carrera contra el destino

Filming Locations:

Page, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,585,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$12,442,673

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,442,673

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cupid Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1