Vanishing Point

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Vanishing Point

R

Released Jan 15, 1971

1h 39m

Action

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Popcornmeter

79%

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19 Reviews

81%

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10,000+ Ratings

Vietnam War hero Kowalski (Barry Newman) has become a pill-addicted driver for hire. Transporting a car from Colorado to California, he enlivens the journey by making a wager with his drug dealer: If the trip takes under 15 hours, Kowalski's latest amphetamine purchase is free. But Kowalski's recklessness on the road results in a much-publicized police chase. Radio jock Super Soul (Cleavon Little) covers the pursuit and turns Kowalski, who refuses to pull over, into a martyr for freedom.

Margaret Hinxman

Daily Telegraph (UK)

The film does whip up a genuine excitement and suspense. The director, Richard C. Sarafian, masterminds some gripping chase sequences, making good use of unknown actors and amateurs and a musical score that fits en route.

Jun 8, 2020

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

The action is almost entirely made up of one man driving a car at maximum speed from Denver to, hopefully, San Francisco.

May 6, 2008

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Peter Kenis

Rolling Stone

In a time when vacant retreads such as The Fast and the Furious are the problem, Vanishing Point is the answer.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 14, 2007

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Dilys Powell

Sunday Times (UK)

Aesthetically beautiful, emotionally very stirring.

Jun 2, 2020

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Dorothy Woodend

The Tyee (British Columbia)

If you thought the car parts in Tarantino's Death Proof provided the only worthwhile section of Grindhouse, Vanishing Point is the real deal.

Aug 23, 2017

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Peter Canavese

Groucho Reviews

Merged the appeal of Bullitt with that of, say, Zabriskie Point...fast cars and dusty existentialism. [Blu-ray]

Rated: 3/4

Mar 13, 2009

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Liam D

A true old school car chase movie. It has great sequences of action even though the movie doesn’t have a compelling plot or characters

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/28/24

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Sams K

Badass! A must watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/23/24

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Christian S

Excellent movie! Ahead of its time.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/12/24

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DZ GAMER I

Weird storyline stupid too , but didn't bore me ,not bad

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/26/24

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Pierre L

Logic : Logic studies the formal rules of thought and reasoning. It focuses on how it is possible to draw valid conclusions from given premises. Logic examines the structure of arguments, evaluating their coherence, validity, and truth. It also provides tools to analyze the relationships between propositions and concepts, thus enabling the resolution of complex problems in a rigorous and systematic manner. This is what Kowalski is attempting to do given the circumstances...

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/17/24

Full Review

Nawt W

Incredible desert shots and stunts, it is never the same car chase again and again the movie moves on to something new every scene. And more than just squeezing every bit of artistry from what surely is a short script, the movie is exhilarating to watch without those themes.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/24

Full Review

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Allen Smithee

Director

Barry Newman

Kowalski

Cleavon Little

Super Soul

Charlotte Rampling

Hitchhiker

Dean Jagger

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Synopsis

Vietnam War hero Kowalski (Barry Newman) has become a pill-addicted driver for hire. Transporting a car from Colorado to California, he enlivens the journey by making a wager with his drug dealer: If the trip takes under 15 hours, Kowalski's latest amphetamine purchase is free. But Kowalski's recklessness on the road results in a much-publicized police chase. Radio jock Super Soul (Cleavon Little) covers the pursuit and turns Kowalski, who refuses to pull over, into a martyr for freedom.

Director: Allen Smithee
Producer: Norman Spencer
Screenwriter: Guillermo Cabrera Infante
Production Co: Cupid Productions Inc.
Rating: R
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 15, 1971, Original
Release Date (DVD): Feb 6, 2007
Runtime: 1h 39m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)