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Vanishing Point

Play trailer Poster for Vanishing Point R 1971 1h 39m Action Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 20 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 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.

Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com …classic of existentialist cinema…the missing link between the anti-authority attitudes of Cool Hand Luke and the more commercial strain of man and machine movies like Smokey and the Bandit or Convoy, all of which celebrate the lone driver as a folk hero… Rated: 5/5 Apr 18, 2025 Full Review Dilys Powell Sunday Times (UK) Aesthetically beautiful, emotionally very stirring. Jun 2, 2020 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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jonathan A incredible and worth a watch for any true movie fan Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/27/25 Full Review Mark B Steve McQueen or Clint Eastwood would have made this a half decent movie. Instead, Barry Newman, who looks like a geography teacher whose been given the keys to his mate's sports car, blunders onwards on some self-inflicted guilt trip and needlessly kills himself in the process. This movie has nothing to do with a car chase. More the inner demons of a solitary loser whose given up on life. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/30/25 Full Review 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 Full Review Sams K Badass! A must watch. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/23/24 Full Review Christian S Excellent movie! Ahead of its time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/12/24 Full Review DZ GAMER I Weird storyline stupid too , but didn't bore me ,not bad Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 04/26/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Vanishing Point

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Cast & Crew

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Allen Smithee

Director

Barry Newman

Kowalski

Cleavon Little

Super Soul

Charlotte Rampling

Hitchhiker

Dean Jagger

Prospector

Victoria Medlin

Vera Thornton

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Vanishing Point

Vanishing Point (1971) Vanishing Point (1971) Vanishing Point (1971) Vanishing Point (1971) View more photos

Movie Info

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)