Vanishing Point (1971)
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75% of critics liked it
(16 reviews) -
80% of users liked it
(12,682 ratings)
Richard Sarafian directed this minimalist chase film, starring Barry Newman as ex-marine, ex-race car driver and cop named Kowalski. He drives into Denver to deliver a car and pick up another vehicle to drive to San Francisco. To make the fifteen-hour drive to San Francisco bearable he pops a load… More Richard Sarafian directed this minimalist chase film, starring Barry Newman as ex-marine, ex-race car driver and cop named Kowalski. He drives into Denver to deliver a car and pick up another vehicle to drive to San Francisco. To make the fifteen-hour drive to San Francisco bearable he pops a load of pep pills and drives off. Almost immediately, he is told to pull over by the police, but Kowalski refuses to stop. Ignoring the cops, a police chase ensues. Egging Kowalski on is a blind black disc jockey, Super Soul (Cleavon Little), who announces his comings and goings on his local radio show, praising Kowalski to the skies as "the last American to whom speed means freedom of the soul." Super Soul's hype makes Kowalski a media sensation and Kowalski fans mount up -- as do the police cars chasing him -- as he races against time to deliver both the car and himself to his San Francisco destination. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Directed By
- Richard C. Sarafian, Stephen A. Smith
- Written By
- Malcolm Hart, Guillermo Cabrera Infante, Stephen A. Smith, Julia Szucs, Marina Endicott
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1971 Wide
Critic Reviews
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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.
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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.
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, Time Out
The woodenness of both direction and Newman's performance becomes increasingly apparent.
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Roger Greenspun, New York Times
A movie about which I can think of almost nothing good to say.
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Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Takes full advantage of the subject's existential and mythical undertones without being pretentious, and you certainly get a run for your money, along with a lot of rock music.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Barry Newman
as Kowalski
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Cleavon Little
as Super Soul
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Dean Jagger
as Prospector
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Victoria Medlin
as Vera
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Paul Koslo
as Young Cop
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Charlotte Rampling
as Hitchhiker (UK version)
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John Amos
as Super Soul's radio engineer
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Owen Bush
as Communications Officer
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Rita Coolidge
as Singer
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Severn Darden
as J. Hovah
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Robert Donner
as Older Cop
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Arthur Malet
as Second male hitchhiker
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Tom Reese
as Sheriff
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Timothy Scott
as Angel
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Karl Swenson
as Clerk At Delivery Agency
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Lee Weaver
as Jake
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Anthony James
as First male hitchhiker
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Gilda Texter
as Nude Rider
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Cherie Foster
as 1st Girl
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Delaney & Bonnie & Friends
as J Hovah's Singers
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Valerie Kairys
as Girls
- Navarana


