Vanishing Point

Movies 365: Day 42 – Vanishing Point

Sometimes movies that were counterculture phenomenons from a different generation don’t translate too well to future generations, such is the case with Vanishing Point. Though not as big as say Easy Rider, The Graduate, Bonnie and Clyde, or Harold and Maude, Vanishing Point founds it’s niche audience with it’s tale of car delivery driver Kowalski (Barry Newman). A Vietnam veteran, former cop, former race car driver, former motorcycle racer, Kowalski now delivers cars for Argo’s Car Delivery Service in Denver, CO. On a Friday, Kowalski is tasked with driving a 1970 Dodge Challenger to San Francisco, though the car is not due until Monday, Kowalski decides that he will get the car in by three o’clock on Saturday. And so begins Kowalski’s frantic drive. As he goes from state to state, his progress is tracked by the police, radio personality Super Soul (Cleavon Little) and the counterculture, where he becomes something of a folk hero. Interspersed throughout Kowalski’s voyage we get flashbacks informing us of his history.

Though the driving sequences, which comprise a good deal of the movie, are exhilarating, the rest of the film has unfortunately not aged too well, and the magic that it once must have had, is lost to time. As Kowalski, Barry Newman is kind of wooden, and not too dynamic, which is a shame as the film would certainly have contained more of a punch had he more charisma. Cleavon Little turns in a fun performance as Super Soul, and the rest of the cast is kind of all over the place, though none approach Little’s level of enthusiasm, and some are flatter than Newman. As a curio Vanishing Point is perhaps worth a watch, but if you’re hoping to get more out of your hour and a half, you’ll certainly be left wanting.

Last updated: 2010-03-05 02:37:55 by user05