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Vanishing Point

Play trailerPoster for Vanishing PointRReleased Jan 15, 19711h 39mActionPlay 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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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 stars12/28/24 Full Review Sams K Badass! A must watch. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars08/23/24 Full Review Christian S Excellent movie! Ahead of its time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars05/12/24 Full Review DZ GAMER I Weird storyline stupid too , but didn't bore me ,not bad Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars04/26/24 Full Review 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 stars04/17/24 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 stars02/13/24 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

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Movie Info

SynopsisVietnam 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)
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