VANISHING POINT is a mix of the classic car chase film and a more existential movie along the lines of EASY RIDER; the good news is that it's substantially better than EASY RIDER, and has a sheen of quality lacking in the more crowd-pleasing car flicks of the 1970s (like GONE IN 60 SECONDS and SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT).
Barry Newman, playing it understated, is the driver who's tasked with delivering a car cross country under a strict time limit. Before long, the cops are on his tail for speeding, and what follows is an intense pursuit flick with some great filming of high speed chases. VANISHING POINT is a film that's all about the visual, and it does look lovely, the director capturing the sleekness of the vehicles and by contrast the wildness of the desert locales very well.
And, of course, there's THAT ending, which is unforgettable once seen, and helps to add immeasurably to the experience. I think the story as a whole could have been a little more powerful - it's very slim, and there's barely any characterisation - but this is a classic production far above more recent Hollywood stabs at the genre (like DRIVE ANGRY).
Barry Newman, playing it understated, is the driver who's tasked with delivering a car cross country under a strict time limit. Before long, the cops are on his tail for speeding, and what follows is an intense pursuit flick with some great filming of high speed chases. VANISHING POINT is a film that's all about the visual, and it does look lovely, the director capturing the sleekness of the vehicles and by contrast the wildness of the desert locales very well.
And, of course, there's THAT ending, which is unforgettable once seen, and helps to add immeasurably to the experience. I think the story as a whole could have been a little more powerful - it's very slim, and there's barely any characterisation - but this is a classic production far above more recent Hollywood stabs at the genre (like DRIVE ANGRY).