Vanishing Point (1971)

Director:

Richard C. Sarafian

Writers:

Malcolm Hart (story)
Guillermo Cabrera Infante (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

13 March 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

It's the maximum trip... at maximum speed.

Plot:

Kowalski works for a car delivery service. He takes delivery of a 1970 Dodge Challenger to take from Colorado to San Fransisco...

Plot Keywords:

Cars | Colorado | Dodge | Naked Woman | Highway Patrol

Cast

Barry Newman	...	Kowalski
Cleavon Little	...	Super Soul
Dean Jagger	...	Prospector
Victoria Medlin	...	Vera Thornton
Paul Koslo	...	Charlie, Young Nevada Patrolman
Robert Donner	...	Collins, Older Nevada Patrolman (as Bob Donner)
Timothy Scott	...	Angel
Gilda Texter	...	Nude Motorcycle Rider
Anthony James	...	Male Hitchhiker #1, in Front Seat
Arthur Malet	...	Male Hitchhiker #2, in Back Seat
Karl Swenson	...	Sandy McKees, Argo's Attendant
Severn Darden	...	Rev. J. 'Jessie' Hovah
Delaney Bramlett	...	J. Hovah's Singer (as Delaney & Bonnie and Friends)
Bonnie Bramlett	...	J. Hovah's Singer (as Delaney & Bonnie and Friends)
Lee Weaver	...	Jake, Kowalski's Denver Connection
Cherie Foster	...	Girl #1
Valerie Kairys	...	Girl #2
Tom Reese	...	Sheriff
Owen Bush	...	Communications Officer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charlotte Rampling	...	Hitchhiker (scenes deleted)
John Amos	...	Super Soul's Engineer (uncredited)
Val Avery	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Rita Coolidge	...	J. Hovah's Singer (uncredited)
David Gates	...	Piano Player at Revival Meeting (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard C. Sarafian

Writing credits
Malcolm Hart		(story outline)
Guillermo Cabrera Infante		(screenplay) (as Guillermo Cain)
Barry Hall		uncredited

Produced by
Michael Pearson	....	executive producer
Norman Spencer	....	producer

Cinematography by
John A. Alonzo

Film Editing by
Stefan Arnsten

Art Direction by
Dennis J. Parrish		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Glen Daniels
Jerry Wunderlich

Makeup Department
Del Acevedo	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Francisco Day	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dick Glassman	....	assistant director (as Richard Glassman)

Art Department
Dennis J. Parrish	....	property master (as Dennis Parrish)

Sound Department
William Edmondson	....	sound mixer (as Bill Edmondson)
Tom Edwards	....	sound mixer
Theodore Soderberg	....	sound mixer

Stunts
Louie Elias	....	stunt coordinator (as Louis Elias)
Carey Loftin	....	stunt coordinator (as Cary Loftin)
Max Balchowsky	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Brooks	....	stunts (uncredited)
James W. Gavin	....	aerial stunts (uncredited)
Bill Hickman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Casting Department
Michael McLean	....	casting supervisor

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ed Wynigear	....	wardrobe master

Music Department
Jimmy Bowen	....	music producer
Jimmy Bowen	....	music supervisor
Pete Carpenter	....	musical associate
Tom Thacker	....	musical associate

Other crew
Michael McLean	....	associate: Mr. Sarafian
Iain Quarrier	....	creative associate
Maurice Unger	....	production administrator

Production Companies

• Cupid Productions
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1977) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Fox Film (1971) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Fox-Stockholm Film Distribution (1971) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1975) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

MPAA:

Rated R for sensuality/nudity and drug content. (1998 re-rating)

Runtime:

99 min | UK:106 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

France:U | Iceland:L | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2008) | Singapore:PG | USA:R (re-rating) (1998) | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:GP (original rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Austin, Nevada, USA

Company:

Cupid Productions

Trivia:

The city names on the California Highway Patrol tracking board (where Kowalski never made it) were Stockton, Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): As Kowalski approaches California, Super Souls warns him of a "welcoming committee in the Sunshine State". California's official nickname is "The Golden State". The Sunshine State is Florida.

Quotes:

Colorado State HP Officer: Nevada, this is Colorado State Highway Patrol. This is about a special query raised by the Utah Highway Patrol. - Affirmative, that's correct, but later they asked that the information be forwarded to you guys, so get ready for some details. Put on your tape recorders and all that sort of jazz...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Limey (1999)

Soundtrack:

Mississippi Queen

Gonzo movie-making at it's best

Barry Newman is perfect in an episodic movie about an ex-cop, now drifter/car ferryman, who takes a friend up on a timed race from Denver to San Francisco in somebody else's car. Once Newman is detected speeding, a lengthy car chase ensues that covers several states. Nice photography of the Open West; great, understated performance by Newman. Some of the movie is dated, and the blind-DJ subplot can be annoying, but the non-stop action makes up for it. Infrequent showings on TV for many years, so watch it or tape it on one of it's rare appearances.