Saturday, February 12, 2011

40 years since 'Vanishing Point'



Although examples of road movies go back to the 1930s, Vanishing Point (1971) cranked the genre up a few notches.

In 1968 Bullitt starring Steve McQueen as a detective pioneered the adrenaline pumping muscle car chase scene (a green 1968 Ford Mustang fastback chasing a black 1968 Dodge Charger); Vanishing Point featured a number of chases throughout, as well as quiet reflective scenes and various other incidents, with the main character, Kowalski, a guy who keeps thinking back on his life being torn asunder while he attempts to deliver from Denver to San Francisco in under 15 hours a new white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, with a 440 cubic-inch (7210 cc) V8 engine.

The car, being put through its paces against the wide open desert backdrops, is the star.  (The movie's poster and stills)

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