Vanishing Point Review (Blu-Ray)

Some movies stand the test of time. And, some movies are destined to fall through the cracks and remain permanently lost in yesteryear. “Vanishing Point” is the latter.

If you grew up in the 70s, or watched “Vanishing Point” as a kid with your folks, you’ll still find this movie to be a classic. New viewers will find this movie to be more like the great-great granddaddy to the Fast and the Furious. Now let me start off by saying that, I’m not trying to insult “Vanishing Point,” by categorizing it with a cheesy Hollywood teen flick. And, it’s not the old-fashioned painted Hollywood backdrop of clouds, with the occasionally overacted scene coupled with a cheesy snake scene that makes this movie suffer. It’s just that where movies like Casablanca and Blazing Saddles survive the test of time, nowadays, a high-speed car chase movie featuring a Dodge Challenger without any upgrades just feels more like a kids soapbox derby.

I actually liked “Vanishing Point” growing up. The plot is simple on the surface level. Kowalski, a guy with nothing to lose, is on the run from the police. At first it appears as though he’s stolen something or is involved in drug trafficking. Not the case. This is a metaphorical tale of the 70s, a world built on contradictions. The police herald Kowalski as some type of rogue criminal, while DJ Super Soul (Cleavon Little) proclaims Kowalski as a folk hero defying the world that has shut him out.

Kowalski is the symbol of America’s forgotten Vietnam Veterans. After the war, he lost his job as an officer when he stopped a girl from being raped. He also lost the love of his life in a surfing accident. Now, pumped up on amphetamines he accepts a racing challenge to get from Denver to San Francisco in 15 hours. With the exception of the drugs and the subplot, it almost has the feel of Jules Verne’s “Around the World in 80 Days.” Kowalski even turns down sex from a naked motorcyclist to maintain his driving schedule.

“Vanishing Point” is restored in Blu-Ray with several bonus features. The old film stock, however, just doesn’t have that Blu-Ray clarity you’d hope for in upgrading from DVD. Maybe it was because this stock was too grainy back then, but I’ve seen better Blu-Ray upgrades, so I wonder if this one suffered from a rush job.

“Vanishing Point” on Blu-Ray is a great addition to the collector’s Blu-Ray shelf, but new viewers will find the story a little stagnant. The use of flashbacks to unravel the story means you’ll have to pay constant attention to the details. Unfortunately, the Dodge Challenger will have new viewers falling asleep before you have a chance to realize that you just missed your first flashback.

Special Features:
- Includes both US and UK movie versions
- Interactive 1970 Dodge Challenger – this sounds like a good feature at first. You get to watch the movie as if your sitting behind the dashboard of a 1970 Dodge Challenger, but instead it just ends up ruining your viewing experience.
- Build for Speed: A Look back at Vanishing Point Featurette
- Commentary by Director Richard C. Sarafian
- Vanishing Point Trivia Challenge
- Cars, Cops and Culture ‘70s Trivia Track
- OA-5599 Featurette – learn all about the 1970 Dodge Challenger and why the bad boys of car collecting love it so much.
- Super Soul Me Featurette
-Theatrical Trailer and TV Spots