Vanishing Point on Blu-ray Disc Review
By Rachel Cericola
The Film
Gearheads know the movie
Vanishing Point. Me? I thought it was that movie with Dennis Quaid and Forest Whitaker. However, after realizing my error (that one is
Vantage Point), I discovered that this driving vehicle (literally) is the quintessential car chase flick.
Kowalski (Barry Newman) is a bad-ass whose mission is to drive from Denver to San Francisco in 15 hours. However, he's not just in any car, but a 1970 Dodge Challenger. Also, it's not a leisurely drive; the cops are out to get him. The whole scene snags a lot of attention, thanks in part to a local DJ named "Super Soul" (a pre-
Blazing Saddles Cleavon Little). If the time and media pressure isn't enough, Kowalski is riddled with bad memories of his own law enforcement days,
Vietnam, dirt bikes, and a completely bizarre cast of characters that he meets along the journey -- one of which is a naked chick on a motorcycle.
Overall,
Vanishing Point is all thrills, chills and pills, baby. That's what will keep butts in the seats for this one, anyway. Like most car chase movies, this one doesn't bog itself down too much with story and dialogue. It's a shame, though, because Kowalski really is a complex character. Instead, the flick comes off as one of the less-super sights and sounds from the '70s. In other words, it's like a bad B-movie, but with great chase scenes.
So if Quentin Tarantino's
Death Proof (which features an homage with Stuntman Mike's vehicle choice) is part of your collection, or you spend a lot of free time watching live police chases on Fox News, this is one you should consider adding to your collection.
The Picture
Surprisingly,
Vanishing Point doesn't look all that bad for its age. However, it's still pretty much a B-movie, and looks like one in this 1.85:1 transfer. There's plenty of grain and the colors are as dusty as that long, lonely road. However, fleshtones look good, the cinematography is interesting, and there's a lot of detail to check out during the 106-minute ride.
The Sound
Fox pulled out the DTS-HD 5.1 for this release. Unfortunately, it doesn't use it all that well. Despite the occasional engine revs in your surrounds, the film relies heavily on the front speakers for action. Also, that action is loud, but most of the dialogue is not. Little's animated appearance is the standout. However, the rest of the sound is slightly muffled and sometimes mismatched with what's appearing on-screen.
The Extras
For some reason,
Vanishing Point bombed in the U.S., but was a big deal in the U.K. Maybe that's why both versions are included on this disc. However, that's not the only tidbit that super-fans will appreciate. The Super Soul Me BonusView feature plays picture-in-picture behind-the-scenes footage during the main movie. Also, there's a cool interactive look at the Dodge Challenger that car buffs won't be able to pass up.
Final Thoughts
Like car chases? How about
really long car chases? Then
Vanishing Point is a must-see. The movie itself might be a love-it-or-hate-it thing, but Fox is obviously enthralled as well. Otherwise, they wouldn't have given this classic an early, and decent, high-def due.
Where to Buy:
Product Details
- Actors: Barry Newman, Dean Jagger, Cleavon Little
- Director: Richard C. Sarafian
- Audio/Languages: DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio (English), Mono (English, Spanish)
- Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Region: A
- Number of Discs: 1
- Rating: R
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- Blu-ray Disc Release Date: February 24, 2009
- Run Time: 99 minutes (U.S.), 106 minutes (U.K.)
- List Price: $34.98
- Extras:
- U.S. and U.K. Versions
- Commentary by Richard C. Sarafian
- Interactive 1970 Dodge Challenger
- Super Soul Me
- Built for Speed: A Look Back at Vanishing Point
- OA-5599
- TV Spots
- Theatrical Trailer
- Enhanced for D-Box Motion Control Systems
