Just goes to show that you do not need a huge budget to make a great film. I watch a film because they are good to watch, not because how much it cost to produce.
The fact one never sees the antagonist let alone understand why he is out to kill weaver is the real suspense. Moreover in the film there is a scene where the antagonist helps a broken down school bus. Adds to the mystery of who he is.
@trevorlee7945 ALOT of that is thanks in part to Stephen Spielberg, who Directed. He was the one who placed the camera's where they were to capture those fearful expressions.
Having lived around Saugas CA for about 35 years, I recognize many of these locations, particularly Crown Valley Rd in Acton and Godde Hill Rd in Leona Valley. Some of these sequences literally alternate between opposite directions of the same highway!
And the Ridge Route, plus Angeles Forest Hwy. There appeared to be a combination of locations in the last 5 minutes, but I think the truck went over off the A.F.H. above Mt. Emma Rd. & Kentucky Canyon.
@thelonglines NOT to mention West Palmdale Blvd, Angeles Forest Highway, Sierra Hghwy, and Soledad Canyon Rd. I've driven on all these roads. And I've actually eaten lunch inside what was 'Chuck's Cafe,' but is really a French Restaurant.
One of the most iconic car chase scenes ever filmed. But one can't help but wonder what was that unseen mad truck driver's reason for terrorizing Dennis Weaver's character.
If you can find it, because it is very rare on any format, Vanishing Point is the ultimate Chase movie. It combines Smokey and the bandit, easy Rider, Bonnie and Clyde into an antihero epic where Kowalski ultimately surrenders to his fate
@@robertmartinez4174 I envy you for sure. I am but a young buck at the tender age of 60 years of old age. Not so many great films came through town in Fair lawn New Jersey
I have been wanting to watch vanishing Pont for years and I don't know where to look anymore!! My brother told me over 20 years ago about the best car scene but yeah!?
@@dragan3290 a good copy of it can be anywhere. a VHS cassette might be in a thrift shop or you might be able to order it at a store which still sells CDS and DVDS. I once had a VHS copy of Duel but it got away from me. I seen Vanishing Point at the movie theater back in 1970 or 71. Barry Newman was it's star ⭐
The Plymouth Valiant may have had a slant 6 which was also indestructible... unless the engine overheats in the hot New Mexico sun and your radiator hose blows while a relentless rusty old diesel truck pulling a tanker trailer which is mostly empty decides it wants to eat you for dinner.
@@Napier363An old friend of mine years ago bought this EXACT same kind of Plymouth Valiant, but rust colored, and it had a V-8 motor in it, and it moved ... had tons of power.
I bought this on DVD. An absolutely brilliant made-for-TV movie that launched Steven Spielberg’s career. There’s a great interview with novelist/screenwriter Richard Matheson where he talks about the origins of this story. I won’t spoil it since it’s so great but I believe you can find it on RU-vid. Also, lots of neat touches throughout like all the different license plates on the truck. My head canon since the ‘70s when I first saw this was the license plates are from previous drivers he killed. 😛
Hard to believe but I went to the cinema to see a film and this brilliant movie was actually the second feature. This was back in the day when you got real value for money. It is an iconic movie now, Speilburgs first as a director I believe. The irony is I don't reremember which movie was the main event!!
Saw this movie as a kid, and it made quite an impression! Always enjoyed Dennis Weaver as an actor. A few years later, he was McCloud. Bad old long story joke about that, in which Mick Jagger was at the Playboy Mansion, and was watching Hugh Hefner play Twister with Dennis Weaver. Mick got a little over-enthusiastic and yelled, "Hey, Hugh! Get off-a McCloud!" (Apologies for that 15 seconds you won't ever get back :)
I saw this when I was around 9-years old. It was a bit inconceivable of a concept to me for a truck driver to be this evil. But even then, I liked the ending…
I believe the stunt driver behind the wheel of the tanker truck also had a roll in choreographing and stunt double in Bullitt and maybe one or two other films of that era.
Actually had a crazy trucker decide to try and kill me for some reason. He kept trying to run me off a two lane highway in a deserted area, no one else around. I pulled over to the shoulder and let him pass by. Waited 15 minutes, drove over the hill. He was there, blocking both lanes. I was about to turn around and go back the way I came, but just then, a sheriff's patrol car appeared and the trucker put his rig in gear and started off. I tagged behind the patrol car for a long, long time.
Imagine being in this situation even with modern performance cars?? Big truck chasing you on the highway??? I would need an unlimited supply of diapers! Lol 😂
Its an old favourite of mine this one.If you have seen the Argentinian film Wild tales.You may remember that one of the stories in the film is very similar to this film.
A car that can't outrun a tanker truck. And I just love the huge understeer and body roll on these old American cars. With the obligatory hub cap coming off. 😅
I remember my older brother taking me to the drive in when I was 7 to watch this movie. It scared the shit out of me. Still can remember the adrenaline rush. If my memory serves me correctly, didn’t this all start with the driver pissing the truck driver off. Yea, I think this all could have been avoided with a little respect. 😅
Love the old cart springs on the back of the Valiant...Not as good as Bullitt, though., with iconic Mustang GT. Now that's what we'd now call Road Rage, 1971 style
It’s because this is the final chase, not the sequence where it falls off the cliff and speaking of it, i had uploaded the final sequence where it did fall off the cliff
