Monday 9 December 2013

08/12/13 Vanishing Point (1971)

If you live in England, road movies can seem a little alien due to the relatively tiny distances from any one point to the next. Crossing a thousand miles of blue sky desert on the scorched two-lane black-top looks fantastic. Going from Winnersh to Dunstable  (54 miles) via the A40 in the drizzle is a reminder that life is unrewarding and pointless.

In this film, a man with hair that looks like a pube-hat, drives a Dodge muscle car across the desert non-stop over a couple of days buzzed on amphetamines, avoiding the roadblocks and pursuing police.

The British equivalent is when you watch 'Police! Camera! Action!' and witness a knackered Corsa screeching through a council estate being chased by a police Astra that ends when the Corsa crashes into  a Tesco Express and the driver is arrested for possession of five aspirin and a bootleg watch.

Bloody hell, Britain's a bit wank.

Anyway, for all it's dated visuals, odd performances, and terrible hair styles, this film still works as a tribute to rebellion. A middle finger to conformity and conservative authority.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067927/
8/10


Croydon - 5 Miles


This guy was (seriously) 32yrs old when this was filmed. Probably some Benjamin Button shit going on.


"Holler back at me, bitches."


Just as well the desert doesn't have corners.


"Look up there, Timmy! I've sellotaped your nan to the chimney"
"Lol"


Keith Lemon. What an unfunny cunt.


The 1971 Desert Olympics: Formal 100 metres.


I may move to the desert.


"Take my urine sample and go in peace, road warrior."
"Thanks, Brenda."


"Come and touch me on the pancakes."



Perkin.

















3 comments:

  1. Fair enough review. Worth noting that any anti conservatism in this film is likely to be of the proto tea-party variety. Worth checking out some of Curtis documentaries (century of the self for example) as he absolutely nails this point about the whole american counterculture: For him it is the template for the Reagan era right. Much of this, was anything but conservative in the sense that it eschewed the traditional order. It was the politics of those who grew up with the counterculture.

    Vanishing Point, of course is one of absolutely tons of films from the period with a similar message: Punishment Park being another genuine classic.

    Incidentally, for an opposite view, there are plenty that take a more pessimistic tone with the counterculture in that the deal with blowback, The Italian film To Be Twenty is by far my favourite of these.

    Can't think of many decent British equivalents to Vanishing Point, I suppose Twin Town has a similar anti-authoritarian and libertarian streak to it.

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  2. Ace comment! I'm a HUGE fan of Curtis' stuff. The Power Of Nightmares being the best thing I've ever seen on TV. It was a beacon of truth in an ocean of lies. Century Of The Self I found compelling but not as assured, more theory than fact, albeit some serious mind-food.

    I find the rebellion in this film to be of no political 'side', nor can think of any modern label that would stick, and Kowalski is very much a solo act, so, yeah, definitely of 'the self', however he is seen to reject both idolism/the cult of the individual (his former racing career) and the conservative authority (his disgust at fellow officer's behaviour when in the police). He also allies himself with the outsiders, the black radio DJs who suffer the horrible racial attack, the stoners, the old man in the desert etc so I can't really associate him with the Tea Party mentality, although I do appreciate the connection you're making. Dunno, to me it's rebellion for the sake of it when he's realised nothing else is worth the effort of association. Increasingly easy to relate to.

    We've got a copy of Punishment Park! Thanks for reminding me. I'm gonna have to dig that out. Wanted to see it for a long time.

    Never heard of To Be Twenty. I'll check it out :)

    British equivalents? Good point... Bit of a blank on that one.

    Anyway, apologies for flaws in the above, up for work at 4.30am this morning and it's been a rubbish day, but hopefully it makes sense.

    Thanks again for an excellent comment! :)

    Perkin.

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  3. I didn't mean to suggest a political side as such, but something that is running parallel to what is happening in politics. Thinking of Convoy as another example.

    The language of Conservatism as traditionally been that of tradition and stability. It would have been the language of those who opposed the hippies etc. Through the 70s though these small L libertarian ideas gained traction and this could be seen right through American film: vigilantes are one example, maverick cops, Convoy too- its the antithesis to big government and the state. Where as these ideas would have been met by batons in the 60s they certainly re-packaged and exported in the Reagan era, possibly as an attractive alternative to the USSR, liberation theology and other stuff that was getting a hold in Central America.

    Like you I see Vanishing Point about the outsider, rather than something more deeply political. But it was an outsider I feel would go mainstream within a decade. He may have been rebelling for rebelling sake here though. But Curtis argued that such rebels were well served by consumerism. Curtis is a massive influence on how I view the counterculture and I probably will retread some of his themes over and over and over i reviews :)

    So anyhow, I think in the 70s films were are just seeing a snapshot of some ideas that would later go mainstream, but I don't think the agenda is any more than film makers loving to make films about mavericks. Just as genres change, sometimes it is easier to simply keep the old stories and dress people in new hats. I see westerns in a lot of these films too! :)

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