Vanishing Point (1997) (TV)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Charles Robert Carner

Writers:

Malcolm Hart (story)
Guillermo Cabrera Infante (earlier screenplay)

Release Date:

7 January 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Romance

Plot:

When his wife goes into a troubled labor while he is on the road over 1200 miles away James Kowalski...

Plot Keywords:

Chase | Automobile | Car Accident | Military | Muscle Car

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Viggo Mortensen	...	Jimmy Kowalski
Christine Elise	...	Raphinia Kowalski
Steve Railsback	...	Sergeant Preston
Rodney A. Grant
Peter Murnik	...	Gilmore
James MacDonald		(as James G. MacDonald)
Paul Benjamin
Geno Silva	...	Mike Mas
John Doe	...	Sammy
Peta Wilson	...	Motorcycle girl
Keith David	...	Warren Taft
Jason Priestley	...	The Voice
Debra Sharkey	...	Producer
Ari Barak	...	Dr. Nazrin
Frank Roman	...	Hernando

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Company:

Fox Television Network

Trivia:

A mission (church) shown near the beginning of the movie is "Mission San Xavier del Bac", near Tucson, Arizona.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Several shots show the police scanner in Kowalski's car as he is listening to the police talk about him. The scanner's LED lights are shown blinking. In this mode a police scanner is silent since it is "scanning" frequencies. If the scanner were receiving a police transmission only one LED would be lit steadily.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Vanishing Point (1971)

Just horrible

Watching this movie on TV was just painful.A sham that fed off the legendary film from 1970 that bears the same title.The 1970 Challenger is there (albeit a Hemi this time,and with sport mirrors and quick fill gas cap...not in the 1970 movie)and a lead character named Kowalski but not much else.Lousy acting that was only offset by some fast action chase sequences,and a 1968 Charger named "beast".Implausable getaways,finding a 426 Hemi oilpan in a junkyard (sure....right),and a ridiculous crash at the end (180 mph into dozers and no dents on the "crash" car).Jason Priestly acted like an idiot with an accent (as opposed to Cleavon Little's excellent "hip" portrayal in 1970).His radio station manager was kinda cute but there wasnt much else.....although it was TVs first real glimpse of "La Femme Nikita's" Peta Wilson out in the desert.I dont know whatever happened to Barry Newman's (1970 Kowalski) plans to remake VP before this travesty (he was planning to buy the movie rights and do a back story into Kowalski's past life),but you can bet he has now washed his hands of any further VP comebacks thanks to FOXs coffin-nailing finale to the cult classic.Hopefully they wont ever release this on VHS/DVD.If you missed it,thank your lucky stars you did.