They should not have messed with original Vanishing Point... | FerrariChat
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They should not have messed with original Vanishing Point...

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by James_Woods, Oct 6, 2006.

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  1. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    #1 James_Woods, Oct 6, 2006
    I just saw the made-for-TV remake of the classic car movie Vanishing Point last night (for the first time) on WGN.

    And, I think it sucked - on many levels. The stunt driving, special effects, political statements, psychological issues, mystic epic issue, etc...sucked. The effort to "modernize" everything - cell phone to talk to the DJ, night vision goggles, police scanner, smoke grenades, all sucked. Effort to make Kowalski into a "perfectly nice family guy" sucked.

    OK, I know it is not Ferrari, but is a car issue, and I wanted to dump this rant on fellow car people.

    - I have it out of my system now. Thank you for your cooperation.

    James
     
  2. BigAl

    BigAl F1 Veteran

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    #2 BigAl, Oct 6, 2006
    hate the whole recent movie redo frenzy, leave well enough alone....
     
  3. Miltonian

    Miltonian F1 Veteran

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    #3 Miltonian, Oct 6, 2006
    I didn't know there was a remake. Does it still have the nekkid chick riding her motorbike around in the desert? She must have had asbestos buns!
     
  4. BigAl

    BigAl F1 Veteran

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    #4 BigAl, Oct 6, 2006
    and legs
     
  5. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #5 Rifledriver, Oct 6, 2006
    Think how she looks now. 30+years riding naked in the desert sun.
     
  6. racespecferrari

    racespecferrari F1 Veteran

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    #6 racespecferrari, Oct 6, 2006
    Is it the one with Viggo Morgenstern
     
  7. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    #7 James_Woods, Oct 6, 2006
    Yes - Viggo was Kowalski. I am not sure that he himself sucked, but everything else about it sure did...for further examples:

    It sucked that they tried to "answer" all the intriguing mystery about Kowalski and the Dodge - including: What was his first name? (answer - James (BTW that sucked too because they can't use my name in such a stinker))...was the Dodge supercharged? (no - just an R/T street Hemi)...did he have ESP with the DJ - )no, just an old-fashioned cell phone as big as a Korean War walkie-talkie...)did he die at the end (no mystery in the original, but here it is suggested he may have jumped out and let the Dodge crash into the dozers)...how fast did he hit said dozers (at least 180 mph - yeah right, with about a 4.11 rear end and a 4speed...)

    Plus this ham-handed scene where the lady game ranger/cop lets him go because he frees this mountain lion which is believe it or not tied to a scrub brush tree with a rope around its neck...my Dalmatian could have ripped that rope in half without even trying!

    AAAAARGH!

    OK - need to use a .45 on my plasma screen now fading...fading...fading...
     
  8. sammyb

    sammyb Formula 3

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    #8 sammyb, Oct 6, 2006
    When the remake first aired back in 1998ish (or thereabouts,) all I needed to see was that the Challenger was changed to a Hemi and that Kowalski had to get home for the delivery of his child. The whole thing just seemed too cheesy.

    What I love about the original Vanishing Point is that one can simply tune-out and watch it as an action movie, and it is extremely entertaining...OR...one can pay close attention to the sub-stories, characters, details, dialog, and dig deeply into the very serious commentaries on "good vs. evil," race relations, authoritarian society, religion, and the power of a single individual.

    The made-for-tv was really, really bad. Jason Priestly as "SuperSoul???" Of course, he also directed the movie.
     
  9. Dave330gtc

    Dave330gtc Formula Junior

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    #9 Dave330gtc, Oct 6, 2006
    The original Vanishing Point was a fantastic movie. I saw it at an impressionable age while in high school and have never forgotten it. I would still love to have a white Challenger R/T. This remake was disgusting.
     
  10. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    #10 thecarreaper, Oct 6, 2006
    yes, the remake sucks.
     
  11. GrayTA

    GrayTA F1 World Champ
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    #11 GrayTA, Oct 6, 2006
    I actually have both of them on DVD...the original and the remake. (Yes, the remake is available on DVD).

    Yes, as most remakes go, it sucks. However, I was happy to see footage of a Challenger moving fast. It was another Hollywood excuse to destroy a perfectly good Charger.

    So, in essence, my recommendation would be to watch it for the cars, but ignore any spoken dialogue.

    Patrick
     
  12. Papa G

    Papa G Formula 3

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    #12 Papa G, Oct 6, 2006
    Jason Priestly as Super Soul???

    No need to go any further - PASS!!!
     
  13. BritBlaster

    BritBlaster F1 Rookie

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    #13 BritBlaster, Oct 6, 2006
    I think the original sucked too.

    A very shoddily written piece with plot-holes the size of Nebraska. Entertaining, yes. Cult-movie -- as a back-handed compliment, for sure. But nihilism and unanswered questions by themselves are not enough to make a *great* movie -- no matter how many car chases you throw in.
    Enough passage of time allows the movie to be viewed with a nostalgia that enhances it beyond its value. If you've never seen it before, and you attempt to watch it .. well, it's doubtful you'll be able to endure it to the end. I suspect that the only way audiences managed to watch when it was first released was due to overdosing on both testosterone and marijuana....
     
  14. Pantera

    Pantera F1 Rookie

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    #14 Pantera, Oct 6, 2006
    Next thing yah now there will be a Cannonball run remake,

    Including such names as Paul Walker and Kanye West and a Ford GT as the flagship car. Then of course the theme song will be Rap of some kind.


    Oh lord I hope I didn't jinx anything.
     
  15. cavallino33

    cavallino33 Formula Junior

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    #15 cavallino33, Oct 7, 2006
    I haven't seen the remake. I saw the original for the first time last night I thought it was great, fantastic driving scenes.
     
  16. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    #16 James_Woods, Oct 9, 2006
    For what it is worth, on my ZR1 Corvette site, several posters suggest that in the original, a clapped-out 1967 6cyl Camaro was disguised as the Challenger for the apocalyptic smashup - they also claim that 3 real Challengers were used in the driving scenes so they could keep one running at a time. Some even claim to be able to tell which Challenger is in which scene!

    So, I guess we can feel OK about the fate of the Challenger, unless you happen to love old 6 banger Camaros. Or, unless this is all just another urban musclecar legend.

    Special note to friend BritBlaster - you do have a point; the original was not exactly loaded with positive messages or moral values...

    but, if you were a 21-year old college kid in Oklahoma City like I was - the post-movie burnout scenes in the theatre parking lot afterward were nearly as good as the stunt driving in the flick...
     
  17. racespecferrari

    racespecferrari F1 Veteran

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    #17 racespecferrari, Oct 9, 2006

    Hope you haven't jinxed it, the original was great, no doubt it will get murdered at sometime
     
  18. sammyb

    sammyb Formula 3

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    #18 sammyb, Oct 11, 2006
    You are correct. The car that is smashed in the original Vanishing Point is NOT a Challenger, rather a first-generation Camaro. It is very easy to spot the Chevy wheels, Camaro trunk styling.

    Three brand new Challengers were loaned to the production company by Chrysler. While I can't recall exactly which car had which engine, the three cars had different engines. I believe one was a 318, but the others were 340s -- one possibly with a Six-Pack. This is pretty easy to look up, though, as the cars in the movie are very well documented.

    The best part of Vanishing Point are the great sounds that go with the car chase scenes. Often in modern films, the sounds are overdubbed with so much thought towards making the car sound larger than life, it is disappointing. VP simply sounds like Mopar V8s at wide-open-throttle!
     

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