Let's put together 100 reasons why "Vanishing Point" had to have been set in the 70s instead of today. (yes, apart from the '97 remake)
Here's 2 to start:
1. Kowalski would have to carry around a suitcase full of cash in order to pay for all the fill-ups that gas-guzzling Hemi engine requires.
2. The nude biker chick would be covered from head to toe in cancerous melanomas.
None of the challengers had Hemis. They had the 440's.
shareDr_J,
Chiming in kinda late, but do people actually hire drivers to move cars anymore? Now days, the car would be put on a transport truck to be delivered. Besides, people that did not see the original simply wouldn't understand the movie. Not to mention Hollywood could never bring something like the original to the screen without ruining the whole idea.
"Take a chance, flip a coin, everything in life is 50/50"
I think they could, they would have to just alter a few things. Remember, even in 1971, Super Soul told Kowalski that he had made it as far as he did because of an incredible string of luck. Same could happen today - a writer would just have to figure out how. They could even use the new Dodge Challenger! ;-)
sharemstanley-1,
Yes, a remake could be done, and I would watch it. I doubt a remake would have the impact of the original, it was kinda a cult thing. Viewer preception would not be the same as it was 42 years ago.
The new Challengers are a bit smoother, a tad faster, with modern suspension and such. But nothing compares to the look, sound, and feel of the old muscle cars.
Take a chance, flip a coin, everything is 50/50
Yep, me too. I even watched the awful remake. ;-)
Don't sell people short - remember, this movie didn't do that well box office wise in 1971 either. Cult means it appeals to some but not all. Even great movies like Vanishing Point. Barry Newman, back in the 80's, was trying to get the rights to the film so he could make a sequel (!) but obviously that never happened. I would have watched that too, whether or not it should be made.
I agree about the Challenger as well, but I am very glad they decided to go for the classic look in the new model. It's a nice looking car!
mstanley-1,
Did you see Dirty Larry Crazy Mary? Another early 70s car chase movie with a similar ending. They had a Charger.
http://dirtymarycrazylarry.com/chargerpics.html
Take a chance, flip a coin, everything is 50/50
Yes! In fact I saw it on a double bill with Vanishing Point a couple of years after the films were released. I didn't think it had the gravity Vanishing Point did, but it was a good movie, with the second best muscle car of the era! And Susan George! ;-)
mstanley-1,
How cool, we saw it on a double bill at the drive-in. Good times!! But is wasn't my first time seeing either. I bought both as soon as they came out on VHS.
As for the best muscle car, I'd have to go with Bandit's TA.
Take a chance, flip a coin, everything is 50/50
Yup, owned it on VHS and now DVD.
Hey, ALL muscle cars are awesome! ;-)
My dad moved cars for a dealership in Kingman, Arizona in the mid-2000s, and he was 70 then.
A group of drivers would cruise up to Las Vegas in a van, and then get in the cars and drive them back to the dealership in Kingman. He says they rarely drove under 85 miles an hour and for the better stretches of 95 in Arizona they would often flirt with 100 MPH.
I think moving cars with drivers might be competitive with transporters for certain kinds of cars and distances. Vegas to Kingman is only 110 miles, so it doesn't add much mileage to the car. Retirees are reliable and cheap hires for the work. And if you factor the logistics of moving less than a full truck carrier load of cars from multiple dealerships, I'd guess it all ends up being very competitive.
I doubt much of it happens long distance anymore, but there are always edge cases where someone is looking for a specific trim of a specific late model year car and a carrier is either more expensive or too slow vs. just paying someone to drive it. You're still looking at something like $1k for the trip, but that pays for gas, driver, a cheap motel and meals and a return airfare for the driver and takes only a matter of days.
From what I can tell, scheduled carrier transport is cheaper by maybe 10%, but can take weeks. Whereas a driver can be had and the car delivered in just days.
It wasn't a Hemi, it was a 440 4bbl... If it was a today's Hemi it would get 20mpg.
shareKowalski's car was a 440=4Bbl not a Hemi.
share[deleted]
Right on!! I just watched the original Gone in 60 seconds for the first time in 40 years, and it was as good as when I saw it at the drive-in. I refuse to watch remakes of movies.
I was surprised to see this thread is still active 8 years since I last posted here.
A modern Challenger with the 707 horsepower Hellcat motor, XM Sirius radio, interstates instead of two lane blacktops. Energy drinks instead of glass bottle Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola that cost a dime in the machine, iPhones instead of pay phones. Tobacco cigarettes now nearly illegal instead of 25¢ a pack in the machines, Gasoline that was 31¢ a gallon.
Viet Nam war, hippies, Delaney & Bonnie in the desert. The cultural landscape has shifted.
The nude biker chick would have HIV, Hep C and Herpes.
share3. The nude biker chick would be covered from head to toe in skanky tattoos.
4. The blind black DJ dude would be a humorless BLM activist.
Although the world has changed, the job of actually driving a new car to its destination is still available today.
...and I am sure bets are still made when it will arrive.