Vanishing Point – It Takes a Mopar to Catch a Mopar

Vanishing Point is another one of those ubiquitous car-guy movies that everybody who’s ever been into cars needs to see. It’s hard to find it on TV despite a strong cult following, so you may have to hit eBay to look for it on VHS. Of course, you may also have to buy a VCR to watch it on. Regardless, we have to suggest you find a way to see it because it’s a pretty damn good movie.

Without giving away too much, we can tell you that Kowalski, the main character played by Barry Newman, is a car delivery driver who picks up cars and drives them to their new owner. When he picks up a Dodge Challenger in Denver, Kowalski is proposed a bet that he can’t make it to his destination, San Francisco, in 15 hours or less. The bet is made the a race against the clock is on a our star and his car head west out of the Rockies. Along the way, as one would expect, he encounters the authorities who give chase in dramatic fashion.

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In the clip below, you can see one of the most widely acclaimed chase scenes in all of car-movie history when Deputy Charlie “Chuck” Scott decides to pull out his Charger to pursue the fleeing Challenger, claiming emphatically that “it takes a Mopar to catch a Mopar”.

As Kowalski approaches through picturesque Monument Valley, Chuck decides to start their dance with a head-to-head game of chicken, which Kowalski has no intention of losing. After taking to the ditch, Chuck has to take a short cut to head off the suspect, rejoining him on the road for some tight-quarters pursuit before Deputy Scott ultimately loses control of his Charger just as he pulls alongside Kowalski to open fire.

If you have the chance, be sure to check this one out. It truly is a great gearhead flick!