1969

[HenryDorsetCase]

I liked the end too, similar to the ending of vanishing point (one of the greatest films ever made)

I fixed that for you.

1970's American cinema is pretty much my favourite era in film. Box office success, money, actors, and the auteur made for some great cinema.

I would argue that the ending of EASY RIDER as compared to VANISHING POINT are not really that similar. In EASY RIDER I think that the point was these guys have done this drug running, they got paid, then purely in a wrong place/wrong time they get murdered. Whether thats a reflection on the North/South divide in the US, the mainstream vs the counterculture, or just random isn't really explained. I've alsways felt it was a tacked on end purely designed to appeal to US censors: you cannot have these guys doing bad things and getting away with it. (As an aside, I am totally looking forward to the ending of BREAKING BAD to see how this is handled in the modern era).

VANISHING POINT's Kowalski is the perfect existential hero. He lives only to drive and when it becomes apparent he can't drive anymore he kills himself.

I love the way in VANISHING POINT that there really is no point to him doing what he does: its a delivery, its not his car, and the motives and such that are ascribed to him are projected onto him by others, in particular the Radio DJ. We never know why, just what he does. To (mis)quote another great film "He's a nihilist, he doesn't believe in anything". When I saw that film on the big screen (how I got into it I will never know) I was genuinely shocked by the ending.

Its still really powerful.

PS we'll agree not to mention the risible remake. It is AWFUL. Dont go there.

[ellipsis]

PS we'll agree not to mention the risible remake. It is AWFUL. Dont go there.

...ok.........

[Blackbird]

VANISHING POINT's Kowalski is the perfect existential hero. He lives only to drive and when it becomes apparent he can't drive anymore he kills himself.

Yup, one of my all-time great movies! Very cleverly scripted and even that meaningless meet-up with Delaney and Bonnie in the desert fitted perfectly into the overall tale. I think that Barry Newman sunk without trace after that.

I watched Bullitt again a couple of years ago. The car chase is still great but the rest of the movie was truly dreadful .

Thanks for the memories

[SVboy]

ALL the people in the VANISHING POINT remake should be burned with fire[or acid]!

[Drew]

ALL the people in the VANISHING POINT remake should be burned with fire[or acid]!

Particularly the fag boy playing "The Voice".

[Padmei]

I was three. I had worked out that my sister didn't have a willy.

Since then I've never been able to make sense of the world.

[awa355]

Not sure how close to 1969, but am watching James Bond in 'Diamonds are forever'. Lots of beautiful late 60's american cars. Story plot is crap but the cars are beautiful.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Not sure how close to 1969, but am watching James Bond in 'Diamonds are forever'. Lots of beautiful late 60's american cars. Story plot is crap but the cars are beautiful.

released 1971 according to imdb:

http://www.imdb.com/find?q=diamonds+are+forever&s=all

The 1969 Bond film is George Lazenby as Bond in ON HER MAJESTIES SECRET SERVICE:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064757/?ref_=sr_1

It is very VERY slow paced compared to a modern film (in fact all drama of that period is, pretty much).

not even a good year for Gerry Anderson: after THUNDERBIRDS and before UFO:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Service

I'd never heard of, much less seen, that.

[scumdog]

Not sure how close to 1969, but am watching James Bond in 'Diamonds are forever'. Lots of beautiful late 60's american cars. Story plot is crap but the cars are beautiful.

Yep, love seeing the old Yamk-tanks in these older movies - and in TV re-runs.

Something I noticed is that in Streets of San Francisco, Strasky & Hutch and others of that ilk there is ALWAYS a white VW beetle in the back-ground somewhere, parked or driving past.

Spooky!

[nudemetalz]

6 pages and no-one has mentioned this yet...

Mind you,..I have family connections as per my signature...

[kevfromcoro]

1969..i was 17 I think... its a bit of a long time ago..
had a triumph 500.. tiger..
lived in papatoe.. where the stormtroupers from otara youst to come and bash us up...
got married after that and gave the bikes up for a while.. but into endro riding
remember the yam IT???
shit I have had some bikes... thinking about another one now.....................................
mayebe a motard...

[MisterD]

Something I noticed is that in Streets of San Francisco, Strasky & Hutch and others of that ilk there is ALWAYS a white VW beetle in the back-ground somewhere, parked or driving past.

Herbie did a lot of Extra work before hegot his big break in The Love Bug...that was 1969 too

[avgas]

[MisterD]

Wishlists? Well that's easy:

[awa355]

Herbie did a lot of Extra work before hegot his big break in The Love Bug...that was 1969 too

Herbie, A bit like Hitchcock? He was good for cameo appearances.


Here is the Mustang in the James Bond movie I mentioned earlier.



Spot the technical stuff up at the end.