Today we’re probing some sore wounds on the Mopar side of the fence by pitting two cars that died violent cinematic deaths, the 1970 Challenger R/T of Kowalski in Vanishing Point and the 1969 Charger that flummoxed the police right up until it didn’t in Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry. Two obscenely cool cars and two of the most infamous “car movie” deaths of all time. This should be a good one, but we need to declare a winner from yesterday!
[box_dark]Two TV icons went at it and only one can be awarded the win.
The Munster Koach DEFEATS The Monkeemobile
Landslide win for the Koach, a shocker with the Barris handicap and all.[/box_dark]
Today’s two combatants reinforced one of nature’s primary laws in their own special ways. Kowalski used a pair of bulldozers to illustrate it and in Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry, it was a locomotive that served as the medium to convey the point that two pieces of matter cannot occupy the same space at the same time.
Vanishing Point is one of those car guy cult classics that almost everyone knows. Take one pill popping, weird driver who is hell bent to getting from Denver to ‘Frisco in record time, shove him into a 440, 4-speed Challenger and let the weird flow. Add in a woman with her boobs hanging out on a motorcycle in the desert, a blind but clairvoyant DJ, lots of cops, some high speed street racing action, and you’ve got a perfectly odd 1970s movie. As we all know Kowalski finally gets cornered by the coppers and rather than give himself up, he gets a good running head start at a pair of old Caterpillar D-series bulldozers and goes out in a ball of flames and crumpled steel. Of course us savvy dudes know that they actually used a first generation Camaro in the actual crash. Look up the video, you’ll see.
Our second one that almost got away is the sub-lime green 1969 Charger from the cult chase classic Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry. In this scene, our heroes are in the midst of a wild chase to escape the police who want to talk to them about taking people hostage and extorting money from others. At least they were doing it to use the money to go professional level racing. Anywho, using a police scanner and the superior horsepower of their Charger the anti-heroes are managing to evade capture in an orange grove by criss crossing around and causing the cops to wreck into each other and generally appear to be keystone cops. The sheriff, up in a helicopter is directing the chase and realizes the game. He starts calling out directions to fake unit numbers, confusing the driver of the Charger and just when they all slap each other on the back in celebration of their escape, the Charger piles into an Alco S1 locomotive, presumably killing all three instantly in the firey wreck. Whoopsise doodle.
WE NEED YOUR VOTES BELOW TO DECIDE WHICH OF THESE VIOLENTLY KILLED MOPARS WILL MOVE ONTO THE NEXT ROUND! VOTE EARLY, VOTE OFTEN BELOW IN THE COMMENT SECTION.
I love both movies, but Vanishing Point gets the nod. The DVD has the UK version on it which is better than the US version because of the missing scenes with Charlotte Rampling near the end. Plus, Kowalski’s Challenger is in the entire film and not just at the ending like the Charger is in Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry. You should put the four door 66 Chevy from DM,CL up against another movie car, because it was in the mojority of that film.
What’s the black, on black, on black 68 Charger R/T from Bullet going to go up against? That car and this Vanishing Point Challenger are two of my all time favorite movie Mopars. Such cool cars that all come to such sad endings. What’s with that!?
With a killer soundtrack (what can compete with Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen?”), a then young Cleavon Little as Super Soul (later to star in the block buster comedy, “Blazing Saddles”) and a Challenger R/T with “unlimited top end” my vote goes to Kowalski and Vanishing Point.
It was a police car in DM,CL with a top end that was unlimited.
Hanks: [walking through police garage] Stevie! Stevie, ma boy! Where are ya?
Steve: Hey!
Hanks: Where the hell’s that car at?
[referring to high-performance police car]
Steve: Over here… but she ain’t got any siren or lights yet.
Hanks: Hey look, all I care about, is what you’ve got under that hood.
Steve: Take a look
[starts police car, car rumbles to life]
Steve: .
Hanks: [smiles broadly] So, what’s my top end on this?
Steve: Unlimited.
Challenger. Big block stick, good enough for me.
The above replies made the case………challenger! Lets also forget the lame remake but at least it was a hemi lol……
Challenger cause its faster
Kowalski’s Challenger.
Kowalski’s Challenger, It was a HEMI, loved it when they destroyed the Camaro at the end.
I have a soft spot for Chargers, so there you go. Kowalski must’ve had a 16 speed New-Process in that Challenger, as much as he shifted.
Challenger takes the most violent wreck. C’mon triple digit speed into a pair of dozers!
Kowalski’s Challenger …. for all the above reasons ( including the soundtrack …. ( oh man the memories of seeing ” Mountain ” perform that song live ) and simply the fact that as much as I love a good Charger …. the Challenger is what I’d chose to own . 8)
Both movies were packed with Mopar testosterone laden goodness and for those too young to remember, they were shown as a double feature (ahhh, the good ol’ days). For me it’s Kowolski all the way! Mary and Larry played out the typical bad guy crooks who get cheered on for thier panache. Kowolski was a rebel without a cause. All he was doing was delivering a car. That was his only failure, his driving skill coupled with a nasty 440 cubic inch Mopar missle that ran circles around the hapless cops. Before hemi kids start typing, know that Kowolski’s ride was a 440 magnum. The pukey made for TV remake from the 90’s had a hemi and had no redeeming qualities except for the cars themselves.
Challenger. No doubt.
the DMCL charger. its just that much more badass than the VP challenger. really, there shouldnt even be the question, its common knowledge!!
Challenger
Kowalski’s Challenger.
“You can’t beat the desert!”
Gotta go with the Challenger on this one. And, yes, I do remember seeing them as a double feature in San Diego. Never liked rooting for criminal types, although I truely loved the Charger! But Kowalski was the true anti-hero of the period! And that 4-speed Challenger was just awesome! And I believe, if ya look close, the Challenger was supposed to be a six pack car! Sure sounded like one when he was in it!!
Man that’s tuff because both them car’s are bad ass . Dirty Mary & Crazy Larry’s Charger if im correct was a Super Bee & Kowalski’s Challenger was of coarse a 70 Challenger R/T . Man decisions , decisions , hmmm ? Well both car’s are equal in my book and so I think because everyone is choosing the awesome 70 Challenger R/T , ill go for DM & CL’s Charger Super Bee .
Kowalski and the challenger, better story. Enjoyed both movies when they came out.
considering it was a camaro they wrecked in vanishing point I have to go with the dirty mary crazy larry charger !
Challenger
Kowalski’s Challenger
Challenger, even if it turned into a Camaro at the end: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv2S6nP3U0s
Kowalski’s Challenger. Carey Loftin did most of the stunts for VP, and trained Barry Newman to do some also. Carey Loftin was the unseen driver in Duel.
They fooled a police roadblock with a minibike tied to the top of Kowalski’s car.
have to give Kowalski the nod… even with 2 galring flaws in the movie. 1) showing a blown hemi when they look under the hood… 2) and maybe the worst part of the movie… the burned and destroyed carcass that is obviously a Camaro…othe than that, the chase scenes are awesome, Kowalski is awesome, the car is awesome… and it’s one of the first movies that I ever “saw” (or didn’t see) at a drive in.
Dirty Mary Crazy Larry lime green charger – not so much !!
killer kowalski
Kowalskis Challenger rules the Charger!
This is a tough one. I’ve owed both. I currently own a Challenger 440 6 pac, the first new car I ever bought. And have owed a 69 Charger 440 mag. Both cars rock.
Both movies are very good, but I don’t care that much for Peter Fonda, and I prefer Challengers over Chargers. So I have to give the nod to the Challenger.
like challengers. love chargers.
Charger