Jan 10, 2009

Square America: The Automobile


This photo - the landscape, and the car - reminds me of Barry Newman. He starred in a tv show, Petrocelli, in the 70's. He played a lawyer in Arizona who is building a house in the desert. Barry Newman had a few starring roles in movies in the 70's, most of them forgettable. However there was one that became a cult classic, especially in Europe. Vanishing Point is about alienation in the shape of a man driving a 1970 Dodge Challenger across the country.



It is the breathtaking vastness of space of the American West is what cramped Europeans find so irresistibly romantic. The idea that you can rev up the engine and drive on an endless road, be alone in the middle of nowhere, get lost for better or worse, it makes you giddy with vertigo.


After the 70's Barry Newman sort of faded from view, though he is still around working. He appeared in various tv shows, like Law and Order, also character roles in various movies, like a less the scrupulous lawyer in The Limey.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

The colors remind me of the photos I processed through the Poladroid program I just downloaded yesterday. I blogged about it at www.kchblog.com.

Vanda said...

I checked it out, very cool! These are actually a different, older generation of polaroids, but they have very similar characteristics.

Petrea Burchard said...

That first one's giving me cousin memories.

Anonymous said...

Cross country fan, here. And you know what? Whenever Europeans visit me, they always want to get in the car and go, go, go -- somewhere/anywhere.

Petrea Burchard said...

Road trips are the best.

Anonymous said...

Canary yellow Camero, bucket seats up front and a cramped misery in the back.

These people look a lot like my relatives. There's Aunt Wilma in the bullet bra and beehive.

Anonymous said...

Everyone looks so sweet and innocent until you come to the last picture. That man disturbs me.