John Mayer's performance of "Route 66" from the "Cars" movie soundtrack was nominated for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance of the Grammy Awards, which will be Feb. 11 on CBS. For a complete list of Grammys, go here. UPDATE: Sheesh. I missed two other nominations. "Our Town," written by Randy Newman, was nominated for Best … Continue reading “Cars” soundtrack gets Grammy nods
Category: Movies
“Cars” movie gets nine Annie nominations
Disney-Pixar's hit summer movie about Route 66, "Cars," tied "Flushed Away" for the most Annie nominations from the International Animated Film Society with nine, reported the Los Angeles Daily News. The awards will be announced Feb. 11 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, Calif. According to CountSolo at the Pixar Planet forum, here are the … Continue reading “Cars” movie gets nine Annie nominations
“Fantastic Tulsa Films” airs tonight
I don't know whether there's Route 66 content, but "Fantastic Tulsa Films" -- a compilation of home and professional movies of Tulsa from years ago -- is airing several times in Oklahoma in the coming weeks, including at 7 p.m. today on OETA, the state's public television network. At the least, it will be of … Continue reading “Fantastic Tulsa Films” airs tonight
Oscar lobbying begins for “Cars”
Buena Vista Pictures has put up a Web site to woo the Academy of Motion Pictures to nominate several of its films for Academy Awards. One of the movies Buena Vista is hoping will get Oscar nods is "Cars." It's lobbying for these nominations: Best Animated Feature Best Original Screenplay Best Film Editing Best Score … Continue reading Oscar lobbying begins for “Cars”
Both versions of “Life is a Highway”
Here is Rascal Flatts' current version of "Life is a Highway," featured in the "Cars" movie. Here is Tom Cochran's original, which was a Top 10 hit in 1992: Which do you like better?
Filmmaker Robert Altman dies
Robert Altman, 81, who died Monday, is best-known for directing "M*A*S*H," "Nashville," "The Player" and "Short Cuts." But he also learned the trade by directing a few episodes of the "Route 66" television show. Quite a few other young, talented people in Hollywood cut their teeth there as well. A complete obituary is here.
Mater’s inspiration on TV
Rod Harsh at Route 66 TV Online compiled these two televised news reports of the gala in Galena, Kan., that displayed the 1951 International boom truck that inspired the creation of Mater in the movie "Cars." The gas station also is going to be restored into become a gift shop and tourism center by the … Continue reading Mater’s inspiration on TV
Meet Mater’s inspiration
It's been the victim of neglect. The odometer reads 99,372 miles, and there's no telling whether they're original. Rust covers the entire body, where it nearly obscures the letters "Tannou" and "Joplin, Mo" on the door. The seats desperately need to be re-upholstered. And it gets its fuel from a storage tank that resembles a … Continue reading Meet Mater’s inspiration
“Cars” becomes an Academy Award finalist
The Hollywood Reporter says that the Disney-Pixar summer movie "Cars" is a finalist for the Academy Award for best animated feature. That's not a surprise, because Pixar's films are perennial Oscar contenders, and "Cars" was universally hailed for its animation excellence. In all, 16 films made the cut as finalists for best animated feature. According … Continue reading “Cars” becomes an Academy Award finalist
Route 66 on the comeback trail?
To read an otherwise-good article by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, you'd think Route 66 had been languishing for decades until the "Cars" movie came out this summer. And it's true the Mother Road got quite a boost when Pixar's film rolled into theaters, says author Michael Wallis. "It's been [a] huge shot in the arm for … Continue reading Route 66 on the comeback trail?