Award-winning filmmaker Lauren Cardillo always wanted to do a documentary about Route 66, but was having trouble thinking of an original angle in which to shoot it. Then she realized that her mother, Irene, was born in 1926 -- the same year the Mother Road was certified. So mother and daughter hit the road together. … Continue reading “The Mother Road” airs next month on PBS
Category: Movies
Fiction and fact
Eugene Baak of the Renaissance Boy Go! blog recently discovered that the Ramone's House of Body Art toy from in the "Cars" movie bears a strong resemblance to the U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas. To show us, he displayed photos of both. Heck, I could have told you that. 😉
How two towns survived the bypass
The Duluth (Minn.) News-Tribune has an interesting story about how two Wisconsin towns survived when U.S. 53 bypassed them. The story starts by comparing them to the fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. In "Cars," the latest big-screen creation from Pixar and Walt Disney, a new highway bypasses a dusty desert town called Radiator … Continue reading How two towns survived the bypass
Pixar fan site to start tonight
According to a news release I received Friday, a new Web site will be dedicated to Pixar Animation Studios, called Pixar Planet. The site will officially launch about 8:15 p.m. CDT Saturday. Here's a description of the site from the press release: Pixar Planet is a fansite for Pixar Animation Studios and the films, people, … Continue reading Pixar fan site to start tonight
“Cars” DVD scheduled to be out Nov. 7
It appears Upcoming Pixar has a scoop. It's linked to Ultimate Disney, which reports that the DVD for the "Cars" movie is scheduled to hit the streets on Nov. 7. The site also has an early version of the DVD's cover art, which can be seen at right. This doesn't mean this is the final … Continue reading “Cars” DVD scheduled to be out Nov. 7
“Cars” movie passes $300 million in worldwide box office
The Dixney-Pixar film "Cars" passed the $300 million mark in worldwide box-office grosses during the weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. The worldwide take probably will send total grosses toward the $400 million mark because many European countries just opened the film in the past week or so. "Cars" is the No. 3 film in … Continue reading “Cars” movie passes $300 million in worldwide box office
“Cars” display draws a big crowd
The Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph reported a huge throng of people came to U.S. Cellular Coliseum to see the last stop Saturday of the 50-city tour of life-size characters from the Disney-Pixar "Cars" movie. Organizers were expecting 5,000 people over a six-hour span. But they surpassed it within the first hour. Bloomington’s reaction is typical of … Continue reading “Cars” display draws a big crowd
“Cars” passes $200 million mark in domestic grosses
The movie "Cars" passed the rarified $200 million plateau in domestic box-office receipts during the weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. It is the third-most successful film this year, and it's coming up fast on the No. 2 film, "The Da Vinci Code." There's plenty more money to be made. "Cars" has grossed just $24 … Continue reading “Cars” passes $200 million mark in domestic grosses
Bob Waldmire spotted at Tucumcari festival
Since roving Route 66 artist Bob Waldmire is a Luddite in terms of the Internet and cell phones, it's hard to figure out where he is at times. This often leads to "Where's Waldmire?" questions when Mother Road fans talk among themselves. Well, this weekend Waldmire is in Tucumcari, N.M., for the Route 66 festival … Continue reading Bob Waldmire spotted at Tucumcari festival
Another Route 66 video
Scott Leitner has provided yet another slideshow to accompany one of the songs from the "Cars" movie soundtrack. It's a more upbeat video this time; it's John Mayer's version of "Route 66" along with businesses on the Mother Road that are still operating and serving tourists. The video is here. It's a large, 20 mg … Continue reading Another Route 66 video