About Cars - 2006

Produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures, Cars is a 2006 American computer-animated comedy-adventure film. It tells the story of Lightning McQueen, a race car who ends up in a small town off Route 66 while traveling to the Piston Cup Championship. In the town, he finds the true meaning of friendship and family.

Making / Production

Cars was directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft, with the screenplay written by Dan Fogelman, Lasseter, Ranft, Kiel Murray, Phil Lorin, and Jorgen Klubien. It took more than five years to complete, as the Pixar team wanted to make the animation as realistic as possible. They visited real racetracks and garages to get a feel for the environment.

Actors

• Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen – Wilson portrayed the brash and cocky race car with charm and humour, effectively humanising a car.
• Paul Newman as Doc Hudson – Newman played the town judge and doctor who was revealed to be a former Piston Cup Champion, and bought depth to the character.
• Bonnie Hunt as Sally Carrera – Hunt voiced Sally, a Porsche who is McQueen's love interest and demonstrated wit and warmth.
• Larry the Cable Guy as Mater – He added an element of comic relief to the film as the lovable tow truck.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The number '95' on Lightning McQueen is a reference to the year that Toy Story was released, 1995.
• Cars is the last film in which Paul Newman appeared.
• The town of Radiator Springs is based off the real Route 66 town of Peach Springs, Arizona.

Awards

The film Cars won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film. It was also nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song ("Our Town").

Quotes

• "I create feelings in others that they themselves don't understand." - Lightning McQueen
• "I don't know. I got nothin'." - Mater
• "It's just... empty." - Sally Carrera, about Radiator Springs

Music and Soundtrack

• "Real Gone" by Sheryl Crow
• "Life is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane
• "Our Town" by James Taylor
• "Sh-Boom" by The Chords
• "Route 66" by Chuck Berry