Pixar hits the road

29-07-2006 08:20

They've helped us find 'Nemo', helped us live 'A Bugs Life' and even told us a 'Toy Story'. twice, now the brains at Pixar and Walt Disney Studios are taking us on the road with 'Cars'.

The animated romp - which has already been one of the summer's big hits at the box office in America - is a high octane adventure, fuel-injected with plenty of the laughter and action we've come expect from the California based filmmaker.

As always, the stunning movie has a hard-not-to-love hero at the centre of the story. This time it's Lightning McQueen voiced by 'Wedding Crashers' star Owen Wilson. McQueen is a hotshot rookie race car who discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs.

En route across the country to the big Piston Cup Championship in California to compete against two seasoned pros, McQueen gets to know the town's offbeat characters including Doc Hudson, a 1951 Hudson Hornet with a mysterious past, voiced by Hollywood legend Paul Newman; Sally Carrera, a snazzy 2002 Porsche voiced by Bonnie Hunt; and Mater, a rusty but trusty tow truck voiced by US comedian Larry the Cable Guy. Together they help McQueen realize that there are more important things than trophies, fame, and sponsorship.

It's fair to say there isn't a star in Hollywood who would say, 'No!' if the phone rang and the call was coming from Pixar, asking them to voice a character.

Bonnie Hunt - who has already lent her tones to characters in two previous Pixar movies, 'Monsters Inc.' and 'A Bugs Life' - can explain why.

She revealed: "When they write these movies at Pixar, they start with the heart of the character first. Once the heart is there, it doesn't matter what's on the outside. Even a car becomes a character and a personality. "John Lasseter and his team of artists provide the imagination that is the gold mine of their storytelling process. Their imaginations go to the fantasies of the heart, and of life, and of our values. Anything that you can possibly visualize in your mind, they bring to life."

Owen Wilson - who is best known for his roles in comedies including 'Meet The Fockers' and 'Starkey and Hutch' - says voicing Lightning McQueen was like a childhood dream come true.

He confessed: "It kind of felt like when you were a kid, and you would do funny animated voices. You're dreaming the stuff up and creating a character.

"McQueen is kind of obsessed with winning. He isn't a cheat or anything like that, but he doesn't really care about much else beyond winning and the glory that comes with that. I think that's how he measures himself."

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