Want to feel old? No? Well, I’m going to make you feel old anyway. Apparently, Pixar’s Cars came out 20 years ago. Twenty.
I went to the premiere of Car‘s theatrical re-release last night, and seeing this movie in theaters was a truly magical experience. This film has been credited with awakening many children’s obsession with car culture, with critics probably attributing it to the big, goofy faces on the personified vehicles and the farting tractor jokes. But that’s truly not it.
And watching it again, I was amazed at just how much car culture, adult references, and heartfelt moments were in this film. It’s truly an animated masterpiece.
Realistic and clever car references
Nobody can really decide what the hell Lightning McQueen is. He appears to be a blend of race cars, mixing elements together to create an entirely new design. Some have wondered if he’s a Corvette, but there’s a part in the film where Sally says she “fell in love,” and McQueen reluctantly says, “Corvette?” This hints that he is not a Corvette himself. That’s the only way that joke would hit.
McQueen’s general build is likely a NASCAR stock car, but his curves and front bumper do look inspired by the Corvette C6. His rear window and spoiler looks more like a Ford GT40, taking inspiration from classic endurance cars. Some even say Dodge Viper due to his muscular, wide build. While other vehicles in the Cars universe are most definitely based on real vehicles, McQueen isn’t.
However, his engine is unmistakable. It’s clearly a 5.8-liter V8. And it sounds incredible, especially in theaters. The crisp, rumbling roar of his engine sent chills down my arms and spine every time. Other cars sound amazing as well, including Sally, a Porsche 911 Carrera (with a tramp stamp on her little wing) with a 3.0-liter 6-cylinder flat engine with twin turbochargers. It combines a deep grumble with a whistle. It’s unmistakable.
Another amazing engine sound in Cars is the Hudson Hornet’s 5.0-liter flathead inline-six. When he takes on Willy’s Butte, that engine startup is enough to make everyone shut up and listen. It’s low, throaty, and Americana to its core.
And that’s the thing. Cars is actually quite accurate to real-life cars and car culture. The Delinquent Road Hazards embody JDM culture with their obnoxious modifications, low stances, and incredible paint jobs. A lot of boys online claim it’s Wingo, DJ, and Boost that got them into cars. Snot Rod should also not be overlooked. This muscle car is faster than the other Delinquent members. I think it’s just so hilarious to see all of the little details that Cars puts in, like the JDMs smoothly swerving from lane to lane, showing off their handling. Meanwhile, Snot Rod is struggling to do the same, clearly better in a straight-line drag situation. My boyfriend and I got a good chuckle out of this, since he drives a Mustang GT on the track while I have a Miata and Elise.
Speaking of, the races are incredible to watch as well. In theaters, the track looks massive. The attention to detail, from the little debris getting kicked up on the road to the crowd personalities, was spectacular on the big screen. And, once again, Pixar really played up different stereotypes and car references. The RVs being in a blow-up kiddie pool made me chuckle. And, of course, that scene where McQueen pushes the King through the finish line was enough to make any adult emotional.
Plenty to cry about (secretly)
The emotional story behind Cars is shockingly deep. The storylines surrounding McQueen’s selfishness and loneliness were done so well. You could feel his disappointment when Harvy, his only real “friend” at the time, didn’t even bother to show up in person to greet him once he was found. The idea of letting go of big, empty goals (“it’s just an empty cup”) to enjoy friends and to just slow down and enjoy life sometimes… That hit home for many people. When McQueen was driving in the three-way tiebreaker and kept seeing images of Sally cruising along Route 66… Goosebumps.
One thing that always makes me feel extremely emotional, however, is the Hudson Hornet. I don’t know if it’s because of my love of antiques and old cars, but every time anything happens with Doc, I get extreme goosebumps. My boyfriend was even laughing at the theater. When McQueen found his old Piston Cup trophies, just the sight of them and knowing of Hornet’s past, I felt a shiver. When he raced around the Butte when he thought he was alone… So many good moments. When people recognized Hornet when he showed up as McQueen’s coach at the end… I’m sure many adults were crying.
I almost was.
Pixar is really good at crafting these raw, real lessons that other kids’ movies are afraid to touch on. Monsters University will forever have my heart for teaching kids that just because you want something really, really bad doesn’t mean it’s right for you. That doesn’t mean you’re even any good at it. And what other kid movie would show two teens dropping out of college to work their way up through a mail room? Incredible.
Life isn’t always the way you pictured it. But that’s okay. Sometimes taking the road less traveled leads to something very unexpected.
Like a hot Porsche.
Lightning McQueen’s transformation was one of the most realistic and well-paced I’ve seen in a kid movie. His hatred of Radiator Springs was hilarious and palpable at the start. Even him yelling at himself for starting to be “crazy” like the rest of the residents when he started talking to Bessie was downright hilarious. It’s those little details that I think some kids may miss, but are quite blatant on the big screen. He doesn’t just make a sudden switch to Radiator Springs fanatic or anything, either. He can even be seen questioning himself throughout the film, wondering whether to give in to what he’s seeing or keep to himself. You can feel the seething anger and judgment slowly turn into curiosity and admiration.
When McQueen gets his tires and paint done, allowing everyone in town to have a customer, it truly feels earned. And that gave it so much more weight and emotion.
Adult humor (and Mater)
I still hate Mater. I’m sorry. I’ve always hated this wretched, rusty character. The voice, the childish jokes, the unrealistic movements… It really took me out of the moment. Every other vehicle moves like a real car, but Mater has some scene where he’s leaping all over the place while driving backward. It’s just not necessary. It feels like Mater was added to the film just to get some cheap laughs from children.
I have to say, however, that my entire theater was made up of adults. Which was refreshing. And they did chuckle at Mater quite a bit. We’re in Los Angeles, where people get very into films and feed off of each other’s energy, but it was still fun to see everyone laughing at some of Mater’s antics and feeling warm at the growing friendship with McQueen. It was just a very positive vibe all around.
But the rest of the film has surprisingly adult humor. So many things that went over my head those 20 years ago. Twenty.
Rusty Rust-eze: They’re not headlights; they’re just stickers.
Lightning McQueen: Well, racecars don’t need headlights, because the track is always lit.
Dusty Rust-eze: Well, so is my brother, but he still needs headlights.
A weed joke??! In a Pixar movie?
Fillmore: I’m telling you, man, every thrid blink is slower…
Sarge: The 60’s weren’t good to you, were they?
In fact, my boyfriend pointed out that whenever Fillmore put on the National Anthem, Sarge would respond with Hendrix’s version, which would make the two start fighting. Back in the day, adults were apparently quite offended by Hendrix making a rock version. So that’s another insider joke for adults.
Then there are all the sexual jokes as well. That entire court scene at the start is hilarious when McQueen tries to flirt with Sally, but it’s just completely cringeworthy. But every woman can relate to that. There were so many clever punchlines and funny moments in Cars that made it a lot of fun for adults. I think that’s what’s missing from a lot of animated movies these days.
Between all of the car references, the nostalgia for Route 66, the heartfelt moments, and the hilarious punchlines, Cars most definitely holds up 20 years later. It’s easy to see why people are so influenced by the film to this day. I mean, I saw multiple McQueen wannabees getting arrested at Monterey Car Week and beyond. All over social media, you can see people debating McQueen’s top speed versus Jackson Storm. I see people discussing his prime years. I see people debating who is truly the best race car in the series. Is it whoever had the longest career? The most wins in a short season? And I see people begging for a prequel about the Hudson Hornet.
As someone who loves Hudson Hornet and his storyline, I’m weary of this, since new Pixar films aren’t as emotionally impactful or deep. But I’d still watch it.
If you have the opportunity to see Cars in theaters, do it. Do it now. Or just re-watch it on Disney+. All of the shorts and sequels are there as well.
And no, Cars 2 isn’t that bad.
