“Driver’s Ed Mutiny” now on DVD or streaming online August 14, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Movies, Road trips.add a comment
“Driver’s Ed Mutiny,” an indie comedy movie that takes place partly on Route 66, now is available on DVD or by streaming online.
Here’s the trailer:
As you can see from the trailer and the production photos, the film included Cadillac Ranch, Pops, Oatman Road, Oatman, Galaxy Diner in Flagstaff, Cool Springs Camp, Wigwam Motel, and the wind farm near Weatherford, Okla., among many of its shoots. Among the Route 66 businesses that helped out in the production were the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas; Ann’s Chicken Fry House in Oklahoma City, Coyote’s Adobe Cafe in Springfield, Mo., Cool Springs Camp near Kingman, Ariz.; and Route 66 Diner in Albuquerque.
The film was written and directed by Brad Hansen as a sort of an homage to the late teen-movie director John Hughes.
This is the film’s synopsis:
Three teenagers have to make their way from Chicago to Los Angeles, each for their own personal reasons. With no other options, they hijack their driver’s ed car and embark on a coming-of-age journey down the historic Route 66, with plenty of bumps along the way.
The film won a few awards on the film-festival circuit, but never found a distributor for wider release. So the movie is being sold or streamed through Indieflix.
The DVD, which is listed for $14.95, contains a commentary track, deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes feature, trailer, and bloopers.
You also can watch the film online for a 30-day period for $4.95. To buy the DVD or stream it, go here.
“I’m chained to the highway …” August 14, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Music, Restaurants, Road trips.add a comment
This is a video about Route 66 in the desert of Southern California, particularly in the Victorville area. You’ll see some footage at Emma Jean’s Hollandburger in Victorville.
Music is by Chris Rea.
Winners of the Lollapalooza Route 66 Chevy ad contest August 13, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Television, Vehicles.add a comment
MOFILM recently ran a video contest for Chevrolet’s Route 66 campaign where entrants were vying for $8,000 in cash, two tickets to the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago, round-trip tickets, accommodations, and screening of the film at MOFILM’s awards night.
The contest wanted entrants to “re-create the spirit of Route 66.” MOFILM also is running a bigger Chevrolet Route 66 ad contest, where the winner gets to see the video during the Super Bowl 2012 telecast.
Here was the winner, with the footage and music created by William Kirkley. It was shot in Southern California’s desert, which gives it a Route 66 flavor:
This one, inspired by the Pacific Coast Highway, finished second:
The third-place finisher was shot in England:
Fourth place was titled “Decisions, Decisions”:
Fifth place was a snowboarding video:
Brother takes a cruise down the Mother Road August 12, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in People, Television.1 comment so far
UPDATE 8/19/2011: Video links have been updated.
Brother, the company that makes label printers, took a film crew down Route 66 to get real people’s stories for what appears to be an ad campaign.
The main ad that puts them all together:
Here’s a segment about Ron “Tattoo Man” Jones. This was shot at Afton Station on Route 66 in Afton, Okla. The segment winds up being quite poignant:
And one of my favorites of the 14 videos is of Eugene, a retired English literature professor who lives in East St. Louis, Ill.:
More of the videos can be seen at Brotherlabel’s channel.
UPDATE 8/15/2011: Brother UK’s Facebook page has been running a series of Route 66 contests. And it posted this message there today:
For the last few weeks, we’ve been travelling down Route 66, looking at the many different cities that fall on the famous road. Later this week though, we’ll be giving you the chance to do the same, giving away a trip for 4 down the legendary Mother Road! Keep watching this space and all will soon be revealed…
KUAF’s Route 66 stories, all in one place August 12, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Businesses, Museums, People, Radio, Restaurants, Theaters.add a comment
KUAF-FM, a National Public Radio affiliate based at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, posted daily reports from Route 66 in Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas this week.
Here’s the complete set of broadcasts, which you can hear at the link:
- Monday, a report from Vintage Iron Museum in Miami, Okla.
- Tuesday, a report from the Coleman Theatre in Miami, Okla.
- Wednesday, a report about Scott Nelson at the Eisler Bros. Store in Riverton, Kan.
- Thursday, a report about Melba Rigg at 4 Women on the Route in Galena, Kan.
- Friday, a report about the 66 Drive-In in Carthage, Mo.
I found the reports to be engaging and informative.
Filmmakers plan Muffler Men documentary August 11, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in Attractions, History, Movies.2 comments
A film crew in the San Francisco Bay area, in association with RoadsideAmerica.com, is raising money for a movie about Muffler Men — the giant fiberglass figures.
The crew is trying to raise $30,000 in donations by Sept. 1 through a Kickstarter project so it can start shooting the documentary this fall. As of Thursday evening, the campaign had raised over $3,200.
Roadside America also put out this request to roadies:
Clean White Lines is also asking for traveler and roadside fan stories of memorable encounters with these roadside giants – the good, the bad, and the crazy. Did you propose to your spouse there? Pepper one with arrows in your irresponsible youth? Get stung by hornets while posing? The best true tales may make it into the documentary, or even persuade the crew to detour to your town for a personal interview!
You can send your accounts as RoadsideAmerica.com tips (mark as: “M-Man Tale”). Or mail your (legible) handwritten letter to:
Attn: Muffler Men
1155 5th St #306
Oakland, CA 94607
Roadside America’s map of Muffler Men is here. Route 66 boasts of several Muffler Men, including one of the most distinctive ones (pictured at top) at the Launching Pad Drive-In in Wilmington, Ill.
UPDATED: Part of marathon will try to help Joplin August 11, 2011
Posted by Ron Warnick in bicycling, Events, Sports.1 comment so far
A portion of the Mother Road Marathon, an annual event that goes on Route 66 in southwest Missouri, Kansas and northeast Oklahoma, will be used to benefit boost the morale of tornado-ravaged Joplin, reported the Joplin Globe.
Organizers for the Oct. 9 race says the five-kilometer part of the event will be tagged as a “Run for Joplin.” No other details about the benefit were available. About one-third of Joplin was destroyed by a tornado in May.
The Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau made the announcement not just to boost its city, but to juice up interest in the marathon. With less than two months before the race, only about 100 people had signed up.
More than 1,600 participated in last year’s marathon.
Organizers also re-enlisted Vince Lindstrom, founder of the Mother Road Marathon, to help with the race.
Last year’s race experienced all sorts of problems, which the Globe detailed:
The city had issues with the hired promoter, Dean Reinke of Winter Haven, Fla., who city officials said failed to provide everything that was promised to participants, even running short of awards and certificates of completion.
He was paid $20,000 plus all the entry fees. The tourism bureau spent $30,000, including his fee, to put the event together.
During the dispute, Reinke tried to promote this year’s race, and solicit runners and their entry fees for 2011. He and the city finally settled out of court with the city retaining all legal rights to the event, the city said.
Also, Lindstrom’s replacement resigned after beginning initial plans for the 2011 event.
The 26.2-mile Mother Road Marathon starts in Commerce, Okla., goes through all 13 miles of Route 66 in Kansas, and ends in Joplin.
UPDATE: Unlike what was previously reported, the Globe said in an updated story about the marathon that it was not a benefit for Joplin.
“It is just to get Joplin moving again,” since tornado recovery efforts may have interrupted people’s exercise and recreational activities, Lindstrom said. It also is an effort, he said, to save a regional event that participants deem as important to the area.
Also, organizers are adding a bicycle tour to that weekend. That’s scheduled for Oct. 8, with tour options of 12, 33, 66, or 100 miles.
Proceeds from the tours’ registration fees will go toward finishing the Ruby Jack Trail and maintaining the Frisco Greenway Trail.