No, we're not talking about the fictional family as depicted in the 1983 road-trip comedy film "National Lampoon's Vacation." No, this is a real-life family in Georgia that has Griswold as its surname. Better yet, Steve and Lisa Griswold took a 1984 Ford LTD Country Squire station wagon and modified it to look exactly like the ultra-ugly … Continue reading The Griswolds will take a Route 66 trip next month
Category: Movies
Above the City of Angels
Filmmaker and photographer Chris Pritchard made this dazzling time-lapse video with the city of Los Angeles as his canvas. Make sure to watch it on your computer in full-screen mode. Above LA from Chris Pritchard on Vimeo. (Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan)
High school class makes superb film about Route 66
The film class of Jenks High School in Jenks, Oklahoma, uploaded this 10-minute film about Route 66 in the last few days. This well-edited clip features Tulsa-area Route 66 experts Marian Clark and Michael Wallis. https://youtu.be/zBYoEVIvuKs This sort of excellence isn't new for the Jenks High School film class. It won an Emmy award in 2012 for … Continue reading High school class makes superb film about Route 66
DVD review: “Exploring Route 66: The Mother Road”
David Bowyer's new DVD documentary, "Exploring Route 66: The Mother Road," doesn't explore the entire length of Route 66 -- hence the subtitle "Volume 1" that hints of future editions. But it proves to be a worthwhile addition to a roadie's video library, especially for those who love the desert Southwest. "Exploring Route 66" takes … Continue reading DVD review: “Exploring Route 66: The Mother Road”
Filmmaker is shooting documentary about “The Grapes of Wrath”
Filmmaker P.J. Palmer of (twenty)2 films is making a documentary movie about John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" novel after acquiring official rights from the Steinbeck estate, according to a news release. The new documentary "The Grapes of Wrath: We Shall Overcome" began filming in New York City last month interviewing James Franco, who is currently … Continue reading Filmmaker is shooting documentary about “The Grapes of Wrath”
Book review: “On Reading The Grapes of Wrath”
I have bad news and good news about Susan Shillinglaw's "On Reading The Grapes of Wrath," a behind-the-scenes look on the writing and marketing of John Steinbeck's classic and controversial novel that marks its 75th anniversary this year. The bad news is Shillinglaw's book (paperback, 206 pages, Penguin) delves very little into the Joad family's journey on Route 66 ("the road … Continue reading Book review: “On Reading The Grapes of Wrath”
Wedding scheduled on Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
A couple from Slovakia will be married on the Missouri side of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis at noon Saturday, May 31, as part of a tour and documentary film by the Czech Route 66 Association. And there's more, according to a news release about the event: The public is invited and … Continue reading Wedding scheduled on Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Museum wants to organize tours of Joliet Prison
The City of Joliet, Illinois, hopes to strike an agreement with the Illinois Department of Corrections so the long-closed Joliet Prison can be reopened for tours, reported the Northwest Herald. The Joliet Area Historical Museum is clamoring for access of the old prison because tourists -- many of them traveling on Route 66 -- want to … Continue reading Museum wants to organize tours of Joliet Prison
A visit to Cars Land
Here's one of the best videos I've seen about Cars Land in Disney California Adventure Park. It's another example of high-quality equipment and editing software being available to regular folks. Scott & Jimmy Visit Cars Land from Rick Stewart on Vimeo. Naturally, Cars Land's fictional Route 66 town of Radiator Springs is based on the … Continue reading A visit to Cars Land
“The Grapes of Wrath” was published 75 years ago today
John Steinbeck's famous novel about the Great Depression and a family's Moses-like journey on Route 66, "The Grapes of Wrath," was published 75 years ago today. The National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, Calif., is marking the anniversary all year, and I'll post a review of a new book about the writing of the novel when … Continue reading “The Grapes of Wrath” was published 75 years ago today