I saw Cars again last week. (It was a special showing. Two local guys, who did the voices of Rusty and Dusty Rust-Eze, were there.) I caught a lot of things that I missed the first time; the vapor trails in the sky over Radiator Springs, the (VW) bugs leaving tracks in the dusty windows when Lightning and Sally go to the Wheel Well Motel. And I got to watch the characters a little more this time.
I love Guido; the little forklift from Casa Della Tires whose greatest dream is to do a real pit stop. When Lightning and Doc have their one-lap race at Willy’s Butte, Guido is there in his red-white-and-green wig, Ferrari pennants waving. He’s earnest , he’s eager, he’s ready. And later, his chance comes, and he shows everybody what he’s made of. He could be one of the great silent (or, nearly silent) movie characters.
If I could make a movie at Pixar it would be a prequel to Cars, showing Luigi and Guido leaving their hometown in Italy in the 50’s, traveling across Europe trying to sell tires at auto races (with Guido silently studying every move and detail of the pit stops), crossing the ocean and America until they set up their store in Radiator Springs. The town would be vibrant, just starting to come into its own.
