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Today is THE day that Cars 2 races onto Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray Hi-Def Combo Pack! In celebration of the release, I have so many fun things to share with you including more activity pages, another movie clip and an interview with Larry the Cable Guy who voices Mater in “Cars 2″.
Here you go!
Discount Coupon
Click here to receive a coupon for $5 off the Cars 2 5-disc Combo Pack.
Movie Clip: Japan Fast Dirt Section
Activity Pages
Interview with Larry the Cable Guy who voices Mater
How did you react when you discovered that Mater would have a larger role in “Cars 2”?
When I signed up for the sequel, I had no idea that Mater would be the star of the movie. [“Cars 2” director] John Lasseter used a storyboard to walk me through the story during one of my early meetings for the movie and that’s when I first discovered Mater’s role had been upgraded. My first reaction was, “Well, it sounds like Mater is going to have a pretty good part in this!”
Did you have any idea how popular “Cars” would become when you first signed up for the role?
When I first got the role, I had no idea that the movie and the characters would become as popular as they did. We hoped for success, but we had no idea what was going to happen. As soon as the first movie was released, I realized we had ourselves a very successful cartoon.
How did you win the role of Mater?
When the filmmakers first started work on “Cars,” I got a fax from my manager saying Pixar wanted me to voice a tow truck in their new movie. Mater wasn’t even named Mater at that point. He had a completely different name. I immediately said, “I’d love to be involved.” It was Pixar! Who wouldn’t jump at the chance?
Do you know why they chose you in particular?
John Lasseter said he’d been talking to lots of people, but he hadn’t found the right voice for the tow truck in the film. Then he listened to a “Blue Collar Comedy Tour” CD, which is when he heard my voice for the first time. He realized he’d found his tow truck within the first 30 seconds of listening. He apparently said, “That’s him. That is it. Call that guy up.”
Mater has a lot of scenes with a character called Holley Shiftwell in “Cars 2.” Do you know why British actress Emily Mortimer was chosen for the role of Holley?
John saw Emily in a couple of movies and I can guarantee you that he also saw her getting interviewed by TV crews and the press. During those interviews, he would have seen her personality shining through. From my experience, I know that’s how he would’ve decided that he wanted Emily for the role of Holley. He hires people because of their personalities and you see those personalities when they’re being interviewed.
Did you get the chance to record any of your dialogue with Emily?
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to work with Emily in the sound booth because we always record our voices solo. I don’t think they recorded any of the actors together, which is weird, but it works.
Where did you record your dialogue for the movie?
I record all of my audio at Pixar near San Francisco. But if you can’t make it out there, they make it easy and they come to you. For the “Cars Toons,” they came to me in a studio in Orlando, Florida. They are a very versatile bunch.
Do you get to see any of the movie before you record your dialogue?
No, we don’t get to see any of the animation. We just walk into the recording booth with John Lasseter and he takes us through everything. He tells us exactly what the scene is going to be like. He sets the mood and he tells us exactly how we should play it. He might say, “In this scene, you’re really excited. You’ve just met so-and-so for the first time and you’re over the moon.” It’s a pretty cool process and John is a master at it.
Were you nervous when you recorded Mater’s dialogue for the first time?
When I first started doing the voice for “Cars,” I admitted to John that I was really nervous. This was John Lasseter and Pixar! I couldn’t believe I was part of the project, but luckily he’s very comfortable to work with and pretty soon I calmed down.
What do you think of the animation in “Cars 2”?
The animation gets better and better with every Pixar movie. I was amazed when I saw the first scene of “Cars 2” with the water and the ocean. It looks incredible. I have no idea how an animator can make a fake ship look so real, but that’s exactly what they’ve done here. It blows me away every time.
Do you still pinch yourself when you hear your voice coming out of Mater’s mouth?
It’s crazy, but I never thought in a million years that I would be able to say that I was in a movie with an actor like Michael Caine. That’s not bad for a kid from a town of 1,200 in southeast Nebraska.
You must be incredibly proud…
Oh, I am. I’m over the moon.
Why do you think Pixar is so successful?
Pixar is successful because they are the best at what they do. There are lots of animated movies in the world, but a lot of them don’t have great stories. Then there are great stories with bad animation. Pixar does both well. It’s the market leader.
What’s it like to visit Pixar?
I love visiting Pixar. It’s awesome. It’s such an amazing place. I told John Lasseter, “Man, I bet you don’t have much of a staff turnover at this place.” He said, “That’s the problem. Nobody wants to go home. People come into work at nine o’clock in the morning, but they’re still here at nine and ten o’clock at night.”
How much of that is because of John Lasseter?
I think a lot of it has to do with John Lasseter. He’s a great leader. He has also become a great friend of mine and I love his enthusiasm for animation. He’s always happy about the work. He’s always enthusiastic, and it’s completely contagious. He’s the best.
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