While it's obviously not out the bounds of reason that Pixar would include such a reference, I can't help but think that this is just a coikidink.
After all, that model of Fiat is just that model of Fiat - of course they're going to look similar.
I think if its front light had been smashed/it was the same color/had the same license plate/had the same bent bumper then it could have been taken more as a literal reference, but two similar cars do not an in-joke make.
At least for me...anyone else have thoughts on this one?
It's not really proper to credit Miyazaki with Lupin III. Miyazaki didn't originate the character.
Lupin III was created by Monkey Punch and the manga/anime character was in itself a spin-off of the original French character, Lupin.
What Miyazaki did with Lupin III was direct a few of the original (early 1970s) animated TV series' episodes as well as one of the early Lupin III feature films, "Castle of Cagliostro."
Benny, Herbie... they should give 'em all quick cameo shots, like they did with all the Disney dogs on Oliver And Company's "Why Should I Worry" sequence.
I have yet to get all hyped up about "Cars" (still haven't seen the trailer that everyone's talking about), but I'm sure it will be good. Maybe not Pixar's greatest, but it should still be good.
And I like Mater. He's crazy-looking.
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift--that is why it's called the present."
One thing that surprised me over at the AICN post on the current ShoWest...
John Lasseter apparently came on this week and said that they just finished the film and only had the cast/crew party a couple of days ago.
So...wasn't Cars supposed to come out this past Christmas?? And wasn't the delay on the film due to a summer release date and not because of any re-tinkering?
So how come Cars was just finished only recently? Oh yeah, we'll get the "we wanted to spend the right time on it to get it right and this allowed us to" blurbs, but I reckon that just a little re-tinkering went in to this.
Whatever, the new posters and trailers are bringing more and more people around to this one, even if it just turn out to be Pixar's buddy-buddy formula with motors instead of toys, bugs, monsters, fish or superheroes...
Cars worries me because so many people seem intent on hating it for the sole reason that it stars talking cars. I only know a few people who want to see it - the ones who don't are like, "Talking cars? No thanks." Uhm, let's look back a bit...
Pixar made talking toys work.
They made talking bugs work.
They made talking fish work.
The made talking superheroes work.
I'm pretty sure they can make talking Cars work. (Not directing this on anybody here, btw, just at people I know)
