With the release of Cars 2 on home video Tuesday November 1st, Pixar has created a series of options for those who want to own a copy, including Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and download. Cars 2 is also the first Pixar film to be released in Blu-ray 3D
The Huffington Post's Zorianna Kit sat down with Cars 2 director John Lasseter (and Pixar chief creative officer ) and producer Denise Ream to discuss the extras on the DVD, which include an exclusive all-new short, titled Air Mater and the Toy Story Toon Hawaiian Vacation that was part of the theatrical release.
Depending on what type of home video release purchased, other bonus footage includes an interactive World Tour map that takes the viewer through all the different locations featured in the. The download has its own special exclusive - a behind-the-scenes look at how Pixar films are translated in to more than 40 languages for a worldwide audience.
Kit also spoke to comedian Larry the Cable Guy, who explained how he got the voice of Mater, the beloved tow truck with the hillbilly twang, and revealed how life has changed for him since.
ZORIANNA KIT: All in all there is two hours of DVD extras on the Cars 2 home video release. That's longer than the movie itself!
JOHN LASSETER: We love the extras here at Pixar. We love 'em, love 'em, love 'em.
KIT: Nothing goes to waste.
LASSETER: No. Nothing. We save everything. All the mistakes and everything. Because we have so much fun making the movie. we want to show that to the audience. Also, this is our way of making a document for future audiences and future animation It's kind of our official document [ this is how we made this film. So it's about entertaining the audience, it's about showing everybody how we made it. And so we save everything and put it on these discs.
KIT: During production, do you shoot footage knowing they're it's never going to be seen in the final theatrical film?
LASSETER: One of the things about animation is it's so expensive to do the animation, that you can't produce coverage. You only have one chance to make every shot. So we use storyboard drawings and create a version of the movie using the storyboard drawings. It's a way we kind of edit the movie in advance. We will work and rework and rework this story reel. And so in the beginning of developing Cars 2 we actually had five different races, which comprised the World Grand Prix all around the world. Some of the races were long so we had to cut them down for movie because it was like a miniseries.
KIT: What had to go, for example?
LASSETER: We lost two of the races and changed things. And even in Japan we actually animated more of the race, but it was slowing the story line down. So we only used sections of it. But on the DVD we actually put the entire first lap of the whole Japan race together. You can actually watch it and it's really fun to see. It's pretty cool.
KIT: Does it break your heart when you have to not use something?
LASSETER: Yeah. Always because I love everything (laughs(. And that's why the Blu-Ray is so long. Because I love everything. It's all there.
KIT: Denise, what are some of your favorite DVD extras?
DENISE REAM: One of my favorite is the documentary (that shows) the origins of the Cars movies. And the reason I really love that one in particular is because there's great footage from the first film where we get to see part of the Route 66 trip that they went on, which was the kernel of the idea for what started the whole world of Cars. That's a really great documentary.
KIT: The DVD extras are longer than the film itself!
REAM: In general, I think this is a special DVD because you get to see John Lasseter directing. He's an amazing director. He's an amazing storyteller. And being able to see such an amazing iconic filmmaker in action is really special.
KIT: Any other cool features that really stand out for you?
DENISE REAM:I'm in love with the Japan race, which is one of the first races in the film. I love that because there are literally hundreds and hundreds of graphics because of all of the neon signs that's in the Ginza district of that city. I think that there are some really clever fun graphics that are just beautiful to look at. There's richness about the neon. I think it's just an amazing looking city. In all of the cities we go to, we did Car-ify iconic buildings. The Eiffel Tower has a wheel shaft, that you might not see the first time you're watching it. You can see all these really great subtle car parts that are part of a building."
KIT: Larry, when John was first looking to find the voice of Mater, he had gone though tons of celebrities and voice actors but couldn't find what he needed. How did you come in to the picture?
LARRY the CABLE GUY: On a whim he said to his secretary, 'Hey go get the Blue Collar CD' because we had just put out the CD. He pops it in and the first guy that comes on is me. He didn't know me from Adam, but the next thing I know, they sent me a fax and hired me to be the tow truck. I will admit to you, I'm manly enough to say that I wept (laughs).
KIT: Really?
LARRY: I was so excited because as a comedian you plug away and you try to find an audience and a fan base, and you try to sell tickets and you do what you can. Then all of a sudden out of the blue, here's the greatest movie company on the planet hiring you to do a voice.
KIT: What was that experience like?
LARRY: I started out as just a small part. I went out and did all my parts in one day. And then I didn't hear from them for six or seven months. I said, well, I must've sucked because I haven't heard anything (laughs). Turns out they liked the character so much that they ended up rewriting a lot of the movie. I ended up making seven or eight trips out to (Pixar headquareters) Emeryville, CA and I kept redoing stuff. I'd go out, they'd add lines. I'd go back out, they'd redone stuff and added more lines.
KIT: How did you like being at their studios?
LARRY: I loved it out there. Everybody was really nice to me. I remember I did a couple of shows at the Punchline Comedy Club in San Francisco and everybody from Pixar came out to watch. As a matter of fact, Steve Jobs came out to that show. I met him briefly, but I was just so nervous that everybody from Pixar was coming out to see me.
KIT: Did you have any idea this would be a lifetime time gig?
LARRY: No. I really didn't. I'm just as shocked as anybody and I'm very grateful. I don't get a sound alike either to do toys and games. Because I have kids and I always said, Man, if my kids get a toy or a game with Mater, I want it to be my voice they hear. And so little did I know how many toys and games there was gonna be (laughs). I had no clue that it was gonna take off like it took off. I don't know if anybody else did either, really.
KIT: How has this changed your life?
LARRY: Well, professionally, I always knew I had the talent to do other things, but I never had the opportunity to show it. So this gave me an opportunity to branch out into a kid market, which I love. My kids are awesome and I love making them laugh. I've always enjoyed kids. I just never had an act that I could do for kids. Cars has given me the opportunity to do that. I just got done shooting (the DVD film) Tooth Fairy 2, the sequel to Tooth Fairy. That's my first G rated kids movie that I've done. I had a blast doing it. It's really cool that it's a movie that parents can watch with their kids. That's what Cars has enabled me to be able to do.
Financially, I was doing well with Blue Collar but the Cars franchise helped me fulfill something that I wanted to do for a long time: My wife and I started the Git-R-Done Foundation and Cars definitely helped to fill the coffers for that. There were a few places that we wanted to help out and give money to so it's definitely been instrumental in the start up of Git-R-Done.