Mater and the Ghostlight is a 2006 animated short film created for the DVD of Cars, which was released on October 25, 2006 in Australia and in the United States on November 7, 2006. It is about a mysterious blue light haunting Larry the Cable Guy's character, Mater.
Attempting to scare Lizzie while she is sleeping (this does not work)
Making Fillmore replace his cans of gas by constantly adding more
Everyone is gathered at Flo's V8 gas station. Sally and Lightning McQueen notice a tow cable hiding behind some cans. Assuming it to be Mater pulling another prank, McQueen approaches the cans. Suddenly, Mater jumps out of nowhere and scares McQueen. McQueen jumps back and crashes into the cans; it turns out the cable was just from one of Mater's signs. Mater tells McQueen that he looks like he has seen "the Ghostlight". Sheriff then tells Mater not to mock the Ghostlight. He describes it as a translucent orb of glowing blue light, and proceeds to tell a story of a young couple that encountered the Ghostlight, and only "two out of state license plates" were left. Then everyone leaves in a hurry to their respected homes, leaving Mater in the dark. Mater becomes scared and slowly drives to his home. While there, he loses his only headlight. Soon, a glowing light approaches Mater, and thinking it to be the Ghostlight, pleads for mercy. But it turns out to be a lightning bug. Then, a blue light appears behind Mater, and he starts running in fear of the "Ghostlight". Then, McQueen and Guido appear and exchange successful glances.
Mater drove fast to get away from the "ghostlight" but no avail. Later, Mater gets tired until he learns that the "ghostlight" was only a lantern that McQueen and Guido hung on Mater's tow cable. After that, the cars say that there is nothing to fear except your imagination. "That and, of course," adds Doc Hudson, "the Screamin' Banshee. Well, G'night!" And everyone drives away, once again leaving Mater. During the credits, the viewer is shown some sketches somewhat resembling the short's plot. In a post-credit scene, Mater is seen with a monstrous, half-blind monster truck-like "Banshee" construction vehicle (implied to be the creature he has been warned about), which he, whitout realizing who it is, recommends to pay attention to the Screamin' Banshee, leaving the enormous vehicle alone and confused.
Trivia[]
This is the only Cars short film where Doc makes an appearance.
This would also be the final Cars production in Doc's voice actor, Paul Newman's life time, as he would pass away a couple years after this short.
This is the second Pixar film not to win or get nominated for an Academy Award. The first was Red's Dream.
The song used in this short, "Behind the Clouds", is heard for a short time in Radiator Springs in the movie Cars.
Mater loses his headlight in this short, though he gets it back in future media.
In Cars: Mater-National Championship, he still fears the Ghostlight.
This film was released after Joe Ranft, one of the cast, died in 2005.
Cars: Mater-National Championship features a minigame based off of this short called "Ghosting Mater".
There is a Little Golden Book based on this short.
Mater's Tall Tales:Rescue Squad Mater • Mater the Greater • El Materdor • Tokyo Mater • Unidentified Flying Mater • Monster Truck Mater • Heavy Metal Mater • Moon Mater • Mater Private Eye • Air Mater • Time Travel Mater Tales From Radiator Springs:Hiccups • Bugged • Spinning • The Radiator Springs 500½ Canceled Episodes:To Protect and Serve
Cars on the Road:Dino Park • Lights Out • Salt Fever • The Legend • Show Time • Trucks • B-Movie • Road Rumblers • Gettin' Hitched
Cars 2:You Might Think • Polyrhythm • Mon Cœur Fait Vroum (My Heart Goes Vroom) • Collision of Worlds • Nobody's Fool Cars 3:Run That Race • King's Highway • Glory Days • Ride Cars on the Road:Cars on the Road • TRUCKS Others:Free Ride • Welcome to Radiator Springs • Radiator Rock • Mambo Italiano • Stop in the Name of Love • Riding in My Car (Car Car Song) • Low Rider (Espanol Fantasma Mix) • Junkyard Jamboree • Big Bulldozer • Tow Mater (The One You Want to Call) • Mater's Square Dance • Let's Go Driving
Radiator Springs • Luigi's Casa Della Tires • Ramone's House of Body Art • Cozy Cone Motel • Fillmore's Taste-In • Flo's V8 Café • Mrs. Piston • Willy's Butte • Radiator Springs Curios • Radiator Springs Drive-In Theatre • Wheel Well Motel • London, England • Paris, France • Porto Corsa • Tokyo • California • Los Angeles International Speedway • Motor Speedway of the South • Ornament Valley • Big Ben • Top Down Truckstop • Big Bentley • Hollywood
Mater and the Ghostlight on WikipediaMater and the Ghostlight on Pixar Wiki
Mater and the Ghostlight on World of Cars Wiki
