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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.

Plot[]

The short begins with Mater pulling pranks on the cars. These include:

  • Pulling away flowers from Red as he is watering them
  • Scaring Luigi and Guido by jumping out from behind their tires
  • Scaring Sally by pretending to be a cone vampire
  • 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.

Gallery[]

See Also[]

External links[]


v - e - d
Cars-Logo
Media
Films: Cars (video/soundtrack) • Cars 2 (video/soundtrack) • Cars 3 (video/soundtrack)

Shorts: Mater and the GhostlightMiss Fritter's Racing Skoool
Shows: Cars ToonsCars: Racing Sports NetworkPixar Popcorn (Unparalleled Parking/Dancing with the Cars) • Cars On The Road (soundtrack)
Video Games: Cars: The Video GameCars 2: The Video GameCars: Mater-National ChampionshipCars: Race-O-RamaThe World of Cars OnlineCars: Radiator Springs AdventuresKinect Rush: A Disney/Pixar AdventureDisney InfinityCars: Fast as LightningCars: Lightning LeagueCars 3: Driven to WinDisney Emoji BlitzLEGO The IncrediblesDisney Wonderful Worlds
Books: The Art of Cars/2/3

Disney Parks
Cars Land (soundtrack) • Disney's Art of Animation ResortCars: Road TripCars Quatre Roues RallyeDisney Animation BuildingLuigi's Flying TiresLuigi's Rollickin' RoadstersMater's Junkyard JamboreePLAY!Pixar Pal-A-RoundRadiator Springs Racers

Entertainment: Lightning McQueen's Racing AcademyMoteurs... Action! Stunt Show SpectacularPixar Playtime Pals
Restaurants: Cozy Cone MotelFillmore's Taste-InFlo's V8 Cafe
Shops: Radiator Springs CuriosRamone's House of Body ArtSarge's Surplus Hut
Parades: Mickey's New Year's Eve ParadePaint The Night ParadePixar Play Parade
Fireworks: Disney EnchantmentHappily Ever AfterIlluminate! A Nighttime CelebrationTogether Forever: A Pixar Nighttime SpectacularWonderful World of AnimationWorld of Color: Celebrate!
Summer: Club Mouse BeatLightning McQueen Live!

Characters
Cars: Lightning McQueenMaterSally CarreraMackStrip WeathersChick HicksMia and TiaHarvDoc HudsonFloRamoneSheriffLuigiGuidoSargeFillmoreRedLizzieStanleyTex DinocoLynda WeathersJay LimoTuner CarsBessieFrankTractorsJerry Recycled Batteries

Cars 2: Finn McMissileHolley ShiftwellTony TrihullRod "Torque" RedlineTomberMiles AxlerodProfessor ZündappGremAcerFrancesco BernoulliUncle TopolinoMama TopolinoJeff GorvetteLewis HamilitonRaoul ÇaRouleMiguel CaminoNigel GearsleyShu Todoroki
Cars 3: Cruz RamírezJackson StormSterlingMiss FritterChase RacelottDanny SwervezBubba WheelhouseBobby SwiftSmokeyJunior, River, and LouiseHarvey RodcapTim Treadless
Mater and the Ghostlight: Screamin' Banshee
Cars Toons: KabutoBig DSkipper RileySparkySandy DunesBlue GritIdle ThreatShifty Sidewinder
Cars on the Road: IvyMatoRoad Rumblers
Video Games: CandiceStinger

Episodes
Cars Toons

Mater's Tall Tales: Rescue Squad MaterMater the GreaterEl MaterdorTokyo MaterUnidentified Flying MaterMonster Truck MaterHeavy Metal MaterMoon MaterMater Private EyeAir MaterTime Travel Mater
Tales From Radiator Springs: HiccupsBuggedSpinningThe Radiator Springs 500½
Cars on the Road: Dino ParkLights OutSalt FeverThe LegendShow TimeTrucksB-MovieRoad RumblersGettin' Hitched
Canceled Episodes: To Protect and Serve

Songs
Cars: Real GoneLife is a HighwayOur TownMcQueen and SallySh-BoomRoute 66Find YourselfBehind the CloudsMy Heart Would Know

Cars 2: You Might ThinkPolyrhythmMon Cœur Fait Vroum (My Heart Goes Vroom)Collision of WorldsNobody's Fool
Cars 3: Run That RaceKing's HighwayGlory DaysRide
Cars on the Road: Cars on the RoadTRUCKS
Others: Free RideWelcome to Radiator SpringsRadiator RockMambo ItalianoStop in the Name of LoveRiding in My Car (Car Car Song)Low Rider (Espanol Fantasma Mix)Junkyard JamboreeBig BulldozerTow Mater (The One You Want to Call)Mater's Square DanceLet's Go Driving

Organizations/Groups
DinocoTuner CarsWorld Grand PrixLemons · Next-Gen Racers
Locations
Radiator SpringsLuigi's Casa Della TiresRamone's House of Body ArtCozy Cone MotelFillmore's Taste-InFlo's V8 CaféRadiator Springs CuriosRadiator Springs Drive-In TheatreWheel Well MotelLondon, EnglandParis, FrancePorto CorsaTokyoCaliforniaLos Angeles International SpeedwayMotor Speedway of the SouthOrnament ValleyBig BenTop Down TruckstopBig BentleyHollywoodU.S. Route 66
Objects
Piston CupAllinolElectromagnetic Pulse EmitterPixar BallA113Pizza Planet Truck
See Also
The Science Behind PixarPixar in a Box
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