Route 66: The Main Street Of America aims to rile the viewer up immediately, as the knockout opening sequence blasts across 2400 miles of legendary highway in seconds flat. There is a rapid mix of animated photographs from way back when, just like Terry Gilliam did for Monty Python. Over this is a soundtrack with an array of declarations from experts about the scope and importance of Route 66. The rocket fuel momentum of the intro feels a lot like Schoolhouse Rock mixed with the opening credits of Natural Born Killers. As awesome as it is, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the frantic pacing of the setup. But then Paget shifts gears from fast to slow, and by slow, I mean leisurely. Because this is all about chasing lost leisure, and with Route 66: The Main Street Of America, getting there is all the fun.
Route 66 travelers celebrate at the halfway marker between Chicago and Los Angeles in Route 66: The Main Street of America.
“…the knockout opening sequence blasts across 2400 miles of legendary highway in seconds flat.”
One of the biggest reasons to catch Route 66: The Main Street Of America on a theatrical screen is that you have never seen Route 66 like this. The drone camera is the perfect instrument to capture the magnificence of the winding roadways. And Paget chooses the perfect automobile to do it in, with a white convertible that would have made Hunter S. Thompson proud. The way the iconic car enhances the iconic highway causes sparks to fly, enough to power a row of dead neon signs. A big screen is a great way to enjoy the giants as well, meaning the giant statues that used to litter Route 66 prior to the 70s. The statues were of giant men, usually Paul Bunyan but with some odd variations to keep travelers on their toes. They are now collected in a huge museum in a tiny town along Route 66.
Maybe it is because of my own westward trek, but I found the western states in Route 66: The Main Street Of America to have the most vibrant reveals. I had figured Holbrook would get mention for one of the last standing Wigwam motels, where people sleep in stone teepees with TVs inside. However, I had no idea of the big surprise Holbrook has hidden behind its parade of old Route 66 signs. I don’t want to spoil how awesome it is, but it did remind me of an old Doobie Brothers song. And of course there is the old Eagles song that we get to see the statue of, the one standing on the corner of Winslow, Arizona. And under it all is the underdog determination that is as uniquely American as the road itself. The determination of the remaining business owners fighting the isolation with a dream is stupendous. Route 66: The Main Street of America will make you want to head out for the lost highway before it’s all gone.
For screening information, visit the Route 66: The Main Street of America official website.
"…getting there is all the fun."
