"It sounds hokey, but the nostalgic quality of the whole Herbie experience makes Fully Loaded a charming family film."
Sue Pierman MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
"The moment that white Volkswagen Bug rolled into view, I melted."
Mary F Pols CONTRA COSTA TIMES
"Herbie: Fully Loaded is a solid bit of wacky fun that reintroduces the franchise back onto solid ground."
Brian Orndorf EFILMCRITIC.COM
"This isn't a movie for the ages, but it is a movie for young ages, the kind of film you can unashamedly take your kids to and know they're learning the magic of film."
Tom Long DETROIT NEWS
"Herbie: Fully Loaded is a perfectly silly movie for a silly season that in recent years has forgotten how to be this silly."
Stephen Holden NEW YORK TIMES
"A fun, silly family movie that, like its star, has more under its hood than expected."
Jeffrey Westhoff NORTHWEST HERALD
"Fast-paced with nary a dull moment, Herbie:Fully Loaded is a fitting comeback for the magical Love Bug."
Betty Jo Tucker REELTALK MOVIE REVIEWS
"Herbie: Fully Loaded is that modern rarity, a genial, sweet-natured family film, G-rated and proud of it, an old-fashioned Disney movie to the core."
Kenneth Turan LOS ANGELES TIMES
"It was funny then, and it's funny now."
Audrey Rock-Richardson TOOELE TRANSCRIPT-BULLETIN UTAH
"Herbie: Fully Loaded has a little bit of everything. Lohan for the girls. NASCAR for the boys. And Herbie for everyone."
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
"Herbie: Fully Loaded is hectically paced, often loopily amusing and filled with warm, engaging characters. .. it’s pretty hard to fault the decisions made by director Angela Robinson (the kinky indie satire D.E.B.S), who not only injects some feminist sass, but also lots of heart and feeling."
Erin Free FILMINK (AUST)
The Inside Story
It's true. I'm just an old softy. But it seems I'm not the only one. There I was, sitting in the audience at my local Wallis Cinema eagerly awaiting the start of "Herbie: Fully Loaded". It's nearly quarter of a century since Herbie last appeared in a film and I must admit, I was feeling a sense of nostalgia (and a little excited) at the prospect of seeing the worlds most famous Volkswagon make a long awaited return to the big screen. The reality soon hit home. As the events of those years from 1980 till now unfolded on the screen, tears started to well-up in my eyes. Sadly, it had all been downhill for Herbie. So far downhill that he'd now been consigned to the scrap yard. Now that's bad. Very bad. It's like a death sentence. Herbie was heading for the crusher and unless some miracle happened he would soon become a neatly flattened piece of junk. The audience, made up of teenage Lindsay Lohan fans, Mums and Dads, little tackers and a few 'baby boomers' didn't seem too impressed with Herbies fate either. My heart pounded as I watched poor old Herbie being hoisted up by a crane and swung towards the crusher. Images from a much younger Herbie's films flashed before my eyes. Could this be the end? Like when a drowning man grasping for straw I prayed for a miracle. That's all I could muster. I was frozen in my seat. Could anything or anyone save Herbie? I needn't have worried. Disney films would provide Herbie with a life-line. Herbie, the loveable 'Love Bug' would get a reprieve. When it came, both the audience and myself breathed a collective sigh of relief. I wiped the tears from my eyes hoping to hell no-one had noticed a grown man crying. I mean, what would they think? Imagine the effect it would have on my career and the damage to my reputation as a fearless film reviewer if one of my little fans saw me in such a state. It could cause irrepairable damage to them. It could mentally scar them for life. They'd be completely and utterly shattered. Once again I neen't have worried for the audience was glued to the screen, watching as Lindsay Lohan's character Maggie Peyton came to Herbie's rescue. Whew! I can tell you readers, it was a close call for both Herbie and me. And the good news just gets better readers, for in "Herbie: Fully Loaded", the little Pearl White # 53 Volkswagon [with red and blue racing stripes] who endeared himself to millions and millions of fans all over the world in the last century, is about to get a makeover which is sure to revive his career and once again make him a hero and friend to a whole new generation of cinemagoers both young and old. The secret to bringing Herbie back was finding a brand new career for him. As everyone knows, this versatile 'volksie' has done just about everything a Volkswagon can do. Except for one thing. "There was little doubt in our minds that if Herbie was coming out of retirement in 2005, he’d want to head straight for the most exciting racing arena in America today: NASCAR," says Producer Robert Simonds. "We were especially grateful to have the cooperation and participation of NASCAR as we began to develop the project. The result is that while this Herbie is as playful and fun as ever, he has to truly rev it up to take on the world of today’s real race champs." It seems the people at NASCAR agreed that the prospect of having Herbie on board was an exciting one.
Sarah Nettinga, director of film, television and music entertainment for NASCAR revealed, "People all over the world know Herbie, and when you say ‘Herbie the Love Bug meets NASCAR,’ you know immediately what’s going to happen: all kinds of fantastic things are about to ensue on the track. I also think NASCAR fans and Herbie share a lot of the same values of being family-friendly, genuine, down-to-earth and fun-loving." But hang about Sarah, Herbie's a Volkswagon and while he does have magical powers he doesn't have the grunt and horsepower of those thundering NASCAR racers. "Herbie’s great in the NASCAR arena because he is a complete underdog," Nettinga said, "and anyone who has watched NASCAR knows that part of its excitement is that it’s a place where the underdog always has a shot at moving up from the back of the pack to win." So how did the real racing drivers feel about mixing it with Herbie? "They all immediately wanted to be involved! They all felt an amazing affection for Herbie," Nettinga notes adding, "and I think it was truly exciting for them to be a part of this movie." Director Angela Robinson agrees. "I thought the writers had found an amazing new angle to make Herbie very fresh for today’s audiences by creating this spirited young woman who wants to be a NASCAR driver, and who also becomes the only person who can help Herbie get back to the racetrack and fulfill his destiny," she says. Nettinga was just what the films producers needed. "Angela has this really great pop sensibility and a very clever sense of humor," says co-producer Lisa Stewart "which is what the original Herbie had in spades. We felt she was the right person to bring the story speeding into 2005." To do so would require more than one Herbie. "We ultimately designed 36 different versions of Herbie for the film, from Junkyard Herbie to Demolition Derby Herbie to Street Racer Herbie to NASCAR Herbie," says executive producer Charles Hirschhorn. "We have Herbies in every shape, size and personality, but he has always had that same can-do, love-makes-the-world-go-round attitude that makes him such a lovable and enduring fairy-tale character." Director Sarah Nettinga obviously didn't want a CGI overkill in Herbies big comeback. "From the beginning, I didn’t want to rely entirely just on computers to generate Herbie, because he’s a character that needs to be real. So we used actual ’60s-era VWs enhanced with lots of advanced robotics and digital after-effects," she daid. "In fact, Herbie became so real to us on the set that, at times, I was tempted to direct him just like an actor. I’d say, Herbie, move left!" Herbies co-star in the film is teen sensation Lindsay Lohan. "I had seen the original movie, and I loved that it’s the kind of story that gets passed down from one generation to the next," Lohan says. "There’s something about Herbie that is so magical and special, you really care about him as a kind of person, and it’s hard to even think about him as just a car! I also thought it would be really cool to do a movie that appeals to kids as well as to all those adults who grew up with Herbie. And to get to learn to race cars on top of all that was just too awesome to resist."
Herbie The Super Star
Herbie was born in 1963 in a Volkswagen factory. Pearl white with saucy hood stripes, he was shaped just like an ordinary Beetle but sported a magical mind of his own and the heart of a champion. Clearly, this mini-but-mighty VW was destined to be a car star. From his auspicious debut in "The Love Bug" to his long-awaited comeback as a revved-up NASCAR racer in "Herbie: Fully Loaded", Herbie [aka #53] raced his way into the hearts of people of all ages and all nationalities. Along the way, he has worked alongside human stars ranging from Lindsay Lohan, Matt Dillon and Michael Keaton to Don Knotts, Helen Hayes and Cloris Leachman. Herbie first won the affection of audiences in the 1969 runaway hit "The Love Bug" proving he had the charm, the talent and the horsepower to become Hollywood’s leading automotive actor. Set against the groovy backdrop of San Francisco, "The Love Bug" had Herbie saving the day as he fueled a down-on-his-luck race-car driver’s quest for victory and romance. In the wake of his speedy success, Herbie accelerated his career, taking the title role in "Herbie Rides Again" [1974], "Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo" [1977] and "Herbie Goes Bananas" [1980]. He also careened into a television career, with the 1997 telefilm "The Love Bug". Along the way, he sparked many imitators and collected die-hard fans. Then tragedy struck. Even as his fans wondered where he had driven off to, Herbie was languishing in a junkyard—in a rusted-out state, facing demolition. Yet his spirit was intact and his indomitable engine was just waiting for the chance to roar another day. Proving that age hasn’t changed him a bit, Herbie takes on his most ambitious work to date in "Herbie: Fully Loaded", playing four roles: Junkyard Herbie, Street Racer Herbie, Demolition Derby Herbie and NASCAR Herbie. He even performs his own death-defying stunts—popping wheelies and pushing his pedals to 200 mph as he sets off once again in search of a summer of love and fun.
Casting About
"HERBIE FULLY LOADED" stars .......
Lindsay Lohan
["The Parent Trap", "Freaky Friday", "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen" and "Mean Girls"]; 1998 National Society of Film Critics Best Actor Award winner Michael Keaton ["Night Shift", "Mr Mom", "Beetlejuice", "Batman" and "White Noise"]; 1990 Independent Spirit Best Male Lead Award winner Matt Dillon ["The Outsiders", "There’s Something About Mary", "Drugstore Cowboy" and "Crash"]; Breckin Meyer ["Road Trip", "Go", "Rat Race" and "Clueless"]; Justin Long ["Jeepers Creepers", "Crossroads", "Waiting" and "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story"]; Cheryl Hines ["Cheap Curry and Calculus", "Along Came Polly", "Our Very own" and "Lucky 13"]; Jimmi Simpson ["Loser", "Slo-Mo", "Final Draft" and "D.E.B.S."]; Jill Ritchie ["Perfect Fit", "Ready to Rumble", "D.E.B.S." and "Breakin' All the Rules"]; Thomas Lennon ["Drop Dead Gorgeous", "Memento", "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and "Le Divorce"], with Jeremy Roberts ["Money Train", "The Thirteenth Floor", "Jungle Boy" and "The Mexican"] as Crazy Joe and Herbie ["The Love Bug", "Herbie Rides Again", "Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo" and "Herbie Goes Bananas"] as himself.
Crew Bytes
"HERBIE FULLY LOADED" was .......
directed by Angela Robinson
["D.E.B.S."]; Thomas Lennon [who appeared in "Memento", "How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days", "Le Divorce" and co-wrote "The Pacifier"] and Robert Ben Garant ["The Pacifier" and "Taxi"]; original story by Mark Perez ["Frank McCluskey C.I" and "The Country Bears"]; costume design by Frank Helmer ["Cry For Help", "The Taste of Dirt", "Ripped" and "D.E.B.S."]; production design by Daniel Bradford ["The Good Girl", "Bounce", "Jackie Brown" and "Kill Bill Vol I & II"]; edited by Wendy Greene Bricmont A.C.E ["Annie Hall", "Kindergarten Cop", "Race The Sun", "The Sweetest Thing" and "Mean Girls"]; cinematography by 1994 Sundance Film Festival Best Cinematography Award winner Greg Gardiner ["Biker Boyz", "Men In Black II", "Orange County" and "Elf"]; original music composed by Mark Mothersbaugh ["Bottle Rocket", "Rushmore", "The Royal Tenenbaums", "Thirteen", "Welcome To Collinswood" and "The Life Aquatic"]; music supervisor Howard Parr ["Mysterious Skin", "Party Monster", "Dogtown and Z-Boys" and "D.E.B.S."] produced by Robert Simonds ["The Waterboy", "Big Daddy" and "Cheaper By The Dozen"].
Visit Herbie At His Official Website
What It's All About
Herbies crushed. Life has gone downhill and the once famous #53 has been consigned to the junkyard where he is waiting to be crushed as unwanted scrap metal. Until fate steps in. Maggies Peyton has just graduated from college and her father Ray has promised to buy her a car. She's a little disappointed when she learns it will have to come from the local junkyard. Through a little luck the car she decides on is accidently smashed when Herbie is dropped on it by the crane which is lifting him towards the crusher. It doesn't take long for Maggie to find out that Herbie is no ordinary Volkswagon and that he has a mind of his own. Herbie is also a romantic at heart and he doesn't mind arranging a little matchmaking either. Before she knows it, Maggie is whisked away to the garage of an old friend Kevin. Maggie and Kevin are about to discover there's more to Herbie than meets the eye, especially after she is challenged to a race with NASCAR superstar Trip Murphy and Herbie causes a boil-over by winning. Life is about to get very interesting for Maggie.
The Verdict
"Those who grew up with Herbie will find the memories they formed in their childhood years will come flooding back. It's a joyous update of an icon who endeared himself to millions and millions of kids the world over. With Lindsay Lohan in the driving seat the "Love Bug" may just get a second lease on life and win over a whole new generation of fans who will adore the cute little bug's antics and adventures. "Herbie Fully Loaded" is just that. Loaded with action. Loaded laughs. Loaded with love. Recommended viewing and great for a family outing."
The Cast
Lindsay Lohan
Michael Keaton
Matt Dillon
Breckin Meyer
Justin Long
Cheryl Hines
Jimmi Simpson
Jill Ritchie
Thomas Lennon
Jeremy Roberts
E.E. Bell
Peter Pasco
Mario Larraza
Patrick Cranshaw
Scoot McNairy
Amy Hill
Jim Cody Williams
Allen Bestwick
Benny Parsons
Jeff Gordon
Jimmie Johnson
Dale Jarrett
Tony Stewart
Stuart Scott
Robert Ben Garant
Tim Sitarz
Bruno Gioiello
Edmund L Shaff
Mark Deklin
Herbie The Love Bug
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Maggie Peyton
Ray Peyton Sr
Trip Murphy
Ray Peyton Jr
Kevin
Sally
Crash
Charisma
Larry Murphy
Crazy Dave
Beeman
Juan Hernandez
Miguel Hernandez
Jimmy D
Augie
Female Doctor
Monster Truck Driver
Himself
Himself
Himself
Himself
Himself
Himself
Himself
Director
Security Guard
Bald Trip Fan
Dean
ESPN Reporter
Itself
The Crew
Directed by Angela Robinson
Characters by Gordon Buford
Story by Thomas Lennon & Robert Ben Garant
Screenplay by Thomas Lennon/Robert Ben Garant/Alfred Gough/Miles Millar
Original story by Mark Perez
Produced by Robert Simonds
Co-producer Lisa Stewart
Executive Producers Tracey Trench/Michael Fottrell/Charles Hirschhorn
Original Music by Mark Mothersbaugh
Cinematography by Greg Gardiner
Additional photography by Daniel C Gold
Film Editing by Wendy Greene Bricmont & Edward A Warschilka
Casting by Rick Montgomery
Production Design by Daniel Bradford
Art Direction by David Lazan
Set Decoration by Barbara Mesney
Costume Design by Frank Helmer
Run Time 98 minutes
Rated G [AUST]
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