Wild Wheels

I happened to catch this wonderful film on PBS in the 1990s, and by the time it was over, I knew I would have my own art car someday! I think it just doesn't occur to most people (me included, until I saw the film) that it's possible and permissible to alter the appearance of your car beyond a mere bumper sticker or pair of fuzzy dice. Wild Wheels is not only about the cars themselves, but about the colorful characters who've chosen to elevate their particular cars from commodity to artwork. I still chuckle every time I see the scene in which a car salesman talks about how people choose their cars to reflect their individual personalities -- and meanwhile, the camera pans over a long line of shiny new autos that all look exactly alike. Har! Even if you don't end up making an art car of your own, as I finally did, this film will inspire you to step outside the mundane, and to look at cars and life a little differently. I'm very glad to see that it has finally been published on DVD! The extra footage, director's commentary, etc. is excellent. And there's even a second disk containing the shortened, profanity-free version that I saw on PBS, so it's suitable for showing in school classrooms, etc. The film itself is a real work of art! But if you're a friend or relative of mine, don't bother buying it, because you'll be receiving a copy as a gift on your next birthday...

Love this film! Harrod Blank does it again! Making movies to make you smile! A great film about car artists and their creations. The ups and downs and the big hearts that go into making Art Cars and brightening up peoples days! This film is such a joy! Such a wide variety of different artists and stories.

Wild Wheels introduced the world to the concept of the Artcar. The last fronteer of free expression in the arts in america. In the artcar world anyone can join in and all will be admired and accepted. Take a look at the examples of artcar and art vehicle and you will find the possibilities are endless. The joy that artcars bring to the world is unbelievable. Once you have this one then find Harrod's other fine film Driving the Dream also sold here. These are great films to use when planning an artcar event. You can show them to develop inspiration and support. Once you have seen them you can find more about artcars by visiting the artcar epicenter or search for hutman artcars. Get this video today and experience a whole new world of creativity. You need not be an artist everyone is welcome! Conrad Bladey Artcar Artist Hutman Productions

This is one of my all-time favorites. A delightful and moving look into the lives of car artists. We get a sense of their work, and, more importantly, an intimate glimpse of the sincere passion that drives them to do what they do. Mr. Blank's film is a classic of the outsider artist genre. Don't miss it!

I love this so much. I is very inspiring!

I am a philosophy professor at Randolph College in Virginia. Every spring I teach a course entitled Philosophy of Art, in which students study the views of philosophers throughout history about the nature of art. After studying a bunch of theories from Plato onward, we get into less traditional art of the 20th and 21st centuries. In this section of the course I show Harrod Blank's film "Wild Wheels." I am amazed that after 18 straight years of showing this film to undergraduate students, it never fails to engage them. No other film I have shown has had this kind of staying power – even really good films will typically hold students’ interest for a few years but eventually get dated or go stale, but not Wild Wheels. Further, with all the vignettes Mr. Blank weaves together in the film, students can see examples of just about every philosophical theory studied in the course (and they have a hell of good time doing it!). Of course, part of the appeal comes from the special nature of art cars, but the range of personal voices, ideas, and approaches found in "Wild Wheels" makes it (and keeps it) engaging and fun.

a guy who has decorated his car gets a traffic ticket that he thinks/feels is discrimination. The judge thinks otherwise. He then seeks out other folks who have decorated their vehicles to profile them and what they drive. Occasional insight.Additional scenes in extras. Second disk is a shorter version.

This is a must-see for all who appreciate north American folk/naive/outsider art in general or art cars in particular. Director Harrod Blank captures in depth the experience of traveling the Unites States and meeting the artists who, like himself, are strangely driven to decorate their automobiles. This beautifully filmed documentary brings together professional artists and complete outsiders, the shy and reserved and the extroverted and (perhaps even) crazy alike, united by their passion for bizarre, quirky, driveable art and the interest, curiosity and excitement their masterworks inspire while rolling down the interstate or just going grocery shopping.