Some 11 years ago, what was arguably director David Lynch’s most linear movie, The Straight Story, was released. The film centered on senior citizen Alvin Straight who needed to see his seriously ill brother in Wisconsin but lacked the appropriate transportation. So the resourceful Straight drove his slow moving lawn mower to Mt. Zion, Wis., to reconcile with his sibling.
Richard Farnsworth played Straight and earned a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his portrayal.
Fast forward to today and an initiative reminiscent of The Straight Story has emerged, though with many key differences as Young & Rubicam, Chicago, has launched the ultimate product test: “Craftsman Across America” in which a young man from South Bend, Indiana–Lucas Van Engen–has embarked on a three-month cross-country journey from California to New York at a top speed of seven miles per hour aboard a Craftsman riding lawnmower.
Through a daily blog–which you can access here–followers can ride shotgun with driver Van Engen and meet the people he encounters, the sights he sees, town by town and mile by mile.
At press time, his summer sojourn had already reached Oklahoma.
Nika Offenbac of Humble is director/editor on the job, with Phillip Detchmendy exec producing for Humble.
The Y&R team consists of chief creative officer Ken Erke, art directors Ryan Boblett and Richard Fischer, copywriter Evan Thompson, copywriter/composer Brad Harvey, executive agency producer Brian Smego and producer Luke Rzewnicki.
Engineer is David Axelbaum of Airstream Audio.
Here’s an introductory video:
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More