Pixar Shorts:
Mater and the Ghostlight

Directed by John Lasseter and Dan Scanlon, Mater and the Ghostlight was created for the release, which came out in November 2006. This film runs the longest of all the Pixar shorts at nearly eight minutes.

The Plot for Mater and the Ghostlight

Mater is the old rusty redneck-talking tow truck in the small town Radiator Springs along Route 66. He loves playing tricks on his friends like Red the Firetruck, as he pulls a plant Red's watering out of the way as he hides behind a building. The next prank is for Luigi and Guido at their tire shop after they assemble tires in the shape of the coliseum in Rome. Mater hides inside and bursts out, yelling and scaring them til they faint.

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Mater's next victim is Sally Carrera in her hotel lobby at the Cozy Cone. He jumps up with safety cones in his teeth like a vampire. He tries sneaking up on Lizzie, the old Model-T, and scaring her while she sleeps, but she never wakes up!

Fillmore bring in gas canisters with his special organic fuel into his tent shop and Mater confuses him by putting out another one, making it seem as though he's not making any progress. When Fillmore comes out again, he sees dozens of canisters outside and Mater giggles from his hiding spot.

Over at Flo's V8 Café, Lightning McQueen and Sally are hanging out together and McQueen says how he sure hopes Mater isn't around to scare him. They're both aware of a bunch of oil cans stacked up in Mater's shape with his tow hook in plain view. It's a set-up though as Mater jumps down from the roof screaming.

McQueen runs into the oil cans and the object behind them is Mater's towing sign. Everyone laughs at the prank in this Pixar short film, and Mater comments to McQueen that he looks like he'd just seen the ghostlight.

Then Sheriff comes onto the scene sternly telling Mater never to mock the ghostlight. McQueen asks what the ghost light is and everyone falls silent and backs away. In this Pixar short, Sheriff proceeds to explain that it is a glowing orb of blue translucent light that haunts the area. The ghostlight hates nothing more than the sound of clanking metal and everyone looks at Mater, who is shivering and shaking and CLANKING.

Mater is terribly worried and scared and he can't stop shaking and clanking, making it even worse for him. Sheriff finishes his story about the ghostlight and everyone quickly heads home, leaving Mater all alone.

The town is completely dark and quiet and Mater makes his way back to his place, shaking and clanking. He looks all around him for the ghostlight. He keeps seeing spooky shadows and a little lightning bug (shaped like a VW bug with wings). He takes note that the lightning bug was yellow and the ghostlight is blue.

Just then a bright blue light illuminates him from behind and his rearview mirrors see it. THE GHOSTLIGHT! Mater speeds off in a panic with the light right on his tail. After he leaves, Lightning McQueen and Guido show up and give each other a high five.

Mater drives frantically all over town with the light right behind - a lantern that his two friends hung on his tow hook. The whole town is in on the joke and they stand by to watch.

Later, Mater is exhausted and driving slowly, the lantern trailing behind on the ground. But he soon discovers that the ghostlight is really a lantern and everyone in Radiator Springs joins him, laughing at the practical joke.

Sheriff reassures Mater that the only thing to fear is his own imagination. Doc Hudson agrees and adds that and the Screamin' Banshee. It's quiet again in this Pixar short. Then Doc says good night rushes off again, as does everyone else. Mater is left alone in the dark like before.

"The Screamin' what?" He asks shakily. Then the credits roll. After the credits are done, Mater is hovering underneath an enormous snarling construction vehicle. It has the word BANSHEE engraved on its excavating-like chin. Mater tells it, "You better run. They say there's a Banshee out here tonight but I ain’t him yet. Good night!"