Welcome to Hollywood Die-Cast.  Within this website you will find the most definitive gallery of die-cast toys based on cars and vehicles from TV and movies.  The focus of this website is 1:64 scale, though there are some exceptions.  My collection is NOT for sale.  The site is meant to be purely informational for collectors like myself.

6/5/13 - Fast 6 Poster Child
After releasing two cars from the first The Fast and The Furious movie as part of the Hot Wheels mainline, Mattel has opted to release the '69 Dodge Charger Daytona from Fast & Furious 6 as the third release from the blockbuster franchise.  Driven by Dom in the latest film, this is the car that's featured on the movie's posters.  I bought this one online and I don't expect to find it in stores any time soon.  I predict the '69 Daytona will be ENORMOUSLY popular with collectors!

6/2/13 - "...you built a TIME MACHINE ... out of a DELOREAN?"
As I was updating my Back to the Future page to include the new Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment version of the iconic DeLorean Time Machine, I decided to go back in time to look at all the 1:64 scale versions of one of the most famous movie cars of all time:

	As near as I can figure out, this may be the first 1:64 scale die-cast version of the Back to the Future DeLorean Time Machine. I believe it was available at Universal Studios in conjunction with the Back to the Future Ride.  The Florida ride opened in 1991 and the Hollywood ride opened in 1993, so it probably came out in the early 90's.  It's made of die-cast metal and has quite a bit of detail, but it looks cheaply done.  I'll give this one a grade of: C
	In 1998 Johnny Lightning launched its Hollywood on Wheels series with a remarkable set of cars that included the Back to the Future Time Machine.  The detail was top notch, even including Mr. Fusion.  The only major flaw was the generic wheels.  JL re-released this car several times, including an awesome diorama with Doc Brown's van.  This is one of the cars that got me into die-cast collecting.  My grade:  B+
	THEN, in 2001, Ban Dai released a series of die-cast cars under the Hot Wheels brand in Japan.  Known as Charawheels, the line included several cars from American movies and TV series.  In my opinion, the most spectacular of the bunch was the DeLorean Time Machine.  The detail was mind-boggling, and best of all, the car sported accurate DeLorean wheels!  There were three versions released:  with and without Mr. Fusion, and an incredible version from BTTF 3.  Unfortunately, these were never available in the U.S., but thanks to the internet, they're fairly easy to get, although online auction prices have SKYROCKETED over the past few years.  My grade:  A+
	In 2010, I was alerted to the fact that a new version of the Time Machine was showing up on eBay.  This one was made by Tomy for the Japanese version of the Back to the Future Ride.  If I remember correctly, I initially bought one on eBay for just a couple of dollars, but lately, they've been selling in the $30-40 range.  Again, the detail is great, but the wheels are just awful.  My grade:  B-
	When Mattel started producing the street version of the DMC DeLorean as part of its Hot Wheels line in 2010, we collectors knew the Time Machine wouldn't be too far behind.  The BTTF Time Machine was first found at the Hot Wheels K-Mart event in February of 2011.  Although this version is docked points for its generic wheels and blue-tinted windows, it gets bonus points for its OUTATIME license plate!  My grade:  B+
	In July of 2011, Mattel offered a San Diego Comic Con exclusive version of the Time Machine, this time in an incredible diorama housed in a nifty carrying case.  Although far more detailed than the mainline version, the wheels were still disappointing.  I do, however, really like the unpainted metal (Zamac) finish, since the original DeLorean was made of stainless steel.  Weighing the pros and cons, I'll grade this version:  A-
	In 2012, Mattel included the Time Machine in its Light Speeders line.  This version sported a plastic body that reacted to light by changing colors.  The rear components of the car seem to be made out of die-cast metal.  Overall, the detail is lacking on this one.  Strangely, I've never actually seen one in stores.  I got mine on eBay.  My grade: C
	In early 2012, Mattel began soliciting orders for a Red Line Club online exclusive version of the BTTF Time Machine.  This one was very similar to the Comic Con Exclusive, except it included Mr. Fusion!  It began arriving in mailboxes just before Christmas on very cool retro packaging.  Again, the wheels were disappointing, but overall, this was one of the best versions ever made.  My grade:  A-
	And that brings us to the most recent version of this iconic car.  In May of 2013, Mattel's third wave of its Retro Entertainment line arrived in stores.  The BTTF Time Machine was one of five cars offered, and I have to say I'm a little disappointed.  This version is lacking some of the detail found on previous versions, and instead of the bare metal look, it has a flat gray paint job.  It does include the OUTATIME license plate, which is nice, but I expected more since it's part of the higher-priced Retro line.  My grade:  B-

5/24/13 - "God...thank you for Fast Cars!"
After the credits finished scrolling at the end of 2011's Fast Five, we were shown a teaser cliffhanger for Fast & Furious 6.  Eva Mendes hands Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) a recent photo of a very-much-alive Letty (Michelle Rodriguez.) Fast forward to Thursday, May 23, 2013 and as the latest installment of the franchise is projected on the screen, there I was, sitting in the theater with my popcorn and Cherry Coke, wide-eyed and grinning with excitement in anticipation of a new Fast & Furious movie playing out before me.  As if the cast wasn't great enough, the stunning Gina Carano hops on board as Hobbs' partner.  If I've ever seen a collection of more perfect specimens of the human race in any other movie, well, I'm having trouble coming up with a title. 

The opening credits features a montage of some of the best moments from the previous films and we're re-introduced to the cast of characters who are now filthy-rich thanks to the heist from Fast Five.  Brian (Paul Walker) and Mia (Jordana Brewster) are now parents, and the rest of the characters are living it up.  Of course, they're all brought back together, and willing to risk everything, when Hobbs reveals to Dom (Vin Diesel) that Letty may be involved in a caper of international intrigue.  Hobbs recruits Dom and company as if they were The A-Team.  All they want in return is Letty, and pardons all around, and they all jet off to London. 

The first major car sequence involves a concept lifted directly from the unfinished sequel to 1974's Gone in 60 Seconds.  Producer/Director/Star H.B. Halicki was tragically killed during the filming of Gone in 60 Seconds 2, but a scene was filmed featuring a low, flat vehicle known as The Slicer that flipped pursuing vehicles as if they were toy cars.  The villain of Fast 6 (Shaw, played by Luke Evans) employs the same technique to elude the authorities.  The next 90 minutes is a lot of fun, filled with laugh-out-loud one-liners, a token street race (between Dom and Letty), mayhem involving a TANK, and (unfortunately) some eye-roll-inducing, physics-defying stunts that made the audience groan out loud.  New cars are introduced, including a stunning '69 Dodge Daytona (featured on the movie's posters.)  Thinking the movie was wrapping up at the 90-minute mark, I was ready to label this effort a slight disappointment (compared to the thrilling Fast Five.)  But WAIT...what about the scenes involving the cargo plane that were featured so prominently in the movie's trailers?  Hold on.  The movie wasn't quite over yet. 

Following a few twists and turns (some predictable, some surprising) the movie continues for another 30 minutes or so, and I have to say, the last quarter redeemed the first three quarters of the movie.  We, as the audience, are treated to one of the most spectacular action sequences ever depicted in this franchise.  Again, physics are ignored (and apparently, somewhere in Spain there is an airport runway as long as the Pacific Coast Highway) but there were moments where the audience actually cheered and applauded. 

Now, the entire series could've ended on a satisfying note as the end credits began to roll, but once again, we get a teaser cliffhanger for Fast & Furious SEVEN, and this time you don't have to wait until the credits are finished.  Without spoiling anything, I'll just say.... "HOLY $#!+"  

Although Fast & Furious 6 isn't the best film in the series, it's impressive in that it has a completely different vibe than all the previous efforts, and it's thoroughly entertaining.  Now bring on NUMBER SEVEN (due in 2014.)

5/20/13 - They're Selling Fast & Furious!
"Fast & Furious" could describe the rate at which the cars pictured above are disappearing from Walmart stores across the country! Mattel has released 8 different cars from the Fast & Furious franchise in a special collector's set that can only be found at Walmart stores.  I must've hit at least 6 different stores and managed to find 5 of the 6.  The most difficult to find (some are calling it a Treasure Hunt) is the '67 Ford Mustang (#4 of 8 in the set.)  I finally had to resort to eBay to complete the set.  The cars can be found in a blue cardboard "sidekick" display, although I've seen them hanging on the pegs with other Hot Wheels, too.  The good news is that they sell for 97 cents apiece, despite being a little more detailed than the regular main line cars.  The bad news is that they're practically IMPOSSIBLE to find. 

I'm a little disappointed that Mattel decided to make the Mustang from Tokyo Drift a chase car.  Those of us who want a complete set are forced to pay astronomical prices to scalpers on eBay.  I paid $18 for the Mustang and that is considered CHEAP right now!  All this does is generate frustration for the collectors who try to support Mattel and Hot Wheels.  I'd like to see this series continue beyond the first 8 cars, but I hope they make them more accessible to the collectors who want them.

5/15/13 - That's Entertainment!
I went to my closest Walmart store this morning searching for new stuff and was pleasantly surprised to find they had hung up the latest wave of the Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment series, fresh from the case.  This is the third wave from this series and there is good news and bad news.  The good news is:  4 of the 5 cars are brand new, never previously offered before.  The bad news is: it's not the most EXCITING lineup, for various reasons.  Here is my car-by-car review:

	The Back to the Future DeLorean has been offered many times before, including several times by Mattel since they got the license.  This particular version appears to be painted a flat gray, instead of the bare metal look of their online exclusive.  I wish Mattel would've used the same wheels that were used on the Charawheels version.  Overall, I'd have to grade this one: B-
	When I heard that Mattel would include Axel Foley's Nova from Beverly Hills Cop in this wave, I was pretty darned excited.  And actually, they did a pretty nice job giving it a weathered look.  The only flaw:  they used a '68 Nova instead of the '70 Nova that appeared in the film.  This one may be my favorite from this particular wave.  My grade:  A-
	The Rockford Files Firebird Esprit has been on my Wish List for quite a while, and I was giddy with excitement when Mattel announced they had gotten the license.  My heart sunk when I saw photos of the finished product.  NOTHING on this casting is accurate.  I don't even know where to start.  This one really deserved a brand new casting.  My grade:  D-
	Here's another first:  The Pontiac Fiero driven by Ferris Bueller's sister, Jeanie.  I give Mattel props for producing this, although collectors weren't exactly screaming for this casting.  However, it will display nicely with Ferris' Ferrari Spyder California when IT comes out later this year.  My grade:  B+
	And finally, we have another brand new entry to the Hollywood die-cast car world:  The VW Beetle from Footloose.  Again, I applaud Mattel for producing something that's never been done before, but c'mon, are collectors REALLY excited about the Bug from Footloose?  I haven't seen the movie in years.  Maybe I'll check it out again.  My grade:  B-

5/9/13 - "Get in the car."
The next Bat-related vehicle to hit stores as part of the Hot Wheels Imagination line is the Batmobile from the 1989 Batman movie.  I got this one on eBay and haven't seen it in stores yet.  We've gotten this casting before, but not exactly in this color scheme.  The closest was the Batmobile that was included in the Mr. Freeze 2-pack in 2004.  This new release, however, is gloss black, with black wheels, and a blue windshield.  THIS is the car that should've been included in the Hot Wheels 8-car Batman set, NOT that silly Hardnoze thing.

5/8/13 - R.I.P. Dean Jeffries - 1933-2013
I just learned that legendary car customizer Dean Jeffries passed away on Sunday at the age of 80.  Among the iconic cars he created were the Monkeemobile, Green Hornet's Black Beauty and the Manta Ray.  I had the pleasure of meeting Jeffries at the Detroit Autorama in February of 2012.  I had a lengthy conversation with him about his career and found him to be warm and friendly.  He was a true artist.  He will be missed.

5/5/13 - Max Steel
While shopping at Target today (Sunday) I stumbled across this Hot Wheels Motorcycle from the Disney CGI-animated series Max Steel (a new casting for 2013.)  Although I've never seen an episode, I figured I'd pick it up.  According to Wikipedia, when Max McGrath joins forces with the alien Steel, he has enhanced strength, speed, and the ability to fly. 

5/3/13 - 2013 Comic Con Exclusives Revealed
Mattel has revealed some of the die-cast vehicles that will be offered exclusively at the San Diego Comic Con this year.  Pictured above, from left, are a vac-metal Colonial Viper and Cylon Raider from the original Battlestar Galactica TV series, and a muddy version of The A-Team Van.  Pre-orders can be placed at MattyCollector.com if you plan on attending Comic Con.  We'll have to wait and see if they will be offered to those of us who can't attend.

5/3/13 - To the Batcopter!
Once again, I had to resort to eBay to add this to my collection, since I just can't seem to find new product in my area.  Mattel has re-released its unique Batcopter casting as part of its Hot Wheels Imagination line.  I believe this particular casting was first introduced as one of four vehicles that made up the Batman Begins line in 2005, although it never actually appeared in the movie.  It's been re-released several times and when I saw that it was to be included in the HW Imagination line, I rolled my eyes.  But being a Bat-Fan, I wanted to add it to my collection anyway.  Look for the Tim Burton Batmobile to hit stores next. 

4/27/13 - "I owe you a ten-second car."
I had to go the eBay route to add the HW City '70 Dodge Charger to my Fast & Furious collection.  I have had ZERO luck finding ANY new Hot Wheels releases in my area.  I'm glad Mattel decided to release these two cars to kick off their Fast & Furious license.  Now you can use your Hot Wheels track sets to recreate the most memorable scene from the FIRST The Fast & The Furious (2001) movie.

4/24/13 - "It's the car, right? Chicks love the car."
Number FOUR in the 1:43 scale Batmobile series from Eaglemoss has arrived at Comic Book stores and this time we have the incredible Batmobile from the 1995 movie Batman Forever starring Val Kilmer as Batman.  It looks fantastic in front of the lenticular backdrop, but it seems to be lacking the props that came with the first three releases.  Still, if you're a collector of movie Batmobiles, this one is a MUST-HAVE.  Of course, as with the others, it comes with a magazine that details the history of this iconic car.  Scroll down to see the previous three releases.

4/24/13 - Hooray for Hollywood!
With GreenLight's 5th Series of Hollywood cars slated to hit stores in June, it seems they're already hard at work planning the SIXTH series.  I received an e-mail depicting the ten cars that will make up Series 6 (left,) and I must say, it's a little UNDERwhelming.  The only cars that catch my eye are the Mustang from Fright Night (1985) and the Camaro Convertible from Bewitched.  All the rest are just ... MEH. 

4/19/13 - Christmas in April?
Hallmark just published its 2013 Dream Book and it looks like we'll have a couple of new Hollywood cars to hang on our tree this year.  I'm most excited about the Family Truckster from National Lampoon's Vacation.  It plays Holiday Road at the push of a button.  We'll also get KITT from Knight Rider, although the wheels look a little funky in the image.  I hope they're more accurate when the car hits Hallmark stores later this year.

4/8/13 - Hot Wheels Goes Hollywood!
2013 is shaping up to be one of the (if not THE) greatest years EVER for those of us who collect Hollywood die-cast toys.  Not only has Mattel given us the amazing Retro Entertainment line, but they're giving us more to hunt for as part of their regular main line.  Hitting stores now, keep your eyes peeled for the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 from Star Trek (above, left.)  It's almost shocking that Mattel decided to include this very detailed ship as part of their .99 cents HW Imagination line!  It's pretty amazing.  Also hitting stores now is the Toyota Supra from the first The Fast & The Furious movie.  It's not as detailed as the version that will be included in the 8-car set, but it's still pretty cool.  And finally, Mattel released this beautiful '58 Plymouth Belvedere as part of its Boulevard series (above, right.)  Now, although it's not OFFICIALLY licensed, it sure bears a striking resemblance to a certain temperamental movie car we're all familiar with.  And although it's not a Plymouth Fury (as depicted in the film) it's fairly common knowledge that many Belvederes were used in the movie Christine. 

In other Hot Wheels news, the third wave of Retro Entertainment cars should be hitting stores near the end of April.  Scroll down to see the list of the next several waves.  I just recently found out that there is a new addition to the 7th wave.   Ladies and gentleman, hold on to your cowboy hats, because Mattel has officially announced we will be getting a 1:64 scale version of this...

4/7/13 - "Listen to the Band"
I finally achieved my goal of seeing all of The Monkees in person when Michael Nesmith performed in the Detroit area on Sunday.  Before the concert, my friend Mel parked the Monkeemobile in front of the Magic Bag in Ferndale, Michigan.  At about 9pm, Mike kicked off the set with Papa Gene's Blues, but didn't perform many Monkees songs, opting instead to go with the music he created in the 1970's and beyond.  I really enjoyed the concert, hearing many of the songs for the first time.  By the way, that's Mike's daughter Jessica posing in the Monkeemobile, above, right. 

4/4/13 - Meet Joe Johnson
When my friend Kayla Brandon was asked to create a documentary for her college film class, I was surprised and honored that she asked me to be her subject.  Of course, I agreed.  She delivered the finished video to me yesterday and I was very happy with the results.  I decided to post it here to give visitors a chance to learn a little bit about the guy behind this website...ME. 

3/27/13 - "Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration, don't fail me now."
I came home today to find a package waiting for me at my doorstep.  Arriving from Milezone.com is GreenLight's new Blues Brothers diorama, which includes the Bluesmobile and FOUR Chicago PD cruisers. The package is quite a bit larger than I imagined.  The amazing thing about the cop cars is that each one has a unique number and license plate.  If you count the single-carded Chicago PD Cruiser, that's FIVE total Chicago PD cruisers PLUS the Illinois State Trooper found in GreenLight's first Blues Brothers diorama.  Great job GreenLight! 

3/26/13 - Retro Entertainment:  What's Next?
The Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment series just keeps getting better and better.  The  following list has been confirmed by several sources.

Hot Bird: Rockford Files
Volkswagen Beetle: Footloose
Back to the Future Time Machine: Back to the Future
'84 Pontiac Fiero: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
'68 Chevy® Nova™: Beverly Hills Cop
 
'80s Corvette®: A-Team
Ferrari 308 GTS QV: Magnum P.I.
Ferrari F512 M: Miami Vice
'71 Plymouth Satellite: Brady Bunch
T-Bird Stocker: Stroker Ace
 
Island Hopper: Magnum P.I.
Colonial Viper: Battlestar Galactica
Morris Mini (Blue): The Italian Job
Volkswagen Sunagon: Magnum P.I.
Ferrari GTS Daytona Spyder: Miami Vice

Ferrari 250 California: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
'48 Ford: Grease
Morris Mini (Red): The Italian Job
1985 Chevrolet Camaro® IROC-Z: Simon & Simon
'58 Impala™: American Graffiti
 
Cylon Raider: Battlestar Galactica
'68 Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible: Beverly Hills Cop
'48 Ford (Greased Lightning): Grease
Morris Mini (White): The Italian Job

3/23/13 - "Does it come in black?"
On Saturday I visited my local comic book store to pick up #3 in the Batmobile series from Eaglemoss.  This time we have the Tumbler from Batman Begins in 1:43 scale.  It's beautifully detailed and makes a great addition to the first two in the series, the '89 Batmobile and the '66 Batmobile.  Coming up next:  the Batman Forever Batmobile, which should arrive in comic book stores within the next week or two.

3/20/13 - "We're on a mission from God."
GreenLight has released its second diorama featuring cars from the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers.  This time the set includes the Bluesmobile (of course) alone with four, count 'em FOUR, Chicago Police cruisers.  I hope I can find this in stores without having to resort to eBay prices + shipping.  I never did find GreenLight's first Blues Brothers diorama and had to purchase it online.

3/18/13 - Holy Gas Pump, Batman!
It's nice to have friends all over the world, thanks to this website.  After seeing my plea way back in December of 2012, George in Brazil went to the trouble of assembling a full set of Batmobiles available only at Shell gas stations in his country.  They arrived in the mail today and they're pretty great.  They're approximately 1:43 scale and although they're made of plastic, each one has a unique pullback feature.  The '66 Batmobile (above, left) has LED lights. The Batman Returns Batmobile ejects its sides.  The Batman Forever Batmobile also has LED lights.  And The Dark Knight Batmobile has jumping action.  Unfortunately, I can't bring myself to rip open the packaging to try out these features!  Thanks again to George for getting these to me.  They're a great addition to my Batman collection.

3/8/13 - "I live my life a quarter mile at a time."
The website T-Hunted.com continues to prove it's the go-to source for the latest Hot Wheels news.  The site recently posted a photo of the BACK of a Hot Wheels Fast & Furious card which shows all eight releases.  There's a lot of muscle mixed in there with a few Tuners, representing several different movies from the franchise.  T-Hunted.com also revealed that at least some of these cars will be included in the Hot Wheels main line, although with far less detail.  I can't wait for these to hit stores!  I just hope the series continues beyond the first eight releases. 

3/3/13 - Hot Wheels in 2013
Mattel is releasing a lot of cool stuff in 2013 as part of their Hot Wheels line.  In addition to the Retro Entertainment series, T-Hunted.com has reported that we will see cars from The Fast & The Furious movies (example at left.)  Fast & Furious 6 will hit theaters on May 24th.  Also in May we will be treated to the newest Star Trek film and Mattel has announced a series of spaceships from the Star Trek universe, including the USS Enterprise NC-1701.  And finally, Mattel released their list of Hot Wheels for 2013 and a green-striped Batman series will be found at toy stores, although I think most of them (if not all) are re-releases. 

3/2/13 - Retro Entertainment: What's Next?
Although I hit all the major retail stores multiple times per week, I haven't had much luck finding the second series of the Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment line.  The only one I found hanging on a peg was the Edsel from American Graffiti.  The rest I had to buy on eBay.  Now that I have all five in hand (10 total), I can say there's the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Let's start with The A-Team van.  Not only is it the BEST version of the van ever made, I rank it as one of the best Hollywood die-cast vehicles of all time!  The Muppets School Bus isn't exactly the correct make & model, but the incredible detail more than makes up for it.  Plus, it's the first time EVER it's been made in die-cast form, so bonus points for that.  KARR is a nice addition to the lineup, joining KITT.  Its only flaw is a red scanner instead of the correct amber scanner.  The '58 Edsel from American Graffiti is a head-scratcher.  It's a nice piece, but is it necessary?  This one may be a peg-warmer.  And finally, the '77 Firebird from Smokey & The Bandit is a half-hearted and disappointing attempt (see below.)

So, what can we expect from this line in the coming months?  According to online resources, Wave 3 will include a 1985 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z (perhaps from Simon & Simon?), '84 Pontiac Fiero (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Hot Bird (The Rockford Files), Volkswagen Bug (confirmed to be from Footloose), and a 1968 Chevy Nova (confirmed to be from Beverly Hills Cop.)

Wave 4 will include a 1971 Plymouth Satellite (possibly from The Dukes of Hazzard), Ferrari 308 GTS (Magnum P.I.), T-Bird Stocker (confirmed to be from Stroker Ace), Ferrari 512 M (unknown, possibly Le Mans?), and the DeLorean Time Machine. 

It's been confirmed there should be at least seven total waves over the course of the year.  Expect cars from Miami Vice, Grease and spaceships from Battlestar Galactica in future assortments. 

3/1/13 - Eastbound and Down
Although I STILL haven't had any luck finding the second series of the Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment line in stores, I finally added the final piece by buying one car at a time on eBay.  The Retro version of the '77 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Smokey & The Bandit  is the latest incarnation of this iconic car.  So how does it stack up against all the other previous releases?  Not too well.  Read on...

	The first version of Bandit's Trans Am was released by Ertl in 1981.  There are so many things wrong with this car, it only vaguely resembles the car from the movie.  The interior is wrong.  The hood emblem is wrong.  It's not a T-Top.  The wheels are generic.  I'm forced to give this one a failing grade of:  F
	Next up, Matchbox takes a stab at the car when it was included in its Star Car line in 1998.  It's not terrible.  It has a black interior and a T-Top and the hood emblem is fairly accurate.  The biggest drawbacks are the generic wheels and the cheesy tampo pasted right on the doors.  My grade:  C
	Ertl fared much better in 2001 when it released Bandit's Trans Am as part of its Racing Champions line.  They pretty much got everything right on this attempt, EXCEPT the interior.  I disassembled the one I own, painted the interior black, and put it back together, and it looks pretty dang good.  Even the rims, although not entirely accurate, come the closest of any release to resembling the honeycombed rims of the movie car.  My grade:  B+
	In 2004, Johnny Lightning released a drop-dead-gorgeous version of Bandit's Trans Am as part of its Hollywood on Wheels line (Release 6.)  Everything is correct on this car and the wheels are so darn close.  To date, I feel this is the best version of this car ever released, but I'm still waiting for someone to get the rims right.  My grade:  A-
	In 2007, Malibu International released a '77 Pontiac Firebird as part of its Reel Rides line.  Unfortunately, what was supposed to be 1:64 scale was actually closer to 1:55 scale.  They also released a 1:87 scale version for model train enthusiasts.  Despite the scale issues, the car looked pretty good, except for the odd-looking copper rims.  My grade:  B-
	When GreenLight snagged the Smokey & The Bandit license, they released Bandit's '77 Pontiac T/A as part of its Hollywood series in 2011.  This is a pretty nice attempt, but unfortunately, the rims are completely wrong, giving this car a generic look.  My grade:  B
	And finally, we have the most recent attempt at this iconic car.  Mattel has included the '77 Pontiac Firebird as part of its Retro Entertainment series in 2013.  Unfortunately, this is a step backwards.  Not since the Racing Champions version in 2001 has the interior been an incorrect beige instead of black.  And the wheels?  Not even close.  Although not the WORST version ever made, it's a rare misstep in the incredible Retro Entertainment line.  My grade:  D

2/22/13 - "Atomic batteries to power.  Turbines to speed."
I paid another visit to my local comic book store to pick up #2 in the Batmobile series from Eaglemoss.  This time we have the 1966 Batmobile from the TV series in 1:43 scale.  Overall, the car looks amazing displayed in its Batcave diorama, but surprisingly there are a few areas where the paint was applied a little sloppily.  Still, it looks great alongside the '89 Batmobile.  Next up:  The Tumbler from Batman Begins!

2/20/13 - "I love it when a plan comes together."
I was able to get The A-Team Van from the Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment line after snagging one on eBay for $6 plus shipping. It arrived in the mail today.  So how does it measure up to all of the previous releases?  Let's take a look:

	The first incarnation of The A-Team Van was released in 1983 by Ertl.  Although not awful, there are a few problems.  The stripe is an obvious sticker, with the words "The A-Team" printed below the stripe, and B.A. on the doors.  The wheels are generic Ertl wheels from that era.  With a wheel swap, this version of the van was almost presentable.  Almost.  I'll give this one a grade of:  C-
	Two decades later, in 2002, Ertl re-released the van as part of its Racing Champions line.  This time the stripe is painted, and goes across the front of the van, as well.  It's far more detailed than the 1983 version.  The wheels were red, but still not quite accurate.  Overall, it was a very nice attempt.  Grade:  B
	Interestingly, that same year Ertl followed up the previous release with a new variation.  This time, instead of all black, the area of the van above the stripe was a metallic gray.  At first I was confused, but after closely looking at stills from the TV series, I realized that the van was INDEED partly gray.  I had remembered the van being all black.  Unfortunately, the gray part was a little TOO metallic.  The shade of gray on the van in the TV series was quite a bit darker.  Still, I applaud Ertl for the effort.  Grade: B+
	Then, in 2011, Mattel continued the trend of including Hollywood cars in its Hot Wheels line when it released The A-Team Van.  Collectors rejoiced!  The deco was pretty simple, with a red stripe on an all-black body.  And although the wheels were red, they were pretty generic.  Still, for 99 cents it was a very nice effort.  Grade:  B
	That brings us to present day.  At the end of 2012, Mattel announced they would release an all Hollywood line called Retro Entertainment.  The first four releases:  Ecto-1, the '66 Batmobile, KITT and The Mystery Machine set the bar VERY high.  They were outstanding quality!  Could The A-Team Van live up to expectations when it hit stores in February of 2013?  A RESOUNDING YES!  My God!  Everything about this version of the van is PERFECT, from the accurate rims to the correct shade of gray.  This is the definitive version of this iconic van.  Grade:  A+ + +

There have been several versions of The A-Team Van released in other countries.  To see the complete gallery, visit The A-Team Gallery, which includes other vehicles from the TV series, too.

2/17/13 - "Where does he get those wonderful toys?"
As I was out looking for new toys I stopped in at a local comic book store and found the 1:43 scale movie Batmobile from Eaglemoss.  The Batmobile from the 1989 Batman movie is the first in a subscription series and I thought it would only be exclusive to the U.K.  But, apparently, they're being made available through Diamond Distributors, which ships to comic book stores in the U.S.  At $20, it was hard to pass up.  The highly detailed car comes in an acrylic display case, complete with diorama, AND a very thorough magazine detailing the history of this particular version of the Batmobile.  The second offering, featuring the 1966 Batmobile, will be arriving at comic book stores next week and I already have one reserved for myself.  Practically every Batmobile ever imagined will be included in this series, but I'll probably just focus on the iconic cars from film and television. Click HERE to learn more about this incredible series. 

2/16/13 - A Good Day to Die Hard:  My Review
A Good Day to Die Hard is a heartwarming tale of an estranged father and son learning to bond again ... um ... while killing a lot of people and causing utter mayhem and destruction!  None of the Die Hard sequels have managed to recapture the magic of the original, but since 1988 Bruce Willis has become an action icon and it's always fun to see him step into the role of John McClane.  In the FIFTH outing of this franchise, McClane travels to Moscow after discovering his estranged son (Jai Courtney) is in serious trouble with the law.  Soon he begins to discover that all is not what it seems.  Within minutes of arriving in Moscow, McLane finds himself behind the wheel of a military vehicle while trying to come to the aid of his son, and thus begins the most thrilling vehicle chase ever seen in a Bruce Willis movie.  The bad guys chase the son, Jack McClane, in a truck (pictured above) that tears through cars like they're made of tin foil, while Dad gives chase from behind.  It's a fantastic sequence (that seems to last 10-15 minutes) that sets the tone for the rest of this high octane action flick that offers summer popcorn fun in mid-February!  The story (full of unexpected twists and turns) about a Russian madman trying to get his hands on nuclear material to build atomic weapons takes a back seat to the story of a father trying to reconnect with his son.  Sure, the effects are obvious, and the action cartoony, but if you bought your ticket to see Willis crack wise (even delivering his now-famous line) and escape from impossible situations, you won't be disappointed.  A Good Day to Die Hard delivers action, fun, and Bruce Willis doing what he does best.

2/14/13 - Hooray for Hollywood!
I was disappointed when I found out that GreenLight's plans for 2013 was to RE-RELEASE their entire Hollywood series in new packaging.  But then I was told there there are plans for at least one more NEW series of Hollywood cars.  Here is the make up of Series 5:

Ghost (1990) - 1987 Ford Mustang
Old School (2003) - 1977 Pontiac Trans Am
Rocky II (1979) - 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Twilight (2008) - 2008 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor Forks, Washington
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) - Channel 4 KVWN San Diego Dodge Van
CSI: NY (2003-12 TV Series) – 2008 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor New York

Looks like an interesting lineup, but the one I'm most excited about is the Channel 4 News Van from the movie Anchorman.  I can't wait to add that one to my collection, and display one on my desk at work! 

"NEWS TEAM - ASSEMBLE!"

2/14/13 - Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment
Reports are coming in that the next series of Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment vehicles is currently hitting major retail stores, including Walmart and Toys R Us.  This current series offers five new vehicles on top of the five previously released vehicles.  The new offerings include:  The Muppets bus, KARR, The A-Team Van, Smokey & The Bandit Trans-Am and American Graffiti Edsel.  I, for one, cannot WAIT to get The A-Team van in my hands.  It's the best version I've ever seen in 1:64 scale.  The photo above is courtesy of the website T-Hunted.com.

2/8/13 - You Must Be Joking!
Johnny Lightning continues to give collectors a reason to smile by inserting Hollywood cars into their regular main line.  The most recent offering can be found in JL's Forever 64 - Release 27.  It's a '77 Dodge Monaco painted up in neon green and purple.  What makes this release unique?  This car is a dead ringer for one of Joker's Goon cars from the 1989 movie Batman.  Now, according to the website IMCDB.ORG the car should be a '72 Dodge 3700 GT, but that's nit-picking.  JL's version just LOOKS the part and that's good enough for me.  I picked up a few after finding it on eBay for $2 per car plus shipping.  As you can see, it displays nicely with the Hot Wheels Batmobile (above, right.)

2/1/13 - 10th Anniversary!
Hollywood Die-Cast launched on this date 10 years ago!  The time has gone by in the blink of an eye.  It all started out with a collection of 24 die-cast cars that were displayed in a little wooden display case.  When I saw cars like the Monkeemobile and the Back to the Future DeLorean in stores (JL was still producing Hollywood on Wheels at the time,) I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to have a display of my favorite cars from TV and movies?"  So I set out to fill up the display case.  It's hard to imagine the only Batmobile available at that time was made by Corgi in the 70's.  Eventually, I filled up that display case with cars from The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, The Munsters, and of course, the James Bond movies.  As people came over to visit, the display always attracted their attention.  They couldn't help but try to name them all and would smile as they thought about the TV shows and movies they grew up with.  When my buddy Dennis saw my collection, he decided to put one together of his own.  But instead of just buying what he liked, he started searching for EVERY Hollywood car ever made in die-cast form.  Together, we began to discover an entire world of die-cast Hollywood cars, from the popular to the very obscure.  Once our collections numbered in the thousands, we decided to photograph each piece.  I bought website editing software, a host and a domain name, and Hollywood-Diecast.com was born.  Almost immediately I started getting e-mails from all over the world, some had to be translated.  I realized I had tapped into something big.  I discovered that my site received 1000 visitors per day, which was pretty exciting, 3.5 million total since I started keeping track. 

It's funny, but many people assume I live in Hollywood. (Many times I wish I did.)  But actually, I live in the Detroit area, the Motor City, the car capital of the world!  Since launching my website, I've had so many fun and amazing experiences.  Just weeks after launching my site I met the legendary George Barris for the first time at the Detroit Autorama.  A year or so later, I was featured on a TV program called TV's Greatest Cars that aired in the UK (and in the US on BBC.)  I guess I was an expert now!  Over the years my collection grew, I met more and more people, either in person or through the internet. I've met many of my heroes, including the entire cast of The Dukes of Hazzard.  I witnessed many milestones, such as when Mattel announced that they FINALLY secured the rights to produce the iconic 1966 Batmobile in 2006.  I could go on an on, but I just want to thank everyone who helped make this website what it is today.  It's become such a huge part of my life I can't imagine what life would be WITHOUT IT!  Here's to 10 more fun years!  

1/31/13 - "Where were you in '62?"
I just recently got the latest release from the Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment line in the mail:  the '32 Ford from American Graffiti.  There have been a lot of complaints about the inaccuracies of this particular model and after finally having it in hand, I have to agree.  So, how does it compare with all the other releases from the past few decades?  I've decided to compare them all and give each a grade, starting with the worst:

"It's a psychopath in a Batmobile."

1/20/13 - The Last Stand: My Review
I love a good, old fashioned Western.  And that pretty much describes The Last Stand, which contains elements of many a John Wayne flick (like Rio Bravo or El Dorado) but instead of heroes and villains on horseback, they have horsepower.  Arnold Schwarzenegger is Sheriff Ray Owens who, after a career of witnessing too much bloodshed, chooses to spend his autumn years in a sleepy small town near the Mexican border.  The Sheriff's day off doesn't go as planned when he's notified that an escaped drug kingpin will be passing through his town on his way into Mexico.  The Sheriff gathers up a team of misfits as the final line of defense. 

The movie starts off a little sluggish, with some bad acting, thick accents, and cheesy laughs.  But then the movie shifts into overdrive with the appearance of the 2011 Corvette ZR1 (or the OH-ONE, as it's called in the movie.) With the help of a small army of thugs, the villain Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega) races toward the border at speeds of almost 200 MPH with 1000 horsepower under the hood.  When Cortez finally reaches the town, he blows right through it due to an unfortunate series of circumstances, and this leads to the highlight of the film.  Schwarzenegger gives chase in a red 2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1.  The chase culminates in a fun game of cat & mouse in a cornfield (above.) 

In summary, The Last Stand is a fun distraction if you know what you're getting yourself into heading into the theater.  C'mon, it's an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie!  And even though he's showing his age, he's still an icon and fun to watch on the big screen.  And if you're a fan of Westerns and car chase movies (like I am) then you're getting TWO for the price of ONE! 

1/20/13 - Going Once, Going Twice...SOLD!
Well, the #1 Batmobile went up on the block at the Barrett-Jackson Auction and when the hammer fell, the car sold for an astounding $4.2 million!  I am blown away!  And a little jealous of the buyer who, according to George Barris, is Rick Champagne (left) of Arizona.   I'm curious to find out what his plans are for this iconic car.  Will it go on display?  Will it sit in his garage?  Will he drive it to the store to get milk?  We can only wait and see.  Congratulations Rick!!!

1/6/13 - HW Retro = Comic Con Exclusives?
I was finally able to add the 4th member of the initial wave of the Hot Wheels Retro Entertainment line (The Mystery Machine) when something dawned on me:  Each one of these had been offered previously as a San Diego Comic Con exclusive, and they're pretty much IDENTICAL to their SDCC counterpart!  The '66 Batmobile was offered in 2007.  Ecto-1 was available in 2010, and KITT and The Mystery Machine were 2012 exclusives.  So if you shelled out big bucks (like I did) to get the Comic Con exclusives, well, at least you have the nice packaging to go with it.  If you waited, well, congratulations, because if you can find them, the Retro versions of these cars only cost $4-5 each. 

In other HW Retro Entertainment news, the '32 Ford Coupe from American Graffiti is apparently shipping in cases that are now hitting stores.  Unfortunately, collectors are complaining that it's not entirely accurate.  The car in the movie was a five-window model, and the car in the Retro line is a three-window model.  Strange, because Mattel released the correct version of this car in an American Graffiti diorama in 1998. 

1/1/13 - Happy New Year!
Well, 2012 has come and gone.  It was a GREAT year for collectors of Hollywood die-cast cars, especially if you're a fan of a certain Caped Crusader!  In addition to all the new Batman stuff, GreenLight gave us several new Hollywood series, and Mattel was able to get the first wave of the all-Hollywood Retro Entertainment line in stores just before the year's end!  Okay, enough with the chit-chat.  Let's take a stroll down memory lane and look back at all the major stories that took place during the past year:  2012 - The Year in Review!

Archives: 
2/03 3/03 4/03 5/03 6/03 7/03 8/03 9/03 10/03 11/03 12/03
1/04 2/04 3/04 4/04 5/04 6/04 7/04 8/04 9/04 10/04 11/04 12/04
1/05 2/05 3/05 4/05 5/05 6/05 7/05 8/05 9/05 10/05 11/05 12/05
1/06 2/06 3/06 4/06 5/06 6/06 7/06 8/06 9/06 10/06 11/06 12/06
1/07 2/07 3/07 4/07 5/07 6/07 7/07 8/07 9/07 10/07 11/07 12/07
1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10

2011 2012