Blank Check with Griffin & David The Cars That Ate Paris
Mar 8, 2026
A romp through Peter Weir's debut and the roots of the Australian New Wave. They trace Weir's early shorts and influences, the film's strange tone and car-crash visual style, and the quirky town economy built on wrecks. Conversation covers casting, the climactic violent festival, and how this wild first film launched Weir toward Picnic at Hanging Rock.
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Weir's Genre Hopping Made Him A Blank Check Director
- Peter Weir is a quintessential genre-hopping director whose early range made him an ideal blank-check candidate.
- David argues Weir's appetite for varied tones (comedy, thriller, prestige) shows why studios trusted his passion projects.
Griffin's Teen Discovery Of Cars That Ate Paris
- Griffin recounts discovering The Cars That Ate Paris on TCM as a teen and recording it immediately because of the title.
- His parents surprised him by saying it was Peter Weir's debut, shifting his expectation from metaphorical to literal.
Real Detour Sparked The Movie's Central Premise
- The core hook originated from Weir's real detour experience in France where unfamiliar authority redirected him down a strange road.
- That moment became a literal premise: a town that profits from staged or encouraged car wrecks.