Universal Pictures Joins Forces With Positive Entertainment For The Fast And Furious Music Tour

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Pictures has joined forces with San Diego-based promoter Positive Entertainment to present The Fast and Furious Music Tour, a series of all-day events that will bring the lifestyle celebrated in Universal Pictures' hit film franchise to cities across the U.S. for Summer 2004.

Both Fast and Furious films tapped into the underground street racing culture to deliver phenomenal results for Universal. The 2001 breakout smash earned more than $207 million worldwide and went on to become one of the best-selling DVDs of all time. This past summer's follow-up, 2 Fast 2 Furious, has grossed more than $232 million at the worldwide box office to date and is on track to surpass the original film in DVD sales. In addition, combined sales of the three Universal Music Fast and Furious soundtracks totaled over two million units, and the Universal Studios Consumer Products Group has over 35 licensees currently on board for the property.

Beth Goss, president of The Brand Group, Universal Pictures, said, "The success of all Universal's Fast and Furious initiatives illustrates the popularity and power of this brand. We think the music tour is another great way to bring the energy and excitement of The Fast and Furious experience to consumers."

Each all-day event in The Fast and Furious Music Tour will culminate in an evening concert, with the movies' soundtrack artists among those acts being targeted to perform. The rest of the day would be comprised of such activities as: In Car Entertainment (ICE) competitions; DJ battles; MC battles; break dancing competitions; urban dance/urban art exhibitions; car shows including exhibitions of cars from the movies and those owned by celebrities.

The Fast and the Furious Music Tour is Universal Pictures' latest response to what has become an ever-increasing demand for lifestyle extensions of The Fast and the Furious experience. Universal has also partnered with top manufacturers and brands in the sport compact car and performance market to develop long-term co-branded authentic products ranging from automotive accessories, specialty parts and audio equipment that the fans have readily embraced. The line has expanded to include a variety of goods for consumers who have embraced this dynamic lifestyle depicted in The Fast and the Furious -- including clothing and fashion accessories, collectible toys and artwork.

Over the past five years, Positive Entertainment has produced numerous Automotive Lifestyle events, including the highly successful Extreme Autofest series, which was sponsored by Dodge in 2003. Positive Entertainment automotive lifestyle festivals focus on providing the automotive enthusiast community relevant content, news, information, and entertainment. Each of these events contained attractions such as music components & concerts, competitions, exhibitions, ride & drives, and product showcases.

The MPAA has given 2 Fast 2 Furious a rating of PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned - Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13) for street racing, violence, language and some sensuality. The Fast and the Furious is also rated PG-13. Consult www.filmratings.com for further information.

The car and motorcycle action sequences depicted in The Fast and the Furious and 2 Fast 2 Furious are dangerous. All stunts were performed in carefully-controlled environments using professionally trained stunt crews on closed roads. No attempts should be made to duplicate any action, driving or car play scenes portrayed therein. Universal Studios neither condones nor endorses the use of any licensed products in any manner whatsoever other than in strict accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws and speed limits.

Universal Pictures, is a division of Vivendi UNIVERSAL Entertainment (VUE) (www.universalstudios.com), the U.S.-based film, television and recreation entity of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.

For further information, please contact Jennifer Davis of Universal Studios Consumer Products Group, +1-818-777-4918.

"To your credit, you were all over this automotive "trend" with your comments on the Tomahawk thread."

HA!!
Well thank you my [old] friend, I'll take that as a compliment; however, here's the rest of the story.
I'm a faithful follower of a seemingly insignificant 30 min program airing early on Sunday mornings called, "Autoline Detroit."
Watch it & *then* let's talk about [my] *prescience*.
OK? {g}

Add what's learned from that panel discussion to the fact I'm a member of JDPowers' evaluation team; &, well I *see* "the numbers," Mr.G.
The numbers never lie.

"The Big Three U.S. automakers are going to be missing the mark Big Time."

Wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last, eh?

"The incredible success of these movies is a harbinger of change in both the automotive marketplace and in automotive racing."

That remains to be seen.

As for the "success" of these [lousy] flicks?
Well tell me, what's the price of a *ticket* for those who haven't got a life as opposed to having the "real thing"?
*That's* the question.

As a brat I too was impressed by the greatest car chase scene ever filmed too, "Bullet."
Dreamt about owning one of those Charger RT Hemi cars while always believing a Rustang could never have kept up. :o)
But that's Hollywierd for ya eh, a *marketing* tool for sale to the highest bidder.
Great example of how the Hollyweird whores work is seen in what they tried to do to Ronald Reagan *after* "someone" bankrolled the smear job, eh?
(~go ahead, take a *guess* who that might've been...Babs, the DNC?? >?< ;^) )

"If you can steel yourself enough to actually sit through these movies, you'll notice very few American cars have any prominence; import cars are the desired marque."

Yea, they sure are [comparatively] cheap, huh.
Could wreck 'em all day & night for a pocket full of change.
Ya *don't* see 'em doing that crap to Ford's Cobra, GT40, GM's Corvette, or hell Enzo's products, eh? >doink<

"My teenage son has copies of both movies; this alone makes me think it prudent to begin hiding the car keys. He and his buddies have practically memorized the movie's dialog. He has posters all over his room of some Mitsubishi (I forget the model; the yellow four-door) from this movie. He thinks the car is the greatest thing since sliced bread."

Yea well first off your son's not an active participant of the car buying *market* anymore than I was at his age drooling over [that] gorgeous '68 Charger RT, either.

But beyond that, lemme tell you something I've recently learned about Mitsubishi spelling woe for that outfit.

During the 90s the company busted their balls to market their automobiles to the "younger" first time buyer much moreso than *any* of the other manufacturers while totally ignoring the "mature" consumer, right?
They offered inexpensive cars, often with some kind of air pump on the engine to jack HP, & then provided *easy* financing for those who'd yet to establish "good" credit yet; like, say those just outa HS or college?
The *idea* was those kids would become repeat customers & I want you to remember that, OK?

Mitsubishi sold a lot of cars alright, capturing a disproportionate segment of the 18-25 demographic.
But then something *weird* happened.
Guess what?

The cars Mitsubishi sold are [*now*] showing up, enmasse, in the marketplace & they've had -- as a rule -- the snot beaten outa 'em!!
Yup.
Those entry level buyers beat the living tar outa an already fairly flimsy -- albeit *sharp* looking -- car.
Who'd a thunk it! :o)

So tell me, what do you suppose that means for the resale value of Mitsubishi's cars??

Of course, then there's the (well above average) repossession rate Mitsubishi's got to grapple with due to the demographic they've catered to but hey, what the hell.
They're "selling" cars, right? ;^)

Those customers [read: kids ] who didn't *trash* their already suspect credit, are doing something else quite interesting much to Mitsubishi's distress, they're not returning to buy Mitsubishi products.
Nope.
They're "stepping up" to better cars; &, often of domestic origin.
Shazzam!

Mitsubishi's -- right now -- in the process of a HUGE reorganization beginning at the very top with the MORON responsible for the marketing disaster that's really put 'em behind the proverbial eight ball.

The most immediate change to look for at Mitsubishi will (probably) be the *age group* of those they're going to focus their marleting effots [read: $$] at the hardest.
*Us*, the boomers
All in an effort to earn back some semblence of respectability in the automotive marketplace, I might add.
It's going to be a long uphill climb though & all the while your boy continues to grow up.
So the Mitsubishi he *loves* now will not even remotely resemble the Mitsubishi that'll be there when arrives of [buying] age.
Capiche?

"I started asking him what he thought of what I considered some comparable American cars. He simply smiled and gave me that "my dad is helplessly clueless" look."

HA!!
I've neighbor, a "good" kid, who "loves" my '03 rocketship, right?
So he's compelled to have his (college) buddy stop by to show me his -- are ya ready for this -- banana yellow Ford Focus!!
Yup, I heard 'em coming down the street, complete with headers, NO bottle, custom wheels & tires & the obligatory fart can.

Now you know I'm doing the Blackwing intake, TPIS headers, Z06 catbacks, & Z06 titanium exhaust on my sled which'll put me at or around 390HP, right?
Well this young man *still* wants to race!! (~happens all the time...*kids* :o) )

Of course I sat the first year college Freshman down & had a "Come to Jesus" with 'em concerning exactly what the differce between the *torque* values of a LS1 & a Ford whatchmacallit 4 banger translated into, NO jazzed or not. {g}
A [very] quick spin around the neighborhood in the red rocketship enabled 'em to feel the difference.

"He and his buddies have a general disdain for American made automobiles due in large part to the fact that, in their minds, American Made has become synonymous with Poor Performance."

Now where-oh-where do you suppose they got *that* idea from??
Maybe the same anti-American imbeciles who're responsible for reinforcing all the ideological goobledegook filling the heads of youngsters, today?
Maybe??

"When you consider what they themselves can or hope to someday soon afford, they're right. The true American performance cars available today are simply too expensive and are out of their reach. Enter the imports..."

At this moment, yes.
But ya oughta see what's about to come out of GM & Ford in the next few years that'll render that conclusion *passe'*.
~Exit the imports.

"As a teenager in the sixties & seventies, this seems surreal to me. When did this happen?"

HA!!
C'mon now, surely you remember the first time you ever saw a Volkswagen Beetle.

"(I should've bought that green Hemi 'Cuda back in 1970...)"

Yes, you should've. ;^)
On that note then, is there a *single* Japanese made car you could say that about, now?
Nawwwwww, I thought not.

That's why I've held onto my '80, y'know.
But for you, it's not too late to find an *excellent* buy on tomorrow's "Hemi" car, guy.
I'm thinking about a copy of what I traded for my '03, the Camaro SS with the awsome LS1.

Bet'chu $1,000 that boy of yours would defacate in his drawers if he were to come home & find a copy in your garage.

...& daydreams of yellow Mitsubishis nothing but a memory.

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