Nov. 16, 2025 | Bonus episode: Hollywood’s century-old love for cars; rare earths challenges
About this episode
Exploring the deep-rooted connection between Hollywood and the automotive industry, Jonathan Eisen from the Peterson Automotive Museum shares insights on iconic movie cars like the Batmobile and James Bond's Aston Martin. The discussion highlights how these vehicles have become symbols tied to their characters. Additionally, Colin Hendrix from the Peterson Institute delves into the U.S. reliance on China for rare earth minerals, emphasizing the challenges in establishing a domestic supply chain. This episode combines automotive history with current economic issues, making for a compelling listen.
Jonathan Eisen, curator of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, talks about the 100-plus-year-old partnership between the automotive and film industries. Plus, Cullen Hendrix of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, discusses the U.S. government’s role in any attempt to create a domestic rare earths supply chain.
Curator
"As the automotive industry's first unified intelligence engine, curator enriches and unifies your customer data across platforms, like your CRM, your DMS, your website and even your marketing efforts."
Curator is a tool that helps car dealers keep all their customer information in one place so they can sell cars more easily.
Curator is a software company that provides a unified intelligence engine for automotive dealerships, integrating data from CRM, DMS, and other platforms.
Subaru
"When one of the largest volume Subaru dealers in the country wanted to tap into its data goldmine, they turned to Curator."
Subaru makes cars that can drive well in many weather conditions because they have power on all four wheels.
Subaru is a Japanese automaker known for its all-wheel-drive vehicles and boxer engines.
Batmobile
"So what European is the top car in film or television? ... you know, it helps that that car is a custom car in a one‑of‑a‑kind car. ... you really only need to see part of the Batmobile so know that that's Batman's car."
The Batmobile is a made‑up car that Batman drives in stories. It’s not sold to the public; it’s a special design built just for the movies and TV shows.
The Batmobile is a fictional, custom-designed vehicle that serves as the iconic mode of transportation for Batman in comics, television shows, and films. It is not a production car but a unique concept vehicle created for the character.
James Bond cars
"And you know, another one that I like is James Bond's Aston Martin. You know, Aston Martin being such an exclusive brand... the first thing that comes to mind is James Bond."
In the movies, James Bond drives very cool cars that are fast and look great. These cars have become famous because of the spy movies.
The cars driven by the fictional spy James Bond, especially Aston Martins, are a cultural icon symbolizing elegance, power, and espionage.
Aston Martin
"And you know, another one that I like is James Bond's Aston Martin."
Aston Martin makes fancy, fast cars that are often seen in movies and on the road. They’re famous for their sleek design and powerful engines.
Aston Martin is a British luxury car manufacturer known for its high-performance sports cars and iconic styling.
AMC Pacer
"It's probably the AMC Pacer from Wayne's World."
The AMC Pacer is a 1970s American car that looks very boxy and was shown in the movie "Wayne’s World."
The AMC Pacer was a compact car produced by American Motors Corporation in the 1970s, known for its boxy design and large glass area. It became a pop‑culture icon after appearing in the 1990 film "Wayne’s World."
Plymouth Pacer
"I always wanted a Pacer because it was John Denver's car."
The Plymouth Pacer is a small car from the 1970s that was popular with singer John Denver. It’s remembered for its simple, boxy look.
The Plymouth Pacer was a compact car produced by Chrysler’s Plymouth division in the mid‑1970s. It was known for its boxy design and was famously driven by singer John Denver.
Tucker 48
"Really, I'd say one of my favorites would be the Tucker movie. Tucker, a man in his dream because it's a very, you know, it was an obscure slice of automotive history put on screen."
The Tucker 48 is a rare car from the 1940s that was built by a man named Preston Tucker. It had some new ideas for safety and speed, but only a few were made.
The Tucker 48 was an experimental American automobile designed by Preston Tucker in the late 1940s. It featured innovative safety and performance concepts but was never mass produced.
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