FAQ for
Speed Racer (2008) More at IMDb Pro »

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags are used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDbs Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Speed Racer can be found at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811080/parentalguide.

No. Speed Racer is based on the 1966 Japanese manga and 1967 anime racing series Mach Go Go Go by Japanese anime pioneerTatsuo Yoshida [1932-1977]. The film was written and directed by American film-making brothers, Andy and Larry Wachowski.

A collection of them can be found here: http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=17308

Esurance Featurette: http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/speed-racer/esurance-featurette

Extended Speed Racer Sneak Peek: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=7388373

Apple Featurette: http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/speedracer/featurette/

The songs used in the first trailer are...

1. Dissolved by Michael Giacchino (Alias)

2. Race Wars by BT (Fast and the Furious)

3. Iron Fisted Mutha by BT and Nick Phoenix (300 Years Later)

The song used in the second international trailer is...

Birthright by Celldweller

A demo can be heard here...

http://www.celldweller.com/2008/download/Birthright(Demo).mp3

The song is called 'Go, Speed Racer, Go,' and is performed by Ali Dee & the Deekompressors. This version has the original 'Mach-A-Go-Go' Japanese opening, as well as sound snippets from the cartoon as it was dubbed in the US. There is a regular version of 'Go Speed Racer Go' that does start with the English lyrics to the theme song, and then segues into the Ali Dee song.

Yes. Although this is made known often in the series, in the film, it's briefly debunked - as a way to deter those who might know the show. After Rex faked his death, he had cosmetic surgery to change his appearance.

No, there are no extra scenes after the movie.

The Mach 5 is a street-registered car built for rallies and other road races. The Mach 4 and Mach 6 (both versions) are T-180 track cars that have several key differences from street cars. They are single-seaters with rocket engines capable of speeds in excess of 400 MPH. Additionally, all wheels are capable of turning independently, allowing the car to maintain forward motion no matter which way it faces, as well as to "drift" and spin while retaining a great deal of control. Speed races the Mach 5 in the Casa Cristo 5000 because that race is a cross-country rally. The Grand Prix, however, is a track race. Speed's track car, the Mach 6, was destroyed in the crash at the Fuji Helexicon. Due to the highly compressed time frame -- possibly as little as a week -- in which the Fuji track race, the Casa Cristo and the Grand Prix occur, the Racer Motors team has not had time to rebuild the Mach 6.

The difference is further explained in the Speed Racer: Supercharged featurette that comes with every version of the Speed Racer DVD. In a nutshell, any car that enters a WRL track race must have a T-180 wheelbase. The Mach 5 does not, but the Mach 6 does.

In the Thunderhead flashbacks, it is revealed that Rex's testimony helped bring down UniRon, a major sponsor that was fixing races, along with Blackjack Benelli, the mobster who was enforcing for UniRon. The flashback strongly implies that Benelli had marked Rex for death in retaliation. With the racing world now too dangerous for him, Rex seems to have decided that faking his own death and working for the C.I.B. with a new face and a new identity was the only way he could continue. The film shows, in the exploding go-kart scene, that Rex (and probably Pops as well) had enemies in the racing world who were ruthless and determined enough to kill his family and friends to get to him. It also shows that Rex knew enough about these individuals to be a danger to them. Rex left home to protect his family, and he never told them the truth about his reasons and activities in an effort to continue protecting them.

Yes. The street-registered vehicle he drives during the Cruncher Block road attack and in the Casa Cristo cross-country race is a carryover from the anime and manga and is named the Shooting Star. The T-180 track car he drives at the Fuji Helexicon is called the Augury (source: Speed Racer: The Videogame).