Films Featuring Trucks

There are some really great shows out there that feature trucks and truck drivers. Some of them are realistic and others are more science fiction, but they do seem to hold the attention of the viewer. Those in the trucking industry are often able to pick out the inconsistencies in the sounds of the trucks and what they are able to do, but the rest of us are entertained by their power and their presence.

The movie Convoy starring Kris Kristofferson was released in 1978, and it is still a very popular movie today. It has been digitally re-mastered and released in a DVD format as well. The movie tells the story about some truck drivers who get into trouble with the law because the Sheriff doesn’t like truck drivers coming through his town. The truck drivers decide to fight back instead of being intimidated by the Sheriff.

The movie portrays the powerful numbers of truck drivers when they band together for a central cause. As a result of their efforts, the government steps in and takes notice of the ill treatment of truck drivers and steps are taken to make positive changes.

Stephen King has long been known for his creative stories, and one in particular has the semi trucks running the show for once. The show is called Maximum Overdrive and it tells the story of a comet that causes the machines to come to life and move on their own. A group of individuals are terrorized by the trucks at a local truck stop. The film was released in the 1980’s.

The cartoon Transformers was very popular in the early 1980’s, and it has found a renewed life recently. A full length movie of the cartoon was released in 2007 with a sequel due out in late 2008. The leader of the good guys is Optimus Prime, a very large semi truck that is able to transform into a robot. He is powerful yet his is very wise and attempts to resolve conflicts with his mind instead of his strength.

In the Disney Pixar animated cartoon called Cars, various semi trucks are given personalities. They portray the hard work of semi trucks on the roads very one. My favorite scene is at night when all of the trucks are lined up at the truck stop sleeping. Some of them are even snoring after a hard day of work.

A new series on the History Channel called Ice Road Truckers is very interesting to watch. It documents the events of truck drivers on the icy roads in Canada who work to safely transport equipment and materials to and from the diamond mines. This is considered to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the trucking industry due to the heavy loads and the inclement weather.

The program takes a close look at the trials and tribulations these truck drivers face to get the job done. It also shows viewers the dedication that many truck drivers have due to the passion for driving. They work hard to deliver what they are hauling safely and on time. Maybe this type of show will earn truck drivers the recognition they deserve instead of being classified as road hogs and lazy people who sit behind the steering wheel all day.