Orange Krate
Active member
OK, this is going to be a blog style thread similar to Kart Rods. It will be a behind the scenes look at the building of the go-karts and the filming of the series based on the book Go-Kart Alley.
It's been described as "the Goonies meets the Dukes of Hazzard on go-karts." But below you'll read a full background on the series. As the thread rolls on, I will periodically post pics and video of the karts and locations from the series. Also look for cameo appearances by several other members of the forum to swing by the Go-Kart Alley shop.
There’s a lot of work to do on 9 star karts plus extras, sets and set dressing, not to mention actor coaching, producing, directing, stunt rigging, stunt coordinating, special effects, etc. I'm setting aside my entire spring for it if I can keep from being interrupted. I’d like to start filming teaser episodes in April so y’all keep me motivated!
Thanks for watching and Merry Christmas!
Synopsis
Imagine being a kid growing up in the eighties, in a small town where nothing ever happens. You only get three channels on TV and sometimes when you’re lucky (and have enough tin foil on the rabbit ears) you pick up some fuzzy UHF station that airs reruns, B movies and poorly-censored exploitation films. And when Bullitt, the A-Team, the Dukes of Hazzard, Smokey and the Bandit, and all those shows go off and there’s nothing on, you and your buddies actually go outside. You make something out of nothing and spontaneously recreate your onscreen fantasies using the elements you have around you.
Your small mountain town becomes San Francisco and you, Steve McQueen, racing your green go-kart through the hilly streets chasing some bad kid on his black one. You go to the arcade in the next town where you find a kid just like you being bullied, and help him fight back. And when the bullies retaliate you find yourselves surrounded in the abandoned factory with nothing but your skills and a pile of junk to fight your way out.
When the new yuppie subdivision threatens to usurp a local farmer, you fight back with a go-kart chase through their golf course, with the Marshall in his souped-up golf cart (with the blinking blue light on top) in hot pursuit. And when a rich kid bets that you can’t deliver 40 cases of cane sugar soda from the local bottler down the abandoned rail trail to his birthday party at the state’s only amusement park well, you just have to accept the challenge. This, my friends, is Go-Kart Alley.
Twelve-year-old Jess McCormick and his little brother Brian live in Sumner, West Virginia; a small town where the factory has shut down, the railroad has been abandoned, and the good people are struggling. A new housing development offers hope and promises prosperity, but only takes advantage of cheap land while [sub]dividing the town. Sumner is fast becoming a bedroom community to “the city” whose new inhabitants threaten to change the very identity of the town…but not Jess and Brian’s!
Together with their friends they use their know-how, know-who, and know-where to make a stand. What started out as just a plan to forget their troubles and have “the most totally awesome summer ever” becomes a fight for their identity. On go-karts made from junkyard parts, they ride the abandoned railroad, defending Sumner and other small towns along the way from the interloping, “subdivite” oppressors.
The brothers operate Go-Kart Alley, a “kustom kart shop,” out of their backyard tool shed. There, along the old rail corridor, they build, repair, buy, sell and trade go-karts with all the local kids…but not the subdivites. Each episode begins with a hook that draws you in, to see how new adversity will find its way into the bustling shop, or the boys on a fun outing and how they will deal with always being outgunned. Each episode also finds the boys in a different plotline, with Jess riding a different go-kart that is subconsciously reminiscent of their on screen counterparts. A wrong is always righted, a good piece of advice always given by a respected elder, a lesson always learned; sometimes there’s an old fashioned fist fight, but there is always a build sequence, and ALWAYS a go-kart chase.
Character Bios
Jess McCormick: A good looking, strong twelve-year-old small town boy. He’s got a lot of the same personality traits as Benny from The Sandlot: a natural leader, dedicated, always willing to stick up for friends or strangers, and never given to what’s “popular.” But he has more the looks, mechanical skills and outgoing adventurousness of Cody from The Quest (aka Frog Dreaming, Henry Thomas, 1986.) The son of an upstart machine shop owner, he’s in good with all the old time pillars of the community, with access to tools, resources and wisdom the subdivites can’t package and sell in a mini mall.
Brian McCormick: Jess's not-so-annoying little brother and partner in Go-Kart Alley. Brian is very detail oriented. His skills at puzzles, Lego, and Erector Set building prove to make him Jess’s mechanic and the best small engine builder on the trail. A lot like Bobby from Radio Flyer (Joseph Mazzello, 1992) only a couple of years older and more mature, except when given to bouts of silliness after drinking too much soda pop.
John David Campbell: Jess's best friend; a husky kid and self-made businessman. His Grandpa taught him to garden and gave him an antique riding mower which he’s turned into a small town empire, employing several kids. He plays football because of his size but he’s not a jock. He’s the kind of friend you want to have around when you’re outnumbered characteristically like Woody from Footloose (John Laughlin, 1984) but looks more like Chet from The War (Adam Henderson, 1994) only, not quite so hick.
Shawn O'Hare: Shawn is a quick witted, wise cracking farm boy and friend to Jess, John David, and Brian. Shawn drives tractors, feeds hogs, works cattle, hauls hay and absolutely loves the Dukes of Hazzard, so much so that his go-kart strongly resembles the General Lee, yet he despises hick farmer stereotypes. He’s kind of like Mouth from The Goonies (Cory Feldman, 1985) only toned down a notch.
Josie Mayfield: Josie works at her uncle’s Frostop drive-in from the next town over. She’s the cute and hardworking girl-next-door. Being different from the girl’s in his town who are all infatuated with the new subdivite boys and obsessed with teen fashion, Josie eventually becomes Jess’s love interest. It’s not until after a few episodes of random summer acquaintances with different girls who are “customers” that he comes to realize Josie is more of a helpmeet than just a friend.
It's been described as "the Goonies meets the Dukes of Hazzard on go-karts." But below you'll read a full background on the series. As the thread rolls on, I will periodically post pics and video of the karts and locations from the series. Also look for cameo appearances by several other members of the forum to swing by the Go-Kart Alley shop.
There’s a lot of work to do on 9 star karts plus extras, sets and set dressing, not to mention actor coaching, producing, directing, stunt rigging, stunt coordinating, special effects, etc. I'm setting aside my entire spring for it if I can keep from being interrupted. I’d like to start filming teaser episodes in April so y’all keep me motivated!
Thanks for watching and Merry Christmas!
Synopsis
Imagine being a kid growing up in the eighties, in a small town where nothing ever happens. You only get three channels on TV and sometimes when you’re lucky (and have enough tin foil on the rabbit ears) you pick up some fuzzy UHF station that airs reruns, B movies and poorly-censored exploitation films. And when Bullitt, the A-Team, the Dukes of Hazzard, Smokey and the Bandit, and all those shows go off and there’s nothing on, you and your buddies actually go outside. You make something out of nothing and spontaneously recreate your onscreen fantasies using the elements you have around you.
Your small mountain town becomes San Francisco and you, Steve McQueen, racing your green go-kart through the hilly streets chasing some bad kid on his black one. You go to the arcade in the next town where you find a kid just like you being bullied, and help him fight back. And when the bullies retaliate you find yourselves surrounded in the abandoned factory with nothing but your skills and a pile of junk to fight your way out.
When the new yuppie subdivision threatens to usurp a local farmer, you fight back with a go-kart chase through their golf course, with the Marshall in his souped-up golf cart (with the blinking blue light on top) in hot pursuit. And when a rich kid bets that you can’t deliver 40 cases of cane sugar soda from the local bottler down the abandoned rail trail to his birthday party at the state’s only amusement park well, you just have to accept the challenge. This, my friends, is Go-Kart Alley.
Twelve-year-old Jess McCormick and his little brother Brian live in Sumner, West Virginia; a small town where the factory has shut down, the railroad has been abandoned, and the good people are struggling. A new housing development offers hope and promises prosperity, but only takes advantage of cheap land while [sub]dividing the town. Sumner is fast becoming a bedroom community to “the city” whose new inhabitants threaten to change the very identity of the town…but not Jess and Brian’s!
Together with their friends they use their know-how, know-who, and know-where to make a stand. What started out as just a plan to forget their troubles and have “the most totally awesome summer ever” becomes a fight for their identity. On go-karts made from junkyard parts, they ride the abandoned railroad, defending Sumner and other small towns along the way from the interloping, “subdivite” oppressors.
The brothers operate Go-Kart Alley, a “kustom kart shop,” out of their backyard tool shed. There, along the old rail corridor, they build, repair, buy, sell and trade go-karts with all the local kids…but not the subdivites. Each episode begins with a hook that draws you in, to see how new adversity will find its way into the bustling shop, or the boys on a fun outing and how they will deal with always being outgunned. Each episode also finds the boys in a different plotline, with Jess riding a different go-kart that is subconsciously reminiscent of their on screen counterparts. A wrong is always righted, a good piece of advice always given by a respected elder, a lesson always learned; sometimes there’s an old fashioned fist fight, but there is always a build sequence, and ALWAYS a go-kart chase.
Character Bios
Jess McCormick: A good looking, strong twelve-year-old small town boy. He’s got a lot of the same personality traits as Benny from The Sandlot: a natural leader, dedicated, always willing to stick up for friends or strangers, and never given to what’s “popular.” But he has more the looks, mechanical skills and outgoing adventurousness of Cody from The Quest (aka Frog Dreaming, Henry Thomas, 1986.) The son of an upstart machine shop owner, he’s in good with all the old time pillars of the community, with access to tools, resources and wisdom the subdivites can’t package and sell in a mini mall.
Brian McCormick: Jess's not-so-annoying little brother and partner in Go-Kart Alley. Brian is very detail oriented. His skills at puzzles, Lego, and Erector Set building prove to make him Jess’s mechanic and the best small engine builder on the trail. A lot like Bobby from Radio Flyer (Joseph Mazzello, 1992) only a couple of years older and more mature, except when given to bouts of silliness after drinking too much soda pop.
John David Campbell: Jess's best friend; a husky kid and self-made businessman. His Grandpa taught him to garden and gave him an antique riding mower which he’s turned into a small town empire, employing several kids. He plays football because of his size but he’s not a jock. He’s the kind of friend you want to have around when you’re outnumbered characteristically like Woody from Footloose (John Laughlin, 1984) but looks more like Chet from The War (Adam Henderson, 1994) only, not quite so hick.
Shawn O'Hare: Shawn is a quick witted, wise cracking farm boy and friend to Jess, John David, and Brian. Shawn drives tractors, feeds hogs, works cattle, hauls hay and absolutely loves the Dukes of Hazzard, so much so that his go-kart strongly resembles the General Lee, yet he despises hick farmer stereotypes. He’s kind of like Mouth from The Goonies (Cory Feldman, 1985) only toned down a notch.
Josie Mayfield: Josie works at her uncle’s Frostop drive-in from the next town over. She’s the cute and hardworking girl-next-door. Being different from the girl’s in his town who are all infatuated with the new subdivite boys and obsessed with teen fashion, Josie eventually becomes Jess’s love interest. It’s not until after a few episodes of random summer acquaintances with different girls who are “customers” that he comes to realize Josie is more of a helpmeet than just a friend.
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