The Polar Express [DVD] [2004]

Product Information

The Polar Express: Two-Disc Widescreen Edition is, as its name points out, a two-disc set. The film appears on the first disc, while the special features are on the second. On arrival at the ‘North Pole’ you will see festive lights and Santa will board the train giving out gifts. Enjoy a 30 minute performance in a heated marquee before setting off on your 60 minute Polar Express train ride. Telford Polar Express is a lovely Christmas experience with the re-telling of the story whilst drinking hot chocolate and eating a cookie. The Polar Express characters entertain the carriage which is decorated festively. To make the experience extra special, how about Polar Express PJs? Here are some cute options on Etsy:

The film uses a technology called "performance capture," wherein an actor actually gives a three-dimensional performance which is recorded digitally by a computer, to then be manipulated into animated art. Performance capture is an extension of CGI and, as used in films like THE LORD OF THE RINGS, further blurs the line between what is animation and what is special effects. The process seems to work fairly well as far as body movement goes; the animated characters move with genuine lifelike grace that is far superior to previous attempts, such as the animated action sequences in SPIDER-MAN or THE HULK. Indeed, a dance sequence involving a band of hyperkenetic waiters is a showstopper. But the process just does not work as far as detailing facial features. One of the hardest things for a fantasy-flavored film or story to do is to retain its atmosphere of awe and magic even after the characters have interacted with the magical world and plumbed its secrets, so the fact that The Polar Express never sheds that atmosphere is very impressive indeed. For one thing, The Polar Express leaves some aspects of the story mysterious, never explaining who or what the hobo is; the result is that the train (and the experience as a whole) retains its magical aura even at the very end of the film. There's also the brilliant choice of never telling us the names of the characters. I've always held that one mark of a good film is that you don't need to remember names to fully engage with the story, and The Polar Express meets that standard completely, as all of the characters (except for Santa) are kept nameless in a totally natural manner: there's never any moment during the film in which we would need to know their names. It's an indication of polished storytelling, but it's also something more. By keeping the child characters without names, especially the protagonist, The Polar Express underlines the idea that this is a magical experience that could happen to any child, anywhere, at any time. The boy protagonist has his own personality, to be sure, but it's kept low-key enough that he can be an Everyboy, for any viewer (adult or child) to imagine as himself or herself. And if you’re in Norfolk, you’re not far from some of the Christmas things going on in Suffolk. Churnet Valley Railway Polar Express

The story seems to be a fairly linear one, but only in retrospect. As the film develops, there are constantly hints that the story could go in this, that, or another direction, so we never really know what to expect next... and as a result, we're in exactly the right mindset to be open to whatever wonderful or delightful surprise is around the next corner. In terms of the story arc, the journey is the destination: except for the scene at the heart of the film, the child characters are always moving forward literally as well as figuratively. That's no coincidence; the film takes on the metaphor of life as a journey so completely that it ceases to be a metaphor and becomes a magical reality. There's a sense that the train ride for the characters is exactly as long as it needs to be, and that the figures of the conductor and the hobo are much more powerful than they seem to be at first glance.

I am compelled to note that the menus for The Polar Express are highly annoying, as they are extremely lengthy and unskippable. I did discover later that when the anti-piracy screen is playing, if you press "menu" repeatedly you'll finally jump to the static menu screen. Duration: The Scottish Polar Express Train ride lasts about 30 minutes each way but allow 2 hours for the whole experience. You don’t have to wear pyjamas, but if you really want to get into the spirit of the Polar Express experience, why not wear pyjamas like the little boy in the film? Wearing pyjamas is encouraged by the Polar Express.Visually, The Polar Express is a treat. Here we can see computer graphics coming to maturity in film; the technology is used here to create a picture-book world with a soft, magical feel to it that not only is faithful to the look of the original picture book by Chris Van Allsburg, but is also perfectly matched to the tone of the film. Technology also makes it possible to create some simply amazing shots, and entire scenes, that would have been impossible otherwise. The "dancing waiters" sequence is eye-poppingly clever and engaging, for instance, but then again, the entire film is filled with one scene after another that offers breathtaking images and amazing visual flights of fancy (sometimes literally so). Duration: The return journey lasts around 1 hour with a 30 minute performance beforehand. Swanage Railway Polar Express