The Polar Express [HD DVD]
by Robert Zemeckis
![The Polar Express [HD DVD]](/images/The-Polar-Express-HD-DVD-B000I2JKCO-L.jpg)
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DVD details
Actor: Chris Coppola, Eddie Deezen, Leslie Zemeckis, Michael Jeter, Tom HanksDirector: Robert Zemeckis
Brand: Warner Brothers
Writer: Robert Zemeckis
Producer: Chris Van Allsburg
Writer: Chris Van Allsburg
Producer: Debbie Denise
Producer: Gary Goetzman
Producer: Jack Rapke
Writer: William Broyles Jr.
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: IMAX, 2.40:1
Running Time: 100 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-10-10
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Reviews of The Polar Express [HD DVD]
DVD Review: Next Stop: Christmas
Summary: 5 Stars
THE POLAR EXPRESS is an archtypal story of doubt, discovery, and belief. The tale of the boy who doubted the existence of Santa Claus stands out as one of the better holiday offerings. Picked up in front of his house by a magic train on Christmas Eve, the boy experiences a thrill-a-minute journey to the North Pole where he gets to meet Santa and learn how powerful belief is.
Based on a book by Chris Van Allsburg, who also gave us the books JUMANJI and ZATHURA which were later turned into successful movies, THE POLAR EXPRESS was given vibrant life by Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks. Like SHREK, the book was only 32 pages, but somehow had enough story content and a world big enough to sustain a feature-length movie.
THE POLAR EXPRESS is going to be shown around the holidays for years to come. I grew up with the stop-motion television shows about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman and thought those movies would never be topped. Of course, back then I had no clue that even Walt Disney's magical studios could pull off a cartoon movie (in this case, though, computer-generated) so well done. Tom Hanks's portrayal of the Conductor is spot-on, and he does several other voices as well, including that of Santa Claus.
One of the best things about the movie is the beginning journey, when the Boy is exploring the train and meeting the people aboard it. The hobo/snow ghost is amazing. The out-of-control train sliding across the ice, then trying desperately to escape ahead of the breaking ice, is a real nail-biter. The visual effects are stunning and beautiful to look at.
If you haven't seen THE POLAR EXPRESS, you're in for a treat. This HD DVD edition puts all of the special features at your fingertips on one disc.
Description of The Polar Express [HD DVD]
When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.Destined to become a holiday perennial, The Polar Express also heralded a brave new world of all-digital filmmaking. Critics and audiences were divided between those who hailed it as an instant classic that captures the visual splendor and evocative innocence of Chris Van Allsburg's popular children's book, and those who felt that the innovative use of "performance capture"--to accurately translate live performances into all-digital characters--was an eerie and not-quite-lifelike distraction from the story's epic-scale North Pole adventure. In any case it's a benign, kind-hearted celebration of the yuletide spirit, especially for kids who have almost grown out of their need to believe in Santa Claus. Tom Hanks is the nominal "star" who performs five different computer-generated characters, but it's the visuals that steal this show, as director Robert Zemeckis indulges his tireless pursuit of technological innovation. No matter how you respond to the many wonders on display, it's clear that The Polar Express represents a significant milestone in the digital revolution of cinema. If it also fills you with the joy of Christmas (in spite of its Nuremberg-like rally of frantic elves), so much the better. --Jeff Shannon
DVD features
The most intriguing feature on the two-disc DVD is probably the six-minute sequence featuring a new song performed by the two engine-room characters, Smokey and Steamer. The animation is crude and the song is nothing special, but it does preserve the dual performances of Michael Jeter (he played both characters), who passed away during filming. One of the striking aspects of The Polar Express is its use of motion-capture technology to turn real actors into animated characters, and that is examined in a significant portion of the five-part 11-minute featurette, in the "look at" Tom Hanks's multiple performances, and in an Easter egg that offers a side-by-side comparison of the actors in their motion-capture suits with the finished film in the "Hot Chocolate" number. There's also a live performance of Josh Groban singing "Believe" followed by an interview segment with him and composer Alan Silvestri, author Chris Van Allsburg providing a five-minute capsulization of his career, a PC game demo, and a kids' set-top game. The version of the film on DVD is the standard theatrical version, not the 3-D version seen in IMAX theaters. --David Horiuchi
The World of The Polar Express
 The book by Chris Van Allsburg |  The Soundtrack |  The Magic Journey (Polar Express the Movie) (book) |
Stills from Polar Express (click for larger image)
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