Movie #: Title:   Year: 2004         IMDB mediatype
Genre: Director:     IMDB   Rating:  PG  Box Set? box set?

FileNameRunTimeFileSize(MB)
1251 The Polar Express.mp41001168

Synopsis

Santa Claus does not exist. Or does he? For one doubting boy (voice of Daryl Sabara and Tom Hanks), an astonishing event occurs. Late on Christmas Eve night, he lies in bed hoping to hear the sound of reindeer bells from Santa's sleigh. When to his surprise, a steam engine's roar and whistle can be heard outside his window. The conductor (voice of Tom Hanks) invites him on board to take an extraordinary journey to the North Pole with many other pajama-clad children. There, he receives an extraordinary gift only those who still believe in Santa can experience.  

More Info

USA Box Office: $174 Million
Worldwide Box Office: $275 Million
Budget Estimate: $150 Million
Also Known As: The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience
Filming Locations: Culver Studios, Culver City, California, USA| Los Angeles, California, USA
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
Cast:
Tom Hanks .... Hero Boy/Father/Conductor/Hobo/Scrooge/Santa Claus
Leslie Harter Zemeckis .... Sister Sarah/Mother (as Leslie Zemeckis)
Eddie Deezen .... Know-It-All
Nona Gaye .... Hero Girl
Peter Scolari .... Lonely Boy
Brendan King .... Pastry Chef
Andy Pellick .... Pastry Chef
Josh Eli .... Waiter
Mark Mendonca .... Waiter
Rolandas Hendricks .... Waiter
Mark Goodman .... Waiter
Jon Scott .... Waiter
Gregory Gast .... Waiter
Sean Scott .... Waiter
Gordon Hart .... Waiter