The Polar Express (film)

The Polar Express is a 2004 American computer-animated adventure film co-written and directed by Robert Zemeckis. It is based on the 1985 children’s book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg. The film stars Tom Hanks, who was also one of the film’s executive producers, in multiple distinct roles. It was released in both conventional and IMAX 3D theaters on November 10, 2004.

About The Polar Express (film) in brief

Summary The Polar Express (film)The Polar Express is a 2004 American computer-animated adventure film co-written and directed by Robert Zemeckis. It is based on the 1985 children’s book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg. The film stars Tom Hanks, who was also one of the film’s executive producers, in multiple distinct roles. Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett and Eddie Deezen in supporting roles. It was made with a production budget of USD 165 million, a record-breaking sum for an animated feature at the time. The Polar Express was released in both conventional and IMAX 3D theaters on November 10, 2004. It grossed USD 311. 3 million worldwide, and was later listed in the 2006 Guinness World Records as the first all-digital capture film. It also marks Michael Jeter’s last acting role before his death, and the film was thus dedicated to his memory. In the film, a boy is skeptical of the existence of Santa Claus. He sees a train bound for the North Pole stop outside his window and is invited aboard by its conductor. The boy joins several other children as they embark on a journey to visit Santa Claus preparing for Christmas. The children make their way through an elf sorting office before being dumped into a giant sack of presents, where they discover that they have been chosen to receive the gift of Christmas from Santa himself. The train arrives at the North pole where the boy and the elves discover that one of them is the first to receive a gift from Santa.

The elves escort them out before the bell flies loose from the galloping reindeer, sending it back along the railway line to a railway turntable in Santa’s workshop. A boy and a girl are left alone in the observation car, but the boy accidentally uncouples the boy’s ring along the car and sends it back into the railway. A girl is made to supervise driving the train while the engineers Steamer and Smokey replace the headlight. The girl stows away a cup of hot chocolate in the passenger car, while the boy applies the brakes and the train stops coming across a herd of caribou blocking the tracks. As the train continues on at extreme speed, the throttle’s split pin shears off, causing the train to accelerate uncontrollably down a 179-degree grade and onto a frozen lake. Smokey uses his hairpin to repair the throttle as the train drifts across the ice to realign with the tracks moments before the ice breaks. The Hobo uses a Scge puppet, calling him a doubter. The conductor announces the passengers will be taunting him, taunting the boy to come along with him to the first gift of the Christmas season. The three return to the train, where the Hobo tells the boy that he was chosen to be the first of the first group of passengers to receive an elf gift. The boys and the girl share a hug and a kiss before the train departs.