Amazon.com: 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
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)
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: DVD Brand: WARNER HOME VIDEO EAN: 9781419818707 Format: Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, Animated, NTSC ISBN: 1419818708 Item Dimensions:25 Label: Warner Bros. Pictures Languages:EnglishOriginal LanguageDolby Digital 2.0 StereoEnglishSubtitledSpanishSubtitledFrenchSubtitledFrenchDubbedDolby Digital 5.1SpanishDubbedDolby Digital 5.1 Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product. Manufacturer: Warner Bros. Pictures MPN: D74064D Number Of Items: 1 Picture Format: IMAX Publisher: Warner Bros. Pictures Region Code: 1 Release Date: November 22, 2005 Running Time: 100 minutes Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Theatrical Release Date: November 10, 2004
Customer Reviews
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I ordered the movie and never received it. I was never notified that the movie was returned to them. I was only offered a refund after contacting them.