The Polar Express

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, Amazon.com

Synopsis: Director Robert Zemeckis revolutionised the art of animated film in 1998's 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' by dropping cartoon characters into the same frame with flesh-and-blood actors. In 'The Polar Express', live action and animation have merged seamlessly, resulting in sparkling super-realism. A landmark technique Zemeckis and his Sony Pictures Imageworks team call Performance Capture perfectly suits the tenor of this wondrous children's Christmas story by Chris Van Allsburg. A disillusioned little boy, just old enough to doubt the existence of Santa Claus, has the adventure of a lifetime one fateful Christmas Eve. Clad in his pyjamas, he climbs aboard a magic train to the North Pole, driven by a kindly train conductor. Among myriad jaw-dropping moments, the train plummets brakeless through crystalline mountains in a simulated roller coaster ride. Going off the rails, skidding sideways, and snaking violently across a frozen lake, the train arrives at the North Pole (a vast, glowing city of brick buildings). At that moment, the car carrying the kids detaches and they're sent tumbling down never-ending chutes and slides until they land in the middle of Santa's Workshop. With its fascinating tale and impressive technical frolics, 'The Polar Express' is destined to become both a holiday classic and a new turning point in the art of animated cinema.

Region 1 DVDs	USA UK Canada 2 Disks DVDs Widescreen Edition (2005) USA UK Canada 2 Disks DVDs Widescreen Edition with Toy and Snow Globe (2005) USA UK Canada 1 Disk DVD Widescreen Edition (2005) USA UK Canada 1 Disk DVD Full Screen Edition (2005)
Region 2 DVDs	USA UK Canada 2 Disks DVDs (2005) USA UK Canada 1 Disk DVD (2005)