The Polar Express (2004) |
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The Polar Express Cast |
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Awards |
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The Polar Express (2004) was nominated for the following awards:
BAFTA AwardsYoung Artist AwardsVisual Effects Society Awards
15.
VES Award
2005
Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture
Renato Dos Anjos
Nominated
16.
VES Award
2005
Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture
Roger Vizard
Nominated
17.
VES Award
2005
Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture
David Schaub
Nominated
18.
VES Award
2005
Outstanding Performance by an Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture
Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association AwardsWorld Soundtrack Awards |
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Trivia |
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 The Conductor: Well, ya comin`?
The Boy: Where?
The Conductor: To the North Pole, of course! This is the Polar Express! The Conductor: Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can`t see. The Conductor: The thing about trains... it doesn`t matter where they`re going. What matters is deciding to get on. The Conductor: All aboard! Hobo: One more thing... do you believe in ghosts?
The Boy: [shakes head no]
Hobo: [in a sinister tone] Interesting... The Boy: I`m looking for a girl.
Hobo: [after a pause; bursts out laughing] Well aren`t we all? Santa Claus: There`s no greater gift than friendship. [repeated line]
The Boy: I believe. Hobo: What exactly is... is your persuasion on the Big Man, since you brought him up?
The Boy: Well, I... I want to believe... but...
Hobo: But you don`t want to be bamboozled. You don`t want to be led down the primrose path! You don`t want to be conned or duped. Have the wool pulled over your eyes. Hoodwinked! You don`t want to be taken for a ride. Railroaded!
[Hobo puts out fire with the joe]
Hobo: Seeing is believing. Am I right? The Conductor: [singing] Here we only got one rule / Never, ever let it cool / Keep it cooking in the pot / Soon we got hot chocolate! The Boy: Is everything all right? What do we do?
The Conductor: Well, cosnsidering that we have lost communication with the engineer, and are standing totally exposed on the front of the locomotive, and the train seems to be accelerating, uncontrollably, not to mention that we are headed to Glacier Gulch, which just happens to be the steepest downhill grade in the world, I suggest we all hold on... TIGHTLY!
[the train plunges down the VERY steep downhill tracks and accelerates rapidly] The Boy: [after sounding the train whistle] I`ve wanted to do that my whole life! The Conductor: What in the name of Mike? Santa Claus: This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas - as am I. Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart. [last lines]
Hero Boy: At one time most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I`ve grown old the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe. The Conductor: Caribou Crossing?
Engineer: I make this herd to be at least a 100,000, maybe even a million. It`s going to be hours before they clear this track!
Fireman: A tough nut to crack!
The Conductor: Boy, we are in some serious jelly!
Engineer: And jam!
Fireman: Tight spot!
Engineer: Up a creek!
Fireman: Up a tree!
Engineer: In the grass!
Fireman: I`ll tell you what`s grass... The Conductor: It`s five minutes to midnight.
Know-It-All: What gives? Its been five minutes to midnight for the last four minutes.
The Conductor: Exactly! Hobo: That skirt you`re chasing must`ve moved on ahead. We got to high tail it to the hog, pronto!
Hero Boy: The hog?
Hobo: The engine. The engine, you tenderfoot. We`ve got to make it before we hit Flat-Top Tunnel.
Hero Boy: Why?
Hobo: [sighs] So many questions. There`s but one inch of clearance between the roof of this rattler and the top of Flat-Top Tunnel. Savvy? [repeated line]
The Conductor: That`s more like it. Hero Boy: On Christmas Eve many years ago I laid quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets, I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound I was afraid I`d never hear: the sound of Santa`s sleigh bells.Trivia Initial digital camera tests shot by Allen Daviau. Michael Jeter`s last movie. Hero Boy has a pennant on his bedroom wall of the Milwaukee Beers. The Beers are the main team from BASEketball (1998).
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* A close examination of all the ticket numbers reveals that they all contain the number "1225" in them. Pere Marquette No. 1225 was used as a model for the Polar Express locomotive. 12-25 also refers to the date of Christmas -- December 25th. The film used 3D motion capture techniques to digitally record the physical performances of the actors before "skinning" them with their animated forms. All the children`s roles were acted by adults using over-sized props to get the movement right. This was the first mainstream film to be simultaneously released as a 3D IMAX presentation. In a news photo of Santas on strike, their placards say they`re picketing Lone Pine Mall, the mall at Back to the Future (1985), also directed by Robert Zemeckis. The train set seen at the end is a recreation of the new Lionel Polar Express train set combined with the older Lionel Berkshire and the older tubular track. #
# Listed in the Guiness Book of World Records 2006 as the "first all-digital capture" film, where all acted parts were done in digital capture. In the beginning of the movie, Hero Boy looks at a picture of himself on a store Santa`s lap. The store`s name on the photo is Herpolsheimer`s, an old department store in Grand Rapids, Chris Van Allsburg`s hometown. Later the train passes by the store.
The real name of the Hero Boy is never mentioned. The premiere was held in Grand Rapids, MI, author Chris Van Allsburg`s hometown. The address spoken by the conductor early in the film "11344 Edbrooke" is the real address of Robert Zemeckis` childhood home. The home is in a south side of Chicago neighborhood called Roseland.
It is the first movie to use the Imagemotion technology.
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# The locomotive in the movie is based on the Pere Marquette 1225, a restored steam locomotive located in Owosso, MI. In fact, many of the sound effects of the film`s train are recordings of the actual train. The train is often run between Owosso and nearby Chesaning for rides during festivals. The visuals for North Pole City are based on the architecture of the Pullman plant (the company that made railroad cars) in Chicago, IL, near the childhood home of Robert Zemeckis in the Roseland neighborhood. The clock tower that Santa comes out of is based on the Pullman factory clock tower and many of the other buildings are based on Pullman`s unique architecture. Hero Boy says, "I`ve wanted to do that my whole life," after tugging on the train`s whistle. This is the same thing Doc Brown says in Back to the Future Part III (1990), also directed by Robert Zemeckis. A scene in the North Pole City communications room features an elf describing a bad little boy in New Jersey named Steven who is terrorizing his two little sisters. This line is a nod to Robert Zemeckis` friend and mentor, Steven Spielberg. Spielberg grew up in New Jersey and has admitted many times that he frequently terrorized his two younger sisters.
When Santa`s sleigh disappears it leaves burning/glowing trails in the sky reminiscent of the flying DeLorean in Back to the Future (1985), which was also directed by Robert Zemeckis. Santa`s reflection can be seen in the sleigh bell for just a few seconds, when it is shown in close-up, after Hero Boy places the bell on the table, at the film`s end.
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