The Polar Express (2004)
Coming Out at 10 November 2004 in theaters.
Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The Polar Express is 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, who also served as one of the executive producers. The film features human characters animated using live-action motion capture animation. The film tells the story of a young boy who, on Christmas Eve, sees a mysterious 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 film stars Tom Hanks, who was also one of the film’s executive producers, in multiple distinct roles, with Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett and Eddie Deezen in supporting roles. The film also includes a performance by Tinashe at age 9, as the CGI model for the female protagonist.
Castle Rock Entertainment produced the film in association with Shangri-La Entertainment, ImageMovers, Playtone and Golden Mean Productions for Warner Bros. Pictures, as Castle Rock’s first animated film. The visual effects and performance capture were done at Sony Pictures Imageworks. The film was made with a production budget of $165 million, a record-breaking sum for an animated feature at the time.
In Grand Rapids, Michigan, on the night of Christmas Eve, a boy becomes skeptical of the existence of Santa Claus. Struggling to fall asleep, he witnesses a steam locomotive arrive on the street, and goes outside to examine it. The conductor introduces the train as the Polar Express, bound for the North Pole. Initially reluctant, the boy jumps aboard as the train departs.
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writers: Chris Van Allsburg (book), Robert Zemeckis, William Broyles Jr.
Stars: Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, Michael Jeter, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, Eddie Deezen
| Tom Hanks | … | Hero Boy / Father / Conductor / Hobo / Scrooge / Santa Claus |
| Leslie Zemeckis | … | Sister Sarah / Mother |
| Eddie Deezen | … | Know-It-All |
| Nona Gaye | … | Hero Girl (voice) |
| Peter Scolari | … | Billy – Lonely Boy |
| Brendan King | … | Pastry Chef |
| Andy Pellick | … | Pastry Chef |
| Josh Eli | … | Waiter |
| Mark Mendonca | … | Waiter |
| Rolondas Hendricks | … | Waiter |
| Mark Goodman | … | Waiter |
| Jon Scott | … | Waiter |
| Gregory Gast | … | Waiter |
| Sean Scott | … | Waiter |
| Gordon Hart | … | Waiter |
| Michael Jeter | … | Smokey / Steamer |
| Chris Coppola | … | Toothless Boy / Elf |
| Julene Renee | … | Red Head Girl / Elf |
| Charles Fleischer | … | Elf General |
| Steven Tyler | … | Elf Lieutenant / Elf Singer |
| Phil Fondacaro | … | Elf |
| Debbie Lee Carrington | … | Elf |
| Mark Povinelli | … | Elf |
| Ed Gale | … | Elf |
| Dante Pastula | … | Little Boy |
| Daryl Sabara | … | Hero Boy (voice) |
| André Sogliuzzo | … | Smokey / Steamer (voice) |
| Jimmy Bennett | … | Lonely Boy (voice) |
| Isabella Peregrina | … | Sister Sarah (voice) |
| Eric Newton | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Aidan O’Shea | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Aaron Hendry | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Kevin C. Carr | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Bee Jay Joyer | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Jena Carpenter | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Karine Mauffrey | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Elisabeth P. Carpenter | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Bill Forchion | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Devin Henderson | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Sagiv Ben-Binyamin | … | Acrobatic Elf |
| Josh Hutcherson | … | Hero Boy |
| Ashly Holloway | … | Sister Sarah |
| Jimmy ‘Jax’ Pinchak | … | Know-It-All |
| Chantel Valdivieso | … | Hero Girl |
| Hayden McFarland | … | Lonely Boy |
| Connor Matheus | … | Toothless Boy |
| Evan Sabara | … | Young Boy |
| Dylan Cash | … | Boy (voice) |
| Cody Klop | … | Additional voices |
| Patrick Stogner | … |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia