The Polar Express
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The Polar Express is a 1985 children's book, which was later made into a movie that was released on November 12, 2004.
The book
The book (ISBN 0862641438) was written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, a former professor at the Rhode Island School of Design.
It tells the story of a young boy who on Christmas Eve journies on a trip to the North Pole on a magical train known as the Polar Express. Eventually he visits Santa Claus and is given a special present.
The book is now widely considered to be a classic Christmas story for young children. It was praised for its detailed illustrations and calm, relaxing storyline. In 1986 it was awarded the Caldecott Medal for children's literature.
The film
The film, directed by Robert Zemeckis, is entirely computer animated and stars actor Tom Hanks in five of its roles using a novel technology called performance capture.
This movie is the first animated feature, not specially made for IMAX, to be presented in IMAX in 3D.
The locomotive sounds for the movie are recordings of preserved Pere Marquette Railroad road number 1225, a 2-8-4. The locomotive number, 1225, fits with the theme of the movie as Christmas falls on December 25 every year.
Tagline: Journey Beyond Your Imagination
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