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The Polar Express [Blu-ray] | ![The Polar Express [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51sS9%2B3HwwL._SL160_.jpg)
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| Actors: Debbie Lee Carrington, Eddie Deezen, Charles Fleischer, Phil Fondacaro, Ed Gale
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $28.99
Buy New: $14.99
You Save: $14.00 (48%)
New (24) Used (9) Collectible (1) from $12.25
Rating:  592 reviews
Sales Rank: 4148
Format: Ac-3, Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: G (General Audience)
Media: Blu-ray
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 100 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 5.3 x 0.5
MPN: WARBR115703
UPC: 085391157038
EAN: 0085391157038
ASIN: B000Q7ZO8U
Theatrical Release Date: 2004
Release Date: October 30, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 10/30/2007 Run time: 100 minutes Rating: G
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 DVD features
The most intriguing feature on the two-disc DVD is probably the six-minute sequence featuring a new song performed by the two engine-room characters, Smokey and Steamer. The animation is crude and the song is nothing special, but it does preserve the dual performances of Michael Jeter (he played both characters), who passed away during filming. One of the striking aspects of The Polar Express is its use of motion-capture technology to turn real actors into animated characters, and that is examined in a significant portion of the five-part 11-minute featurette, in the "look at" Tom Hanks's multiple performances, and in an Easter egg that offers a side-by-side comparison of the actors in their motion-capture suits with the finished film in the "Hot Chocolate" number. There's also a live performance of Josh Groban singing "Believe" followed by an interview segment with him and composer Alan Silvestri, author Chris Van Allsburg providing a five-minute capsulization of his career, a PC game demo, and a kids' set-top game. The version of the film on DVD is the standard theatrical version, not the 3-D version seen in IMAX theaters. --David Horiuchi 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)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 587 more reviews...
 A wonderful movie that will give you that warm, Christmas glow! December 31, 2008
Jennifer Tillett (arizona)
Wow, I took my nine-year-old daughter to see this today in 3D at the Imax theater. I thought it was truly wonderful. The characters were so realistic. It brought tears to my eyes a few times. I was sorry to read that the home movie 3D version was not that good. This movie is honestly one of the best Christmas movies I have ever seen.
 A review of the 3D, not the content of the film December 30, 2008
Walt (New England, USA)
WHY CAN'T YOU GIVE THIS THING 0 STARS?
As a huge 3D fan, I can only rate the quality of 3D on this disc as a couple of steps below abysmal. Sony Picture, Imageworks and Warner Brothers should all be truly embarrassed and ashamed of this effort. While some 3D effects are apparent in some scenes, what you really get, aside from the headache if you watch too long, is a double image than never goes away no matter how desperately you try to manipulate the TV controls. The disc provides "viewing tips in order to achieve the best performance." I followed them and if that miserable red/green double imagine is the best it can do (and I tried it on 3 TV sets) then there ought to be a recall of every disc sold and a refund of everyone's money. Amazon should show some quality control and stop selling this disc. Awful. Awful. AWFUL.
How to make the Polar Express 3D DVD work December 30, 2008
Phil from Colorado
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
My wife and I have seen the IMAX 3D version twice which was the finest 3D experience ever.
I knew of the problems with the 3D Anaglyph process on the DVDs. There are 2 ways to minimize the problems. You need the sharpest, brightest, and clearest images to make it work. I bought the blue ray version and bought two pairs of optical quality 3D Anaglyph glasses (we bought the ones with the blue and red lenses) from an internet 3D specialty shop (Amazon might also sell them). The glasses run about seven dollars each and will also fit over most eye glasses. They will work with some other 3D DVDs but not all (they will not work with Journey to the Center of the Earth, for example). The websites will tell you which movies the glasses will work with.
My wife and I find that the 3D effect from these glasses is much much stronger than with the cardboard glasses that come with the DVD. The image also is not blurry due to the optical quality of the glasses, at least with blue ray DVD. I also turned up the brightness on the TV which is recommended.
There are two faults with the Anaglyph process that cannot be avoided. The colors tend to be washed out and you will see ghosting (double images) sometimes. When we watch the DVD, we don't concentrate on the ghosting, and after a while, you are so wrapped up in the 3D, that you don't notice it as much.
For us, it was worth it to buy the optical quality 3D glasses as they were so cheap. However, I do not think that these glasses will help if you get headaches and may not work well for everybody.
One thing that we noticed was how much better the characters' expressions look in 3D than in 2D.
So for us, the blue ray 3D DVD was worth the cost. It is not as good as IMAX 3D, but it works for us.
Avoid the 3D version December 29, 2008
Thomas L. Cook (Somewhere in USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The original movie and DVD were very good. The 3D version is another matter. To say this is poor is an understatement. Do not buy it. Check the blogs first. I wish I had. This movie (3D version) is not watchable. I have tried it on multiple TVs and DVD players. It is full of ghost images and characters with 4 eyes and 4 eyebrows. Save your money - buy the original version.
HD DVD will not play in DVD player!! December 29, 2008
Heidi Egeberg (Bismarck, ND)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
We have a DVD player that has an HD label, but this HD DVD will not play!! So I'm out the money I spent since Amazon will not take returns on opened DVD's!! By the regular DVD or Blue Ray (if you have one)!
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