Lionel Christmas Train Sets

Archive for the ‘Christmas Train DVD’ Category

A holiday perennial, The Polar Express also heralded a brave new world of all-digital filmmaking. Hailed as an instant classic that captures the visual splendor and evocative innocence of Chris Van Allsburg's popular children's book, the innovative use of "performance capture"--to accurately translate live performances into all-digital characters--was an epic-scale North Pole adventure.

Enjoy The Polar Express Trailer

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 "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

Order your holiday perennial, The Polar Express Today

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.

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.

# Actors: Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, Michael Jeter, Leslie Zemeckis, Eddie Deezen
# Directors: Robert Zemeckis
# Writers: Robert Zemeckis, Chris Van Allsburg, William Broyles Jr.
# Producers: Chris Van Allsburg, Debbie Denise, Gary Goetzman, Jack Rapke
# Format: Dolby, Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
# Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
# Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
# Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
# Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
# Number of discs: 2
# Rated: G (General Audience)
# Studio: Warner Home Video
# DVD Release Date: November 22, 2005
# Run Time: 100 minutes

Here is what one happy owner had to say Timeless and True Spirit of Christmas:

I went to see this movie tonight with a mentally handicapped friend - "Michael" -- (from a L'Arche home here in Winnipeg, Canada). We were the first persons in the theatre for the very first evening showing in this city - and we were the last to leave. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - enchanted by the movie's subtleties and happily exhausted by its roller-coaster rides.

Time and again, Michael (who is sensitive, compassionate and with a good sense of humor) turned to me in the darkness, smiling in appreciation at the exact same moments I turned to see his reactions. Each time this happened, it was at a moment in the film when some little detail, perfectly captured through superb 'cinematography,' brought moisture to my normally cynical eye, and a warm smile to Michael's innocent face. (Mike Blackburn)

Paraphrased for space; read entire comment here.

Just as great `realistic' painters, (think Rembrandt or Vermeer) worked wonders of light & shadow that no mere photograph could ever capture, so too this computer-animated marvel takes your breath away through an accumulation of tiny but acute observations that could never be captured by conventional cinematography.

Order your holiday perennial, The Polar Express Today

Choo Choo Christmas

About the Actor

Product Description

Trains and the Holiday Season go hand and hand, and this unique video is just the thing to get you in the holiday mood. Enjoy watching trains in a variety of winter settings with a pleasing mix of live train audio and holiday music. See steam, diesel, freight and passenger trains in the US and Canada. There's also some fascinating scenes with snowplows! DVD contains 15 minutes of bonus footage not found in the VHS version of steam trains in the snow without any music or narration...just the natural train sounds.

Get your order in for Christmas and Gift-wrap available American Trains-Choo Choo Christmas

Here is some great details of American Trains-Choo Choo Christmas:

* Directors: Les Jarrett
* Format: AC-3, Color, Full Screen, NTSC
* Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
* Number of discs: 1
* Studio: Railway Productions
* DVD Release Date: October 17, 2005
* Run Time: 45 minutes

Great Winter & Snow Train Action! Read what one happy owner had to say:

We are taking my 5 year old on a Christmas/Santa train ride in a week, so I got this video to prep him for the trip. Boy, it sure did the trick! He loves trains anyway, but this video was very well done. It includes some narration and several holiday music tracks to help get you in the mood. (L. Nesbitt)

Paraphrased for space; read entire comment here.

Get your order in for Christmas and Gift-wrap available