Ah, the Season of Goodwill is with us once again; a season of crass commercialism and of glorious generosity, of bitter cold and of hot mince pies, and as the intonings of
Bleak Midwinter sound in the background, I pose the question that I have asked many times and I will ask again: why is the animated movie,
Polar Express (Robert Zemeckis, 2004) not up with other seasonal greats such as
Elf (Jon Favreau, 2003) and
White Christmas (Michael Curtiz, 1954)? On watching it for the hundredth time, it seems, its combo of ingredients strikes me vividly; a strong story, emotionally gripping characters and extraordinary animation and even, a pointed literary reference, none of which have grown tired through repeated viewings. On the contrary, I look forward to watching it again (and again), to hopping on board and riding that gloriously steampunky train filled with children in various states of eagerness and cynicism, to travel to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. I love
all of the characters, from the non-believing hero-boy to sad Billy from the “wrong” side of town, the spooky Conductor and the ghostly tramp who hangs out on top of the carriages and even, the pair of nutters who actually control the train. I look forward to riding with them again (and again) through wolf-inhabited forests and across frozen lakes, careening down precarious gorges and alongside mountain slopes and eventually, riding triumphantly into the glowing bauble that is Elven town, a place where the elf inhabitants devote their lives to making toys and equipping Santa for the annual Big Night. Every detail is gorgeous; the hundreds of little elves in their traditional red and green, the colourful wrappings on the thousands of gifts in the toy warehouse and of course, the resplendent Santa with his sleigh and team of reindeer. The musical interventions are few in number, gentle in style and non-intrusive, all designed to push the story forward rather than dominate the action. Overall, it is a heart-warming work, filled with acts of loyalty and friendship, with covert comments on greed and cynicism. Like I said, why is the
Polar Express not more popular among children – of all ages? A peaceful and prosperous Christmas to all readers....
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