The picture book appeals to a wide range of ages, with younger children enthralled with the boy’s magical train ride and visit with Santa Claus and teens and adults caught up in nostalgia about their days of believing in the magic of Christmas and appreciation for the joy they still feel during the holiday season. The Polar Express is a heartwarming story about the power of belief that resonates across generations and cultures. Although his friend insists, “There is no Santa,” the boy is a believer. Chris Van Allsburg's use of muted colors and a very soft focus in his illustrations for The Polar Express creates a dreamlike mood that is in keeping with the story and greatly enhances its effectiveness. The book is now widely considered to be a classic Christmas story for young children and has been praised for its detailed illustrations and calm, relaxing storyline. The boy is allowed to select anything he wants, and he asks for, and receives, “one silver bell from Santa’s sleigh.” As the clock strikes midnight, Santa and his reindeer fly away and the children return to the Polar Express. The children are special guests as Santa greets a crowd of elves and selects the boy as the child to receive the first gift for Christmas. On Christmas morning, the boy and his sister, Sarah, open their presents. ( Log Out / It was decided that the film version would take a cue from the lush illustrations in the book and use a new technology to – as Zemeckis explains – “give the visuals an elegance as if it were a moving oil painting.”. ISBN: 9780395389492). Filmmakers used actual places and machines in creating the world of The Polar Express including the steam locomotive that pulls the Polar Express which was modeled after the Pere Marquette No. While the children enjoy hot cocoa, candy and singing Christmas carols, the Polar Express speeds north through the night. In 1986, its author, Chris Van Allsburg was awarded the Caldecott Medal for children’s literature. The film would be actor Michael Jeter’s last movie before his death. The behind the scenes stories about your favorite films, http://movies.about.com/od/thepolarexpress/a/polar082504, http://www.xsens.com/en/company/research/human_mocap.php, http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/thepolarexpress/polarcaldecott.shtml, http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=452714. ( Log Out / The boy is elated to find a small box with the bell in it and a note from Santa, “Found this on the seat of my sleigh. http://movies.about.com/od/thepolarexpress/a/polar082504. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Fix that hole in your pocket.”. This was done in two ways. It's different for the boy, now an old man. It’s Christmas Eve. The real name of the Hero Boy is never mentioned. Artistic liberty was taken with the train’s appearance making it to seem even more massive than the 794,500 pound (361,136 kilogram) Pere Marquette but many of the train’s sound effects, such as the whistle blowing and steam exhausting, were created from live sampling of the actual train. Since it was first published, The Polar Express has become a Christmas classic. When the children ask to see Santa’s gift, the boy is heartbroken to find that he has lost the bell because of a hole in the pocket of his robe.