If you think *this* is the weirdest video I've ever made, you might want to consider checking out _Santa or Hitler: The Poland Express_ - now available on Patreon 👀 Use the code *HANKS* to get 50% off the Mega Pixel tier to check it out! What's your favourite Christmas movie?
I always enjoyed the 1946 movie It's A Wonderful Life, because it's a very relatable movie and it's message "Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends." I highly recommend watching the restored HD colorized version of the movie. It's an interesting look at someone's life from the early 1900s to post war World War Two.
In recent years, probably Klaus. But I tend to just have a cycling catalogue of Christmas movies rather than picking one favorite. My nostalgic choice is very boring, but I made a point of catching as many Rankin Bass Christmas specials as I could every year when I was younger. A Christmas Carol is my favorite Christmas story, but I re-read the book every year and watch at least 1 adaptation without any loyalty to any one version in particular. Perhaps my most unconventional Christmas favorite is Gift of the Night Fury, the first How to Train Your Dragon Christmas special loosely inspired by Gift of the Magi.
"And as far as believing in Santa goes? Well of course I do, I met him. In fact I grew up around two of them, but they always went by different names to me." Dude that line is so good.
Most people "Ew, why does the animation look like that!" Me "Looks kind of uncanny and different. It feels a little surreal, and grabs my attention...I like it."
SAME. One of my favorite parts of the movie is how everything about it, asides from the music, feels strange and out of place; almost unreal, but I think it heightens my enjoyment of the movie, as well as it’s themes of faith during uncertainty tenfold, even if it wasn’t intentional
Same. It very much fits the kind of weird dream-like aesthetic of a fairy tale from a child's eye-view (I.e., the way the people look _not QUITE right_ because kids don't have memorized anatomy in their heads). Which is 1) actually pretty appropriate, and 2) a very minor issue if you see that as a negative thing (like bruh it's not hard at all to just get over it and enjoy the sheer beauty of the entire rest of the movie).
I didn't watch "The Polar Express" until recently because the "motion capture DFX" looks creepy; AI creepy. I did watch this movie a few days ago, and found it was still creepy. Watch again? Nope, "been there, done that" for me.
It doesn't bother me at all. Full transparency though: it was the first movie I remember seeing and it was easy to accept how things look in it. I didn't even realise it wasn't live action until 3 or 4 years after I first saw it in theatres and I didn't even know people made an issue about uncanny valley until I was a teenager. At which point I had more than accepted how the animation looks.
I have no nostalgia or dog in the game but I don't think it in no way is in the uncanny valley. In fact it is really well done mocap. There were worse mocap movies like the mars thing one.
When I was little I thought for years that not only was it live action but that the main boy was played by our family friend, Aidan (Aidan Briggs, now EXTREMELY talented singer/theater guy btw and I'm not close enough to that family to plug him if I wasn't genuinely flabbergasted but I digress). I actually distinctly remember the first time I watched and thought "wait... I think this might be animated"
I feel like part of the charm of Polar Express is the fact that we really don’t get any of the characters names, it keeps it mysterious and also kind of feels natural instead of weird interactions to get the names out there
And we don't know where the other kids are from; billy and the boy are both from Michigan, I'm assuming yellow PJ kid is also from their same town. This story feels like a dream, the whole thing
@@taylorbechstein1681 Considering the Conductor, the Hobo, and Santa Claus look and sound like the boy's own father (shared actor aside), at least one of the children are from his town, and that all of the kids on the train recognize the same store, it's possible that all of the children we see in the movie go to the same school. It's likely that every character we see is a reflection of the main kid's imagination and memories. I think it makes even more sense when you consider that the train car seems to be holding the average American classroom's number of kids.
Indeed, this is how a movie essay should be! Most of the times when I watch an media analysis it’s just a summary of the plot, like I saw the film, I know what happened😂
I know. I've fallen for so many 1-2 hour long videos with eye-catching titles like "X Film: A Dying Legacy?" or "X Film: Underrated or Overrated?" thinking they must be engaging viewing material, only to find the 2 hour long video is just a barely summarized retelling of the 2 hour long movie with maybe 5 minutes of actual analysis at the very end.
I get so mad at reviewers who do that. Literally just reciting the fucking plot rather than giving their personal insight into it. It's lazy and clearly done to pump out content.
It’s only natural that when you get older, the pure childlike magic of Christmas will be lost. Even if you still enjoy the holiday, it will never hit the same as it does as a kid However, for me, the closest I get to recapturing those same feelings today is by rewatching The Polar Express every Christmas Eve. Maybe it’s the film itself or maybe it’s nostalgia talking but this film always feels truly special to me and I adore it. There may be other Christmas films I prefer but The Polar Express is the only one where I can’t go a year without it
When I was a kid, I could never sleep on Christmas Eve nights no matter how hard I tried. That's how much Christmas was to me. I do wish I could feel that way about Christmas again... but I certainly don't miss the sleepless nights😂
to this day, the polar express is the only movie i've ever seen that uses an actual bald eagle call for a bald eagle instead of the red tailed hawk screech that's typically synonymous with eagles in media. this is immediately followed by the baby eagle coughing up the ticket with a "pfff" sound that could not be made by an animal without lips...i will take the wins where i can get them.
Which is ironic because the Express itself doesn't use its own "actual" whistle. The train is based off Pere Marquette Railway No. 1225, and yet it uses a Sierra Railway No. 3 whistle.
I don’t get why anyone would doubt the sheer awe that this movie instills in its viewers; THEY DRIFT A TRAIN! What other Christmas movie does that? It’s certainly a bizarre film but one that I am more than grateful for its existence.
I feel like a lot of people just say they don't like the movie because it's fun to hate on things or even just to fill space in a conversation. It is something to say that many people will consider inoffensive, to just say the assumed cultural opinion that the Polar Express looks creepy, because hopefully some people will laugh, because that's relatively expected, while it's much less certain if people won't snicker at you for saying you like the movie.
It's especially amazing if you are able to nerd out about any of the machinary shown. I love that they actually showed accurate parts of the train in detail, and they had an actual roller coaster company advise Glacier Gulch.
Me too. Watched it a few hours before midnight on Christmas day because nobody else in my house wanted to stay up (totally understandable). I definitely felt the themes of nostalgia and wonder a lot heavier this time around.
I've always love The Polar Express and never thought the motion capture looked uncanny. I'm glad I found this video as lately it seems like there's a stream of videos shitting on the film.
@@bensonjarvis5025 especially way back when it aired in imax 3d theaters in 3D. I did and I still have the special glasses they gave for the special viewing before it's release to regular theaters. Was it magical? Yes.is it ever able to be experienced again? No since it was 20 years ago. Second best is the original 3D edition of the DVD and a large enough screen and surround sound.
It’s interesting to see a take that defends this film for once. How can this be a terrible film when the music alone is so enchanting and gets you in the holiday spirit. Also, so many scenes are ripped straight from the pages of the book. The bells can still ring for you
I’ll always have a super protective feeling about this movie like it’s a little brother. I’ll defend it no matter how many people disagree with me haha
i feel like the (what some would call) “eerie” vibes to this movie only add to the experience for me. especially the scene where the ticket flies away. the music stops playing, and you hear the cold quiet sounds of nature. you feel the wind and see the deep black of the skies around the train. same thing with santa’s workshop. its fantastical and elaborate, but creepily empty. the vintage christmas songs reverberate off the walls creating an echo. this all has meaning and a purpose, it’s not “accidentally” creepy. i think it adds to the bittersweet nostalgic feeling. god i love this movie.
16:40 perhaps it's just my ears, but i've always heard whispers of, "doubt doubt doubt" in place of the bell ringing when the hero boy is shaking it. A fun little addition to show audiences his state of mind.
Absolutely it's insane how it shows so many failed to see the real message of something as this film is far more beautiful than what we originally thought
It's actually the ghost's voice whispering "doubter, doubter, doubter" which is what he said to the boy when he was puppeting Scrooge in the marrionet car. He says "I know what you are, you're a doubter!" So basically he's being taunted with his identity. Is this what I am? Am I stuck here, or can I choose to believe? Kind of like when Scrooge repents in Christmas Carol, he has to take a leap that even though his life tends towards ruin as shown by the ghost of Christmas Yet to Come that he still can repent and change despite that.
I was 1 when this movie came out. I'm 21 now and I still get excited whenever I hear this movie coming on. Even though, I know what's gonna happen through the movie, I still love this movie and I wish to share it with my own children.
I was 3 when it came out. When I hear the age of the movie I'm like "wow that was a long time ago...wait does that mean I'm old?". I agree it's amazing, if there was ever a movie made for roller coaster nerds and rail fans alike, it's Polar Express.
I was 2 when this came out watched it like crazy when I was younger but as I grew older I stopped watching it and no after well over a decade I returned to it this Christmas and it brought me to tears
I’ve been watching Polar Express since I was about three, and according to my parents I was so fixated that it was the first film I ever sat through in full (probably because it appeal to young me, who was obsessed with Thomas and Friends who looked a lot like the hero boy). The motion capture never bothered me, and if anything it adds to the film’s quirky charm, because it undoubtedly has charm. I’ve rewatched it every year without fail, and I’ve never tired of watching it. I was astounded that so many people hate it.
I love this weird movie. The lack of names for all characters is such an interesting choice - almost like the filmmakers wanted everyone to be able to self insert into the story.
I just love the atmosphere. It combines my love of the romance of steam railroading, with beautiful, sincere music, a dream like feeling throughout, and themes that get at the heart of human belief. I love it. I'm not ashamed to say it's my favorite Christmas movie, and that watching it, and reflecting on what its simple message means to me, has at times brought me to tears. It is not really about belief in Santa Claus - but having the courage to believe in things that aren't obvious in general. It is for me, the kind of belief that means courage to hope for a better world. It has for me, reminded me to believe in myself.
Same! I always watch the movie just called "Scrooge", because my grandmother, Dad, and I used to watch it every year when she was alive. It was her favorite.
21:38 this part made me tear up. dude i love my parents so much. this Christmas movie is also the only one to make me feel like a child again, especially that feeling of Christmas magic.
“I grew up around two of them , but, they went my different names” OH MY GOD IM CRYING. I wish I watched this video before Christmas. I really could have used it. Incredible work
I remember reading the book as a kid before the movie came out. When the movie was released I was a teenager, but I thought it was so cool it had made it to the big screen. One thing I really love about the movie is that the locomotive is inspired by a real world locomotive, Pere Marquette 1225, which still operates out of Owosso, Michigan. If I can entertain my train nerd muscles here too, for me at least it was the first time I had seen late generation (1930s onwards) steam locomotives make it to the big screen. You usually either see diesels or steam locomotives from the 19th or turn of the century. But here we got a great example of super power steam (that is an actual term used in some circles) in a major film, albeit with a decent amount of artistic license. That alone made me really happy. Also if anyone's wondering, assuming the Polar Express is the same build as her real world counterpart, most of the nerdy kid's information at the beginning of the movie is wrong, which I thought was really funny (and may have been on purpose given his characterization).
I didn't see The Polar Express until adulthood but I love it. It's very dreamlike, especially the train animation when it's flying up and down mountains.
For the longest time I'd always wanted to write an essay about the different ways this movie conveyed the idea of "belief"; and not just in the childhood sense. Seeing this video really made me happy. It's in my top 5 films of all time because I really grew to appreciate the messages it was sending.
The importance of taking the leap without knowing the outcome really speaks to me. It took me a while to start my own channel. But after actually doing it I felt really accomplished. Funny enough the first video I did(that being last year) was a Christmas movie video
I watch this movie every year in the theaters. It makes my heart feel like a kid again. I am 58 now and my grown 24 year old always comes with me. It's a tradition now😊
I'm so glad someone finally acknowledged the beauty and the magic of this masterpiece, it's truly such a memorable and nostalgic Christmas movie.watching it brought back so many forgotten emotions and memories.Thanks for making this video!!
That's what I love about it. It perfectly captures the feeling of a dream. It's often a little uncanny and there are mistakes and changes that would absolutely happen in a dream too (try to count how many cars it pulls, it allways changes). Why do the three of them stay at the head of the loco after they solve the karibu problem? Weird things that would totally happen in a dream. I don't think it's by mistake because then they also thought of putting an "s" at every corner of the compass on the floor on the north pole
@ yeah but then there’s that scene where the ticket goes all around the train and time isn’t paused, so I’m starting to think if we actually figure out what the reason for all the plot holes is it’s just gonna be a picture of the writer with a smug grin
It's supposed to be a retelling of a Christmas carol. The hobo on the train is Christmas past, the train conductor is present, and Santa is the future. That's why the hobo asks so much about ghosts to our protagonist.
Polar Express has been my Christmas Eve tradition for as long as I can remember (I’m 18 and was born approximately a year and a half after the movie came out). Excited to watch it tonight! Merry Christmas!
When I was younger, I was OBSESSED with the Polar Express. The whimsical feeling I got when I saw this train going wherever was fun. And now that I'm older, I appreciate the Polar Express for its message. It's one of the best Christmas movies of all time.
This is my granddads favorite chrismas movie. He always just randomly turns it on sometime after chrismas diner. People can watch or continue talking at the table. It's just there, these days almost as background noise.
I feel like this movie is a big chunk of my soul. It came a year after my birth and defined a lot of my personality and view on art. Im always glad when someone picks the movie back up and talks about it
I loved Polar Express from the onset, because I'd read the book. I grew up reading the book every year. Somehow this book would bury itself in the depths of my messy room, totally forgotten, but always mysteriously emerged just about the time that Christmas was on it's way. No idea who gave it to me or when I first read it, the book was just... always there when I needed it. It had a magical quality all by itself that I never forgot. I also had an old sterling silver bell (that still rings for me!) that had my birth year on it and it always reminded me of that magical story. So being the 20 year-old sitting in a movie theater and seeing the _trailer_ for Polar Express, I was absolutely delighted! It was like the book showing up just in time for Christmas again! The movie became a classic in my family right away and I still love it every year!
Finally, someone who gets it. I've been a little tired of most people saying "the animation is weird therefore its bad" , when the movie really isn't this disaster people like to say.
I shared this video with my grandpa. Me and him have both tried to watch it together every year together since i was young. It’s been hard since I moved out however he always texts me when he starts to watch it so when I can start the movie at similar time. Thank you for giving this movie the appreciation it deserves.
I think Conductor's point before the Hero Boy leaves is that it doesn't matter what the destination is. It's about the journey, and whether or not someone is willing to take the first step to go on it.
Thank you, actually. This is amongst the most sincere looks at this film, which honestly I’ve never sat down to watch, because I treasure the book so much. I should watch it with an earnest wonder and joy. I don’t want to loose the ability to hear the jingle in that little bell.
This movie is my childhood! The pure nostalgia and comfort I feel watching the movie! The music in the movie comforts me! But the ending where the said the bell stopped ringing for friends and family but he can still hear the ringing even as a old man 😭😭😭😭 makes me sob every single time
That last line. . . I don’t know why, but it almost made me cry, because it’s true! The belief in Santa ultimately comes from our parents, and the continuation of the belief. We used to set up the camera on Christmas Eve night, and my dad would dress up as Santa just to keep our belief going. I love my parents
Watched this movie all the time as a kid. Even went on a train ride titled "Polar Express" at one point with friends when i was like, 9. This is easily my favorite Christmas movie. And with family all grown up, scattered to the winds (myself included) this movie is the one constant I can keep from those better times. And really, that's all I want when Christmas comes to town.
Great stuff, as always. Out of all the Christmas films, this is one I've rewatched the most. Probably because it had trains, but your video shine on stuff I didn't consider, so thank you for it.
At the time, this movie was mind bogglingly good looking. I remember being in school and all the kids saying how it looked like real life! This movie is a total classic christmas movie. The plot is slightly challenging for a kid to follow (like the stuff with the ghost guy) but overall it's simple and amazing christmas story, a fun movie and it still looks great even if it hasn't aged super gracefully.
As a kid, I loved this because steam train. Now I love it because of the shots and the music. And we love saying 'Caribou' the same way as Steamer (the driver). We still watch it and will for years to come
This movie always gave me such a strange vibe, it was lonely and eerie but also carried a message that I feel stemmed far deeper than other surface level “appreciate your family” messages that most Christmas movies went for. It’ll always be my favorite for that!!
When this movie first came out, my school held a big event around it and took us all to see it in theaters in pajamas. My grandma made me some elf pajamas that same year, which I wore for it. The uncaniness is far from the worst I've seen, and it aged surprisingly well.
10:40 that scene is always a tear-jerker for me, no matter how many times I've seen the movie (watching the Polar Express every Christmas is a tradition my mother and I share, I am 23 at the time of writing this) it always gets to me. The feeling of nostalgia and the recognition that the naive innocence of childhood has left me, like the people being metaphorically represented by the derelict toys. It hits like a freight train (pun intended).
This movie is amazing, the music alone makes me shed tears every now and then thinking about how I’ve kind of lost that feeling of Christmas. Sure the elves are a little creepy and that train scene scared the crap out of me but that’s what makes this movie so special to me
As somebody who probably just spent the last Christmas with their mother, that ending line hit me like a fucking truck man, your parents were always the ones who made Christmas special, I’ll never get those childhood Christmas’s ever again, I still love Christmas, but the magic is just gone, haven’t had the entire family together in years, cherish family forever, nobody will ever have your back like family, life really is so fucking short man
Couple things, amazing video. Legit analysis and perspective. One thing I was surprised that you didn’t talk about was how the skipping of the records correlates with the Leader Girl’s hesitation to lead. It happens in the alley and over the chasm. Also, from a cinematography perspective this movie is brimming with creativity and it’s honestly sad how many people can’t see that.
My family was very poor growing up. The Polar Express on blu-ray in 3d was the first dvd that I owned, and the first 3d movie I watched. It also reminds me of my grandfather who loves trains. We even had a limited edition Polar Express train for under our tree. It will always have a special place in my heart. That and its just genuinely a pretty movie, as someone who makes art myself and has done animation I've never felt the uncanny feeling people say they get from it.
I'm so glad someone's making a positive video on the movie. I never understood the overwhelming hate. Like yeah the graphics aren't great but I never thought they were ugly. Also totally on board with Hot Chocolate. That song is incredibly fun
Very nice video. You explained the christmas spirit within this movie that I hold dear quite well. This movie also launched my love of engineering and mechanics. I always loved seeing the locomotives pistons and wheels and mechanisms working, and the movie provides a good amount of shots showing that! I remember looking at videos of trains and cars and how they work on early UA-cam. I am now a Certified Ford automotive mechanic.
What I have grown to love more about this movie over the years as I re-watch it (and what makes me love it a little more than the book), is that it kept to the "dark atmosphere" of Christmas and gave it's own disturbing story to viewers who like those kinds of Christmas movies, but completely in it's own way; while still sharing some of the formula of other Christmas movies that have dark storylines. For example, A Christmas Carol (depending on which version you watch, but I'm talking about the one specifically made by this same company) is definitely a dark Christmas story, with paranormal shit that can be described as unnerving, and even death, and it's all used in a foreboding way to warn Scrooge of what he's doing and also the audience - in The Polar Express, they pretty much do the same thing but with a twist that I find more enjoyable. In the original book the Hobo isn't a character, but in the movie he is the paranormal shit that is unnerving and the death that had already happened - he serves as a warning about who the boy can become as a "non-believer" (I don't agree with how they used a deadass homeless man as that representation, but whatever), but whereas the three ghosts that visit Scrooge are there to actively do their jobs in showing his wrongdoings, to *guide* him around and to even punish him by showing him the future (and you can also tell that something is up from the get-go from earlier supernatural stuff), the Hobo isn't there to fulfill that type of role for the boy, at least on surface level. He's not used as some tool to consciously punish the kid per se for simply not believing, because the kid is still simply a kid who is trying to figure stuff out, but he instead taps into doubt because the Hobo himself was originally meant to be a doubter (hard to be when you're a ghost on a magical train going to visit Santa Claus), but I would say that instead of doubt it's cautious, careful belief (you entertain the idea but distance your heart from fear of being proven wrong, it becomes more of a "haha who knows" then anything steadfast), especially since the Hobo eventually becomes another factor/reason to the boy's belief. Also I just love the foreshadowing we get with the, "Do you believe in ghosts?" line, but also the fact that he has a fucking fire still going strong up there? The granted eeriness of the movie by adding these things, where we constantly ask ourselves what's real and what's not, gives an air of mystery that I think compliments the original story and what makes me love it so much.
I love the dark atmosphere too and it's cool to compare this movie to Christmas Carol. I don't agree with the interpretation of the Hobo though. I don't think the Hobo is a reflection of what could happen if the boy became a doubter. I always felt like Hobo is a mischievous ghost who mocks Santa and is jealous of Santa's fame and belief. He takes interest in the boy because of the boy's doubt. When he asks the boy if he believes in ghosts, then replies with "Interesting..." it's like he's thinking "this boy is unsure about his belief in Santa but doesn't even bother to believe in ghosts." Hobo takes special interest in the boy by helping him find the girl and terrorizing him with the puppets because he wants the boy to believe in him and not Santa Claus.
The themes in this movie alone make it stand out in a great way against other Christmas movies. Also, it isn’t always whimsical and happy. It’s often unsettling and creepy (for reasons other than the animation), and that works so well with the theme.
Okay, You cannot just throw the line at 21:38, And NOT expect me to tear up, Lovely message to your parents. Fantastic video, I used to watch the polar express with my mother every Christmas. The film is so stunning when you look past the "hurr Duurr, it looks cursed" lens.
This is the first I'm hearing that there's people that *DON'T* like The Polar Express. I still refuse to believe those people are real. This movie's a genuine masterpiece, and always manages to bring me to tears, especially the gorgeous soundtrack. It's a beautiful story, and the notion of those who would disparage it based only on the imperfect animation, in a time when 3d animation was still getting its footing as a medium no less, is bewildering
If I may add on to a pretty much perfect essay: the reason that _all_ of the adult men are voiced by Tom Hanks is because they’re all male authority figures that Hero Boy projects onto-they’re all people he could end up becoming as a grown-up himself. First, there’s the hobo, a cynical man who can’t get anywhere on his own beliefs and has to catch a ride on the train moved solely by Christmas magic (and the wonder of childhood). Then, there’s Santa, the man of the season himself, someone who neither helps nor hurts-he just lets the children come to him as they are, with whatever level/kind of belief they have, and showers them with love and presents. Between the two, there’s Hero Boy’s dad, a man who perhaps no longer believes for himself but still carries on Christmas traditions for the sake of his children. And-finally-the train conductor. Like Santa, he neither hurts nor helps children on their individual journeys; unlike the hobo, he gets the train going and invites every child to join. Rather than full-on helping, the conductor simply gives them one last clue at the end, something to chew on on the journey back home. I like to think Hero Boy becomes most like the conductor, which is why he tells the story of The Polar Express at all-Hero Boy is inviting every child to join in on the journey (and all of the fun). :) (These are all first-draft thoughts, so I’m totally open to any replies people want to add; can’t promise I’ll be able to respond though. 😅)
I've noticed all the people that dislike The Polar Express always have that...Look...about them. They tend to just hate themselves, and just project that hate onto good things that highlight how miserable they are in comparison to the thing. I feel the common man, the silent majority, loves The Polar Express.
Your final line and this beautifully crafted commentary as a whole have left me in emotional tears at the end of it. The Polar Express has always had a profoundly special place in my heart; it is after all my favorite Christmas movie hands down. Just as you say, "as far as believing in Christmas goes, films like this make it a lot easier to recapture that increasingly vanishing magic each year." I find this to be such a relatable feeling and watching this film that is so dear to me and my parents who are so truly dear to me as yours are to you. This film never ceases to remind me the importance of love and believing that anything is possible when you believe it with all your heart. This film embodies what Christmas means to me and my family, being that belief in love and light shall always prevail and inspire. Thank you!
I just wanted to watch a video on one of my favorite Christmas movies but that last line made me cry, I’m young but I’ve never thought of my parents as Santa but you’ve just opened up a new perspective for me.
To this day, the polar express is my favorite Christmas movie and one of my favorite movies in general. I watch it every year along side The Great Santa Claus Chase and Christmas With Sonic. Even before that I watch it at the most random times over the month of December, like this year at my schools Christmas party we watched it. I completely understand why some people don’t like it because of the motion capture but you have to admit it’s pretty impressive for 2004. To this day the movie holds a very special place in my heart.
Why did the end of this video make me start violently sobbing? I don't care what anyone says, this movie is amazing, and I will always love it. I love your analysis. Thank you for this 🧡
Most critics were too harsh on this movie, especially Rotten Tomatoes. I personally love how uncanny the movie feels, I just loved uncanny movies as a kid.
I know a guy who did MoCap for this movie, he said it was extremely difficult😂. He loves the result, and this movie is one of my favorites. The soundtrack is my favorite part!! Such an awesome analysis video, nice job!
oh i love this, the polar express has always been my favorite christmas movie (another annual watcher here! hello!) and this video tied together all the themes so beautifully and eloquently, thank you for putting this together
Hey, i just wanna say, thanks for making this video. The polar express is a movie i only watched once when i was really young, but i loved it so much at the time, and that feeling of wonder and adventure has always stuck with me. It has always made me sad to see that the general consensus is that its a bad or stupid movie, so to see a video praising it is really nice.
this was beautiful. i and many others hold this film close to our hearts, and even tho i havent watched it in a while (how could i, i know) i still know i'll feel the same wonder i did any other time i watch it. i think you really hit the nail on the head.
Hey, I randomly found this after work the day after christmas this year. And as someone who grew up the movie too, even though it isn't as strong in my christmas movie line up, you gave me a new appreciation for it. And as a parent who still very much believes in Santa myself, your last line made me tear up. Keep it up this was a great random find at the end of the christmas season
Before my grandfather died we used to listen to a CD version of the polar express every Christmas. I yearn for the days of the only worry in Christmas time being when school was let out.
If you think *this* is the weirdest video I've ever made, you might want to consider checking out _Santa or Hitler: The Poland Express_ - now available on Patreon 👀 Use the code *HANKS* to get 50% off the Mega Pixel tier to check it out!
What's your favourite Christmas movie?
I always enjoyed the 1946 movie It's A Wonderful Life, because it's a very relatable movie and it's message "Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends." I highly recommend watching the restored HD colorized version of the movie. It's an interesting look at someone's life from the early 1900s to post war World War Two.
My favourite Christmas movie is a Christmas carol with the Muppets it's awesome
I think “It Happened on 5th Avenue” from 1947 and “'Twas the Night Before Christmas” from 1974 are both really underrated.
In recent years, probably Klaus. But I tend to just have a cycling catalogue of Christmas movies rather than picking one favorite. My nostalgic choice is very boring, but I made a point of catching as many Rankin Bass Christmas specials as I could every year when I was younger. A Christmas Carol is my favorite Christmas story, but I re-read the book every year and watch at least 1 adaptation without any loyalty to any one version in particular. Perhaps my most unconventional Christmas favorite is Gift of the Night Fury, the first How to Train Your Dragon Christmas special loosely inspired by Gift of the Magi.
Last line almost made me cry ❤️ well done
I just liked the Polar Express because it was a Christmas movie with a train
I like trains.
You're all wrong.
Me too.
@@AlexJBethell Well maybe I like being wrong.
And it's a fantastic train. Pere Marquette 1225 is a beautiful steam locomotive in real life, I can watch endless videos of it operating.
"And as far as believing in Santa goes? Well of course I do, I met him. In fact I grew up around two of them, but they always went by different names to me."
Dude that line is so good.
It made me tear up
@SirSandvich me too. damn I love my parents
@@SirSandvichsame
immediate tears
@@SirSandvich 100%
Most people "Ew, why does the animation look like that!"
Me "Looks kind of uncanny and different. It feels a little surreal, and grabs my attention...I like it."
SAME. One of my favorite parts of the movie is how everything about it, asides from the music, feels strange and out of place; almost unreal, but I think it heightens my enjoyment of the movie, as well as it’s themes of faith during uncertainty tenfold, even if it wasn’t intentional
My thoughts exactly.
Same. It very much fits the kind of weird dream-like aesthetic of a fairy tale from a child's eye-view (I.e., the way the people look _not QUITE right_ because kids don't have memorized anatomy in their heads). Which is 1) actually pretty appropriate, and 2) a very minor issue if you see that as a negative thing (like bruh it's not hard at all to just get over it and enjoy the sheer beauty of the entire rest of the movie).
I didn't watch "The Polar Express" until recently because the "motion capture DFX" looks creepy; AI creepy. I did watch this movie a few days ago, and found it was still creepy. Watch again? Nope, "been there, done that" for me.
Surprisingly never saw it as uncanny
Always was one of my favourites, i never had that uncanny valley feeling most people say they get when they watch the movie.
Same. Watching it now I get that a little bit but it doesn't really bother me
It doesn't bother me at all. Full transparency though: it was the first movie I remember seeing and it was easy to accept how things look in it. I didn't even realise it wasn't live action until 3 or 4 years after I first saw it in theatres and I didn't even know people made an issue about uncanny valley until I was a teenager. At which point I had more than accepted how the animation looks.
I have no nostalgia or dog in the game but I don't think it in no way is in the uncanny valley.
In fact it is really well done mocap.
There were worse mocap movies like the mars thing one.
When I was little I thought for years that not only was it live action but that the main boy was played by our family friend, Aidan (Aidan Briggs, now EXTREMELY talented singer/theater guy btw and I'm not close enough to that family to plug him if I wasn't genuinely flabbergasted but I digress). I actually distinctly remember the first time I watched and thought "wait... I think this might be animated"
Same
I feel like part of the charm of Polar Express is the fact that we really don’t get any of the characters names, it keeps it mysterious and also kind of feels natural instead of weird interactions to get the names out there
And we don't know where the other kids are from; billy and the boy are both from Michigan, I'm assuming yellow PJ kid is also from their same town. This story feels like a dream, the whole thing
@@taylorbechstein1681 Considering the Conductor, the Hobo, and Santa Claus look and sound like the boy's own father (shared actor aside), at least one of the children are from his town, and that all of the kids on the train recognize the same store, it's possible that all of the children we see in the movie go to the same school. It's likely that every character we see is a reflection of the main kid's imagination and memories. I think it makes even more sense when you consider that the train car seems to be holding the average American classroom's number of kids.
I feel like it’s more reflective of the interactions we had as kids on the playground. We skipped introductions and got right to playing together!
i never thought i’d hear anyone else say they watch polar express every year
We watch the original Grinch and the Polar Express every year on Christmas eve!
You're not alone 🙂
This and It's A Wonderful Life are our yearly must watches.
It’s a relatively popular thing
Same
Wow, an actual media analysis and not a lazy plot summery followed by a list a themes.
Great video!
Indeed, this is how a movie essay should be! Most of the times when I watch an media analysis it’s just a summary of the plot, like I saw the film, I know what happened😂
I know. I've fallen for so many 1-2 hour long videos with eye-catching titles like "X Film: A Dying Legacy?" or "X Film: Underrated or Overrated?" thinking they must be engaging viewing material, only to find the 2 hour long video is just a barely summarized retelling of the 2 hour long movie with maybe 5 minutes of actual analysis at the very end.
I get so mad at reviewers who do that. Literally just reciting the fucking plot rather than giving their personal insight into it. It's lazy and clearly done to pump out content.
It’s only natural that when you get older, the pure childlike magic of Christmas will be lost. Even if you still enjoy the holiday, it will never hit the same as it does as a kid
However, for me, the closest I get to recapturing those same feelings today is by rewatching The Polar Express every Christmas Eve. Maybe it’s the film itself or maybe it’s nostalgia talking but this film always feels truly special to me and I adore it. There may be other Christmas films I prefer but The Polar Express is the only one where I can’t go a year without it
This, this,
It reminds me I’m not a child anymore. I’m an adult and it’s now my turn to give kids that magical childhood
Yes!!!! I literally only get that little zing of Christmas when I watch the polar express 😭
When I was a kid, I could never sleep on Christmas Eve nights no matter how hard I tried. That's how much Christmas was to me. I do wish I could feel that way about Christmas again... but I certainly don't miss the sleepless nights😂
yup. the animation is magic.
to this day, the polar express is the only movie i've ever seen that uses an actual bald eagle call for a bald eagle instead of the red tailed hawk screech that's typically synonymous with eagles in media.
this is immediately followed by the baby eagle coughing up the ticket with a "pfff" sound that could not be made by an animal without lips...i will take the wins where i can get them.
As a park naturalist, I'm over here heartily agreeing
(also great username--always helps quiet down the kids on our park tours ☺)
You can add Brother Bear to that list. 😊
Which is ironic because the Express itself doesn't use its own "actual" whistle. The train is based off Pere Marquette Railway No. 1225, and yet it uses a Sierra Railway No. 3 whistle.
I always point this out when I rewatch it! So glad I'm not the only one who noticed lol.
I don’t get why anyone would doubt the sheer awe that this movie instills in its viewers; THEY DRIFT A TRAIN! What other Christmas movie does that? It’s certainly a bizarre film but one that I am more than grateful for its existence.
I appreciate how genuine this video feels, thank you.
I feel like a lot of people just say they don't like the movie because it's fun to hate on things or even just to fill space in a conversation. It is something to say that many people will consider inoffensive, to just say the assumed cultural opinion that the Polar Express looks creepy, because hopefully some people will laugh, because that's relatively expected, while it's much less certain if people won't snicker at you for saying you like the movie.
This video made me choke up a little, not gonna lie.
I just rewatched The Polar Express for the first time since I was a kid, and I was surprised at how amazing it was.
It's especially amazing if you are able to nerd out about any of the machinary shown. I love that they actually showed accurate parts of the train in detail, and they had an actual roller coaster company advise Glacier Gulch.
Me too
Me too. Watched it a few hours before midnight on Christmas day because nobody else in my house wanted to stay up (totally understandable). I definitely felt the themes of nostalgia and wonder a lot heavier this time around.
I can’t believe I’ve seen this movie enough to recognize at a glance when a scene is mirrored and when it isn’t.
I've always love The Polar Express and never thought the motion capture looked uncanny. I'm glad I found this video as lately it seems like there's a stream of videos shitting on the film.
I agree wholeheartedly, everybody who says the Polar Express is creepy and uncanny has never experienced the true magic of the Polar Express.
@@bensonjarvis5025 especially way back when it aired in imax 3d theaters in 3D. I did and I still have the special glasses they gave for the special viewing before it's release to regular theaters. Was it magical? Yes.is it ever able to be experienced again? No since it was 20 years ago. Second best is the original 3D edition of the DVD and a large enough screen and surround sound.
It’s interesting to see a take that defends this film for once. How can this be a terrible film when the music alone is so enchanting and gets you in the holiday spirit. Also, so many scenes are ripped straight from the pages of the book.
The bells can still ring for you
Alan Silvestri’s score is just amazing
I’ll always have a super protective feeling about this movie like it’s a little brother. I’ll defend it no matter how many people disagree with me haha
i feel like the (what some would call) “eerie” vibes to this movie only add to the experience for me. especially the scene where the ticket flies away. the music stops playing, and you hear the cold quiet sounds of nature. you feel the wind and see the deep black of the skies around the train.
same thing with santa’s workshop. its fantastical and elaborate, but creepily empty. the vintage christmas songs reverberate off the walls creating an echo.
this all has meaning and a purpose, it’s not “accidentally” creepy. i think it adds to the bittersweet nostalgic feeling.
god i love this movie.
16:40 perhaps it's just my ears, but i've always heard whispers of, "doubt doubt doubt" in place of the bell ringing when the hero boy is shaking it. A fun little addition to show audiences his state of mind.
Watched it earlier, and it was in the subtitles on Disney Plus, so it is probably intentional.
Absolutely it's insane how it shows so many failed to see the real message of something as this film is far more beautiful than what we originally thought
I’ve always noticed that slight whisper of “doubt doubt doubt” when the bell rings.
It's actually the ghost's voice whispering "doubter, doubter, doubter" which is what he said to the boy when he was puppeting Scrooge in the marrionet car. He says "I know what you are, you're a doubter!"
So basically he's being taunted with his identity. Is this what I am? Am I stuck here, or can I choose to believe? Kind of like when Scrooge repents in Christmas Carol, he has to take a leap that even though his life tends towards ruin as shown by the ghost of Christmas Yet to Come that he still can repent and change despite that.
I was 1 when this movie came out. I'm 21 now and I still get excited whenever I hear this movie coming on. Even though, I know what's gonna happen through the movie, I still love this movie and I wish to share it with my own children.
I was 3 when it came out. When I hear the age of the movie I'm like "wow that was a long time ago...wait does that mean I'm old?". I agree it's amazing, if there was ever a movie made for roller coaster nerds and rail fans alike, it's Polar Express.
@urbex_coasters Most definitely.
I was 2 when this came out watched it like crazy when I was younger but as I grew older I stopped watching it and no after well over a decade I returned to it this Christmas and it brought me to tears
21:38 This caught me so off guard in the best possible way. Such a sweet and powerful way to end your video. Well done, my man!
Made me tear up omg
I’ve been watching Polar Express since I was about three, and according to my parents I was so fixated that it was the first film I ever sat through in full (probably because it appeal to young me, who was obsessed with Thomas and Friends who looked a lot like the hero boy). The motion capture never bothered me, and if anything it adds to the film’s quirky charm, because it undoubtedly has charm. I’ve rewatched it every year without fail, and I’ve never tired of watching it. I was astounded that so many people hate it.
I love this weird movie. The lack of names for all characters is such an interesting choice - almost like the filmmakers wanted everyone to be able to self insert into the story.
Well, save for Billy and hero boy’s sister, Sarah.
@@parkerc.4357and Stephen the “I didn’t do it” kid
Beautiful message to your parents at the end, thanks for another great video.
I just love the atmosphere. It combines my love of the romance of steam railroading, with beautiful, sincere music, a dream like feeling throughout, and themes that get at the heart of human belief.
I love it. I'm not ashamed to say it's my favorite Christmas movie, and that watching it, and reflecting on what its simple message means to me, has at times brought me to tears.
It is not really about belief in Santa Claus - but having the courage to believe in things that aren't obvious in general. It is for me, the kind of belief that means courage to hope for a better world. It has for me, reminded me to believe in myself.
I watch this and the Jim Carrey Christmas Carol every year. Maybe a few others as well, but those two are an absolute must. Love them both so much.
Exact my tradition! I love both movies.
Same! I always watch the movie just called "Scrooge", because my grandmother, Dad, and I used to watch it every year when she was alive. It was her favorite.
21:38 this part made me tear up. dude i love my parents so much. this Christmas movie is also the only one to make me feel like a child again, especially that feeling of Christmas magic.
Been saying this for years, the whole movie has an unreal bedtime story quality and that's so hard to capture.
“I grew up around two of them , but, they went my different names” OH MY GOD IM CRYING. I wish I watched this video before Christmas. I really could have used it. Incredible work
I remember reading the book as a kid before the movie came out. When the movie was released I was a teenager, but I thought it was so cool it had made it to the big screen. One thing I really love about the movie is that the locomotive is inspired by a real world locomotive, Pere Marquette 1225, which still operates out of Owosso, Michigan.
If I can entertain my train nerd muscles here too, for me at least it was the first time I had seen late generation (1930s onwards) steam locomotives make it to the big screen. You usually either see diesels or steam locomotives from the 19th or turn of the century. But here we got a great example of super power steam (that is an actual term used in some circles) in a major film, albeit with a decent amount of artistic license. That alone made me really happy.
Also if anyone's wondering, assuming the Polar Express is the same build as her real world counterpart, most of the nerdy kid's information at the beginning of the movie is wrong, which I thought was really funny (and may have been on purpose given his characterization).
Reply for saving :3 thank for amazing info @fuzzyhead878
Oh dude, that golden nugget of a last sentence makes his character so much funnier 😂 Thanks for sharing!
I didn't see The Polar Express until adulthood but I love it. It's very dreamlike, especially the train animation when it's flying up and down mountains.
I also love it for Alan Silvestri's sweeping and festive soundtrack.
For the longest time I'd always wanted to write an essay about the different ways this movie conveyed the idea of "belief"; and not just in the childhood sense. Seeing this video really made me happy. It's in my top 5 films of all time because I really grew to appreciate the messages it was sending.
The importance of taking the leap without knowing the outcome really speaks to me. It took me a while to start my own channel. But after actually doing it I felt really accomplished. Funny enough the first video I did(that being last year) was a Christmas movie video
I watch this movie every year in the theaters. It makes my heart feel like a kid again. I am 58 now and my grown 24 year old always comes with me. It's a tradition now😊
Bro, you just cant guess what you're planning to post next, yet you always deliver the best of content. Made me cry, thanks Real Pixels
I'm so glad someone finally acknowledged the beauty and the magic of this masterpiece, it's truly such a memorable and nostalgic Christmas movie.watching it brought back so many forgotten emotions and memories.Thanks for making this video!!
The characters are terrifying. The plot makes no sense and everything makes me feel uneasy and tired, and yet it’s still one of my all-time favorites.
Nostalgia lol. There’s plenty of crazy theories around the plot, most believable probably being time travel.
That's what I love about it. It perfectly captures the feeling of a dream. It's often a little uncanny and there are mistakes and changes that would absolutely happen in a dream too (try to count how many cars it pulls, it allways changes). Why do the three of them stay at the head of the loco after they solve the karibu problem? Weird things that would totally happen in a dream. I don't think it's by mistake because then they also thought of putting an "s" at every corner of the compass on the floor on the north pole
@ yeah but then there’s that scene where the ticket goes all around the train and time isn’t paused, so I’m starting to think if we actually figure out what the reason for all the plot holes is it’s just gonna be a picture of the writer with a smug grin
It's supposed to be a retelling of a Christmas carol. The hobo on the train is Christmas past, the train conductor is present, and Santa is the future. That's why the hobo asks so much about ghosts to our protagonist.
@ I never noticed that it’s so cool thanks
FINALLY A GOOD VIDEO GLAZING THE POLAR EXPRESS THANK YOUUUUUUU
Polar Express has been my Christmas Eve tradition for as long as I can remember (I’m 18 and was born approximately a year and a half after the movie came out). Excited to watch it tonight! Merry Christmas!
When I was younger, I was OBSESSED with the Polar Express. The whimsical feeling I got when I saw this train going wherever was fun.
And now that I'm older, I appreciate the Polar Express for its message.
It's one of the best Christmas movies of all time.
This is my granddads favorite chrismas movie. He always just randomly turns it on sometime after chrismas diner. People can watch or continue talking at the table. It's just there, these days almost as background noise.
Like. Nobody watches. But its there. Its on.
And funnily enough. That will be tonight.
Great moment for an amazing video. Really a gem. Great writing.
I feel like this movie is a big chunk of my soul. It came a year after my birth and defined a lot of my personality and view on art. Im always glad when someone picks the movie back up and talks about it
This is one of the most meaningful UA-cam videos I’ve seen in a while. Thank you.
I loved Polar Express from the onset, because I'd read the book. I grew up reading the book every year. Somehow this book would bury itself in the depths of my messy room, totally forgotten, but always mysteriously emerged just about the time that Christmas was on it's way. No idea who gave it to me or when I first read it, the book was just... always there when I needed it. It had a magical quality all by itself that I never forgot.
I also had an old sterling silver bell (that still rings for me!) that had my birth year on it and it always reminded me of that magical story.
So being the 20 year-old sitting in a movie theater and seeing the _trailer_ for Polar Express, I was absolutely delighted! It was like the book showing up just in time for Christmas again! The movie became a classic in my family right away and I still love it every year!
5:25 Rock n roll McDonald's is a masterpiece, I will not stand for this.
I think it's time we all came together and rebelled against the Stinkers Bad Movie Awards 😤 (they stopped 18 years ago)
i always loved it, especially music and "train drifting" on the frozen lake.
The Polar Express, is and always will be one of my favorite movies ever made and my number one favorite Christmas movie by far!
Finally, someone who gets it. I've been a little tired of most people saying "the animation is weird therefore its bad" , when the movie really isn't this disaster people like to say.
I shared this video with my grandpa. Me and him have both tried to watch it together every year together since i was young. It’s been hard since I moved out however he always texts me when he starts to watch it so when I can start the movie at similar time. Thank you for giving this movie the appreciation it deserves.
I think Conductor's point before the Hero Boy leaves is that it doesn't matter what the destination is. It's about the journey, and whether or not someone is willing to take the first step to go on it.
Thank you, actually.
This is amongst the most sincere looks at this film, which honestly I’ve never sat down to watch, because I treasure the book so much.
I should watch it with an earnest wonder and joy.
I don’t want to loose the ability to hear the jingle in that little bell.
That was beautiful. I never have been able to put into words how the movie makes me feel but this explains it perfectly
This movie is my childhood! The pure nostalgia and comfort I feel watching the movie! The music in the movie comforts me! But the ending where the said the bell stopped ringing for friends and family but he can still hear the ringing even as a old man 😭😭😭😭 makes me sob every single time
That last line. . . I don’t know why, but it almost made me cry, because it’s true! The belief in Santa ultimately comes from our parents, and the continuation of the belief. We used to set up the camera on Christmas Eve night, and my dad would dress up as Santa just to keep our belief going. I love my parents
Watched this movie all the time as a kid. Even went on a train ride titled "Polar Express" at one point with friends when i was like, 9. This is easily my favorite Christmas movie. And with family all grown up, scattered to the winds (myself included) this movie is the one constant I can keep from those better times.
And really, that's all I want when Christmas comes to town.
Great stuff, as always. Out of all the Christmas films, this is one I've rewatched the most. Probably because it had trains, but your video shine on stuff I didn't consider, so thank you for it.
At the time, this movie was mind bogglingly good looking. I remember being in school and all the kids saying how it looked like real life!
This movie is a total classic christmas movie. The plot is slightly challenging for a kid to follow (like the stuff with the ghost guy) but overall it's simple and amazing christmas story, a fun movie and it still looks great even if it hasn't aged super gracefully.
A little part of me think this movie is partially a Christmas movie of how the main protagonist had met a future alternate version of himself
As a kid, I loved this because steam train. Now I love it because of the shots and the music. And we love saying 'Caribou' the same way as Steamer (the driver). We still watch it and will for years to come
This movie always gave me such a strange vibe, it was lonely and eerie but also carried a message that I feel stemmed far deeper than other surface level “appreciate your family” messages that most Christmas movies went for. It’ll always be my favorite for that!!
5:05 lol this edit makes it look like the brake lever made the train speed up and leave the kid behind.
Lol see you next Christmas Jimmy
When this movie first came out, my school held a big event around it and took us all to see it in theaters in pajamas. My grandma made me some elf pajamas that same year, which I wore for it. The uncaniness is far from the worst I've seen, and it aged surprisingly well.
10:40 that scene is always a tear-jerker for me, no matter how many times I've seen the movie (watching the Polar Express every Christmas is a tradition my mother and I share, I am 23 at the time of writing this) it always gets to me. The feeling of nostalgia and the recognition that the naive innocence of childhood has left me, like the people being metaphorically represented by the derelict toys. It hits like a freight train (pun intended).
This movie is amazing, the music alone makes me shed tears every now and then thinking about how I’ve kind of lost that feeling of Christmas. Sure the elves are a little creepy and that train scene scared the crap out of me but that’s what makes this movie so special to me
That ending was so beautiful.
As somebody who probably just spent the last Christmas with their mother, that ending line hit me like a fucking truck man, your parents were always the ones who made Christmas special, I’ll never get those childhood Christmas’s ever again, I still love Christmas, but the magic is just gone, haven’t had the entire family together in years, cherish family forever, nobody will ever have your back like family, life really is so fucking short man
Couple things, amazing video. Legit analysis and perspective. One thing I was surprised that you didn’t talk about was how the skipping of the records correlates with the Leader Girl’s hesitation to lead. It happens in the alley and over the chasm. Also, from a cinematography perspective this movie is brimming with creativity and it’s honestly sad how many people can’t see that.
14:40 the levitating elf is in the center of the group at the center of the frame with his arms in the halfway position.
Thank you....and that's ridiculous
I never noticed that.
@@KeybladeMasterAndy Same here I just heard about it from the video
That Scrooge puppet scene scared the hell out of me when i was a kid
My family was very poor growing up. The Polar Express on blu-ray in 3d was the first dvd that I owned, and the first 3d movie I watched. It also reminds me of my grandfather who loves trains. We even had a limited edition Polar Express train for under our tree. It will always have a special place in my heart. That and its just genuinely a pretty movie, as someone who makes art myself and has done animation I've never felt the uncanny feeling people say they get from it.
I'm so glad someone's making a positive video on the movie. I never understood the overwhelming hate. Like yeah the graphics aren't great but I never thought they were ugly.
Also totally on board with Hot Chocolate. That song is incredibly fun
I just rewatched the film on Christmas, it has aged like fine wine to me. Thank you for making this video.😊
Very nice video. You explained the christmas spirit within this movie that I hold dear quite well. This movie also launched my love of engineering and mechanics. I always loved seeing the locomotives pistons and wheels and mechanisms working, and the movie provides a good amount of shots showing that! I remember looking at videos of trains and cars and how they work on early UA-cam.
I am now a Certified Ford automotive mechanic.
What I have grown to love more about this movie over the years as I re-watch it (and what makes me love it a little more than the book), is that it kept to the "dark atmosphere" of Christmas and gave it's own disturbing story to viewers who like those kinds of Christmas movies, but completely in it's own way; while still sharing some of the formula of other Christmas movies that have dark storylines. For example, A Christmas Carol (depending on which version you watch, but I'm talking about the one specifically made by this same company) is definitely a dark Christmas story, with paranormal shit that can be described as unnerving, and even death, and it's all used in a foreboding way to warn Scrooge of what he's doing and also the audience - in The Polar Express, they pretty much do the same thing but with a twist that I find more enjoyable.
In the original book the Hobo isn't a character, but in the movie he is the paranormal shit that is unnerving and the death that had already happened - he serves as a warning about who the boy can become as a "non-believer" (I don't agree with how they used a deadass homeless man as that representation, but whatever), but whereas the three ghosts that visit Scrooge are there to actively do their jobs in showing his wrongdoings, to *guide* him around and to even punish him by showing him the future (and you can also tell that something is up from the get-go from earlier supernatural stuff), the Hobo isn't there to fulfill that type of role for the boy, at least on surface level. He's not used as some tool to consciously punish the kid per se for simply not believing, because the kid is still simply a kid who is trying to figure stuff out, but he instead taps into doubt because the Hobo himself was originally meant to be a doubter (hard to be when you're a ghost on a magical train going to visit Santa Claus), but I would say that instead of doubt it's cautious, careful belief (you entertain the idea but distance your heart from fear of being proven wrong, it becomes more of a "haha who knows" then anything steadfast), especially since the Hobo eventually becomes another factor/reason to the boy's belief.
Also I just love the foreshadowing we get with the, "Do you believe in ghosts?" line, but also the fact that he has a fucking fire still going strong up there?
The granted eeriness of the movie by adding these things, where we constantly ask ourselves what's real and what's not, gives an air of mystery that I think compliments the original story and what makes me love it so much.
I love the dark atmosphere too and it's cool to compare this movie to Christmas Carol. I don't agree with the interpretation of the Hobo though. I don't think the Hobo is a reflection of what could happen if the boy became a doubter. I always felt like Hobo is a mischievous ghost who mocks Santa and is jealous of Santa's fame and belief. He takes interest in the boy because of the boy's doubt. When he asks the boy if he believes in ghosts, then replies with "Interesting..." it's like he's thinking "this boy is unsure about his belief in Santa but doesn't even bother to believe in ghosts." Hobo takes special interest in the boy by helping him find the girl and terrorizing him with the puppets because he wants the boy to believe in him and not Santa Claus.
The themes in this movie alone make it stand out in a great way against other Christmas movies. Also, it isn’t always whimsical and happy. It’s often unsettling and creepy (for reasons other than the animation), and that works so well with the theme.
I always thought the visuals gave the movie a surreal dream vibe so I never had an issue with it.
Okay, You cannot just throw the line at 21:38, And NOT expect me to tear up, Lovely message to your parents.
Fantastic video, I used to watch the polar express with my mother every Christmas. The film is so stunning when you look past the "hurr Duurr, it looks cursed" lens.
It is a unique experience every year, as you unveil new meanings of the movie, and consequencely in yourself.
This is the first I'm hearing that there's people that *DON'T* like The Polar Express. I still refuse to believe those people are real.
This movie's a genuine masterpiece, and always manages to bring me to tears, especially the gorgeous soundtrack. It's a beautiful story, and the notion of those who would disparage it based only on the imperfect animation, in a time when 3d animation was still getting its footing as a medium no less, is bewildering
the thought of a snowy Christmas was magical for us Aussie kids, wish I got to experience it
The bell still rings for me
1:41 THANK YOU! You took the words right out of my mouth!
If I may add on to a pretty much perfect essay: the reason that _all_ of the adult men are voiced by Tom Hanks is because they’re all male authority figures that Hero Boy projects onto-they’re all people he could end up becoming as a grown-up himself. First, there’s the hobo, a cynical man who can’t get anywhere on his own beliefs and has to catch a ride on the train moved solely by Christmas magic (and the wonder of childhood). Then, there’s Santa, the man of the season himself, someone who neither helps nor hurts-he just lets the children come to him as they are, with whatever level/kind of belief they have, and showers them with love and presents. Between the two, there’s Hero Boy’s dad, a man who perhaps no longer believes for himself but still carries on Christmas traditions for the sake of his children. And-finally-the train conductor. Like Santa, he neither hurts nor helps children on their individual journeys; unlike the hobo, he gets the train going and invites every child to join. Rather than full-on helping, the conductor simply gives them one last clue at the end, something to chew on on the journey back home. I like to think Hero Boy becomes most like the conductor, which is why he tells the story of The Polar Express at all-Hero Boy is inviting every child to join in on the journey (and all of the fun). :)
(These are all first-draft thoughts, so I’m totally open to any replies people want to add; can’t promise I’ll be able to respond though. 😅)
I've noticed all the people that dislike The Polar Express always have that...Look...about them. They tend to just hate themselves, and just project that hate onto good things that highlight how miserable they are in comparison to the thing. I feel the common man, the silent majority, loves The Polar Express.
lol bro what
Truth nuke
@@nathan122009Found one.
@@nathan122009hes saying misery loves company
@@Liberty7628 LMAO
Your final line and this beautifully crafted commentary as a whole have left me in emotional tears at the end of it. The Polar Express has always had a profoundly special place in my heart; it is after all my favorite Christmas movie hands down. Just as you say, "as far as believing in Christmas goes, films like this make it a lot easier to recapture that increasingly vanishing magic each year." I find this to be such a relatable feeling and watching this film that is so dear to me and my parents who are so truly dear to me as yours are to you. This film never ceases to remind me the importance of love and believing that anything is possible when you believe it with all your heart. This film embodies what Christmas means to me and my family, being that belief in love and light shall always prevail and inspire. Thank you!
Polar Express is a must watch every year.
this video single handedly made my heart grow x3 it's size
I just wanted to watch a video on one of my favorite Christmas movies but that last line made me cry, I’m young but I’ve never thought of my parents as Santa but you’ve just opened up a new perspective for me.
5:44 I like the part in the Hog where the boy pulls the gold lever _after_ Hero Girl looks at him. It becomes part of both of their character stories
To this day, the polar express is my favorite Christmas movie and one of my favorite movies in general. I watch it every year along side The Great Santa Claus Chase and Christmas With Sonic. Even before that I watch it at the most random times over the month of December, like this year at my schools Christmas party we watched it. I completely understand why some people don’t like it because of the motion capture but you have to admit it’s pretty impressive for 2004. To this day the movie holds a very special place in my heart.
Why did the end of this video make me start violently sobbing? I don't care what anyone says, this movie is amazing, and I will always love it. I love your analysis. Thank you for this 🧡
Most critics were too harsh on this movie, especially Rotten Tomatoes. I personally love how uncanny the movie feels, I just loved uncanny movies as a kid.
This is the only youtube video that I genuinely "awwed" at. The Knowing santa bit at the end is so heartwarming.
I know a guy who did MoCap for this movie, he said it was extremely difficult😂. He loves the result, and this movie is one of my favorites. The soundtrack is my favorite part!!
Such an awesome analysis video, nice job!
oh i love this, the polar express has always been my favorite christmas movie (another annual watcher here! hello!) and this video tied together all the themes so beautifully and eloquently, thank you for putting this together
Hey, i just wanna say, thanks for making this video. The polar express is a movie i only watched once when i was really young, but i loved it so much at the time, and that feeling of wonder and adventure has always stuck with me. It has always made me sad to see that the general consensus is that its a bad or stupid movie, so to see a video praising it is really nice.
this was beautiful. i and many others hold this film close to our hearts, and even tho i havent watched it in a while (how could i, i know) i still know i'll feel the same wonder i did any other time i watch it. i think you really hit the nail on the head.
Animation is the least of my worries when enjoying one of the greatest christmas movies of all time :)
Hey, I randomly found this after work the day after christmas this year. And as someone who grew up the movie too, even though it isn't as strong in my christmas movie line up, you gave me a new appreciation for it. And as a parent who still very much believes in Santa myself, your last line made me tear up. Keep it up this was a great random find at the end of the christmas season
Before my grandfather died we used to listen to a CD version of the polar express every Christmas. I yearn for the days of the only worry in Christmas time being when school was let out.