"The Polar Express" audiocassette feat. William Hurt
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- In 1989, Houghton-Mifflin, publishers of Chris Van Allsburg's classic 1985 Christmas story "The Polar Express", produced an audiocassette recording featuring a score, sound effects, and the rockin' pipes of actor William Hurt. I grew up with this recording, and it is therefore quite special to me.
In 2009, for the book's 25th anniversary, a new CD recording was produced, featuring Liam Neeson. You can hear a sample of that recording here:
www.soundscapeb...
Now, no offense to the Jedi Master, but Hurt's deeper voice and genuine Yankee accent (as opposed to Neeson's light Irish drawl) are better fits for this story, and the '89 production has a much more appropriately understated score.
I post the Hurt recording in full because Houghton-Mifflin has not seen fit to make it available on CD or digital form; if it ever does, I'll happily remove this video. Until then, however, they should put the '89 audio up on iTunes/Amazon mp3 forthwith!
Enjoy the story. :)
![The Polar Express [as read by Liam Neeson]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Dfd8uoaSZ2M/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Polar Express [as read by Liam Neeson]](/img/tr.png)
I’ve been listening to this on Christmas Eve for over 30 years now. Such a wonderful reading that has created a wonderful tradition for my families. Merry Christmas to all!
Same!
Rest in peace, William Hurt. I bought this recording and book for my beautiful "boy" way back before it was popular. He loved trains (because of his Poppa) and so I felt that this would be suitable. I 'made' his Father sit with him while I played the cassette, as they followed along with the book. In 2015, my son sent me an email where he said "Look what I found Mom:, with this link. He then thanked my for making all his Christmases. That would be the last time I would hear from him. Married a girl whose Mom warned me that her daughter would "actively work" to push me out of my son's life. I guess she knew her daughter well. Similar personalities, it turns out. I have all my wonderful memories of my son and me. She can never take those away. I will love him forever, and William Hurt's voice will always be a part of those good memories.
This is the BEST reading of "The Polar Express"! William Hurt's voice is amazing. I am using your UA-cam recording for my kindergarten class tomorrow because my old cassette just won't play anymore. Thank you!!!
chuckle chuckle
Rest in Peace, William Hurt. 😔
Thank you for all of the wonderful family Christmas memories; listening to you, along with my mom, dad, sister, grandparents, and sometimes other relatives, beautifully narrate one of my favorite Christmas tales of all time almost every single every year. We still love to listen to you tell the story of a young boy boarding a train to visit ole St. Nick and receive the gift of a sleigh bell whenever we are all together. It’s a Kirtland family tradition that I intend to keep for as long as I can!
Yes! This is the only truly lovely version of The Polar Express! I wish Audible would take it and reproduce it in high quality!
Watersong73 i agree, specifically this version
So true!
I agree!!
I agree. The video is very commercial and politically correct. This, the original, is poignant and true to the story
I bought three of the books with the cassette and bell. Gave them all away. Should have kept one for myself. This is the first and best version
I have always loved this story since I was little beautiful story, movie, and illustrations true Christmas classic. Merry Christmas 🎄 🎅 🤶 everyone.
Still gives me goosebumps ☺️
Every year I listen to this on Christmas Eve. It’s been a tradition of mine since I was very young. This is the best version
Grew up listening to this version every year with the cassette, bell, and book in a box set. No longer have a cassette player so I’m so thankful to have found this this year!
I grew up listening to this on a old cassette tape at my Nana`s house before bed time. Now that Im grown and kids of my own, I read the book to them, but will be playing this for them.
Our librarian in elementary school, may she rest in peace, would play this cassette for us every year. Love William Hurt's interpretation. It feels like youre listening to a story read by your cool uncle with a cup of hot cocoa in your hand, a blanket draped over your shoulder, and a warm fireplace burning to your left.
I took an oral interpretation class in college because I thought it would be easier than speech class. I was dead wrong. This is an example of oral interpretation at its finest. RIP, Mr. Hurt. I loved everything he did.
"I had lost....the silver bell...from Santa Clause's sleigh!"
I knew William Hurt would be in my head somewhere until the day I die. I'm glad I can hear it again. My family is all across the world this Christmas and we are going to skype this recording. We have been listening to the cassette every Christmas since the early 90s.
Merry Christmas
So cool . Thanks for sharing .
I grew up with this version
Oh my goodness, I love this! It's taking me back to my childhood. It's very difficult to find this tape and even harder to find something to play the tape in! Thank you so much for posting it!
You're quite welcome! :)
I sat with my children in our living room with the lights out and only the Christmas tree lights on in the room. I would turn the pages in the book while listening to William Hurt narrating this story with all the wonderful sounds on that cassette tape. So happy to hear this since I can't play that cassette tape anymore.
This almost brings a tear to my eye. Me and my 2yo daughter watched the cartoon with Tom hanks tonight and it got me missing listening to this every year at a minimum of hen we decorated our Christmas tree. The amount of nostalgia and remembering a more magical happy time makes me feel so inadequate as a father but I guess I’ll add this to our traditions to keep as much magic alive as I can thanks for posting it
The narrator makes a big difference. Beautifully read by William Hurt , just like George Guidall is the perfect narrator for Frankenstein.
Hardcore nostalgia!! I remember my 3rd grade classroom had this audiobook on cassette and me and a few classmates would listen to this while reading along with the book nearly every day around Christmas time. So fun!
The youngest of our 6 children is having his "crucial" year tonight.. it's a sad thing when we no longer believe in Santa Claus..so tonight just before midnight my wife asked our youngest son Logan if he would like to hear the Polar Express before going to sleep.. this story and book is very special to my wife as her dad was a train engineer for path railroad for over 35 years retiring just after 9/11 having driven into world trade center 5-6 days a week for many years.. getting back to the book when my oldest daughter was in preschool in around 96 or 97 her teacher had played this tape and followed along with the book for the kids and my wife received a letter from the teacher telling us all about it..so my wife had mentioned it to her dad who was not only a train engineer but an avid train and trolley enthusiast since he was a kid collecting tons of books and pictures most of which he'd taken himself over the years..in the last year's of his life he'd also written and had published 2 train books (Diamond Bugs) and (Operation cut the first 30 year's) by Jack Grasso... he'd almost completed his 3rd book but passed away in December 2003..So her dad went the very next day to a book store he'd frequented in Penn station in NY and purchased a copy of this book and cassette tape with a bell narrated by William Hurt.. over the years we've played the tape on Christmas Eve for all our children and followed along with the book..the last few years we've used UA-cam to find the audio because we no longer have a cassette player.. My wife and I feel that William Hurt does it best... I hope when our children eventually have families of their own that they will play it to their children and follow along with the book and bell... Merry Christmas to you and your family..
The best version ever! My sister and I listened to it every Christmas Eve in bed waiting for Santa. Thank you for posting this!!
My childhood. I’m in tears; thank you so much for uploading 🙏🏼
I have the cassette, the book, AND the little toy bell at home!
Brian Draney same
Me too😭
Same. The bell disappeared a long time ago and the tape wore out, but the book still occupies a place of honor in my bookshelf.
Same . I still have the book , so I bought a new bell . I haven't been able to find a cd with John Hurt reading this .
Thank you so much for uploading this to youtube. The William Hurt version is the one I grew up with. In my family we read The Polar Express every Christmas Eve. Well, William Hurt reads it to us! Now that we no longer have the cassette, this youtube video is our go-to every year. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
When I was younger, we would listen to this in bed, every night from thanksgiving to christmas
I grew up with this version as well, and Hurt's voice is beyond perfect. Whenever I make hot chocolate, I try to make something worthy of the description from this book. Thanks for uploading!!
OMG I am freaking 10 years old again. You just made my Christmas. :D
LOL .
This is what I grew up with --thank you so much!!
This recording is absolutely magical.
love this tape
Thank you so much for posting this!! I listened to this everyyyy year with my mom and dad on Christmas Eve growing up❤️
We have Michael J. Shapiro to thank for creating the score. B.t.w., I too grew up with this fantastic audiobook version; came with my personal copy of the classic book, along with the jingle bell, now one of many in my Christmas bells collection. Beautiful Christmassy nostalgia. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Childhood memories of listening to this, very nice.
This book really made Christmas magical
thank you for posting this, my little sister, mom and i have listened to this tape every Christmas Eve for as far as I can remember, and we don't have a cassete player handy. thank you and merry christmas :)
Thanks! I teach second grade and use this book every year. Somehow I've lost the cassete! It was nice listening to it on a good system anyway.
I havent heard this audio in years. when i was younger my teacher would let us set up our chairs in to straight rows just like on the train and then she would hold up the book and play the tape for us. :)
Thank you for preserving and sharing this!
Couldn't agree more Doug. HM should have released this on a CD or iTunes. It's a great recording and like others before, we lost our tape too. I've been searching You Tube for a few years now and finally we can listen to the original William Hurt version. Thanks.
This is the one!!!! All others are imposters!!!
chuckle
Thank you for uploading this
I loved this one my childhood came back
Thank you so much Doug! My sister and I grew up with this too, and we realized tonight that we lost the tape somewhere between last Christmas Eve and tonight. Fortunately, a quick UA-cam search led us to your video. Thanks for saving Christmas.
I read (and listened to this) Polar Express sometime after I watched the movie.
My grandma Laura and I heard it at her house in Camarillo when I was little!
This and Thomas are the main reasons I grew up loving trains.
Don't forget the Little engine that could!
Pudgemountain So did I. I love railways. I prey this book and Thomas continue this.
Rhys Griffin True, Admittedly I wished there was more to that Little Engine that could.
However It is a great story though, very optimistic story :)
Me too!
@@reynarodriguez9742I loved The Little Engine That Could Too, including the 1991 movie
RIP William Hurt!
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I have been looking for this for years, I used to have it as a kid, and bought a new one when I lost it, much to my dismay in was Liam Neeson who don't get me wrong love the guy but the william hurt one is better and it just puts a smile on my face
thanks for wot 10 mins of audio? lol
Liam Neeson’s version is lame! I loved William Hurt’s version a lot better
Thank you Thank you Thank you for posting this ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I remember This Book and Audio Tape when I got it at A Train Store in North Point Mall along with Coaster, Pentrex Previews Volume 5 and Thomas Gets Tricked on VHS in January of 1998.
This was only 11:14?! It always felt like hours when I was little. Always have loved this one.
Love this version ... THANKS FOR POSTING IT
William Hurt died on his 72nd birthday!
awesome sounds good
THE REAL PEPOLE APPLAUSE SOUND EFFECT IS AWSOME.
I had this version on tape. Not the one with Liam Neeson
There were two recorded versions of this done. William Hurt's was the original, but there was another version starring Liam Neeson as the narrator.
And There was also The Version with Garrison keillor.
Garrison Keillor , really ? I didn't know that .
I liked William Hurt’s version better than Liam Neeson’s version
3:07 3:28 3:38 3:42 3:54 4:07 4:59 8:42 8:50 9:16That whistle and bell comes from ATSF #3759
No that's Its Squealing whistle
@@atlantis0v-104 proof:
ua-cam.com/video/zxhernXUXr8/v-deo.html
That was the whistle of ATSF 3759
3:11 Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe 3759’s whistle
This is a wonderful recording. Much better than that awful movie.
My Rosebud
Anyone know the song that plays in the story
Liam Neeson version is trash thx for the upload
Haha exactly.
@@michaelholtan2671Don’t get me wrong, Liam Neeson’s version is fine and it has good train whistle sounds, but William Hurt’s version is better and the train whistles in this version sounded realistic
Tom hanks introduction is better "On Christmas Eve, many years ago, I laid quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets I breathed slowly and silently I was listening for a sound i was afraid I'd never hear the ringing bells of santas sleigh"
. The UuThe is the