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Movie Train - FILM REVIEWS by Morgan Bell

Fresh critical film reviews by young Australian journalist Morgan Bell. A bight-sized opinionated analysis of popular movies and indie/art-house feature films. Explores plot, themes, characters, performances, soundtracks and film technique. Morgan Bell assesses movies in the context of what makes a successful cinema or DVD experience.

Lists - Movie Train

Top 11 of 2011

January 5th 2012 01:41

I am following Jason's lead again this year. After reading his Top 11 of 2011 I decided to borrow the concept and create one of my own.

As usual I encounter the dilemma of having seen few films that were released in the USA/UK in 2011. We have a bit of a time lag here in Australia, and for those of us who watch most of our films of DVD this means being 3-12 months behind depending of the popularity of the film in other parts of the world. Indie films can be years behind. So this is the Top 11 films I saw as DVD "New Releases" or in the cinema in 2011.

See also my Top 10 of 2010.

1. Anonymous

2. The King's Speech

3. A Vicious Kind

4. Everything Must Go

5. The Disappearance of Alice Creed

6. Cracks

7. The Ghost Writer

8. Sucker Punch

9. Due Date

10. Made In Dagenham

11. Bad Teacher

It should be noted that the Huffington Post is also copying Jason and put out a Top 11 films of 2011: 11 great films you may have missed, of which I had seen zero.

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Top 10 of 2010

December 28th 2010 09:18

I am going to follow Jason's lead and do a Top 10 of 2010.

Right off the bat I am going to explain that some of these movies may be recorded in the history books as 2009, but as I live in Australia and there seems to be a lag with when films generally get wide-released here I am including those which I personally saw as a new release during my 2010.

So no complaints . . . and on with the show.

1. Inception

2. The Social Network

3. Creation

4. The Last Station

5. A Single Man

6. Antichrist

7. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

8. Youth In Revolt

9. Easy A

10. Salt

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Morgan Freeman's Top 5 Films

September 26th 2010 06:55

In keeping with keeping all things on Movie Train either Movie Train or Morgan Bell related my second post is about Morgan Freeman - did you see that deep thought of genius that came forward to help me on this one?

It is because Morgan Bell and Morgan Freeman look identical. Haha. OK ok - they share the same first name - just incase you didn't pick up on it.

Morgan Freeman, Top 5 Film, Shawshank Redemption

I love Morgan Freeman in film but have to say that I think his earlier films were much better than the films of late. I did like Invictus and his portrayal of Nelson Mandela but, for me, it just wasn't as good as his roles in these films. You will probably also notice that he is not the lead actor in any of my top five films of his - I find him a perfect support actor who may not be credited as the lead actor but sure does a superb job in these films.

5) Glory

Glory is a 1989 American drama war film based on the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry as told from the point of view of its commanding officer, Robert Gould Shaw during the American Civil War. The 54th was one of the first formal units of the U.S. Army to be made up entirely of African-American men (apart from the officers). It stars Morgan Freeman (of course), Matthew Borderick, Denzel Washington and Cary Elwes. It was released in 1989.

4) Unforgiven

Unforgiven is a 1992 Western film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood with a screenplay written by David Webb Peoples. The film tells the story of William Munny, an aging outlaw and killer who takes on one more job years after he had hung up his guns and turned to farming. A dark Western that deals frankly with the uglier aspects of violence and the myth of the Old West, it stars Eastwood in the lead role, with Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, and Richard Harris.

Eastwood dedicated the movie to deceased directors and mentors Don Siegel and Sergio Leone. The film won four Academy Awards including Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Hackman), Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Picture. Eastwood himself was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance, but he lost to Al Pacino for Scent of a Woman.

I bloody love this film and it is one of my top 20 films of all time.

3) Se7en

Seven (stylized as Se7en) is a 1995 American crime film directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. It stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey and Kevin Spacey. It was distributed by New Line Cinema.

David Mills (Pitt) and William Somerset (Freeman) are police detectives working in a crime-filled city, who become deeply involved in a case involving a series of sadistic murders. The murders are all in correspondence to each of the seven deadly sins: Gluttony, Envy, Lust, Pride, Sloth, Greed and Wrath.

Filming took place in California and Pennsylvania. The film was released in the United States on September 22, 1995. Grossing $327 million at the box office internationally, Seven was a commercial success, and received very positive reviews from most critics.

2) Driving Miss Daisy

Morgan Freeman, Top 5 Film, Driving Miss Daisy

Driving Miss Daisy is a 1989 American comedy-drama film adapted from the Alfred Uhry play of the same title for Warner Bros. The film was directed by Bruce Beresford with Morgan Freeman reprising Hoke's role and Jessica Tandy playing Miss Daisy. The story defines Daisy and her point of view through a network of relationships and emotions by focusing on her home life, synagogue, friends, family, fears, and concerns. Hoke is rarely seen out of Miss Daisy's presence, although the title implies that the story is told from his perspective. Driving Miss Daisy won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

In October 2010, stage and screen legends James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave will star in a revival of the original stage version of Driving Miss Daisy at the John Golden Theatre, marking the films Broadway debut. Four-time Tony Award winner Boyd Gaines will also join the cast in the role of Boolie Werthan.

1) The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont. It is an adaptation of the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, the film portrays the story of Andy Dufresne, a banker who spends nearly two decades in Shawshank State Prison for the murder of his wife. During his time at the prison, he befriends a fellow inmate, Ellis "Red" Redding and finds himself protected by the guards after the warden begins using him in his money laundering operation.

Despite a lukewarm box office reception that was barely enough to cover its budget, the film received favorable reviews from critics, multiple award nominations, and has since enjoyed a remarkable life on cable television, VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray.

This film is just brilliant and gets better and better with multiple viewings. Not only is this Morgan Freeman's best role, in my opinion, but it is Tim Robbins' career role.

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Trains in Movies - My Top 5

September 12th 2010 09:51

I had been wracking my brains for the last few days trying to come up with an appropriate first article for Lady Morgan's film blog known as Movie Train - I kept thinking "how should I start on Movie Train?" over and over and then I saw a movie today with a train in it this afternoon and was like bingo - what films do you love with trains in them ya big goose?

Tacky start, maybe, but as I already write a film/ movie blog - SALTY POPCORN - I was turned off writing a lot of articles as these were articles I wanted on my blog for the long term.

First of all, thanks for the opportunity Morgan, and I hope I can keep the site chugging along until you and your back heal and you can come back to the folds of Orble. I also hope that the owners and operators of Orble can start to see right and get onboard giving you your other sites back.

Secondly before my list, I am in a stupid mood, so wanted to share a train joke with you

A large two engined train was crossing Australia. After they had gone some distance one of the engines broke down. "No problem," the engineer thought, and carried on at half power.

Farther on down the line, the second engine broke down, and the train slowed to a dead stop. The engineer decided he should inform the passengers about why the train had stopped, and made the following announcement:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you decided to take the train and not fly."

LOL

OK - I have not seen abundant train films but there are a few I can remember that I really enjoyed. Below will be listed my top 5 train films and believe me I have not seen many on the complete list and I assume you will look at my list and scream because I have missed 75 amazing ones - WHAT TRAIN FILMS DO YOU LOVE. For a full list of train films check out the link below:

COMPLETE LIST OF TRAIN FILMS

JK'S TOP 5 TRAIN FILMS
The conditions were the film had to be set on or around trains and or a train station - it could not have a cool train scene in but the majority of the film on them.

5) SILVER STREAK (1976)

This one had a special spot in my heart, my Aunty Zofie loved it before she went insane and would prefer the entire family now tied to the underneath of a train and dragged the length of the country. She got me into two films before she became Satan - this film and Harold and Maude. Still love the movies but am happy to bury the aunty in a shallow grave

Silver Streak,Gene Wilder, Jill Clayburgh, Richard Pryor

Silver Streak is a 1976 comedy-thriller film about murder on a Los Angeles-to-Chicago train journey. It stars Gene Wilder, Jill Clayburgh, Richard Pryor, Patrick McGoohan and Ned Beatty and is directed by Arthur Hiller. The film score is by Henry Mancini. This film marked the first pairing of Wilder and Pryor, who would be paired in three more films.

TRIVIA OF SILVER STREAK COURTESY OF IMDB:

* Exterior shots of the train set in the rural western U.S. were filmed on the Canadian Pacific line from the Crowsnest Pass to Lethbridge, Alberta. Interiors were shot in a studio, with the sets mounted on rubber tires so they could be rocked. To simulate the train passing through the shadow of a tree, a series of crew members would successively move obstructions in front of each of a row of lights shining into the windows.
* Originally meant to be filmed in the United States; however, the National Rail Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) was fearful of adverse publicity and refused to cooperate. As a result, the producers were forced to work with the Canadian Pacific Railway, using thinly disguised CPRail equipment and shooting exteriors along the CP Rail right-of-way.
* The locomotive used as "AM ROAD"'s 4070, was actually CP Rail's (formerly Canadian Pacific) 4070. For the filming, the AM ROAD decal was placed over the CP markings and "Multimark" pac-man logo. At the end on the shoot, the decals actually damaged the engines real paint job. The production company had to pay for the repainting of the engine, which took place in the CP Rail Transcona shops in Winnipeg Manitoba. The locomotive is a FP7A built by GMD in 1952. In 1982, CP sold it to STCUM, where it was re-numbered to 1300 in 1983. As of 2002, she is now sitting in "non-operational" storage in Montreal.
* When the scene where Grover puts the shoe polish on George's face to make him appear to be black was first filmed, a white man walked in and believed George was black. Richard Pryor was uncomfortable with the scene and felt it would be funnier if a black man walked in and is not fooled at all. Pryor asked Arthur Hiller for a re-shoot but Hiller refused. Pryor walked off the set and refused to return to filming until the scene was changed. Hiller relented and Pryor's idea was used for the final cut.
* Robert Vaughn received the script in the mail, and loved it. He wanted to play Roger Devereau, but was dismayed to discover that Patrick McGoohan had already accepted the part. He contacted Arthur Hiller and discovered that it was sent by mistake. He was invited to watch the production, and became friends with star Gene Wilder.
* The engine crashing into the station was filmed in a Lockheed hangar in Burbank, California using a full-sized mock-up of the FP-7A locomotive.
* When meeting Gene Wilder after having seen Silver Streak (1976), Cary Grant asked him if the script had been in anyway inspired by North by Northwest (1959). As Wilder admitted it was correct, Grant then added, "I knew it! Have you noticed that each time you take ordinary people, say, like you and me, then take them in a situation way above their heads, it makes a great thriller?"
* Patrick McGoohan was only cast after the first choice died.
* While the climactic ending of the movie was filmed in a California aircraft hangar, the final POV approach shot coming into "Central Station" is actually on Track 2 of what is now the Ogilvie Transportation Center (OTC) in Chicago. While Chief Donaldson describes the danger as "two hundred tons of locomotive smashing through Central Station on its way to Marshall Field's," it would have to turn left in order to do so, as Track 2 comes in due south, and Marshall Field's (now Macy's) is about a mile off to the east. The Silver Streak would in fact shoot through the lobby of OTC, slide down the escalators, and land in a big heap in the middle of Madison Street.

4) MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974)

ALBERT FINNEY, Hercule Porot, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery

Murder on the Orient Express is a 1974 British mystery film directed by Sidney Lumet and based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie.

The film (and book) features the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Albert Finney stars as Poirot, who is asked by his friend Bianchi (Martin Balsam), a train company director, to investigate the murder of an American business tycoon, Mr. Ratchett (Richard Widmark) aboard a train with an all-star cast of suspects, including Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael York and Anthony Perkins. The screenplay was penned by Paul Dehn and an uncredited Anthony Shaffer.
The film's tagline was: "The greatest cast of suspicious characters ever involved in murder."

It was the first of a number of "all-star" adaptations of Agatha Christie novels in the 1970s and early 1980s. Similar films included Death on the Nile, The Mirror Crack'd and Evil Under the Sun. It is the only occasion that Finney portrayed Poirot, with Peter Ustinov portraying the detective in subsequent films.

Richard Rodney Bennett's memorable Orient Express theme has been reworked into an orchestral suite and performed and recorded several times. It was performed on the original soundtrack album by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden under Marcus Dods. The piano soloist was the composer himself.

TRIVIA OF MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS COURTESY OF IMDB:

* The actual Orient Express trains were no longer in existence at the time of shooting. However, the real Orient Express engine was used in the film although it couldn't travel very far. Only portions of the carriages still existed in museums, mostly in Belgium, and sometimes had to be recreated from real portions borrowed.
* Ingrid Bergman played Mrs. Frankweiler in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1973). Lauren Bacall played Mrs. Frankweiler in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1995).
* An 84-year-old Agatha Christie attended the movie premiere in November of 1974. It was the only film adaptation in her lifetime that she was completely satisfied with. In particular, she felt that Albert Finney's performance came closest to her idea of Poirot. She died fourteen months later, on January 12, 1976
* Wendy Hiller was second choice for Princess Dragonmiroff. Director Sidney Lumet's first choice was vetoed by the producers. The role was also turned down by Ingrid Bergman who chose instead to play Greta Ohlsson, the somewhat crazy Swedish nanny, even if this part had fewer scenes than the part of the Princess. Ingrid Bergman had good instincts since she won an Oscar for the role.
* Albert Finney, who was then 38 years old, was the third choice for the much-older Poirot. The role was offered to Alec Guinness who was unavailable as well as Paul Scofield. Special make-up was created to give Finney the appearance of the 55-60 year old beloved but peculiar Belgian detective.
* The photo gallery on the German DVD by Kinowelt includes one photo hinting at a scene not used in the final film. It shows Bianchi in his bed on the train with Pierre standing beside him.
* Virtually all of Ingrid Bergman's Oscar-winning performance is contained in a single scene: her interrogation by Poirot, captured in a single continuous take, nearly five minutes long.
* A set of lyrics was composed for the main-title theme but was never used. The first line went, "Silky, there is murder in your eyes."
* The final scene, in which Poirot shares his solution of the case, required more shots and camera angles than could be captured in a single take on the cramped set. The cast had to shoot the scene multiple times, as the required number of cameras didn't fit in such a small space. This was especially hard on Albert Finney, whose monologue was eight pages long.
* Sound recordist Peter Handford pioneered the use of radio mikes in a feature film on this production. The microphones were concealed in table fittings.
* After several disappointing film adaptations, Agatha Christie initially refused to sell the film rights to any more of her books, but EMI chairman Nat Coleman enlisted the aid of Lord Louis Mountbatten to persuade Christie to allow the filming of her 1934 novel. It turned out to be her favorite film adaptation of any of her books. Mountbatten was the father-in-law of the film's producer John Brabourne
* Richard Widmark agreed to do the movie just to have the chance to meet the other stars.
* As shooting went on, five of the actors were involved in West End stage plays at the same time. John Gielgud and Denis Quilley in "The Tempest". Vanessa Redgrave, Albert Finney and Ingrid Bergman were also performing in other productions.
* Since Albert Finney's required many hours of make-up procedures before shooting each day and because he was performing in a stage play at the same time, he didn't have much time for his badly-needed sleep. A daily routine was developed where an ambulance arrived to pick-up the sleeping actor at his home, in his pajamas, carefully trying not to wake him up. During the half-hour commute to the studio, the make-up artists would begin the rough work on his face. The rest of the fine detail work was completed at the the studio on a still sleeping Finney.
* The luxury food that is inspected and carried aboard the train early in the film had been stolen from the set just before shooting. All the food had to be bought again, in the middle of the night, on location in Paris.
* Agatha Christie's story was inspired by the notorious kidnap and subsequent murder of famous aviator Charles A. Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh's baby, Charles Lindbergh Jr. in 1932. Charles A. Lindbergh died three months before the movie was released.
* In 1929 a westbound Orient Express train was stuck in snow for 5 days at Tcherkesskeuy, some 130km from Istanbul. This incident inspired the setting of the book and film.
* The actor John Moffatt, who is listed in the cast as 'Chief Attendant' would later go on to provide the voice of Poirot himself in the BBC audio dramatization of 'Murder on the Orient Express' broadcast from 28 December 1993 to 1 January 1994.
* Sean Connery earlier appeared in another movie that featured the Orient Express: From Russia with Love (1963).
* Albert Finney's denouement summation at the film's climax runs eight pages.
* Director Sidney Lumet thought the best way to acquire an all-star cast was to sign the biggest star first. In 1974, that was Sean Connery, whom Lumet had previously directed.
* The first of four Agatha Christie film and TV productions featuring Sir John Gielgud.
* There are two musical references to Shirley Temple movies. In the restaurant where Bianchi and Poirot dine, a trio plays "On The Good Ship Lollipop." And later Poirot sings two lines from "Animal Crackers in my Soup"
* Lauren Bacall and John Gielgud have re-appeared after 14 years in an Agatha Christie movie: Appointment with Death (1988).
* Upon accepting her Oscar for Murder on the Orient Express (1974), Ingrid Bergman apologized to fellow actress Valentina Cortese, who was nominated for Day for Night (1973), saying that she deserved the award more.
* The film boasts 58 Oscar nominations and 14 wins (not including 2 Honorary wins) from its principal cast and crew. Martin Balsam (1), Ingrid Bergman (3; 7 nods), Sean Connery (1), John Gielgud (1; 2 nods), Wendy Hiller (1; 3 nods), Vanessa Redgrave (1; 6 nods), Paul Dehn (1; 2 nods), Geoffrey Unsworth (2; 4 nods), Anne V. Coates (1; 5 nods), Tony Walton (1; 5 nods) and Jack Stephens (1; 2 nods) are Oscar winners; Lauren Bacall and Sidney Lumet are Honorary Oscar winners. Albert Finney (5), Bacall (1), Anthony Perkins (1), Rachel Roberts (1), Richard Widmark (1), Lumet (5), Richard Rodney Bennett (3) and producers Richard B. Goodwin (1) and John Brabourne (2) are Oscar nominees.
* After nearly forty years' work in English-language films, 'Ingrid Bergman''s Swedish accent was so slight that a dialogue coach had to be brought in to help her speak with a thick accent.

3) THE DARJEELING LIMITED (2007)

Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman

The Darjeeling Limited is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Wes Anderson, and starring Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman. It was written by Anderson, Schwartzman, and Roman Coppola. The film also stars Waris Ahluwalia, Amara Karan, Barbet Schroeder, and Anjelica Huston, with Natalie Portman, Camilla Rutherford, Irrfan Khan and Bill Murray in cameo roles.

TRIVIA OF THE DARJEELING LIMITED COURTESY OF IMDB:

* Natalie Portman, who appeared in a cameo, traveled to the film's location in Jodhpur, India, to shoot for about half an hour and then spent 10 days exploring India afterward.
* Wes Anderson said that part of his inspiration for The Darjeeling Limited (2007) was The River (1951), and more specifically that he owes a debt of gratitude to Martin Scorsese for screening the film personally for him.
* Director Wes Anderson chose not to have an original score for his film, opting, instead, to borrow original music from Indian films including those from legendary Indian auteur Satyajit Ray's films.
* In order to achieve a constant limp while filming, Owen Wilson placed a small lime in his shoe.
* Most of the props used on the train sets were handmade or decorated, including the entire dining room set.
* The character of Vladimir Wolodarsky in Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), was named after Wallace Wolodarsky, who played Brendan.
* Throughout the whole movie, none of the characters actually smoke a full cigarette.
* The 11 suitcases seen in the movie are created by Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton and they are decorated with giraffes, rhinoceros and antelopes designed by Eric Chase Anderson, the director's brother. They all have the initials JLW.
* Towards the end of the film, on the train 'Bengal Lancer', the painted portrait on the wall of the compartment is of director Satyajit Ray.
* Adrien Brody is the only one of the three leads to not have been in a Wes Anderson movie prior to this. Jason Schwartzman was in Rushmore (1998) while Owen Wilson has participated in some way to every Anderson feature film.
* The film was mostly shot in the Rajasthani desert, in northwest India.
* There are no such trains as The Darjeeling Limited or The Bengal Lancer in India.
* The abbey towards the end of the film was originally a royal hunting lodge belonging to the Maharana of Mewar in the Rajput era. It is located in Udaipur. To redecorate it, production designer Mark Friedberg was inspired by Michael Powell's Black Narcissus (1947) which takes place in an abbey in the Himalayas.
* Wes Anderson had never been to India prior to May 2006, when he went there to polish his script.
* Though no such train actually exists, The Darjeeling Limited was still filmed inside a moving train which went from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer and through the Thar desert, and proved a daily challenge for cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman as nothing could be fixed to the ceiling and filming equipment couldn't be more than a meter out of the windows. To achieve this, Wes Anderson and production designer Mark Friedberg went to see the Northwestern Railways company and told them they needed ten rail-cars and a locomotive which they would redecorate entirely and then move around their railway. This was the first time Northwestern Railways received such a request, and though it took a lot time and effort, it was eventually evidently granted.
* The third collaboration between Wes Anderson and Anjelica Huston after The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
* The fourth collaboration between Wes Anderson and Bill Murray after Rushmore (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
* Feature film debut of Amara Karan, who plays Rita. While she was still being considered for the role, Karan received the script and discovered that Rita smokes cigarettes. Not being a smoker, she enlisted some friends to help her practice smoking. During a meeting with Wes Anderson, Karan casually tossed a cigarette into her mouth and started smoking: "I am sure it must have looked really spontaneous." Anderson did not waste any time before asking her if she would come aboard.
* Wes Anderson cites the following as influences on him for this film: Jean Renoir's The River (1951), the films of Satyajit Ray and the Indian documentaries made by Louis Malle.
* The film is dedicated to Satyajit Ray.
* The character that Owen Wilson plays in the film is suspected of an abortive suicide attempt. Ironically, when the film was released, Wilson pulled out of all press duties following a real-life suicide attempt.
* Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman organically wrote the screenplay as they traveled around India together.
* The role of Peter was written with Adrien Brody specifically in mind.
* The three lead actors applied their own make-up each morning.
* After completing the screenplay's first draft, Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman all visited India together to see if the fictional world they'd created meshed with the real thing. Although the changes made subsequently were relatively minor, much of the dialog was excised from the later passages of the film as Wes Anderson wanted India's only natural beauty to speak for itself.
* The three brothers - Francis, Peter and Jack - are actually named after Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Bogdanovich and Jack Nicholson.

2) THE POLAR EXPRESS (2004)

The Polar Express, Tom Hanks, Robert Zemeckis

Polar Express is a 2004 computer-animated film based on the children's book of the same title by Chris Van Allsburg. Written, produced, and directed by Robert Zemeckis, the "human" characters in the film were "animated" using "live action" performance capture technique, with the exception of the waiters who dispense hot chocolate on the train, because their feats were impossible for animated actors to achieve. Performance capture technology incorporates the movements of live actors into animated characters. The film stars Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, and Eddie Deezen, with Tom Hanks in four distinct roles. The film was produced by Castle Rock Entertainment in association with Shangri-La Entertainment, ImageMovers, Playtone and Golden Mean, for Warner Bros. The visual effects and performance capture were done at Sony Pictures Imageworks. The studio first released the $170 million film in both conventional and IMAX 3D theaters on Wednesday, November 10, 2004.
It was the last film in which Michael Jeter made a contribution as he had died on March 30, 2003, and the film is dedicated to his memory.

TRIVIA OF THE POLAR EXPRESS COURTESY OF IMDB:

* A close examination of all the ticket numbers reveals that they all contain the number "1225" in them. Pere Marquette No. 1225 was used as a model for the Polar Express locomotive. 12-25 also refers to the date of Christmas - December 25th.
* The film used 3D motion capture techniques to digitally record the physical performances of the actors before "skinning" them with their animated forms. * All the children's roles were acted by adults using over-sized props to get the movement right.
* This was the first mainstream film to be simultaneously released as a 3D IMAX presentation.
* The train set seen at the end is a recreation of the new Lionel Polar Express train set combined with the older Lionel Berkshire and the older tubular track.
* Listed in the Guiness Book of World Records 2006 as the "first all-digital capture" film, where all acted parts were done in digital capture.
* The real name of the Hero Boy is never mentioned.
* The premiere was held in Grand Rapids, MI, author Chris Van Allsburg's hometown.
* The address spoken by the conductor early in the film "11344 Edbrooke" is the real address of Robert Zemeckis' childhood home. The home is in a south side of Chicago neighborhood called Roseland.
* It is the first movie to use the Imagemotion technology.
* The locomotive in the movie is based on the Pere Marquette 1225, a restored steam locomotive located in Owosso, MI. In fact, many of the sound effects of the film's train are recordings of the actual train. The train is often run between Owosso and nearby Chesaning for rides during festivals.
* The visuals for North Pole City are based on the architecture of the Pullman plant (the company that made railroad cars) in Chicago, IL, near the childhood home of Robert Zemeckis in the Roseland neighborhood. The clock tower that Santa comes out of is based on the Pullman factory clock tower and many of the other buildings are based on Pullman's unique architecture.
* A scene in the North Pole City communications room features an elf describing a bad little boy in New Jersey named Steven who is terrorizing his two little sisters. This line is a nod to Robert Zemeckis' friend and mentor, Steven Spielberg. Spielberg grew up in New Jersey and has admitted many times that he frequently terrorized his two younger sisters.
* The first animated film to use performance capture technology.

1) RUNAWAY TRAIN (1985)

Runaway Train, John Voight, Eric Roberts, Rebecca DeMornay

Runaway Train is a 1985 film which tells the story of two escaped convicts and a female train worker who are stuck on a runaway train as it barrels through snowy desolate Alaska. It stars Jon Voight as Oscar "Manny" Manheim, Eric Roberts as Buck, John P. Ryan as Associate Warden Ranken and Rebecca De Mornay as Sara.It was also the feature debut of veteran tough guy character actor Danny Trejo, who is now on the screen in Machete.

The movie was written by Edward Bunker, Ryuzo Kikushima, Akira Kurosawa, Djordje Milicevic, Hideo Oguni and Paul Zindel. It was directed by Andrei Konchalovsky.

TRIVIA OF RUNAWAY TRAIN COURTESY OF IMDB:

* The quote before the end credits: "No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity. But I know none, and therefore I am no beast." is from Richard III. Screenwriter Edward Bunker also used "No Beast So Fierce" for the title of his first novel.
* Akira Kurosawa co-wrote the original script and planned to direct it in upstate New York. The project was cancelled because the snowstorms were so bad, his crew could not work. Originally, the character played by Jon Voight was a convicted killer, but writer and ex-con Edward Bunker changed him to a safe cracker because he felt the other prisoners would not respect a killer.
* The Alaska Railroad placed some tight restrictions on the making of the film. For example, the company's name and logo could not be shown on any piece of equipment.
*Eric Roberts worked out for several months prior to filming to put on 30 pounds of muscle.
* Replicas of all four locomotives were constructed Hollywood's Pan Pacific Auditorium to film some scenes, which were superimposed onto second unit footage from Alaska. The replicas were complete right down to all interior details and rivets. The couplings could be coupled and uncoupled, and even the speedometers worked.
* In preparing for the role of Manny, Jon Voight spent time with prisoners in San Quentin prison. He remained in contact with some of them for years afterwards.
* Manny's mustache was suggested by Jon Voight after he watched the prison documentary Scared Straight! (1978)
* Helicopter pilot Richard Holley was killed in a helicopter crash during filming, and the film is dedicated to his memory.
* Akira Kurosawa originally planned to cast. Henry Fonda as the Railwayman and Peter Falk as the Escaped Convict.
* Kurosawa's original screenplay was inspired by an actual incident in the Northeast, when a locomotive left sitting unattended apparently throttled themselves up and ran away down the main line.
* Marlon Brando praised Runaway Train (1985) in his autobiography, and said that he in some ways identified himself with Jon Voight's character.
* Tommy 'Tiny' Lister's feature film debut.
* Danny Trejo's film debut.
* Jeff Bridges declined the role that went to Eric Roberts.
* Eric Roberts replaced 'Tom Berenger' who dropped out to shoot Platoon (1986) in the Philippines.