The Polar Express Turns 22 on November 10, and Tom Hanks's Train Still Runs

Illustration: AI-generated with Pollinations (FLUX), free to use

The Polar Express opened in US cinemas on November 10, 2004, so it turns 22 on November 10. Robert Zemeckis directed the film, working from a screenplay he co-wrote with William Broyles Jr., based on Chris Van Allsburg's 1985 children's book.

Photo: Greg Peterson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The film uses performance capture, a technique in which the actors' movements are recorded and turned into animated characters. Tom Hanks plays several roles, including the train's conductor and the boy's father.

Photo: Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The story follows a boy who boards a magical train to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. Josh Groban sings the song Believe, one of the film's best-known moments.

Photo: švabo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It was one of the earliest full-length films made with performance capture, and it remains a talking point for animation fans.

Photo: KUZNETSOV, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Which moment do you remember most from the train ride?