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Saturday, November 23, 2013

The Polar Express

book jacket

       The Polar Express is a 1985 children's book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, a former professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. The book is now widely considered to be a classic Christmas story for young children. It was praised for its detailed illustrations and calm, relaxing storyline. In 1986, it was awarded the Caldecott Medal for children's literature. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children." It was one of the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library Journal.
       As the story starts off, a young boy, who used to adore Christmas, hears a train whistle roar. To his astonishment, he finds the train is waiting for him. He sees a conductor who then proceeds to look up at his window. He runs downstairs and goes outside. The conductor explains the train is called the Polar Express, and is journeying to the North Pole. The boy then boards the train, which is filled with chocolate and candy, as well as many other children in their pajamas.
       As the train reaches the North Pole, the boy and the other children see thousands of Christmas elves gathered at the center of town waiting to send Santa Claus on his way. The boy is handpicked by Santa to receive the first gift of Christmas. Realizing that he could choose anything in the world, the boy asks for one bell from one of the reindeer's harnesses. The boy places the bell in the pocket of his robe and all the children watch as Santa takes off into the night for his annual deliveries.
       Later, on the train ride home, the boy discovers that the bell has fallen through a hole in his pocket. The boy arrives home and goes to his bedroom as the train pulls away. On Christmas morning, his sister finds a small package for the boy under the tree, behind all of the other gifts. The boy opens the box and discovers that it is the bell, delivered by Santa who found it on the seat of his sleigh. When the boy rings the bell, both he and his sister marvel at the beautiful sound. His parents, however, are unable to hear the bell and remark that it must be broken. The book ends with a famous quote, also promoted to the film based on it:

'At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.'

The Polar Express is also a 2004 motion capture computer-animated fantasy film based on the children's book of the same title by Chris Van Allsburg. Written, produced, and directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film featured human characters 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 live actors to achieve. The 21st century technology used incorporated the movements of live actors into three-dimensional animation. The film stars Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, and Eddie Deezen, with Tom Hanks in six distinct roles. The film also included a performance by Tinashe at age 9, who later gained exposure as a pop singer in 2010, as the CGI-model for female protagonist. The film was produced by Castle Rock Entertainment in association with Shangri-La Entertainment, ImageMovers, Playtone and Golden Mean, for Warner Bros. Pictures. The visual effects and performance capture were done at Sony Pictures Imageworks. The studio first released the $165 million film in both conventional and IMAX 3D theaters on November 10, 2004. The Polar Express is listed in the Guinness World Book of Records in 2006 as the first all-digital capture film. Read more . . .

Christmas-Land

I wonder where the railroad starts

That runs to Christmas-land?

And do excursion tickets cost

More than a boy can stand?

If I had time and money, too,

I'd start to travel, and

I'd wander up and down till I

Had found the Christmas-land.

I wonder if good Santa Claus

Would leave a map for me.

I'd like to figure out how long

A voyage it would be.

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Servants of Santa Claus

By James A. Edgerton. December 23, 1909 - The usual conception of Santa Claus is that of a rather innocent, unsophisticated, though benevolent old gentleman who visits all the houses in Christendom the night of Dec. 24 and leaves presents for all good children and even remembers some who are not so good. But this idea fails to do the busy old saint full justice. As a matter of fact, he has to be quite up to date to attend his numerous customers. He is so much a man of affairs that it is necessary for him to adopt modern methods. Nowadays it is essential for every large business to be carried out through an army of assistants and deputies, and who, pray, has a larger business than Santa Claus? When he first started in the Christmas line it might have been possible for him to make a personal visit to all the homes where his gifts were expected, but now all that is changed. So he drafts the expressman, the messenger boy, the postman, the delivery man and a whole lot of other folks into his service.

For example, he appoints as deputies at least half a million extra expressmen in the United States alone. Ordinarily the express companies have about that number of employees, but during the two weeks before Christmas, when Santa calls on them to carry so many of his packages, they have to double their forces. To gain an idea of the immensity of the burdens the old gentleman imposes on them a few figures are necessary. The Christmas packages delivered by the express companies in the city of New York alone amount to over two million and in Chicago, and Philadelphia about a million and a half each, in Boston over a million and in other cities a proportionate number. When it is reflected that this is an average of nearly one package for every man, woman and child and that there are something over eighty millions of men, women and children in Uncle Sam's domain, the stupendous proportions of this Christmas business can be realized. On account of the expense of sending packages by express it is estimated that few if any of these Christmas bundles are worth less then $2.00, while some of them are valued at hundreds of dollars. It is thus seen that the Christmas business handled by the express companies alone represents a value of hundreds of millions.
This does not take into account that great number of bundles carried by the messenger boys. In the four cities above mentioned these amount to nearly a half million in number. The jovial old saint could scarcely get along without their help.

In addition, it is necessary for Santa Claus to enlist the services of an army of extra store clerks, delivery wagons and teamsters. It can readily be seen that for a couple of weeks he is about the biggest business man on earth. If his army were one of war rather than peace he could conquer the world.

Then he musters in a large array of Salvation Army and Volunteer lads and lasses to gather and cook Christmas dinners for the poor and to help distribute his presents in the tenement districts. He never forgets the needy.

But among his great array of deputies let us not forget the postman. Who has not seen the faithful servant staggering under his great loads on Christmas morning? The business done by Uncle Sam's post office for the two weeks before Christmas is just about double what it is at ordinary times. All this is because of Santa Claus, so the extra clerks and postmen needed must be credited up to him.