What is the dark meaning behind The Polar Express?
The conductor and hobo are two of the paths the hero can take depending on what he chooses to believe after this night. The Polar Express is dark because when one stops believing in childhood imagination, they become older and older until one day, they pass away.
The Spiritual Aspect Of Santa Is Further Hinted At
The Polar Express comes to a heartwarming conclusion with the Hero Boy embracing his belief in the holiday season and Santa Claus himself. This is signified by the bell under the tree on Christmas Day.
What does the homeless guy in Polar Express represent?
The hobo's identity is never revealed in the movie, leaving it open to interpretation as to who he is and what his true purpose is. Some fans have speculated that he is a representation of Santa Claus, while others think he may be a guardian angel sent to look after the children on their journey.
Why did the conductor take the girl on top of the train?
Later, the Conductor realizes he forgot to punch Hero Girl's ticket, but Hero Girl cannot find it, due to Hero Boy losing it while trying to give it back to her, so he takes her to the back to the train, onto the roof and to the cab of the locomotive.
The main character of the film is a stand-in for each of us. He once believed in the Eternal, but only as a child. He is growing weary, becoming skeptical and suspicious of the mystery of Christmas, particularly in Santa Clause. He lacks belief.
The entire train ride could be perceived as a dream where he processes his doubts over Santa Claus, with him finally accepting it before waking up. The other characters can be translated as aspects of his psyche, arguing for, and against, his belief.
While at the North Pole, he receives the first gift of Christmas in the form of a sleigh bell from Santa's sleigh. “Santa says, This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas, as am I. Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.” Losing the bell on the journey home, he is brokenhearted.
The Polar Express 2 is confirmed as in development, but it's still in the early stages and may not get made. The original film was a technological innovation but initially had mixed reviews and was an expensive flop.
Essentially, the Polar Express is Doctor Emmett Brown's most advanced invention to date, possibly even the peak of his technological artistry. However, despite being a time machine, the Polar Express uses some magic to function. For instance, it definitely uses magic to make tickets appear in children's pockets.
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.
The film's focus on visual spectacle rather than story made it a perfect fit for IMAX, leading to its record-breaking box office gross of $71 million. Despite its IMAX success, The Polar Express was considered a financial failure overall, earning less than its budget at the domestic box office.
In The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg, the narrator tells the story of himself as a young boy on one special Christmas Eve. He is troubled by a friend's words who doesn't believe in Santa because he's never heard the bells on Santa's sleigh.
But, the Hobo didn't have a ghost to save him, and he died on the job. Now the Hobo haunts the area he spent most of his life in, the Polar Express, helping kids and workers on there, but he still misses his time as Santa.
The mother is pregnant. The detail only appears for three seconds when the boy is looking through his keyhole to spy on what his sister is saying to their parents. The next morning, spoiler alert, he opens his presents and finds the bell from Santa that only him and his sister could hear.
The two proceed to reveal through a shadow puppet performance that Hobo is, in fact, the ghost of a man who rode the roof of the train on Christmas Eve in 1933, but was killed due to the low clearance at Flat Top Tunnel: his ghost is still seen riding the train every year.
How much did Tom Hanks get paid for Polar Express?
You won't believe how much Hanks made for his Polar Express roles (he voiced seven characters, to be exact). According to the Los Angeles Times, the actor and producer made a $40 million salary plus 20% of the first-dollar gross, which adds up to an estimated $100 million total.
For the trip to the North Pole, the Conductor punches two letters in each of the children's tickets that become a word or phrase for the return trip representing a message for the child.
Hero Boy sits on Santa's lap in his sleigh and Santa asks him what he wants. Hero Boy whispers into his ear that he wants one of the bells from the sleigh. After which, Santa holds up the bell and declares it the first gift of Christmas before handing it to Hero Boy, who puts it in his pocket.
Some parents may elect to use the film's theme of “childlike faith in one who is unseen” to convey a spiritual message, though others will feel uncomfortable using a movie that has consciously stripped Jesus out of Christmas as a means of metaphorically putting Him back in, aided by yuletide myth.
The train ride shows the sanctification process of God's people. As I mentioned earlier, the train represents the cross and the Conductor is Jesus. The train is powered by the consumption of coal (sin/death). Each child receives a ticket when they enter onto the train (salvation).
