The reason for this, apparently, is due to a phenomenon called Uncanny Valley - which is when non-human objects which look akin to human beings prompt feelings of eeriness and disgust, due to their similarities, and yet their simultaneous differences.
Hero Boy: "Where?" Conductor: "Why to the North Pole, of course! This is the Polar Express!" The Conductor and Hero Boy before Hero Boy gets on the train.
The HoboThe Hobo is a recurring character in The Polar Express film. He is a ghost who lives on top of the Polar Express and rides it whenever he feels like it for free. He does not believe in Santa Claus or Christmas, but his negativity tests Hero Boy's faith.
But it's also an adventure, with lots of roller-coaster thrills and some scary characters that might be too intense and frightening for the youngest kids. The Express roars, speeds, and skids on its perilous journey to the North Pole.
The Great Polar Express Train Ride - Best Age 4-9 | Polar express train ride, Christmas train, Polar express train.
However, the story wasn't a dream, as the main character tells Billy and the bell at the end proves. Magic can explain how the train could make that incredible journey in less than a night and survive all those perils. It also explains how the children were able to stay safe no matter what.
Hero Boy tells him he wants to believe, then, before he can finish his sentence, Hobo interrupts. He suggests Hero Boy is afraid of being “bamboozled” or let down. This scene cements Hobo's purpose. He is a personification of Hero Boy's fears and doubts and is meant to test his ability to believe.
The narrative appears so symbolic and allegorical because it is simply a metaphor for God. Believing in God, to be specific. The protagonist acts as the 'doubters' of society, taking a spiritual journey (made physical by the train) to find himself and thus find God.
When Hanks and Zemeckis took “Polar Express” to Universal Pictures, where there was a deal with Castle Rock Entertainment, the film's producers, the studio was unenthusiastic about making a movie for which the two men would get not only $40 million in salary but 35% of the first-dollar gross -- 20% to Hanks, 15% to ...
He is based on St. Nicholas of Myra, who, according to Christian tradition, was a bishop in that small Roman town during the 4th century. Nicholas's reputation for generosity and kindness gave rise to legends of miracles he performed for the poor and unhappy.
It's been a local favorite for decades and especially gained popularity after inspiring the look and sounds of the train in a 2004 film. Every sight and sound of the magical Christmas train in the 2004 film The Polar Express is based on a real-life steam locomotive.
The Polar Express tells the story of a young boy who is questioning whether or not he believes in Santa Claus. Then, on Christmas Eve, a magical train - the Polar Express - appears outside his home and whisks him away to the North Pole to restore his belief in Santa and all that he embodies.