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PM1225 to star in "Polar Express"
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I saw the film today and thought it was a lot better than I expected. <br /> <br />I would almost say that for the first half of the movie, like the General Lee in The Dukes of Hazzard, the locomotive is a star. Especially the "roller coaster" and "ice skating" scenes, which I think went a BIT over the top to the point of silliness. It was still quite fun to watch, and who knows, maybe this film will convince kids that yes, trains can be as cool as stock cars and even spaceships, including the funny scenes with the engineer and fireman trying to get the brake pin back. <br /> <br />The North Pole scenes I found pretty amazing as well. Although the elves and kids going hog wild over Santa's arrival put me more in mind of a rock concert, one poster at IMDb.com actually compared the "town square" scene to the old Nazi propaganda film "Triumph of the Will" showcasing one of Hitler's rallies and his frenzied audience. I don't entirely believe that (there's nothing wrong with huge, frenzied rallies per se; it just depends on the speaker), but there is a part of me, back in the most cynical section of my mind, that agrees with it. Am I really seeing St. Nick as Hitler? I must be truly bitter. No, I don't really agree with that perspective. That said, I felt the conductor was rather harsh at times, and once, out of force of habit, I muttered, "Ja, mein Fuhrer!" when he barked at the kids to, "Stay in your seats!" <br /> <br />I too noticed the nerdy kid mention all the stats about the locomotive, including that it was a Baldwin Berkshire class built in 1941, which is all true about the actual model engine (I looked up its stats after I heard that they had used an actual locomotive as their main model in this film.) I think later on in the film the main character said he lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Isn't that where this locomotive is based, and around where the old Pere Marquette Railroad used to run?
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