A CHRISTMAS STORY and THE POLAR EXPRESS: Holiday Cheer in 4K

A CHRISTMAS STORY and THE POLAR EXPRESS (4K UHD Review)

FROM WARNER BROS #InPartnershipwithWB

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

Warner Bros has recently issued four modern Christmas classics in 4K. While the ongoing popularity of Elf and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is inexplicable to this writer, A Christmas Story and The Polar Express remain essential viewing and welcome yuletide guests in our household - for different reasons - so we're gonna focus on those two films.

A CHRISTMAS STORY

1983 / 93 min

Arguably the most beloved holiday-themed film since It’s a Wonderful Life, it’s hard to fathom that A Christmas Story came-and-went in theaters with a comparative whimper. Time and billions of TV airings have since made watching it as traditional as cranking up Mariah Carey. Everyone knows Ralphie’s bunny suit, the Old Man’s major award and the sad fate of poor Flick, even if they never actually sat down to watch the thing (are any of those people still out there?). 

A Christmas Story remains funny, charming and timeless. It’s one of those rare family films that manages to be heartwarming without ever resorting to schmaltzy sentimentality. Jean Shepherd's nostalgic, perceptive prose is loaded with quotable dialogue, a lot of which has become part of our vernacular. But it’s ultimately the spot-on performances - especially the late, great Darren McGavin - which make it memorable…and keep us coming back.

"Socks 'n' underwear for you, kid."

Speaking of coming back…there have been more home video releases of A Christmas Story than there are stars in the sky, to say nothing of annual marathons on TV, so access and availability have never been an issue. That being said, this 4K transfer looks great - presented in its original 1:85:1 image - with deep black levels and bold colors. On the other hand, A Christmas Story ain’t exactly one of those movies that was screaming for a 4K master. Aesthetic simplicity is part of its charm, something that hi-def doesn’t really enhance.

Other than a digital code, there are no new bonus features. All supplemental material is carried over from previous releases. Still, it’s the greatest Christmas movie ever made and worth owning (because you never know when your cable’s gonna go out). 

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

FEATURETTES - “Christmas in Ohio: A Christmas Story House”; “Another Christmas Story”; “Daisy Red Ryder: A History”; “Get a Leg Up.”

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Bob Clark and actor Peter Billingsley.

JEAN SHEPHERD ORIGINAL RADIO READING - 2 of the author’s readings, “Duel in the Snow” and “Flick’s Tongue.”

FLASH GORDON DELETED SCRIPT PAGES

THE LEG LAMP SPOT

TRAILER

THE POLAR EXPRESS

2004 / 100 min

As Christmas movies go, this could be called The Polarizing Express. It’s one of those films that has either enchanted viewers, left them cold or creeped them out. And it’s easy to see why. 

Episodic and thematically benign, The Polar Express seems more in love with its technology than telling a compelling story, something that was becoming increasingly prevalent in director Robert Zemeckis' films. But even today, using motion capture to depict human faces and expressions is hit or miss. Back then, it rendered Tom Hanks pretty scary.

"Socks 'n' underwear for you, too."

At the same time, however, The Polar Express is one of the most aesthetically gorgeous Christmas movies ever made. Damn near every scene resembles a Thomas Kincaid painting (or an expensive Hallmark card), enhanced by fluid animation and some astounding scenes that must have been awesome on the big screen. At home, this is the kind of film that’s great to have playing while decorating the tree or wrapping packages. The story and characters are perfunctory - ultimately forgettable - but the striking visuals can still command our attention.

So while A Christmas Story is obviously the better film, The Polar Express is far more conducive to the 4K treatment. Previous Blu-ray releases have looked good, but this one displays more depth and texture. While there’s no new bonus material, the technical aspects make it worth the upgrade.

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

FEATURETTES - “You Look Familiar”; “A Genuine Ticket to Ride”; “True Inspirations: An Author’s Adventure”; “Flurry of Effects”; “Meet the Snow Angels: The Moviemakers”; “Behind the Scenes of ‘Believe’”.

JOSH GROBAN AT THE GREEK THEATRE - Groban performs the song, “Believe,” live.

“SMOKEY AND STEAMER” - A song that was not included in the final cut, sung by the late Michael Jeter.

GAME DEMO

TRAILER