BURBANK, CA. (Warner Bros./Reprise Records) - One of the most eagerly anticipated films of this holiday season, "The Polar Express," in theaters November 10th, reunites the Academy Award-winning team of Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis for an inspiring adventure based on the beloved children's book by Chris Van Allsburg. Employing an innovative blend of next-generation motion capture technology known as performance capture, with state-of-the-art digital animation, "The Polar Express" combines classic storytelling with cutting-edge filmmaking.
This spirit is also captured on the soundtrack of this extraordinary film event. "The Polar Express: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" will be in stores on November 2nd. It not only features six Christmas classics, including Bing Crosby's perennial "White Christmas," but also boasts six brand new selections written and performed especially for the film by five-time Grammy Award-winning composer and producer Glen Ballard and Academy Award-nominated film score composer Alan Silvestri.
Additionally, the Warner Sunset / Reprise Records release features a new recording, "Believe," by vocal phenomenon Josh Groban, plus performances by Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Tom Hanks in his major motion picture singing debut.
Ballard and Silvestri originals on "The Polar Express: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" include "Hot Chocolate" and "The Polar Express" as performed by Tom Hanks; a Josh Groban rendition of "Believe" and a rollicking "Rockin' On Top Of The World" sung by Steven Tyler. Also included is an Alan Silvestri performance of "Spirit Of The Season" and "When Christmas Comes To Town" as performed by Matthew Hall and Meagan Moore. The soundtrack also spotlights two orchestral compositions by Silvestri, "Suite From The Polar Express" and "Seeing Is Believing."
Among the Christmas classics heard on "The Polar Express: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" are the above mentioned "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, "Winter Wonderland" by The Andrews Sisters, Kate Smith's "Silver Bells," "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" as performed by Perry Como and The Fontaine Sisters, Frank Sinatra's rendition of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters.
Executives in charge of music for Warner Bros. Pictures Inc. are Gary LeMel and Doug Frank. Creative director for "The Polar Express: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" is Jeff Ayeroff.
Castle Rock Entertainment Presents, in Association with Shangri-La Entertainment, a Playtone / ImageMovers / Golden Mean Production of a Robert Zemeckis Film: Tom Hanks in "The Polar Express." Directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay by Zemeckis & William Broyles, Jr., the film is produced by Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Gary Goetzman and William Teitler and is based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg.
Tom Hanks, Jack Rapke and Chris Van Allsburg are the executive producers. The production team includes directors of photography Don Burgess, A.S.C. and Robert Presley; production designers Rick Carter and Doug Chiang; and editors Jeremiah O'Driscoll & R. Orlando Duenas. Senior visual effects supervisors are Ken Ralston and Jerome Chen.
Co-producer is Steven Boyd. Music score is by Alan Silvestri, and original songs by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri.
"The Polar Express" will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. Soundtrack album on Warner Sunset/Reprise Records.
