Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000)

User Rating:

2.6/10   

Director:

Britt Allcroft

Writer:

Britt Allcroft (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

26 July 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Take the magic journey.

Plot:

Mr. Conductor's supply of magic gold dust, which allows him to travel between Shining Time and Thomas's island...

Plot Keywords:

Magic | Railway | Steam Locomotive | Miniature People | Train Conductor

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Alec Baldwin	...	Mr. Conductor
Cody McMains	...	Patch
Russell Means	...	Billy Twofeathers
Peter Fonda	...	Grandpa Burnett Stone
Jared Wall	...	Young Burnett
Laura Bower	...	Young Tasha
Didi Conn	...	Stacy Jones, Shining Time Station Manager
Mara Wilson	...	Lily, Burnetts Grand Daughter
Lori Hallier	...	Lily's Mother
Michael E. Rodgers	...	Mr. C. Junior
Edward Glen	...	Thomas (voice) (as Eddie Glen)
Neil Crone	...	Diesel 10 / Splatter / Gordon (voice)
Colm Feore	...	Toby (voice)
Linda Ballantyne	...	Percy (voice)
Kevin Frank	...	Dodge / Bertie / Harold / Henry (voice)
Susan Roman	...	James (voice)
Shelley Skinner	...	Annie / Clarabel (voice)
Britt Allcroft	...	Lady (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Tinkler	...	Older Patch
Robert Black	...	Train passenger (uncredited)
Robbie Bugbee	...	Actor (voice) (uncredited)
Mike Lazorcik	...	Train Passenger (uncredited)

Directed by
Britt Allcroft

Writing credits
Rev. W. Awdry		(books) uncredited
Britt Allcroft		(writer)

Produced by
Britt Allcroft	....	producer
Brent Baum	....	executive producer
John Bertolli	....	executive producer
Nancy Chapelle	....	executive producer
Charles Falzon	....	executive producer
Philip D. Fehrle	....	producer (as Phil Fehrle)
Mark Jacobson	....	co-executive producer
Barry London	....	executive producer
Shelley Skinner	....	associate producer
Steven Stabler	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Hummie Mann

Cinematography by
Paul Ryan

Film Editing by
Ron Wisman

Casting by
Juli-Ann Kay
Karen Margiotta
Mary Margiotta

Production Design by
Oleg M. Savytski

Art Direction by
Lucinda Zak

Costume Design by
Luis Sequeira		(as Luis M. Sequeira)

Makeup Department
Susan Exton-Stranks	....	head of hair department
Kathleen Graham	....	key makeup artist: Isle of Man
Mary Sue Heron	....	key makeup artist: second unit
Pamela Peitzman	....	hair stylist: Pennsylvania (as Pamela Cozen)
Pamela Peitzman	....	makeup artist: Pennsylvania (as Pamela Cozen)

Production Management
Mary Ann Grainger	....	post-production supervisor
Noella Nesdoly	....	production manager
Keith W. Strandberg	....	unit production manager: Pennsylvania

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eric Banz	....	first assistant director: model train unit
David Coombs	....	first assistant director
Shawn P. Flanagan	....	second second assistant director: Pennsylvania
Patrick Hagarty	....	assistant director: second unit
Sara MacDonald	....	second assistant director
Tom Pakenham	....	third assistant director
Ron Succarotte	....	assistant director: Pennsylvania
Craig Wallace	....	assistant director: second unit
Ben Wright	....	assistant director: Isle of Man
Tovah Zalik-Wallace	....	assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Greg Chown	....	storyboard artist
Peter Constantinides	....	construction coordinator
Cheryl Dorsey	....	set decorator: Isle of Man
Charles Dunlop	....	assistant set designer
Caroline Gee	....	set decorator: Toronto
Michael Gilman	....	greensperson
Brad Kenyon	....	property master
Jason Knox-Johnston	....	assistant art director
Norm Ouzounis	....	lead greens person
Mark Scruton	....	assistant art director
Bruce Simpson	....	storyboard artist
Travis Staley	....	head carpenter
Rob Valeriote	....	co-head carpenter

Sound Department
Chris Bottomley	....	boom operator
Joe Bracciale	....	dialogue editor
Andrew Bray	....	sound designer
Alek Bromke	....	assistant sound recordist
Al Buchok	....	boom operator
Richard Calistan	....	adr mixer: Toronto
Steve Copley	....	foley supervisor
Malcolm Davies	....	production sound mixer
Malcolm Davies	....	sound mixer
Lee de Lang	....	assistant sound editor
Nelson Ferreira	....	adr editor
Nelson Ferreira	....	supervising sound editor
Bruce Fleming	....	sound editor
Cory Mandel	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nathan Robitaille	....	sound assistant
Stephen Roque	....	sound effects editor
David Schatanoff Jr.	....	post audio coordinator

Special Effects by
Dave Asling	....	key model builder
Dan Brooks	....	model builder
Rick Gajdecki	....	key model builder
Peter Hutchinson	....	special effects supervisor: Isle of Man
Christine Kowbuz	....	model builder
Laird McMurray	....	special effects coordinator
Bill Neil	....	special effects supervisor (as William Neil)
Roger Nichols	....	senior technician
Duncan Orthner	....	model maker
David Reaume	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Stephen Asquith	....	model supervisor
Dave Axford	....	visual effects producer: GVFX
Berj Bannayan	....	software engineer
Barb Benoit	....	digital compositor
Dennis Berardi	....	visual effects producer
Kristy Blackwell	....	digital artist
Mike Borrett	....	motion control operator
Lisa Carr-Harris	....	digital effects artist
Mike Chambers	....	visual effects producer
Bret Culp	....	visual effects supervisor: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Colin Cunningham	....	lead 3D animator: Toybox
Debora Dunphy	....	digital compositor
Janeen Elliott	....	digital compositor
Andreas Fehrle	....	assistant to the visual effects supervisor
Mark Goldberg	....	digital compositor
Maria A. Gordon	....	visual effects
Dipankar Goswamy	....	3D animator
Derek Grime	....	visual effects director: Toybox
Rob Gyorgy	....	visual effects artist
Robert Hackborn	....	visual effects draftsperson
Michael Hatton	....	digital effects compositor: Toybox
Wilton Higgins	....	grip: visual effects
Robbi Hinds	....	director of photography: principal and greenscreen visual effects
Tania Janthur	....	visual effects coordinator
Sasha Jarh	....	visual effects producer
Shane Kinnear	....	executive producer: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Michael Kowalski	....	3D animator: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Daniel Lee	....	digital compositor
Chad Malbon	....	visual effects coordinator
Ray McMillan	....	miniature supervisor
Bill Neil	....	visual effects supervisor
Sarah Norton	....	digital compositor
Ken Ouellette	....	CG animator/compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Terry Permane	....	model visual effects
Marco Polsinelli	....	Inferno artist/digital compositor: Topix/Mad Dog
Stephen Price	....	visual effects executive producer: TOPIX/Mad Dog
Nordin Rahhali	....	CG animator/technical artist: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Kennedy Shah	....	motion control operator
Barb Shaw	....	visual effects coordinator: CORE Digital Pictures
Joel Skeete	....	digital compositor
Linda Tremblay	....	digital compositor
Thomas Turnbull	....	motion control
Mark Visser	....	technical support: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Aaron Weintraub	....	Inferno artist/digital compositor: Topix/Mad Dog
Sean Wickett	....	model maker (as Richard Cudmore)
Michael Wile	....	3D animator & technical director
Ron Wisman Jr.	....	visual effects editor
Patrik Witzmann	....	CG animator/compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Alphonso Young	....	digital compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures

Stunts
Mike Jones	....	stunt coordinator
Mike Jones	....	stunts
Chris Lamon	....	stunt coordinator: second unit
Dave Van Zeyl	....	stunt coordinator: second unit

Camera and Electrical Department
Chris Alexander	....	focus puller
John Botelho	....	gaffer
Randy Chupa	....	generator operator
Jim Denny	....	gaffer
Ted Erne	....	dolly grip
Courtney Graham	....	clapper loader
Tim Lewis	....	assistant camera
Anthony Meade	....	clapper loader
Pat Miller	....	electrician
Nigel Permane	....	first assistant camera: model unit
David Rumley	....	assistant camera: model unit
Daniel D. Sariano	....	assistant camera: Pennsylvania
Michael Spicer	....	camera operator
Karen Steyr	....	still photographer
Peter Stranks	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Ross Clydesdale	....	casting: Canada

Editorial Department
Claire Freeland	....	post-production coordinator
Teresa Garber	....	post-production executive
Chad Glastonbury	....	first assistant film editor
Rick Greenhead	....	telecine colorist
Vaughan Killin	....	co-color timer
Annellie Rose Samuel	....	first assistant editor (as Annellie Samuel)
David Tarnawsky	....	second assistant editor
Paul Whitehead	....	assistant editor
Ron Wisman Jr.	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Frank Bennett	....	orchestrator
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Yuri Gorbachow	....	music editor
Ira Hearshen	....	orchestrator
Hummie Mann	....	conductor
Matthew McKenzie	....	associate audio engineer: orchestra record & pre mix
Don Nemitz	....	orchestrator
Jacquie Perryman	....	music consultant

Other crew
Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor	....	production coordinator
Michael Barnes	....	financial legal services
Eric Beldowski	....	production coordinator
James Cleary	....	location manager
Jason Contino	....	production assistant
Donna Croce	....	script supervisor
Tracy Fedak	....	first assistant accountant: post-production
Claire Freeland	....	assistant to producer
Katharine Gray	....	assistant production coordinator
Joel Green	....	unit publicist: USA
Ron Gwynne	....	location manager
Paul Jennison	....	production accountant
Ashifa Lalani	....	first assistant accountant
Kevin Robertson	....	assistant to director
Darren Wilson	....	assistant production accountant
Judy Sharinger	....	completion and delivery supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Gullane Pictures
• Destination Films
• Isle of Man Film Commission
• Magic Railroad Company, The

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Communications (Canada)
• Destination Films
• GAGA Humax
• GAGA
• Icon Film Distribution (UK)

Special Effects

• C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
• Gajdecki Visual Effects (GVFX)
• Howard Granite Films
• Mad Dog Digital
• Toybox

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:G | Australia:G | Germany:o.Al. | New Zealand:G | UK:U | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Isle of Man

Company:

Gullane Pictures

Trivia:

Isle of Mann taxi drive/firefighter John Bellis was originally cast as the voice of Thomas. After his recording was heard by American test audiences, they disliked his Liverpudlian tone as it made Thomas sound too old. The role went to 'Eddie Glenn'.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Diesel 10 is chasing Thomas and Lady, he was on a different track from them. But when he comes to the hole at the viaduct, he is on the same track as Thomas and Lady.

Quotes:

[Patch enters Burnett Stone's workshop and sees an engine there]
Patch: I guess there was something mysterious about this mountain.
Grandpa Burnett Stone: Yeah, all mountains have their secrets, Patch. Shouldn't surprise a kid like you.

Movie Connections:

Follows "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends" (1984)

Soundtrack:

I Know How the Moon Must Feel

Bland little film that forgets to include the most important element of a kids film - fun

With evil engine Diesel back on the track and looking to get rid of the old steam engines. Mr Conductor is put in charge of using his gold dust to jump around the area and keep an eye on Diesel - but his supply runs out and he finds himself stuck. Meanwhile Diesel is looking for the steam engine that got away from him in the past - the same engine that was repaired and hidden by Grandpa Burnett many years ago.

Being a reasonable fan of Thomas in my youth I decided to watch this film to see what it was like. The first problem of the film is that it doesn't resemble the UK version, with characters and sentiments added for the American audience. This isn't a major problem - only that it affects what I remember from the original series. The plot is very fragmented and is far too hard for very young children to follow; the basic is good but the addition of various characters and such just complicates things. The issue I had with the story was the fact that it is almost totally lacking in any sense of fun or wonder; I don't mean it should have been hilarious but it should have been at least enjoyable. Instead, there is no sense of fun here - it is very plodding and makes it nigh on impossible to stay with.

The animation is basic but is more or less true to the original series; downside of that is that the trains all look rubbish - with the eyes being the only bits that move (constantly). However the film straw is the fact that the cast are pretty poor. The voice work on the trains is very simplistic and it just made all of them sound the same. Peter Fonda is awful and can't even muster the energy to deliver the most basic of lines (when his granddaughter returns he says `Oh Lily. I'm so glad you're back' with all the emotion of a man reading out his shopping list). It's like he got drunk and woke up to find himself contractually obliged to do this film and decided to not even put in a little bit of effort. Baldwin tries hard and is actually OK because he is at least putting in effort; more than that, considering his tough guy image, this was a strange role for him to play and he does do it pretty well although I would have liked his character to insert more of the wonder and fun that he hints at rather than delivers.

Overall this is a pretty poor film that never really goes anywhere. The plot is weak - too complex for tots and too convoluted for adults to bother with. The acting is roundly poor and the film manages to be totally missing any sense of fun. It's easy to tire of kids films that are full of knowing humour but this is one film that was crying out for a bit of silliness or tongue in cheek humour.