Hero of the Rails
| Hero of the Rails | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Greg Tiernan |
| Written by | Sharon Miller |
| Narrated by | Michael Angelis (UK) Michael Brandon (US) |
| Starring | Ben Small Teresa Gallagher Keith Wickham Matt Wilkinson Togo Igawa Martin Sherman Kerry Shale Jules de Jongh William Hope |
| Studio | Hit Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Theatrical Kidtoon Films (US) Vue Cinemas & Lionsgate Entertainment(UK) Home Entertainment Lionsgate Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | 8 September 2009 (North America) 12 October 2009 (UK) |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Language | English |
Hero of the Rails is a 2009 CGI feature-length special and film spin-off of the TV series, Thomas and Friends. The film is a follow up, not a direct sequel (though it does feature some of the same characters) to Thomas and the Magic Railroad and a sequel to Calling All Engines! and The Great Discovery. The film introduces full CGI animation (by Nitrogen Studios Canada Inc.), replacing model work and the addition of a voice cast for the characters alongside the narration (excluding Thomas and the Magic Railroad) to the TV series. The film features the voice of Ben Small and Martin Sherman as Thomas the Tank Engine for the UK and US respectively.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
One summer on the Island of Sodor, Spencer arrives to help the Duke and Duchess with the construction of their new summer house. After being an absolute nuisance to all of the other engines by bossing them around, Thomas challenges Spencer to a contest of strength, taking heavy cargo around the island. Thomas's brakes fail after climbing a tall hill, and he runs out of control through an overgrown, abandoned line. There, Thomas finds Patchwork Hiro, an old abandoned engine from a faraway land (Olivar Island). Hiro does not want to be found out by the Fat Controller, fearing he will be scrapped, so Thomas promises to keep him his secret and work to make Patchwork Hiro "Master of the Railway" once again. Later, he's taken to the Sodor Steamworks for repairs, where he finds old parts for Hiro. He takes them with permission from Victor, the Steamworks engine, only to discover that Hiro's hiding place is dangerously close to the Duke and Duchess's new summer house.
The following day, he tells Percy about Patchwork Hiro, and asks Percy to do his own job while he helps Hiro. Percy misplaces his own mail trucks and breaks down while doing Thomas's job, so Thomas brings him to the Steamworks. The Fat Controller finds out about this and scold Thomas by forcing him to do Percy's work. With nobody else to ask for help, Thomas tells the rest of his friends about Hiro. They all work together in bringing Hiro new parts, distracting Spencer, and keeping the operation a secret from the Fat Controller while Thomas and Percy try to find the missing mail trucks. Patchwork Hiro makes friends with all of the engines, but gradually grows homesick. On the day that the last necessary part for Hiro is to be delivered, Spencer discovers Percy's mail trucks, only to be cornered by Thomas, James and Toby. The Fat Controller accuses Spencer of stealing the trucks and demands him to return them to Percy.
While Thomas and Hiro wait for Percy with the last part, they hear Spencer's whistle and run. Spencer finds them and gives chase, but without the last part, Hiro falls apart and is forced to a stop. Spencer is suddenly distracted by Gordon while Thomas moves Hiro to a new hiding place. The Duke and Duchess are furious with Spencer for abandoning his own work, and Thomas asks to assist him, in order to keep his eye on Spencer and to gain the trust of the Fat Controller. Meanwhile, the other engines visit Hiro to keep his spirits up. When Thomas finally decides to tell the Fat Controller about Hiro, Spencer tries to stop him, but he is foiled by a rickety bridge which collapses beneath him.
When Thomas explains Hiro's situation to the Fat Controller, he reassures Thomas that he would never have scrapped the "Master of the Railway", and the following day, Thomas and Percy bring him to the Steamworks. There, Victor and his assistant, Kevin work together to restore Hiro. Once he's as good as new, Hiro rescues Spencer, and they work with Thomas on the summerhouse. Spencer apologizes to the two engines, saying they are "both fine engines and fine friends." Hiro misses his home island, so the Fat Controller arranges for Hiro to return home. A farewell party is held at the docks, and Thomas promises Hiro that Sodor will always be his home too.
[edit] Cast
While in previous installments of Thomas and Friends, a single narrator was chosen to voice each character, Hero of the Rails introduces additional voice actors, and this change carried on to Thomas' thirteenth series.[1]
| Actor | Region | Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Angelis | UK/AUS | Narrator |
| Ben Small | UK/AUS | Thomas, Toby |
| Keith Wickham | UK/AUS | Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, The Fat Controller |
| Teresa Gallagher | UK/AUS | Emily, Mavis, The Duchess of Boxford |
| Matt Wilkinson | UK/AUS | Spencer, Rocky, Victor, Kevin, The Duke of Boxford |
| Togo Igawa | US/UK/AUS | Hiro |
| Michael Brandon | US | Narrator[2] |
| Martin Sherman | US | Thomas,[3] Percy |
| Kerry Shale | US | The Fat Controller, Henry, Gordon, James, Kevin |
| William Hope | US | Edward, Toby, The Duke of Boxford |
| Jules de Jongh | US | Emily, Mavis, The Duchess of Boxford |
| Glenn Wrage | US | Spencer, Rocky |
| David Bedella | US | Victor |
[edit] New characters
- Hiro (an old engine who's originally from Japan)
- Victor (A narrow-gauge engine who runs the Sodor Steamworks)
- Kevin (A clumsy crane who assists Victor at the Sodor Steamworks. He always calls Victor "Boss")
[edit] Major characters
[edit] Cameos
[edit] Songs
A music video featuring an original pop rock song by Sam Blewitt singing "Go Go Thomas!", was released on the DVD.
[edit] DVD releases
The DVD of 'Hero of the Rails' was released in the US and Canada on September 8, 2009,
- US DVD Features
- 'Thomas & Spencer' Racing Game
- 'Who's Pulling into the Station?' Game
- 'Go Go Thomas!' Karaoke Music Video
- 'Thomas & Friends' Bedroom Makeover
- Trailers
- Language
- English
- Français
- Espaňol
[edit] iTunes release
Hero of the Rails was released US iTunes Store on the 12th October 2009 in Standard Definition.
[edit] Receptions
Luke Bonanno of DVDizzy.com rated the film 'acceptable for a direct-to-video fare', but the film's ambitions are too small for theaters.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ "In The Biggest Thomas Event Of The Year, See And Hear Thomas Like Never Before In An All-New Movie!" (Press release). HIT Entertainment Digital Newsroom. 2009-06-08. http://www.hitnewsonline.com/releases/detail/in_the_biggest_thomas_event_of_the_year_see_and_hear_thomas_like_never_befo/. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
- ^ http://www.thomasandfriends.com/usa/videos.asp
- ^ Gary Strauss (2009-06-18). "All aboard a refurbished 'Thomas the Tank Engine'". USA Today (McLean, Virginia: Gannett Co. Inc.). http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-06-18-thomas-the-tank-engine_N.htm. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
- ^ Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails - The Movie DVD Review
[edit] External links
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