Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails | |
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Directed by | Greg Tiernan |
Written by | Sharon Miller |
Based on | The Railway Series by Rev W Awdry |
Produced by | Nicole Stinn |
Narrated by |
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Edited by | Kevin Pavlovic |
Music by | Robert Hartshorne |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | HIT Entertainment |
Release dates |
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Running time | 60 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Box office | $137,630 [1] |
Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails is a 2009 British animated adventure film that functions as the third feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends . The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Nitrogen Studios. The movie centres on Thomas finding a long-lost engine from Japan named Hiro and attempts to repair him in secret; although Spencer is on the verge of discovering Thomas' secret and getting Hiro scrapped.
The special marks the addition of full CGI animation into the TV series replacing the live-action models used previously, and the addition of a full voice cast; with voice actors Ben Small and Martin Sherman becoming the voices for Thomas the Tank Engine in the UK and US respectively. [2]
One summer on the Island of Sodor, Spencer returns to help the Duke and Duchess of Boxford with the construction of their new summer house. After being an absolute nuisance to all of the other engines by teasing and bossing them around, Thomas the Tank Engine accepts Spencer's challenge to a contest of strength, taking heavy cargo around the island. Thomas' brakes fail after climbing a tall hill, and he runs out of control through an overgrown, abandoned line. There, Thomas finds an old abandoned Japanese D51 Class tender engine named Hiro, said to be one of Sodor's first engines. Hiro does not want Sir Topham Hatt to find out about him, fearing he will be scrapped, so Thomas promises to keep his secret and work to make 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 engine who works at the Steamworks), only to later discover that Hiro's hiding place is dangerously close to the Duke and Duchess's new summer house. Thomas concludes that he must be careful when visiting Hiro; Spencer could find out about him and tell Sir Topham Hatt.
The following day, Thomas tells Percy about Hiro and asks him to do his own job while he helps Hiro. Percy misplaces his own mail trucks and breaks down while doing Thomas' job, so Thomas brings him to the Steamworks. Sir Topham Hatt finds out about this and scolds Thomas by forcing him to do Percy's work. With nobody else to ask for help, Thomas and Percy tell the rest of their friends (Gordon, James, Edward, Henry, Toby, and Emily) about Hiro. They all work together in bringing Hiro new parts, distracting Spencer, and keeping the operation secret from Sir Topham Hatt while Thomas and Percy try to find the missing mail trucks. 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. Sir Topham Hatt accuses Spencer of stealing the trucks and demands he 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 an eye on Spencer and to regain the trust of Sir Topham Hatt. Meanwhile, the other engines visit Hiro to keep his spirits up. When Thomas finally decides to tell Sir Topham Hatt about Hiro, Spencer tries to stop him, but he is foiled by a rickety bridge that collapses beneath him.
When Thomas explains Hiro's situation to Sir Topham Hatt, 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 the Crane work together to restore Hiro. Once he is repaired, Hiro, with Rocky the Breakdown Crane, rescues Spencer, and they work with Thomas on the summer house. Spencer apologizes to the two engines, saying they are "both fine engines and fine friends." Hiro misses Japan, so Sir Topham Hatt 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.
This special entered pre-production in September 2008, was produced alongside the thirteenth series starting with January 2009 and was delivered in May 2009. [3]
A music video featuring an original pop rock song by Sam Blewitt singing "Go, Go Thomas!", was released on the DVD.
To promote the film, the 2009 Day Out with Thomas events in North America was known as "The Hero of the Rails Tour" was held at locations such as the Illinois Railway Museum, where guests could participate in activities such as arts and crafts or ride on a 15-ton replica of Thomas the Tank Engine. [4]
A mobile app (entitled Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails) was developed by Callaway Digital Arts and released on 13 May 2011. [5] Kirkus Reviews rated the app positively, commenting that it "delivers the same predictable experience they relish in video and book form, gently augmented with interactive enhancements." [6]
A video game adaptation of the film was also released to the Nintendo Wii and the DS [7] in Europe on 20 August 2010. It was to be released in North America, but it has appeared to be cancelled indefinitely. [7]
The movie was adapted into a Little Golden Book by the same name, which released on 11 May 2010.
DVD Talk gave a mixed review for Hero of the Rails, stating that it could be worth a rental while overall criticizing the film's plot, modernizations, and stating that it "[felt] like a poorly-thought-out extension of the series, designed simply to introduce a new format and score some cash." [8] Common Sense Media gave the film three stars, as they felt that it would not disappoint fans of the series but that it was also your "typical Thomas tale". [9] About.com gave the movie four stars, opining that while the film looked better than they expected and praised the film for the value lessons it imparted, it was also "unremarkable compared to every other Thomas CGI animated children's movie". [10]
The Fat Controller is a fictional character in The Railway Series books written by Reverend W. Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry. In the first two books in the series he is known as The Fat Director, and as of the third book he becomes The Fat Controller, as the railway has been nationalised. In the foreword to the 1951 book Henry the Green Engine, his real name is revealed to be Sir Topham Hatt.
James the Red Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic tender locomotive from The Railway Series children's books by the Reverend Awdry and the TV series adaptation Thomas & Friends. James is number 5 on the North Western Railway, the Fat Controller's railway on the Island of Sodor.
Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry.
Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry.
Thomas & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry.
Thomas & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry.
Thomas & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry. The tenth series was first broadcast in 2006, narrated by Michael Angelis for the UK audiences and by Michael Brandon in the US. Most episodes in this series had different titles in UK and the US.
Merchandise for the Thomas & Friends has been produced to capitalize on the success of the television series Thomas & Friends. Whilst merchandise was produced alongside due to the popularity of the first of The Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry since 1945, and the original broadcast of the television series in 1984 in the United Kingdom, large numbers of manufacturers have sought to produce Thomas-branded items after the television series was broadcast in the United States and Japan.
Thomas & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry.
Thomas & Friends: Misty Island Rescue is a 2010 British computer-animated fantasy adventure film and the fourth feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Nitrogen Studios. The movie centres on Thomas being whisked away to an island near Sodor called "Misty Island" in search of Joby Wood and his verge to get back home to prepare for the opening of the Sodor Search & Rescue Centre.
Thomas & Friends: Day of the Diesels is a 2011 British animated adventure film that functions as the fifth feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Nitrogen Studios. The film centres on Percy, who is tricked by Diesel 10 into helping him take over the Sodor Steamworks.
Thomas & Friends: King of the Railway is a 2013 British computer-animated fantasy comedy adventure film that functions as the seventh feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Arc Productions, who took over animation from Nitrogen Studios for the series and following specials from then on. It marks the debut of Mark Moraghan as the narrator for both English versions of the series. The movie centres on Thomas in the search for his new friend Stephen, who goes missing during the restoration of Ulfstead Castle.
Thomas & Friends is a media franchise created by Rev. W. Awdry and Britt Allcroft. The franchise revolves around a railway, called the North Western Railway, located on the fictional Island of Sodor. The current title character of the franchise is Thomas, an anthropomorphised steam locomotive, who works with other engines, including Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby and many others. The franchise began with stories told from Wilbert Awdry to his son. In 1984, it was turned into a television series, which spawned a reboot series, titled Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.
Thomas & Friends: The Adventure Begins is a 2015 British animated adventure comedy film and the eighth feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Arc Productions. The film functions as a prequel to the show, and a retelling of the two books of The Railway Series; The Three Railway Engines and Thomas the Tank Engine, as well as the first seven episodes of the first TV season. It was made to commemorate the 70th anniversary of The Railway Series, and was the first installment to officially adapt a story from The Railway Series since series 4. The film also saw John Hasler and Joseph May take over the voice role of Thomas the Tank Engine in the United Kingdom and the United States respectively.
Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure is a 2015 British animated fantasy adventure comedy film and the ninth feature-length special movie of the television series, Thomas & Friends. The film is produced by HIT Entertainment and animated by Arc Productions. The film centres on Thomas unwillingly getting caught in a conspiracy to steal recently-discovered pirate treasure.
Thomas & Friends: The Great Race is a 2016 British animated musical comedy adventure film that functions as the eleventh feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by HIT Entertainment with animation production by Canadian-based Arc Productions. The movie centres on Thomas wanting to represent Sodor in the Great Railway Show on the mainland and proving that he doesn't need to be big, strong, or fast to go.
Thomas & Friends: Journey Beyond Sodor is a 2017 British animated musical adventure film and the twelth feature-length special based on the British television series Thomas & Friends. The film was produced and distributed by Mattel Creations with animation production by Canadian-based Jam Filled Toronto. The movie centres on Thomas being held captive in a Steelworks within the mainland after taking a load meant for his friend James.
Thomas & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Reverend W. Awdry.