Polar Express 'creepy'?

[Krug]

The CNN article echoes my feelings when I saw the trailer.

Not live action, and not totally computer-generated animation either, "Polar Express" uses motion- -- or performance- -- capture technology. This process allows a filmmaker to use actual human beings acting out their roles on an empty soundstage, and then merges them into a three-dimensional computer-generated world.

Without getting mired down in technological gobbledygook, this complicated system involves the performers dressing in skintight bodysuits with hundreds of infrared sensors covering the suits and their faces. These sensors then relay the smallest nuance of movement back to a computer, where it's all translated into human motion -- and emotion. (The same process was used for Andy Serkis' portrayal of Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings.")

The results are breathtakingly realistic except for two vital facial areas: the inside of the mouth and the eyes, where the sensors cannot be placed. Therefore, these areas have to be computer generated. It just doesn't work, and this fact is called into sharp relief since the faces of the actors are so incredibly expressive.

To quote an old cliche, the eyes are the windows to the soul -- so these characters look soul dead. When the characters are experiencing extreme emotions, such as fear or surprise, the animation seems to work. But when the characters are still -- and processing information from each other -- they look lifeless.

To put it another way, you can knock, but nobody's home.

The mouth action is also less than overwhelming, since the characters' tongues look like slabs of meat when they speak their lines.

 

[Crothian]

I've seen the trailer dozens of times and I can't say its looked odd to me at all....

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I, too, have seen the trailer over and over...but now that I think about it, there HAS been something that looked a bit off. I'm not sure its the eyes, though.

 

[CrusaderX]

I thought the trailer was very creepy.

 

[driver8]

I saw the trailer. I dont think it was creepy, but it did look odd.

The funny thing about these things is that someone used to say video games, sees stuff like this. To an "untrained" eye who doesnt their view of it may be different.

Anyway, part of the effect is explained in this months Wired in describing CG modelling of women:

CG artists call this the "uncanny valley," the point at which a near-human model looks so real that every flaw and shortcoming is thrown into high relief. (Ever seen a child terrified of mannequins? Blame the uncanny valley.)

For me I think say the character models in the new Everquest game look creepy, kinda cadaverous-like. The characters in Polar Express are close to the spirit of the books art, but the whole mouth thing is a little weird.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I thought the trailer was very creepy.

I thought I was going to die from the saccharine sweetness of the first trailer.

The second trailer makes it look somewhat better, but yes, the people just don't look right.

Brad

 

[WayneLigon]

Huh. When I saw the first trailer, it took me several seconds before I realized I was looking at animation and not slightly-oddly-filmed live action. Doesn't look creepy to me, but then I liked the Final Fantasy movie as well; there were several times in that when I forgot I was looking at animation. Give it a good ten years or so and no-one will; say bye-bye to about 80% of SAG

 

[Fast Learner]

When I saw the first trailer, months ago now, my very first thought was, "Dude, that is so freakin' creepy, there's no way in hell I'll see that." And my second thought was, "Ayup, there's the uncanny valley effect in action."

The Final Fantasy movie was backed off a bit, to me, and wasn't particularly creepy. On look at the conductor in PE had my belly rolling, though.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

I thought I was going to die from the saccharine sweetness of the first trailer.

The second trailer makes it look somewhat better, but yes, the people just don't look right.

Brad

DOn't believe that this movie is all sweetness and buttercups. According to Ebert & Roeper there are some very dark elements to the story as well.

 

[Rugger]

AHHHHH! Skynet has Digi-Tom Hanks! Meesa scared!!!

That movies terrifies me....


-Rugger