Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Thomas and the Magic Railroad Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 23, 2020

Britt Allcroft struck gold when she figured out a way to translate the works of author Wilbert Awdry into “Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends,” a British television show that began life in 1984. What started as a small offering of children’s entertainment grew into a phenomenon, enjoying huge ratings, a massively successful merchandise push, and an American transition in “Shining Time Station,” bringing Thomas fever overseas. Allcroft eventually set her sights on the big screen, combining worlds for 2000’s “Thomas and the Magic Railroad,” taking command of the production as a co-writer/director, attempting to add to the realms of Sodor and Shining Time with a more sophisticated adventure for human and trains.

Lily (Mara Wilson) has traveled to Shining Time to visit her grandfather, Burnett (Peter Fonda), only to discover the wonders of Mr. Conductor (Alec Baldwin), who maintains a magical connection between Shining Time and the Island of Sodor, home to Thomas the Tank Engine. Witnessing the villainous intentions of Diesel 10, who’s hunting for Lady, a special lost engine, Mr. Conductor soon realizes he’s out of magic, unable to get back to Shining Time, motivating Lily to join the cause, teaming with Mr. Conductor’s cousin, Junior (Michael E. Rogers), to stop Diesel 10 and inspire Burnett to get Lady working again.

Describing the events in “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” isn’t easy, as the picture was radically reworked right before release, with Allcroft’s original vision scrapped, replaced with a kid-friendly cut that features a lot more Thomas. One can sense the shredding of intent while watching the movie, which offers a confusing sense of dramatic urgency that’s not urgent at all, finding most of the human characters missing motivation, and the villain, Diesel 10, resembling the last minute idea he is (the original baddie, P.T. Boomer, has been deleted from the film). All the reorganization hurts the endeavor quite a bit, rendering “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” a periodically baffling mixture of strong emotions and lighthearted antics, leaving the effort tonally awkward and a narrative mess.

On the plus side, there’s brightness in Baldwin’s performance as Mr. Conductor, shedding his famous brood to portray a Wonka-esque character approaching every challenge with smiling spirit. He’s fun to watch, and he does relatively well interacting with greenscreen environments and co- stars, becoming a bit of a comedy team with Rodgers. Also enjoyable are the Sodor sequences, which offer traditional model animation, remaining delightful in their detail and low-fi execution.

Thomas and the Magic Railroad Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation brings "Thomas and the Magic Railroad" to Blu-ray without a fresh scan of the feature. Softness is present, especially in the Sodor sequences, but detail has some presence, showing signs of life with Mr. Conductor's costuming and the wide- open spaces of the locations. Facial particulars are adequate. Colors are active, with primaries capably handling Sodor events with brighter reds and blues. Skintones are natural. Delineation is acceptable. Source is in good shape.

Thomas and the Magic Railroad Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix shows some surprising surround activity at times, with panning effects for horse movement and train activity. Scoring is also wider, with sharp instrumentation. Soundtrack selections are equally defined, setting warmer acoustic moods. Dialogue exchanges are clear, protecting performance choices and accents. Low-end isn't challenged. ADR efforts are generally sloppy throughout the movie, making brief sync issues difficult to identify.

Thomas and the Magic Railroad Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Finding Your Sparkle" (9:37, HD) is an audio-only interview with Mara Wilson, who recounts her life at the time of production on "Thomas and the Magic Railroad," returning to acting after a break to be a "normal kid" at school. Wilson shares her familiarity with the franchise and her impression of creator Britt Allcroft, who worked hard to preserve some sense of magic during the shoot. Co-stars are fondly recalled, and technical challenges are highlighted, working with sets and greenscreen. Wilson remembers time on location, loving the Isle of Man and Toronto, offering a few on-set anecdotes. She also provides her first impression of the final cut, noting how much was changed in the editing process. During the conversation, BTS footage and raw takes from the film play.

• Behind the Scenes (11:29, SD) offer a look at the production in motion, with cameras capturing work on a train platform, in the country, and on sets, including miniature manipulation with Thomas and friends. Takes and camaraderie with the cast are included, along with footage of Allcroft at work.

• "As Precious as Gold" (8:43, HD) is part one of "Return to Shining Time," which sits down with creator/director Britt Allcroft to chart her experience with "Thomas the Tank Engine." Nursing childhood dreams of stardom, Allcroft found her way into television production via a secretary job, eventually creating successful shows for British T.V. Connecting with author William Awdry, Allcroft was inspired to turn "The Railway Series" into "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends," sticking with its distinct "live action model animation" look. Bringing the show to America, Allcroft co-created "Shining Time Station" to reinvent the property for a new audience, coming up with another smashing success.

• "Unfinished Business" (25:32, HD) is part two of "Return to Shining Time," with Allcroft exploring how "Thomas and the Magic Railroad" came to be. Initially approached by Paramount to make a "Shining Time Station" movie, Allcroft mapped out a story, sticking with a "four emotional tools" concept she used on the show. Casting is celebrated, as Allcroft ended up with a larger star ensemble that she was expecting, enjoying creative input from the group. Locations at the Isle of Man are spotlighted, and work in Toronto is recalled, with the group responsible for Island of Sodor sequences stationed there. Allcroft details the executive order to severely edit the picture after a poor test screening, sharing storylines and performances that were lost.

• "Hello Mr. Conductor" (9:32, HD) is an interview with Alec Baldwin, who shares that his daughter, Ireland, was a big fan of "Shining Time Station" in the 1990s, inspiring him to say yes to Allcroft when he was asked to work on the show. Baldwin explains the challenge of acting happy without becoming a cartoon, concentrating on that level of joy for the production. Transitioning to "Thomas and the Magic Railroad," Baldwin recounts how he found his character and mentions his interactions with co-star Mara Wilson, who just lost her mother before production began. The interviewee closes with a summation of the Britt Allcroft experience, as the director remained approachable despite studio heads second guessing her talents and vision.

• "There's Something About This Place" (9:28, HD) is a video conference interview with Didi Conn, who shares how she originally acquired the job on "Shining Time Station," delighted to work with Ringo Starr. Memories of Allcroft are provided, including her drive to open the scope of Sodor for "Thomas and the Magic Railroad." Conn offers memories of her time with co-stars, and highlights the popularity of the franchise with autistic children.

• "The Sounds of Sodor" (8:33, HD) is an audio-only interview with composer Hummie Mann, who won the gig on "Thomas and the Magic Railroad" through determination, working to catch Allcroft's attention. Scoring the feature after its heavy re-editing, Mann laments the loss of certain scenes, but also details his work to create themes and songs for the movie.

• Deleted Storylines (60:17, HD & SD) combines workprint footage, finished scenes, and a few storyboards to offer a look at the original version of "Thomas and the Magic Railroad." Of primary interest is the arrival of P.T. Boomer, the original villain, and Lily's role as the narrator for the tale, with bookend sequences of her as a mother sharing her Thomas adventures with her children. It's fascinating to see how much the feature was changed before its theatrical release, though it's easy to see why executives were hesitant to support Allcroft's melancholy vision for the picture.

• Deleted Scene (:28, SD) is a short clip of Junior being soaked in chocolate ice cream.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:56, SD) is included.

Thomas and the Magic Railroad Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shout's Blu-ray release of "Thomas and the Magic Railroad" isn't the major restoration of the movie fans of the franchise might've been hoping for, but the package is filled with production information, BTS footage, and candid thoughts on the making of the feature. Additionally, Allcroft has finally released deleted scenes that help to comprehend her original vision for "Thomas and the Magic Railroad," supplying a look at what might've been with the elements available. That alone might be catnip to those who've been curious about the film's dismantling 20 years ago.