Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000)

Director

• Britt Allcroft

Starring

• Alec Baldwin
• Peter Fonda
• Mara Wilson
• Russell Means
• Didi Conn

Last On

10:35-11:55 Mon 29th Dec 2008 80m
BBC1

Synopsis

Writer/director Britt Allcroft may have translated the magic of the Rev W Awdry's books to the small screen, but this feature-length adaptation is crass, impenetrable and, frankly, embarrassing. Clumsily Americanised, the story sees Lily (Mara Wilson) and her grandfather (Peter Fonda) help a marginalised Thomas and miniature conductor Alec Baldwin confound Diesel 10's dastardly plan to eradicate steam trains by destroying a pink tank engine named Lady. The model work is typically quaint, but the other effects are anything but magical and the songs are ghastly. This is a shameful betrayal of a national institution.