James & the Giant Peach

The movie is a let down from the world I imagined. Also, this movie is not suitable for adults. It hardly held my attention, the songs are weak, and there is very little (if any) embedded adult humor.

Adult Burton enthusiasts should avoid this movie.


James and the Giant Peach great movied to view on dvd   April 6, 2004
CHRIS PACHECO DooyooCrownReviewer (biloxi)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful

james (paul terry) is a nice and quite moral little boy who has two loving parents. while near the beach, he and his mom get killed (although this is not shown since it's a pg film) by a rhinoceros. yes this is a fantasy film in part and there are many magical elements in the film. james custody then is then taken over by two ugly aunts: aunt spiker (joanna lumley from "absolutely fabulous" fame) and aunt sponge (miriam margolyes) who are classic examples of adults who abuse their children. they are the classic example of the trash and evil nature that exist in all wretched adults who seek exploit others
for their wealth. in fact, james's aunts use him as basically a slave to work around the house. they starve him and feed the breadcrumbs that are in the trash. they yell at him when james wants to make new friends and talk to kids who he can't
relate to. nah it doesn't get much lower than quality of life aunt sponge and aunt spiker have on james. one day a mysterious man gives james a mysterious bag full of crocodile tongues I believe, which he says are magic and can make James dreams come
true. In this case, James dream was to go to New York City and see Empire State Building. It was actually both James parent's dreams and James dream. However, even though James parent's are long gone, James still wants to go to New York an accomplish the dream he and his parents set out to do. This is one impressive kid, he has a big heart and the kind of determination that almost no adults have nowadays. That's one lesson of the film right there , which is not to give up on one's dream, it's literally embodied in this great kid. So this special bag of magic combines with a small peach to grow into a gigantic peach which Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker capitalize for their own selfish profits!!!! Now if you think this made James's life any easier youd be wrong. Nope James's life continues as before, even wore as his rich selfish Aunt have become greedier and more manipulative and more vindictive. It's hard to believe that these "aunts" are the blood relative of James. Now before I go on, I couldn't help but think of James and Harry Potter. Sure Harry Potter was an orphan, but he and James are taken in by their slimy relatives who basically want to exploit and abuse them without any rights whatsover. Potter eventually escapes his vile relatives and so does James. Potter becomes one of the most loved characters at Hogwarts and James also near the end (without revealing too much) becomes
one of the most loved kids in the world. Anyhow James interests in the peach grows huge to the point with the aid of the magic bad of tongues , James becomes magically converted to small size and invades the beach. Inside the beach, James discovers a group of zany characters all symbolizing common day insects who have now made James the center of attention. James meeting the characters of Mr. Grasshopper (Simon
Callow), Mr. Centipede (Richard Dreyfuss), Ms. Ladybug (Jane Leeves from Frasier), Ms. Spider (Susan Sarandon), learns that they have been watching him as he is mistreated by his aunts and know that James dreams of going to New York City. Eventually James learns that the characters not only want to go with him but they are going to help him
on his journey as well. This is a great movie about friendship as well. Let's face facts it's not likely James would have gone to New York on his own, but these group of wonderful friends give the help and encouragement to do it, when he needs it.

When James and the group decide on a plan to go to New York City, they're journey is stalled by several dangerous adventures which include a metallic shark, dead caribbean pirates, and the hazardous condition which threaten to end their journey. However that isn't stopping anyone and James and his friends, as a group are determined to make it New York and James is determined to make his and his parents dream come true.... As you can see you can describe the movie any better than better, and the movie itself is loaded with amazing special effects that elevate this entertaining fantasy world that James has now come into contact with. In fact when I first looked at the effects, I thought I was watching another classic fantasy film like in "The Nightmare Before Christmas", and guess what both films were directed by the same great director, Henry Selick. I was success and an eye for greatness embodied in fantasy is a signature for
Selick. He really outdoes himself here.

Sony Imageworks and a trio of great animators provide the stop motion technology and animation that make the world of James and The Giant Peach so fantastic. Speaking of fantastic the voice talents in this film are all great with Sarandon, Dreyfuss , Leeves, and David Thewlis as Mr. Earthworm are great, you can tell
that they captured the characters really well, but the person who outshines them is Paul Terry as James, he give's quite a performance and I couldn't think anyone better to do the role he did. So as you can see James and The Giant Peach is far from being just a kids flick, it's that kind of stupid attitude that shows the true ignorance of so called critics who we'll miss out on the many meanings of films like "James and The Giant Peach". In fact one critic even mentioned that the film brings up ideas by Karl Marx for example the relationship of the slave, and master which are true in some regard, but above this a film that really does capture the spirit of having a dream and not quitting until he or she achieves that dream, because as you watch the ending, you can see in the ending, that James's dream really affects many people, not just himself. I could go and on about how great "James and The Giant Peach" but I think I've nailed everything good about it, all that's left now is to recommend the film to those who haven't seen it.

DVD Details:

Ah, the DVD is excellent coming up with several extra features:

*Commentary

*Behind the scenes on the making of the movie

* A special music video by Randy Newman who wrote several songs for the movie

* A beautiful transfer of the movie shown in letterbox format.

*Theatrical trailer

* About 13 character sketches on the characters themselves giving a glimpse
into the artistic process of the film

* Dolby Digital Surround sound.

As you can see a good DVD definitely worth checking out especially if you want
more details about the film.


Great Movie   March 9, 2004
grumbling_goat (Maryland)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I am really shocked that anyone could find this film "horrific"! It is far from horrific. I think the aunts are the most entertaining part of the movie. I guess you need a bit of a sense of humor to appreciate it.

It wasn't incredibly entertaining for my husband or me, but we did both enjoy watching it. My five year old son, on the other hand, thinks that it is a movie masterpiece. He has watched it about eight times in the week since he first saw it. He loves to sing the songs from the movie. He is moved by James' plight for freedom from the mean aunts and sympathizes with him as much as a carefree five year old can. He finds the obstacles of James' journey with his bug friends very exciting. He really likes bugs so I guess that a movie about a journey with giant bugs is pretty appealing concept for him.

I agree with a previous reviewer that the movie portrays a good lesson about facing hardships and overcoming them.


JAES AND THE GIANT PEACH IS COOL   December 3, 2003
STEPHANIE JENNINGS (SUMNER, WA, USA)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful

I STARTED TO WATCH "JAME AND THE GIANT PEACH" WHEN WE GOT IT. IN IT JAMES WHO LIVED A WONDERFUL LIFE WITH HIS PARENTS AND WAS GOING TO GO TO LIVE IN NEW YORK WITH HIS PARENTS UNTIL ONE TERRIBLE DAY HIS PARENTS WERE GOBBLED UP BY AN MAD RHINOCERESS. THIER TROUBLES IF THEY HAD ANY WERE OVER IN SECONDS. BUT JAMES WAS ORPHANED AND WENT TO LIVE WITH HIS CRUEL AUNTS SPIKER AND SPONGE WHO MISTREATED HIM. HE WAS FORCED TO BECOME A SLAVE. WORKING WHILE HIS SELFISH AND LAZY AUNTS DID NOTHING AND WHEN HE RESTED THEY YELLED AT HIM AND SAID THAT HE WAS LAZY WHEN THEY WERE LAZY. JAMES HAD TO PICK UP BROKEN GLASS, WEED TH GARDEN, WASH THE CAR AND POLISH THE HOOD ORNEMENT, AND CHOP FIRE WOOD, AND DUST IN SIDE (THE FURNITURES AND OTHER STUFF) HIS CRUEL AUNTS SAID THAT HIS PARENTS WERE FOOLS WHO DIDN'T PAID ATTENTION AND WERE KILLED WHEN RHEY DIDN'T SEE THE RHINOCERESS COMING. THEY ALSO TOLD HIM THAT THE RHINO WOULD COME AFTER HIM TOO. THE MAD RHINO IS ACUTIALLY BLACK CLOUDS AND SMOKE WITH THUNDER AND LIGHTNING. BUT ANYWAY THIS HAPPENED JAMES'S CHRUEL AUNTS EVEN STARVED HIM BY NOT GIVING HIM ANYTHING TO EAT. THEY FORCE HIM TO GO TO BED AND WORK WITHOUT ANY MEALS (LIKE AT THE NEAR END OF "THE LITTLE PRINCESS" WHERE THE COOK AN SOMETIMES THE HEADMISTERESS OF THE BOARDING SCHOOL FOR RICH GIRLS HAD PRINCESS SARAH CREWE DO UNTIL SOMEONE DID SOMETHING NICE FOR HER WHEN A LAWYER AND MISS MINCHIN TOLD HER LIES THAT HER FATHER DIED AND THAT SHE WAS BROKE AND HAD TO LIVE IN THE ATTIC AND WORK FOR A LIVING AND EAT HER MEALS IN THE KITCHEN AND NOT WITH HER FRIENDS)THE CRUEL AUNT ALSO ABUSED JAMES BY BEATING HIM UP ALL THE TIME. JAMES SANG A SONG TO THE SPIDER ABOUT HIS NAME AND DREW ON THE APPLE CHIP BAG (IN WHICH HE FETCHED OUT OF THE TRASH AND ATE THE APPLE CHIPS INSIDE WHEN HIS AUNTS WEREN'T LOOKING AND TOOL TO HIS ROOM) NEW YORK CITY AND EVERYTHING ON IT. HE BLEW THE BAG THAT HE FOLDED INTO A BALLOON AND LIT A BUG CANDLE THAT WAS ON HIS BIRTHDAY CAKE WHEN HIS PARENTS WERE STILL ALIVE. AND ATTACHED IT TO THE BAG AND SET IT SAILING IN THE SKY. AND PUT THE SPIDER BACK ON THE WEB AND WENT TO SLEEP. IN THEMORNING HE LET THE SPIDER GO IN THE YARD AND MET A STRANGE MAN WHO GAVE HIM THE CROCODILE TONUGE WHICH WERE BOILED IN A WITCH'S SKULL WITH A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR AND TIRRED AND FOR FOUR DAYS AND NIGHTS AND LET THE MOON DO THE REST AND NOT TO LET THEM OUT OF HIS SIGHT BUT HE TRIPPED AND THE AUNTS ACCUSED HIM OF LAZINESS AND LYING TO THEM. BUT WHEN A PEACH APPEARED AND GREW WHEN THEY FORCED HIM TO CLIMB UP AND PICK IT THEY WERE SURPRISED TO SEE IT GROW TO A GIANT SIZE AND BEGAN CHARGING PEOPLE TO SEE IT AND WHEN SOMEONE ASKED TO TASTE ID TORE UP THE TICKETS AS A PUNISHMENT AND THE PRIEST WAS ANGRY ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE DOING.IT WASA MIRICALE THAT HE POLICE DIDN'T ARREST THEM FOR BREAKIN THE CHILD LABOR LAWS AND CHILD ABUSE ANT TOOK JAMES AWAY FROM THEM FOREVER. BUT WHEN THEY HAD HIM PICK UP THE LITTER. HE ATE SOMEOF THE PEACH AND CLIMBED INSIDE IT WHERE HE WAS CHAANGED AND MET ANDBEFRIENDED SOME INSECTS (OR BUGS) THERE THE GLOWWORM WAS HARD OF HEARING AND THE GRASSHOPPER OCASINALLY SHOUTED UP SO THAT SHE WOULD HEAR HIM RIGHT. THEY SNIPPED THE PEACH STEM ANS ET OFF WITH SEAGULL TIED TO IT AND FLEW AWAY TO NEW YORK CITY WHERE PEOPLE SAW HIM AND THE PEACH ONTOP OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING WHEN HE STOOD UP TO THE MAD RHINO AND SURVIVED. HE WAS CHANGED BACK TO NORMAL. BUT WHEN HIS CRUEL AUNTS CAME TO TAKE HIM BACK HOME WITH THEM HE REFUSED REVEALING THAT HE PEACH THE CLAIMED THAT WERE THIERS WERE IN REALITY HISAND HE GREW IT HIMSELF. HE ALSO REVEALED THAT THEY WERE NOT HIS NICE LEGAL GARDIANS AND THAT THEY WERE VERY MEAN AND NASTY TO HIM. HE ALSO REVEALED HPW THEY HAD TREATED HIM LIKE A SLAVE. AND ABUSED HIM AND MADE HIM SLEEP IF A COLD DARK ROOM AND STARVED HIM AND SAID THAT HE WA SNOTHING AFTER THE MAN SAID TO LET HIM SPEAK UP. JAMES'S FRIENDS APPEARED AND HELPED HIM TAKE CARE OF HIS CRUEL AUNTS WHO WERE FROZEN ANDTHE BEAUTY WAS GONE AND EVERYTHING. AFTER THEY WERE TAKEN AWAY THE LITTLE GIRL ASKED IF THEY COULD EAT THE PEACH. CENTIPEDE TOLD HIM THE IT WON'T KEEP FOREVER AND JAMES LET THEM JOIN HIM AND EAT THE PEACH TO THE PIT. IT WAS SET UP IN CENTRAL PRK AS HIS HOME WHERE HE ;IVED WITH CENTEPEDE, GRASSHOPPED EARTHWORM,GLOWWORM,AND LADYBUG IN WHICH HE INTRDUCED TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK CITY AND WERE FAMOUS IN THE BIG APPLE AND THE NEWSPAPERS ALWAYS BECAUSE THEY WRE KIND AND NICE TO HIM AND TOOK CARE OF HIM IN THE STORY. THE AUNT WERE NOT KIND AND NICE TO HIM AND DIDN'T TOOK CARE OF HIM AT ALL.